Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The bus was delayed again. Public transport was always such a dumb hassle thanks to villains. Can you even call them true villains? Most of them were adults throwing man-tantrums. 

“When’s the bus coming again?” Caelus asked, glancing towards Akumu. 

Akumu checks his phone as he hits his pen and coughs a little. “Uhh… Like, nine more minutes?” He reads off, seeing that the bus is delayed by another two minutes.

“Fuck off,” the white haired boy mutters, his wings rustling around him as he props his chin in his hand. “At this point, I might as well just fly there.”

“Shit, me too,” Akumu grumbled, “but for legal reasons, do not.”

“Yeah, I won’t. I’m just saying.”

It was late in the afternoon at this point, and they have yet to get home. For a good moment, Akumu continues to check his Twitter while Caelus scrolled around on Instagram to pass the time. They learned not too long ago that another villain was holding up the bus. Some petty thief, one that tried to steal some lady’s purse. You’d swear it was straight from a TV show or a cartoon. Akumu would update Caelus about the bus by  just showing him his phone screen every now and then.

The two of them sat in comfortable silence as they waited for the bus to arrive, Caelus glancing up to see if he could spot the bus in the distance in an impatient manner. Of course, this wasn’t the first time they’d done this together. They’ve more than grown used to the extended quiet and silent comfort that the other’s presence brought, and it was a familiar feeling, sitting together.

Eventually, the bus did arrive. Akumu stood up first, signaling to Caelus that it was here. The other boy lifted his head, and he slung his bag over his shoulder before reaching for his wallet and pulling out his bus pass. Akumu pulls up the bus system’s app on his phone, using his phone to scan. After paying, they both sat towards the back of the bus.

“You think going to UA would be just as annoying?” Akumu asked, slipping his headphones off.

“It’s probably gonna be worse, let’s be real.” Caelus sighs, snapping his beaded bracelets against his skin. “It’s the top hero school in Japan, of course people are gonna be flooding through the gates.”

“Mm.” He glanced out the window, exhausted. If they were both being honest, neither of them even planned going to UA. But somehow, in some way, they ended up applying. Neither of them wanted to be heroes, but here they were.

The ride home was quiet for the most part. The ride felt much shorter than the wait, and soon, they were in their neighborhood. Caelus pulls on the overhead cord, signaling the driver to stop, and a small chime sounds over the bus speakers. Soon, the bus slows to a stop before the doors open. Akumu stood up before stepping out the bus, Caelus following behind. 

“You said you wanted to go to mine?” Akumu remembers, glancing towards Caelus as he takes another hit of his pen. Caelus nods. 

“Yeah, my parents aren’t home yet. Who knows where my grandmother is.”

“Cool. Do you wanna watch something while making bracelets or something?”

“Hell yeah.”

“Alright. My grandmother might come into my room a few times, though.”

“That’s fine.” Both teens reached Akumu’s doorstep. Like always, the front of Akumu’s house was clean and lightly decorated with red ornate. Akumu fishes his keys out of his pockets before unlocking the door. As soon as they opened the door, Akumu’s baby brother was running at them. Akumu lets Tomo grab his leg, ruffling his hair as a greeting. 

Caelus closes the door behind them and locks it. Akumu redirects Tomo to their grandmother, who was in the kitchen, and leads Caelus into his room upstairs. It was no surprise that, as soon as the door was opened, Caelus saw remnants of their hangout the night before. He for real puts off cleaning up four damn things off of the floor. 

Their school bags were set down near Akumu’s skateboard before Akumu pulled his laptop out. As Caelus grabs the string and the large boxes of kandi beads, Akumu sets up the laptop and opens a streaming service.

Akumu clicks onto the “continue watching” section before looking towards Caelus. “You wanna continue Ponyo?” 

“I’m gonna cry, but sure.”

“Cool.” Akumu clicks onto Ponyo before dimming the lights and sitting next to Caelus. Caelus pulls a blue rose switchblade from his waistband, briefly reveling in the feel of the blade in his hands before setting to work on making a bracelet, his wings shifting to a soft white cloak rimmed with gold. Those wings had a habit of changing to match his emotions and comfortability level, or to change for his personal preferences.

The two start to make their bracelets, a few of them being double layered kandi bracelets. From time to time, Akumu would hit his pen, even though blinkers are hard on asthmatic lungs. Akumu couldn’t care less. Sometimes, he would cough, but he drank tea out of a can to calm his throat.

While they were working on their bracelets, a random thought came into Akumu’s head while he was beginning to feel the effects of the cannabis. “I just realized I never asked,” he started, lazily turning to face Caelus, “why’d you apply to UA? You’re not really the heroic type.”

Caelus finished off the bracelet he held in his teeth, wrapping the string and tying it off. “I would be more offended if it wasn’t true.” He huffed as he slipped the bracelet over his wrist, pausing before he spoke again. “Well, y’know how I feel about my parents, right?”

“Yeah? What about ‘em?” Akumu felt like he already knew the answer, but he just had to make sure.

“I’m gonna cut contact with them no matter what, but I figured that it would be a lot easier to brush it off as the time difference if I was in a whole other country. I’ll miss my aunt and her dogs, but overall, there’s not much for me here, no reason to stay. Well, except for you, and you’re coming with me.”

“Mm.” 

There was an odd some moment of silence. Not awkward, but rather just giving both of them time to think about what else to say first. This time, Caelus breaks the silence.

“What about you? Why’re you going?”

Akumu thought for a moment. At first, he debated on actually telling Caelus, because it felt slightly stupid. But he shrugged off whatever doubt he had and took a quick hit first. “My grandfather went to UA, and y’know… He trained me and you know how I feel about him.”

“Oh, right. I forgot he used to be a pro.”

“Yeah. My grandmother attended with him, and I kinda look up to them both.” 

Another comfortable silence falls between them as he sets to work on another bracelet, this one a double kandi with black and white beads, reading “Between Judgement.” 

Caelus is the first to break the silence again, though his gaze was focused on the bracelet in front of him. “You think we’ll end up like your grandparents? Going to UA, becoming a hero, maybe finding the love of your life along the way.”

Akumu just shrugs his shoulders. The idea of being a hero never hit him in all reality. He figured maybe he can just get into support, but that’d be a waste of his bloodline’s quirk. And in all honesty, romance never crossed his mind either. “...Maybe. I mean, I really wasn’t supposed to last this long.” Caelus gave a dry laugh, the beads of his bracelet clicking together.

“You and me both.”

Chapter Text

Moved into an apartment together, the two teens were now staying together as Akumu’s and Caelus’ parents pay for their rent from America. They had both already met their hired caretaker, which was really just a housekeeper; they were able to care for themselves well enough. Akumu had already unpacked all his stuff, as he didn’t bring much, and decided to go help Caelus move in some boxes.

“Is there any fragile stuff in this one?” Akumu asks as he picks up a heavier box. Caelus opens the top and peeks in, taking a moment to rummage through it before he shakes his head. 

“Nope, that’s just a bunch of silverware I collected.”

“...You collect silverware?”

“You say that like you haven’t noticed my tendency to collect any and all cool trinkets I find.”

Akumu just nods with a small sigh, as if to say, "fair nuf," and heads towards the stairs of their apartment and heading up to the front door. At least he doesn’t need to be careful with this box. He brings it into Caelus’ side of the apartment and calls out to the housekeeper. “If there’s a box of silverware, don’t touch it! It’s a collection apparently.” He called out into the inside of the apartment before heading back down to grab another box to move in. 

The exams were scheduled a week away from now. That gives them a week to move in, buy what they need, and to fix their god forsaken sleep schedule. 

Caelus soon comes in with another box, the word “ALTARS” scribbled in sharpie along the side. He’s handling it gentler than the other boxes. He sits down in front of it as he opens it and begins taking stuff out of it, sorting them into groups as he mumbles to himself. All the while, Akumu looked at the time. They have travelled all day, taking multiple planes and an extended uber ride. It took a moment to realize that they haven’t eaten yet.

“Hey, I’m gonna start dinner. Do you want anything specific?” Akumu asks as he steps into the kitchen. Thankfully, he filled the fridge and freezer while he moved all of his stuff in.

“Mmm, not particularly. Just one of my safe foods.” 

“Aight.” Akumu never liked processed foods, for obvious reasons, and decided to make it all from scratch. Washing his hands, he threw some gloves on and thawed out some chicken. Even if this took more time, it was a healthier option, and god knows what America had put into their bodies by now. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

A few hours passed, and Caelus was almost done moving in. He just needs to bring in the last two or so boxes. The smell of food filled the air as Akumu focused on dinner. Hopefully, after this, they can just conk out for the night.

About a half an hour later, Caelus groans, stretching his arms over his head, his back cracking with the motion. “Jesus Christ, my bones,” he complained as he let his hands drop by his sides, a small frown tugging at his lips.

By the grace of the gods, Caelus could hear Akumu coming out of the kitchen and setting the table. They hadn’t eaten since they left the first airport back in America. As soon as Caelus stepped towards the dining table, his eyes were set on the homemade, dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets.

“I made them dino shaped for you.” Akumu says as he pours out some coffee for the both of them.

“Thank you, you’re literally the best.” 

“Mhm.” Despite his mask, Caelus can hear the small smile somewhere in his deadpan tone. Akumu then places a plate in front of himself. Due to Akumu’s more carnivorous nature, he had to make himself lamb, as much as he hated working with it. “By the way, I bought some cookies if you want one. They’re just in the kitchen next to the fridge.”

“Bet, I’ll snag those later,” he said as he sat down at the table, pulling his mask off his face with the usual soft squelch then setting it down. He picked up one of the nuggets and blew on it before taking a bite, his wings fluttering with joy at the taste. This time, they’d taken the form of a crimson tasseled cape patterned with pale chevrons, the small white stars on the fabric set along a broad stripe of wine red.

Akumu reached behind his neck and unclasped the mask on his face and set it beside him. He cuts off a piece of the cooked lamb and takes a bite. He leans back into his seat for a moment. “You think we’re gonna pass the exams? Or do you think this trip would be for nothing?” Well, there goes Akumu’s sober mind.

“I mean, I would think you’d pass at the very least. You can turn into ghosts, dude. I’m the one who’s debatable.”

“Yeah, but it’s all fun and games until I turn into someone’s dead mother or something.” Akumu remembered the last time that happened. They both learned slurs they didn’t know existed that same day.

“Can’t linger on that too long. Life’s too short to be worried about accidentally offending other people.” Caelus shrugged, dusting off the crumbs that had stuck to his skin.

“Listen, to be fair, America was... A place.” He continues to eat the lamb in front of him. It’d be nice to hit his pen right now, but he'd rather not choke while eating.

“True." 

The rest of the dinner was spent in silence. Not because the conversation was awkward, but because Akumu had already set up the TV and the housekeeper turned it on during her break. On the news, there was some hero and villain stuff, as expected. 

“...Man, they look just as childish, what the fuck.” Akumu shook his head a little, finishing his meal before finally getting to his coffee.

“It’s hard to take them seriously when most of them are just man children taking their insecurities out on others.” Caelus rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his coffee. He set the can down then went to put his plate away, his footsteps near silent against the floor.

Akumu stands to put the dishes into the sink. He turns the hot water on and begins to wash the dishes. “Hey, if you can set up the study, that’d be cool. I already put up the furniture for you.” Akumu says as he washes the dishes thoroughly.

“Right, I’ll do that now.” Caelus runs a hand through his hair, and he’s gone in a few moments, humming to himself as he works. Though, he doesn’t leave without swiping one of the cookies that Akumu had mentioned earlier.  The dishes were rinsed off once cleaned. Akumu organized them on the drying rack, making sure the dishes weren’t touching each other. It bothers him if they do. 

One week until exams, and another few some weeks until the results. How comforting.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

By the time they were done moving in, it was past midnight. Not that it was that much of an issue for the two. They both had showered already and set up their school stuff. They both decided to watch a movie on the couch once they were comfortable.

They decided to watch some new film, something about this being some damn good dark romance film, or something. They were only watching it to see if it was worth the hype or not. Akumu smoked from his pen while Caelus stood up to go make some more popcorn. 

“Do we still have the kettle corn type?” Akumu called out.

“Yeah. You want that one?” Caelus’ voice came from the kitchen, the sound of him digging through the cupboards accompanying his voice.

“Yeah.” He replied, taking a sip out of some tea can he opened. “Bro, this shit kinda sucks.” Akumu says as he leans back into the couch as he watches the movie. So far, the protagonist was brainless and was cheating on some decent guy with another average joe. 

“Why am I not surprised,” Caelus muttered as he put the bag into the microwave, setting the timer for 3 and a half minutes, then shutting the door.

“I’m gonna put on The Outsiders. Apparently this is an older film that has some good reviews.”

“Oh yeah, I think I’ve heard of that before. My parents said they read it in school.”

“The book must’ve been good if it has a movie adaptation, then.” Akumu puts the movie on and pauses it so they both can refill on some snacks and drinks. Akumu stood up so he could grab some more shrimp chips. 

“Yeah. I just hope the movie adaptation doesn’t completely fuck it up.”

“Like they did with Percy Jackson?”

“Like they did with Percy Jackson. That shit was ass. ” They both will never forgive Hollywood for what they did to Rick’s books. “At least the show was a lot more accurate.”

“Mhm.” Akumu pulls out a small box of ice cream sticks from the freezer. The ones that were vanilla covered in chocolate. He opens the box and decides to take one, lacking sugar in his blood. “They did Coraline justice at least.”

“Yeah, I’d hope so. I’m pretty sure that the whole generation of adults who grew up on that movie would have rioted if they hadn’t.” Caelus chuckled with a shake of his head, taking the bag of popcorn from the microwave, holding it by the edges of the paper and shaking. He grabbed an ice cream stick before heading back into the main room, sitting crisscross on the left end of the couch, leaning against the arm of the couch as he settled the popcorn on his other side.

Akumu returned to the room shortly after, landing on the couch with a small “pomf.” He takes a blinker, managing to cough only a few times rather than having a fit. He grabs the remote and starts the movie, getting comfortable for a moment.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The movie did meet some expectations. But they were already on a movie marathon, so they would watch movies while yapping about the last one they watched. 

“They did Johnny wrong.” Akumu sipped at his tea, putting on the next movie to watch.

“You’re telling me,” Caelus scoffed, munching on the last bits of popcorn. Akumu sighed as they both continued their movie marathon.

Eventually though, Akumu pauses the movie and looks towards Caelus. “We should clock out, we should get some sleep at least.” He shuts the TV off and begins to pick up some of the trash they had scattered around the couch.

Caelus grumbled at having to stop the movie while he was invested, but he was getting pretty tired too, and he would’ve passed out on the couch if Akumu hadn’t stopped the movie when he did. He ran his hands through his hair and stretched before helping Akumu pick up their trash. 

Once the two cleaned up, Akumu and Caelus went off into their separate rooms. “I’m gonna talk to some of the former residents here,” he hummed, “Maybe they’ll be of use, I dunno.”

“Tell ‘em to not touch my stuff or come into my room while I’m tryna sleep and we’re good.” Caelus stuck a thumbs-up outside his door before going into his room,  the door closing behind him with a low thud. 

“Sure.” He closes the door behind him, sitting down at his desk.

Chapter Text

The week passes by rather fast. But it was enough time to settle in and fix their sleep schedule just enough to make it to the exams on time. The two of them had already grabbed their exam cards and the both of them sat next to each other as they waited for the exams to start. It felt like a hassle to get all the students here like this for an entrance exam, but then again, maybe it’s different now that they were in Japan.

Soon, the lights turned on and the spotlight was on a blonde man. He looked taller from afar, and he stuck out like a sore thumb. Not just because of his hair and his style, but also because of his booming voice. “What’s up, UA candidates? Thanks for tuning into me. Come on and let me hear ya!” Akumu and Caelus glanced at each other, giving each other the same deadpan expression before looking back down at the hero in the spotlight. Silence filled the auditorium of students. “Keeping it mellow, huh?” The loud blonde continues into the mic. “That’s fine, I’ll skip straight to the main show.” The screen behind him lights up as he speaks, starting the presentation of the exam. Well, this surely is different from the United States. “I’ll quickly present to you the rundown on the practical exam!” With a big breath, the pro hero once again yells into the microphone. “Are you READY?!” Silence follows once more.

“He’s loud…” Caelus whispered to Akumu.

“Quirk, maybe.” Akumu mumbles in response. The two continue to watch the presentation.

“...He looks like a cockatoo.” Akumu just nods in agreement.

“As it says in the application requirements, you listeners will be conducting ten-minute mock urban battles after this!” The booming voice continues to speak, the speakers amplifying his voice for everyone to hear. Well, if the goal was to hurt sensitive eardrums, they did it well. Caelus grumbles, and a pair of white headphones with golden stars on them materialize on his head. “You can bring whatever you want with you. After the presentation, you’ll head to your specific battle center, okay?” 

“Whatever we want? Damn.” Caelus muttered underneath his breath. Oh, this is all very different. Most schools in America think that stuff is “too dangerous,” which is bullshit. 

“He said different battle stations,” Akumu mentioned, “we’ll be separated.”

“Probably ‘cause they don’t want people teaming up with friends or other people they know to get more points. That way, they’ll get to see the person’s actual potential.”

“Hm…” Akumu glanced down at both of their exam cards for a moment. Both of them were, indeed, at different battle stations. Caelus was D while Akumu was at E. Close but still apart.

“Three different types of faux villains are stationed in each battle center. You earn points for each of them based on their level of difficulty. Your goal, dear listeners, is to use your Quirks to earn points by immobilizing the faux villains.” Of course this was a quirk based exam. Akumu wonders how many people were turned away because they had mental quirks instead. “Of course, attacking other examinees and other unheroic actions are prohibited!” 

“Yeah, that’s fair,” Caelus mumbled, his arms folded over his chest. “You’d be expected to work with other heroes when you go pro, so attacking your allies would be counterproductive.”

“You’re thinking out loud.” Akumu slightly nudged Caelus.

“Ohp- My bad.”

“May I ask a question!” A sudden voice blared from the crowd. Caelus side-eyes the student with a mix of judgement and curiosity, and Akumu just glances over with his usual deadpan. The voice had come from a blue haired, bespectacled boy who had stood up. Rather than a question, it was more of a statement.

“Alright! Go on!” The pro hero pointed towards the boy.

“On the printout,” he starts as he pulls up the piece of paper everyone was given that held information about the exam, “There are four different types of villains. If this is a misprint, then U.A., the most prominent school in Japan, should be ashamed of this foolish mistake!”

Caelus cringes. Eugh, one of these types. 

But, he was curious about the issue that the blue haired boy had brought up. There’s no way that this place would make a mistake like that. There’s got to be more to it.

 “We examinees are here in this place because we wish to be molded into exemplary heroes.” Then, this blue haired boy suddenly turns around and points towards the green haired boy that sat a few rows away from Caelus and Akumu. “In addition, you over there with the curly hair—” he says as the green boy points at himself, awkward. “You’ve been muttering this whole time. It’s distracting! If you’re here on a pleasure trip, then you should leave immediately!” 

Caelus has to resist the urge to groan aloud in annoyance. Goddamn, he hated the types who had sticks up their asses; they just made it more difficult for him to exist peacefully. All the while, Akumu was just sitting there, slowly moving his eyes back towards the pro hero. Maybe if he just ignores it, he can tune it out.

“…I’m sorry…” The green boy mutters as he clasps his hands up to his mouth. Damn. Poor guy.

“Okay, okay, Examinee Number 7111.” Both Caelus and Akumu perked up when they heard the pro hero’s deafening voice. “Thanks for the great message. The fourth villain is worth zero points. That guy’s an obstacle, so to speak. There’s one in every battle center—An obstacle that will go crazy in narrow spaces. It’s not impossible to defeat, but there’s no reason to defeat it either. I recommend that you listeners try to avoid it.”

“Thank you very much!” The blue haired boy bows in respect. “Please excuse the interruption!”  He then sits back down. 

“That’s all from me! Finally, I’ll give you listeners a present, our school motto! The hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: ‘A true hero is someone who overcomes life’s misfortunes. Go beyond.’ Plus Ultra!” Akumu internally cringes at the last part. Are schools here always this corny? Caelus raises an eyebrow. No way Napoleon said that. “Now, everyone, good luck suffering!” The students stood up as soon as they were dismissed.

Welp. “Guess I’ll see you when all this is over.” Caelus said as he stretched an arm out, rolling his shoulders back. 

“Yeah.” Akumu slips his jacket off of his shoulders and ties it around his waist. “Tell me how it goes.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Caelus ran his hands through his hair, waiting outside his battle center for the exams to begin. He cast a glance off to his right towards where Akumu’s battle center was located, and he caught a glimpse of his friend among the throng. Though, it looked like he had his headphones on and wasn’t paying attention. So, he just focused on stretching, bouncing from foot to foot and loosening his muscles. His wings had started taking in the light as soon as he’d stepped out into the sun, and he could feel as it seeped into the fabric of his cloak—now a tasseled shoulder cape woven in blue and orange—the white stars down the center beginning to glow and pulse subtly. He took a deep breath, in and out, and he knows he’s in his element. 

The gates slide open with low groans of metal, and Caelus wastes no time in taking off. Wind whips around him as he circles the city like a vulture eyeing its prey, and it’s not long before he spots a group of faux villains hidden in the south corner of the city. He allows himself a small smirk before he swoops down on the one at the rear, the metal armor of the first one cracking and screeching as it gives out beneath the force of his dive. The other robots turn to face him, but they barely have time to raise their weapons before a bright flash of light explodes out from his form. When the light clears, the two robots are dismantled, and Caelus zips back up into the sky again. 

He’s just about to dive on another pair of robots when he notices a cowering form in front of them. A frown tugs at his lips, and he flies closer to investigate. 

Pressed up against the wall of an alley is a young man with hulking, scaly hands, but he looks to be injured. The bruising is severe; even Caelus can tell despite the distance. One of the robots aims its weapon at the scaled boy, and he shuts his eyes with a whimper, but the blow never comes. The crash of metal against the ground snaps his eyes open again, and his fear is replaced with awe as Caelus lands on the robot’s weapon, crushing it into the ground and breaking it off of its arm. A spinning hook kick sends the robot flying and the second robot only manages to graze Caelus’ face with an attack before it’s crushed into the wall.

Caelus huffs out a long breath, then turns to the scaled boy, a small orb of light welling up in his hand. “Here, take this and press it into your chest.” He says as he kneels down, and the other boy has only just taken it in both his palms before Caelus disappears into the air again. 

“FIVE MORE MINUTES!” A voice, which he recognizes as the blonde pro from before, shouts over the city’s loudspeakers, and Caelus winces. Damn, had it really been five minutes already? He needed to pick up the pace if he wanted to pass. Instead of circling and diving like he had been doing before, he decided to just zip through the city streets and pick off the robots one by one, using his light to blind them, then using his momentum to crush them into the ground or throw them against a nearby wall. The sounds of metal screeching mixes with the shattering of glass and the cracking of concrete and asphalt, but he ignores how the sounds make his ears hurt and his skin crawl, instead focusing solely on the task at hand.

His body aches and he wants to pass out, but the light flowing through his body keeps him up, the fight feeling less and less like a fight and more like a dance. He’s fallen into a rhythm, dodging and striking, throwing and kicking, watching the bots fall before moving on. He’s just about to take down another pair of two and three pointers when the ground begins to shake. No, not just the ground. The buildings around him, the rubble on the floor, even the air itself is rumbling with the force of something approaching. Something pricks at the back of his head, and he looks up. 

A giant of a faux villain pushes its way through the narrow streets between buildings, and chunks of concrete begin to fall as the people around him begin to flee, screams and panicked shouting filling the air. He goes to do the same thing and fly away, but the sight of a girl caught under a chunk of rubble catches his eye. Blood stains her skin, trickling from deep gashes in her arms and forehead, and he can only imagine how much worse her legs are. His mind freezes, and he only has a second to curse himself before he’s in the air again. Shit.

He feels his body begin to burn with heat as his power swells, and when it releases, a blinding flash erupts from his body. The robot freezes as its sensor is overloaded with visual input, and Caelus takes advantage of the pause to push the rubble off the girl and pick her up, flying away before the robot can crush her as heat pulses beneath the surface of his skin. The girl looks amazedly down at herself as her wounds stitch themselves up, her skin healing over where the gashes and bruises had been, leaving them good as new. Caelus places her at the start of a street at the other end of the square, quietly advising her to run before taking flight again, feeling like fire’s racing through his veins. He doesn’t know how he’s going to take down this giganto-machina, but he knows he has to try. 

“ONE MINUTE LEFT!”

Shit. If there was only one minute, best make it count. 

“HEY! Over here, you no-good, rusted fuck-ass!!” He shouts, his fists balling at his sides. The robot’s “head” has straightened up, showing that it’s recovered from the flashbang earlier, and Caelus grits his teeth. “Yeah, you see me. Alright, let’s see how long you can keep that up,” he mutters, and he dives for the robot’s treads, half melting them and half pulling them apart with as much as strength as he can muster, feeling as the links keeping them together snap. Alright, next. He zips upwards again, and a stream of white hot light unfurls from his palm, splashing across the armor, the metal hissing as it makes contact. He strikes the spot he’d just burned, and the metal groans and falls away, clattering as it hits the asphalt beneath him. 

His heart is pounding in his chest as he darts around the robot, continuing to burn through the metal and break through the armored plates at the back of the robot’s “head”, seeing the internal wires of the robot sparking and fizzling. He reaches out and grabs them, ignoring how the sparks burn his palms, yanking on them as hard as he could. Pull. Pull. Pull. Pull. Pull. One of these has got to lead to the main power source. If I cut it off, then it’ll shut down. I just have to find the right wire-

A loud buzzer echoes through the arena, signaling the end of the exams, and Caelus is left perching on the back of the robot’s shoulders, his breath coming in harsh and shallow pants. His hands stung with pain from his burns, both caused by the amount of light he’d been using to fight the robots and the sparks that had hit his skin while he was tearing through the wiring. He looked around to check the area for any other examinees, and was relieved to see that it was mostly empty, and that none of them seemed to be seriously harmed. He feels fatigue hit him like a truck, but the sun seeping into his cape keeps him alert enough to not pass out. He jumps down from the top of the robot, landing lightly on the ground and ignoring the amazed and stunned gazes that follow him out the gates.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The sound of chattering was muffled by Akumu’s headphones. He wasn’t listening to any music, he just didn’t want anyone talking to him. Everyone looked like they were in some kind of battle tracksuit, or something that just didn’t look fitting to fight in. Akumu stuck out like a sore thumb. He hated the idea of fighting around others, but what choice did he have?

“Do not think.”

A cold chill runs down his spine as he hears rich, low pitched whispers. Before he could respond, the gates opened and the exam began.

“Good luck.”

Well, it’s absolutely everything or nothing at all. Akumu sprints into the battlefield, looking around for any faux villains. With some concentration, his body grows transparent and his body grows. Before anyone sees anything, his spectre figure changes into someone else. Akumu looks down at himself to see who he turned into. With a quick test of this spirit’s quirk, he runs back out into the battlefield. He hoped he didn’t turn into someone’s dead father. 

This spirit’s quirk was super strength. Well, that was easy to control. With ease, his muscles would grow. Metal was ripped apart like shreds of paper. The sound of metal and rubble from the other buildings filled his ears, explosions ripping each faux villain apart. 

The sound of a girl struggling caught his attention. His head snapped over towards the sound. The girl was trapped underneath some rubble due to one of the faux villains. Akumu’s eyes narrow and his form changes again. It felt like his body had gotten lighter before he dashed towards the examinee and kicked the rubble off of her. Akumu’s ghastly form was no longer a grown looking man, but now a bloodied teenage girl. Well, hopefully this isn’t anybody’s dead sister or something. The examinee groaned as she looked up at Akumu, getting a brief glance at his transparent form.

She almost flinched, seeing that look in Akumu’s eyes. His gaze felt like a cold icicle was slowly being pushed into her skull. That spectre-like form was covered in injuries. She didn’t know that that form isn’t Akumu’s. She didn’t even realize she was looking at a living person. He didn’t give much time for thought. He just disappears.

Akumu’s complex quirk is one reason why he never liked using it. It was something too unique, not something known well, like elemental quirks. But if it was necessary for the exam, then what choice does he have?

The sound of metal crushing from his varied attacks fill his head. Sometimes, his focus would only ever be interrupted when he notices someone stuck or cornered, but otherwise, he focused on himself for the most part. This girl’s quirk fit his fighting style a lot better. Akumu pulls out a switchblade from his waistband before he continues zipping around.

“FIVE MORE MINUTES!” He perks up, his focus shattering when he hears that loud voice again on the speakers. Five minutes have already passed? How many bots did he destroy? How many times has he switched forms? Not many, right? Akumu looks down at himself and notices that he’s still just that teenage girl. Well, looks like he’s getting better at staying in one form at least.

With a deep breath, Akumu puts the blade away. No more aiming for weak spots. Akumu pulls out a pair of brass knuckles. This spirit’s lightning-like quirk was a lot more useful than he thought. The smell of gunpowder and sulfur fills the air, rubble covering the ground. Buildings collapse and the faux villains are dying off one by one.

People are certainly destructive here.

The sound of something rumbling hit his ears. And then, the ground began to shake. How much time did they have left? Did they send out the big guns already? Akumu manages to keep his balance as he catches something in the corner of his eye. The zero pointer. The one the pro hero said to avoid. 

It was big . So much bigger than the other faux villains they were taking down. He doesn’t know how many he’s taken down, but that didn’t matter in the moment anymore. “RUN!” One of the examinees yell, causing the others to panic. In Akumu’s ghostly form, he furrowed his eyebrows as he looked around. The fear and the dread was overwhelming. Why would they allow a robot like this into the exam? Can anyone’s quirk even take that down, realistically? Akumu shook his head. 

In the chaos near the robot, there were still people stuck. Do they let the faux villains here crush and kill the examinees here? That’s when he remembered.

He’s a ghost right now.

His specter form changes into a different spirit. An older feminine form, one with a telekinesis quirk. This spirit had a heavier form, but Akumu could still move around just fine due to the spirit’s height. The robot trudges through, pushing past buildings at a semi-slow pace. Akumu uses the lady’s quirk as best as he could, trying to get people out of the rubble. It seemed like, to Akumu’s fortune, most of them were coming out with scratches. They can run on their own.

As Akumu pulls another student out of the metal scraps, Akumu tenses when he sees something in his peripherals. Akumu did a quick double take—and there it was. An examinee, maybe a year younger than he was, with their leg crushed. Blood pooled underneath the examinee, her naked muscle twitching. Akumu has seen bones, tendons, and naked fat before. But it’s different when it’s living rather than one of the dead.

His heart dropped. Was that supposed to happen? He doesn’t know what it was, but the spirit tied to his own shared her dread with him. Without thinking, Akumu rushed out and ran to the poor injured girl. The smell of blood mixes with the smell of dust and remnants of gunpowder. As careful as possible, Akumu picks up the girl in his arms, trying to focus on a more physical form. Once she was secure, he bolted away from the robot. Just in time, too. The loud sound of the robot stomping behind him was dangerously close. 

The warm feeling of blood seeping into his clothes made him a little nauseous. Not because it was gross, but because he knows this girl needs medical attention soon. It felt like his heart was pounding in his throat. Panic made his head run for miles on end, as if he’ll die if he doesn’t stop thinking. 

The girl in his arms groans as she regains consciousness. Her head was floppy, but the girl manages to get a glimpse at Akumu’s ghostly form. “...Mom?” The girl groaned. Her voice was weak. Akumu can feel her hand grasping at his chest. “...I Thought… Thought you were…” Oh. Realization hit him harder than any villain would’ve. No wonder why this spirit felt a sense of dread. Whenever he takes the form of a nearby spirit, he can feel what the spirit feels. And now he realizes that what he’s feeling is despair, worry, and panic. Akumu tries to keep himself calm, saying nothing as he runs her to safety.

What if the girl dies? What if the girl dies and it’s his fault? What if she sees her mother sooner than she should? 

...Well, technically, that already did happen, but still.

“ONE MINUTE LEFT!” The man’s voice rang out. Akumu swallowed hard. Only four minutes had passed? Time does slow down when you’re on the battlefield. He uses that minute to run off, the dazed girl looking up at Akumu with confusion and grief. He avoids any scrap and rubble on the field, trying to run and use the spirit’s quirk to make it easier to escape.

The buzzer goes off as soon as Akumu reaches the other examinees. His body reverts back to his physical form, no longer stealing the form and the abilities of the deceased. The girl had passed out again once the buzzer went off, causing Akumu to place her down onto the floor. He cared for her as if she were a fragile piece of glass. Only then does the nurse finally come.

The whispers around him died off into the back of his head. A deep, shaky breath enters Akumu’s empty lungs before he stands up, letting the school nurse do her thing. All it took was a kiss, and now they just need to wait for the girl to wake up. God, he forgot how much of a curse it was to be connected to the other side. He thought he’d be used to it by now, but sometimes, the spirit’s grief and sorrow engulfed Akumu’s sense of apathy. He ignored the horrified, yet amazed expressions that were stuck on everyone’s faces.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The two met up after the exams. They both knew not to say anything, both of them deciding to head towards the nearest fast food joint in order to rest up and just chill. They both sat down after a quick order, Akumu sipping at some soda as Caelus slowly took a bite out of a chicken nugget.

“...So, why do you look like hell?” Caelus asked. No, he would not bring up the burns; he took care to hide them by keeping his palms turned away from Akumu’s sight. 

“...Remember when I said I hoped I didn’t turn into someone’s dead mom?” Akumu inhales, slow and deep, before eating out of his fries. Caelus blinks a few times, his expression just screaming, "oh shit." But Caelus just nods instead of saying anything. “You?”

“Eh. Healed a guy, kept a girl from getting crushed by that ginormous fucking zero-pointer. Your average ten minutes.”

“Ey. No secrets.” He reminded Caelus. Obviously, if Akumu was stressed, there’s no way that Caelus wasn’t.

Caelus sighed. He had a love-hate relationship with the fact that they knew more about each other than anyone else. “Fine. Burned myself a lil bit, but they’re not too bad.”

“‘Not too bad’ my ass.” Akumu rolled his eyes a little. “I can treat your burns if you need.” 

Caelus pauses.  On one hand, he’s perfectly capable of healing them himself, but on the other hand, he’s already used his quirk enough. It’d be best to rest and not use it for a while. “...Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Cool.” Akumu sat back a little. Now they just need to wait for the results. Who knows how long that would take.

Chapter Text

By some miracle, both Akumu and Caelus stood in front of the school. Akumu was looking through his schedule on his phone, seeing that the class systems were also quite different. The students don’t switch classes, the teachers do. “Who’s your homeroom again?” Caelus asks as he looks at his schedule.

“Aizawa Shouta.” Akumu yawned, still tired from all of the action here in Japan. “Class 1A.”

“Oh nice, they put us in the same class.” Caelus took a sip from his thermos, humming in contentment as the flavor of his coffee dances between bitter and sweet on his tongue. 

“Mm. That’s their first mistake.” Akumu lazily replies as he heads into the school. Caelus snickers as he follows behind.

The two followed the digital map Akumu pulled up. Caelus fell behind a few times, mainly because he got too distracted taking in every detail about the school and comparing it to how it had looked back in the US. America was a lot less clean than this pristine place. For once, it felt like they were in some rich kid school. It took a few minutes, but the two entered the classroom they were assigned to. The class was already somewhat filled. 

There were a few familiar faces. The blue haired kid, and the green haired kid that the loud mouth blue haired boy called out during the presentation. Caelus’ facial subtitles said pretty much all that needed to be said, but Akumu ignored them for the most part, just heading to his assigned seat. The lack of audible footsteps made it easy to head to his seat without interruption. Caelus glanced up from his judgmental scrutinization of the bespectacled boy and followed after him, not eager at the prospects of meeting new people or having to deal with two clearly clashing personalities. 

Akumu put on some headphones and decided music was much better than the chaotic classroom. Caelus does about the same, the two of them doing their own thing until classes start. And soon enough, a sudden husky, low, tired voice cut through the room. “Go somewhere else if you want to play at being friends.” Everyone’s heads snapped towards the yellow sleeping bag on the floor. Inside, there was an exhausted middle aged looking man—one that probably hasn’t slept in days. He was just lying on the floor outside of the damned classroom. “This is the hero course.” He says as he unzips the top of the bag to eat some apple sauce out of the packaging.

Most of the students stared at him with wide eyes. Caelus, as surprised as he was, he kind of related to that on a painful level. Akumu can’t help but understand, it definitely feels like one of those days.

The teacher stands up while in the sleeping bag before unzipping the sleeping bag. The teacher’s movements were as slow as his speech. “Okay, it took eight seconds before you were quiet. Time is limited.” He steps out of the sleeping bag. “You kids are not rational enough.” the kids stared at him. Most of them have never seen such a worn out teacher before, let alone a pro hero. The man looks towards the rest of the class, his eyes lazily scanning the room. “Alright, class. I’m Aizawa Shouta, nice to meet you.” Oh dear, that’s their homeroom teacher. “It’s kind of sudden, but put this on and go out onto the field.” Caelus looked between the man and Akumu for a moment. The resemblance between his gothic best friend and this emo looking teacher was a little uncanny. This is gonna be fun. Caelus smirked behind his mask.

An assignment already? On the first day? Akumu and Caelus looked at each other for a second, both of them equally as confused as the other. They both got up like everyone else, changing out in the locker rooms and heading out into the field with everyone else. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

To everyone’s surprise, they were doing something called a “Quirk Assessment Test.” 

“What about the entrance ceremony?” A girl with a cute brown bob asked, “the orientation?”

“If you’re going to become a hero, you don’t have time for such leisurely events.” Aizawa states with a firm tone. “UA’s selling point is how unrestricted its school traditions are. That’s also how teachers run their classes.”

All the kids perked up as they realized how exactly this was going to go. Caelus frowned a little beneath his mask, his weight shifting to his back foot as he folded his arms over his chest. Talk about blunt. 

“You kids have been doing these since junior high, too, right?” Aizawa pulls out his phone and shows them some stats on the screen. At least this part was familiar. Though, neither Akumu nor Caelus really tried all that hard during those tests. They never cared for it. But now it was important. Their grades were on the line. “Physical fitness tests where you weren’t allowed to use your quirks. The country still uses averages taken from results from students not using their quirks. It’s not rational.” Aizawa explains. All of the students are listening to his words. “Well, the Ministry of Education is procrastinating.” Ah. Well, America and Japan have something in common. Aizawa turns his head towards the blonde boy with burning red eyes. “Bakugou, you finished at the top of the practical exam, right?”

The blonde, supposedly Bakugou, perks up. Akumu and Caelus look towards the spiky haired boy. That’s the guy with the highest points, how interesting.

“In junior high, what was your best result for the softball throw?”

“67 meters.” Bakugo replied. Caelus paused to convert that into American measurements before blinking in surprise. Damn. He’s got a hell of an arm.

“Then, try doing it with your quirk.”

Bakugou was given a softball by Aizawa before Bakugou was led to step far away from the others. Among the students, Akumu and Caelus looked at each other. They get to use their quirks for this? That changes the game for them both. They looked back towards Bakugou, curious to see how this would go. They’ve never seen many quirks outside of their own bloodline due to America’s restrictions.

“You can do whatever you want as long as you stay in the circle. Hurry up. Give it all you got.”

Bakugou stretches his arm out as he looks out into the open field. “Then, well…” He muttered to himself. He silently took a deep breath before tossing the softball. Though, “tossing” is a bit of an understatement. Bakugou growled as an explosion moved the air around the students. Caelus flinched at the loud noise, and both he and Akumu watched as the softball broke the sound barrier three times in that throw. Caelus had to keep himself from gaping, though his surprise was evident even from the eyes of his mask. Holy fucking shit- Akumu couldn’t help but let his thoughts run wild behind that calm demeanor of his. An explosion based quirk is beyond dangerous, but something tells him that he shouldn’t be surprised. 

“Know your own maximum first.” Aizawa states, unfazed by the power of the quirk. He gets the distance on his phone and then turns to the rest of the class. “That is the most rational way to form the foundation of a hero.” He then shows his screen. 705.2 meters.

Everyone was visibly at least a little surprised at the number. Ah, so Akumu and Caelus are not crazy. It is just a powerful ass quirk. 

“705 meters, for real?” Another blonde with a black back in his hair muttered with a nervous smile.

“What’s this? It looks fun!” A completely pink girl with yellow horns and black sclera exclaimed with excitement.

“We can use our quirks as much as we want!” A black haired teen with dispensers for elbows beamed. Everyone was excited about that part. “As expected from the hero course!”

“‘It looks fun,’ huh?” Aizawa asked. The students quieted down and their expressions fell. “You have three years to become a hero. Will you have an attitude like that the whole time?” A smile began to form on Aizawa’s face. A smile that made everyone unsure. “All right. Whoever comes in last place in all eight tests will be judged to have no potential…. And will be punished with expulsion.”

Everyone’s hearts jumped. Caelus and Akumu looked at each other for a moment. They already went through hell and back to get here. And now they were already being threatened with expulsion. “You think he’s being serious?” Caelus whispered to Akumu.

“Probably.” He mumbled.

“We’re free to do what we want about the circumstances of our students.” Aizawa pulls his hair back a bit as his smile widens. “Welcome to UA’s hero course.” Everyone took a moment to process that. What an interesting way to spend the first day.

“Last place will be expelled!?” The brown haired girl from earlier repeated, the anxiety clear in her voice. “But it’s the first day of school! No, even if it wasn’t the first day of school, this is too unfair!”

“Natural disasters, big accidents, and selfish villains. Calamities whose time or place can’t be predicted. Japan is covered with unfairness. Heroes are the ones who reverse those situations. If you wanted to go talk with your friends at Mickey D’s after school, too bad.” The lecture was a fat dose of reality and truth. This wasn’t the time to play around anymore if they only had three years to be a hero. “For the next three years, UA will do all it can to give you hardship after another. Go beyond. Plus Ultra. Overcome it with all you’ve got.”

All of the students looked like they were preparing. They were in a hero course now. They don’t get to have all the luxuries of other high schools. Somehow, this felt much more fitting than any of the other schools Caelus and Akumu were going to go apply to. Maybe it was just them being adjusted to high stress environments from a young age, who knows.

“All right, demonstration’s over. The real thing starts now.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The first test was the fifty meter dash. Akumu and Caelus were currently preparing. 

“Fly.”

A shudder ran down Akumu’s spine, his skin giving off a slight shiver.

Silent, he just used this time to stretch and breathe. Meanwhile, Caelus thought of the same thing. Why run when you can fly? Besides, they watched Bakugo do it via his explosions. Caelus stretched out, his wings doing the same. They both felt their bones pop before they went up with each other.

“Ready…” Akumu transforms into his ancestor while Caelus spreads his wings. “Get set… Go!” The robot’s words made their times start. With the lack of physical form, Akumu was slightly faster. Slightly. Akumu passes first, “1.01 seconds.” Then, Caelus zooms through. “1.78 seconds.” 

The two land, Akumu taking physical form again and changing back. “Damn, you’re faster than I am?” Caelus groaned, a little salty about it.

“...Well, yeah, I have no air resistance.” 

“Ugh, whatever…” Caelus groaned as he kicked rocks.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Grip strength was next. Caelus looked down at the device in his hand as Akumu changed into a larger ghost form. He had to concentrate a bit in order to keep a more physical form with this specific spectre, but he managed to concentrate just about enough to hold the same device in his own hand. 

They both squeezed onto their grip devices. “53.2 kg.” Caelus’ device beeped. Meanwhile, Akumu’s number displayed “578.4 kg.” Akumu reverts back again and looks towards Caelus.

“I think the teacher screwed you over with this one.” Akumu glances over towards Caelus.

“This is bullying…” There was a distinct whine in his voice as he set the device down, a frown tugging at his lips beneath his mask. 

Akumu just pats his shoulder as he watches everyone else. He wasn’t listening to other people’s conversations, but he did hear what other people were getting. It was certainly strange to be among the best of the best and compare scores like this.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Standing long jump was next. Thankfully, this worked in both of their favor, just like the run did. Each student used their quirks to get across the long jump. But Akumu noticed something. He nudges Caelus’ shoulder. “You down to get food later after school?” Akumu whispered to him as they both waited in line.

Caelus nodded, stretching out his arms and his cape-like wing. “I’m so down… I am dying for some macaroni and cheese bro.”

Akumu hummed. Soon came Caelus’ turn first. Due to his flying and gliding ability, he got pretty far. During Akumu’s turn he ignored everyone’s gazes as people actually watched him turn into a transparent corpse. Akumu glides over the long jump, just hovering above it as he stares Aizawa in the eye. Aizawa just nods, figuring Akumu doesn’t need to jump, because what the hell. 

He’s gotten descriptions of these kids’ quirks before, but reading it off of paper compared to seeing it in real life is surely different.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Repeated side steps were agility and speed, to say the least. Something they both had, so they breezed through it without issue. So they tuned themselves out until they got to the ball throw section. The brown haired girl from before tosses the ball. Akumu and Caelus waited for the ball to come back down. But it never does. Aizawa shows the screen, where it shows an infinity symbol. 

At this point though, it was Caelus’ turn. Caelus stepped up before Aizawa handed Caelus the softball. Knowing what to expect, Akumu closes his eyes and looks away as soon as Caelus steps up.

Caelus catches Akumu closing his eyes and turning away, and smirks to himself before looking out to the field, taking a deep breath in and out. Warmth begins to swell beneath the skin of his palm as he readies himself for the throw, and just as the ball leaves his hand, a flash of bright light explodes from his palm, briefly blinding everyone but Akumu. When the light clears and everyone can see again, Aizawa blinks a few times before applying some eye drops. He’s getting too old for this—he swore he accidentally frog-blinked. Aizawa raises the phone and it displays the number, “368.98 meters.” Caelus grins beneath his mask, and the others can see as his mask’s eyes curve up into small crescents. “It’s safe to open your eyes now, Akumu.”

The other students were wide eyed, some still blind and others surprised that the number wasn’t any higher considering the eye damage. 

Soon, Akumu was up next. Akumu and Caelus swapped spots before Aizawa hands Akumu a softball. Hey, if you possess an inanimate object, can you still fly indefinitely? Akumu thought as he took a quick glimpse of the surrounding dead.

A chill ran down Akumu’s spine as he readied his throw.

“Attempt before answer…”

A whispering voice brushed by his ear, ghastly and breathy. He then throws the ball before it keeps going. And going. The students had expected the ball to come back down at some point. But then Aizawa raises the screen to show another infinity. Caelus snickers. Akumu ignored the other’s dropped jaws while Caelus reveled in them.

Finally, the green haired boy was last. The one with freckles. Akumu crossed his arms and Caelus leaned against one leg, both interested to see what’ll happen next. Though, it was clear that the unkempt boy was hesitating. Reluctant. That’s when Akumu and Caelus picked up on something.

“He’s a weak small fry.” The blonde boy with the explosive quirk exclaimed to the other boy with glasses. 

…Calling another person weak is crazy. “...If he's so weak, how’d he get in?” Akumu muttered as he glanced towards Caelus.

“No idea.” The white haired boy mumbled in response, shaking his head a little. They looked back towards the green haired boy. The boy readied the ball, and tossed it… Sure, it went far. But not as far as they expected, and they weren’t expecting much. “46 meters.” The robot announces.

The boy looked horrified. “I was definitely trying to use it just now…”

“I erased your quirk.” Aizawa’s voice caught Akumu’s and Caelus’ attention. So he does have a quirk. Akumu glanced over, uninterested at first before his eyes slightly widened. He can see the red in Aizawa’s eyes. His eyebrows furrow as he does a double take. …I can see him. Akumu shakes his head a little and looks away. He doesn’t know if that’s comforting or not. “The entrance exam was definitely not rational enough. Even a kid like you was accepted.” Okay, ouch.

“You erased my quirk?” The boy’s voice was a little shaky in his anxiety. That’s when the boy had a clear realization on who this man was. The boy gasped as he tensed up. “Those goggles… I see! You can erase other people’s quirks with your quirk just by looking at them. The Erasure Hero, EraserHead!” 

“From what I can tell, you can’t control your quirk, can you?” Then, Akumu and Caelus finally got it. Sounds like the kid was terrible at controlling his quirk. “Do you intend to become incapacitated again and have someone save you? To have your muscles just give up and fall weak every time?”

“Th-That’s not my intention—”

Aizawa interrupts the boy by wrapping his scarf around the young teen and pulling him closer. “Whatever your intention, I’m saying that’s what those around you will be first to do. In the past, there was an oppressively passionate hero who saved over a thousand people by himself and created a legend. Even if you have the same reckless valor… You’ll just be decked and turned into a useless doll after saving one person.” 

Okay, definitely an ouch. Aizawa was applying salt to the wound.

“Midoriya Izuku, with your power. You can’t become a hero.”

Well. At least that’s honesty.

Caelus and Akumu could feel the humiliation from three miles away. Crushing a kid’s dream like that may be cruel. But at the same time, it would be for the best if that was true. The boy was then released from Aizawa’s scarf. “I’ve returned your quirk. You have two turns for the ball throw. Hurry up and get it over with.” Aizawa steps away.

The boy, Midoriya, looked down at the ground. But through that defeated looking stance, the determination was in Midoriya’s expression. Akumu and Caelus waited, wondering what is so bad about this kid’s quirk. Midoriya looks at the ball, thoughts written on his face. He clenched his teeth and readied his throw. The explosion-like noise of the sound barrier breaking repeated at least five times. Akumu’s and Caelus’ backs got straighter as they looked at the disappeared ball and Midoriya’s broken finger. The result was 705.3 meters. Just a little more than Bakugou’s. 

“Teacher…” Midoriya swallowed hard, but a smile formed on his face as he turned to Aizawa. “I still can move my finger…” A smile grew on Aizawa’s face.

“This kid…”

How interesting. Akumu narrowed his eyes as he stared at Midoriya. Super strength? Is that what this was? However, his thoughts were interrupted by Bakugou’s explosive outburst. They both stared at the scene as Aizawa wrapped that scarf around Bakugou’s body, restraining him from ripping Midoriya apart. They couldn't hear the conversation between the three but they knew who did what.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

They had finished all the tests by now. The class makes it to the scoreboard, where Aizawa was. “Okay, I’ll quickly tell you the results. The total is simply the marks you got from each test. It’s a waste of time to explain verbally, so I’ll show you the results all at once.” The board appears, lighting up with their names.

Akumu ended up being in the top three. Caelus was in the top ten. Well, that’s to be expected with their versatile quirks. The scoreboard then disappears. 

“By the way, I was lying about the expulsion.” Akumu almost looked at Aizawa as if to find the audacity while Caelus sighed in relief. “It was a rational deception to draw out the upper limits of your quirks.” 

Evil. Pure evil.

Chapter Text

The morning was over and the students changed back into their uniforms. And then, they returned to class. The teacher that was waiting for them inside was that loud guy from before. The Japanese students were supposed to be learning English. Akumu and Caelus looked at each other.

Caelus raises his hand to answer a question that the other students seemed to be struggling with. The few people that were answering were the two kids that got in from recommendation. Caelus was only answering so the class went by faster. Akumu was almost falling asleep, though.

It felt like no time had passed for Akumu and Caelus, understanding the lesson just fine. They almost didn’t notice the bell ringing for lunch. The two transfers packed up and got ready to leave.

“You buying, or did you bring something?” Caelus asked, pulling out his wallet. The two walked down the crowded hallway. For a school with a low acceptance rate, there sure are a lot of kids. Makes Akumu wonder how many kids applied, just to be told no.

“My mom gave me a bento recipe, so I ended up bringing something.” Akumu replied. Caelus nods. They both entered the cafeteria, noticing how large it was. There were a bunch of lines for food. Akumu decided to accompany Caelus in line. Caelus buys a good healthing of rice, curry, and chicken. The water bottles were free. They both then sit down in an empty booth, where Akumu pulls out his lunch from his bag. The bento box opens to reveal some homemade sushi and tuna onigiri. There was also some stir fry on the side. 

The two ate in silence at first. All that morning stuff from earlier made them both damn well hungry. Every now and then, Akumu and Caelus would look at their phones and send each other something.

“So, how’re you liking UA so far?” Caelus leaned back into his seat as he took a spoonful of curry and rice. 

Akumu hummed, his tone dry at first. Looking around, the silhouettes of people kind of makes it hard to see. So far, they were threatened with expulsion on the first day and they both had shitty entrance exams that they complained about together constantly. Akumu fidgets with his mask as he speaks slowly. “Well… I guess this is better than the threats?” Akumu shrugged his shoulders.

Caelus chuckled, shaking his head. “Ain’t that the truth. So far, we’ve only had to fear for our grades rather than our lives.”

In the corner of their eyes, they can see a pair of students that overheard while walking by. “...Should not have this conversation out loud.” Akumu muttered before taking another bite.

“No, but we’re gonna talk about it anyway.” Both of them don’t say much else after that. The school, so far, was anything but too terrifying. Other than the zero pointer faux villain of course, but they’re past that now.

…

No they aren’t.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“I am…” A strong , gruff, and rather bold voice came from the other side of the classroom door. The door then snaps open, the sliding door slamming into the door frame. Akumu and Caelus both flinch at the dramatic entry. “Coming through the door like a normal person!” A blonde hulk of a man steps through the doorway. His red outfit with blue accents made Akumu and Caelus both look at each other. They did not know who this person was in the damn slightest. But the other students did.

The whispers from the others ranged from, “It’s All Might!” To, “It’s the number one hero!” Caelus and Akumu glanced at each other again, as if telepathically asking the same thing.

…This guy?

The man, All Might, steps up to the front. His theatrics were comparable to the theatre kids back in America. “I teach Hero Basic Training.” All Might introduces, his fists resting on his hips. For someone so old, he looked pretty good and well built. Caelus wondered if it was a quirk. Akumu wondered if it was steroids. “It is a subject where you train in different ways to learn the basics of being a hero. You’ll take the most units of this subject!” All Might steps to the side, showing off his back before he flexes his bulky muscles. They rippled through his clothes, and a few of his veins were quite visible through that skin tight suit. “Let’s get right into it! This is what we’ll do today!” He stands, his movements abrupt. His deeply shadow covered eyes looked towards the class as his smile widened. “Combat training!”

Combat training. They are pushing them to use their quirks. Caelus was more or less excited that he’ll be able to freely fly in this place. Other schools didn’t let him do that, as ironic as that was. America didn’t feel as free as this. Akumu wasn’t anywhere near as excited, though. He never took pleasure in his quirk. A deep sigh left Akumu’s lips as he glanced out the window. He’s not so interested anymore.

“And to go with that are these!” All Might points towards the wall, where lockers of boxes began to pull out of the wall. Akumu and Caelus both straightened their backs a bit as they watched these numbered lockers come out. “Costumes made based on your quirk registrations and requests you sent in before school started.” Everyone couldn’t help but look at the lockers with glee. They get to have their costumes this soon.

“Y’know, now that I think about it,” Caelus starts as he looks at Akumu, “did you ever show me your design?”

Akumu shook his head. “Did you?”

“Huh. No.”

They were both silent for a good moment. Well, they get to surprise each other for once. 

“After you change, gather in Ground Beta!” All Might ordered. Everyone said some form of “Yes sir!” before they got up and grabbed their costumes. Akumu and Caelus grabbed theirs before walking to the locker rooms together. However, while Akumu and Caelus were leaving, they were stopped by All Might. “Hey, Young Nikushimi, Young Gonzales,” he starts, causing them both to turn.

Akumu and Caelus looked at each other for a minute before they looked back up at him. “Yeah?” Caelus tensed a little. They were being approached in such a sudden manner. 

“I just wanted to ask, you two are transfers from America, yes?” All Might’s grin widens as he tilts his head a little. The question stunned the two boys for a second. That was far from the question they thought he wanted to ask.

“Yeah, we came from the states. Why?” Caelus asked as he narrowed his eyes.

“I was just wondering, it’s been such a long time since I’ve visited. How is America?”

Caelus and Akumu looked at each other. Their expressions are blank, but they are surely thinking of the same thing.

“...It… Certainly is ‘doing.’” Akumu stated as he turned around. He begins to walk back to the locker rooms, leaving All Might stunned from the piercing antipathy that was laced in Akumu’s words. He just wants to get this class over with.

Caelus glances after his brother (best friend, but they might as well be brothers), pausing a moment before pulling off his mask and looking back up at All Might. “I’ll be honest with you, All Might. It’s changed a lot in the past few years. It hasn’t been truly free for a long, long time.” His gaze and words were heavy with implications, but he didn’t voice his inner thoughts. 

All Might stared down at Caelus before he looked back up to watch Akumu walk away. “...I see.” He scratched his chin a little, deep in thought. All Might nods after a good moment, looking back down at Caelus. “Thank you, Young Gonzales. I’ll be sure to remember that.” 

Caelus flinched at the name, but didn’t say anything, instead sealing his mask back over his face then turning to follow after Akumu, his wings fluttering behind him.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Once everyone left the locker rooms, all the kids took a moment to admire themselves. Caelus and Akumu looked at each other for a moment, just staring at the outfits they were wearing.

“Slay.” Caelus nodded in approval, the eyes of their mask curving upwards.

“Slay.” Akumu mimicked Caelus’ nod, his eyes slowly scanning up and down to take in the detail.

Caelus was wearing a loose, ivory white turtleneck with loose cape sleeves and a pristine white stone was embedded into the rich fabric that was placed in the exact center of his torso. A pair of iron grey cargo pants were belted around his waist and soft pastel straps hung down around his thighs, though they weren’t all for decoration; there were loops of material attached to the inside, meant to store something in them. His boots were the same dark grey as his pants, and some light armor was strapped around his body to cover his weak points. His wings had taken the form of a dark crimson cloak that resembled the wings of a bird, the hems lined with metallic gold thread. 

Akumu was in darker attire. His baggy, but thin and sleek pair of pants had straps wrapped around and hanging. There were some chains hanging from his belt, designed to be grabbed by the wearer easily. A baggy jacket engulfed his torso, hiding his frame in thicker fabric. There were also straps, whatever they were for, both wrapped around and hanging off of his clothes. Though, once seeing what looked to be a holster on Akumu’s thigh, it was easy to assume that the straps were made to hide and conceal weapons. His boots were concealed by his pants. He still had his mask on too. Akumu based his costume on what his fighting style was rather than making it quirk central. It made it easier to carry more items. 

“Woah! Look at Yin and Yang over here!” One of the students called out. Akumu’s and Caelus’ heads both turn to face the source of the outgoing tone, their eyes locking on a blonde boy stepping towards them. The one with the black mark in his hair. “You two are, like, polar opposites. That’s cool!”

They were a little stunned. Someone approached them. This never happened in America. But maybe that was because rumors always spread like wildfire. “Uhh… Thanks.” Caelus awkwardly crosses his arms. 

“I’m Denki Kaminari.” He introduces himself, giving them both a smile. Oftentimes, Akumu and Caelus can smell bullshit from a mile away. Not this time, this guy seemed like an actual ditz. And that was refreshing. “Who’re you two?”

Akumu and Caelus just blinked, both uncertain. But Akumu just shrugged, figuring that the worst that happens is that this guy thinks they’re weird. “Akumu.” His deadpan, husky voice felt piercing. Kaminari can’t help but tense up and pause. There was so much tension. Or maybe that was just Kaminari? Akumu looked calm, but he didn't sound like it. Was he angry?

While Kaminari was overthinking, Akumu could feel a pair of cold hands reach his shoulders. An icy breath brushes up against his ear. Akumu can feel one of the hands lift before seeing the hand in his peripherals, pointing at Kaminari.

“Ally.”

Then, the presence disappears. Ally? Akumu thought. That could mean anything, the ghosts never did that before. He hid his unease and looked off towards the side. There are a lot of things the dead tell him that he can’t tell Caelus, and he felt like this is one of them.

Caelus can tell Kaminari’s overthinking it. He stifles a laugh and shakes his head, letting his hands drop, tucking them into his pockets. “Ignore him, he’s always like that. I’m Caelus,” he hums with a soft smile, glancing over the other boy.

“Caelus… What?” He asked. Kaminari was curious about the two, but not as much as weirded out so far, but he tries to shrug that off.

“Just Caelus.”

“Oh.”

Akumu disappeared while the two were talking. He noticed that everyone else was walking out, so he followed. Caelus barely noticed in his peripherals and followed, Kaminari also hurrying as to not be left behind. Though, something tells him there’s something weird about the two. He ends up just brushing it off in the end. Maybe they’re both just not used to talking to anyone that isn’t each other.

The entire class walks out into the halls and down into Ground Beta, and as they step out into the street, All Might’s voice echoes out when they come into view. “They say clothes make the man, young men and ladies. Be fully aware, from now on, you are heroes!” The hero’s gaze travels along the crowd, looking over the class and their costumes, his grin never once wavering. “That’s great, everyone. You all look cool! Now, shall we begin, you zygotes?” 

It felt like the world around Akumu got colder again. Through the black silhouettes of the living, there are the dead. The world is full of them. Everyone may have a time where they’ve been by themselves, but they were never alone.

“ I remember this exercise.”

A familiar rich, deep, light voice reached his ears.

“You’ll have an easy time.”

Hm. Akumu took a quick glimpse towards Caelus before he looked towards the others. A lot of these costumes either look bad but practical, look good but non practical, or they look bad and not practical at all. 

Caelus seemed to be in his own world for the most part. He felt like he looked cool as hell in his hero outfit. 

“Now, it’s time for Combat Training!” All Might started. Everyone stopped chatting and looked back at the teacher. The blue haired boy from before raises his hand.

“Teacher! This is a battle center from the entrance exam, so will we be conducting urban battles again?” He asked, his bold voice loud and clear. 

“No, we’re going to move ahead two steps.” All Might crosses his arms. “Most of the time, fighting villains takes place outside, but if you look at the total numbers, atrocious villains appear indoors at a higher rate.” He explained, making sure to get straight to the point. “Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals… In this society filled with heroes, truly intelligent villains hide in the shadows.” All Might then starts with the ground rules and how this exercise will go. “For this class, you’ll be split into villains and heroes and fight two-on-two indoor battles.”

“Aw man, we’ll be separated again.” Caelus grumbled with a small huff. Akumu just hums absently. 

“Without basic training?” A girl spoke, one with a nasally sounding voice. Compared to the other costumes, hers looked practical and good. 

“This is a real battle to understand those basics.” All Might answered. “However, the key this time is that there's no robot you can just beat up.” The class then exploded in questions.

“How will wins and losses be determined?” 

“Can we beat them up anyway?”

“Will the punishment be expulsion like Mr. Aizawa?” 

“How shall we be split up?” 

“Isn’t this cape crazy?”

“I’ll answer all your questions!” All Might grunted, his voice strained. It was as if he was a stressed new teacher. Akumu wondered if he was a new teacher, actually. “Now listen here,” All Might started as he opened a small booklet. “The situation is that the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout. The heroes are trying to dispose of that. The heroes need to catch the villains or get the nuclear weapon back in the allotted time. The villains need to protect the nuclear weapon for the whole time or catch the heroes.”

“The situation feels very American…” Midoriya muttered, catching both the attention of Caelus and Akumu. Man, wouldn’t he like to know.

“Team and opponents will be determined by drawing lots!” All Might pulls out a yellow box with the word “Lots” painted in black on the front. 

“They’re being decided so haphazardly?” The bespectacled boy from before protests. 

“Pros often have to create makeshift teams with heroes from other agencies, so maybe that’s why?” Midoriya explained to the other boy.

“I see… The discernment to look ahead… Please excuse my rudeness!” The boy bows in respect for All Might.

“It’s fine. Let’s do this quickly!” All Might declared before the students began to draw lots. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

As expected, Akumu and Caelus got separated. Akumu was with the black haired girl with the revealing clothes while Caelus was with the girl with the earphone jack quirk. The girl with the ponytail took a glimpse towards Akumu’s direction. If she had to guess what his costume is based off of, she assumed it was stealth centered. But also, the bagginess and the dark color may disorient enemies and make his movements less predictable. Meanwhile, the girl with earphone jacks glanced at the literal light being next to her. His appearance wasn’t too shocking, given what his quirk was, but something felt too lighthearted to be taken seriously. What was his deal?

“The first teams to fight will be…” All Might’s voice boomed, catching everyone’s attention. His hands reached into two boxes labelled “Villain” and “Hero.” Soon teams D and A came up. “...these guys! Team A will be the heroes, and Team D will be the villains. Everyone else, head toward the monitor room.” All Might let the students go to the monitor rooms. Akumu and Caelus were found to be side by side again, following behind the crowd. “Villain team, go in and set up. In five minutes, the hero team will break in and the battle will start.”

All Might headed to the building the groups were fighting in while most of the class crowded up in the monitor room. Inside, there was a screen. It was turned on already with cameras all over it. These places surely do get better funds than the schools back at home. 

Soon enough, All Might returns steps to the front of the room where the controls were. He picks up a tiny microphone, and taps it first before speaking into it. “Now, let’s start the indoor person-to-person combat training with Team A and Team D!” He starts, catching the attention of the teams. The boy in the robot-like armor was with Bakugou, the one with the exploding quirk. They were visible on the cameras in the nuke room. All Might then disabled the microphone. “Okay, everyone, you should all think as well.” 

Everyone watched as the brown haired girl and Midoriya infiltrated the building. The first few minutes of the live recording wasn’t very interesting. Team A was trying to sneak around, keeping an eye out. Bakugou can be seen walking down the hallways, looking for the two. 

Unease still bugged Akumu. The ghosts usually give him short messages, and they usually speak in unison. But it was a single voice that time. A single voice, one that pointed at the student he was talking to, and called him an ally. Maybe he could chalk it up to a ghost just messing with him, but he can’t help but feel like something was just off.

Chapter Text

During the fight between the two teams, Caelus had begun to record on his phone. The students weren’t supposed to have them, but both Caelus and Akumu had grown accustomed to sneaking their phones in when they weren’t allowed to. The reason why he was recording anyway was because Akumu had fallen asleep, and he knew he would want to see what happened later. The two of them were sat up against the wall next to each other, Akumu’s cold body against Caelus’ warm one. 

Well, that was until their names were called. Caelus nudged Akumu awake. “Hey. Heeeeey-...” Caelus poked Akumu’s cheek. And then again. And again. “Wake uuuup, it’s our turn, dumbass.” Akumu groaned and smacked Caelus’ hand away from him.

“Nuh uhhhh…” He muttered tiredly. Caelus slowly inhaled and stood up, nearly making Akumu fall onto the floor. Instead, he falls into the floor. Caelus blinks and looks down.

“Ohp-... Well.” He glances around before he gently kicks at the ground in an attempt to get Akumu out of it before slinging his arms behind his head and walking out towards the training ground. Akumu does come out, albeit reluctantly, and heads out to the battlefield. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

It didn't take long before they were set up. Akumu was with the ponytail girl in the nuke room while Caelus was with the earphone jack girl at the bottom. 

“So uh… what's the plan…?” The purple haired girl twirls one of her earphone jacks around her finger as she watches the white haired boy stare unblinkingly at the map. That could not be good for his vision… He didn't even bother looking up when he replied to her.

“I'm going to go after Akumu; I know his quirk better than anyone else, so it's probably for the best. You can slip past us once I engage, then work on finding another way up. I can guarantee that they're probably going to try and block the door in some way or another, though how to get past it is something you'll have to figure out on your own…” The girl blinked. Okay, so maybe he was a bit more serious about all this than she had originally thought. “Oh, and my name is Caelus, by the way.” He added on.

The girl nods, then scratches the back of her neck. “Jirou.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The ponytail haired girl turns to Akumu. He seemed to be checking out the so-called “bomb.” His fingers were lightly grazing the paper mâché. It was just a hunk of metal with paper all over it to make it look like a bomb. He had to admit, it did kind of look like an actual bomb. It wasn’t very far off from the pictures of bombs and the bombs he’s seen in his life. Maybe the color was a little off, but still.

“Uhm…” The girl started. Akumu paused before slowly turning his head towards her. The girl furrowed her eyebrows, a sense of both unease and uncertainty flickering in her expression. She tried to push it down, but looking at his face gave her the creeps. With a sigh, she crosses her arms over her chest. “So, do you have any ideas? To get through the exercise, that is.” The girl asked. 

Akumu was quiet for a while. Then he felt it again. A shiver running down his spine, an icy hand being placed on his shoulder. “Ally.” A voice whispered. Akumu swallowed hard, feeling that presence soon leave from behind him. He could not be any more grateful that no one else can see the dead, because that would be incredibly unexplainable.

“...Just barricade yourself inside.” Akumu finally said. He gestured to the various boxes, chairs, and crates within the room.

The girl tilted her head to the side a little before looking around. “Then, what will you do?” She asked as her eyes glanced back at Akumu. 

He remained silent for a moment. Akumu wasn’t going to answer that. Thankfully, shortly after her question, All Might’s voice came through the intercom. “Now, it is time to start the indoor person-to-person combat training with Team C and Team G!” He starts, catching the attention of the teams. Akumu and the girl stared at each other, his eyes boring into hers. 

The silence was deafening. Akumu then just walks towards the door, stopping at the doorway. “Akumu.” He finally said. “My name is Akumu.” Without saying another word, Akumu shuts the door behind him and heads off into the building. The girl blinked a few times, her unease only growing. But she figured she might as well do what he says. Barricading the door didn’t sound like a half bad idea.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Caelus takes care to keep his footsteps silent as he maneuvers through the building, occasionally referencing the plot of the building he'd seen before. Jirou kept close to him, unable to stop herself from feeling a little nervous at the situation. What exactly did Akumu's quirk entail? What was he capable of? How much did Caelus know? 

Caelus had just turned the hall when he felt a shift in the air. It wasn't big, by any means, but it was noticeable. He froze in his tracks, and Jirou almost collided with him. She was already getting ready to launch an exasperated, “What the hell are you doing?!,” when Caelus pointed at the wall, a grim expression on his face. She looked confused for a minute before she realized he was asking her to listen for footsteps, and she nodded in acknowledgement before inserting her jack into the wall.

She listened, the knit in her brows getting deeper and deeper until her eyes widened, and she pulled away from the wall. “Caelus?” She breathes, and he looks over at her. “I can only hear one pair of footsteps.” Caelus’ eyes narrow, but he says nothing. It's a bit before Jirou realizes; he'd known that already. He did say he knew Akumu's quirk better than anyone - so it wasn't an exaggeration. Caelus continues on without another word, but Jirou can see his muscles tensing in preparation for a fight, and another chill runs down her spine.

Akumu was just stepping through the halls. Just because he can go through walls doesn’t mean he can see through them. He’s using his phasing as a shortcut to get to them, anyway. His ears were sharp, so he knew that the lack of footsteps meant that they were nowhere near him. He had to walk deeper. As he moved, he was thinking. Well, no, more like conversing. 

Do you think they’re expecting me to come or that other girl?  

“You know the answer to that question.”

Eh, well, can never be too sure, no?

That’s when he finally stopped. Voices. His heart spiked, and he slowly began to turn his head towards the source. “...Found you…” He hummed to himself. Akumu began to walk down the hallway, a little giddy that he gets to fight someone without repercussions. It’s been a while since he sparred with someone that wasn’t his grandfather or grandmother. 

Only when Akumu turned the corner did he finally see Caelus and that earphone jack girl. And by the way Caelus was looking at him, he knew he was expecting him. Akumu smirks behind his mask a little, the temperature dropping rapidly. At this point, both Jirou and Caelus can see their own breath, no matter how softly they were breathing. 

Both of their masks covered their expressions, so they were quite unreadable. But then they just… Pointed at each other? Jirou blinks a few times, looking between the two. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“...The fuck are they doing?” The pink girl whispered to Denki. Denki just shrugs his shoulders, just as confused. Everyone was confused. Hell, All Might was looking at the cameras while awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

The students began to exchange whispers. Honest to God, they’d all thought an epic battle was about to ensue, given the way that Caelus had been looking for Akumu, like a wolf tracking its prey. Not to mention, how Akumu was slowly walking through the walls like an empty husk, sniffing out its next meal to feel whole. It was a being of light versus whatever the fuck Akumu was. 

And yet-... They were just straight up fucking around and pointing at each other. Is this an American thing? All Might made a mental note to never put these two against each other if their friendship was going to get in the way of hero training. Nonetheless, the test was still going.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“...What are you two doing?” Jirou asked after a good fifteen seconds of these two pointing at each other, unmoving. 

“Engaging.” Caelus replies, and Jirou can hear the giddy, childlike grin in his voice. Never mind, he was definitely not taking this seriously.

Finally, Akumu’s form shifted. They both can hear his bones cracking and his skin ripped apart, causing Jirou to stop in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she watched blood begin to run down his face. His hair grew longer and longer. An eye had popped out of his socket, dangling by the optic nerve. His short stature changed into something taller. Much taller. Both Caelus and Akumu put their hands down, and Jirou felt paralyzed. She wanted to look away, but the way that his new feminine form made her shudder. That pale, grey skin… It was as if he was a walking corpse.

“Aaand that's your cue to leave- Good luck.” Caelus said to Jirou, casting a glance over to her as he activated his own quirk, light flooding through his veins and his wings billowing a bit in the soft wind. Jirou was stunned, but she shook herself out of her horror, and began running off.

Akumu and Caelus both lunged at each other, the eyes of Caelus’ mask curved up in a smile despite the situation. “Sooo, who's this lovely lady? I've never seen you use her before,” he hums curiously as he kicks out at Akumu, only for his leg to phase through his face. For a moment, Akumu thought as he grabbed Caelus’ leg, his hand physical for only a moment before he turned Caelus over and made him land on his stomach.

“Oh, she was a murdered resident in the apartment complex we live in.” Akumu hummed as Caelus lifted himself up with his hand and used both legs to kick upwards towards his chin. Akumu maneuvered away at the last second, and Caelus jumped back to his feet. ”She was pretty ecstatic that someone was accompanying her.” 

“Aww, that's nice,” Caelus smiled, and he let out a brief, blinding flash of light, using the second of distraction to flip around to Akumu's back, throwing a right hook towards the spot between his shoulder blades. Right in time, Akumu fixed his form to a little less physical. Damnit. Caelus can feel how cold Akumu’s body was when his fist phased through his back, before quickly pulling it back to his chest.

“Right? She was going on and on about her time in UA before she got dismembered. Ain’t that a coincidence?” He mused, phasing through the floor for a moment. 

“A cute little coinky-dink, if you will,” Caelus responds as he watches Akumu fall through the floor, straightening up and spinning slowly in a circle, waiting for him to resurface.

Ah. Akumu was still a dick, Caelus saw. It’s been a while since they’ve last sparred, but this attack was a goddamn pain in the ass. He did it every fucking time. And worst of all, it ALWAYS hits. Akumu pops up from the floor directly behind Caelus right in time, using the back of his fist to smack Caelus in the back of his head. A bitch slap, if you will. Then, Akumu snickered and dropped back down into the floor. 

“Ow-! You cunt bag!” Caelus huffs as he whirls around, just barely catching Akumu's form phasing through the ground again. 

“Teehee!” Akumu stifled a laugh as he dropped from the ceiling this time, his form landing next to Caelus and grabbing his shoulders to toss him into the wall with a silly twirl. This fucker-... 

Caelus hit the wall with a grunt. He huffed a bit petulantly, and a whip of light unfurled from his palm. With a flick of his hand, the end flies towards Akumu's wrist, hoping to catch his wrist while it was still physical and use the opportunity to get a bit of a leg up.

Akumu felt a small flash of warmth and a flicker of pain in his wrist for just a moment, and he just shook his hand. “Ew, it feels lukewarm -!” It felt like a small bit of static gripped his wrist and turned it into jelly. It was certainly a feeling that he did not miss in the slightest.

“Well, I don't want to burn you, stupid!” Caelus retorted, the whip retracting and falling back to his side.

“I am a corpse, it’s fine!” Akumu went ahead and tossed a nasty right hook towards Caelus, one that Caelus was familiar with but not necessarily used to. Why? Because it didn’t actually connect and his hand phased through his face. Ah. 

Lukewarm.

“Dick,” Caelus muttered as he hopped away, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the sensation. He forgot that Akumu liked to weaponize their sensory icks.

“See? It’s fucking nasty.” Akumu’s lips curled into a smirk as he watched Caelus squirm from the nasty feeling. But then he actually did toss a hook, his left hand connecting with Caelus’ face. He can still feel his skin crawl from the feeling in his wrist, but he figures Caelus might have it worse. Considering he got punched, had that nasty lukewarm feeling in his brain, and also probably had that mask transfer that force to his face, it probably was not a good time. 

Caelus’ head is knocked back a bit by the impact, but he shakes it off relatively quickly, huffing out a breath and reaching out to grab Akumu's hand before they could pull it back, then yanking as hard as he could, stepping out to the side. “And y- oink! ”

For a moment, Akumu nearly hit the floor. But in time, he managed to phase through it. Silence settled in for a hot moment. Then, a shooting pain emerged from Caelus’ calf. Caelus looked down, jumping away, just to see Akumu’s hand on the floor. Oh, this little shit just casually touched his nerves. Literally. Caelus could hear Akumu laugh a little before his hand sunk back into the floor. 

This is not cash money.

Caelus couldn’t hear anything else from Akumu. Well, not until Akumu lunged out from the wall and tackled him down. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Is it just me, or are they getting more aggressive…?” The frog girl pointed out, and the masked boy beside her shook his head.

“It’s not just you.”

Denki sighed, feigning exhaustion. “Man, these two are something else. Not only are they locked in a kick ass battle, but they look like they're having the time of their lives doing it!”

All Might didn’t know if he should be glad that they’re actually engaging with each other or concerned that they’re dicking around while fighting. This wasn’t nearly as bad as Izuku and Katsuki’s fight, but then again, he can tell that neither of them weren’t giving it their all. Not even close. 

“Does that one have to look like… that, though…?” The kid with spiky red hair felt a little repulsed. It was, quite literally, a corpse fighting a ball of pure light. Anyone would be disgusted (minus Caelus). In fact, a lot of the students weren’t able to watch. “That is so unmanly.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The both of them were practically wrestling at this point. Pain was nothing but an illusion when they were at each other’s throats like this. It was like they really were trying to kill each other. Hopefully, they weren’t doing just that.

Caelus grabbed Akumu by the shoulders and pulled him close. In their wrestling, the both of them accidentally managed to pull Caelus’ mask up just a bit to expose his mouth. But this was perfect. Twas nothing but a mistake, but he took it all in stride. There was no way he was passing up this opportunity.

CHOMP.

Akumu hissed as Caelus’ teeth sunk into his upper arm, near the shoulder area. There was no way he was about to let Caelus get away with that. Sure, he was still wearing a mask, but it was nothing but a piece of cloth. Caelus will absolutely feel this, masked or not. He reversed it right then and there, opening his mouth and taking a large bite into Caelus’ shoulder. The both of them growled and both of them pulled. Hard. Blood dripped from Caelus’ mouth and Akumu could feel the heat of Caelus’ skin in his teeth. Akumu got off of Caelus and stumbled back a bit. Then, Caelus got up, the both of them holding each other’s flesh in each other’s mouths.

Caelus spat out the chunk he had taken out of Akumu's upper arm, his tongue darting out to lick the blood from one of his canines. “You taste like rotting flesh, dude. You gotta take better care of yourself,” he huffs, not bothering to swipe the blood from his lower jaw as the valley of torn ichor scabbed over with light before it melds back into his body. His costume was now torn from the bite, and the sandy shell of his skin could be seen beneath his uniform.

With a stifled snicker, Akumu spit out Caelus’ flesh from his mouth, which hits the ground then promptly dissolves into wisps of light. “And you taste like wet hydrogen.” He wiped off some of the spit from his lips. Man, pure light doesn’t taste all that great, but who was he to complain? He knew what he was getting into. “Plus, you tasted the poor lady, not me.” Akumu’s hands began to shift, nails forming into black claws, and spikes forming from his elbows. Must be the dead woman’s quirk. For a moment, he readjusts his mask.

Blood ran down Akumu’s arm, his flesh beginning to slowly grow back. This wasn’t his own form after all, but he surely can still feel the pain of the bite. Does he care? No, not really. The two of them lunge at eachother again, their hands clashing together. Akumu’s claws dug into the back of Caelus’ hands.

“So… Project Sekai later?” Akumu asked, tilting his head a little. “Loser pays for coffee.”

“Oh, I’m so down.” Caelus’ smile grew, flashing those teeth that he was so proud of.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Horrified gasps and whispers filled the viewing room as they saw Akumu and Caelus literally tear into each other, like two predators fighting over a kill. “Oh my god… how could they do that so easily? Have they done this before?” The invisible girl’s gloves lifted presumably to where her mouth was, covering her face in shock, and the boy with a tail is frozen in place, watching as the two locked in combat once again. 

“It's like watching two masters of a craft fight for the title of champion…” Terrifying, yet awe-inspiring somehow. Maybe that was the slightly divine nature of Caelus' quirk. Or maybe they were both just insane and Akumu really was a walking corpse rather than a student.

The blue haired boy stepped up to the podium besides All Might, chopping the air. “How can you allow this to happen! They could've been seriously hurt- no, they are seriously hurt! You should stop the match right away!”

“Wait, no! Look! They're both regenerating!” The brown haired girl with pads on her fingers pointed back up at the screen, and the class’ attention was once again directed to the fight. More whispers rose into the air, though these were more awestruck than horrified. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Y’know,” Akumu started, pushing Caelus back before pulling one of his claws back. Four razored marks appear on Caelus’ costume, his chest being struck deeply. “I don’t remember the last time we fought like this.” Akumu watched as Caelus stumbled back for a moment, only for him to slam his hand against the wall. Spikes burst out of the walls and aimed for the side of Caelus’ head. “We should do this more often, eh?” Oh, quite a quirk on the former woman.

“Definitely,” Caelus agreed as he dodged and blocked the spikes, twisting through the air in a way that was definitely not all human. “I kinda forgot that we're both adrenaline junkies, but then again, I guess that's why we're both gambling addicts,” he shrugs as he lands, then lunges forwards, a fist aiming for Akumu's face, but at the last minute, he drops into a leg sweep, his braid whirling around his shoulders, the gold ring at the end flashing in the light.

“Shhh, they’re still listening.” Akumu jested, Caelus’ leg phasing through Akumu’s. Ew. There was that lukewarm feeling again. This time, in his leg. Caelus shuddered at the nasty sensation, which gave Akumu enough time to raise one of his claws and slam it down, nails first. All four claws belted deep into Caelus’ sternum, but Caelus only responded by grabbing Akumu’s face out of nowhere. One of his thumbs press into one of Akumu’s eye sockets, his other hand ripping the dangling one out. 

This was met with Caelus being grabbed and thrown against one of the spikes. Akumu raised one of his hands up to his missing eyes. “Damn. My sight.” He sighed, acting as if this was only but a minor inconvenience. “Maaan…”

“...My chest? My spine???” Caelus retorts, gesturing to the wounds that were already closing up, then to the spike sunk in his back, right between the shoulder blades. Still, he didn't hesitate to wrench himself free, golden blood (if you could even call it that) spilling from the hole the spike left behind before it closed up.

“Hey, to be fair, I can’t see, so the spine part was an accident.” Once his eyes formed back in place, they all heard All Might’s voice.

“Time’s up! Villains win!” 

Akumu and Caelus groaned simultaneously at the sound of that. God damnit. It was just getting good, too. Akumu’s spikes return to the wall as if nothing ever happened, his form shifting back to his original physical one. His short stature returned, his skin was fixed, and he actually looked like a human being again. “...Ah, balls.” Akumu muttered. “I won, though. Wondered what happened with the girls.”

Caelus rolled his eyes as he pulled his mask off his face, forgetting about the blood coating his lower jaw, and he ran a hand through his hair as he and Akumu started back for the viewing room. “Yeah, I wonder.” A pause, then - “No one’s gonna want to partner with us ever again.” 

“So? Womp womp.” Akumu shoved his hands into his pockets. “What’re they gonna do? Ask the teacher to work alone? Please.” 

Just a few more groups to go and then they can leave. Good God.

Chapter Text

Like the last few times, Akumu found himself in the same room as the other students. Well, except for Caelus - he was washing the blood off his face. He expected the stares, he expected the uneasy looks. So he avoided everyone else’s gaze. He was about to go and sit in the corner, but he stopped when he felt a strong, firm hand on his shoulder. Akumu turned his head to see All Might standing there, that smile unwavering. But the uncertainty and anxiety was clear behind that faux smile.

“Young Nikushimi,” he started, glancing towards the other students in the room for a second before looking back at Akumu. “May I talk to you for a second?” 

“Hm? Oh, uh… Sure.” He absently muttered. The both of them stepped out of the room momentarily, closing the door so no one could eavesdrop. 

All Might inhaled in a slow, deep manner. He pinched the bridge of his nose before he crossed his arms. “Young Nikushimi, can you explain to me what happened?” Akumu doesn’t know why All Might’s asking. He knows everyone watched them on the cameras. 

“...Uh…” Akumu glanced off towards the side, unsure of how to answer that. Was that too much, or something? It can’t be, right? Not after the destruction left behind after Izuku and Katsuki butted heads, while also having that brown haired girl and Izuku literally on the ground. “...Normal sparring?” Akumu muttered, looking back up at All Might. “I mean. Maybe we fu-..” Akumu cleared his throat, “...maybe we messed around a little too much. And maybe we held back a little, but heroes and villains usually are that violent, right?”

“Ah-... W-Well yes, but…” All Might, honest to God, doesn’t remember his high school years being that violent. No one bit chunks of each other off and then attempted to kill each other. “Young Nikushimi, I need you to understand that you’re not supposed to kill your classmates.”

Akumu blinked at the sound of that. “...Hm. No comment.” He crossed his arms over his chest while he glanced off to the side again. He knows that. But didn’t All Might know how his and Caelus’ quirks worked? It should be on paper. They couldn’t kill each other even if they wanted to. 

It didn’t take long before Caelus was seen walking down the hall. Akumu looked over his shoulder and noticed him, which in turn, Caelus noticed All Might and Akumu standing outside of the observatory. Caelus jogged on over, his mask hanging at his hip, showing his no longer bloodied face, and he tilted his head to the side, glancing between the No. 1 hero and his best friend.

“What’re you guys talking about?” He asks, his posture and expression a bit like a dog who was being presented with a new toy, but he blinked and straightened up. “If… it's alright for me to ask, of course,” he added, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked up at All Might. Damn, he's tall.

Before All Might could say anything, Akumu turned to the door and opened it. “Nothing important.” He stated as he stepped back into the room. All Might looked like he wanted to protest, but he kept his mouth shut for now. Instead, All Might follows into the room to get the critique started. Caelus tilts his head, frowning as he trails after, eyeing All Might with half curiosity, half suspicion as he goes over to stand at Akumu's side, lifting his mask from his belt and sealing it back into place over his face.

“Alright then everyone, gather round, gather round! Team C and Team G, come forward!” The pro’s voice boomed, drawing the attention of the class, and after some muttering and shuffling, Jirou, Caelus, Akumu, and the ponytail girl stood in a line by All Might, facing the crowd of students. Akumu shifted under the heavy gazes of the class, and he inched closer to Caelus, who picked up on the motion and discreetly turned so that his friend was partially blocked by his shoulder. “Now, this match was an interesting one for two main reasons. Can anyone tell me what those are?” All Might looked out at the class.

There was a long silence before the girl with pads on her fingers hesitantly lifted her hand, and her voice was a little shaky as she spoke. “T-the team’s strategies?” She tried, and All Might nodded.

“Indeed, that is one reason, but that's not the main thing that stood out in this match. The main reason lies with these two,” he looks over at Akumu and Caelus, the former inching a bit further into Caelus’ shadow. All Might holds their gaze for a minute before he looks back out to the class, placing his hands on his hips.

“Young Nikushimi and Young Gonzales approached the situation the same way a real life hero and villain would, and that is exactly wherein lies the problem. This is training, and while we are indeed training to be heroes, Young Nikushimi played the villain part a little bit too well. Also, Young Gonzales, you are not supposed to kill the villain.” 

The eyes of Caelus' mask narrowed in what could be interpreted as a disapproving stare, and his wings ruffled as if he had something to say, but instead, he just looked away in silence. Maybe it was a good thing after all that they hadn't been given weapons. Akumu didn’t respond to that. He just glanced off to the side in an awkward manner instead. Man, Japan and America really were different. They would both have to keep that into account later. Akumu nudged Caelus a little with his elbow. If he wanted to avoid attention, then it would be best if they held back a little more. “...Maybe we should be careful with our quirks from here on out…?”

“...Yeah.” Caelus sighed, crossing his arms. They then looked back up at All Might.

“In addition, because this is training, I would like to advise that you all exercise restraint from now on. I would like to avoid the type of injuries we saw today.” All Might says seriously, and a ripple of nods go through the class. “Also, Young Nikushimi,” He starts, grabbing Akumu’s attention, “what was that?”

Akumu tilts his head to the side. “What was what?” He asked. 

“The transformation you took.” All Might asked, mentally reminding Caelus that not everyone grows up next to a living, breathing corpse as a best friend. “It looked… Interesting!” He tried to put it into different words, but it was clear what he actually meant. 

“...Quirk.” He shrugged his shoulders in response. 

Ah. Well, All Might did read it on paper. But seeing it in person was definitely something else. “Is that a required part of your quirk, Young Nikushimi?” As Akumu nodded his head, All Might scratched his head a little. “I see…” He mused, then looked towards the rest of the class. “Well, regardless, I cannot fault them for acting well in the exercise. Due to the element of realism, they were both the MVPs for this round!” He announced.

Caelus blinked. Them? The MVPs? Actually… He glances over at Jirou, then at the ponytail girl who’d been paired up with Akumu. “Now that you mention it, what happened when you left, Jirou-san?” He tilts his head. 

 The purple haired girl sighed. “I managed to make it up to the weapon room and dislodge the debris that had been piled in front of the door, but I ended up getting in over my head fighting.” She explained, tucking her hands into her pockets. 

Akumu glanced over towards the ponytail girl, and just shot her a thumbs up. The girl blinked as she saw that. For just a moment, any uneasiness she had went away. It gave her the realization that, while he may seem a little intimidating on the outside, he’s quite literally just another first year like she was. Unsure of how to respond, she just nods her head and looks away from him. 

After their match, the rest of the class went on with their own matches, and Akumu fell asleep on Caelus' shoulder again, waiting for the class to be over. Caelus still recorded most of the matches, but nothing too interesting happened after their match, in his opinion. Well, except for one thing. 

Caelus watched as the boy with six arms stepped outside of the building, leaving the dual-haired boy in the entrance alone. The dual-haired boy pressed his right hand against the wall, and frost burst out from beneath his palm and his right foot, coating the walls, ceilings, and floor of the whole building in less than a minute. Even All Might was shivering with the sudden change in temperature, but his attention was more focused on the dual-haired boy. Something about him fascinated him, and it was only until the boy made it up to the weapon room and started to melt the ice that he managed to place it; he looked somewhat… Sad. No, sad wasn’t exactly the right word. Bitter, maybe? No. This was more like… Depression. The kind that came with a burden.

He would know.

Caelus frowned. That suit too. It covered his entire left side - there couldn’t be a practical reason for that. He couldn’t see any way that would be an asset in battle. He thought about it for a long while, but eventually he decided to put that to the side. It wasn’t worth brooding over; he wouldn’t get far by speculating. 

He would definitely remember this, though.

Chapter Text

“One disaster after another…” Akumu muttered underneath his breath. The two were walking back to their apartment at this point. Akumu had his headphones on, but one of them was off of his ear so he could talk to Caelus and listen to music at the same time. “Aya, should’ve figured that something like that would grab the other’s attention.” 

“No kidding.” Caelus sighs. He has his own earbuds in, and similarly left one ear open while talking. “This place is really different from back there.”

“...Y’know, now that I think about it, would schools in America even allow that? Probably not, huh?” He asked, to which Caelus shrugged in response. If schools back home were already strict on quirk usage, then their consequences would probably be a lot worse than a stern talking to by another hero. “...That was actually stupid of us.” 

“Whoops.” Well, in their defense, the school had been pushing them to use their quirks since the first day. It was only a matter of time, really. Still, not ideal.

The two just continued to head home. Though, that Project Sekai deal was still on the table for the both of them. Did Japan have their own version of Doordash? Akumu hoped so. Or maybe their caretaker can go grab some for them. He’ll probably give her some extra money so she can get something for herself, too. 

It didn’t take long before they had made it back. Caelus fished for his keys before he unlocked the door. The two step inside and Akumu shuts the door behind him, relocking it. The two then look at each other. “So… Where do you wanna go start our match?” Caelus asked, glancing over his shoulder. 

Akumu shrugged his shoulders. “We could just go into one of our rooms, whichever one is less messy.”

“So yours?” 

“...What’s wrong with yours?”

Caelus taps his fingers together a few times. “...Well-...” He turns to his room door and walks to it. Akumu follows behind. The door creaks a little bit by the hinges as Caelus opens up the room. Akumu peeks inside, and…

“Ah. I see.” He eyes Caelus’ messy room. It looks like he hasn’t even fully unpacked. Either that, or he just casually has spare boxes in the corner, sitting there and collecting dust. Some of his clothes and his blankets are on his floor and his mattress was right next to the undone bed frame. “Would you like help screwing things together?”

“Yeah, that’d be great actually. My motivation died halfway through.” 

Akumu nodded. The gaming can be set aside for later, then. Akumu stepped inside, spotting the toolbox that was on the dresser. Well, at least the dresser was done for the most part. And the altars lining the wall. It was just the nightstand and the bed frame. Akumu grabbed a drill and some screws before he grabbed the toolbox to set on the floor. “Come on,” he started, “you should probably hang up your clothes and put ‘em in the closet.”

“Yeahhh…” Caelus’ wings ruffled as they changed form to a gray capelet, the raised, cowl-like collar covering part of his lower jaw. “I'll get on that.” He pulled a box over and started to slip the clothes inside onto hangers one by one, sorting them into two piles; shirts and pants. He hummed along to the music playing through his headphones, and he'd occasionally quietly sing a lyric or two before going back to humming again.

Meanwhile, Akumu was working on the bed frame. He’s done this a few times now, but he still was still reading the instructions that came with it, just in case. The support bars that hold the mattress up were attached and the headboard was screwed in. Akumu placed the mattress foundation on first, the grey box spring sitting on the supports. Then, Akumu places the mattress on top. The thin mattress cover was next, which was tucked underneath the mattress. The blankets spread out onto the bed next, the pillows neatly placed against the headboard. By the time he was done, Caelus was grabbing out pieces of his nightstand from the boxes. 

Akumu approaches the boxes and pulls out pieces of what looks like a desk. “Do you wanna work on the desk or the nightstand?” He asks.

Caelus pauses. “Uh, I was gonna work on the nightstand, since I already got it. Did you want to?”

“Just checking.” Akumu hummed as he continued to take out pieces of Caelus’ desk.

Caelus shrugs. “Alrighty.” He plopped down onto the floor with the pieces of the nightstand, sitting crisscross applesauce as he began to skim through the instructions, reading it to himself under his breath. He set the manual on the floor in front of him, then picked up the pieces and tools, working on putting the nightstand together step by step, checking to make sure he didn't skip a step every so often. It sounded stupid, but he had made these mistakes before, and he wasn't about to risk making them again.

Akumu already knew how to put the desk together. It was the same model as his own, surprising to no one, and he began to work on it. The legs were screwed in via the drill and the drawers that came with the desk were inserted into the right side into their respective places. Then, Akumu takes Caelus’ PC from one of the boxes and sets it up in the open space underneath the drawers and takes out the folded up office chair from the last box. The monitor and the keyboard were all plugged in and the wires were all organized. The extension cord was soon plugged in with a desk lamp, and the PC itself. 

Soon enough, the both of them had finished setting up and unpacking everything, and Caelus fell back into his bed with a low groan and the “ pomf ” of his sheets and sleeping bag underneath him. “Ughhh… comfy.” This moth fucker.

“You wanna start that match now?” Akumu pulls his phone out of his pocket and sits on the edge of the bed.

Caelus springs up and takes his own phone out of pocket. “Yeah. Lemme just grab my charger.” He said as he stood up, heading to his school bag. He pulls his charger and the cord out of it and plugs them in into the outlet next to his bed. They both opened up their rhythm game and began their round.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

After about a good hour, maybe two, no one was keeping track, it was unsurprising to see that Akumu emerged victorious. It was a good 23:4 ratio. Caelus groaned as he looked at the score. “No fair, you play on master and expert mode half the time…” Caelus huffed. 

“Get good.” Akumu snickered a little.

“Okay fuck you.” 

“You know that means you pay for coffee, right?” 

“...Nuh uh.”

“Yuh huh.”

Caelus grabbed his pillow and smacked Akumu upside the head with it. 

“WH- EY-” Akumu took the pillow out of Caelus’ hands and responded back with a smack with it.

They stopped when they heard a knock at Caelus’ door, the caretaker coming in shortly after. “Your parents called, Akumu. They wanted to know if you’ve done your homework yet.” She said. 

“...Ah.” Akumu sighed and looked at Caelus. “Well, I guess this is a good time to get coffee, then. We can drink while doing our worksheets.”

“Yeah.” Caelus agreed, nodding as he slipped his phone into his pocket. “Did you want to go out and grab some or see if we can order some here?”

“Let’s just order. I don’t wanna get out the house.”

“Aight.”

Akumu kept his phone open to see if there was any place that delivered. To their delight, yes, there was. Caelus pulled his card out of his wallet from his pocket and they both ordered their drinks. Akumu, a large, iced, vanilla-based coffee. Caelus, a medium black with condensed milk, also iced. Caelus pays for the two drinks, the two of them heading into the study with their school bags.

Chapter Text

The next morning, they were unpleasantly surprised to find the front gates of UA swarming, straight up swarming with media staff and interviewers. The pair of them stood still in shock for a while before they looked at each other, then back at the media, then expressed their exasperation in the best way they knew how.

“Fuck.”

Akumu blinked as he stared. There were no words that could explain the absolute despair that was running through his mind right now. With a deep sigh, Akumu was half debating on whether he should just phase through the wall and tell Caelus to fly over the wall. “...Let’s just get this over with.” Akumu said as he walked towards the crowd of people. The pair, as soon as they reached the gates, were both nearly trampled with questions. They ignored the microphones, but were only met with what’s at the front.

One of their classmates, no, all of them were being questioned as soon as they were approached as well. “Hey you!” The reporter calls out, shoving the microphone into the green haired kid’s face. “How are All Might’s classes?” She demanded. 

“...Oh, that poor bastard.” Caelus sighed as he crossed his arms.

“You know we’re next, right?” Akumu pointed out.

“Wait, huh-?” 

As soon as they were done with him and his ramblings, the woman approached the two of them and shoved the microphone into their faces. “You two,” she started, the camera now recording them. Oh boy. “How is All Might as a teacher!” It sounded more like a demand rather than a question…

Caelus glared disdainfully at the camera, and his voice was flat and clipped as he spoke. “I don't know; I hardly know the guy. ‘Sides, it's only been two days since the school year started. How am I supposed to give a quality answer to that question?” He snapped, his wings turning a dark red. He’d always hated being recorded.

Akumu doesn’t answer. He’s staring at her, his eyes digging holes and stabbing daggers into her. That’s what it felt like. Uneasiness settles into her and the people around them. He shares that gaze with the camera. Then, he just grabs Caelus’ hand and shoves through the crowd to enter the school, not giving them the time of day. He hated being the center of attention, and he wasn’t going to give any of his own to anyone else.

How annoying.

“...What a pain in the fucking ass…” Akumu muttered, the two of them eventually passing by that boy with glasses as he gave his opinion to the cameras. At least someone else was going to entertain the media. If it was going to be anyone, it wasn’t going to be them. Akumu lets go of Caelus’ hand once they were through the entrance. “Gonna kill myself.”

“You and me both.” Caelus agreed, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

The two of them just head to class without any more conversation. They both just hoped that this wouldn’t be an issue later when they leave the school.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Good work on yesterday’s combat training.” Aizawa starts, his eyes glazing over his class in a lazy manner. “I saw the video and the results.” Akumu and Caelus glanced at each other at the sound of that. Ohp-... “Bakugo,” Aizawa starts as he turns to the blonde, “you’re talented, so don’t act like a kid.” 

“I know.” Bakugo muttered with a restrained scowl.

“And Midoriya.” The green haired boy, apparently named Midoriya, nearly jumped. He looks down at his desk, knowing that Aizawa was about to call him out. “You settled it by breaking the building, huh? And on top of that, nearly broke your arm. Again.” The criticism can be heard in his tone. “You can’t keep saying you can’t help it because you can’t control your quirk.” Midoriya was quiet. He clenched his teeth. “I don’t like saying the same thing over and over. As long as you fix the control issue, there’s a lot you’ll be able to do.” At the sound of that, Midoriya’s self-directed frustration melts away for a moment and he looks up with a small smile on his face. “Feel a sense of urgency, Midoriya.”

“Yes, sir!” Midoriya exclaimed.

“As for you two…” Aizawa looks pointedly over to where Caelus and Akumu were sitting. The rest of the class focused towards the back of the class where the two sat. There was a long, uncomfortable moment of silence. Then, he just shakes his head. “...Never mind. Let’s get to homeroom business.”

Caelus’ wings shift to wrap tighter around him in a display of unease, and Akumu pushes down his sense of discomfort. It was understandable, really. But the amount of eyes staring at the two of them just didn’t feel so great. At least Aizawa didn’t point out the elephant in the room. Though, at this point, it felt like a whole whale rather than an elephant. 

“Sorry about the short notice, but today, I’ll have you…” He didn’t even finish yet, and Caelus and Akumu can already see some of the students’ expressions contorting to that of worry. Were they expecting another test or something? “...Decide on a class representative.”

Oh.

The class then erupted into a bunch of voices.

“I want to be class rep! Pick me!”

“Me too!”

“I want to do it, too.”

“It’s a job for m—”

“I’ll be the leader!!”

Caelus grumbles at the sudden loud noise, and his gold star headphones materialize again.

“My manifesto is for all the girls’ skirts to be 30 centimeters above the knee!”

Slowly, both Caelus and Akumu looked towards the short, purple grape. Then looked at each other, as if to ask each other about the audacity.

“Did that little grape fuck say what I think he just said…?” Caelus muttered, fixing the purple haired boy with a disgusted stare.

“...We listen and we don’t judge, we listen and we don’t-...” Akumu muttered to himself. “..I’m so fucking judging, God damnit.” 

“Shit, me too.”

However, the onslaught of students yelling continued.

“Let me do it! Me!!”

“I’ll do it!”

“Silence! Please!” The class stopped and looked towards the bespectacled boy. “It is a job with the serious responsibility of leading others.” He pointed out. Damn, at least someone here has a bit of sense. “It is not a job for just anyone who wants to do it. It is a calling that requires the trust of those around you. If we want to use democracy to decide on a true leader, then we should hold an election to choose one.”

His hand was raised the highest.

Akumu and Caelus looked at each other. “So we agree it’s neither of us, then?” Caelus muttered, but it was pretty obvious.

“Yeah.”

“Good. Didn't want to.”

“Me neither.”

Denki seemed stunned. “Why did you suggest that?”

“We haven’t known each other for that long,” the frog girl starts, “so how can we have trust or anything?”

“If that’s the case, and everyone votes for themselves…” The shark-toothed boy let the words hang in the air. 

“Don’t you think that is precisely why whoever receives multiple votes here can be truly considered the most suitable person here?” The blue haired boy then turns to the teacher. “What do you think, Mr. Aizawa?”

“I don’t care, as long as you decide before homeroom is over.” He zips his banana looking sleeping bag up and lets himself fall onto the floor against his side. 

“...Damn, he's so real for that,” Caelus mutters, now missing his own sleeping bag. Akumu nods in agreement. If only he could sleep like that at any point in time.

“Thank you very much!” The boy replied.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The election results ended up with the green haired boy, Izuku Midoriya, with three votes. Some other student, Momo Yaoyorozu, ended up with two. Izuku himself seemed pretty surprised about it himself. “I got three votes!?” Yep, there it is.

Katsuki then stood up in an abrupt manner. “Why Deku!? Who voted for him!?” The jealousy is seeping through his pores.

“Well, it’s better than voting for you.” The boy with tape dispensers for elbows stated.

“What did you say!?”

As the class talked amongst themselves, both Caelus and Akumu stared at the board of results. “...What poor bastard thought that you’d be a good class representative?” Caelus asked.

“Same thing could be asked about you.” 

Somehow, they both ended up with one vote each. Neither of them even voted for someone because they didn’t care, but for some reason, two dumbasses voted for either of them. What a good way to see that there truly were idiots in the class.

“Then, the class rep is Midoriya, and the deputy class rep will be Yaoyorozu.” Aizawa said as the two of them stood at the front of the class. Ah. So that’s her name… Akumu thought to himself. Momo Yaoyorozu, huh? 

“S-S-Seriously…? Seriously?” Izuku looked like he was quaking in his boots. Shivering in his timbers, if you will.

“How vexing…” Momo sighed.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Lunch hour hit before they knew it. Caelus paid for his lunch while Akumu had brought his own again. The two of them settled down in their seats. “You know I can make you something too, right?” Akumu said as he opened up his bento box.

“Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you though?” Caelus frowned as he pulled his mask away from his face, setting it on the table beside him.

“No. I already make my own food. I don’t mind upping the portion I cook in the morning.” Akumu leaned back in his seat, only lowering his mask to take a bite out of rice, just to put it back on his face. “Up to you, though. I dunno how good the food is here.”

“...Hm…” Caelus pauses for a while, then looks down at his plate. The food is pretty good, but he also doesn't want to be spending money on it every day. It'd logically be easier to bring more, but… Ugh. He's overthinking it, he can tell. “...That'd be fine.”

Akumu nodded. Two meals in the morning it is, then. He looked down so his hair covered the side of his face so he could take another bite of his food. He wondered if Caelus would be down to try the salmon he usually makes for himself. Guess he’ll have to ask later when they are out of school.

They were both about halfway through their food before an alarm suddenly rang. 

“...Hwuh-?” Caelus and Akumu both look up at the speakers.

“There has been a Level 3 security breach. All students please evacuate outdoors promptly.”

Akumu and Caelus looked at each other for a solid three seconds. It was the second fucking day, and there was already a security breach. Both of them already mentally bet it had to be the press. 

Students jump out of their seats, leaving their trays of food. Akumu collects his bento box and places it in his bag before he gets up with Caelus. As soon as they stand up, someone runs into Akumu and nearly knocks him to the ground. His quirk activates on instinct, and he phases through the floor. Then, he pops his head back out of the floor. 

“Shit, you good?” Caelus turns and glances worriedly over him.

With a small groan of irritation, Akumu gets up and dusts himself off. “...Yeah.” He scowls a little as he looks towards the running crowd of students. “How fuckin’ rude.”

“No shit. What happened to evacuating calmly and quietly,” Caelus huffs, recalling the fire and lockdown protocols that had been drilled into their bodies since childhood.

He shrugged in response. He thought to himself for a moment as he looked around. It would be easy to lose each other here. Akumu hummed to himself. An idea then popped in his head. “Hey,” he starts, “I don’t want us to get lost in the crowd. Since we’re allowed to use our quirks, you mind carrying both of us out of here?”

Caelus nods. “Yeah, sure.” He kneels down a bit so that Akumu can get on his back, his wings fluttering and changing into a smaller cloak that resembles birds’ wings. Akumu climbs onto his back and steers careful of Caelus’ cape-like wing. Once he has a secure hold on Akumu and is sure that Akumu's holding on tight in return, he lifts into the air above the crowd, hovering about 15 feet in the air. Damn, the ceilings in this place were high as shit.

The two of them fly overhead the students, Akumu ducking close to make sure his head didn’t smack into one of the doorways. They both were out in no time, and stood outside of the building. Akumu dusts himself off a little.

“Who even broke into the school?” Caelus turns his head while Akumu follows his gaze. Then the both of them inhale slowly. The press. It was the god damned press. Caelus looks at Akumu, and Akumu looks at Caelus. They stared at each other for a long while, needing to say nothing. Instead, Akumu pulls out his phone and motions Caelus to do the same. Caelus picked up on the look, then fished his phone out of his pocket. Both of them pointed their cameras towards the press. Caelus zooms in on the detail while Akumu gets the general scene and the both of them head straight to Twitter. If they want a story so bad, then they’ll make one.

The both of them posted the photos online after sending each other their own shots and attached them to Twitter. Akumu captioned his photo, “The press broke into school. Is this what the Japanese newspaper wants to be known for? Endangering students? How charming.”

Caelus captioned his photo, “Don't fuck with kids who just want peaceful lives, thanks. I can guarantee that your life will be so much easier if you do that. Fuck you guys.”

They both then put their phones away before they were caught with their screens. If the government knows what’s good for them, then all those people will be reprimanded. It didn’t take much longer before the police arrived, likely because of the security system. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Go on class rep. Start.” Momo nudged Izuku. They were all back in class after the whole thing. Hopefully, something like that will never happen again in their time here.

“N-Now let us decide on the other class officers…” Izuku stuttered. “But first, can I say something?” Momo tilted her head a little at the sound of that. “I think… That Tenya Iida should be the class rep after all! He was able to get everyone’s attention in such a cool way. I think it would be best for Iida to do it.” They both made eye contact, Izuku smiling at Tenya.

“I’m good with that, too.” The shark-toothed boy turns to Tenya. “Midoriya’s saying it, and it’s true that Iida was a big help at the cafeteria today.”

“Yeah, and he kind of looked like the person on the emergency exit signs, didn’t he?” Denki jests.

Akumu and Caelus blinked and looked at each other. Their expressions were blank, but they were thinking about the same thing. What the fuck happened while they were out?

“You’re wasting time.” Izuku jumps, not noticing Aizawa in his sleeping bag next to him. “I don’t care what you do, just hurry up and do it.” Aizawa says while lying back down on his side.

Tenya stands from his seat. “If the class rep has nominated me, then it cannot be helped. From this day forth, I, Tenya Iida, promise to do my best to carry out the duties of class representation!”

“Aaaand there he goes…” Akumu muttered.

“Okay dude, no need to get pretentious about it,” Caelus mumbled, scratching at the back of his neck, brushing against the ends of his hair, which he had decided to have short that day.

“We’re counting on you, emergency exit!” The red haired boy exclaimed.

“Emergency exit Iida!” Another student piped up.

“Do your best!”

Is every class so… Positive, corny, and cheesy like this? It makes Akumu almost miss how rude American students were. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

All Might wasn’t present for some reason. Late, probably. Or maybe he just wasn’t teaching today. “For today’s basic hero training, it’s turned into a class with three instructors.” Oh. “All Might, me, and another person.”

“‘Turned into?’ Is this a special case?” 

“Excuse me! What’ll we be doing?”

Aizawa pulls out a card that had the word “Rescue” on it with big, blue, bolded letters. “Disasters, shipwrecks, and everything in between. It’s rescue training.”

“Rescue…” Denki muttered before turning to the other students. “Looks like it’ll be a lot of work this time, too.”

“Right?” The girl with the horns seemed excited. 

“Idiot, this is the duty of a hero!” The one with the shark teeth beamed. “My arms are ready to rumble!”

“No one can beat me in the water, ribbit. ” 

“Hey. I’m not done.” Everyone looks back towards Aizawa. “You can decide if you want to wear your hero costume or not this time around.” The lockers of costumes open back up from the wall. “Because there are probably costumes that limit your abilities, too. The training will take place off-campus, so we’re taking a bus. That is all, start getting ready.”

Once Aizawa walked out of the class, everyone was already getting up. Akumu and Caelus got up from their seats and grabbed their boxes. They then head to the changing rooms. It looks like the support class had fixed up their costumes easily. It was mostly just some tears that were easy to sew back up. They both still had a chunk taken out of their clothes, though. That’s fine. But whoops-...

By the time they were outside, Tenya was already blowing into a whistle. “Class 1-A, gather ‘round! Form two lines by your student numbers in order to make boarding the bus go smoothly!” 

It didn’t take long for the class to get on the bus. Akumu and Caelus sat next to each other. Judging by the distant look on Akumu’s face, Caelus assumed he was talking to the spirits again, so he decided to look out of the window for the time being. He can ask Akumu what he was talking about later.

Meanwhile, Akumu was staring into nothing as he leaned back into his seat. His eyes were down-casted towards the floor. That’s when someone tapped on Caelus’ shoulder. It was that one kid with the tape dispensers for elbows. “Yo, is he good?” He asks, pointing towards Akumu. Meanwhile, some of the kids at the front of the bus were talking; it looked like they were just talking about their quirks.

“Eh?” Caelus blinks at the black haired boy before looking towards Akumu. Then he looks back at the boy. “Yeah, he's fine. Probably just, ah-...” He caught himself before he could say “talking to the ghosts.” How do I put this without sounding schizophrenic-? “...Talking to his ancestors.” Damnit, that was even worse-...

The boy blinked, his eyebrows furrowing a little. “...What?” He smiled awkwardly. 

Ah shit. He hated socializing for this exact reason.

Damn social cues.

Meanwhile, Akumu was zoned out while talking to the ghosts around him. Do any of you know what this is about?

“Exactly how it sounds. Rescue.”

Ah. How helpful.

“You’re welcome.”

Akumu let a small sigh leave his lips. 

“Wait.”

Hm?

“Prepare.”

…What? Akumu’s eyebrows furrowed a little bit. 

“You’re heading straight to your doom.”

Akumu swallowed hard before his eyes left the floor. He glances towards Caelus, nudging him a little with the back of his hand. Caelus noticed him coming out of his daze and he tilted his head. 

“What happened?”

Akumu doesn’t answer. He pulls his phone out and texts it to him instead. He didn’t want anyone overhearing their conversation. 

[Akumu] : They said we’re heading straight for danger.

[Caelus] : …  

Caelus' gaze hardens, and his wings shudder and change, darkening and filling out into a larger drape in the shape of dragon’s wings, drawing the attention of the tape boy next to him, who gives him a confused look.

Akumu glances out the window for a moment before looking back down at the ground. What do you mean?

“Danger, child.”

Okay, but what?

“Danger.”

Akumu clenches his jaw, but he doesn’t say anything else. Not to Caelus or to the ghosts. It was too cryptic to tell Caelus and the ghosts weren’t saying anything else about it. 

Damnit…

“We’re here. Stop messing around.”

Chapter Text

The bus had stopped. A building with a dome-like ceiling sat in front of them. It looked just as big as the school instead. Akumu was, understandably, uneasy as all hell. Caelus, almost as much so. Can they die? No. But there are fates worse than death. And the others? Well, that’s something to worry about when it occurs. Hopefully, this isn’t a class issue. But considering what happened with the press earlier that day, neither of them can be sure. Though, that does remind Akumu.

While the class walked towards the huge double doors, Akumu nudged Caelus. “Hey.” Caelus looks towards him with a hum. “Who do you think let the press in?” A frown crosses his face.

“...Actually, now that I think about it, I don't know. Aren't the gates only supposed to allow students and staff through?”

Akumu nodded. “Mm. My grandfather told me about the security systems.” He fixes his gaze forward, trying to keep his voice down. “Apparently, anyone who doesn’t have a student or staff ID will activate the systems. That’s why some service animals need an ID, too.” 

“So, how the fuck did they get in…” Caelus mutters, folding his arms tightly over his chest, his wings wrapping close around him. 

A small, “I dunno,” noise came from Akumu as he shrugged his shoulders. That’s food for thought. Unbeknownst to them, they were about to have their answers in about twenty minutes from now, maximum. 

“Everyone, I have been waiting for you.” A voice snapped both of them out of their thoughts. In front of them, the two and the class can only assume it was a pro hero. They looked like they were wearing a heavily bulky astronaut costume. While Akumu and Caelus had no idea who they were, some of the students seemed to know who they were.

“It’s the Space Hero, Thirteen!” Izuku exclaimed. “The gentlemanly hero who has rescued tons of people from disasters!” Thirteen? Akumu and Caelus glanced at each other before looking at Thirteen. That’s… Actually a pretty good hero name. Kind of like America’s unlucky number, huh? Akumu shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Uwah! I love Thirteen!” The brown haired girl beamed after.

“Let’s go inside without delay.” Thirteen states as she points to the dome structure.

“Looking forward to working with you!” The class simultaneously says, minus the two American kids. 

As soon as everyone stepped inside, it was only then the class realized how big the damn place was. Sounds of awe left the students as they stepped through the doors, taking in the different sectioned areas around the grounds.

“Wow, it looks like Universal Studios Japan!” The shark toothed boy exclaimed, and Thirteen stood by the main arch.

“A shipwreck, a landslide, a fire, a windstorm, et cetera - it is a training ground that I made with different types of accidents and disasters.” Thirteen declares as she gestures out to the plaza. “It's called the ‘Unforeseen Simulation Joint,’ or ‘USJ’ for short!” 

The class fell silent, and Akumu and Caelus exchanged a glance. “Huh… so it really is USJ.” Caelus remarks, keeping a casual air about him to mask the tension in his body. 

Aizawa steps up beside Thirteen, his hands tucked into his pockets. “Thirteen, where's All Might? He was supposed to meet us here.”

“About that…” Thirteen steps closer, and Caelus and Akumu have to strain to pick up what she says next. “It looks like he did too much hero work on his way to work and ran out of time, so he's resting in the lounge,” she explains, holding up the number three with her hand. Akumu frowns.

“You have any idea what that could mean?” He leans into Caelus, who shakes his head minutely. His wings ruffle around him, and Caelus can't stop himself from looking around in unease. His nerves have been on edge since they left the bus, and his instincts are only getting more insistent by the minute.

“That's the height of irrationality,” Aizawa comments, and his expression darkens for a bit, but turns back to the class. “It can't be helped. Shall we begin?”

“Let's see…” Thirteen starts. “Before we begin, let me say one thing… er… or two, or three…” Her voice gets quieter. “Or four… five… six… seven…”

Real.

“Everyone, I am sure you are aware of my quirk, Black Hole. I can suck up anything and turn it to dust.”

The brown haired girl nods excitedly, and Izuku adds on, “You've been able to use that quirk to save people from all kinds of disasters, right?” He beams, and Thirteen nods.

“Yes, but it is a power that can kill easily.” Her words seem to come as a shock to everyone, but Caelus just nods. He figured; it is called Black Hole. “Some of you have Quirks like that, right?” Everyone pauses, seeming to think over her question. 

For a moment, Akumu could feel at least one pair of eyes on him. And in response, without turning his head, his eyes snap towards the person staring at him. Denki then jumps and turns away from him. “...How scary…” The blonde muttered to himself.

“In a superhuman society, personal quirks have been certified and stringently regulated, so that doesn't seem to be a problem at first glance. However, please do not forget that there are many quirks that can easily kill with one wrong step. With Aizawa’s physical fitness test, you found out about the possibility of your own hidden powers, and with All Might’s person-to-person combat training, I think you experienced the center of using those powers against others. This class is a fresh start. 

You shall learn how to use your quirks to save people's lives. You do not have powers to harm others. I hope you leave here with the understanding that you have powers in order to help others.”

“That is all. Thank you for listening.” Thirteen bows, and the class explodes into cheers and applause.

“That was wonderful!”

“Bravo! Bravo!”

Aizawa straightened up. “All right then, first-” He pointed at the central plaza, but before he could finish speaking, the lights flickered before there was the sound of the electricity dying out. The lights died, one after another. The fountain in the middle flickered, too. The water would turn on and off at intervals before it looked like something was warping in the air in front of the fountain. Aizawa’s eyes widened a little, and he turned around.

Akumu furrowed his eyebrows. So… This is what they were talking about, huh? He took a deep breath, both out of irritation and apprehension. 

Caelus turns his head to glance at Akumu, then he looks back ahead, the eyes of his mask narrowing. They were right. His hands slowly balled into fists, itching with the urge to draw one of his knives.

From afar, they all can see a portal opening up. A black and violet portal. A reality warp? “Gather together and don’t move!” Aizawa ordered the class. Then, he turns to Thirteen. “Thirteen, protect the students!” Oh. They actually give a shit about the kids here? That’s a first. 

The shark-toothed boy takes a step back. “...What’s that?” He murmured. The other students stared at the warping portal for a moment, only to watch someone come out. Someone with a hand for a mask. And then there was more. More people, one by one, came out of the portal. “Is this like the entrance exam where the lesson’s already started?” 

Izuku was about to take a step forward, only for Aizawa to scold him. Mostly out of concern, that is. “Don’t move!” Aizawa takes his goggles out of his scarf and puts them on his eyes, hiding them from view. “Those are villains.” Those words sent shivers down the class’ spines. Though, Akumu and Caelus half expected it.

“...Two days in…” Akumu groaned softly.

“They really don't waste time…” Caelus mumbled, a hand drifting to one of his tactical knives and gripping the hilt.

Once all of the villains leave the portal, there then comes an inhuman looking dude. His face made him look like a bird, but he had no wings, and its whole brain was out in the open. It looked just as tall as All Might, if not a little taller.

“...I don’t think that’s a good sight.” Akumu muttered.

Caelus shakes his head, his hold on his knife tightening. “Definitely not.”

“The trespassing earlier was the work of these scumbags after all, huh?” Aizawa grumbled. His hair and his scarf lift into the air, getting ready to confront them himself. 

“What? Villains? No way!” The spikey, red haired boy glared downwards at the villains with a sense of both fear and disdain. “There’s no way they could get into a hero school!”

“Teacher,” Momo starts as she steps to the front line of students, “what about the trespasser sensors?”

“We have them, of course, but…” Thirteen trails off. Everyone could hear the uncertainty in her voice. Those words hang in the air.

The boy with half white and half red hair’s face hardens a bit. “Did they only appear here, or around the whole school? Either way, if the sensors are not responding, that means they have someone with a quirk that can do that.” Oh. That’s not great. “An isolated area separated from the main campus during a time when a class is supposed to be here.”

The boy's words snap Caelus from his anxiety-fueled haze, and he looks over at him.

“They might be fools. But they’re not dumb. This surprise attack was carefully planned with some sort of goal in mind.” Those words made everyone’s anxiety worsen. The question was there. What goal? Why?

Though, to Akumu, it made sense. There is a difference between a fool and foolishness. At least, in his mind, there was. Foolishness is stupidity. Almost acting like you know everything, despite knowing nothing at all. It’s false confidence—barging into something you don’t truly understand. But a fool? A fool is someone who knows what they’re doing. Someone who carefully plans and executes it right. Someone who acts stupid and acts clueless. Someone who knows when to act like they know nothing, when in reality, they are two steps ahead. That is a fool.

Aizawa stepped closer to the stairs before turning to Thirteen. “Thirteen, start the evacuation. Try calling the school. These villains even had something to counteract the sensors.” He had heard the half-and-half student’s words. “It’s possible someone with radio-wave-type powers is interfering.” Without turning to the students, he addresses one of the blondes. “Kaminari. You try contacting the school with your quirk, too.”

“Yessir.” Denki nods before reaching for one of the ears of his headphone-like gear.

“What about you, sir?” Izuku steps forward, a distraught expression on his face. “Will you fight by yourself? With that many, even if you erase their quirks… Eraser Head’s fighting style is capturing and erasing the enemy’s quirk. A frontal battle is…”

Aizawa turns his head towards Izuku’s direction. “You can’t be a hero with just one trick.” He turned back to the group of people and began to walk towards them. “I’m leaving it to you, Thirteen.” Thirteen nods, and Aizawa jumps straight into battle, heading straight down the stairs. 

Everyone watched as Aizawa heads down and fights them all, head on from the front. The way he dodges, the way his scarf grabs them and slams them into each other, the way he tosses them into the ground, it was something straight out of a movie. Akumu and Caelus looked at each other. They were actually not running for their own lives? Sure, a lot of teachers do care about the students back in America. Akumu remembers when a teacher locked the students in and confronted ICE on her own. But seeing it in person, in a completely different country, was something else.

“Are we just gonna stand here, or are we going to run?” Caelus nudges Akumu, snapping him out of his thoughts. 

“Eh? Oh… Right.” Him and Caelus turn to catch up with the rest of the students, running towards the large double doors. However, while they were all running, the floor warped in front of them. 

“I won’t let you.” A gruff voice called out. Coming out of the floor, there was a deep purple and black man. He looked like a cloud. “Nice to meet you. We are the League of Villains. It may be presumptuous of us, but we have invited ourselves into the homes of the heroes, U. A. High School, in order to have All Might, the symbol of peace, take his last breath.”

I fucking see that. Akumu thought, his eyes narrowing towards him. Of course that was their goal.

...We listen and we don’t judge… But they couldn't come up with a better name? Caelus raised an eyebrow behind his mask. Like, c’mon… that's so basic.

“I believe All Might should have been here. Has there been some kind of change? Well, that is neither here nor there. This is the part I am to play.” Thirteen was about to dust him out of existence while he monologues, but stopped when she saw Katsuki and the shark-toothed boy run straight for him. 

Idiots. And that is an example of foolishness… Akumu thought to himself. 

Caelus almost facepalms. Stupid fucks…

An explosion blows between the students and towards the reality warping guy. “Did you consider that you’d get beaten by us before you did it?” The red haired boy smirked as the smoke and debris began to clear.

“Oh dear, that’s dangerous.” The villain mused. “That’s right,” he starts, his physical body taking form. “Even if you are students, you are excellent golden eggs."

“No! Move away, you two!” Thirteen orders.

“My job is to scatter you all… And torture you to death!” The villain’s smoke-like body expands out to engulf the students. 

“Shit, get down!” Akumu exclaimed as he grabbed Caelus and made them both take the lower ground, making sure they won’t get blown away within the dust-like particles. It felt like being in the middle of the desert all over again. The dust storms were ruthless sometimes, and this was on part with that.

Caelus hit the ground with a low grunt, squinting through his mask, trying to see what the warp guy was doing. His clothes whipped against his skin, and he scoffed. “Well, this is awfully familiar.”

“Ai, Arizona 2.0 type shit…”

It didn’t take long to find out what’s going on. They both saw the light of the sky again, but then they both realized they were falling. And that they weren’t together.

Shit.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Caelus falls into a wave of heat and light, and he manages to activate his quirk in time to avoid splatting into the ground. He huffs a sigh, but he quickly realizes he's not alone as another figure comes falling through the portal. With a flap of his wings, he's there in an instant, and he catches the boy with a tail in his arms, ignoring the yelp of surprise from the other boy. “Don't worry, I got you,” he said almost subconsciously, and he descended to the street, setting the boy down before turning around and unsheathing one of his combat knives. “Hey, are you hurt?” 

The other boy shakes his head. “No, thanks to you.” Caelus looks over his shoulder at him and nods.

“Good. I'm Caelus; I’d say nice to meet you, but given the situation, I don't think we have that luxury…” He trails off as a group of villains emerge from the flames, and his mind kicks into overdrive, his body beginning to pulse with light. The other boy nods and stands up beside him, lifting his hands up and preparing for combat.

“Ojiro,” he said simply, and Caelus nodded. 

“Alright then.” His grip on his combat knife tightens. “Now, I don't see a whole lot of ways out of here that don't include fighting, so…”

Ojiro hesitates. “...You're not going to bite me, are you?” He asked nervously, and Caelus gave a dismissive shrug.

“Nah, don't worry. I won't bite you unless I have a reason. These guys, however…” He narrows his eyes. “Let’s just focus on the nuisance in front of us.” The villains around them snarl and huff and puff, and one, a man who was at least 6 feet tall, with purple skin and rocky features, stepped forward with a sneer.

“Are you done with your chit chat? It's time to die!” He puffed out his chest, and Caelus rolled his eyes.

Yeah yeah, whatever you say. He huffed, and Ojiro tenses as the purple skinned man charged. Before the man could reach them though, Caelus leapt into the air and swooped down on him, driving his knife hilt deep into the man’s shoulder. The man screamed as Caelus twisted the blade, then crumpled into the asphalt, blood splattering across his mask in time with the sound of tearing flesh. The crowd of villains that had gathered watched Caelus step off the man’s body and flick the excess blood off of his knife, horror in their eyes. The white haired boy nudged at the body beside him, then shrugged. “Eh, he'll probably be fine. I don't think I hit anything vital. Unless he's weak.” 

Ojiro was stunned. He'd taken down a guy who was a foot taller than he was in such a simple but devastating move. Caelus stood tall, his knife held at the ready as he stared down his opponents. “Alright, you all… Let's get this over with. I have a best friend to find after this.” He said coldly, and Ojiro quickly took a defensive stance beside Caelus as the group began to close in. 

The next one to attack was a bulky guy with a cutlass held in hand, and Caelus' eyes narrowed. “Ojiro, take care of the ones behind him. I can handle the ones that are armed,” he stated. His voice and expression left no room for argument, so Ojiro agreed without much resistance. Caelus feels a bit weird ordering people around, but what else can he do? He shakes himself out of his thoughts before he locks blades with the bulky man, sparks grating off their blades. 

He can tell right off the bat that this guy's physical strength is far greater than his own, so he does what any reasonable person would, he's sure; he stops fighting and steps out of the way.

The sudden loss of resistance makes the villain crash face first into the ground, and Caelus brings his foot down on the back of his head, hard. He hears the crunch of bone beneath his foot, and he gets one last kick in for good measure before moving on to the next opponent. Adrenaline hummed in his veins as his body fell into the rhythm of combat, and Caelus made sure to keep an eye on Ojiro, checking that he's not hurt. 

He'd admit, he dissociated for most of the fight, but a loud “ CRASH ” from outside the dome froze him in his tracks for a moment. Ojiro turned to look towards it too, his eyes wide. “What was that?!” He exclaimed, and Caelus pulled the knife from the stomach of a guy wearing an oversized jacket - that was honestly the best way he could describe it. 

“I don't know,” he muttered, but the buzzing of his phone drew his attention. Keeping an ear out for any more approaching villains, he slipped his phone from his pocket, tapping the screen awake to check his notifications. 

[Akumu] : All Might is here.

Caelus’ eyes widened. Was that what that crash was—All Might breaking through the doors to get to them? “Damn,” he mumbled, and Ojiro looked over at him. 

“What is it?”

“...All Might is here.” For some reason, he felt a sinking dread in his stomach as he read the words aloud. Ojiro looks relieved and says something more, but Caelus can't hear him over the thoughts in his head.

Something is wrong. This shouldn't be this easy. Sure, they're a bunch of lowlifes from the darkest corners of the streets with nothing worth talking about, but something nagged at the back of his head, something that said that this was what the villains wanted, and there was something more to the story that they weren't seeing. “...Hey! Caelus, you good?”

Ojiro’s voice snapped him out of his spiral, and he quickly brushed it off. “Yeah, fine. C'mon, we should work on finding a way out of here and getting back to the others. Stay close.” Ojiro nodded, and the two of them set off through the burning city, but the closer that they got, the more that Caelus felt he was walking into a trap.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Akumu’s body phases through the floor to break his fall. Then, he jumped back up to the surface. He was about to take physical form, only to realize that the place was rather windy. Hm. He can work with that. Akumu’s form takes on a physical form once more. He hears the sound of two more people above him. So, like any other person, he looked up, only to see two people also falling from the air.

Shit. He jumps up and shifts his ghostly form to where his arms were physical, but the rest of him wasn’t. He catches the tall person with a rock-like structure for a head first before accelerating to the floor. He puts the boy down, and then jumps up quickly to grab the other. The bird boy looks up at Akumu, but Akumu doesn’t return the eye contact. He lands, and puts him down, too. Akumu then dusts himself off before looking at the two of them. He opens his mouth to say something, but changes his mind, and looks away. By the looks of it, they were in the Squall Zone, where it mimicked the windiness and the rain of a possible flood. He’s never seen so much rain in one place before. 

“...Hey.” The bird boy starts, stepping towards Akumu. He turns his head, looking down towards the bird headed boy. “Nikushimi, right?” Akumu blinked and glanced off towards the side. He almost forgot that everyone addresses each other with their last name. “Fumikage Tokoyami.” He then gestures to the other boy. “Koji Koda.” 

Was he introducing himself and the other boy? Akumu blinked and just awkwardly nodded, fixing his gaze towards the side again. Before he could think of any words in response, he looked back at Fumikage and Koji. There were no words traded. Just the sight of him dashing past the two suddenly.

“Ghk-!?” He’s fast! Fumikage could barely process what he saw before he watched a pair of villains stumble and fall back, an echoing “CRACK” reaching their ears. The two villains were out. And so were their noses.

“...Introductions later.” Akumu said as his bones began to shift and crack. A fox tail—no, three of them rip out of his costume. His flesh sounded like it was ripping apart, but it wasn’t. His form grew taller, his hair faded to white, and white fox ears popped out of his head. Before Koji and Fumikage could process what they were looking at, Akumu pointed to the other villains. They were scattered about, eyeing them all like they were pieces of meat.

Ah. Right. Villains. 

The ground beneath began to shake. The villains’ eyes drifted down towards the cracks in the ground. More and more of them spawn from the concrete, and before they knew it, there was a wall of ice separating them from the three students. Akumu turned towards the two and motioned them to run with him.

Their footsteps splashed in the water as they ran. “We need a plan.” Fumikage stated, looking towards the two of them. “What are our quirks?”

Oh boy. This question. Akumu sighed and made a sharp turn into an alleyway, the other two following behind him. “...Living Undead,” Akumu replies, “I can turn into any random nearby spirit. It can be a ghost, a yokai… Anything. It just needs to be dead and close to me. In the process, I can use their abilities to my advantage.” He explains briefly. His words then made dots connect in their heads. That explained… A lot. The phasing through, the different abilities, the grotesque features… He is, quite literally, a living corpse. 

“...I see.” Fumikage stops running when Akumu does, Koji following suit. “My quirk is Dark Shadow.” He opens up his cloak to reveal… A dark shadow. A bird-looking monster that seems to come out of Fumikage’s lower chest and upper stomach. Then, the shadow monster shrinks back into Fumikage’s chest. Akumu looks towards Koji.

“...What about you?” He asks flatly. Koji seemed to jump when he realized he was being addressed. They both watched as Koji tried to gesture and sign. Akumu was almost caught off guard, but he followed along. He can understand the silence of Koji. It made him feel a rare moment of kinship. But only for that moment. “...Communicating with animals, huh?” Akumu mused. Well, that’s not a quirk that can be used for this situation. Though, he did have an idea. “...How about this?” Akumu starts before laying out a plan. He whispers to the two of them, making sure they follow.

Koji was the bait. He’s technically the “weakest,” so villains will look at him as an easy target. Then, once at a dead end, he and Fumikage will take them out from behind before they realize it. 

“Sound good?” Akumu asks. Fumikage gives a thumbs up and Koji nods in response. Good. Akumu and Fumikage then run off, leaving Koji on his own. Or, at least that’s what it looks like. Akumu phases through a wall to watch and follow closely while Fumikage hides while following Koji.

It doesn’t take long before three villains find Koji. “There’s one of them!” One of the villains called out. Koji stopped running and turned around for a moment, only to be met with the sight of all the villains being trapped within a wall of ice. Damn, he didn’t even hear the ice form… How quick. Akumu jumps out of the floor and breaks the ice, freeing the three villains. The cold had stunned them. And now, they were being met with his foot. All three were knocked out cold, pun intended, and their faces were left bleeding. He looks at Koji and shoots him a thumbs up. He returned the gesture, and continued to run. Akumu dips back into the ground.

Koji sprints down into an alleyway, only to see that it was a deadend. He was about to turn around and run off to keep going, but was stopped by another pair of villains. Koji tensed up under their gazes. “Found you!” One of them exclaimed, sadistic smiles spreading on their gross faces. Though, as soon as they jumped. Fumikage came in clutch. Dark Shadow had slammed the two into the building beside the three of them. Cracks formed underneath the pressure, and the two villains fell to the ground with a resounding “ thud ” before Koji and Fumikage looked at each other. 

“That makes six of them.” Fumikage states. Akumu pops out of the ground, seeing that there are none nearby at the current moment. Fumikage looks upwards, letting the rain pour on him. “If we can just reduce enemy numbers little by little until help comes…” Fumikage trails off. Akumu and Koji looked at each other, and Akumu nodded. Koji runs off yet again, and Akumu returns to the floor. All the while, Fumikage returns to hiding and follows Koji.

Just a little longer. They’re going to have to fight a little while longer, and- “KSH-CRASH!!!” 

The three of them stop for a moment. That didn’t sound like it was anywhere near the Squall Dome, but… Akumu pokes his head out of the floor. Fumikage comes out of hiding. Koji stops and looks over his shoulder. 

“...What was that?” Fumikage asked.

What was that? Akumu blinked.

“He is here.”  

Eh?

“He is here.”

“...He is here.” Akumu repeats. Fumikage and Koji look at Akumu as soon as he says that. At first, they were confused. But then the gears started to grind and Fumikage’s eyes slightly widened. Koji’s eyes seemed to light up. 

“All Might’s here?” He asked. Akumu doesn’t reply to that. Akumu pops out of the floor and pulls out his phone.

[Akumu] : All Might is here.

He shuts his phone off, not waiting for a response. Hopefully, if Caelus is with anyone, that other student (or students, he doesn’t know) will be given some kind of hope. He knows Caelus is strong and can probably hold his own fine. His grandfather trained the both of them, he’d be damned if Caelus gets hurt by a bunch of no-life lackeys with no damn independence. 

“That doesn’t mean help is here yet.” Akumu turns to the other two. “Other pro heroes are bound to come shortly. For now, we’re still on our own.” He points to Koji. “I hope you still have stamina.” Koji perks up, blinking a few times. He nods his head and begins to start running again. 

Fumikage hides and sprints, keeping up with Koji, while Akumu dives back into the ground. If he is here… Akumu thought as Koji got caught up with a group of three villains. His ice froze their feet to the ground, keeping them in place as Dark Shadow got the job done. ...Then he should be going after that big, open-brained thing. Dark Shadow takes them all down, as expected. Koji continued on his run while he and Fumikage trailed behind. That means we have to keep waiting. Akumu takes a deep breath. ...That’s fine. Four more villains try to ambush Koji. They surround him. Then, ice froze all four of them. Dark Shadow breaks the ice off of the ground and tosses the people-filled ice into the air. We can keep going like this.

“Ahk-!” One of the villains was slammed into the floor by Dark Shadow. Before she could get up. Akumu jumps out of the ground and a chain link, made out of ice, shoots out to wrap around her. Akumu then tosses her several meters into the air and on top of one of the buildings. Fumikage and Akumu shot each other a thumbs up before Koji and Fumikage continued to run, Akumu diving back into the ground. 

One by one, taking them down small group by small group, they were able to dwindle the numbers down enough to where Akumu and Fumikage can get out of hiding. 

Akumu’s form shifts back into his original, physical form. “What are you doing?” Fumikage asks as three more villains pop up. 

“I can only transform for twenty minutes at a time.” Akumu replies, pulling out a pair of gloves from his pocket. He was saving these, just in case. Looks like they came in handy. He slips them on, the gloves having steel-like knuckles and the rest having slash-resistant material. “That doesn’t mean I’m incapable.” He turns to Fumikage. “Toss ‘em.”

Chapter Text

Caelus and Ojiro were still fighting their way out of the city when a sudden rumble caught them off guard. Ojiro knocked out the villain he was facing with his tail, then looked up. “An explosion?”

Caelus frowned, pulling his knife from the body of his own opponent. “No. That wasn't an explosion.” He muttered under his breath. “That was All Might.” What had happened? Some shit had definitely gone down since they had been dispersed. 

They had to get back.

“Ojiro, come on! We don't have time to wait around here,” he urges before he starts running again, and Ojiro quickly jogged after him. Though, it's only a few seconds before Caelus stops. “Hold on. Get on my back.” He kneels, and Ojiro blinks. 

“What?”

“Get on my back.” Caelus repeats, his wings ruffling. “It'll be quicker and easier to get back if I fly us back there. You just have to hold on.” Ojiro hesitates, but the approaching footsteps of more villains quickly get rid of any doubts he may have had. He climbs on, wrapping his tail around Caelus’ waist and his arms around his neck. “Alright. Hold on tight.” He said, then he took off in a burst of wind, his wings spreading to catch the hot air rising from the flames. 

Ojiro's grip on Caelus tightened instinctively, his heart jumping into his throat as they sped through the air. It was strange; Caelus was shorter than he was, yet he was still carrying him and able to fly at this speed? His quirk was definitely something else.

The sound of rumbling drew Caelus and Ojiro's attention the closer they got to the exit, and it immediately set Caelus' nerves on edge. Stop. Calm down. You don’t know you’re in danger. He took a long, slow breath, then turned his attention down to the ground, scanning for where the rumbling was coming from. 

When they make it back to the entrance out of the fire zone, Caelus spots a tiny man encased in a bright yellow mecha, who spots them and waves them down. Caelus tilts his head as he lands, letting Ojiro slip off his back before looking up at the mecha man. “Perfect timing, you two! We’re here to help you guys out; are either of you hurt?” The man asked, and Caelus shook his head.

“No, sir. No injuries to report.” He replied, and the mecha man nodded. 

“Ah, wonderful. Well, it’s best for you to head to the entrance; your classmates are there waiting-“

The man barely had time to finish his sentence before Caelus had taken off. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

A villain was tossed to the floor. Before he could get up, they let out a sharp grunt of pain as Akumu raised his leg straight up and slammed it into the villain’s head. A sickening “CRUNCH” came from the villain’s skull before he fell to the ground. Akumu turns to Fumikage, who had just finished off another pair of villains. Akumu approaches Koji to make sure he was okay, only to stop dead in his tracks when he heard something above them crash open. It sounded like the dome itself. And soon, there were vibrations from everywhere around them. All three of them looked up, all of them just as confused as the other.

“Wh-What’s this vibration?” Fumikage asked, addressing the massive damn whale in the room. Akumu swallowed hard while Koji was looking around in a frantic motion. 

This power… Akumu furrowed his eyebrows.

“Ah, ông nội?” He tugged on his grandfather’s sleeve. They had just finished a training session and were putting away the wooden swords.

“Mm?” His grandfather hummed, looking down at Akumu as he pulled out a handkerchief and a bottle of water. The water was poured onto the cloth before he hands it to Akumu. 

Akumu takes the cold compress and begins to wipe the sweat off of his face. “You said that, when you were in Japan, you met the Symbol of Peace.” He takes the water bottle as well. Him and his grandfather begin to make their way back into the house where his grandmother was, cooking up lunch. Soon, Caelus was going to come by and they could train together. But that will come later. “You fought with him?”

“Yes, I did.” His grandfather smiled down at him. “Why do you ask? What’s on your mind, child?”

Akumu stepped into the house, his grandfather following suit. “How strong was he? He must be strong if he’s the number one hero in Japan, right?” He tilts his head to the side. “Is he like Star and Stripe?” 

His grandfather hummed at that. Well, if Akumu was going to follow in his footsteps, then of course Akumu was going to be curious about such things. With a small chuckle, he and Akumu take their shoes off and set them on the shoe rack. The smell of cooked beef, rice, and sesame-based stir fry fill their noses. “Why, yes.” He places a gentle hand on Akumu’s shoulder. “He is a kind, goodhearted fellow. But he is also strong.” Akumu sits down at the table with his grandfather and he continues on. “I fought with him once before. He has a blind sense of justice, but he delivers it as hard as the strongest tank.”

...Man, he was not lying. Akumu thought to himself. He knew his grandfather was one to underestimate sometimes, so he assumed All Might was stronger than his grandfather described. Looks like even he underestimated him a little. “...That was All Might.” Akumu states, getting Koji’s and Fumikage’s attention. It had to be. Who else could it be? Akumu was dragged out of his thoughts when he realized that there were still villains coming out of the buildings and the alleys. With a sigh, he balls up his fists. “Oi.” He looks towards the two before motioning to the other villains in front of them. 

“Ah… Right.” Fumikage lets Dark Shadow out of his cloak and the two of them are back in battle, making sure none of them can get to Koji. If that explosion meant anything, then it meant that the pro heroes are getting here soon. 

At this moment, Akumu can’t transform. He can’t phase through walls. He can’t fly. But he can still punch shit and hope it works. Fumikage covers range and he can cover melee. Akumu takes a deep breath before rushing at the group of villains, Dark Shadow rushing along with him. His fists connect with the villain’s faces, and Dark Shadow covers him from all angles. Once by one, the villains were dropping like flies. His baggy clothing made it hard to predict his movements, as the way the large fabric moved masked his movements and disoriented the enemies. 

By the time half of them were down, they both heard it. A loud, echoing “YEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH” from outside the Squall Zone. It sounds like the other pros were here. Akumu, Koji, and Fumikage don’t stop, though. They can’t afford to be stunned in this situation. Dark Shadow and Akumu keep the villains at bay.

Ah… There’s so many of them… He can fight for a while. Really, he can. But this was just plain annoying and tiring. Man, he needs a nap after this.

Eventually, Akumu and Fumikage can finally stop. It took about two minutes before a pro hero finally came in. It was that Voice Hero, the one at the entrance exams. Akumu took in a long, deep breath as the Voice Hero came in, easily taking down the remaining few. “You all did a good job holding off!” He exclaimed while casually slamming a villain into the ground. The last few were dropped to the ground. Akumu, Koji, and Fumikage were all relieved. Koji and Fumikage, because they were saved. Akumu, because he can take a nap after. Any more fighting and he probably would’ve fallen asleep while standing up. The four of them gathered, and the Voice Hero knelt down to inspect some of them to make sure they were properly knocked out for capture. What was his name again? Present Mic or something? He was the English teacher. “Man, what a bunch of low-lifes.” Present Mic complained. “Fighting a bunch of first years? Have they no skill or shame?”

Finally, someone said it. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The students have all gathered outside. Akumu and Caelus have been reunited, thank the lords. The police chief was counting all of the students to make sure they were all there. By the looks of it, only Izuku was injured. Something about a broken femur or two? Akumu wasn’t paying attention, and frankly, neither was Caelus. The police chief left the class to speak amongst themselves. 

The two turned to each other. “So… Where were you sent to?” Caelus asks, noticing that Akumu’s clothes looked rather damp.

“Squall Zone.” Akumu answered. “Where were you? And who were you with?” 

“I was in the Fire Zone with Ojiro—” he corrected himself, remembering that they don’t know everyone yet— “Uh, the guy with the tail.”

Akumu nodded with a hum. “I was with those two.” He glanced back towards where Fumikage and Koji were standing. Caelus follows his gaze and nods in understanding. 

“Ah.”

Akumu looked down at his outfit. Man. He felt a little cold now that he realized how damn soggy his clothes were. Caelus picks up on the glance downward, and he raises his body temperature and opens one of his wings to him, a silent offering of warmth. Akumu steps towards Caelus’ wing, letting it drape over his body. It was weird to see Akumu’s hair all flat and wet rather than all fluffy and full of volume like it usually was. It was like looking at a soggy owl. “...I need a damn nap after this.” He yawned.

“You and me both.” Caelus sighed, running a hand through his tousled white hair. He noticed that the braid he’d done on the right side had come undone somehow, and he frowned. Awh man-...

“We won’t be questioning them right away, anyway, right?” The detective, the one giving them a head count earlier, asked another officer. Akumu and Caelus both perk up, watching the frog girl hop to them.

“Detective, what about Mr. Aizawa?” She asked. Oh, that’s right. Aizawa wasn’t out here with them. Akumu and Caelus wanted to ask what happened, but they soon got their answers.

“Comminuted fractures in both arms and a facial fracture. Fortunately, there does not seem to be any serious brain damage. However, his orbital floor has broken into small pieces, and his eyes may suffer its aftereffects.” The detective answered, his tone somber and his expression solemn. “That’s what he said.”

“...Ribbit…” The girl muttered softly. Akumu and Caelus didn’t know how to feel about that. He was, quite literally, their homeroom teacher. Akumu may be on guard around adults most of the time, but the way he jumped into action without any hesitation to put his life on the line for his students made him feel some type of way. As for Caelus, he was similarly conflicted—on one hand, he logically knew that there was nothing he could’ve done, as he wasn’t in the vicinity, but his heart tugged with the instinct to do something about Aizawa’s condition. He knew he could do it, it was just a question of whether he’d be allowed to.

He knows he shouldn’t be getting this attached to a teacher he just met, but how can he not, when he saw him throw himself so readily in danger to save them?

“What about Thirteen?” The girl with the horns piped up.

“Thirteen has been treated.” He turned to her. “The laceration from the back to upper arm was bad, but Thirteen will survive.” All the students breathed a sigh of relief. But that made Akumu think. She jumped into action, too? Well, he would expect her to, but still. Her quirk wasn’t built for battle. “All Might will also survive. Recovery Girl’s healing is enough to treat him, so he’s in the nurse’s office.”

“Deku?” The brown haired girl chimes in.

“What about Midoriya!?” Tenya asks after her.

“Midori–-?” He asked, but realized who they were talking about. “Oh, treatment in the nurse’s office is enough for him, too.”

“Oh, good…” The girl sighs in relief. 

“Now go back to your classroom.”

“Okay!” The class all get back onto the bus.

Akumu and Caelus sat back in their original spots, Akumu’s icy body huddled up to Caelus’. “I can feel how soggy you are.” Caelus comments. 

“Yeah, well, just be glad it wasn’t you in there.” 

“Ugh, don’t even. I would have killed myself.”

“I already want to, so yes, you would.” 

The ride back to the school felt like a saving grace. Akumu nearly fell asleep during it, but he knew he had to stay awake. It was getting late, and he didn’t want to fuck up his sleep schedule more than he already has. While he was fighting to keep his eyes open, he perked up when he realized someone had been staring at him. The bird boy, Fumikage, was sitting in front of him and just kind of staring.

“...Uh-... Can I help you?” Akumu stood up a little straighter.

Fumikage snapped out of his thoughts, realizing he was staring. A little too intensely. He blinked a few times. “Oh-... My apologies.” He muttered as he looked off to the side. “...I just wanted to say that you were quite strong back there.” He said, nearly making Akumu’s heart jump. Is this a compliment? “You are an intimidating fellow, I must admit.” Fumikage then looked back at Akumu. “But you helped both Koda and I a great deal, with and without your quirk. I owe you one, Nikushimi-san.” As Fumikage turned back around, Akumu felt like his heart was racing. He swallowed hard, his eyes trailing towards the window. 

Ah… He didn’t even get to say thank you…

Caelus, meanwhile, had been spacing out so hard ever since he got back on the bus.  He didn’t know why, he just couldn’t get his mind to settle down enough to focus on his environment. One hand rested on one of his weapon sheaths, thumbing the ridges in the skeletal butterfly knife sheathed in the reinforced polyester. 

Let’s hope he’s not staring directly at someone.

He definitely is.

Chapter Text

The sounds of birds outside his window woke Caelus from his sleep, to which he responded with the actions characteristic of the tiny insect he got his name from; burying himself further into the swaddling comfort of his sleeping bag. 

Akumu was, unsurprisingly, still asleep. His alarm doesn’t work to wake him up anymore at this point, so he relies on the caretaker to wake him up on weekdays and on Caelus to wake him up during weekends. It was still about five in the morning, so neither of them really needed to be awake, but still. 

It was only three hours later, after a half an hour of not being able to go back to sleep, that Caelus finally sat up and extricated himself from his cocoon, his wings taking the form of a mahogany cape with strings of beads securing it around his shoulders. 

By that time, Akumu was awake. Eight in the morning… School starts in 25 minutes. Akumu had already cooked up breakfast and their lunches about an hour ago. The lunches were packed in two bentos, both of which were neatly bundled into lunch boxes. The caretaker woke him up about an hour and a half ago. Surprising to no one, he had a fat cup of coffee in his hand. Akumu had made Caelus one, too. 

“Caelus!” He called out from the kitchen. “I made you coffee!” He made sure to use Caelus’ signature mug, too. It was a pink mug with a goose print on the front, a knife in the goose’s beak. The text on it? “I’m at my fucking limit.” Quite a fitting mug. His own was simpler. The handle was black, and the letters “UNT” was on the front of the mug.

Caelus rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he made his way out to the kitchen, beelining for his mug and blowing on the surface to cool it down before taking a sip. “Mm. Good shit.” He nods in approval, then goes over to the dining table. 

The caretaker was watching the news while the two ate their poor excuse of a breakfast. It was, quite literally, just microwaved hotdogs for Akumu and microwaved chicken nuggets for Caelus. They were running late anyway. The news was about the incident back at USJ. The caretaker sat up a little straighter before looking towards the two teens behind the couch. “You two had to deal with that?” She asked. “Are you two okay?”

“...I’m at my limit…” Akumu muttered in response, taking a long sip out of his coffee. He had no time for sugar or milk, so he was downing a hot mug of black coffee.

“I have no other choice except to suck it up and go on with my life because I was never taught healthy coping mechanisms, so yeah.” Caelus responded with equal flippancy, taking a sip of his own coffee. I miss being able to have my knives on me.

The caretaker didn’t know if she should be concerned or laugh. Both, maybe? She looks back at the news. 72 villains have been arrested, but the leader escaped. How annoying. Akumu thought they would’ve caught the dude if All Might was there, but there must’ve been too many of them. Or maybe they had a secret weapon that he didn’t know about. Perhaps it was that bird beak guy with the exposed brain, but who knows? Correction, who cares? He surely doesn’t. 

“...We’re late.” Akumu says as he looks towards Caelus. “You wanna break the law and fly there?”

Caelus gives them a look. “Whatever do you mean? It’s only illegal if we get caught.”

“Fair nuff.” Akumu shrugged as he went to grab his school bag. He headed to his room, the coffee mug still in his hand. He was drinking that shit like it was water and he was in a desert. Caelus just swiped his keys and wallet from the table by his room before heading for the door; he kept his bag by the door for this exact reason. He did a quick pat down and mental check of his stuff before determining he had everything, then calling to Akumu. “You ready?”

Akumu got out of his room and took the two lunches from the table. “Uh-huh.” He handed Caelus a lunchbox before sliding his own into his bag. Then he opened up the front door and called out to the caretaker. “Lock the door behind us, would you?” His physical form faded to an opaque, allowing him to defy gravity. Caelus just takes a running start and jumps into the air, following Akumu, his living GPS. Gods know he has a horrible sense of direction when it comes to new places.

The two of them hurried. If anyone saw them flying, the fine would be high. Probably. And while they did catch the attention of some people, they were too fast for anyone to see their faces. They both land at the front of the school gates. There was no media here, thank the stars. The arrest of the press probably did that. And their posts on Twitter did kind of go crazy. Akumu looks down at his watch. 8:19 in the morning. “...We can make it if we sprint.” Akumu turns to Caelus.

“Bet.” Akumu starts first, sprinting, and Caelus follows right behind him, breaking into a run. The two of them nearly bump into poor Present Mic on the way.

“HEY-?!” He called out. “No running in the halls!” 

“Sorry, Mic-sensei!” Caelus calls, but he doesn’t spare a glance behind him.

Present Mic sighs as he watches the two run up the stairs. “...Is that the kid I saw at USJ?” He scratched his head a little. But then he just shrugs and continues on his way. 

When they make it to the classroom, they’re winded, but not late. Never in his life has Akumu actually tried to not be late, but it was also the third day of school. In America, his attendance was horrendous. He wasn’t trying to drag that over here, too. Their arrival draws in some concerned looks, but not a lot. Everyone else seems preoccupied with their own conversations, and as the pair make their way to their seats, they catch snippets of the topics. 

“Hey, did you watch the news last night?” Caelus catches the words of the invisible girl as he passes, and he straightens up a bit, trying to hear better but not seem obvious.

“Yeah,” Ojiro nodded from his seat. 

“Did you see how everyone in class was on-screen for a second?” She places a hand over her chest, sighing. “I didn’t stand out at all…”

“That’s true,” the masked boy beside her commented, and Ojiro winced a bit.

“It's hard to stand out looking like that, huh?” He pointed out, trying to be gentle with his words. 

Denki leans back in his chair, a broad smile on his face, his hands behind his head. “But man, all the channels made a big deal out of it.”

“I was surprised,” the shark-toothed boy piped up, and Jirou shrugged. 

“Can you blame them? The hero course that keeps pumping out pro heroes was attacked.”

“Who knows what would’ve happened if the teachers hadn’t come when they did.” The tape dispenser boy sighed, much to the chagrin of a certain grape kid.

“Stop that, Sero! Just thinking about it’s making me wet myself-“

“Shut up! Be quiet, scum!” Katsuki burst out from his seat, managing to jumpscare Izuku in the process.

“But man, All Might was great. He pushed back those crazy strong villains,” the muscled boy mimes out a few punches, and Fumikage lowers his head a bit. 

“Yes, his strength is worth wondering at.” 

The sound of wind whistling came from the door, and Caelus and Akumu looked up to see Tenya speed walking into the classroom. 

“Everyone! Morning homeroom is about to start! Stop talking and take your seats!” He declares loudly, stepping up at the podium, but his demand turns out to be moot. 

“We’re already in our seats,” Denki points out, and Sero adds on with, “You’re the only one who’s not.”

Tenya’s fists make a low thump against the desk, almost covering up the muttered, “Shoot!” from the class rep.

“Don’t worry about it,” the floating girl smiles warmly.

The girl with horns pushes back in her seat, looking over her shoulder at the frog girl. “Tsu, who’s—“ The frog girl pushes the other’s seat back up as she falls back— “gonna teach homeroom today?”

“Well, Mr Aizawa is supposed to be in the hospital recovering from his injuries… ribbit ?”

The door slides open, and a heavily bandaged Aizawa stands in the doorway. The classroom is filled with the same phrase; “Mr Aizawa, you’re back too soon!”

“You’re too much of a pro!” Denki recoils from the shock, and Tenya’s hand shoots up from the back of the class as Aizawa makes it to the podium.

“So you’re alright, Mr Aizawa?!”

“Can you really call that, ‘alright…?’” The girl with the brown hair muttered, concern drenching her words.

“Damn…” Akumu muttered, looking towards Caelus. “He looks like me after a session.”

Caelus’ jaw drops behind the mask, and he lightly smacks his friend’s shoulder. “Oh my god, we’re in school- You can’t make those jokes!” Despite his words, though, his voice is trembling with restrained laughter.

“Hush, not like anyone heard.” Akumu stifled a laugh.

“Are you s- ure about that -!”

Akumu hummed as he nodded.

“My well-being doesn’t matter. More importantly, the fight is not yet over.”

“Fight?” Katsuki lifts a brow, and Izuku’s eyes widen.

“Don’t tell me…”

“The villains again…?!” The grape kid’s hands are buried in his hair.

“Piss baby,” Caelus muttered, and Akumu hummed in agreement.

“The UA sports festival is drawing near.”

Another outburst of the class; “The sports festival!”

“That’s a super normal school event—“ The boy with shark teeth exclaimed, but a hand on his face shut him up.

“Wait a minute,” Denki cut him off, pushing the boy back into his seat. 

“Is it okay to have a sports festival so soon after the villains snuck inside?” Jirou asked, and Ojiro turned to the podium.

“What if they attack us again or something…?”

Aizawa grumbles. “Apparently, they think of it as UA showing that our crisis management system is solid as a rock by holding the event. Security will also be strengthened to five times that of previous years.” He lifts his head, peering at the class through his bandages. “Above all, our sports festival is a huge chance. It’s not an event to be cancelled because of a few villains.”

“But that’s a good reason, isn’t it? It’s just a festival of sports.”

Izuku turns to the grape haired boy who spoke, his expression one of surprise. “Mineta, you’ve never seen the UA sports festival?”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Caelus whispered to Akumu. “What is the sports festival?”

“Eh?” Akumu turned to Caelus. “I never told you?”

“You told me of it, but not about it.” He shrugs his shoulders.

“Oh. It’s when kids from UA from all the hero courses go through a bunch of game-like challenges against each other. And then after that, we get internships from other pro heroes that watch us.” Akumu explained briefly. “Think of it as a very physical job interview.”

“Oh. Huh.” They both turn back to the grape boy and Izuku. 

“Of course I have. That’s not what I meant!” The grape boy leans forward. 

“Our sports festival is one of Japan’s biggest events. In the past, the Olympics were called a festival of sports, and the whole country was crazy about them. As you know, with reductions in scale and population, they’re now a shell of their former glory,” Aizawa explains. “And now, for Japan, what has taken place in those Olympics is the UA sports festival!”

Momo leans to the side a bit. “Of course, all the top heroes around the country will be watching. For scouting purposes!” 

The grape boy shrinks in his seat. “I know that.”

“After we graduate, it’s typical to join a pro agency as a sidekick.” Denki smiles, giving a thumbs up, but Jirou speaks up the next moment.

“A lot of people miss their chance to become independent after that and become eternal sidekicks, though.” She turns her head to Denki. “Kaminari, I feel like you’d be one of them. Since you’re dumb.”

Denki flinches at her bluntness, but Aizawa speaks up before anyone else. “Of course, joining a famous hero agency will get you more experience and popularity. Time is limited.” His eyes narrow behind the bandages. “If you expect to go pro, then the path to your future will open up at this event.

“One chance a year — a total of just three chances. No aspiring heroes can afford to miss this event. If you understand that then don’t slack off on your preparations!”

“Yes sir!” The class echoes, and Aizawa nods.

“Homeroom is dismissed.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

When the lunch hour rolled around, a lot of the students stayed in the classroom to talk about the sports festival. 

“Even though all that stuff happened, I’m getting really excited!” The spiky redhead pumped his fists, and Sero nudged him with one arm.

“So long as we put on a good show and stand out, we’ll have taken the first step to becoming a pro!”

“It was worth coming to UA,” the bulky boy said, tapping his fist against his palm.

“We will only receive a few chances.” Fumikage mused, letting his leg dangle off of the cubbies “We cannot afford to miss this.”

The invisible girl was practically vibrating with excitement. “Ojiro, I'm getting kind of nervous now. I need to stand out at the sports festival!”

“Y-Yeah…” He muttered, watching her get all worked up about it. “But the pros might not notice you unless you try really hard.” 

“Oh dear, what’ll I do?” The blue-eyed blonde dramatically asked, posing for an invisible camera. “I stand out just by standing still, so the scouts won’t be able to stop looking at me, right?” Then he directs his attention to Koji. Koji, who was just trying to clean up the blackboard. “Right?” Koji then just starts nodding, unsure of how else to respond.

“You're lucky, Shoji,” Denki sighed with a smile. “Your brawn stands out on its own.”

“There’s no point if I cannot show them my usefulness.” Shoji replied, balling up one of his fists.

“I think you’ll stand out, too.” Jirou snickered, holding back a laugh. A sound of repressed indignation came from the poor boy. 

Izuku watched his classmates congregate, his eyes wide. “Everyone's so into it.”

“You're not?” Tenya looked over at Izuku, standing up from his desk with a flair of his hands. “We have enrolled here to become heroes, so of course we would get fired up!”

Tsuyu looks over at Tenya. “You have a unique way of getting fired up, Iida. It's weird.”

“Midoriya, you don't feel the same?” Tenya questioned with a chop of his hand, and Izuku balled his fists.

“Of course I do! But something's…”

“Deku, Iida…” A gravelly but familiar voice cut in, and both boys turned towards the brown haired girl. “Let's do our best at the sports festival.” 

“U-Uraraka, your face…! It's…” Izuku stammered, and the girl with pink skin poked her head into the conversation.

“What's the matter? You don't look carefree at all, even though that's what your name means.”

The grape boy was about to say something, but was cut off by Tsuyu slapping him with her tongue. 

“Everyone, I'm gonna do my best!” Uraraka took a fierce stance, punching her fist into the air.

“Yeah!” 

She turns on the group beside her. “I'm gonna do my best!”

“Y-Yeah…”

“What's wrong with you? Your personality’s all over the place.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Lunch had hit. The two were at a table. Akumu was poking at some of his leftovers and Caelus was sipping on his bottle of water. Sports Festival, huh? Akumu thought. He’d never thought he’d get this far. He never wanted to intern at another agency, but it seems like he might have no choice. Was there even an agency out there for the undead? And even if there was, which is unlikely, there aren’t a lot of pro heroes out there that would willingly take in someone who could possibly turn into their dead grandmother. 

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Caelus’ voice dragged Akumu out of his train of thought. “You only stare so hard when you’re zoned out. Is it about the festival?” He puts his water bottle down on the table. Akumu let a moment of silence settle in before looking down at his food.

“...Yeah.” He sighed. “I’ve watched a few times on television with my grandfather a few times. I’m not worried about getting my ass kicked, I’m worried about being televised for everyone to see.” 

“Oh. I forgot about that.”

“Yeah. Everyone in Japan will be watching us. Even people from America and other countries, maybe. If we’re unlucky, your family is watching, too.”

“Don’t make it worse than it already is-...”

Akumu huffed in slight amusement, but it was short-lived. The idea that his own and Caelus’ families were watching was going to be a doozy. It’s already one thing to live up to his own family’s expectations, but Caelus’ family on top of that? And the fact that Caelus has to do the same? They grew up like brothers, so they were treated like them, too. By both families. The pressure of meeting expectations was, honest to God, probably going to be his 13th reason. He was supposed to take after his grandfather, so he assumed his family wanted to see if he'd make it into the top five. There’d be hell to pay otherwise. They’d kick his ass as soon as he stepped foot back into America. To be fair, they’d kick his ass regardless… 

As for Caelus, he had a bit more reasoning than that. Of course, the pressure of expectations from both families was stressful, like Akumu, but for his family specifically… Ugh. When he first tells people about his relationship with his family, their first thought is to criticize him for not being thankful for the love and support he receives. His response; he was given more love and support than he knew what to do with. Gods knows he appreciates everything his parents gave up to help him, but it just feels like he's drowning in water he's supposed to be floating on. He shakes his head, clearing the cobwebs of his thoughts. Thinking about it too hard will just make him shut down, and that wouldn't be good for anyone.

Caelus finished up his lunch and Akumu saved the rest of his for later. They both stood up as soon as they heard the bell ring. “You think your grandfather’s training paid off?” He was fairly confident in his muscle memory, but he wasn't sure about Akumu.

“God, I hope so.” Akumu checked his watch to see what time it was. He lost track too easily. Other than Caelus and those villains from before, he never actually fought anyone. With those villains, he had help, too. That meant he didn’t have to go all out and didn’t need to control himself. But now, it was against other students. That’s not to say he doesn’t know how to restrain his quirk. He does, it’s just that he doesn’t know other people’s skill set. It would be too easy to accidentally cause more damage than what was worth. “Shit might hit the fan, but who knows.” 

“Fair nuff.” 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Class had gone by. It was a quick class, considering this stuff just felt like review to Akumu and Caelus. Core classes in Japan are kind of like the ones in America, so it was quite easy to get through. For the most part, Akumu had black earbuds to hide in his hair and Caelus had white ones. Music made the class pass by quicker.

They both were in the midst of packing up. The brown bob girl was about to step out of the classroom. But as soon as she opened the door, there was a crowd of people. Students were blocking the door. Akumu turned his head, and he stopped in his tracks when he saw it. Caelus blinked.

“...Are you fucking kidding me?” Caelus muttered. “Are we about to get jumped??” Man, they just got here!

“Wh…” The brown haired girl’s eyes widened. “Wh-What’s going on?!” 

“What business do you have with Class 1-A?” Tenya stepped up and confronted the crowd next to the girl.

“We can’t get out!” The grape boy huffed. “What’d you come here for, anyway?” He demanded the crowd.

Katsuki treads towards the crowd, glaring at them. “Scouting out the enemy, small fry.” He grumbled. “We’re the ones who made it out of the villains’ attack.” The grape boy and Izuku looked at each other. The grape boy seemed stunned by Katsuki’s audacity, and Izuku tried to reassure him that the blonde was always like that. “There’s no point in doing stuff like that.” Katsuki’s expression hardens. “Out of my way, extras!”

“Stop calling people ‘extras’ just because you don’t know them!” Tenya scolded from behind.

“...Caelus, I love you, but you’re on your own now.” Akumu said as he grabbed his stuff and he shifted his physical form into that of a ghost. An invisible one, that is. And then he dipped into the crowd.

“Wowwww, you're such a good friend, Akumu. Leaving your best friend since diapers in the trenches of enemy territory,” Caelus deadpans, his words dripping with sarcasm. It really was a love-hate relationship. 

Caelus watched as some people in the crowd visibly shivered. “Hey, is it just me, or is it cold?” One of the students asked.

“Yeah, I feel like it just got colder.”

Caelus sighed as he approached the crowd, his bag slung over his shoulder. “That was my best friend, using his quirk to phase through you all in order to head back to our place. Unfortunately, I don't have that power, so your options are to either move out of my way, or I flashbang you guys into next week and fly out over your heads, because I will not be missing another bus today. Take your pick.” He states flatly, and it's evident from his tone of voice that he's wholly intending on delivering on that ultimatum.

The crowd stared at Caelus, some glaring as if to find his audacity. But before Caelus could get his answer, he heard another voice in the crowd. “I came to see what the famous Class 1-A was like,” Caelus watched as one of the taller students pushed through the crowd. One with unkempt purple hair and deep, sunken eye bags underneath his eyes. “But you seem pretty arrogant.” He then stands in front of Caelus and Katsuki. “Are all the students in the hero course like this?” Everyone behind Katsuki started vigorously shaking their heads at the question.

Caelus sighed. “I don't know what your problem is, but I have no interest in that. I just want to get home.” He folded his arms over his chest, locking eyes with the taller boy.

The purple haired boy glances over Caelus. His movements and his tone were both lazy and flat. “Seeing something like this makes me disillusioned.” He muttered while scratching the back of his neck. “There are quite a few people who enrolled in general studies or other courses because they didn’t make it into the hero course. Did you know that?” He redirects his attention to Katsuki specifically. But before he continued, he looked towards the crowd. “Move.” He stared at the other students with that aloof gaze of his. “If what the winged one says is true, then let him through.” Caelus quirks a brow at that. Huh, maybe there were some people with common human decency after all.

The students looked at each other for a moment before they parted like Moses did the Red Sea, making a pathway for Caelus. The winged boy eyes the crowd and the purple haired boy in suspicion, as if expecting a double cross, but upon seeing no signs of deception, he slips easily through the crowd. He does commit the purple haired boy’s face to memory, though. He always repaid his debts, after all.

The purple haired student turned his attention back to Katsuki. “The school has left those of us a chance.” He put his hand down from his neck and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Depending on the results of the sports festival, they’ll consider our transfer into the hero course.” He paused for a moment, letting those words hang in the air. His expression then darkens. “And it seems they may also transfer people out.” His eyes glance over the other students within the classroom. “Scouting out the enemy? I, at least, came to say that even if you’re in the hero course, if you get too carried away, I’ll sweep your feet out from under you. I came with a declaration of war.”

How bold…

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

By the time Caelus caught up with Akumu, they both just sat at the steps of the school to talk about what had happened. Never mind the fact that Akumu had left Caelus, the crowd was something else. 

“What was that all about?” Caelus grumbled as the both of them walked down the steps. They both can hear the yelling from down the hallway. 

“Well, after the USJ incident, you’d think some kids from the other classes would want to see who survived such a thing.” Akumu shrugged his shoulders. 

“This is too much, though.”

“It’s better than what happened in our eighth grade year.” 

“...Ah, damn. I almost forgot about that.”

“Yeah. The police were not happy.”

“No one was. You’d think a bunch of kids would have the sense to not climb on top of police cars and scream ‘fuck the police’ while on campus.”

“You’re giving them too much credit.”

“No, actually, you’re right.” Caelus huffed. “I forgot that critical thinking is a dying skill in America.”

“It comes with the political discussion of whether people deserve equal rights or not.”

“Tracks.”

Chapter Text

Training. The one thing the two were more than familiar with, yet usually never did. Not unless it was under Akumu’s grandfather. Their days in UA from that day forward were dedicated to training, from the early hours of the day, to after school. While everyone else was training together or on their own, Akumu and Caelus had their own style of doing such a thing. Before they start, though, they take a moment to sit down and talk about what they want to work on, if anything at all.

“Hey, Akumu.” Caelus turned to him. A small, “hm?” came from the other as he was sipping at some of his canned tea. “You can only transform for about twenty minutes, you said?” 

“Yeah. Why?” Akumu asked.

“What’s your cooldown?”

“...Uh-...” Akumu thought about that for a moment. He doesn’t actually know that for himself. He usually transforms once a day and the rest is whatever. “...I dunno.” Akumu puts his can down. “My dad says that my mom’s cooldown was an hour. So maybe an hour?” 

“You wanna test it?”

“I’m down.” Akumu and Caelus stood up from their spots. “Where do you wanna start?” Akumu adjusts his PE uniform a little. The fabric was a little uncomfortable, but at least it wasn’t itching at him. 

“Away from the others. The stares distract me.”

“Fair nuff.” Akumu and Caelus began to head to a more secluded spot. Normally, Fumikage would train in the stadium, since it has a bunch of lights, but he wasn’t there at the moment. Wasn’t dark enough outside just yet. Akumu drank the rest of his tea and tossed the can into the garbage on the way there. Not without taking the tab first, though. 

By the time they were at the stadium, Akumu and Caelus were both warming up already. Akumu could feel his elbows crack as he stretched his arms upwards, his back following suit. Akumu got the adrenaline running by hopping from one foot to the other. Meanwhile, Caelus’ wings stretched out as he warmed up his arms first. Then, he stretched his back out as well, feeling his spine pop here and there. Neither of them realized how stiff they were until now.

Before either of them said anything, Akumu grabbed his hair band from his wrist. “Taking this seriously, huh?” Caelus comments. Akumu just smirks behind his mask. His thick locks were tied up into a high tail, a few loose strands from his sideburns and his bangs falling over his face. Akumu’s body grew a bit taller as he underwent transformation. His bones snapped and cracked. The sound of skin and flesh tearing accompanies the sickeningly wet crunch from his bones. His skin grew darker and darker, until it was black, while every strand of hair faded into white. The color in his eyes shifted into a midnight blue, and his lips were sewn shut.

This was a new body, for sure. Must be another one of the former residents in that apartment. 

Once the transformation was finished, both of them were already lunging at each other. No weapons, just quirks and hand-to-hand combat. Akumu got the first hit in. Caelus nearly fell to the ground when he felt Akumu’s fit connect with his face. Caelus turns his body, his hands catching himself before he twists his body and kicks up at Akumu. This only resulted in Akumu grabbing his ankles and tossing him over his shoulder. A grunt came from Caelus as he was slammed into the floor, shoulder blade first. Akumu twists one of Caelus’ ankles, a good crack coming from the bone before Caelus found himself being tossed back over Akumu’s shoulder.

Perhaps he was a little unprepared for what Akumu had in store. He didn’t account for how seriously he would actually take training. Maybe it was the pressure of the sports festival, or maybe it was the pressure of expectations. Whatever it was, Caelus didn’t get a hit in yet.

Shit.

Another pained grunt came from Caelus. Akumu had raised his leg and slammed his head into Caelus’ dome while he was still down. Looks like Caelus might have to take it up a notch. He can try, at least. His wings flap open against the ground. He grabs Akumu by the ankle before Akumu would lift his foot back up and twists both his arms and his upper body. Caelus stands while trying to toss down Akumu, but Akumu’s hands catch himself in some handstand before he uses Caelus’ grip to his advantage. He throws his foot back, tossing Caelus back as both of his feet land on Caelus’ arm. Caelus’ arm twists uncomfortably, his elbow being bent backwards. The joint crackles and breaks. If he had real bones, it’d be poking out of his skin. 

There was no letting up. Akumu wasn’t giving Caelus a moment to even breathe. How long has it been? He didn’t actually account how much Akumu holds back when they spar during class. But now that it’s training, Caelus can see that Akumu wasn’t restraining himself as much anymore. Yet, when he looks up at Akumu, he can tell that he’s still holding back quite a lot. He has to turn up the dial a lot more than he thought.

A flash of light blows in Akumu’s face. The bright light successfully makes Akumu stumble back just a little, allowing Caelus to get up. But the stun didn’t last long. Akumu closes his left eye, the right one shining brighter. The blue color saturates into something more. Caelus was about to land a hit, but in a split second, Akumu grabs Caelus’ wrist and pulls him close. His fist meets with Caelus’ chest, another crack echoing throughout the air. Caelus tries to blind Akumu again, to stun him, but it doesn't work. No, Akumu grabs Caelus by the face and runs him into the ground, the floor beneath the back of his head cracking and denting upon impact. 

For a while, the two stay in that position. “...You good?” Akumu asks before standing up. The match wasn’t over, but considering Caelus wasn’t moving, he might as well ask.

“Yeah-... Just wondering how my light didn’t blind you.” Caelus groaned. They both decide to pause the match and Akumu helps Caelus back up. “Is that a quirk?”

“Kind of.” Akumu and Caelus head towards one of the benches. “This dude, apparently his left eye works just fine. Can work like any eye. But his right eye is a blind eye.” The stitches on his mouth creak and stretch, pulling at his lips as he speaks. “But when I close my left eye, I can see your silhouette in my right. So like, everything is dark, but I can see your moving figure, if that makes sense. Like, I can see your general figure.”

“Ohhhh.” Realization dawned on Caelus. He can’t blind someone who’s already blind. “That makes seeeense…” He hummed. “You went harder than I thought you would.”

“Really now? I thought you would go harder than that.”

“Yeah, well, I thought we were gonna fuck around for a bit.”

“I mean… I technically was, but y’know. Sports festival and whatnot. Plus no one was watching, so I thought that it’d be a given that we’d both go a little harder than usual.”

“Fair nuff, fair nuff.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

They’ve been fighting for over fifteen straight minutes after a small break. Now, Caelus is good at fighting for a long time. Really, he is. But it was another thing to try and catch up to Akumu. Physically, he was stronger than him. But strong attacks are completely pointless if they don’t hit. And Akumu is good at dodging. Really fucking good. And it’s not like Akumu’s a light hitter, either. Sure, Caelus has managed to blind Akumu once or twice, but fuck, Caelus was tired. Trying to move, dodge, and heal simultaneously literally kicks the light out of him. Well, at least he was pretty confident that Akumu would do decently at the festival. 

Caelus was on the ground, panting as he was catching his breath. Akumu was standing over him. The twenty minutes was almost up, but he was still in transformation. “You aight?” Akumu asked.

“Yeah-...” Caelus huffed. “I’m… Just tired…” Akumu hands him a water bottle and Caelus sits up to open and drink it. “Thanks…” Caelus has no idea how Akumu does this. Fight while tired, that is. He knows Akumu accidentally skipped his meds today, too. Narcolepsy was no joke, and he’s seen Akumu be knocked out for twenty hours at a time. “Sometimes I forget you’re in a different league than I am…” Caelus uncaps the bottle and drinks out of it.

“Well, I have been training for much longer than you have, to be fair. You’re definitely getting better though.” As soon as the twenty minutes were up, Akumu’s body was forced to revert back. His bones cracked and popped as he shrunk back to his normal size, his hair shortening, and his skin returning to normal. His tired eyes meet Caelus’. “...Ow-...” He complained as he felt his back pop back into place. Caelus snickered a little before taking another long sip of water. 

“Who was that guy anyway?” Caelus asked.

“Hm?”

“The guy you transformed into?”

“Oh. He was a former student at the school.”

Caelus raised his eyebrows. “That guy was a student ? Shit, he was taller than the six arms guy.”

“Yeah. He was in his third year, though, so like… He was older than we are by a good bit.”

“Oh, okay.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Well, they found out Akumu’s cool down. It was about 45 minutes to an hour. The two of them had trained for a good while. And while Akumu was now a bit limited without a quirk, that didn’t mean he was defenseless. Caelus had an easier time, but he didn’t have an easy time. Akumu was blinded a lot more frequently, but Caelus was still getting his ass kicked all the same. The burns didn’t do much good either. 

He sighed to himself as he wrapped a string of light around his hand, clenching and unclenching his hand as the light sank into his skin, healing the burns over in a matter of seconds. If he was being honest, he was also using this opportunity to work on increasing the amount of light he could use without burning himself or overheating. Back in America, it'd been limited due to the high temperatures in the summer, but now that they were in Japan, he had more flexibility with what he could and couldn't do with his quirk. His wings ruffled as they took in new light from the afternoon sun, the white stars along the center slowly brightening. 

He takes another deep breath, his head lowering, and his eyes linger on his chest. His shoulders slump noticeably. His shape shifting only goes so far, much to his dismay. His wings wrapped a bit tighter around him, hiding his gym uniform beneath a cloak of blue rimmed with gold. Akumu noticed the shift in his demeanor, and tilted his head. “You sure you're alright?” He questions, and Caelus’ head snaps up.

“Huh- oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing,” he tried brushing it off, but Akumu can see that his light is dimmer than usual. He sighs. 

I am gonna beat this guy’s ass, I swear to God. Akumu shoved his hands into his pockets. “What did we say about secrets?” He nudged him with his elbow. “We both hate ‘em, so spill.”

Damnit. “…” Caelus glances off to the side, but eventually, he speaks up, though it’s almost too quiet to hear. 

Almost. 

“Dysphoria,” he mumbled, a hand coming up to scratch at the back of his neck. He wasn’t quite used to being without his binder, but he had stopped wearing it as much for safety reasons during training. He’d heard the horror stories about what happened when people binded for too long.

Ah. Akumu figured it was that, but he had to make sure first. “You know they make binders for training, right?” They have the technology now. Or, at least, he’s sure they do in places outside of America. He knows Thailand has them. 

Caelus nods, looking down at his feet. “Yeah, but… It’s one of those things that’s hard to deal with, cause you know logically that there are solutions, but it still feels wrong.”

Akumu hums, acknowledging his answer as he thinks for a minute. Dysphoria is a dick and a half, he knows that very well. Complicated, too. “...You wanna head inside to change and use mine?” Akumu asks. “I don’t have a spare, but I don’t mind standing like a shrimp for the next three hours.” And honest to God, he already sits like one.

Caelus blinks. He's never gonna get used to people actually going out of their way to do stuff for him. “...Yeah, that'd be fine.” He says, and Akumu helps him to his feet with a small “ oomph, ” running a hand through his hair. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Akumu hummed before setting off for the changing rooms across the field.

Chapter Text

The two of them were walking to school a little earlier than usual. Mostly to avoid the likely crowd that was going to be there for the festival. Akumu felt a lot more tired than usual, not all excited for what this festival was going to hold. All the while, Caelus seemed just as stressed as he was, tapping his thumb to the tips of his fingers, counting his breathing. When they both got there, there was a crowd already. What the fuck. They both looked at each other, and just nodded to each other before Akumu turned his body invisible, ready to phase through, while Caelus’ wings spread open. He takes a running start to fly over the crowd to get inside while Akumu just waltzes in.

The two of them begin to head to the stadium. Said something about a waiting room to be in. Akumu had committed the map of the entire campus to memory, so he was Caelus’ GPS there. His form takes on physical form again and Caelus lands next to him, the two of them walking towards the large stadium. 

“Ai, it’s too early for this…” Akumu complained, mumbling underneath his breath.

Caelus sighed, scratching at his neck and tucking his other hand into his pocket. “Yeah, well, ‘tis the life of a hero, I guess.” He runs his hand through his hair, and his hair lengthens and falls to his waist, a three-stranded braid sectioned off in front of his right ear.

The two of them entered the large stadium. Their footsteps echoed down the currently empty walls. Akumu led Caelus to the waiting room. Thankfully, they had their PE uniforms underneath their clothes, so they didn’t have to worry about changing in the changing rooms. It didn’t take long before they entered the waiting room for Class 1-A. 

“Man…” The pink girl with horns groaned, “I wanted to wear my costume.” 

Ojiro turned to her, stretching one arm across his body. “To keep everything fair, we can’t.”

“I wonder what the first round’s gonna be…” the muscled boy with Fumikage said, clasping his hands on the table, and Fumikage closed his eyes.

“No matter what comes, we have no choice but to deal with it.” 

“Yeah.” The six armed boy besides him nods. The door bursts open, and Tenya’s voice booms from the doorway, his words sharp and clear.

“Everyone, are you ready? We will be entering soon!” A shudder runs down Caelus’ spine, and his heart rate doubles. He can hear Izuku take a deep breath, and Mineta is hurriedly writing the kanji for “person” on his hand, then eating it, muttering to himself all the while. Guess I'm not the only one who has anxiety. 

Akumu was thinking to himself for the most part. I wonder if they’re watching. His hands were interlocked, his back leaning against one of the lockers, Caelus beside him. They probably are.

“Midoriya.” 

A cold voice echoes, and the red and white haired boy Caelus had seen at the battle trials stepped up, his left hand in his pocket. Izuku turns to the boy, a questioning look on his face. “Todoroki? What is it?” Caelus raises a brow at that. His name is Todoroki? He looks the dual-haired boy’s figure up and down, starting from his eyes. The right eye is a chilling steel grey, while the other was a piercing azure blue. His name sounds familiar… He frowns, his brow creasing, but after a while, he tears his mind away. Maybe it was just his imagination.

Shoto and Izuku’s interaction draws the attention of the others, and everyone turns to look as Shoto speaks up again. “Looking at things objectively, I think I'm stronger than you. “

“Huh?” Izuku's stunned initially, but he lowers his head a bit. “Y-Yeah…”

“But… your quirk is similar to All Might’s, isn't it?” Izuku looks like he's about to object, but Shoto cuts him off. “I'm not trying to pry about that. But I'm going to beat you.”

His words stun the class, and Denki shifts in his seat, his expression laced with anxiety. “Oh? Is the best in the class making a declaration of war?” The shark-toothed boy stands up from his seat and quickly crosses the room, a hand coming up to rest on Shoto’s shoulder.

“Hey, hey, hey! Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden? Not now, we're about to start!” He tries, but Shoto smacks his hand away. 

“We're not here to play at being friends. So what does it matter?” His voice is cold and flat as he walks away, leaving Izuku stunned. 

“... Todoroki, I don't know what you're thinking when you say you'll beat me, but of course you're better than me,” Izuku starts, and Shoto looks over his shoulder. “I think you're more capable than most people… Looking at it objectively…”

The shark-toothed boy raises his hands, a nervous smile on his face. “Midoriya, you probably shouldn't talk so negatively…”

“But, everyone–” Izuku's voice gets stronger, and his shoulders tense. “The students from the other courses are aiming for the top with everything they've got! I can't afford to fall behind.” Shoto turns to fully face Izuku, and his eyes narrow at his next words. “I’ll be going for it with everything I have, too.”

“Yeah.”

A “PEW!” sound echoes through the room, and they can hear Present Mic’s voice come over the speakers. 

“Hey! Pay attention, audience! Swarm, mass media!” He exclaims, and the sound of wild cheering can be heard through the door to the waiting room. “This year’s high school rodeo of adolescence that you all love, the UA sports festival, is about to begin! Everybody, are you ready?!” The cheers grow louder as the class starts down the hall, and so do Present Mic’s announcements. “It's time for the students to enter the first-year stage!”

The sun is blinding when Caelus and Akumu first step out into the arena, and Akumu blinks it away while Caelus just squints until his eyes adjust. The sounds of fireworks can be heard outside as the class enters, and Caelus' eyes are drawn to the sky, watching the bursts of colour rise and scatter in the air.

“The UA sports festival! The huge battle where fledgling heroes sharpen their swords once a year! Anyway, these are the guys, right? The miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Hero course, Class 1-A, right?!” Present Mic can be seen gesturing wildly on big screens around the stadium, and the amount of people in the stands almost makes Caelus dizzy. “Holy fuck…” He mumbles, and his wings wrap tighter around him, a small, muted fringe shawl to match his instinctual desire to disappear.

Izuku is trembling as he looks around at the crowd, a hand lifting to his chest. “Th-Th-There are so many people…” His voice shakes, and Tenya's eyes similarly trail over the crowd.

“Will we be able to give our best performance being watched by so many people? This is also part of the training required to become a hero.” 

Akumu was looking around the stadium with his eyes. He can feel the pressure pressing on his shoulders already. Though, he doesn’t say or do anything but keep walking. He had to keep a level head.

“Man, he's really going overboard with that praise! I'm getting nervous!” The shark-toothed boy says as he looks around, then to Katsuki in front of him. “Aren't you, Bakugou?”

“No, I'm just getting more into it.” The blonde grins, a feral undertone in his voice.

“They haven't been getting as much airtime, but this class is also full of talent! Hero course, Class 1-B!” Present Mic announces, and Caelus can see more groups of students approaching. “Next up, general studies Classes C, D, and E! Support course, Classes F, G, and H are here, too! And business course, Classes I, J, and K!” Caelus looks around, and he can vaguely make out a head of fluffy purple hair among the general studies classes. Is that the boy from the other day? He tilts his head. I can't tell at this distance… damn.  

Standing on a raised platform is a woman with sharp black hair dressed in provocative, skin tight clothing, and her voice echoes through the stadium as she brandishes a flogger made of red leather. “It's time for the player pledge!” She declares, and Akumu and Caelus can hear whistles and cheers in the audience. 

“What is Ms. Midnight wearing?” The shark-toothed boy mutters, a tint of blush on his face, and Denki just nods, bearing a similar flush.

“That's an R-Rated Hero for you.”

“Is it okay for her to be at a high school even though she's R-Rated?” Fumikage questioned, seemingly unaffected by Midnight's less-than-PG costume. Mineta just nods and gives a vigorous thumbs up, striking Caelus with the urge to punt him into the sun. Akumu looked… A little uncomfortable…

“Quiet, everyone!” Midnight orders, and she lashes her flogger. “Representing the students is Katsuki Bakugou from Class 1-A!” She announced, and the entire class looked towards him in shock. Caelus blinked, and he could already feel a migraine coming on. Of all people, they just had to pick him. Knowing him, he's gonna get us all caught in the crossfire of his mess with that insane ego of his.

“What? It's Kacchan?” Izuku says as he leans in, and the tape dispenser boy follows.

“That guy did finish first in the entrance exam.”

“In the hero course.” A loud, female voice cuts in from beside them, dripping in condescension and bitterness, and Caelus immediately feels it grate on his nerves. Izuku turns his head away and mutters a “Yeah…” under his breath, and Hanta sighs.

“It's obvious she hates us.”

“And it's all Bakugou’s fault,” Denki adds, his eyes narrowing in accusation as Katsuki approaches the podium. His footsteps are picked up by the mic, deafening in the tense silence.

“I pledge…” Katsuki starts, and Caelus tenses in preparation. “That I'll be number one.” He flinches. Yep, there it is. 

The classes around them erupt into chaos, and Caelus lowers his head, his white and gold headphones materializing. Akumu can feel the hatred radiating off of everyone else around him.

“What the heck!”

“Stop messing around!”

“Don't be so full of yourselves, Class A!”

“You sludge bastard!”

“Why are you doing something so disgraceful?!” Tenya attempts to intervene, but Katsuki just turns to the ground and gives them a thumbs down.

“At least become a nice bouncy step for me to jump off of.”

“How overconfident can you get?” A boy from Class 1-B growls, his body turning into metal as he clenches his fists. “I'll crush you!”

 “Now, let's get started right away.” Midnight stepped up, a broad grin on her face. “The first game is what you'd call a qualifier!”

“UA does everything ‘right away’, huh?” Ochako mutters, her eyes on Midnight as she explains the first game. 

“Every year, many drink their tears here! Now, here is the fateful first game!” She points at a screen, which displays a slot machine, spinning violently. “This year, it's…” The slot machine spins for a few seconds longer before screeching to a stop, the words “Obstacle Race” displayed in vibrant yellow letters and kanji. “This!”

“An obstacle course race,” Izuku mutters, and Caelus and Akumu share a glance. Akumu was familiar with this one. They don’t use the same games every year, but this is a game he’s seen once or twice before. Maybe the obstacles would be different this year.

“All 11 classes will participate in this race,” Midnight explains, the screen showing graphics to model while she talks. “The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium – about four kilometers!” She raises her hand, and Caelus can see her nails are painted with a bright crimson, matching the spikes on her costume. He’s aggressively reminded of his mother back in America, but he quickly shakes it off. Thinking about them will just make him more upset, and he wants to at least try and get past the first round before he ultimately decides to fuck around. 

“Our school's selling point is freedom!” Midnight licks her lips, her expression becoming menacing. “As long as you stay in the course, it doesn't matter what you do!” 

Oh? Caelus raises a brow. Well, shit, I might just take you up on that. He begins to bounce in place, light beginning to pulse beneath his skin and wings, already warming up to fly. Akumu simply messes with the edges of his sleeves. He doesn’t really need to “ready up,” his quirk doesn’t call for that. He’ll just phase through the entire thing. It’s the easiest thing to do.

“Now, take your places everyone!” Midnight points to a large red arch with what looks like a traffic light flipped horizontally at the top. The lights flash green, and the crowd falls silent in anticipation. One light goes out after a good five seconds, then the next, then… 

“Start!” Midnight shouts, and the students all start rushing through the arch. Caelus runs forward a few steps, then jumps, wind rustling through his wings as he flies just over the crowd’s heads. Akumu’s physical form disappears and he begins to phase through the crowd, his presence causing a chill to run through some of the students. A few visibly shivered from the contact while others seemed stunned and nearly tripped over another student on the way. Akumu rushes through the students. While the students pushed up against each other, him and Caelus moved right by. 

“Okay, here's the play-by-play! Are you ready to do the commentary, Mummy Man?” Present Mic can be heard over the speakers, and Caelus is struck with a pang of sympathy as he flies. Poor Aizawa.

“You're the one who forced me to come.” Aizawa responds in his usual deadpan, clearly not amused.

Ignoring him, Present Mic goes on with the commentary. “Let's get started right away, Mummy Man. What should we pay attention to in the early stages?”

“This part right now.”

Damn. Caelus almost feels bad for everyone who's caught in the stampede; if he and Akumu didn't have the abilities they had, that'd probably be them too.

Almost.

Akumu wasn’t really paying attention. He moved through the crowd of students, right up until he was close to the front. He was careful about keeping his form invisible. If anyone saw him zooming through with such ease, he’d be an easy target. Meanwhile, Caelus seems to have no such worries, flying out of reach of anyone who might try anything.

Well, almost everyone.

The moment that Caelus makes it out of the narrow hall, ice bursts out along the walls and floor, coating the side of the stadium and blowing a rush of freezing air out, somehow managing to catch him by his wings and pull him sharply back.

“Fuck- Ow?! ” Caelus curses as he's pulled back by his wings, his back slamming into it harder than he expected. Thank gods he can take a hit. Thanks, Akumu. He huffs, and he wastes no time in increasing his body temperature, freeing himself in a matter of seconds. Though, you’d be laughing your ass off if you had seen that. He shakes his head as he takes off again, catching up with Shoto, who'd run ahead. 

Akumu, in the meantime, just phases right through the ice. He dodges the ice, not bothering to look behind him. For just a moment, he lets his form turn a little opaque, and he turns his head towards the half-and-half boy. It felt like time slowed down for the both of them as they made eye contact. Then, his form disappeared as soon as he passed right by him. Shoto’s eyes widened when he realized that someone, right from his own class, had easily passed right by him. He recognized Akumu as soon as they locked eyes. Should’ve known he could go through it… Shoto’s eyes narrowed, his expression hardening.

From above, Caelus catches sight of Akumu's brief lapse in appearance, and his eyes widen as he watches him disappear again. “Hey! I see you, cunt bag!” He shouts from above, increasing his speed a bit to catch up. Shoto looks up at the figure above, and he's even more shocked to see Caelus flying above him without so much as a decrease in speed or trace of ice on him. What?! But I saw him get caught in the ice! A thought occurs to him, and a small, “ tsk, ” leaves him. He must've melted through it. How troublesome. 

“Naive, Todoroki!” Momo’s voice called from behind as she, along with Katsuki, the shark-toothed boy, and the twinkling boy all managed to clear the ice without issue.

“I won't let you get away so easily!” Katsuki shouted, using his explosions to blast forward. “You half-and-half bastard!”

Ojiro uses his tail to bounce over the ice, evading its continued course to cover the ground. “You got me with that once! You won't get me again!” He grins as Fumikage hovers past, Dark Shadow carrying him through the air.

“Woah, that was close!” The pink skinned girl slides over the ice with acid trailing out of her shoes. 

The people who hadn't gotten frozen were tentatively making their way across the ice, a good number of them slipping and sliding around.

“I can't use my special move yet,” Ochako mutters to herself, her stance square, and behind her, being carried by a group of students was the purple haired boy from before. 

“They're used to using their quirks, huh?”

Shoto glances over his shoulder, taking stock of who was still following. “More people outside of Class A were able to dodge that than I expected…” He frowned, but his attention was quickly drawn away by Mineta, using his balls to bounce across the ice with ease.

“I've outwitted you, Todoroki! How pathetic!” The grape boy declares as he falls. “Take this! My special attack!” He pulls another ball from his head, and he prepares to throw it. 

“Gra-”

CLANG. 

Only to be smacked out of the air.

Caelus flinches, and he moves to speed up, but he pauses when he sees what did the damage.

“Mineta!” Izuku calls as Mineta is thrown far into the dirt, but he has no time to focus on that as a horde of familiar robots advance.

“Targets found… Lots!” The robot at the front of the pack declares, and Izuku's eyes widen.

“The faux villains from the entrance exam?”

“Obstacles have shown up suddenly! Starting with… the first barrier! Robo Inferno!” Present Mic announces. The crowd clamors as more robots come into view.

“Aren't those the zero-point villains from the entrance exam?” Denki exclaims, and the crowd becomes even more frenzied. 

“Seriously? The hero course had to fight those?”

“This is what they meant by obstacles?!”

“There are too many! I can't get through!”

“So this is what they used in the general entrance exam?” Shoto's expression hardens. 

“I wonder where they got the money for it?” Momo inquires, the look in her eyes dead serious.

Akumu doesn’t hesitate to just zoom on through, his invisible body levitating off of the ground. All the while, he’s focused on keeping his eyes forwards and phasing through the robots.

The robots’ gears whir as they begin to attack, but Caelus stares them down before he scoffs quietly to himself. “You call this an obstacle?” He mutters, shaking his head. “I can respect it, but…” His body pulses with light, once, twice, three times; the only indication that anyone has before an explosion goes off, light blinding everyone in the vicinity, including the robots. As chatter of surprise and shock fills the air, Caelus flies right over the robots’ heads and through the gaps in their ranks, maneuvering easily through the first barrier. 

“Whoa! Caelus Gonzales from Class 1-A flashbangs the robots to zip through, catching Todoroki in the process, who was trailing right behind him! Amazing! He's the first one through!” Present Mic marveled, his awe evident in his voice.

Shoto raises a hand over his eyes as light blinds him, and when he can see again, he finds that Caelus has disappeared. “Tsk.” Of course both he and the ghost are clearing this without any trouble. Birds of a feather in every sense, huh? He looks briefly annoyed, but he doesn't waste time before he covers his right side with ice, lowering his palm to the ground. “If they went through all this trouble, I wish they would've prepared something better.” Large, jagged formations of ice burst out from the ground as the robot’s hand descended towards him, creating an ominous shadow. 

“Since my stupid old man is watching.”

With a sweep of his arm, the robot's hand is pushed back, entirely coated with ice in less than five seconds, the force stopping it dead in its tracks. Once he recovers, Shoto continues running ahead, a mist of frosty air rising from the wall he'd created.

“He stopped them!” Someone from the crowd shouted.

“Between their legs! We can get through!” Another pointed out, but Shoto's voice calls out a warning.

“I wouldn't if I were you,” he said, looking over his shoulder. “I froze them while they were unbalanced.” 

The ice cracks, and the sound of metal and ice breaking apart pierces the air as the robot falls forward, bits of it snapping off in the process.

“They'll fall over.”

Another rush of frost and dust floods the area as the robot crashes into the ground, and Present Mic’s voice echoes out again. “Todoroki from Class 1-A! He attacked and defended in one hit! How elegant!” Mic jumps up, looking over at Aizawa. “It's, you know, practically unfair!”

“His actions are logical and strategic.” Aizawa speaks up, and Mic waves his hands as he finishes off. 

“As expected of someone who got in through recommendations! He'd never fought them before, but those Robo Infernos couldn't get past his elite moves!”

As Shoto pulls away from the rest of the crowd, more robots appear from the dust cloud, though they're all smaller and more manageable. 

“The UA sports festival first-year stage qualifier! The first game is an obstacle course race!” Present Mic exclaims as he throws a thumbs up, the screens displaying a model of the stadium, “It's a cruel chicken race where anything goes as long as you stay on course!” He swiped out with one hand, and Aizawa just barely managed to duck beneath his hand to avoid getting hit. 

“Hey,” he said sternly, but Mic ignored him, pointing at the model behind him.

“We'll bring you the exciting scenes with camera robots set around the course!” 

“You don't need me, do you?” Aizawa snapped, with no response from Present Mic. 

“Now then– can the golden eggs aiming to be future heroes get through the mass of Robo Infernos?!”

“Hey! Someone's trapped underneath!” A cry goes up, and it's not long before the rest of the group start panicking.

“Wouldn't that kill them?”

“Will people die at this sports festival?!”

However, the crashing and cracking of metal draws back attention, and the shark-toothed boy bursts out, screaming, his body sharp and jagged like rock.

“Like I'd die!”

“Kirishima from Class 1-A was underneath! That's crazy!” Mic announces, and Eijirou growls.

“That bastard, Todoroki! He timed it on purpose so it'd be right when they fell. If it hadn't been me, someone would've died!” He whirls on the crowd, anger on his face. His display doesn't last long though, because another person breaks through the metal right next to him. 

“That Class A…” A boy made of steel curses, the same expression of anger on his face. “... really is filled with bastards!”

“Wahhhh!!! Tetsutetsu from Class B was also underneath!” Mic’s voice echoes again. “That's crazy!”

“If it hadn't been me, someone would've died!” Tetsutetsu continued, chasing after Eijirou, who'd taken the opportunity to run ahead. 

“Our quirks are pretty much the same?! I have a hard enough time standing out as it is!” Eijirou laments, Tetsutetsu hot on his tail.

“Wait, you little-!” Tetsutetsu growled as he kept up with Eijirou. 

“Those guys are lucky…” Denki mumbled. “They can get through without being afraid of getting crushed.”

A student from another class, presumably from one of the studies classes, looks towards the group. “Anyway, let’s work together for now to clear a path!” But as soon as he finishes his sentence, Katsuki flies up into the air via using his quirk. The explosions from his hands fling him up into the air. 

“Bakugo!?” Denki nearly choked on his surprise.

“Like I’d let you get ahead of me!” Katsuki scowled. 

Present Mic remarks into the mic, “Class 1-A’s Bakugo! Since the bottom’s blocked, he goes overhead! Clever!”

Katsuki lands on one of the robots, only to look behind him and see Hanta and Fumikage. “You seem like you’d be the type to plow straight through, but you can go around when you need to, huh?” The black haired boy chuckled.

“I’m going to hitch a ride.” Fumikage hummed. Hanta uses his tape to catch a landing while Fumikage looks down at Dark Shadow. “Land!”

“Aye, aye!” The shadow monster form ducks down to the ground. 

The other students within the class were getting by just fine, for the most part. Tenya was kicking down each robot, while Jirou was using her earjacks to internally dismantle the innards of the robots. Denki was taking a large gamble, releasing his electricity to try and take them down. Eijirou was running on through, using his hardness to cut and crush the robots. Ochako had tossed the robots into the air before releasing them. The robots came crashing down behind her, crashing against and crushing each other. Ojiro’s tail was smashing the hunks of metal to bits. Momo had created a cannon from her skin, the cannon shooting down enough of them to create a pathway for the other students. All the while, Izuku was mostly dodging them.

“Hey, hey!” Present Mic exclaimed, “the first barrier’s a piece of cake? Then what about the second!” A lot of the students ran through the track, only to stop and stare at the second obstacle. It was a large pit, filled with other platforms that were only connected by ropes. “If you fall, you’re out! If you don’t wanna fall, then crawl! It’s ‘The Fall!’”

Caelus didn’t even need to stop. No, he was already over halfway through. His wings easily carried him through the pit. And Akumu? The same could be said, except he was much farther. 

“This place doesn't get many fliers, does it?” Caelus muses to himself, glancing back at the others stop at the edge of the pit. “These are all so easy.” 

“Class 1-A’s Gonzales is breezing right through! The flying student knows no limit!” Present Mic exclaims. The nature of Akumu’s quirk keeps him hidden from the cameras, so the focus was pinned on both Caelus and Shoto. 

“When did they build this stage?” Ochako mumbled, swallowing hard as she and the alien looking girl stared at the pit. 

“Tsu?” The pink girl glances towards the frog.

Though, the frog girl just walks towards the rope with a “ribbit,” and jumps towards the pit. She grabs the rope with ease. She then uses the rope as a tightrope, climbing her way through. “Ribbit!” The girl had no issues getting through. “ Ribbit. This is like a glorified tightrope.” 

“She’s fast!” The alien girl exclaimed. 

“Glitter.” An unfamiliar voice came from behind the two, and Ochako and the alien girl turned to see another girl with long pink hair, decked out in mechanisms and gadgets, standing proud and tall, a wide grin on her face. “Here it is! Here's my chance to show off!” She placed her hands on her knees, muttering excitedly to herself. “It's time for my support items to be in the limelight! Look, all you support companies across the country! Wire arrows and… hover soles! Glitter! She declared with a flourish of her arms.

“You're from the support course?” Ochako asked, and the pink skinned girl next to her bore an equally shocked expression.

“What? It's okay to bring in items?” The alien girl pointed accusingly at the newcomer, but she ignored it.

“The hero course undergoes combat training regularly, right? In order to keep things fair, we are allowed to equip items and costumes, so long as we developed them ourselves!” She declared. “Or perhaps I should say…” She activated a mechanism at her waist, which shot a wire across the pit and locked into the rock of a platform. “For those of us in the support course, this is the place where we can show off our ideas and skills to companies!” The bulky boots on her feet lifted her a few inches off the ground, and as the cable pulled her in, she didn't hesitate to jump into the pit. “Come, take a look, all you companies! Especially the big ones!” As she fell, she clicked a button, and the spool on her back began to pull, the force swinging up her upwards as she activated her hover soles again. “Look at my super cute babies!” She slid up the wall of the platform, and her giddy laughter filled the air as she swung onto the top of a platform, clearing almost half the pit with one move. 

“Wow,” Ochako awed, but a moment later, her smile turned to a frown. “I can't lose!” She rushed towards the pit, and the horned girl beside her swung her fists.

“That's some misplaced equality!” She ranted as she jogged after. All the while, a familiar head of fluffy purple hair watched with a small smirk.

“Nice…” His smile begins to widen.

“A lot of different people are working hard for their chance, huh, EraserHead?” Present Mic mused. 

“What are you idiots stopping for?” Aizawa scowled.

“And now, the second place runner of the pack is easily getting through!” Present Mic turns back to the microphone as Shoto uses his ice to slide down the tightropes. 

Shoto looks behind him to see where everyone else was. It wasn’t hard to notice Katsuki behind him. Looks like he’s getting fired up. A slow starter? Shoto looks back in front of him, his eyes narrowing as he spots Caelus. Tch… Wait, where’s the other one? He blinked, looking around as he ran towards the stairs. Shit. Now wasn’t the time to lose one of them. Shoto shakes his head and tries to run faster. If he can’t be first, then hell, he’ll try to be in second.

Unfortunately, he’s in third, and he doesn’t realize that yet.

Caelus glances down at Shoto as the half-and-half boy doubles his efforts to catch up, and he stifles a laugh. Oh, this poor boy. He shakes his head, a small smile on his face as he flies through the course. He’ll catch up eventually.

“Damn it!” Katsuki yelled out, his explosions only growing louder as he inches closer and closer to Shoto. 

Tenya finally makes it to the tightrope, other students trailing behind him. His chest heaves as he tries to catch his breath. “My older brother is probably also watching. I can’t let him see me act uncool!” He balances on the tightrope and uses his calf exhausts to speed him forwards.

“That’s so uncool!” Present Mic announces. “The lead pack is a step ahead, but below them, everyone’s clumped together! They haven’t announced how many people will make it through, so you can’t relax! Push forward!”

Shoto finally made it to the minefield. The sight made him pause, his eyes scanning the field. Oh. Lovely.

“And now, we’ve quickly arrived at the final barrier!” Present Mic announced. “The reality here is…” he pauses dramatically, “…that it’s a minefield! It’s set up so that you can tell where the mines are if you look carefully! So you have to exploit your eyes and legs! By the way, these landmines are for games, so they’re not that powerful, but they’re loud and flashy enough to make you piss your pants!” He bellowed into the microphone.

“...That depends on the person.” Aizawa stated.

Caelus was already halfway through the minefield, but upon noticing Shoto's pause, he couldn't help but tease him, pausing in the air and turning to the half-and-half boy. “Hey, Todoroki! Don't tell me you're slowing down after putting on such a stellar performance? C'mon, best in class, I know you can do it!” He winks and smirks, saluting him with two fingers as a goodbye, before he zips across the minefield.

Shoto’s brow twitches in annoyance, and he's quick to give chase, picking his way through the minefield as best he can while keeping his speed. No way he was about to give in after that .

The sounds of explosions went off all around him as he navigated through the minefield. I see. This is an obstacle that puts those in the lead at a disadvantage. He lifted his eyes to the sky for a second, catching sight of Caelus' as he flew away. Well. Apart from him. Trying to make it entertaining, huh? His expression hardens. Knowing Nikushimi, he’s probably not too far from here… I’ll have to be quick.

Another explosion sounded behind him, but this one was familiar, and it was drawing closer. He looks over his shoulder, seeing Katsuki flying towards him, a determined grin on his face. “This doesn't affect me!” He roars as he flies past. “Bastard, don't declare war to the wrong person!” He shouts, lifting his right hand and preparing to launch a blast towards Shoto, but the half-and-half boy dodged out of the way just in time.

“And now, we've got someone new in second!” Mic announces. “Rejoice, mass media! It's the kind of development you guys love! Hey, hey, hey, the rest of the pack is also speeding up! However! Even as they push and pull at each other, can the two in the top three remain in their place?” He shouts as Shoto and Katsuki trade blows, Shoto managing to cover Katsuki’s forearm in ice. 

Akumu? He was past it already. As soon as Caelus flew through the dark doorway back into the stadium, Present Mic leaned into the microphone. “And would you look at that!? Gonzales from Class 1-A has kept his number one spot! And—...” Present Mic paused when he saw someone else emerge from the shadows of the huge entryway. Akumu. His physical form had returned, and it didn’t take long before Caelus finally followed right behind him. “WHAAAAT!?” Present Mic shouted in surprise. “There, emerging in first place, is the ghost student himself, Class 1-A’s Akumu Nikushimi!” The crowd begins to go wild. None of them had expected such a thing. “How did this happen!? None of the cameras caught him!”

Akumu dusted himself off as he felt all eyes on him. The cameras took a shot of his indifference and plastered the word “WINNER!” in big, bolded, golden words on the screens.

Caelus cursed as he landed, folding his arms over his chest, making Akumu turn over to him. “ Fuck! Man, I thought I had you beat,” he said, but the grin on his face gave him away. “I guess I shouldn't be surprised though, should I?” He mused, going over to stand by his best friend.

“No air resistance does wonders.” Akumu shrugged his shoulders. “We would’ve tied otherwise, probably.” 

“And now, they’re finishing one after another!” Present Mic announced. The two of them looked behind them, seeing students emerge one by one. Shoto, Katsuki, and the rest of the class. Then, it was the rest of the other students from the other classes. Caelus smirks upon seeing Shoto come through, and he shifts his weight to his left foot, letting his right jut out a bit. 

“Well well, guess he made haste after all.” Caelus muses, and Akumu looks at him, raising an eyebrow. 

“Ah?” He blinked.

“Don’t worry about it.” Caelus gives a dismissive wave, but Akumu can hear the shit eating grin behind his mask. He definitely did something stupid. Or said something stupid. Maybe both.

Pro hero Midnight speaks into the microphone on the podium, grabbing everyone’s attention. “The first game of the first-year stage is finally over. Now, let’s look at the results!”

One of the large screens lights up. On it, names popped up one by one to show the results.

[ No. 1 - Class A : Akumu Nikushimi]

[ No. 2 - Class A : Caelus Gonzales]

[ No. 3 - Class A : Shoto Todoroki]

[ No. 4 - Class A : Katsuki Bakugou]

[ No. 5 - Class B : Ibara Shiozaki]

[ No. 6 - Class B : Juzo Honenuki]

[ No. 7 - Class A : Izuku Midoriya]

[ No. 8 - Class A : Tenya Iida]

[ No. 9 - Class A : Fumikage Tokoyami]

[ No. 10 - Class A : Hanta Sero]

[ No. 11 - Class A : Eijiro Kirishima]

[ No. 12 - Class A : Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu]

[ No. 13 - Class A : Mashirao Ojiro]

[ No. 14 - Class A : Yosetsu Awase]

[ No. 15 - Class A : Tsuyu Asui]

[ No. 16 - Class A : Mezo Shoji]

[ No. 17 - Class A : Rikido Sato]

[ No. 18 - Class A : Ochako Uraraka]

[ No. 19 - Class A : Momo Yaoyorozu]

[ No. 20 - Class A : Minoru Mineta]

And that was the top 20 students.

Chapter Text

Akumu and Caelus stopped paying attention to the leaderboard after the first twenty people. Instead, they just chatted and waited for the next game to be announced.

“Man, I want to take a nap so bad,” Akumu sighed, running a hand through his hair, and Caelus glanced towards the board, which was still listing the finishers who'd made it through the qualifier. “I could pass out at any point now.”

“I mean, you could definitely try, but I don't know how well that would work out-...” Caelus looked over at Akumu, but blinked in surprise upon seeing his friend focusing on something behind him. “What? What is it?” He turns to look, and he's somewhat pleasantly surprised to see Shoto approaching, an irritated look on his face. A smile breaks out on his lips, and he pulls off his mask, letting it hang by his hip. 

“Oh, look who it is,” he hums, placing his free hand on his hip. “Seems like you managed to keep up pretty well after all.” Akumu glanced at Caelus in confusion, but Shoto just makes a sound of annoyance as he stops directly in front of him. 

“What was that out there?” He asked coldly, his grey and blue eyes piercing into Caelus’ molten gold ones. The white haired boy raises a brow, but his smile remains.

“What was what?”

Shoto's brow twitches, and his fists ball at his sides. “You know damn well what. That little ‘best in class’ display at the minefield.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to make an enemy of me?” He asked, and Caelus lifted his hands in surrender.

“Hey hey, now, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here.” He said, taking a half step back. “That out there was nothing. Just a little… nudge in the right direction, let's call it.” Caelus shrugged, and Shoto raised a brow in suspicion. “Hey, I'm being honest. If I wanted to make an enemy of you, I wouldn't do it like this.” Caelus went on, his expression shifting to a small frown.

Shoto looks over the winged boy's face with a critical eye, but to his surprise, nothing about Caelus’ expression or body language said that he was lying. “...If it wasn't a challenge, then what was it?” He asked, folding his arms over his chest. Caelus shrugs.

“Just what I said it was; a bit of motivation. You seemed pretty serious about this whole thing, and I couldn't just let you go on without saying anything at all, so what better way to make sure you stayed serious than to test your patience? Sometimes, the best motivation is anger.” He explains, letting his hands fall to his sides.

Shoto eyes Caelus for another minute before sighing. “Well, whatever your intentions were, it worked. Though, it was extremely reckless of you to provoke someone stronger than you.” He pointed out, and Caelus gave him a dismissive wave.

“If it works, it works.”

Of course that's your mindset… Shoto thought to himself, then looked off to the side. “...Thanks for that, I guess.” He mutters, tucking his hands into his pockets, then turning and walking away.

Once Shoto was out of earshot, Akumu turned to Caelus and crossed his arms, giving him an accusatory look. “‘Don’t worry about it'?” He repeated Caelus’ earlier words, his brows raised incredulously. Caelus just laughs.

“What? It all worked out fine in the end, didn't it?” He tilted his head, but Akumu seemed unsatisfied.

“Maybe this time. Just don't make a habit of it.” 

Caelus shrugs. “This was a one time thing, don't worry.”

Akumu glanced between the two of them—he didn’t know if he should say anything more, considering it was Caelus out of all people. But he just shrugs it off for now and ignores it. It wasn’t worth talking about at the moment. They were given a short grace period for the time being. Something something, another event, something something… groups of 2 to 4. He had been too tired to pay attention. People were running back and forth all around them, trying to find teammates, and a constant chatter filled the space around them. Of course, he and Caelus were together, so they were just waiting for the next game to start. Nearby, Katsuki was being swarmed with requests to team up.

“Team up with me!” The muscled boy pointed a thumb towards himself, and the alien girl beside him looked scandalized. 

“What? Bakugou, team up with me!” She whined.

“Don't you want to team up with me?” The twinkling boy managed behind gritted teeth, his arms wrapped over his stomach.

Katsuki stood blankly for a while before finally speaking up. “I don't know what quirks you all have! What?!” 

“I can understand not knowing Class B’s, but-...” The alien girl stuttered, and the muscled boy  looked equally shocked.

“He doesn't pay attention to what's around him at all, huh?”

“Besides, I already know who I want, so go away.” Katsuki huffed.

“Eh? You’ve already chosen?” Hanta pipes up from behind, and Katsuki looks towards Caelus and Akumu. Sensing the lingering pair of eyes, Caelus looks over, and he blinks upon seeing Katsuki’s approach.

“Oi, you two. You’re the ones who scored above Todoroki, right?”

Caelus raises a brow, and he and Akumu exchange a glance before they look back at him.

“Yeah. What about it?” Caelus asked. Katsuki narrowed his eyes.

“Team up with me. I want to show that half-and-half bastard how badly he fucked up by messing with me.” He said, folding his arms over his chest. 

Akumu blinked at the sudden offer. Well, more like demand, but an “offer” nonetheless. He looks towards Caelus, wondering how he was going to answer that. He knew Katsuki wasn’t the competitive type. And considering that they got the information that Akumu was worth ten million god damn points-... He didn’t think anyone, other than Caelus, would want to work with him after that. He normally kept his quirk under wraps, and he already had a plan for keeping his bandana.

See, the way that his “phasing” works isn’t just with his body. That’s why he isn’t just straight, butt ass naked in the open—he decides what part of his body gets to phase through things. That includes clothing. This only extends to non-living things, such as his clothes, but it was enough. 

He can only assume Katsuki got to that conclusion himself. He knows Katsuki isn’t stupid. Lack of self-awareness, sure, but he seems like the type of person who seems aware of people who’re around or higher than the same level as him.

Caelus, unsurprisingly, is really conflicted. On one hand, he just said he wouldn't try picking fights with people who are stronger than he was, but also he got the chance to fuck around with some of the kids from other classes who had been dicks earlier. After a minute of silence, he crossed his arms, tilting his head to the side a bit. “Alright, you've got my attention. What's your plan?”

As Caelus speaks to Katsuki, he was about to just turn away and listen on his own accord. Though, while he did, he felt a cold hand on his shoulder. 

“Ally.”  

That spirit again. They point to the blonde boy in front of him. His expression doesn’t change, but he can feel a sense of unease. Why does that specific ghost do that when he speaks to someone, one on one? It didn’t do that with Koji or Fumikage… Was it because there was more than one person that time?

A voice calls out to Katsuki, pulling Akumu out of his thoughts. “Hey! Todoroki chose his team already!” Eijirou waves as he approaches, the collar of his uniform a bit torn, presumably from his quirk. “Bakugou, team up with me!”

“Shitty Hair,” Katsuki said blankly as the redhead approached, and Caelus raised a brow. Hell of a nickname… not like he has much room to talk either.

“I'm Kirishima! At least try to remember!” Eijirou complained, then pointed to his and Katsuki's hair. “My hair's not that different from yours! Anyway, you're gonna be the rider, right?” He grins. “Then who'll be a front horse that can take your blasts?” He activated his quirk, his arm taking on its jagged, rocky appearance again. 

“Actually, my plan was to have ghost boy over here to be the rider.” Katsuki hooks a thumb over his shoulder at Akumu. 

“...Huh?” Akumu blinked. “...Why?” He knew why. But he wanted to make sure he and Katsuki were on the same page.

“Yeah, that's my question too.” Caelus frowns. “You seem like the type to want to be on top at all times.” He pointed out, ignoring how Katsuki's vein popped in anger.

After a while of silent seething, he just growls. “You got through the whole obstacle race by just phasing through everything, right?” He asked. “If you just keep your quirk on the whole time, then it'd be impossible for anyone to steal your headband.” 

Caelus looked at Akumu. Okay, so this guy was smarter than he gave him credit for. Huh.

Ah. He was on the same page, then. Akumu doesn’t reply, he just nods in acknowledgement. “...Mm. Alright…” He mutters underneath his breath, more to himself than anyone else. It was going to be very awkward trying to ride three people (sounds horrible out of context) so he hoped he could keep his balance. 

Caelus rubs the back of his neck. “Who’s going to be what horse though?” He pauses. “I mean… I could be in front , but…” He trails off, looking straight at Katsuki. The blonde takes a moment to notice, but when he does, his palms crackle.

“Hah?! What's that supposed to mean?!”

Caelus looks back at Akumu. “Case in point.”

Akumu was fighting himself, hoping the others, other than Caelus, wouldn't catch the moment of amusement he had. He crosses his arms and turns his head off towards the side. Well, being the horseman rather than the horse makes this easier to plan. The original plan before Eijiro and Katsuki, he thinks those are their names, was that he would just be on top of Caelus’ shoulders and stay out of reach within the air since they both can technically fly. Not to mention, his weight isn’t exactly hard for Caelus to carry anyway. After a moment, he looks towards the three. “...Katsuki should be in front,” he starts, “he’s the offense.” Then, he turns to Kirishima. “You’re Caelus’ shield, and you…” He turns to Caelus. “If Katsuki uses his blasts to give us airtime, your wings can keep us airborne for a little while longer if you’re in the back with Kirishima.”

He hated being the planner, but oh well. He hoped neither of the boys were afraid of heights.

Ironically, he was. But that’s besides the point.

Caelus nods, and both Eijirou and Katsuki watch in mild surprise as his wings flowed with light, expanding rapidly from a demure cowl around his shoulders to a long white and gold cloak, the panels of fabric shaped to the silhouette of a manta ray. Akumu had seen him with a similar pair of wings, but it was on a smaller scale than it was now. Back then, the tail of the manta had just barely reached the back of Caelus' knees, but now it was well past that, the tip skimming the ground behind him.

A loud buzzer goes off, and they all turn towards the podium where Midnight is standing, stretching. “Now then, it's about time to get started!” She grins, the microphone in front of her picking up the faint clinking of the metal cuffs around her wrists.

“Come on, wake up, Eraser!” Present Mic taps Aizawa on the shoulder in the commentary box, then turns back out to the arena. “After fifteen minutes to form teams and talk strategy, twelve cavalry teams are lined up in the field!”

Aizawa leans into the mic, his voice low and gravelly. “There are some interesting teams out there.”

The crowd cheers, but Present Mic's voice can still be heard clearly over the din. “Now, raise those battle cries! It's time for UA’s bloody battle! Light the signal fire!”

10,000,550 points. As if the extra 550 means anything… Akumu ties the headband around his head, the number stamped across the white fabric in bold crimson. One of the screens displays a countdown of three seconds and the words “ON YOUR MARKS, READY?”, and the crowd's cheers get louder as the countdown begins. “Alright! You've made your teams, right?” Mic exclaims. “I'm not gonna ask if you're ready or not! Now, let's go! Counting down to the brutal battle royale! Three!”

Caelus’ wings flare in preparation, and he shares a glance with Eijirou beside him.

“Two!”

Akumu can feel the stares on them from all around. How troublesome… He knows he’ll be fine, but the amount of eyes was just uncomfortable. Akumu’s hands were holding Katsuki’s shoulders, keeping a firm grasp on him. He hoped that Katsuki didn’t mind the contact, because he surely did. 

“One!”

“Start!” Midnight brandishes her flogger, and footsteps come rushing towards them all at once.

“Hold on tight, you two!” Caelus warns, and he secures both Katsuki and Eijirou with his quirk, ropes of light coiling around their midriffs. 

“Don't tell me what to do, fabric feathers!” Katsuki snaps, his palms beginning to crackle with explosions.

“...You might wanna hold on, though.” Akumu hummed. He then turns to Eijiro. “Especially you.” He fixed his eyes forwards. Before any other words were said, the palms of Katsuki’s hands burst outwards, sending the four of them flying up from the force of the explosions. Eijiro’s body hardens up and protects Caelus’ body from the explosions. Thanks to the force of Caelus’ wings, the wind from the way Caelus’ wings flapped downwards was enough to keep them airborne. The three of them can feel Akumu’s weight lighten. His lower body was still solid, but his upper body was now intangible. And so was the headband. 

Caelus looks up for a moment to confirm, then nods. “Going down!” He stated, and he lowered them down to the ground before folding his wings and letting them drop the last few inches. 

It was basically a game of cat and mouse now. Except the mouse will never be caught, and all the cats were chasing after them as if they were starving for a mean meal. Akumu’s hands kept steady on Katsuki’s shoulders as the blonde led them through the crowd of people. Every time someone’s hand got too close, his head would move to the side and dodge while Katsuki used the blasts from his hands to propel the group upwards. Every time Caelus heard the explosions, he used that as his signal to keep them in the air. It was a loop of running, flying, and landing. And it was working just fine. 

Though, someone got a bit too close for comfort. That half-and-half boy, Shoto. Or, at least, I think that’s his name… Right? Akumu thought. That’s what the board said. The group got close, and Shoto’s hand reached out. But right as Shoto thought he got his, the boy’s eyes widened when his hand phased right through the close. Again, it felt like time slowed down completely. The two of them looked straight at each other, those inscrutable eyes glaring into his own. Before Shoto knew it, a flash of light blinded him and his team, followed by the sound of Katsuki’s explosions.

Akumu’s team had flown off. But not without Caelus looking behind to look at Shoto, one of the eyes of his mask winking at him. “Come on, you didn’t seriously think that it was gonna be that easy, did you?” He laughed before the group landed again. Shoto grits his teeth and narrows his eyes at the two. 

Of course they’ve paired up… “Tch…” The group of four runs off. That quirk of Akumu’s was fucking impossible to go up against. Damnit. 

Once they’ve landed, it was right back to running. Katsuki’s lips curled into a smug, shit eating grin. Seems like he was right about teaming up with a pair like them. This felt like a piece of cake. Though, he didn’t expect Akumu to be so light. It made running that much easier. 

During their run and dodge, that’s when both Caelus and Eijiro heard someone from behind. Another group. The group had reached for Akumu’s headband, only to fail. Another blonde boy, one with blue eyes and short, neat hair. The team stopped in front of them, pausing Katsuki and the others in their tracks. Katsuki scowled at the four, but the group’s eyes were on Akumu.

“...My hand went through your head…” The mystery blonde muttered. Akumu doesn’t reply, he just grips Katsuki’s shoulders a little harder. Caelus, though?

“Did you not hear Present Mic announce him as the ‘ghost student’ of Class 1-A?” Caelus snickered. Though, the blonde boy didn’t reply. His eyes narrowed towards Akumu, and-...

…

What’s this?

The blonde blinked when he looked around him. He swore he just tried to mimic Akumu’s quirk. But when he did, he looked around. Everyone looked like black silhouettes with white spots for eyes. He couldn’t see anyone’s details. He could only clearly see Akumu. And the only details he could see on Caelus was his light-made hair, his eyes, and the light from his fabric-like wings. As he looked around, he saw other people. Not students. Dead people. People missing eyes, missing limbs, covered in bandages, with visible organs, with bones cracked and broken out of their skin... Corpses. He was seeing corpses. The boy’s heart felt like it had stopped when he realized he could see the dead. It was at this moment that he realized that Akumu wasn’t just a boy with a ghost quirk. He is the border between life and death itself. His head felt like it had gotten lighter. His eyes were wide with what looked like pure, unbridled terror. The breaking point was when he saw an eyeless girl with a missing jaw, her tongue and teeth bleeding out on her clothes. That’s when he fell backwards, making his team lose as he began to hyperventilate.

The sight of the dead was too much.

Caelus blinked, tilting his head in that doglike manner again. “Eh? What happened?” Katsuki and Eijiro seemed just as confused. But Katsuki didn’t dwell on it. He just used his explosions to get away, signaling to Caelus to open up his wings again.

“Looks like he tried to copy you.”  

Akumu blinked, staring at the boy for a moment before turning away. ...Poor bastard. Akumu’s grip on Katsuki loosened a little once the group had gotten away. He must’ve seen through my eyes, then. “...Don’t worry about it, Caelus.” He knew what happened. But if Akumu says something along the lines of that, that meant the spirits didn’t want Caelus knowing what happened. Caelus shrugged his shoulders—he can respect that, even if he wanted to know. 

The loop then continued. Run, dodge, jump, fly, land, repeat. It was getting boring. Akumu thought he could make it a little more… Entertaining, for a lack of better words. All the eyes were getting annoying anyway. Eijiro and Katsuki can both hear the familiar, unwelcome sound of Akumu’s bone cracking. Shifting. His flesh was ripping apart. Eijiro was about to look up, but Caelus stopped him—he felt Caelus’ hand grab his hair by the roots and pull him to fix his gaze back forward

“Don't look up, trust me. I'd prefer to keep your mental state intact for the rest of the festival.” Caelus warned. Eijiro swallowed hard and nodded, keeping his eyes forward. Katsuki didn’t say anything. He knew if he looked back, he would not see Akumu on his shoulders. Caelus looked up to see who he had shifted into. Akumu didn’t look very gruesome this time, but there was still enough blood to make anyone queasy. Short, deep red hair, long ram horns, and deep black skin. Katsuki can feel Akumu’s hands grow larger on his shoulders and it made him a little uneasy. There was a large gash on his back, revealing a visible spine.

“What’re you doing up there?” Katsuki grumbled.

“Don’t worry about it.” Akumu hummed as his throat ripped open, revealing a second mouth. Razor sharp teeth opened up to reveal a long tongue.

Caelus hums in intrigue. “Another former student?”

“...I think so, yeah.” Akumu muttered in reply. 

“Damn. There’re a lot of ghosts on school grounds?” 

“They follow me.”

“Ah, fair.”

That long tongue from his throat lashed out at anyone getting too close. And, at this point, many were hesitant to get too close. Well, at least it partially worked. The loop continued, but not without Akumu’s tongue whipping at others. Shoto turned to see what was going on, only for his eyes to widen at the sight. He slowly fixed his head back forward, debating if it was worth it or not.

Absolutely not.

This continued on. All up until–-... “Time’s up!” 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Akumu stepped off of Katsuki’s, Eijiro’s, and Caelus’ hands. Then, he took off the headband, his form having returned. Neither Katsuki nor Eijiro saw what had happened to Akumu’s form earlier. That was probably for the best. 

“Man, that was fun!” Eijiro exclaimed. “I haven’t needed to run from that many people before.” Akumu only nodded his head in acknowledgement, but didn’t say anything more as the screen showed all of the teams’ points.

Caelus folds his arms over his chest, and his wings shrink down again, taking on the shape of the white bird cloak again. “I haven't either. At least, not in this particular context.” He tilts his head back a bit, remembering his time in America. “I was almost jumped in sixth grade because I played keep away with a guy's hat and stuck it under one of the bleachers in the field.”

Chapter Text

“Now, we'll break for lunch before we start the afternoon festivities! See ya!” Present Mic announced as people and students began to trickle out of the stadium, heading for the tents outside. Caelus groans, stretching his arms out over his head until his joints popped satisfyingly. 

“Augh, thank gods. If I had to fight in my current state, I think I'd only be able to last a few minutes before dropping.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair and messing it up even more in the process.

Akumu was probably going to take the time to nap. Or maybe some caffeine could keep him up. Either would work. He turns to Caelus. “Hey,” he starts, “can you get me something from the vending machines?” Akumu hands him some yen. “A soda, preferably.”

Caelus nods, taking the money from him. “Yeah sure.” He gives Akumu a two-fingered salute before turning and jogging away in search of caffeine.

“Thanks.” Before he could head towards the waiting room to rest himself, he saw Shoto walk up to him. Shoto looked down towards the shorter one, the two of them staring for a moment. That cold hand…

“Ally.”

Akumu shuddered as that spirit disappeared again, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his sleeves. He’s glad he was allowed to wear his long-sleeve underneath his PE uniform. He needed something to fidget with. “...Nikushimi,” Shoto starts, “I want to speak with you.” His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

“...I see.” Akumu muttered. Shoto walks off, not bothering to look behind him to see if Akumu was following. He knew that he was. A secluded spot in the stadium is where they stood. But while they were heading that way, Katsuki caught a glimpse of the two walking off together. His eyebrow quirked up from the sight. 

What’s corpse husband doing with half-and-half? He stalked them from behind, keeping himself hidden to eavesdrop. There should be no reason why Akumu would be separated from Caelus. He would think that, whatever he wanted to say to Akumu, can also be said to Caelus. But also, what would Shoto , out of all people, want to do with Akumu?

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The two of them stood in the student entranceway. An awkward silence had settled between the both of them. Akumu’s indifferent, tired eyes met with Shoto’s stoic, cold ones. “You came out on top during both festivities.” Shoto starts after a solid moment of silence. “Gonzales is one thing. But you…” Shoto paused, pulling his body away from the wall he was leaning on. “...Your quirk,” he starts, “was it directly inherited from your mother?” The question almost caught Akumu off guard. 

How sudden…

“...Yes. That’s right.” Akumu replied, cocking his head to the side. “Why so specific?” 

Shoto raises one of his hands, pointing accusingly towards Akumu. “You’re a descendant of the Dieu family, aren’t you?” Akumu’s eyes begin to narrow a bit towards the boy.

“...Where is this going?” 

“You’re a girl, aren’t you?”

Akumu’s heart stopped. Shoto knows? His words were caught in his throat. It genuinely felt like the air he was breathing in had gotten too heavy to inhale. Akumu doesn’t reply for a while. Shoto can’t see any change in Akumu’s demeanor, but he sees Akumu’s shoulders tense up just a little. He raises his eyebrows a bit, confused about Akumu’s hesitance.

“...Don’t talk to me.” Akumu finally states as he turns away, his tone flat and deadpan. “Keep my gender out of your disgusting mouth.” Shoto’s eyebrows furrow. “Be careful, Todoroki…” Akumu slightly turns his head just a bit. “...You’ve made an enemy of me.” That was sudden. He watches as Akumu phases into the wall, presumably to return to Caelus.

Katsuki was standing behind the wall from the other corner. His eyes were wide and his body was stiff. He had heard something he shouldn’t’ve. Katsuki swallowed hard, scratching the back of his neck as he began to walk off. He’s going to push that piece of information as far as he possibly can until it is out of mind. That never should’ve reached his ears.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Akuuuuu~! I got your-...” Caelus pokes his head into the waiting room, a coffee can and a Dr Pepper in each hand, but he blinks in surprise upon seeing the empty room. “Akumu?” He looks around, checking every corner. Upon finding no sign of his best friend, he turns towards the door, heading out to the hall until he hears something behind him. He turns, and he sees Akumu phase through the wall, startling him for a moment before he huffs out a long breath. “There you are. I thought you'd been kidnapped.”

“...Sorry.” Akumu returned, a deep sigh leaving his lips. As he walks up to Caelus, he takes the soda out of his hands. “Thanks.” It looked like he was fine. But Caelus caught a glimpse of the way his hands moved—one of Akumu’s fingers twitched in restraint.

“Uhhh… You good?” He asks, tilting his head.

“I’m fine.” Akumu pops the tab open and rips it off once he hears the sizzling from the can. “...Just the ghosts telling me things. You know how it is.” He headed to one of the seats so he could relax a bit while he kept himself away from prying eyes. Akumu needed some time to himself after that. On one hand, he’s glad that he gave Caelus his binder. On the other, he could already feel his back hunching up more after that encounter. He’s not anxious or terrified about Shoto telling other people. He’s fucking pissed. Pissed that Shoto had the goddamn audacity to tell his finding out to his fucking face. He nearly crushed the can in his hand from the thought. “You’re a girl, aren’t you?” Akumu lowered his mask and took a sip out of it. I’m going to kill him. I’ll kill him. He better go up against that fucker during the one-on-ones. 

Caelus can sense Akumu’s fury radiating from him, and his eyes narrow faintly. Something definitely happened. He frowned, and his hand balled into a loose fist at his side. I’m so going to kill whoever did it. When he feels his quirk beginning to act up a bit, he’s quick to take a breath, taking off his mask as he cracks open his coffee can and takes a sip. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Now that lunch is over, it's finally time to reveal the last game! But before that, there's good news for all of you who didn't make it to the finals!” Present Mic waves dramatically, his glasses flashing. “This is just a sports festival! So we've prepared recreational games that everyone can participate in, too!” Cameras flashed as the crowd snapped photos of a group of girls dancing in short shirts and skirts, waving bright yellow poms. “We've even brought real cheerleaders from America to liven things up!”

Aizawa makes a hum of confusion, and Mic leans in. “What?”

Aizawa frowns. “What are they doing?”

Standing at the sidelines are the girls from Class 1-A, wearing the same orange and green cheer uniforms as the American girls. 

“What's the matter, Class A? What kind of fan service is that?” Mic yells, ignoring the deadpan and annoyed looks on the girls’ faces. From across the way, Denki and Mineta give each other a thumbs up, eliciting a glare from Momo.

“Mineta! Kaminari! You tricked us, didn't you?!” Momo fell to the ground, her expression falling with her. “Why am I always caught up in Mineta’s schemes? I even used Creation to make the outfits…” She pouts as Ochako kneels beside her, gently patting her back in reassurance.

“Those guys are so dumb!” Jirou huffs as she tossed her poms to the ground, but the invisible girl tried to lighten the mood, waving her poms in the air.

“Well, there's still time before the finals, and it'd be a pain if things got tense.” She hums, and she begins to dance, though the only thing that can be seen are the poms and the clothes moving. “It's fine! Let's do it!”

“What?!” Jirou looks scandalized at the idea, and Tsuyu poked her head out from behind Jirou.

“Toru, you like this, huh?”

After that disaster, Present Mic was quick to speak out again, followed by the cheers of the crowd. “Alright, everyone! Let's have fun competing in the recreational games! When that's over, the sixteen from the four teams that made it to the final round will duke it out tournament style, one-on-one!”

“The last round is a tournament where we fight one-on-one, huh?” Kirishima muses, a wide grin spreading across his face. “I'm gonna stand on the stage that I watch every year on TV!”

“Was it a tournament last year?” The alien girl looks over at Eijirou, and Hanta speaks up from next to him.

“It's different every year, but there's a one-on-one competition every year.” Both Eijirou and the alien girl look over at Sero as he continues. “Last year, it was a sports chanbara match.”

“Now, let's draw lots to determine the bracket.” Midnight says, lifting up a yellow box with the word, “Lots,” scrawled in black. “Once the bracket is determined, we'll have the recreational games and then start! The sixteen finalists can choose whether or not they want to participate in the recreation. I'm sure some of you want to rest or save your strength.”

Caelus and Akumu look at each other. “We skip?” Caelus folds his arms over his chest.

“...Nah, we watch.” Akumu hummed, shoving his hands into his pockets. He did feel the need to calm down after his “conversation” with Shoto. It’d be free entertainment to watch the other students get so worked up about recreational games. “We should grab another drink, though.”

Caelus smirks. “Alright then. …I'm not gonna do anything that requires me to interact with people.”

“Me neither.” 

“Now, from the first place team–”

Ojiro raises his hand before Midnight can finish. “Um…! Excuse me.” The expression on his face was pained, but his words were clear. “I'm withdrawing.” The words send a shock through the crowd, and Midoriya turns to face him.

“Ojiro, why?”

“This is a rare chance for pros to see you!” Tenya protested. Ojiro falls silent, lowering his hand.

“I barely remember anything from the cavalry battle until almost the end.” He explains, his tail drooping. “I think it was that guy's quirk.”

Caelus frowns, and he looks around. Wasn't he with… His eyes land on the purple haired boy who has parted the crowd for him, causing the other boy to turn away. Akumu doesn’t really seem to be paying attention. The burning sensation in his chest was still bothering him. Though, he would’ve looked over if he was listening.

“I know that this is a great chance, and that it's foolish to waste it…” Ojiro looks down at his hand.

“Ojiro…”

“But-!... Everyone here competed by giving it their all! I can't… I can't be up there with everyone without knowing what really happened.” 

“You're worrying too much! You should make sure you produce results in the finals!” Toru waves her poms up and down, and the other girls nod in agreement.

“If you're gonna say that, I didn't do anything either.” The pink skinned girl tries to reassure Ojiro, but he just places a hand over his face, his voice shaking with his next words.

“That's not it… I'm talking about my pride here… I can't…” The boys’ expressions turn to understanding, but the next words cause the girls to stiffen uncomfortably. “Also, why are you guys wearing cheerleader outfits?”

A chubby boy with pale blue hair steps up as well, his expression nervous. “I'm Nirengeki Shoda from Class B. I also want to withdraw for the same reason. Regardless of ability, don't you think it goes against the goal of this sports festival for those who didn't do anything to move onto the final round?” He looks up at the sky, and Eijirou is tearing up a bit listening.

“What's with these guys?! They're so manly!”

“This is an unusual turn of events…” Present Mic commented, his voice unusually mild. 

“We'll have to see what the chief umpire, Midnight, has to say about this…” Aizawa sighs.

The air is tense for a while as the crowd waits for Midnight's verdict, before… 

“Youthful talk like that is something… I like!” She exclaims, lashing her flogger. “Shoda! Ojiro! I accept your withdrawal!”

The twinkling boy places a hand on Ojiro's shoulder, a small smile on his face. “I'm going to do it, okay?” Ojiro says nothing, but the look on his face plainly states he's uncomfortable.

“If that is the case, we'll have to move up two people from the fifth place cavalry team…” Midnight muses, placing a hand on her chin. An orange haired girl lifts a hand.

“If that's what's going to happen, then it should be other members from the same class, right?” She looks at a brown haired girl beside her, who nods in agreement, then to a grey and green haired pair of girls. Upon receiving all affirmative answers, she looks back to Midnight. “The ones who fought to the end and stayed in the top.” Mina and Hanta’s eyes widened and they looked at each other before looking at Kendo.

“Kendo…” Mina muttered. First, they had let them team up with them, and now they were letting the two of them advance to the next festivity?

“This isn't collusion or anything. It just makes sense.” Kendo smiles, stunning the both of them further. Mina releases an anguished cry to the air.

“Y-You two…!” She sniffed as she began to shake her fists up and down.

“And so, Ashido and Sero have been moved up to make sixteen! This is the bracket based on the results of the drawing!” Midnight flourishes a hand, and a bracket with names is listed on the screen, the crowd cheering wildly.

Eijirou Kirishima and Akumu Nikushimi. They both see their names on board, seeing that they were against each other. Caelus turns to Eijirou and puts a hand on his shoulder. “You fought a good fight.” Eijirou blinks.

“We haven't even started…?” 

“ You fought a good fight. ”

Fumikage Tokoyami and Momo Yaoyorozu.

“I'll give it my all.” Fumikage nods, and Momo does the same.

“Th-That’s what I want!”

Mina Ashido and Caelus Gonzales.

Caelus looks over at the alien girl, who's coincidentally already staring at him. “That's you, right…?” She asks, her nerves in her voice, and Caelus nods.

“Mhm.” 

Her expression falls a bit more, and she fidgets with her hands. “...Please don't bite me.”

“Don't worry, I won't!” Caelus says all too cheerfully, the eyes of his mask curling up into crescents. “Not unless you give me a reason.” Mina shudders.

Izuku Midoriya and Hitoshi Shinsou. Shoto Todoroki and Hanta Sero. Denki Kaminari and Yuga Aoyama.

Katsuki Bakugou and Ochako Uraraka.

“Hah? Uraraka?” Katsuki frowns, seemingly having no idea who his opponent was. Little did he know that she was standing right behind him. 

Mei Hatsume and Tenya Iida.

“Are you Iida?” Mei makes her way over, and the class rep nods.

“Hm? Indeed, I am Iida.”

“Oh good! Actually…” 

Judging by the placement of the brackets, Akumu does see that he might have a chance at fighting Shoto, if they both make it far enough. Without moving his head, his eyes snap towards Shoto’s direction. ...It feels like someone is glaring at me. Shoto turns his head towards Akumu. …Ah.

“Alright! Let's leave the tournament aside for a momentary interlude! Let's have fun with the recreation!”

As soon as Akumu and Caelus heard that, while all the students went to get started, they headed off to join the crowd and watch instead. It’s not like they were required anyway.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Hey guys, are you ready?!” Present Mic screeched, the crowd a mass of applause and cheers. “A lot’s happened, but it's now come to this! A serious battle! You can only depend on yourself! Even if you're not a hero, you'll face lots of situations like that! Heart, skill, body, wisdom, and knowledge! Use all of that to rush up!” Caelus watches from the stands, his arms folded over his chest. His white and gold star headphones have materialized again, helping block out a majority of the noise, except for Present Mic's voice. “Audience! The finals that you've all been waiting for are finally starting! Match number one– even though he's done well, what's with that face? From the hero course, it's Izuku Midoriya! Versus– sorry, he hasn't done anything to stand out yet! From general studies, it's Hitoshi Shinsou! The rules are simple. Force your opponent out of bounds, or immobilize them! You can also win by making your opponent say, ‘I give up!’ Bring in the injuries! Because we've got our very own Recovery Girl waiting on standby! Put your morals and ethics aside for a moment! But of course, anything life-threatening is crap!” 

Ohp- well. He would not have liked his and Akumu's fight at the battle trials. 

“It's not allowed! Heroes should only use their fists to catch villains!”

…Take all joy and whimsy from life, why don't you.

Cementoss takes a seat at the side of the arena, lifting a large, blocky hand. “I'll stop things if they go too far.”

“‘I give up,’ huh?” Hitoshi muses. “This is a fight to test the strength of your spirit. If you know what you want for your future, then you can't worry about appearances.”

“Ready?”

“That monkey was going on about his pride…”

“Start!” 

“...But don't you think he was dumb by throwing away his chance?” 

Hitoshi’s words clearly strike a nerve with Midoriya, as his expression becomes filled with anger, and he started charging towards the other boy. “What did you say?!”

Hitoshi smirks, and suddenly, Midoriya stops. 

“I win.”

From a few seats in front of Caelus and Akumu, Ojiro shoots up in exasperation, his hands tugging at his hair. “I went through the trouble of warning him, too!” He exclaims. Caelus tilts his head.

“Warn him about what?”

“Hey, hey, what's the matter? It's the important first match! Liven things up!” Mic exclaims. “Midoriya! The match just started, and he's completely frozen?! He's got a blank look on his face and isn't moving a muscle! Is this Shinsou’s quirk?! He didn't stand out at all , but could he actually be someone amazing?” Ojiro sighs, then turns to Caelus as the rest of the class watches in shock. At this point, Akumu was beginning to connect dots. The lack of Ojiro’s memory, the way Izuku can’t move, the way he seemed so… Distant. So vacant. He’s seen this before. Just not like this.

In fact, he may know a ghost or two.

“...He’s a brainwasher, isn’t he?” Akumu whispered to himself.

“Huh? Did you say something?” Caelus turns to Akumu. 

Akumu turns to Ojiro instead. “He’s a brainwasher, isn’t he?” He repeated. Ojiro blinks.

“How'd you guess?”

Akumu turns back to the match. “...Just a guess…” 

“Hitoshi Shinsou from general studies has gotten the better of Izuku Midoriya from the hero course! Who would've imagined this?! Will the bottom really overthrow the top?”

Aizawa grumbles. “That's why I said the entrance exam wasn't rational.” Mic blinks, then turns to the fellow pro hero.

“What?”

“Here's some basic data on the two of them.” Aizawa pulls out two sheets of paper and begins to read them off. “Since it's individual matches from here on out, I had someone compile them for me. Shinsou failed the practical exam for the hero course. Since he also applied for general studies, he probably knew that would happen. His quirk is very powerful but the practical exam consisted of fighting faux villains. That gave an advantage to those with physical attack quirks. Shinsou wouldn't have been able to rack up points with his quirk.”

“You're lucky that you've been blessed, Izuku Midoriya,” Hitoshi starts, his voice light and casual, but seeming to carry a bundle of undertones. “Turn around and walk out of bounds.” Hitoshi orders, and the stadium watches as Izuku turns and starts walking in the opposite direction.

“Huh?” Mic is quiet at first, but that doesn't last long. “What?! Midoriya’s being so obedient!”

“Deku, why?” Ochako bounces her hands up and down.

Caelus hums as he looks at Akumu. “Did you know a ghost with brainwashing?”

“...Maybe.” Akumu chuckled a little.

“Ooooh, who were they?”

“Former teacher at our last school.”

“If you go out of bounds, then you'll lose the match!” Tenya yells, gesturing wildly, but Midoriya pays no heed. 

Caelus sighs. “Well. This'll be over quick, at least.” He says, a somewhat pitying look flickering on his face.

“Hmph. Skill issue…” Akumu muttered underneath his breath. 

The silence is almost deafening as Midoriya gets closer and closer to the boundary, before…

Midnight lifts a hand, the metal of her cuff clanking. “Midoriya is out of bounds! Shinsou advances to round two!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The flames fire up in the corners of the boundaries. “Thanks for waiting!” Present Mic announced. “Next up is… These guys!” The large screen turns on to reveal the next two contestants. Hanta and Shoto.

In the crowd, Akumu and Caelus were both watching with their class. Akumu’s nails dug into his upper arms just a wee bit, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Shoto’s picture. Though, he stopped crossing his arms and reached for his can of soda. It was his third one of the day, the damn sugar and caffeine addict. He leans back into his seat and looks down at the tournament.

“He’s good! He’s good, but what’s with that plainness he just can’t get rid of?” Present Mic exclaimed as he introduced Hanta. 

Damn, Present Mic-... Caelus thought. That’s rude.

“From the Hero Course, Hanta Sero!”

“That’s mean…” Hanta muttered underneath his breath, despite his smile.

“Verses--... Taking third, then second in the prelims! You’re way too strong, kid!” Present Mic remarked, “he wasn’t recommended into admission for nothing! Also from the Hero Course, it’s Shoto Todoroki!” Shoto said nothing. He was standing there, his expression downcasted. “And now, for the second match of the finals--, ready… Start!”

As soon as Present Mic said to start, Hanta's tape shot out from his elbows and entrapped Shoto in the tape. Then, he began to try and toss Shoto out of bounds.

“A surprise attack aimed to push his opponent out of bounds!” Present Mic announced. Akumu’s eyebrow twitched a little. For all his own intentions and purposes, he wanted Hanta to lose, just so he can beat the damn sense into Shoto. “Don’t you think that was the best choice for this situation!? Seriously, get him, Sero!”

Then, suddenly, Akumu saw it right before ice was shot into their faces. The ice grew from Shoto’s feet, freezing the floor right before there was just a wall of ice spikes. His eyes narrowed as Caelus shrunk back into his seat. Ice jumpscare-... The move itself caused the ground and the building to shake. Vibrations travelled from the floor to the rooms within the stadium. Then, Shoto simply breaks out of the icy tape while staring at Sero. Present Mic was quiet, unable to say anything from the intense attack. The man was too stunned to speak. 

“...Serro, can you move?” Midnight asked, literally half frozen from Shoto’s attack.

“O-Of course not…” Sero shivered from the ice. Or, well, shivered as best as he could. “Ow-...”

“Sero is immobilized!” Midnight announced. “Todoroki advances to the next round!”

Caelus watches as the ice slowly melts. “...Talk about overboard.” Akumu just hums in agreement.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“And now, next up!” The screen flickers on, and it shows the portraits of Denki and the twinkling boy on the screen. Caelus blinks. Oh. It's him. He crossed his arms, slightly more interested now. “From the hero course, it's Denki Kaminari! Versus– Yuga Aoyama!” 

The two blondes take their places at the opposite ends of the arena. Caelus already has an inkling of what the match will lead out to, but he still wants to give Aoyama the benefit of the doubt.

“Let's not wait any longer! Third match - start!” Mic announces, and Akumu and Caelus can feel the air shift as Denki charges up his quirk. Aoyama looks around frantically, as if trying to find an exit, or see any way out of his current predicament, but he's too late.

“Indiscriminate Shock, 1.3 million volts!” Electricity crackled and flashed as Denki unleashed his quirk, generating a soft wind, and Caelus lifted an arm over his eyes to block out the light. Akumu though? He looks down at the light, his eyes unblinking.

“...Ow.” Akumu hummed.

“Stupid. Why'd you look directly at it if it hurts?”

“Funny.”

“You-...” He sighs, then looks back down at the stadium. As expected, Aoyama is laying flat on his back, his clothing singed and his belt still crackling with static. Yep. He never stood a chance. Poor guy.

“Aoyama is down! Kaminari advances to round two!” 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Now, it’s time for the fourth match!” Present Mic’s voice makes everyone realize it was starting again. “We’re just gonna keep rolling along! Rush headlong toward the top!” The screen showed that this match was between Tenya and Mei. “It’s like he’s the epitome of the middle of the pack! From the Hero Course, it’s Tenya Iida! Versus—Fully equipped with support items! From the Support course, it’s Mei Hatsume!”

“He’s up against the Support Course, huh?” Jirou mused. 

“I wonder what kind of fight it’ll be.” Tsuyu hummed, putting a finger up to her chin.

“I mean, what is that?” The muscled man with the large lips muttered, his eyes narrowing towards all of the equipment, especially the one Tenya was wearing. “Iida’s also fully equipped with support items!”

Akumu and Caelus looked at each other for a hot moment. “...Do we both agree that it looks ridiculous?” Caelus asked.

“Yes.” They then both turned back to the match.

“That’s generally against the rules for those in the Hero Course.” Midnight stated, making Tenya turn his head towards her. “Those who must use equipment needed to petition beforehand.”

“Ah-! I forgot about that! Aoyama also wore the belt, so I thought it was fine!”

“He submitted a petition.” 

“I humbly apologize!” Tenya bowed. “...However, my heart was moved by my opponent’s sportsmanship. Even though she is from the support course, she said she wanted an even match since she made it this far. She said she wanted to fight fairly. So, she gave me this equipment! I did not think I could ignore her fighting spirit!” Tenya declared.

“Oh, youth!” Midnight laughed, clutching her flogger close to her chest. 

Akumu is… Mildly uncomfortable… “Do you think this fight will actually be fair?” Caelus asked.

“...Nah.”

Midnight whipped her flogger as she pointed it towards Tenya. “I’ll allow it!” 

“...It’s fine?” Present Mic muttered to Aizawa. 

“Well, if they both agree on it, then it’s within regulations… I guess…?” Aizawa shrugged.

Present Mic just sighed and turned on the announcer microphone again. “Well, since permission’s been granted, let’s start the fourth match!” 

As soon as the round started, the entire crowd could hear Mei’s voice. She had a microphone? 

The match continued on. She kept talking. On and on. The mechanism Tenya was wearing just kind of tossed him around.

“...Is this an advertisement?” Caelus snickered, pitying poor Tenya. He was manipulated so hard. 

“...I… Guess…?” Akumu blinked. 

And right when she was done, she just... Stepped out of bounds.

"...How redundant." Akumu hummed.

"Right?" Caelus groaned in irritation. He was hoping for a fight, not for a fucking advertisement. She played him like a fiddle.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Now, it was Caelus' turn to go up, leaving Akumu in the stands to watch. “And welcome back, everyone!” Present Mic called out, drawing attention to him once again. “We’re gonna keep right on going with the fifth match! Don't let the small size fool you—this literal ray of sunshine from America packs a hell of a punch! Earning second in the qualifier, just to place first in the prelims, from the hero course, it's Caelus Gonzales!” Caelus flinched at the name but he brushed it off quickly, his wings fluttering in anticipation. Okay, but the small size comment was unnecessary. He frowns. Small doesn't equate to weak, y'know. “Versus– is something going to come out of those horns? Well? From the hero course, it's Mina Ashido!” 

Mina sighed, rubbing the back of her head. “Awh… my first match is gonna go straight to hell, isn't it?” She whined, and Caelus shrugs.

“If it makes you feel any better, I'll be holding back a lot.” Mina blinks in surprise, then gives a relieved sigh.

“Well, if that's the case…”

“Ready? Start!” 

“I might have a chance!” Mina slides forward, acid coating the ground beneath her feet and building up along her palm, and she throws some of it towards Caelus, but he leaps into the air before it can reach him, the concrete hissing as the acid makes contact. Caelus eyes the small glob before he zips forward, a flash of light exploding from his body and forcing Mina to look away. Though, the move turns out to be ill-advised, as Caelus dips to the ground, scoops her up in his arms, and starts flying towards the boundary. 

While Caelus and Mina were battling, Akumu noticed something in the corner of his eye. He glanced over at Izuku, noticing a notebook. For a moment, he looked away, just focused on seeing his friend fight. But then stops and double takes. Akumu leans over Izuku’s shoulder from behind. “...What are you doing?” 

Izuku jumped, a startled squeak coming from him. “N-Nikushimi!” Izuku almost choked on air. Emo boy jumpscare. He made no noise…!? “U-Uhm-... I was writing about your friend’s quirk… I hope that isn’t weird?”

No, it’s extremely weird. Akumu’s eyes narrowed as Izuku stuttered on his words. “...Hm… Why?”

“B-Because I thought it was an interesting quirk and wanted to analyze it!”

Ah. Autism. Not a creep. “...I see.” Akumu looks at the analysis of Caelus’ quirk on the papers. There was a small, crude sketch of Caelus on the page, a bunch of notes on it. It wasn’t very full, but it was accurate. There were notes of how Caelus’ wings work and how they shift, as well as his quick regeneration and the light coming from his body as a whole. “...Hm. Well, write away.” Akumu leans back into his seat, adjusting his mask. 

Mina grunts, coating her hand in acid and reaching back to smack Caelus with it. He sees her hand flying towards his face, and with a huff of breath, he drops her and flies away before she can touch him. Mina lands butt first on the concrete with a small “ eek! ”, then looks over at Caelus. “Hey! Did your mom ever tell you never to lay a hand on a lady?” She scowls as she stands up, eliciting a sigh from Caelus. 

“She did,” he says, and he zips forward again, faster than he had before. Before Mina can react, Caelus drops in front of her and throws a solid front kick. Mina just barely manages to catch the blow on her arm, but she can still feel the power behind it, the force causing her to stumble back a few steps. “She never said anything about my foot though.” He says with a shrug as he returns to his normal stance, and Mina only has a brief moment to process his words before Midnight's voice echoes out.

“Ashido is out of bounds! Gonzales moves on to the next round!” 

“Ehhh?!” Mina’s thoroughly shocked, and Caelus just pointed down at her back foot. She followed his finger, and her eyes widened, seeing that she had indeed stumbled out of bounds due to his kick.

“Awh man!”

Akumu doesn’t seem to react. Tenya looks down at Akumu, confused. “Eh? Aren’t you going to cheer for your friend?”

“No.” Akumu states, his tone flat. 

“Why?”

“Predictable.” 

Tenya furrows his eyebrows, unsure of how to respond to that. If that was the case, then Mina never stood a chance up against Caelus. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Now, we’ve got no time to lose! Let’s move onto the sixth match! Offense and defense in one body! The dark samurai accompanied by Dark Shadow! From the Hero Course, it’s Fumikage Tokoyami!” Akumu crossed both his legs and his arms. It was that one bird guy from the USJ incident. The one he fought alongside, and the one that had told him that he owed him one. He remembers him well. “Verses--... All-purpose Creation! She was admitted through recommendations, so her abilities are certified!” Oh. It was someone else he also worked with, back at the first hero basis training. What was her name again? “From the Hero Course, it’s Momo Yaoyorozu!” Ah. Right.

“Midoriya, what do you think of this match?” Ojiro leaned over the seat next to Izuku. 

“I think time will be the key.” Izuku replies as he turns to Ojiro.

“Time?”

“Sixth match, start!” Present Mic asserted. 

The class watched as Dark Shadow was called out. Right before Dark Shadow could hit, Momo managed to make a shield at the last second, blocking Dark Shadow’s attack. Akumu could tell that she was already struggling by the way she tried to create a weapon, only for Dark Shadow to strike again. One of the attacks managed to knock the shield right out of her arm, and she almost missed her chance to create another shield. Just by a hair, she had created another, only for her to get struck again by the shadow monster. The third strike had tossed her right out of bounds. Momo was about to create her weapon, but was stopped by Midnight.

“Yaoyorozu!” Midnight pointed her flogger at her, “out of bounds!” Momo’s eyes widened, and she looked down. She was, indeed, out of bounds. Her foot was past the line. “Tokoyami advances to the second round!” 

Fumikage recalls Dark Shadow and bows, honoring his fight with Momo. But Momo just stood there, stunned and grief stricken. “An overwhelming victory! A completely overwhelming victory! Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow! Could it be the greatest quirk ever?” Present Mic remarked. 

“Tokoyami’s too amazing…” Izuku muttered underneath his breath. “I can’t believe he forced her out of bounds just by focusing his attacks on the shield Yaoyorozu made.”

“He was not trying to hurt her?” Ojiro mused. Izuku only turned to him and nodded. “That’s how easy it was for him, huh? She must feel really frustrated…”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Okay! Let’s move on! Next up–...” The screen pops up, turning on to reveal Akumu and Eijirou. The class turns to see that Akumu wasn’t in his previous seat with Caelus. Wasn’t he just right there two seconds ago-...? “The seventh match is between Eijirou Kirishima and Akumu Nikushimi!” Both kids began to walk out of the entryways and revealed the two. “Manly and passionate hardening! From the Hero course, it’s Eijirou Kirishima!” Eijirou swallows hard as he looks at Akumu from across the battlefield. Those obsidian eyes were anything but friendly. “And here we have the living ghost himself! His presence is as cold as his quirk! The one who placed first in both previous events, from the Hero Course, it’s Akumu Nikushimi!”

“Well, this just feels unfair, ribbit .” Tsuyu comments as she looks towards the two fighters. 

“You fought a good fight, Kirishima.” Jirou sighs. 

All the while, Caelus seems a little too excited, despite the small bit of pity he felt for Eijirou. You fought a good fight.  

Mineta was falling asleep. He wasn’t paying attention at all. But that sleep was interrupted when he felt Jirou’s ear jack stab into his head. “Get a hold of yourself.” She grumbles.

“Let’s start this hauntingly passionate round!” As soon as Present Mic stated that, Akumu didn't move. But Eijiro does. His body hardens up and tosses the best right hook he could muster. His fist only phases through Akumu’s head, though. “And why don’t you look at that!” Present Mic exclaimed. “He really is a ghost!” 

Caelus shakes his head a bit. “I pray for your mental state, Eijirou.” He mutters, though he quickly lifts his head. “Actually, no, I'm praying for everyone's mental state.”

Eijirou tries to pull his arm out, but realizes that… He… Can’t? Blood begins to seep out of Akumu’s head, his eyes staring deep into Eijirou’s red ones. His heart stops, his arm pulling out roughly out of reflex. The crowd was quiet when blood spills and splatters onto the pavement, brain matter and skull tissue spreading onto the floor. Eijirou freezes as he stares at the large gaping hole in Akumu’s skull. Midnight flinches and Cementoss stands in his seat, about to run in and interfere. A scream elicits from Eijirou’s mouth, his legs feeling like jelly. He couldn’t help but drop to the ground. Did he just kill someone?

Caelus dragged a hand down his face, sighing in exasperation. “Dear gods, Akumu.” That mutter alone told the others that Akumu wasn't dead. Caelus felt a tap on his shoulder, seeing Hanta’s barely contained, horrified expression.

“...Does he always do that…?”

Caelus just huffs another breath. “No. This is him getting ‘creative.’” His voice is uncharacteristically serious, the eyes of his mask upside down hemispheres.

Hanta’s eyes widened more than they already were before he turned back to the match. “...C-Creative…?”

“This is one helluva way to get ‘creative…’” Denki shuddered.

“It's him. What do you expect,” Caelus leans back, running a hand through his hair.

“For him to be a little nicer to Kirishima-...?” The white haired boy snorts a laugh, but the sound falls flat, sounding hollow and empty.

Slowly, Akumu’s body began to regenerate. The pros’ eyes all widened as Akumu’s brain, skull, and skin reforms back. “...Did you really think it was that easy, Kirishima?” Eijirou’s heart was pounding and almost drowned out Akumu’s words. His head had looked like it never happened. “You’re sweet. Really, you are.” Akumu begins to walk towards Eijirou, who scrambles back up and hardens his arms back up. “But unfortunately, I have a family to please.” Akumu drops down and sweeps Eijirou off of his feet, causing him to fall to the ground. 

“N-Nikushimi really does have an effective quirk, huh…?” Mina shudders. She could feel the bile in her throat, threatening to spew. 

“...Aye…” Fumikage mutters. "...He does..."

“Nikushimi has… Intense regeneration…” Izuku writes down, his voice shaking from the sight. “He can easily heal… Even the most fatal of injuries…”

Akumu grabs Eijirou by the forearm and tosses the poor guy into the ground, the concrete denting and cracking below the force. It was at that moment that Caelus realized—he’s angry. He’s still angry. He would’ve gone much easier on Eijirou if he wasn’t. His expression becomes concerned, and he lifts a hand to his mouth, his brows knitting deeply. There's no way he would willingly go that hard on someone who wasn't me.  

“...Sorry, Kirishima.” He looks down at the stunned man before picking him back up and spinning around. Momentum gained up rather quick, and before Eijirou knew it, he was thrown out of bounds.

Present Mic tried to speak, but the way he spoke made it clear he was stunned. Horrified, even. “...K-Kirishima is out of bounds! Nikushimi advances to the next round! Nikushimi’s easy victory is indisputable!”

Akumu turns around and begins to walk out of sight, only to drop and phase through the ground. It didn’t take long before he returned to the rest of the class. He ignored any and all stares before he had sat back down next to Caelus. The white haired boy just sighed.

“I thought we said we would avoid traumatizing them as much as we could.” His words were casual, but his worry could be heard just underneath his calm veneer.

Akumu glances over at Caelus, his eyes moving down. Then up. And then he just fixes his gaze back forward. “...Oops.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Now, to help us all recover from that traumatizing match, we’ll start the next one! I hope you can all pay for a therapist!” Present Mic tries to lighten up the mood, but even he was shaken up. Aizawa had been reeling from that. He’s never seen one of his own students have their brains all over the damn floor. It gave him a heart attack. The screen pops up to open to Katsuki Bakugou and Ochako Uraraka.

“This might be the second most disturbing match-up.” Tsuyu comments.

“I almost don’t want to watch, especially after Nikushimi’s…” Jirou rubs her hands against her upper arms at the thought. 

“This might not go so well.” Caelus sighs. Akumu hums in reply.

“...I think it’ll be fine.” Akumu states. That sentence made some people turn heads. Caelus looks towards Akumu, but before he could say anything, Denki beat him to it.

“Eh? Why??”

Akumu doesn’t turn his head. He watches as Ochako and Katsuki both walk to the battlefield. “...Bakugou is going to treat her like an equal.” He reaches for his soda, sipping from the can with a straw so he won’t have to take his mask back down. “There’s a reason why someone like him is going to treat someone like her as an equal, don’t you think?” Akumu lets those words hang in the air. Some of the students paused and looked at each other, blinking as they considered his words. 

Huh… Fair enough. Caelus turned back to watch the match. 

“The eighth and last match of the first round! He was kind of famous in middle school! This isn’t the face of a regular person! From the Hero Course, it’s Katsuki Bakugou! Verses--... She’s the one I’m rooting for-... From the Hero Course, it’s Ochako Uraraka!” The crowd begins to cheer for the both of them. It’s a complete turn-around from the last match, which was understandable. 

“Midoriya,” Tenya starts, “what was the strategy you were going to tell Uraraka earlier for her to use against Bakugou?”

Izuku looks down at his notebook. “It wasn’t much, really. Kacchan’s strong. In a real close combat fight, he has almost no openings, and the more he moves, the more he sweats, making his explosions stronger. He can use the blasts from his explosions to move around in the air, but if Uraraka uses her quirk to make him float, then she would have the upper hand. That’s why…” Izuku looks up from his notebook and looks towards the match. “The first thing Uraraka should do is…”

“Eighth match, start!” Present Mic announces. 

“...A swift attack!” Ochako begins to rush at Katsuki, keeping her body low to the ground. “Alright, that’s good! Even if it’s an accident, as long as she can touch him, she can make him float!”

“Bakugou won’t want Uraraka to get close to him…” Tenya turns to Izuku. 

“That’s why Kacchan won’t want to evade, he’ll want to counterattack!” He exclaimed. As soon as she got too close, Katsuki tossed an explosion in her face. 

Hm. I was right. Akumu looks upwards as he notices something—one of the ghosts had tapped his shoulder and pointed upwards towards the sky. Though, he keeps it to himself for now, and looks back down at the match.

“Uraraka!” Tenya and Izuku tensed up.

“Did he blast her…?” Mineta mumbled, concerned.

“Even though you’re fighting a girl, you have no mercy, do you, Bakugou?” Tsuyu muses. Katsuki sends another explosion. It seemed like he had her pinned down at first, only for the dust to clear and show that it was just her PE jacket. 

“Oh! She made her jacket float, and sent it over there!? She did it in an instant, too!” Present Mic remarked. But as soon as she was about to attack him from behind, he turned around and blasted her backwards. 

“He moved after he saw her?” Hanta muttered.

“With that reaction time, it doesn’t matter if there’s a smokescreen.” Denki grit his teeth as he watched. “With Uraraka not being able to activate her quirk unless she touches him, she’s at a disadvantage with Bakugo’s reflexes.”

The explosions only continued. As soon as she runs towards him, as soon as she tries to rush at him, he turns around and tosses a grenade-like blast right into her face. Yet, she keeps rushing at him. 

“Ochako-...” Tsuyu swallowed.

Jirou covers her face. “I can’t watch!” 

“Caelus.” Akumu nudged him. Then, he looked up towards the sky with his eyes. Caelus blinks before following Akumu’s sight. And there, Caelus saw it. A growing collection of concrete and flying in the air. Akumu then just looks back down at the match. 

“How’d you catch that?” Caelus asked.

“I didn’t.”

“Bakugou, don’t tell me… Your tastes run in that direction…” Mineta murmured to himself.

No matter how many times she kept rushing at him, Katsuki kept blowing the arena to smithereens. Pieces of concrete flew all over the place and smoke kept covering both bodies. No matter how long the match continued, it was the same result. She gets tossed out like a ragdoll and everyone cannot bear to watch. “Uraraka keeps attacking without rest, but… This is…” Present Mic grimaces as another explosion hits her. Over and over. More and more. Already, the booing from the crowd begins. “There’s booing from part of the crowd…” That’s when the announcer changes, Aizawa’s elbow meeting Present Mic’s face.

“Was that a pro saying he’s playing around? How many years have you been a pro?” He asserts, his eyes narrowing at the crowd. Present Mic turns at him with a confused “huh?” “If you’re saying that with a straight face, there’s no point in you watching anymore, so go home! Go home, and look into changing careers!” 

Everyone stopped, and the class looked up towards the announcer’s room. “Mr. Aizawa…” Izuku muttered. Akumu just sips his soda, leaning back into his seat.

“Damn-...” Caelus snickered.

“Bakugou is being careful because he’s acknowledged the strength of his opponent who has made it this far. It’s because he’s doing everything he can to win that he can’t go easy on her or let his guard down.” Aizawa stops there. Already, Akumu can feel eyes on him. Probably because he was right.

“...Look up.” That was all Akumu stated. At that point, everyone looked upwards at the sky, their eyes collectively widening as they witnessed the mass amounts of concrete floating right above Katsuki. All of those pieces of concrete began to fall and rain down. Their eyes only widened further. Akumu can only wonder how this will end. He figures Katsuki’s reaction time is fast enough, but it was always nice to keep himself guessing. 

“A meteor shower!?” Present Mic was just as stunned.

“You should’ve noticed.” Aizawa flatly stated.

“She had a desperate plan like that up her sleeve!?” Izuku stood up, absolutely baffled.

At that moment, Katsuki looked up, reached into the air, and tossed up an explosion. He had gathered enough sweat to completely deflect the attack while she rushed at him. The force of the explosion caused her to run back. It only took one explosion before everything she had worked for had been destroyed. Every. Single. Bit. “B-Bakugou delivers a satisfying explosion! He blasts boldly through Uraraka’s secret plan!” Present Mic announced. Ochako tries to get up, nearly stumbling. She was about to rush in again, and Katsuki was already running towards her. Though, he stops, right as she drops to the ground. “Uraraka’s down!”

“Uraraka…” Tenya whispered.

“She passed her limit a long time ago…” Izuku swallowed.

That’s when Midnight stepped in. She steps towards Ochako’s body, motioning for Katsuki to stop. She checks Ochako’s trembling body, and finally, she announces… “Uraraka’s out of commission… Bakugou advances to the second round!”

“Hm…” Akumu narrows his eyes. “...That was close.” 

“Close? How was that close!?” Jirou demanded.

“Had he been a second too late, he would’ve been crushed with many fractures and broken bones.” Akumu’s words made the students stop for a moment. “...Why else did you think he treated Uraraka as an equal?”

Caelus nodded in agreement. He can see where Akumu’s coming from. The amount of times that he’s heard that men should go easy on women was insane to him. This was a Hero Course, not a nursery. He only went easy on Mina because he knew his skill level was far greater than her own, thanks to Akumu’s family, no doubt. 

Ochako was carried off to the nurse. “The eighth match of the first round…” He pauses for a moment, his excitement leaving his voice and replacing it with a solemn tone. “Oh yeah, Bakugou advances to the second round.”

“If you’re gonna do it, do it properly.” Aizawa states, the microphone still on. Caelus bites back a laugh.

“Now, let’s pull ourselves together—...” His voice gains that energy again, but passive aggressively.

“You’re really letting your personal feelings take over…”

“The first round is all done! Let’s move on to the next round quickly after a short break!”

Chapter Text

Ochako was carried off into the infirmary while Katsuki came back to the crowd with the rest of the class. “Hey, Bakugo!” Hanta starts, “that was tough, huh? Playing the bad guy.” 

“Even if it was because of the match-up, you played an amazing villain, Bakugo.” Tsuyu hummed. Akumu’s breath hitched. They didn’t listen to him at all-... Well, that will be the last time he opens his big fucking mouth. 

“Shut up! Be quiet!” Katsuki snapped at them, walking down to one of the seats. 

“But man, I can’t believe you were able to aim such a huge blast at a frail girl.” Denki points accusingly at Katsuki. “I couldn’t help but hold back.”

“Aoyama almost blasted you off, Kaminari.” Tsuyu blinked.

“Y-You know what, Tsu-...” Denki grumbled.

Akumu watched as Bakugo sat down a chair away from his own. He glanced at the blonde for a split second before looking back down towards the ground. “...What part of her was frail?” He barely heard him mumble underneath his breath. So he definitely was right. Not to mention, Akumu can’t help but agree. No “frail” girl could take a direct hit like that.

“Hey, Akumu,” Caelus starts, “can you get me a coffee? Since I assume you’re getting up to grab a soda anyway.”

“...Sure.” Akumu hummed as he stood up.

The short break wasn’t much. Akumu had stood up and left the crowds not too long ago. One, to head to the bathroom, and two, to go get his fourth soda while he went to get Caelus a canned coffee. His fingers twitched in his pockets as he walked. He was still angry. Maybe his emotions were dragging out too much. He hasn’t felt this way in a long time. He didn’t even care that Shoto knew he was born the way that he was. So why? Why was he so mad? The animosity he held for Shoto was unexplainable. Was it because of the mention of his mother? No, it can't be. Or maybe it was the accusation? Maybe…? Well, Shoto was right, so it wasn’t like that could be a real reason as to why he’s pissed. Or maybe it was because Shoto had pried on his incredibly private life? The life he had worked so hard to keep under wraps. The attention he had tried all his life to keep away from himself.

…Yeah.

Yeah, that was it. 

It was like the ghosts that followed him everywhere. Attention. Love. Fame. Praise. It was everything he didn’t want. All he wanted in this life was to keep one person by his side. Just a singular person. And he found that person. A brother he can stick by for all of eternity. But this really was the life of a hero, wasn’t it? He doesn’t know why Shoto even knows anything about his mother. Not even he knows much about her. He’s only heard of stories. Stories that kept him up at night. Stories that didn’t add up. Stories about all the past warriors. They were just legends, no? Old, lying tales. Tales made to scare children or give them false hope and motivation to strive for something unattainable.

His thoughts were interrupted when he accidentally bumped into someone. “Ah-... Sorry…” Akumu muttered before he looked up. He paused when he saw who it was. It was that brainwashing boy from earlier. They both just stared at each other for a good, long while. What was his name again? Hitoshi Shinsou?

“...That was a good match back there.” Hitoshi said after that long moment of silence. Akumu blinked.

“...Huh?”

“You really gave everyone a scare.” Hitoshi’s voice was unchanging, but the lack of inflection didn’t mean that he was lying. Akumu can’t sense any deception from him. “A living ghost, huh?”

Oh boy, here we go. Akumu can’t help but wonder why he’s so chill about it. It was both disturbing but also comforting, in a morbid way. “...Uhm… Yeah.” He muttered. “...Brainwasher?”

“...Yeah.” Hitoshi shoved his hands into his pockets. The silence began to settle in again. Was it awkward? A little. But it wasn’t unwelcome. It gave both of them a chance to just gather their words. To think for a moment. Someone from general studies made it this far… It was hard to ignore that fact.

“...I think…” Akumu started, making Hitoshi blink as he patiently waited for Akumu to finish his sentence. “...That you would make a good hero…” Hitoshi blinked at that. Akumu looked down, and didn’t say much else after. Instead, he walks past Hitoshi. Hitoshi watched him leave. He was about to call out to him, to say something about that. But he just watched Akumu turn the corner and disappear from his view. A sigh left his lips as he turned around to head back to the waiting rooms. But as he walks off, he feels something in his pocket. Hitoshi, confused, took out what he felt in his pocket, and saw it was a piece of paper, which was neatly folded. Huh? He unfolds the piece of paper.

“+1 (xxx) xxx-xxxx -Nikushimi”

Hitoshi’s eyes widened once he realized what it was. His heart had almost skipped a beat. When did he-...?

Meanwhile, Akumu had returned to Caelus after grabbing their drinks. He hands Caelus his coffee as he pops open his soda. Caelus cracks his drink open, taking a long sip before he turns to Akumu. “Damn bro, how low is your blood sugar?”

“Very.” Akumu sighed, inserting a straw in the opening before taking a sip from beneath his mask. “...But also, I need caffeine.” 

“Why don’t you just drink more coffee?”

“I like the carbonation.”

Caelus sighed. He, on the other hand, hated soda for that same reason. “...You’re weird, bro.”

“Correct.”

The match was close to starting. Not yet, but close. As Akumu and Caelus sipped on their drinks, they noticed Ochako. It looked like she just came back from sobbing her eyes out, considering how her eyelids looked, but she was still trying to act like herself. To be fair, that last match was harsh. “The second round hasn’t started yet?” She asked as she approached Fumikage and Tenya. Tenya nearly jumped when he saw her. “I’ve gotta watch.”

“Were your eyes hurt!? You must hurry to Recovery Girl—-...” Tenya said, concerned.

“I already went. This is, you know… It’s different.” She rubs her eyes as she sits between Fumikage and Tenya.

“It’s different?” He asked, still very much concerned. But he fixes his gaze forward towards the match. “If that’s the case, then you must’ve been really frustrated earlier.”

“Rather than feeling regretful right now, you should use this next match as a source of encouragement.” Fumikage stated.

“Yeah,” Ochaco nodded with agreement.

“That’s true.” Tenya hummed.

For a while, they sat there, waiting for the match to start. But as they waited, that’s when Ochaco piped up. “...Wait, Tokoyami?” She starts, turning to look at him. “Don’t you fight with Nikushimi soon?”

Fumikage was silent for a good moment. Then, he turns to look at Akumu, who was more or less falling asleep as he was sipping his soda. To think he can still fight while exhausted was, for a lack of better words, concerning as hell. He can only wonder what Akumu at full energy could do. He turns back to the arena. “...Yeah. I will.” He doesn’t know if he should be terrified or not, especially after that display with Eijirou. Ochaco shuddered at the thought of Akumu in another match. 

“Ah… Aren’t you worried? His quirk is kind of scary…”

“...I think he’ll hold back a little on me.” 

“Eh? What makes you think so?”

Fumikage recalls the USJ incident. He had turned to look at Akumu on that bus. He didn’t miss the way Akumu reacted to his words. Despite all that cold stoicism Akumu wears around in public, it felt like he saw a glimpse of who he was in reality. He’s not stupid. Far from it. There’s something Akumu’s hiding under that cold front. Fumikage looks back at Akumu, who looks like he had put the soda down, and can sense the malice radiating from him. But not just malice. Something else.

Misery.

Dejection.

Something that he was masking.

“...Just a hunch.” Fumikage looks away.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Thanks for waiting everybody! The first match of the second round is going to be an interesting one!” Present Mic remarked into the announcements. “The man who won a huge victory in the first round and literally left the audience frozen– From the hero course, it's Shoto Todoroki!” The dual haired boy walks out into the arena, a soft wind rustling through his hair, his expression cold and deadset. “Similarly, this guy managed to get his opponent out of bounds just by hurling a few insults! What kind of fight will he show us this time? From general studies, it's Hitoshi Shinsou!” Shoto was soon joined by the purple haired boy, who seemed to have gained a bit of confidence since his match with Midoriya. “Now– Shinsou versus Todoroki! Start!” He yelled, and Hitoshi smirked.

“...I talked to that guy.” Akumu hummed.

Caelus looked over. “Which one?”

“Both. But I talked to Shinsou right before the match started.” 

“What’d you guys talk about?”

“I gave him my number.”

Caelus’ eyes blinked a few times as he tried to process that. “...HUH??”

“I gave him my number.”

“So, you're Endeavour’s son, right?” Hitoshi called out, his hands tucked lazily in his pockets.

Shoto narrowed his eyes, but he didn't speak. He'd seen what happened during this boy’s match with Midoriya. His quirk is likely activated via call and response… Midoriya only fell under his influence after answering him.  

Hitoshi chuckles. “I'm going to take that sullen silence as a yes. You must've inherited his quirk, hm? And still, I haven't seen you use your fire at all. Why is that?” He tilted his head. Shoto wasn’t about to fall for that. If it was a response-based quirk, then he can’t risk speaking. Not even if—-... “Are you familiar with the term, ‘daddy issues,’ Todoroki?” Hitoshi’s grin began to widen. Shoto clenched his jaw, his hands balled up into fists. He can feel his knuckles turning white from the force. “I think you might have a few.” ...This bastard. Shoto's eyes narrow. I'm going to make him eat his words. He takes a single step forward, and ice bursts out from his right side, the air temperature dropping several degrees all at once. Hitoshi's eyes widened a bit, and he just barely managed to leap out of the way, his shock evident as he watched the jagged formations rush and pierce up from the concrete. After a moment though, he recovers, and he shakes his head.

“Whoa, seems I touched a nerve there, hm? There's definitely a past there. You mind telling me a little bit about it, ‘best in class’?” Hitoshi’s grin becomes more prominent, and Shoto swears he hears something break.

“Hey, Todoroki! Don't tell me you're slowing down after putting on such a stellar performance? C'mon, best in class, I know you can do it!” Caelus' taunting lilt echoes in his ears again, the eyes of that stupid mask curved up in that damnable grin, almost mocking. Shoto's knuckles scream with the pressure he's exerting on them, and when he lifts his head, his eyes are filled with fury.

Gotcha. Hitoshi feels smug satisfaction bloom in his chest, seeing the cracks in the half-and-half boy’s usual stoicism. He opens his mouth to say something else, but before he can, Shoto's rushing him, his left hand raised to attack. Gritting his teeth, the white haired boy throws a hard punch, which barely misses; Hitoshi can feel the wind brush by his jaw as he dodges back, stepping out to Shoto's left side. Shoto whirls on him, unrelenting, a thick fog of frost rising to cover his right hand. He makes a broad, upwards sweeping motion, and before Hitoshi can react, he's thrown back with the force as another ice wall forms. Hitoshi struggles against it for a hot second before letting his head fall back against the ice, groaning internally.

Looks like I pushed too hard this time. He huffs, and Midnight calls out to him. “Shinsou, can you move?”

“What do you think,” he deadpans, which Midnight takes as a satisfactory answer.

“Shinsou is immobilized! Todoroki advances to the next round!” 

Steam hisses up into the air as the ice is yet again melted, and Caelus hums to himself.

“Wonder what got him so worked up this time.”

“Who cares.” Akumu looks towards Caelus. “You should go to the waiting room. Your match is in like… Two minutes.” Caelus sighs.

“Don't remind me.” He runs a hand through his hair as he reluctantly stands up. “Well, alright then. Whether I win or lose, I'll see you soon.” He gives a wave, then turns to leave.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Welcome back everyone! I hope you've all got your snacks and cameras, because the next match will be one you won't want to miss!” Present Mic exclaimed, and the braziers blaze as Caelus and Denki approach the stage. “This transfer from the United States has only just arrived but he's already made a huge splash! He's consistently ranked at the top since the start of the events, taking down his opponents with a mix of dramatic flair and predatory skill! From the hero course, it's Caelus Gonzales!” The white haired boy cracks his knuckles, his expression unreadable behind his mask. “On the other hand, his opponent advanced through sheer power, but will he be able to take down the forthcoming champion threat? Also from the hero course, Denki Kaminari!” The blonde smirks as he approaches, his eyes flashing. 

“No hard feelings, right, Caelus?” He grinned, placing a hand on his hip, and Caelus only raised a brow beneath his mask.

“Only if there's none on your end.”

“Ready?! Start!”

“Don't worry!” Denki’s form crackles with electricity, and his eyes flash under the light generated by his quirk. “I won't have any reason to!” He shouts, discharging his power all at once. “Indiscriminate Shock, 1.3 million volts!”

Caelus lifts his arms to block the bolts, his wings wrapping around him to shield him. He was a bit surprised though; his wings weren't made of any type of insulator fabric, but he couldn't feel much of the  electricity. He could feel it crackle and snap at the clothes and skin on his legs, but not on his arms or body where it was covered by his wings. His eyes widened a bit. Are my wings absorbing the electricity? He realizes, and he looks over at Denki. Huh. Didn't know they could do that. As the electricity fades, Denki looks surprised to see Caelus still standing. 

“Hah?! How are you-...” He stands there in shock, but he comes back to his senses when he sees Caelus' body pulsing with light. He did that when he flashbanged Todoroki and those robots during the obstacle race. I gotta end this quick. Denki rushed towards Caelus, but he's blinded by a flash of light before he could get close. When he can see again, Caelus is a few feet away, and Denki only just managed to raise his arms in time to block the kick. 

“Whoa! Gonzales seems largely unaffected by the shock, and he gets in close to Kaminari!” Present Mic remarks, watching as Caelus attacks relentlessly. “Kaminari’s having a hard time defending against him! He's not being given any opportunity to ease up!” 

Caelus lands a powerful roundhouse on Denki's arm, and the blonde grits his teeth. He knows that these are definitely going to bruise. Let's hope this works… otherwise I'm screwed. He takes a deep breath, and his body crackles again. Caelus’ eyes widen, and he leaps back. 

He's trying this again? Is he trying to hold out until time runs out? No, it hasn't been that long yet; I think this is him trying to take me out before I knock him out. He's probably going to short circuit after this. Caelus' eyes narrow, and he makes a decision in the next second. When Denki discharges his electricity, Caelus’ wings grow in size, gold pendants dangling from the hem of the thick crimson cloak as it wraps around him, protecting him from the powerful shocks. He can feel it growing hotter the more electricity it consumes, and he gets a little concerned. This wave is going on longer than before. Is he pushing himself to the limit to try and take me down? He glances over his shoulder, but ducks behind his cloak again. Never mind. Let's just finish this match.

“...You guys might wanna cover your eyes.” Akumu said. Despite his words, he was looking straight at the match. Katsuki’s eyebrows narrow and he looks at Akumu.

“Why aren’t you looking away?”

“I wanna see him explode.”

“He’s going to wh-?” Before Katsuki could finish his sentence-...

The crackling of electricity finally subsided, and it's silent for what feels like an eternity. Then–...

“BANG!,” followed by a high pitched ringing sound. Painfully bright light explodes from the form of Caelus across the stage, and its blinding effect remains for a good five seconds before it fades. 

Akumu was staring straight at it. After the explosion, he blinked a few times and then rubbed his eyes a little after the whole thing. It felt like he had snow vision for a moment before he looked back at the match. “Why’d you look at it!?” Katsuki scolded him. “Are you fucking stupid?” 

“...Funny.” Akumu hummed.

“HAH!?”

There's a stunned silence in the stadium, then—“Kaminari is out of bounds! Gonzales advances to the next round!” Midnight shouts, and Tsuyu tilts her head.

“Where is Kaminari, ribbit ?” She looks around the stage, and Akumu points. Following the line of Akumu's finger, the others can all see the form of Kaminari slumped in the grass around the stage. Katsuki's eyes widened. That knocked him all the way back there?! Aren't his explosions weaker than mine? He frowns. No, it wasn't that time. Is it because sparky used all that electricity on him? Did his wings absorb it and throw it right back at him? He huffed, folding his arms over his chest. That's something to definitely be careful of.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“We’re back here with the third match!” Present Mic announced as he began the next fight. “From the last match, the dark knight himself had taken down All-purpose Creation! From the Hero Course, it’s Fumikage Tokoyami!” The crowd was loud, but Present Mic was louder. When students looked back towards where Akumu used to sit, there was only his soda there next to Caelus. That phasing ability really does feel like teleportation sometimes. “And we have the breathing corpse, a terrifying, yet amazing student, from the Hero Course, it’s Akumu Nikushimi!” 

The two students stood in the ring. The arena was fixed, thankfully, after Caelus had blown up the place by accident. Poor Denki. But the two stare at each other. The bird boy that he had fought with… “I’ll do my best, Nikushimi.” He perked up a little when he heard Fumikage speak. Akumu blinked when he heard that. “I do not think I can win. But I’ll give you a memorable fight.” 

…How interesting. Akumu tilts his head to the side a little. “...Is that so?” He hummed before fixing his head straight again. “Then come. Try to kill me, Tokoyami.” His tone was flat and unchanging. But that was a challenge. A challenge he was hoping that Fumikage was willing to take. “...Unless you want to disappoint me.” Fumikage nearly flinched at those words. Try to kill him? That was against the rules. Beyond illegal. But Akumu can’t die, can he? There’s no way he could, not after his brain matter had coated the floor in a new red stain. But he doesn’t necessarily want to hurt Akumu, either… God, he was torn. He didn’t stop to think just how far Akumu was willing to go just to seem like he didn’t care. He knows how much Akumu really does, those were violent words. Words he can’t understand. Why would Akumu go to such extremes? Fumikage swallows hard. His mouth had already gone dry.

“Now let’s start this dark duo!” As soon as Present Mic says that, Fumikage’s Dark Shadow bursts out of his body and rushes towards Akumu in an instant. But Akumu’s body drops into the floor. Literally. It was something he did a lot, and something he’ll continue to do. Mostly because it’s fun. “WHAAAAT!?” Present Mic yelled, “Nikushimi had completely disappeared into the floor! What can Tokoyami do now?” Fumikage’s eyes widened as he watched Akumu disappear into the floor. Fuck, he forgot he could do that. He could only look at the floor and keep moving so he won’t get caught by Akumu’s schemes, but who knows what the hell Akumu is planning down there? Fumikage tried to use Dark Shadow to watch his back as he stood careful.

Caelus watches Akumu's small figure drop into the ground, and he groans. “Of course he uses this fucking move, the little shit-...” 

“He’s got unpredictability on his side, doesn’t he?” Tsuyu observes as she watches Fumikage try to look around for Akumu, trying to make sure he doesn’t get caught. 

“Damn right…” Eijirou shudders, the feeling of Akumu’s insides still ingrained in his memory. He shudders from the way he remembers Akumu’s blood trickling down his fingers. That was going to scar him for life. 

Akumu finally pops out of the ground. Fumikage’s Dark Shadow attempts to counter him, and just by a hair, Akumu’s hand misses Fumikage and punches into Dark Shadow. “Dark Shadow, grab him!”

“ Aye! ”

The collar of Akumu’s shirt was yoinked. Ah. He managed to grab me. Akumu feels his body slam into the ground, his shoulder blades cracking the concrete underneath him. The class’ eyes widened from the sight.

“Look at that! Tokoyami had actually hit the living ghost!” Present Mic announced, “is Nikushimi not as invincible as we thought!?”

“He got a hit in!” Denki exclaimed.

“No way!” Hanta nearly stood up from his seat. “That’s possible!?”

Caelus raises a brow, looking over at the pair. “Of course it is. I've landed hits on him too, y'know.” He pointed out. “It's very difficult to attack effectively given Akumu's quirk, but if you pay attention and you're quick enough about it, you'll find an opening.” He then looks back down at the match. “But, he's never let me hit him with the same tactic twice, so you have to be planning five steps ahead by the time you make your move. Once he learns a new move from you, he’ll keep it in mind forever. Literally.”

Denki and Sero look stunned for a good while, before the black haired boy sighs and rubs the back of his head. “Man… you and Nikushimi are really tough opponents. Glad I only got Todoroki instead of one of you two.”

“Speak for yourself…” Denki grumbled. 

Akumu’s body sunk back down into the floor. Fumikage was about to get back and try to avoid the nearby floor. But he was too late. Akumu had already jumped back up right behind Fumikage and kicked him across the battlefield. Fumikage nearly choked on his tongue, but gained his bearings, landing on his feet and keeping himself from crossing the boundary line. “Has Nikushimi found his match!? He landed a devastating kick to Tokoyami!” Fumikage’s Dark Shadow rushes at Akumu’s left, and he jumps to dodge, only for Dark Shadow to dupe him and hit his right shoulder. He’s good, I see. Before Akumu could let Dark Shadow drag him by the arm, Akumu used his free arm to push at Dark Shadow. There was a distant crack. And then Fumikage heard a tear. Not just a tear from fabric, but skin tearing. His heart dropped into his stomach, but he knew that he couldn’t get distracted. Despite feeling his stomach churn, he swallowed his nausea down and narrowed his eyes towards Akumu. Akumu lands on the ground. His arm was ripped off, but it was nothing but a minor inconvenience. His torn arm was tossed aside. The bone was visible, strings of muscle and chunks of fat were left behind. Blood spewed from Akumu’s form. But all Akumu does is rise up, his slow movements uncanny. He faces the ground before an arm, a new one, shoots out from the stump of his shoulder. 

Izuku’s eyes widened before looking back down at his notebook. “Nikushimi’s… Regeneration is… Near instantaneous…” He writes down, mumbling underneath his breath.

 Before Fumikage could even think, Akumu was already rushing at him. Dark Shadow was just about to strike, but Dark Shadow was too late. Fumikage’s movements were too slow. Instead of a punch or a kick, Akumu grabbed Fumikage by the wrist, tossed him over his shoulder, and slammed him down into the ground. “...Too slow.” Akumu deadpanned before raising his leg and slamming his heel down into Fumikage’s back. Fumikage yelped from the rough attack. Dark Shadow grabbed Akumu’s leg, almost missing his opportunity by a nail, before slamming Akumu back into the ground. But Akumu phased through just in time. Fumikage got up, his back aching and throbbing from the kick. Akumu doesn’t miss a beat, does he? Fumikage endured the pain as best he could as he looked around. 

“They both are trading blows! Is it about to get bloodier!?” Present Mic remarked. 

“He’s holding back, isn’t he?” Tsuyu hummed, tilting his head a little. That makes Jirou look over towards her, raising an eyebrow.

“What makes you think so?” From what she was seeing, she thought that both of them were going all out.

“He hasn’t transformed into something else yet.” Tsuyu blinked, but kept her eyes on the match. Caelus nods in agreement, his gaze unwavering from the fight. 

“No doubt about it. He could toss Tokoyami out of bounds without a problem at this point.” He said, leaning back in his seat. Now that I think about it… he's probably just toying with Tokoyami right now.

Fumikage could feel something at his feet. He looked underneath him, seeing a pair of pale hands grabbing him by the ankles. Soon enough, Akumu pops out of the ground while swinging Fumikage’s body across the arena. Akumu dusts himself off while Midnight whips her flogger and points it at Fumikage, who was struggling to get up. “Tokoyami is out of bounds! Nikushimi advances to the next round!” Akumu walks up to Fumikage and holds out a hand towards him. Fumikage looks at his hand before glancing up at him—then back at his hand. He takes it and Fumikage stands up.

“...Good fight.” Akumu turns away from him and walks away. Fumikage watches him walk off. While Akumu was walking off, Fumikage noticed something on his arm. When he ripped his arm off, he didn’t notice that his sleeves were torn. At first, he just stares. He didn’t realize how many scars were on his skin… Then, he just nods, and turns to walk back into the stadium. That’s not something he should dwell on.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Alright everybody! The last match of the quarter finals!” Present Mic announced, his voice echoing through the stadium. “With both of them possessing insane speed and power, it's a battle for the top! From the hero course, it's Tenya Iida! Versus– Also from the hero course, Katsuki Bakugou!” Tenya’s glasses flashed in the light, a glare of determination in his eyes as he stared down the blonde. “Start!”

Tenya takes off, the sound of wind whooshing as he sprints towards Katsuki. The blonde's eyes widen, and with a loud “BANG, ” he dodges into the air, landing behind him. Tch… not giving me time to think, is he? Katsuki scowled, his palms crackling as he aimed an explosion towards Tenya, only for the other boy to change direction mid-stride. 

Jirou sees Caelus watching intently, and she leans over his shoulder. “What do you think of this match?” She asked, and Caelus glanced up at her before looking down again.

“Time is definitely going to be a key factor here.”

Jirou blinks. “Eh? Why?” She tilts her head, and Caelus leans back so he can better see her. 

“In terms of flexibility, Katsuki- I mean, Bakugou's the stronger of the two. Given how Iida’s main strong point is his speed, he'll probably want to try and rush Bakugou and not give him a chance to attack. The best way to do that would be to use his Recipro, but he also has to be extremely careful about it. Since Recipro has a time limit, he only has that amount of time before he's left open and Bakugou takes the win. But, alternatively, if he takes too long, then it'll be a draw.” Jirou is a bit stunned by how in-depth Caelus' analysis is, and she's once again reminded that there's more to him than he lets on.

Katsuki growls, dodging yet another kick from Tenya. This damn four-eyes… all he's doing is rushing me, so I can't get a chance to properly blow him to hell. He whirls around as Tenya zooms behind him, and his palms explode again. “C'mon! Quit fucking around already and let me kill you!” He shouts, smoke rising from around him. The blue haired boy's eyes narrow, considering the challenge. 

I could use Recipro, but then I'd only have a small window to get him out of bounds. I don't know if I can handle him while my engines are stalled, but I'm not getting anywhere just attacking normally either. Tenya clenches his jaw, bracing himself. It's worth a shot.

His engines rev louder, and the flames coming out of them intensify, then turn a bright, burning blue. Katsuki’s scowl turns to a grin, his eyes flashing with excitement. Finally.  

Caelus watches as Tenya activates his Recipro, Jirou watching over his shoulder in surprise. He was right; Iida really is using his Recipro. She blinks. He must be getting desperate to finish this .

“...Sonic.” Akumu muttered. Caelus elbows him as he stifles a snicker. “What?”

“You can’t say that about people!”

“Am I wrong, though?”

“No, but still-...” 

Tenya rushes straight for Katsuki. If Katsuki’s reflexes are fast, he just needs to be a little faster. 

Katsuki's eyes widened a bit. He's faster than I thought-... He barely has time to register the thought before Tenya lands a kick, slamming him into the ground. Hard. Katsuki growls, and before Tenya can get away, Katsuki grabs his calf and releases an explosion from his palm. Tenya grits his teeth, then kicks Katsuki away. The blonde grunts as the other boy’s foot makes contact with his chest, knocking the wind out of him. 

Only five seconds left. Damnit, I've got to hurry-! Tenya rushed towards Katsuki again, aiming to grab his collar and drag him out of bounds. This time, though, he was ready for him, and the blonde manages to dodge out of the way, though he can feel the wind of Tenya running past beneath him. He lands heavily on the ground, turning to face Tenya as the blue haired boy turns to face him again. Tenya prepares to sprint at him again, but before he can, smoke sputters out from his mufflers, and his eyes widen. Oh no-!

Katsuki sees Tenya freeze, and his eyes flash. He's stalled! He grins, explosions beginning to bubble up from his palms. Time's up, four eyes. Katsuki flies forward with the help of his explosions. Tenya looks up from his engines just in time to see Katsuki approaching, but before he can do anything, Katsuki has him. The blonde grabs Tenya's collar, shouting as he uses his quirk to propel him out of bounds. “Die!”

Tenya yells as he's thrown through the air, landing hard in the grass and rolling for a long while before coming to a stop. Midnight raises her hand. “Iida is out of bounds! Bakugou moves on to the next round!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Another small break. Akumu was in the waiting room with a new PE shirt. He had replaced his black long-sleeve with a new one and was slipping on his PE uniform. In the next battle, he was going to fight him. He was going to fight Shoto. He’s been itching to do so ever since that stupid conversation. He doesn’t even know why he’s still so worked up over it. He didn’t see Shoto in the crowd with the class, so he could only assume Shoto had been watching on his own. It felt like Shoto had crossed a line he didn’t even know he had. If Shoto didn’t know he had crossed a line either, he was about to learn. You don’t just say shit like that. Not now, not ever. While Akumu sat in the waiting room, he pulled his phone out and began to text Caelus. But while he was about to click on Caelus’ contact, he got an unknown number texting his phone.

[???] : This is Nikushimi right?

[Akumu] : Yes, this is he. Who’s this?

[???] : This is Hitoshi Shinsou, u gave me ur number?

[Akumu] : Oh. Hello. 

Hitoshi has been added to your contacts!

[Hitoshi] : U did good last round

[Hitoshi] : I just wanted to tell u that

[Akumu] : Thanks. I’m going against Todoroki next, though.

[Hitoshi] : Beat his ass 4 me

[Akumu] : Okay.

Akumu shut his phone off. He was going to text Caelus, but guess not. He kind of did leave without words, to be fair. Caelus didn’t question it earlier when he watched Akumu get up and leave the crowd and into the inside of the stadium. He knows he still needs to hold back, but the urge to go all out on someone as self-centered at Shoto… Jesus, he needs to get his head straight. He shouldn’t even be this mad. He’s never been this mad when someone called him a girl or a woman before. He tried to tell himself he was being irrational. Besides, the spirits were never wrong, and said Shoto was an ally. So why was he so pissed? He took in a slow, deep breath. Keep it together… Maybe he won’t text Caelus for now.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Thanks for waiting! It is now time to start the semi-finals everybody!!” Everyone cheered, their voices screaming in excitement at the sound of Present Mic’s announcement. The fire from the corners of the arena lights back up. In the middle, there stood Shoto and Akumu. They were both staring at each other, Akumu’s withdrawn expression staring into Shoto’s stoic one. “The first match of the semifinals! With both of them from hero families, it’s a battle of the elites! From the Hero Course, it’s Shoto Todoroki! Verses—-... Also from the hero course, Akumu Nikushimi!” The crowd’s cheers grew louder. The two students stare at each other for a good long while. Akumu’s expression hardened as he stared at Shoto longer, his eyes unblinking and not prying away. They didn’t say anything to each other. They didn’t need to. Shoto can feel the antipathy radiating from him. Akumu’s heart was pounding. He tried to keep his breathing slow and steady. He wasn’t nervous. Far from it. “Match, start!” Present Mic announced. Ice shot out from Shoto’s foot. The ice wall that had engulfed Hanta before had caught up to Akumu, swallowing up the student. For a while, it seemed like Akumu wasn’t coming out.

“Can’t he just phase through it?” Hanta’s eyebrow quirked up, his head tilting a little. “Why’s he letting himself stay in there?” 

Denki shrugged his shoulders. “Hell if I know.” Denki looked down towards Caelus. “You got any idea?”

Caelus both shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. 

Shoto’s eyes narrowed towards the ice wall. He expected Akumu to come out of there at any point in time. But he doesn’t. Instead, Akumu suddenly jumps out behind him, twisting his body and delivering the nastiest kick to the shoulder. “A direct hit!” Present Mic announced. Shoto’s body slams into the floor, his body causing the floor to dent and crack underneath him. Shoto nearly choked on his tongue. Before he could even process that he had hit the floor, Akumu grabs Shoto by the collar of his shirt and raises his other fist. The first blow hurt. But in the second blow, he swore he felt his jaw crack and neck crack. Then, he pulls Shoto up and forces him to stand back up. Akumu’s teeth clenched behind his mask as he watched Shoto stumble backwards. Shoto tries to ice him again, to see if he could get his physical body stuck for just a moment. But he was too late. Akumu was already back through the floor.

Shoto expected Akumu to be behind him again. As he turned, he wasn’t met with Akumu’s opaque form. There was his shoe, instead. Instead, Akumu appeared beside Shoto and kicked upwards. Shoto nearly bit his tongue as was sent backwards, his form landing a few meters away. “Oooooh, another direct hit!” Present Mic remarked as Akumu waited for Shoto to get back up. 

He’s not letting me think… Shoto grunted in pain as he rose back to his feet. “Is that it?” Akumu deadpans, one of his eyebrows raising in disappointment. Shoto’s eyes flicker with a bit of confusion. “Is this the ‘best in class?’” Akumu’s icy words speared into Shoto’s chest. Something scalding felt like it had hit his chest. “I expected better from the likes of you.” Akumu lets those words hang in the air as Shoto swallows hard. He underestimated Akumu’s rage quite a bit… “Come.” Akumu’s tone was unchanged. Shoto’s eyebrows furrowed. “...Come?” What does that-... Shoto blinked as he watched Akumu just stand there, as if taunting him. Is he underestimating me? Shoto’s jaw clenched as he began to rush towards Akumu. Ice shot back out towards Akumu, freezing one of Akumu’s arms. The cold seems into the already freezing skin. For a moment, it seemed like Shoto had a chance. But then Akumu rips his arm off and a new one replaces it in a couple of seconds. Then, he breaks his leg out of the ice, his foot kicking Shoto against his forearm. Shoto lands onto the ground with a grunt, but manages to catch himself before he starts rolling. Akumu watches Shoto, his head cocking to the side. “You expect to only fight me with half of your power?” Akumu took a step towards Shoto, who was rising back to his feet. “How pitiful. You haven’t even landed a scratch on me, and Fumikage had in two seconds. I wonder what that says about you..”

Caelus watched as Akumu kept attacking Shoto, his eyes narrowing. So Shoto’s the true target of his anger. He lifts a hand to his face, holding his chin in thought. He’s going a lot harder than he usually would; it’s like his match with Eijirou all over again. He frowns. I can’t ask Akumu about it. He most likely won’t tell me anything. He sighed. Guess I have no choice but to go straight to the source. Caelus refocuses on the match, his eyes locking on Shoto.

 Oh, he really underestimated Akumu’s anger. Shoto didn’t plan on losing, and clearly, Akumu didn’t either. He had to think of something. “Best in class…” What a joke. Akumu’s eyes narrowed as he watched Shoto get up. This can’t be it, it cannot be. Shoto’s fists ball up, a vein popping in his forearm. He knows he can’t lose it here, but he planned on getting to the top without using his father’s quirk. To prove a damn point. But Akumu’s making this so difficult. Akumu stands there expectantly, waiting for Shoto to make a move. He’s not attacking every second, so he isn’t playing offense. But he wasn’t playing defense either. His guard was down. That’s how easy this was for him. Shoto felt like his heart was in his throat. Was this what it was like to be intimidated by someone else? Something about those unmoving eyes…

Blink, damnit-... Shoto stood there. Was he going to move or not? It was like he was waiting for Shoto to attack. It was beyond unsettling. His stoic demeanor faltered a bit, but as soon as it showed, it was gone. Shoto 

“You’re trembling, Todoroki.” Akumu hummed. Shoto’s eyes widened somewhat. Trembling? “You can’t use your ice forever now, can you? You have a limit.” Shoto didn’t even realize. But Akumu was right. He was trembling. He was getting cold. The icy feeling on his arms felt like it was seeping into his nerves, working like a slow poison. “You’re either going to give me everything you got, or you can just give up now. There’s no point in you standing in front of me if you’re going to cower.” Shoto clenched his teeth. What is this? Is he trying to get him to use his left side? Did his father sell him off or something? No. He had to prove a point. He can show that old man that he can do this without him. Without his damned quirk. Akumu dodges an ice wall before he sees Shoto rush at him. Did the speed of his ice slow down or something? Pathetic. Akumu’s form freezes when Shoto’s ice rushes at him again, but his body phases through it right before Shoto could toss a punch. Akumu’s body phases through Shoto and his arm solidifies again before he punches Shoto across the arena. His ice manages to stop him right at the border. Akumu stands there, still not playing the offense. He knew he got Shoto riled up. But he almost feels insulted that Shoto isn’t going at him with his full strength. 

This is a cycle that repeats. Shoto would try to rush him, Akumu would dodge or phase through it, and kick Shoto right at the edge of the border. Sometimes, he would watch Akumu rip an arm or a leg off if Shoto was too close to turn intangible in time. It was getting to the point that Shoto noticed that he was getting slow enough for Akumu to just take two steps away. He didn't even try to kick at him anymore. 

“It feels like he’s just making fun of Todoroki at this point.” Denki laughed. Though, his tone was dry and nervous. 

“Or maybe he was just trying to get Todoroki to use his left…” Izuku mumbled underneath his breath. “He wants Todoroki to do his best.”

“Should I stop it, Midnight?” Cementoss had one of his hands on the earpiece, which was connected to Midnight’s. “That Todoroki’s probably thinking, ‘Recovery Girl will heal me anyway,’ and is being reckless. He’s full of adrenaline right now, so he probably isn’t feeling much pain… But, those internal injuries… They probably won't be fully healed in one go… Even if he wins, he might not be able to fight in his next match.” Midnight stood there, listening to Cementoss’ words. She was uncertain. She can see the way Shoto was pushing himself too hard.

Akumu stands there, watching as Shoto just stands there after a few minutes of this cycle. “Why haven’t you stopped screwing around?” Akumu’s tone spat venom. He was getting irritated at this point. Why is Shoto so set on not using his full power? Was this a joke to him? “Hurry up!” He huffed, waiting for Shoto to make another move. All this time, Shoto hasn’t even touched him, outside of using his ice. Shoto’s right side was freezing more and more. Ice crystalized on his skin and his clothes.

“...Shut up…” Shoto clenched his teeth. He really was trying to make him use it. The thought of that made his skin crawl. It made him want to rush at him again and again. Yet, all this time, Akumu hadn’t gotten hit once. The ice had slowed him down so much, he hadn’t even noticed that Akumu had gotten close. Some of the ice on his skin shattered as he was punched square in the stomach. “...I will reject… My old man’s power…!” Shoto choked out as his body trembled. He rose to his feet, glaring at Akumu. Something iron-tasting began to seep into his tongue. 

Caelus feels his heart sink lower the longer the match goes on. He can’t hear what they’re saying, but the sight of Shoto just taking the beating Akumu handed to him was getting to him a bit. He’d seemed so set on winning before. Denki notices his seeming conflict, and he tilts his head. “Hey, you okay?” Caelus is snapped out of his thoughts, and he quickly shakes his head.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. Just… thinking.” He mutters, and he tries to look at Kaminari, but his eyes are drawn back to the match. He can’t bring himself to keep his eyes away for more than a few seconds. His hand clenched into a fist, his knuckles slowly turning white with the pressure. Something about this doesn’t sit right. Why is that…? Caelus sighs silently, his hand trembling with the force of his grip. Is it because of what I saw that day of training?

So that’s what it is, huh…? Akumu felt himself hesitate, just a bit. “Your old man’s power, huh? Is it not yours?” Akumu takes a step closer to Shoto, watching him get back up. Shoto’s angered expression falters at Akumu’s words. “Do you think I call my quirk my mother’s? No. It’s mine. Do you realize how ridiculous you sound?” Akumu’s head tilts to the side somewhat. “Come at me and stop fucking around.” Shoto’s eyes widened. He hadn’t realized… 

“You don’t have to be a prisoner of your blood.”

Shoto’s form stopped trembling. He felt this heat in his chest. It wasn’t just anger, but a fiery sense of determination. “Th-This is-...!” Present Mic sounded startled. Shoto saw Akumu’s expression change to that of satisfaction, but as quick as it had appeared, it was gone. 

“The fire’s here…” Ochaco’s voice strained as she put her hands up, hers and everyone else’s hair flying back from the wind. 

“H-He used it!” Tenya whispered. 

Pretty… Caelus thought, his eyes staring into the fire. … I could probably jump in that and live.  

Akumu took a step back, his arm shielding his eyes from the bright fiery blast that came from Shoto’s body. When the light died a bit, his left side was still ignited. “Damn it…” Shoto felt his eyes tear up a small amount. To be angry at your opponent… And give them some damned pep talk… Shoto swallowed as he watched Akumu prepare to rush at him. Who’s screwing around now?  

“Shoto!!” Someone from the crowd. Akumu blinked and looked into the crowd. 

Was that Endeavor…? Akumu blinked again. What was that? 

One by one, the other students and the other people in the crowd looked towards the number 2 hero. 

Caelus looked up at the sound of someone shouting Shoto’s name. A man with dark red hair and flames coating his face and suit came into view, and he hated him immediately. …The fuck does this bastard think he’s doing? He frowns. Does he not understand the concept of keeping a low profile?

“...Huh-?” Present Mic was just as stunned.

“Have you finally accepted yourself!?” Endeavor began to walk down the steps from the crowd. “That’s it! Good! It all starts from here for you!” His voice sounded a little too joyful. Akumu’s eyes looked between Shoto and Endeavor. Ah. He’s that type of parent, huh? He’s seen this one too many times. No wonder why Shoto was so set on not using his left. “With my blood, you will surpass me… You will fulfill my desire!”

Okay dude, we get it, you can shut up now. Caelus scowls. The longer this guy talks, the more irritated he gets. He’s known a lot of people like this, and they disgust him to no end. His hand twitches with the urge to punch something. Or someone. Preferably this guy. But before he can get too deep into his head about thoughts of picking fights, he looks back down at the stage, towards the light dancing off the stadium walls from Shoto’s flames.

“Endeavor suddenly shouts encouragement…?” Present Mic questioningly voices into the announcements. “Such a doting father.”

Akumu looked back at Shoto. ...He’s ignoring him. Good. Akumu’s black irises bleed into his scleras. Looks like he can finally get serious. The pain in Shoto’s body was numb. Like the pain was but a distant feeling. Any bones Akumu may have fractured felt like they didn’t exist. Shoto may have hit his limit a long time ago, but he still wants to be a god damn hero. His ice shoots out and crystallizes around the arena and creates an ice sheet on the ground. Meanwhile, a wall of ice shoots towards Akumu. The fire follows behind the ice, creating vaporized, elemental overload. Akumu was rushing at the ice while the ice exploded from the sudden heat from the dam of fire.. He felt the cold hands of the dead grab and hold onto his arm. The hands that came before him, their glacial, frigid fingers digging into his skin. 

Cementoss got up and put his hands on the ground. “Midnight!” Cement began to warm and formed walls between them. “If they keep going, it’ll be bad—-!”

“His body won’t hold up!” Midnight ripped up a piece of her sleeve to use her quirk.

The cement walls shoot up between them. Five thick barriers. Midnight’s sleeping gas runs across the battlefield. But as soon as they both tossed their arms, fire, ice, and wind flew past the crowd. A deafening explosion blew through all those walls, air that was both hot and cold flew by the entire stadium, and a blinding light lingered for a solid eight seconds. Midnight and the risers she stood on were blown backwards. Pieces of cement flew out of the arena entirely. People were nearly blown out of their seats.

Despite the concrete that had shattered due to the force of the explosion, Caelus stood up, heading to the edge of their box to try to get a better look at the stage. Are they both alright?  

“What the heck!?” Mineta barely held onto the seat. Below him, Tsuyu was grabbing onto the seat in front of her while six-arms covered his face from the wind. 

“Man, seriously??” Denki exclaimed with pure shock. Eijirou clenched his jaw as he looked wide-eyed at the arena. Next to him, Katsuki was beyond stunned. Fumikage’s eyes widened considerably, his fingers tightening on his arms. His teeth were clenched, unsure of whether to be worried or frightened.

“What happened!?” Momo was aghast. Izuku couldn’t even write down what he saw there because of the explosion and the smoke.

“The air that had been cooled with the formation of Todoroki’s ice was rapidly heated up and expanded with the emergence of his fire, and it caused an explosive expansion.” Caelus mumbled in awe, the eyes of his mask wide like full moons. “Holy fucking shit… ”

“Just because something is powerful doesn’t mean it’s good,” Cementoss muttered to himself as the wind finally began to clear up. The smoke and smog continued to linger for a solid twelve or so seconds before it began to clear up a little. “...But this is amazing…”

“What was that just now…?” Present Mic’s voice strained with astonishment. He had fallen backwards next to Aizawa. “What the heck is up with your class?” 

“The air that had been cooled thoroughly was suddenly heated up and expanded.” Aizawa announced. The microphone picks up Present Mic getting back up in a split second.

“That’s what created this explosion…? Just how hot was that!? Jeez, I can’t see a thing!” Present Mic’s eyes squint at the scene. “Hey, who won the match?” He calls out to Midnight and Cementoss below in the arena. Midnight gets up slowly, rubbing her head after she had flown back from the force. She squints towards the arena, her eyes widening a bit. 

Akumu stood there, his chest heaving from the amount of force he had put into that attack. He did much more than he wanted to when he realized it was an elemental overload. His right arm stung, and the throbbing ache spread into his shoulder and chest. His arm looked like it was turning grey, bruises beginning to manifest on his skin, as if his skin was decaying. Akumu watches as the smoke disperses, seeing Shoto on the grass of the arena, his back against the wall. He had been knocked out. Not because of the temperature blast, but because of the force of Akumu’s attack countering his own and tossing both his own and Akumu’s attack right into his body. 

“T-Todoroki is out of bounds…” Midnight announces as she watches his body collapse. Akumu’s legs give out and his eyes land on his arm. That’s not good. This is why he avoided using that attack for so long and preferred transforming into other ghosts. Shitshitshit-... This hurt more than losing a limb ever could. Recovery Girl would probably fix this… This isn’t something he could regenerate on his own. If he left his arm like this for too long, it’ll rot further and bugs might find it appealing. Midnight whips her flogger towards Akumu’s direction, but he wasn’t listening. “Nikushimi advances to the next round!”

Caelus is stunned. He looks down at the unconscious form of Shoto, then across the arena to his best friend. “Wow… All these years later, and you’re still managing to find ways to surprise me.” He mumbled, a faint smile on his lips.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

 “After a much needed round of repairs to the stage, the final match of the semifinals is here! This round will be where we decide which students get to duke it out for their place at the top!” The crowd cheers, and Caelus feels his heart jump into his throat. He's so close to the top, he can't stop now. But, he simultaneously isn't looking forward to fighting Akumu if he does beat Katsuki. He's sure they'd get stopped at least five minutes in… “He needs no introduction at this point, having smashed his way through any and all obstacles and opponents one by one! From the hero course, it's Caelus Gonzales!” 

Caelus flinched, then sighed. “I really hate that name…” He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Versus—... he's impossibly strong and fast, but will that be enough to match the pure skill of his opponent? It's Katsuki Bakugou, from the hero course!” The blonde cracked his knuckles, his expression dark with anger. 

“Hey, you. You’d better not be thinking of holding back like that half-and-half bastard, fabric feathers.” He scowled. “I don’t need pity from you. I just need to win first place and show everyone who’s the best.” He growls, and Caelus just nods.

“Match, start!” Present Mic yells, and Katsuki starts by tossing an explosion towards the white haired boy. With a flap of his wings, Caelus dodges most of the blast, his wings pulsing as they draw in the light. Katsuki frowns.

So, those do absorb light. Is it all light, or is it just some types? He scowled, shaking his head. No time to dwell on that. Caelus had dropped down from his spot in the air, somersaulting through the air into an axe kick, which Katsuki managed to block with an arm. The winged boy's eyes narrow, and he pushes back against Katsuki's arm to leap backwards. 

When Akumu finally returned from Recovery Girl, he noticed that Caelus’ match with Katsuki had started. He was about to go sit down, until—–... “Nikushimi!” Ah, shit. He looked over towards the alien girl. He still doesn’t know her name. “Are you okay? Is Todoroki okay?”

…Ah-... “...I’m fine.” Akumu fidgets with his sleeve as he begins to walk towards his original seat. “...Todoroki should be coming back out shortly.” He sat down and began to watch the match. He didn’t mean to go so hard. Not only did that hurt like a bitch, but he didn’t think Shoto would get that injured from it. Hopefully, his internal wounds were fixable in one go. But he knew that was unlikely. He digresses. It was time to watch his match with Katsuki.

A blinding flash of light envelopes the stadium just as Akumu turns to look (he still looked), giving way to Caelus launching a roundhouse from behind. His movements are faster than they had been with Mina and Denki, and it's clear that he took Katsuki's advice to stop holding back. Katsuki can feel the wind from Caelus' attack as it grazes past, his eyes tracking his body as he moves. Caelus doesn't relent, testing Katsuki's reflexes and form by aiming for his weak points, seeing which areas he tended to leave open or take longer to get to. 

Katsuki grit his teeth. Damn, he's really not giving me any room, huh? He grunts as a particularly hard hit lands on his ribs, just below his guard, before raising a hand and blasting Caelus away. The force sends him flying through the air before he manages to catch himself, skidding to a stop just before the boundary.

“Whoa, that was close! Bakugou tries to get Gonzales out of bounds, but he's seen it a million times before already!” Present Mic comments, and Aizawa can be heard mumbling something in the background.

I wouldn't exactly say that… Caelus thinks, but he turns his focus back to Katsuki as the blonde charges. He leaps over him and out of the way, a rope of light unfurling from his palm and wrapping around the blonde's waist. With a sharp pull of his wrist, Katsuki is sent flying through the air, landing hard on his right side, cracking the concrete under the force of the blow, rolling across the stage. Another flashbang, and Katsuki can feel himself being kicked away again, in the same spot he'd been punched in. 

Once he recovers his vision, he gets back up to his feet and blasts towards Caelus. “Get back here, damnit!” He shouts, and the others can see as they lock in hand to hand combat again, explosions and flashbangs going off back to back.

“Wow… it looks like they're pretty evenly matched,” Ochako comments, glancing at Izuku and Tenya beside her before looking back down at the stage.

Akumu narrowed his eyes a little. “...Hm…” ...Katsuki must be good. He knew that Caelus needed to be careful. A repeat of Denki’s match with him wouldn’t be optimal, mostly because Caelus’ explosions are unpredictable. He was lucky that it blew Denki off that time, and not him. I hope he knows what he’s doing.  

Izuku nods, scribbling in his notebook. “It looks like it. Kacchan’s doing his best to get the upper hand with his explosions, but Gonzales seems to be absorbing the light and throwing it back as his own through those flashes of light. I wonder if there's an upper limit?” He muses, tapping his pen against the page.

They fight like that for what feels like an eternity, but in reality, it was only five minutes. Yet, the more that they lock horns and Caelus flies around, Katsuki begins to notice something. ...His hands look burned. He frowns. Did my explosions really manage to hurt him? No… This is something different. A side effect of his quirk, maybe? He fires off another explosion, watching as Caelus zips through it, taking in the light and looking away from the flash. As Caelus drops down and throws another punch, Katsuki catches his wrist, and indeed, the burns on Caelus’ palm have gotten a bit worse. Heat pulses beneath Caelus' skin where Katsuki has grabbed him, and the blonde hisses and lets go, followed by Caelus kicking off his shoulder and jumping back. 

Damnit… I'm overheating. Caelus swipes some loose beads of sweat from his chin, his breathing a bit labored from the exertion. The sun mixed with the heat of the explosions isn't doing me any good. I should try and get him out. Caelus' eyes narrow, and he jumps forward, releasing another flash of light.

“Oh! Gonzales advances with more purpose than before, and he's looking real determined! Could it be he's going in for the kill?!” Present Mic exclaimed, the studs in his jacket flashing.

Caelus takes the moment of blindness on Katsuki's part to get behind him and grab his collar, lifting him up into the air and flying towards the outer boundary of the stage. As he sees the line approaching, Katsuki yells and shoves one of his hands in Caelus' face, a ball of fire erupting from his palm.

“Gonzales takes an explosion to the face just before he gets out of bounds, and the two go tumbling to the ground!” The voice of Present Mic reports, leaning forward in his seat. “Neither seem like they want to give up yet!” 

Caelus grunts as he falls to the floor, rolling across the concrete until coming to a stop a few feet away from Katsuki. He wastes no time in pushing himself back to his feet again, but the minute he does, his world suddenly falls away, and his vision dissolves into white and black sparks. What-?! He blinks, stumbling back a bit, reaching up for his head and waiting for the sudden wave of vertigo to pass.

Katsuki's recovery from the fall is much slower, but when he lifts his head, he sees a chance. Caelus has a hand over his face, and he looks off balance, which means he's not fully concentrating on his surroundings. Hah, I knew you'd slip up eventually, feathers! He grins, and the air rumbles as explosions burst from his palms. Caelus looks up in surprise, and he sets off another flashbang to try and get away, but Katsuki is already on him, a hand pressed over Caelus' mask. The white haired boy is briefly stunned, but after a second of assessing, he realizes that there's nothing that he can do that would have any major effect, and he sighs. “Damn. A bit sooner than I would've liked to go, but I don't mind.” The eyes of Caelus' mask close, and he calls out to Midnight. “I give up.”

Midnight listens, then raises her hand, the metal of her cuff clinking against her wrist. “Gonzales gives up! Bakugou moves on to the next round!”

“What…? WHAT?!” Present Mic exclaims, jumping up from his seat. “Gonzales really has met his match here!” 

Katsuki lets Caelus up, who pushes himself back to his feet and dusts himself off. He pulled off his mask, golden liquid stretching and splashing around the rim as it came away. He uses a hand to wipe the sweat off his brow, then runs it through his hair. He glances over at Katsuki, then holds out a hand. “Well fought.” He hums, and his eyes are the colour of molten gold as they meet Katsuki's crimson ones.

Katsuki blinks, then scoffs. “Whatever, feathers.”

Akumu hummed as he thought to himself for a moment. Bakugo found out about his weakness, huh? He shakes his head a little. He should’ve figured Katsuki would be the one to find out. He knew Katsuki was smart, but his attitude made that easy to forget. “...Damn.” He sighed as he leaned back into his seat.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Caelus was wandering around the stadium, his eyes scanning the grounds. He'd told Akumu he had something to take care of while Akumu was heading to the waiting room, and while he wasn't lying, there was just a bit more to it than he let on. 

Eventually, he found the head of red and white hair he was looking for, and he pushed through the crowd, calling out. “Hey, Todoroki.” 

The aforementioned boy turns, and he blinks upon seeing Caelus approaching him. “Oh. It's you.” He says blankly. The eyes of Caelus' mask narrow a bit, and his words are hesitant but firm as he speaks.

“You mind coming with me for a minute?” 

Shoto stays silent for a moment, evidently confused, but he nods anyway. “...Alright.”

They make it to a secluded hallway, and Shoto pauses by the closed door, waiting for Caelus to speak.

Caelus was silent for a long while, staring off at the end of the hallway. He remembers the way Akumu’s hand had twitched back at the waiting room, and his hand balls into a loose fist. “…You talked with Akumu before the one-on-one matches started, right?” He asked, looking over his shoulder. Shoto blinks in surprise, taken a bit aback.

Ah. So Nikushimi told him. He hesitated, glancing off to the side, a bit nervous, before he replied. “I… I did.”

Caelus turns to fully face Shoto. “What did you guys talk about?” He folds his arms over his chest, and Shoto's gaze flicks down to the change in body language before he looks back up at the mask.

“...I was asking about his quirk.”

Caelus quirks an eyebrow. “What exactly did you say?” What did you say that got him so upset?

Shoto's silent for a minute, recalling his conversation with Akumu. After a long while, he shuffles his feet. “I don't know.”

“You don't remember what you said?”

“I don't know what I said that made him angry. I was just asking about the nature of his quirk, and he suddenly stormed off.” Shoto fidgeted with his hands. He’s strong… Stronger than his mother.

Ah. So there’s the issue. Caelus inhales. If he was asking about the nature of Akumu's quirk specifically, then he probably brought up his family. So, he wasn't trying to pick a fight; he's just too socially inept for his own good. He sighs. “...Alright, I think I know what the problem is now.” Shoto looks up from his hands.

“What is it?” He asked, and at the curious, almost eager tone in his voice, Caelus is reminded of a younger version himself.

“...That's not my place to say. But, I can tell you had no bad intentions; you were curious, and just happened to step on a sore spot. I won't fault you for that. However…” The eyes of his mask narrow a bit. “What I can tell you is how to avoid this type of situation with Akumu in the future.”

Shoto looks a bit disappointed to not be able to get to the root of the problem, but he quickly lifts his head again when Caelus mentions avoiding the problem in the future.

“Akumu doesn't like having his private life pried into. Keep that in mind, and you should be fine.” Caelus turns to head back to his seat to watch Akumu and Katsuki's match, but he's stopped by Shoto asking another question.

“Gonzales…” Caelus flinches at the name, but he ignores it, giving a noncommittal “ hm ?” of acknowledgement. Shoto hesitates for a moment more before speaking up again. “How long will Nikushimi be angry with me?”

Caelus looks over his shoulder, hesitating for a long while. That was something even he didn't know. But, he couldn't just leave Shoto without an answer; that'd just make things worse for both of them. “...I don't know. But, if I do know one thing, it's that his match with you was likely a way of taking his anger out on you, teaching you a lesson of sorts. He should get over it in a few weeks, if not a few days, then he shouldn't have any major issues with you. Still, be careful.” He said, locking eyes with the other boy before turning and walking away. “…You did good. See you on the podium.”

“See you…” Shoto watched the winged boy leave, then looked down at his hand.

Akumu was already getting up from the seats once Caelus came by. “Are you heading to the waiting room?” Caelus asked Katsuki. 

The blonde turns. “Yeah. So what?” He folds his arms over his chest, and Caelus huffs a quiet laugh. 

“Nothing, nothing, no need to get so defensive. Just… Well, all I can really say is do your best. I look forward to seeing how far you get against him.” Caelus hums, then turns to leave, giving Katsuki a wave as he heads back to their seats.

Akumu was just sitting in the waiting room, gathering his mind together. Hm… This is the final round, huh? Man, he needs to go home and nap after this. The door slammed open and interrupted his thoughts, making him look over. He noticed Katsuki at the door. They looked at each other for a solid three seconds. “...Huh?” Katsuki put his foot down. “Hey, why are you here?” He looks over towards the sign next to the door as Akumu sits there, blinking a few times. Uh-... “It’s waiting room…” He trails off before realization hits him. “Oh, this is room two? Damnit!” He huffed in frustration. Akumu stared for another solid three seconds before looking away from him. Katsuki’s eye twitched at Akumu’s nonchalance. “I may have gotten the room wrong, but what’s with that attitude against your opponent in the final!?” He scowled as he took slow steps to the table Akumu was sitting at. “Hey, hey hey…” He raised his hand and then slammed it down on the table, a tiny blast making Akumu’s hair fly back somewhat.”Where are you looking, corpse husband!?”

Akumu blinked before looking up towards Katsuki. “...Uhm-... What am I supposed to say to you?” Akumu mused.

“Huh?”

“You always want a response. But whatever response someone gives you, you’re not satisfied. Why?” Akumu looks back at the table. Katsuki clenches his teeth, but before he could say anything in reply, Akumu interrupts him. “Don’t answer that.”

Katsuki growls before kicking the table away from Akumu’s sight. Akumu just sat there. Damn, I was leaning on that… Akumu sighed. 

“You shouldn’t care about that!” Katsuki shouted at him. His anger and irritation makes Akumu look back up at him. “Just use your full strength on me like you did that half-and-half bastard!” Katsuki turned around and began to stomp out of the door. “I will hold you and the rest of those damned ghosts down from above!” The door slams behind him, leaving Akumu to sit there, his eyes glued onto the door. All I need to do is crush that ghost boy and earn an indisputable win… then I’ll be at the top!

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The fires from the area rise up again. The crowd goes wild, knowing that it meant that the match was starting. Akumu and Katsuki were already standing, facing each other inside of the arena. “It’s finally the last battle of the U.A. High School sports festival! The top of the first years will be decided with this one match!” Present Mic declared as he announced. The battle screen shows Katsuki’s and Akumu’s picture, “Akumu Nikushimi V.S. Katsuki Bakugo” was on the board. “The final, so to speak! From the Hero Course, it’s Akumu Nikushimi! Versus—–... Also from the Hero Course, Katsuki Bakugo!” 

“This might be interesting,” Izuku muses. Nikushimi’s quirk against Kacchan’s will give him the upper hand. But is there a limit to how much damage Nikushimi could take? Or a time limit to his transformations? Izuku hummed to himself in curiosity.

“Anyone got a prediction?” Denki jested, despite being sure that it’s Akumu.

“It’d be something to see if Bakugo can find a weakness or an opening like Tokoyami.” Tsuyu comments.

“Now, start!”

Akumu watches as Katsuki rushes at him with explosions. Of course, Katsuki was the offense. Akumu falls backwards and drops into the floor, his intangible body avoiding the explosions. He needs to be careful here. One mishap, and he’ll have to spend energy to heal himself from the explosions. Sure, he can dodge them and probably run into them like Ochaco and Caelus had. But now that Katsuki knows that he can regenerate, he knows he’s going to try and make things bloody. Akumu hops back out of the ground, appearing from behind before he sweeps the floor with him. Katsuki catches himself, turning to face Akumu before he twists his body and tries to toss an explosion into his face. “Bakugo throws a heavy explosion right into Nikushimi’s face! How daring!” Present Mic remarked. Akumu stumbled back a bit, the smell of burning flesh hitting Katsuki’s nose. Katsuki’s stomach churned. Akumu had gotten closer to the explosion on purpose… He reaches up to his face, some of the charred flesh rough against his fingers. Then, his skin began to heal while blood dripped down onto the floor. Katsuki’s lips curled into a smile. Right, he can go all out on him… Katsuki and Akumu both rushed into each other. Another blast hit Akumu’s face, but Akumu’s bitter hand was ripped off in the explosion and slammed into Katsuki’s face. The limb slides and rolls on the ground as blood spewed from the amputated part. Akumu points his upper arm outwards before a new forearm and hand shoots out of the stump. “Wow! Nikushimi can rush into Bakugou without any issue!” 

Blood coats the arena underneath him. His eyes narrowed at Katsuki as the blonde was already rushing at him with another explosion. Looks like he’s going to have to dodge and play defense until he can think of something. Healing and phasing too much makes him tired. He was already overdoing it with Shoto earlier. “Bastard…” Katsuki growls. “Are you underestimating me?” How impatient. Akumu knew Katsuki wanted Akumu to start out using his strongest attacks. But he wasn’t dumb. If he misses, then he’s screwed. He tried to avoid rot as much as he could. Akumu dodges another blow as Katsuki scowls at him. There was no way Katsuki was letting up, though. He grabs Akumu by the shoulder and blows his arm off. “Stop screwing around!” He shouted as Akumu lumbered backwards. “Am I not strong enough for you to do it again?” Katsuki accused as he watches Akumu grow back a new arm within seconds. Akumu doesn’t reply.

He’s determined, huh? Akumu’s blank stare was locked onto Katsuki. He wants to be sure he can win at my fullest. Akumu rushes towards Katsuki, avoiding another blow as he manages to toss a fierce right hook at him. Katsuki hits the ground, but he uses his hands and his feet to catch himself before rising back up to his feet and bolting towards Akumu. 

“Damnit, I’ll show you what’ll happen if you make a fool of me! I’ll kill you!” Katsuki barked at him. 

Oh. Akumu blinked as he heard those words. 

“I want an indisputable first place! I can’t get that even if I beat scum that underestimates me! There’s no point if I can’t rise to the top when people aren’t giving it their all, you fucking hypocrite!” Akumu’s eyes slightly widened at those words. He really was determined. That fiery burning need to get to the top, he knew Katsuki was yearning for it. He craved the idea of being the strongest, desired to prove that he truly is the best. He’s almost surprised by Katsuki’s feeling of obligation to prove himself like this. “If you have no intentions of winning, then don’t stand in front of me!” This whole time, he could practically tell Akumu hadn't been giving it his all. It annoyed him, how easily he took down student after student and had the nerve to get Shoto to give his all when he wasn’t trying as hard as he should. He rushed again at Akumu, aiming to hit him with another explosion. “Why are you just standing there, damnit!” He tosses both of his hands at Akumu, a large explosion engulfing Akumu’s entire form. 

…Ohhh, shi- Akumu puts his arms in front of him and closes his eyes on instinct.

“...Oh-... My god…” Eijirou swallowed hard. Jirou and Mineta both gagged at the sight, and others were completely stunned with horror. 

The crowd was quiet as the smoke cleared after a good moment. Akumu’s body parts had been scattered across the arena. Blood leaked out of each limb like a waterfall. Burnt flesh and charred bone was uncovered by the smog. Chunks and pieces of fat, muscle, and organs were sprawled out all over the floor. Katsuki’s heart leapt into his throat at the sight. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he had forgotten that Akumu can regenerate. But can he even regenerate in a state like that? Did he overdo it? Fuck.

Those thoughts were interrupted when the body parts began to move. His feet reconstructed, his legs molded back onto his feet as his charred body began to rebuild. Then, his torso regained its arms before reattaching to the pair of legs. His head, which had rolled off near the boundary line, flies back to his body. The skin on Akumu’s neck shapes back and reattaches, right before Akumu’s head turns and snaps towards Katsuki’s direction. The sight of his wide eyes made Katsuki take a step back. But then he smirked, that passion beginning to return. Did he rile Akumu up enough? He hopes so. Akumu watches as Katsuki already jumps to assail. The blonde jumped high, his explosions making him airborne. The blasts and the smog mixed together formed up, and his body spun around in a violent fashion. “That’s right!” He shouted as he turned himself into some torpedo. “If you’re going to face me, then you should concentrate on winning!” Katsuki’s hands burned brighter as he got closer. Akumu could feel those hands again. Those frozen fingers gripping his wrists and his forearms. If it’s power Katsuki wants, then fine. He still had some antipathy left. His level-head shatters before he tosses up both arms, his black irises bleeding into his sclera. Once more... That icy feeling holds Akumu’s arms and shoulders in an iron grip before Akumu’s fists hit Katsuki’s torpedo attack. “Howitzer impact!” Katsuki shouted, right before both of Akumu’s arms shot bruised lightning-like patterns down both of his arms.

At the same time, Katsuki’s explosion and Akumu’s transcendent attack hits at the same time. A blinding, luminous blue explosion mixed with Katsuki’s radiant orange-yellow blast. That blast blew the foundations of the cement arena to bits. The sound of the explosion caused a little bit of ringing, and the wind that was created by the duo explosion made everyone’s hair fly back vigorously. This explosion was much bigger compared to that last one. More powerful. Everyone’s eyes were wide, the smoke, smog, and debris wheeling over people’s heads. No one could say anything. “WAHH!? Bakugo added momentum and rotation to the huge blast he showed us in the fight with Uraraka! He was like a human projectile!” Present Mic announced in astonishment. “Nikushimi had tried to counter it with something from another plane of existence!”

I recognize that move. Caelus' eyes hardened, and he leaned forward a bit. Didn't he also use it against Todoroki earlier? He frowns, the eyes of his mask narrowing. He's not weak, but he definitely pushed himself a bit with that.

“The winner is—–!” Present Mic pauses, waiting for all the haze and debris-filled vapor to clear up. Akumu was standing there, sitting loosely on his knees. Both of his arms were unmoving, his chest heaving hard from the battle. ...Ow… Akumu swallows hard, looking down at his bruised, greyed out skin. He can feel the rot trailing down to his chest. From the other side of the arena, Katsuki was on a pile of debris. The wall had crumbled apart and stopped right where the audience sat. Katsuki had been knocked out. Cold. His body was scratched and bruised up. 

Midnight looks between the two of them before raising a hand. “Bakugo is out of bounds! Which means, Nikushimi wins!” She announces. The screens all turn back on, revealing Akumu’s picture and displaying the word, “Winner,” on them. 

Now to go back to Recovery Girl...

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“And now, we will begin the awards ceremony!” Midnight smiles, waving a hand out to the crowd as she speaks. Fireworks go off all around the stadium and the grounds, mixing in with the cheering of the audience. Confetti pops and smoke rises, and the sound of machinery rumbling echoes as a podium lifts out of the stage, Akumu at first place, Katsuki at second, and Shoto and Caelus at third. Despite his loss, Caelus wore a bright, beaming smile, evidenced by the crescents that the eyes of his mask curved into. Akumu was unreadable as usual, and Katsuki was tied down to the second place podium with chains and thick metal restraints, fighting as hard as he could against them. 

Akumu glanced off to his right, giving Katsuki a side eye that Caelus had only seen a few times before. The white haired boy laughs quietly to himself, earning a confused look from Shoto beside him. A muffled scream comes from Katsuki, and Akumu shakes his head, huffing out a sigh. 

“And now, we will award the medals!” Midnight declared with another flourish of her hand, the nearby camera panning up to a spot at the peak of the stadium. “The presentation of their medals will, of course, be by this man—...”

A familiar, bold and boisterous laugh echoes out into the sky, and Caelus and Akumu share a glance. Oh dear gods. The crowd awes and cheers, and the number one hero jumps from his spot, his shadow almost completely obscuring the sun as he descends.

“Our very own hero, All Might!”

“I have brought the medals here!” Both pros declare at the same time, leading to a bit of an awkward silence.

After a moment of recovery, Midnight hands a wooden lacquer box to All Might, containing four medals, two bronze, one silver, and one gold. “Now then, All Might, please present the medals, starting with third place.” Midnight smiles, and All Might laughs as he approaches Shoto’s and Caelus' podium. 

“Young Gonzales, Young Todoroki, congratulations! You two sure are strong.” The number one hero complimented, and Caelus and Shoto bow their heads, allowing All Might to loop the medals around their necks. 

“You are too kind,” Caelus says with a bit of sheepishness in his voice, scratching at his forearm—he never was good with taking compliments. Meanwhile, Shoto just nods. 

“However, in order to fight well against different types, you must not only rely on your quirk. If you train your own strength more, then you'll have more options when you fight.” All Might makes to hug Caelus, but the white haired boy inched away, subtly shaking his head. 

“Please don't touch me.” 

Shoto blinks at Caelus' mumbled words, but looks down at his medal, then at All Might. “Yes sir.”

“Young Bakugou, congratulations!... This is too much.” All Might looked down at the chained and bound Katsuki, then reached out to undo the muzzle strapped around Katsuki's head. “You fought well; good job on making it this far.”

“All Might…” Katsuki growls. “Second place like this… isn't worth anything! Even if the world recognizes it, I won't recognize it at first, then it’s trash!” He yells, and Caelus sighs. This bitch…

Meanwhile, All Might just brushed it off, ignoring his outburst. “In this world where people are constantly being compared publicly, there are not many who can keep aiming for the top of an unchanging scale.” All Might holds out the silver medal to put on Katsuki. “Take this medal, okay? Think of it as a ‘wound’, so you never forget!” 

“I said I didn't want it!” Katsuki yells. All Might just tuts and draws closer anyway. 

“Now now.”

“I told you, I don't want it!” Katsuki does the opposite of what Caelus and Shoto did, lifting his head back as far as he could, the medal catching on his nose before slipping down to his teeth.

“Here.” All Might declares, then turns to Akumu. “Now then, Young Nikushimi! Congratulations on first place!” 

Akumu glances off towards the side. Man. How did he let himself get here… “...Thanks…” Akumu deadpans. “...I guess.” He can already see all the articles that are probably going to be published. All of the news articles, all of the heroes that’ll want him at their agency. Some may call this a gift, but damn, if it didn’t feel like a curse to him.

“Your quirk is quite flexible. Maybe one day, you truly will rise all the way to the top!” Ah, hell nah. Akumu just nods his head before lowering his head so All Might could put the medal on him. He grabs the medal in his hand and looks at the golden shine. Well, at least it was pretty. Akumu looks back up at All Might before seeing him take a step forward. Akumu instinctively takes a step back. 

“...No touching, thanks.” He muttered, in which All Might just nods his head and hops down the podium to look towards the crowd.

“Well, they were the winners this time! But listen here! Anyone here could’ve ended up on these podiums. It's just as you saw—Competing! Improving each other! And climbing even further! The next generation of heroes is definitely sprouting! So I just have one more thing to say! Everyone, please say it with me!” All Might pointed a large hand to the sky. “Ready, go—!”

“Thanks for all your hard work!”

“Plus Ultra!” 

The crowd devolves into booing and disappointment, and All Might tries to explain away his reasoning. “Well, I thought everyone worked hard…”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Good work.” Aizawa starts, standing behind his desk at the front of the room. “So, there will be no school tomorrow or the day after. I'm sure the pro heroes who watched the sports festival will want to recruit you, but we’ll consolidate everything and announce it when you get back. So rest well, and look forward to that.” 

“Yes, sir!” The class echoes. 

After they were dismissed, the class had decided to stick around a little longer before heading home for the night. Caelus and Akumu were chatting in the corner, but Caelus' attention was quickly drawn by his phone buzzing in his pocket. He doesn't check the number, just muttering a quiet, “Be right back,” before heading out into the hall. He closes the door behind him, then clicks the answer button, lifting his phone up to his ear. “Hello?”

“ Third place? Really? ” The words are drenched in disapproval, the voice is familiar. Caelus feels his heart stop.

“...”

“ Well? Don't you have anything to say for yourself? ” It's no longer disapproval, it's an accusation as well.

“Mom, I-...” Caelus swallows hard, hearing his voice shake. He takes a slow, silent breath before speaking again, grateful to hear that he sounds more composed than before. “I did my best.”

“ I know you did, and words can't even begin to describe how proud of you I am. ” His mother's voice is gentle for a moment, but it turns a bit harsher in her next sentence. “ But, Caelus… you've grown up with Akumu. Trained with him, worked with him, lived with him for almost your whole life. So why can you never surpass him? ” The question was asked in a tone that could almost be called concerned, if it wasn't for the dagger it drove into Caelus' heart.

“Mom, I-... I can't control who the teachers put me against.” Caelus almost trips over his words, but he catches himself. “They're not just my teachers, they’re pro heroes. I can't just go up to them and ask them to let me fight Akumu for-”

“ That's not what I was asking. ” His mom cuts him off, her voice stern again. “ I don't want your excuses, Caelus. I want to see your results, and they speak for themselves.” There's a tense moment of silence as Thuy’s words sink in, before she sighs. “ I'm not mad at you, baby. I'm just disappointed.”

That is objectively a thousand times worse. The hand at his side balls into a fist as Caelus grips his phone tighter, but he doesn't say anything. It's pointless to argue when she's like this. It was one of the first things he learned from his mother, in fact.

“ I know that you can do better than third, if you really try. It's just a matter of putting your mind to it.” His mother says, her tone an attempt at being reassuring, but each word is just another sting of shame, another punishing lash of the whip. “ Is Akumu too much for you to handle? Is that it?” 

Caelus inhales sharply. “No, he’s-!”

“ Caelus, if he's too much, then you shouldn't be friends anymore.” Thuy advised, and it's like Caelus was dunked in a bucket of ice water.

...What did she say…?

… Did she seriously just-?

No, she didn’t. She wouldn't.

...Would she?

“…Sorry, Mom. I’ll do better next year.” His voice is uncharacteristically small, and his shoulders tremble with the struggle of holding back his tears.

“ Thank you.” Thuy almost sounds relieved. There’s a long pause, then—... “ You know I love you, right? ” She asks gently, and Caelus nods, despite the fact that his mother can’t see it.

“…Yeah, I know.” Too much.

“ Good.”

“…Can I go now, Mom?”

An approving sound, then Thuy speaks again. “ Yes, you may. My break’s just about over anyway, so I’ll be heading back to work. I’ll call again in a few weeks to check in on you. Bye.”

“Bye.” 

The call disconnects, and Caelus slumps back against the wall, feeling as if he’d just resurfaced from the brink of drowning. He slides down into a sitting position on the floor, an exhausted sob leaving him. He pulls his mask off, more forcefully than necessary, and he ignores the stinging pain it causes. His mask is thrown across the hall in an instant, and he finally breaks as his hands go up to his face, a futile attempt at stemming the flow of tears that had started streaming down his face. He makes barely any noise, but his body is wracked with silent cries and sobbing, his body curling in on itself.

I can’t have anything in this fucking house.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The hell’s taking him so long? Akumu feels a tap on his shoulder. A small, “hm?,” comes from him before he turns and sees a familiar, ghastly face. Oh. What do you want?  

“She called him.”

Akumu blinks once he hears those words. He didn’t bother to ask, he just thought about it for a few minutes as the pieces slowly connected. ...Ah. Akumu gets up and dusts himself off before heading towards where he saw Caelus leave last. But before he could enter the hallway, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. So they did watch the festival, huh? Sorry, Caelus. Akumu takes his phone out to see that it was, indeed, his father. ...You’re going to have to wait for a moment. He had hoped it would be his step-mother. Not his father. God knows what he’s about to say, and he’s already dreading it. Akumu phases into the wall and heads into a secluded area, a room where no one else was. It looked like some unused storage room, and he saw no security cameras in here, so it must not be used much. Akumu pulls his phone out and leans his body against the wall before he pulls his phone out. Then, he answers it.

“Hel—-...”

“ What was that? ” A gruff voice demanded flatly from the other side of the line.

“...What was what?”

“ You know what I’m talking about, —-—. ” His eyes narrow. That name. That fucking name-... He clenches his jaw for a moment, unsure of what to say. He could hang up right here, but that won’t end well. He could say he was busy and just leave it at that, but then he’ll just call later. He was out of options and out of excuses. There was no way to get out of this call.

“...I don’t. I got first pla–...”

“ Do you think just because you’re at the top, you’re suddenly the best? ” His father seethes before a sarcastic chuckle comes from the other side of the line. “ You haven’t changed. You put in the most minimal amount of effort, and you suddenly think you’re good enough? What do I fund your education for? For you to fuck around? You got injured one too many times there, —–— ” Akumu doesn’t reply. He doesn’t need to. No matter what he says, he knows that his father won’t listen. That’s how he always was and always will be. “ It’s that friend of yours, isn’t it? ” His father scowled. “ You keep surrounding yourself with those mediocre kids. When are you going to grow up, —-—? I didn’t send you to a bunch of good-for-nothing pros for no reason. ” Akumu wasn’t even listening at this point. He’s heard this again and again. Again. Again. Again-... A vicious cycle of the same tone and the same meaning in different words. “ Why do you surround yourself with people who’re weaker than you? They’re all only pulling you down. That’s why you even got hit the first time. ”

What does he even say to all of that? He opens his mouth, but the words are caught in his throat. Any sentence he thought of died on his tongue. There was nothing he could say or do to appease someone as narcissistic as his father. 

“ Are you even a Nikushimi? ” Ah. Guess he didn’t need to respond anyway. “ I should’ve married you off to that man. Maybe then you’ll produce above adequate children. ” Akumu swallows hard. Yeah. This is going to be a great fucking year. First place doesn’t feel like first place. It feels like he was in the depths of hell. It feels like he was on his way to the deepest existing circle. He’s nowhere near at the top. “ You’re too slow, too sloppy, and too weak. You’ve failed, —-—. ”

“...I’ll be better. Sorry.” Akumu doesn’t hear anything after that. Instead, the line dies. Akumu takes a long, deep breath as he shoves his phone back into his pocket. He doesn’t dwell on it. Doesn’t try to, anyway. He lets himself phase through the walls. Those words in his head don’t linger for long. After all, he has something more important to focus on. He pokes his head out of the wall above Caelus’ head, looking down at him. “...You wanna go get coffee?” Akumu asked above him. 

Caelus looks up from his spot on the floor. He takes a long, shuddering breath, then wipes the leftover tears from his eyes, pushing himself up to his feet with a weak attempt at a smile. “Yeah. I'd like that,” he mumbles, and his voice is a bit hoarse from crying. 

“Okay. C’mon.” Akumu steps out into the hallway. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Ever since the sports festival, Akumu’s been knocked out ever since they had gotten back home. He was locked in his room, recuperating and resting. As a result, Caelus and their caretaker had to run everything. Akumu probably won’t wake up for a while, and it’s best if he stays asleep after that, anyway. Any more than that, and it would’ve been a fat coma. 

Today, Caelus was heading out to buy some groceries. He used the list Akumu never changed (because they consumed the same damn things everyday), so on it, there was coffee, soda, coffee creamer, new pencils, fixings for their lunches, red meat for Akumu, plus some additional baking ingredients, should Caelus ever be struck with the urge. He bid goodbye to their caretaker, then headed out the door.

The trip was… mostly uneventful. 

If it weren't for what happened when he actually got to the store.

He wandered the aisles with a basket in hand, checking things off the list in his notes as he went along, not really paying attention to what was around him. At least, until someone tapped him on the shoulder.

“Excuse me? Uhm, excuse me? Gonzales, right? From the hero course,” a soft female voice came from behind, and Caelus started a bit. He turned, his eyes met with the sight of a woman who looked to be around 20 years old—he wasn't sure; Asian women tended to look younger than they were. He blinks in surprise, then nods.

“...Yes, that's me. Is there something you need?” He sets the coffee creamer he'd been looking at back on the shelf.

The woman shakes her head quickly. “No, no, nothing at all! I just wanted to congratulate you on placing in the top three. Your skill is amazing,” she smiles, and Caelus can't help but feel a little uncomfortable. He was never good with compliments, much less talking to strangers. To have both of these things confront him when he was just trying to run errands made him uneasy.

“Ah… thank you, I appreciate it,” he says, the eyes of his mask curving up a bit, but the smile underneath it was strained. He turned back to the shelves, trying to refocus on what he came for, but no matter where he went, he could feel the stares lingering and whispers following. A shudder runs down his spine, and his wings wrap a bit tighter around him.

“Wow, isn't that one of the kids who placed third at the UA sports festival?”

“Hey, it is!”

“I wonder what he's doing here?”

“He’s taller in person…”

“Yeah–, Present Mic said he was small, but he looks like he's about the same height as that explosion boy.”

Caelus grimaced. Damn, the comparisons already? Fuck me. He sighed internally, running a nervous hand through his hair. Let's just hope that this doesn't take much longer. He checks his notes app. Looks like we just have ginger ale and sugar left. He tucks his phone back into his pocket, then heads off again.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Caelus took a seat near the back of the bus, slipping his headphones on over his head and setting his bags in the seat beside him. He sighs, rubbing the side of his neck. Man, I'm tired. I’m so going to take a nap when I get back. His gaze drifts out the window as the bus pulls away, and as they pass a billboard, Caelus recognizes the footage from Akumu's match with Katsuki. It's heavily censored to no one's surprise, but there's not much that Caelus can catch from the footage before the bus is moving again. 

He slipped his phone out to text the caretaker that he was on his way back, and he was about to put it away for the rest of the ride when he came upon an article covering the sports festival. Or rather, a horde of articles covering it. They ranged from analyses, praises, criticisms, and straight up half truths, but they were all about the festival. One’s headline read “ Grandson of Former Number 2 Vietnamese Pro Hero Defeats the Son of Endeavor in the Semifinals, ” and Caelus' eyes widened. He clicks on it, his eyes skimming through the paragraphs. 

The article covered Akumu and Shoto's match specifically, giving a brief backstory for both before going into detail about the match and results itself. 

So that flame hero at the festival was Shoto's father? Caelus frowns. Endeavor, the number two hero… second only to All Might. Sounds like he's pretty strong. He didn't pay much attention to public figures, but what he had heard of Endeavor was high praise, despite his prickly demeanor around the media. Maybe it was just with the press specifically, but still, something was off. He didn't know what it was about the hero that set him so on edge, but his intuition was rarely wrong. Just for good measure, he decided to ask Akumu about it as well when he woke up. 

 At the recollection of the match, Caelus' mind wandered, and it eventually landed on Shoto. Caelus thought back to his tactics up to his match with Akumu, using his ice to overwhelm his opponent with sheer power. His brute strength was impressive, he'd admit, but his flames were a different matter entirely. He remembered the heat and the wind that had flooded the stadium, and his skin prickled a bit at the memory. 

He shook himself out of his thoughts as the bus speakers announced his stop was coming up, and he reached up to pull on the yellow cord strung along the window. The bus slowed to a stop, letting Caelus get off, calling a “thank you!” over his shoulder to the driver. When he made it to his apartment, he slipped his key into the lock and turned, pushing open the door. “I'm back,” he called out to no one in particular as he closed the door. The caretaker poked her head out from the kitchen.

“Ah, welcome back. Would you like me to take the bags?” She tilts her head, and Caelus nods. 

“Yes, please. May I ask you to organize everything as well, while you're at it? Please and thank you,” Caelus bows, to which the housekeeper just waves her hands. 

“It's quite alright. I'm here for a reason.”

Caelus left their groceries with the caretaker, then beelines to his room, changing into his casual clothes before flopping onto his bed. Still tired… I'm usually not this sleepy at this time of day. He lifts his head up a bit. Though, maybe it's to do with all the attention that was on me the whole time. Socializing is exhausting. He's just about to fall asleep when he remembers Akumu, and he pushes himself again. He steps out into the main room again, where he sees the caretaker, and he steps up behind her.

“Hey, can I ask how Akumu's doing?” He asked, with a tilt of his head, ignoring how she jumped a bit when she heard him. He had that effect; he can't remember how many times he scared his mother back home with how quiet he was. 

“Ah, yes. He's still asleep, but his arms seem to be doing fine. I wrapped them to prevent further decay after he returned.” She glanced towards Akumu's door. “The rest will be up to his body.” Caelus nods.

“Thank you, again.” He dips his head, then heads back into his room. He closes the door behind him, then slips into his sleeping bag to take a nap. “ Note to self; don't go out unless absolutely necessary,” was his last thought before he fell asleep. 

Akumu takes a deep breath in as his eyes begin to flutter open. His blurry eyes paired with his grogginess was annoying. Fuck, his arms hurt like a bitch. He should’ve figured the necrosis was going to be bad when he used that attack on Katsuki. Maybe he needs to work on his restraint more than he thought he needed to. Akumu didn’t get up. Instead, he let himself lie there. He turns his head, spotting the metal bottle of tea. His caretaker must’ve iced and honeyed some tea for him while he was knocked out. Akumu sat up and grabbed the bottle, lowering his mask to take a long sip out of it. Cold, sweet green tea ran down his sore throat. He drank faster than he intended to. He didn’t realize how dehydrated was until now, not even when he woke up. 

The tea was put back down after chugging half of it down. He then falls backwards back into his bed. For a while, Akumu could only stare up at his ceiling. There was a lot on his mind. He was about to head off to sleep again, but he remembered what happened yesterday. He looked towards his wall, where the golden medal was being hung. The gold glimmered from the sunset that bled through his blinds. Akumu reaches for his phone from the nightstand next to his bed, the screen displaying his lockscreen. It was almost seven in the afternoon. He was asleep for more than 24 hours. Of course… Akumu looks at the list of notifications he got. They were mostly just from his video games, surprising to no one. Then he spotted some text messages from that Hitoshi guy. 

Yesterday at 16:43

[Hitoshi] : U good? It looked like u were on the ground after that explody guy

[Hitoshi] : Congrats on 1st place tho

Yesterday at 18:12

[Hitoshi] : R u asleep

[Hitoshi] : I dont blame u, just lemme know when ur awake

[Hitoshi] : Get sum rest

Today at 7:18

[Hitoshi] : R u okay

Today at 12:32

[Hitoshi] : Im getting worried r u okay

Today at 18:21

[Hitoshi] : Bro

…Ah. That last text was almost thirty minutes ago. Akumu sighed as he turned to lay down on his side. He begins to type, his thumbs a little slow.

Today at 18:49

[Akumu] : Sorry, I was resting and couldn’t get to my phone. 

[Hitoshi] : Ur good

[Hitoshi] : R u okay tho?

[Akumu] : Yeah.

[Akumu] : I’m going to be awake for the rest of the night, though.

[Hitoshi] : O okay

[Hitoshi] : Hey do u have a pc?

[Akumu] : Yeah. Why?

[Hitoshi] : Do u wanna get on cod?

Akumu blinked as he read those words. He wants to play games with him? Huh. Akumu gets up from his position, scooting to sit on the edge of his bed.

[Akumu] : Yeah, sure. What’s your gamertag?

Chapter Text

They went back to school two days later, after much needed and deserved rest. It was gray and gloomy outside, and Akumu was sharing his umbrella with him so they wouldn't get wet. Caelus’ wings, a gray layered and fleece-lined cape, ruffled and wrapped tighter around him, his body temperature increasing slightly against the cold. He didn’t like being cold, but it was definitely better than being smacked in the face with the sun. The smell of the rain was a nice touch, though. Akumu was wearing a hoodie over his uniform. His hands were still wrapped up in bandages. There wasn’t much rot left, but it was for good measure. That necrosis was annoying. The cold of the rain didn’t feel all too bad. It wasn’t as cold as it was in the Squall Zone of USJ, and he was used to the cold anyway. 

“Hey, isn’t that Nikushimi and Gonzales?” They both heard from behind them. Ah, shit… Caelus flinched at the name. He wanted to turn to look, but maybe if he didn't look, they'd leave them alone… Yeah, no, that’s not how it works, unfortunately.

“...Walk faster...” Akumu whispered as the both of them quickened their pace. 

“Wait! Nikushimi, Gonzales!”

“...Start running-...” Akumu whispered before he began to hasten down the sidewalk. Didn't have to tell him twice. Caelus broke into a sprint, ignoring the rain that pittered into his face. 

Please gods no I don't want to socialize, I'm so tired someone save me please-... The both of them continued the dash towards UA High, not bothering to look behind them. Thank gods that Akumu gave Caelus his binder, otherwise this would be a really bad idea. Akumu and Caelus eventually made it in front of the gate. Their paces died down into a walk, the two of them a little out of breath. Not because they ran the way here, but that, and because of the people that tried to talk to them on the way here. Should’ve figured that they’d be put in the spotlight. The two of them entered the building. Akumu shakes off his umbrella while Caelus went to his locker to change out his outside shoes for the indoor ones. Akumu follows suit and shoves his umbrella into the bin with the other umbrellas. 

Ever since the sports festival, it was like society assumed it was just suddenly okay for a bunch of adults to speak with a bunch of first years and stop them in their tracks. That shit would not slide back in America. It would happen, but it would be beyond okay. 

The two entered their classroom and sat down. “It’s different when they broadcast the matches on TV afterall, huh?” Mina leaned over her desk as she expressed her delight. “So many people talked to me on my way here!” Well, at least some people enjoyed the attention, even if they didn’t. 

“Yeah, me too!” Eijirou’s smile widens. 

“People were staring at me, too. It was kind of embarrassing!” The invisible girl mentioned.

“Isn’t that normal for you, Hagakure?” Ojiro hummed with an awkward smile. 

“I had some elementary schoolers suddenly tell me, ‘Don’t worry about it.’” Hanta didn’t seem all too happy about that. Wonder why.

“Don’t worry about it.” Tsuyu replied, earning an exasperated groan from Hanta. 

“After just one day, we’ve suddenly been thrust into the spotlight, huh?” Denki leaned back on one of the desks. 

“UA really is amazing, huh?” Mineta exclaimed.

The door then opens up, revealing Aizawa. “Morning.” He muttered, tired. By that point, everyone had already scrambled to their desks and most of the other students replied with a “good morning!” As Aizawa steps back up to the teacher’s desk, Tsuyu ribbits.

“Mr. Aizawa, your bandages are gone.” She mentions. “I’m glad.”

“That old lady went overboard with her treatment.” Aizawa scratches under his eye. Ah. No wonder why he looked so tired. “More importantly, we’re having a special hero informatics class today.” As soon as he said that, most of the students got nervous. Was it a quiz? Was it about the laws of being a hero? Was it a-... “Code names.” Oh. “You’ll be coming up with hero names.” Everyone was excited, most of them glad that they weren’t doing anything boring or test taking. 

“We’re gonna do something exciting!” Most students beamed. But Aizawa’s eyes flashed red, which made them immediately settle back into their seats.

“This is related to the pro hero drafts I mentioned the other day. The drafts begin in earnest in the second and third years, after students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to the pros. In other words, for them to extend offers to first years like you shows that they are interested in your future potential. These offers are often cancelled if that interest dies down by graduation.”

“Adults are so selfish…” Mineta smacks his fist against his desk. 

“So we’ll have to prove ourselves once we get picked, huh?” Hagakure tilted her invisible head.

“That’s right.” Aizawa nodded. “And here are the totals for those with offers.” Aizawa pulls out a remote from his pocket and presses a button. On the board, offers were shown—from first to last place, all of the students who had at least one offer were shown. 

- Nikushimi: 6932

- Todoroki: 4123

- Gonzales: 3981

- Bakugo: 3556

- Tokoyami: 360

- Iida: 301

- Kaminari: 272

- Yaoyorozu: 108

- Kirishima: 63

- Uraraka: 20

- Sero: 14

Oh dear god-... Akumu looked at his number, his eyes widening just a bit. Nearly seven thousand… That is much more than he wanted, to say the least. It was like someone grabbed his heart to force it to stop beating. Seven. Fucking. Thousand. He didn’t even know there were that many agencies in the first place. 

Caelus was… stunned, to say the least. Jesus fucking Christ- He blinks, trying to process the number. What do you mean almost four thousand hero agencies want me to work for them-... This was going to be a horror for his indecisive brain. 

“In other years, it’s been more spread out, but all eyes were on these four.” Aizawa gestures to the chart behind him. Caelus presses his lips together. “Namely, Nikushimi.” He looks towards Akumu, who just averts his gaze. Don’t remind him-...

“Gah, there’s such a big difference!” Denki tosses his head backwards over the back of his chair. 

“Those pros don’t know a good thing when they see one!” Yuga grumbled.

“Bakugo’s the last of the four?” Jirou raised an eyebrow as she looked at the numbers. 

“Even though he was in second place, he’s behind Gonzales and Todoroki…” Eijirou hummed. Caelus clenched his jaw. God he hated that name. Still, hating my last name is better than hating both names… man.

“Some people are too scared to ask for a guy who had to be restrained on the podium.” Hanta pointed out. 

“What’re the pros scared of!?” Katsuki turned to Hanta with that scowl on his face. 

Momo sighed and looked towards Shoto, who sat next to her. Even if she wishes to have done better, she might as well be kind to those who made it. “You’re amazing, Todoroki.”

“They’re probably all because of my dad.” Shoto grumbled without looking at Momo. 

Ochaco had grabbed Tenya by the shoulders behind him. She was shaking him, her movements vigorous as tears pricked her eyes. “Wow, we got offers!”

“Yes, yes -...” Tenya just let her shake the shit out of him as she squealed with relief and excitement.

Mineta nudged Izuku’s shoulder. “Midoriya, you didn’t get any!”

“...I did get brainwashed out of the boundary…” Izuku muttered.

“Keeping these results in mind, whether or not anyone asked for you, you will all be participating in internships with pros.” Aizawa leaned over his desk, his expression hardening. 

“Internships?” Izuku asked the question everyone else was thinking.

“Yeah.” Aizawa confirms. “At USJ, you already got to experience combat with real villains, but it will still be meaningful training for you to see pros at work firsthand.” Akumu and Caelus looked at each other. They’ve been trained by a former pro hero, yes, but not an active one. 

“So that explains the hero names!” The muscled guy with the large lips smiled.

“Things are suddenly getting a lot more fun!” Ochaco beamed.

“Well, those hero names are still temporary, but if you’re not serious about it…” Aizawa’s words were interrupted by the door opening.

“...You’ll have hell to pay later!” Midnight steps through the doors. Some of the students were excited by the sight of her, but a certain pair of them looked a little more excited than the others. Spoiler alert: Denki and Mineta. Akumu sank into his seat, looking up into the ceiling. He was uncomfortable by the sight of her, but he’s heard some things about her from his grandfather. Caelus just averted his eyes, feeling disrespectful if he looked at her for too long. “Because a lot of hero names used by students become recognized by society, and they end up becoming professional hero names!” She flaunts her body as she walks in. 

God, if you exist, save me. Akumu takes a slow, deep breath.

“Midnight!” The class remarked.

“Well, that’s how it is.” Aizawa muttered as she stopped to stand next to him. “So Midnight will be making sure your names are okay.” Aizawa leans down to grab his sleeping bag. “I can’t do stuff like that.” He muttered. In his case, he hated being on the news and on the media, so Present Mic chose his name. And that day, EraserHead was born. “When you give yourself a name, you get a more concrete image of what you want to be like in the future, and you can get closer to it. This is what it means when they say, ‘Names and nature do often agree.’ Like, ‘All Might,’ for example.” Once he was finished speaking, the front row were handing back whiteboards to each other. Akumu and Caelus both grabbed their whiteboards, a marker then being handed to them next. Meanwhile, Aizawa went to lay down in his sleeping bag and sleep in the corner. 

A good five minutes passed before Midnight spoke out to the class. “Okay, let’s start presenting names, starting with those who are ready.” Oh. They were presenting them. Oh hell-...

Yuga came up to the front of the classroom with his whiteboard. Behind the teacher’s podium, he closed his eyes. “Here I go…” How dramatic. “Shining Hero: I cannot stop twinkling!” He raises the whiteboard. Akumu bit back a snicker, his hand clenching on his marker as he looked down. Wow. “Which means, you can’t stop my sparkles!” it was a whole ass sentence.

“It’ll be easier to use if you take out the ‘I’ and shorten the ‘cannot’ to ‘can’t.’” Midnight used the marker to scribble them out and replace the “cannot.” Then, Yuga just points.

“You’re right, mademoiselle.”

“...It’s okay-...?” Jirou, Eijirou, the muscle man, Izuku, and Denki muttered in unison.

“Anyway, choose one, English or French-!” The same muscle man, the one with the donut lips, murmured. 

“Then, I’ll go next!” Mina ran up to the podium with excitement. Then, she shows her whiteboard. “Hero name, Alien Queen!” She smiled widely.

“--Two-! Are you trying for the thing with acidic blood? I weren’t if I were you!” Midnight criticized.

“Damnit…” Mina walks back to her seat.

“Idiot!” Everyone whispered. 

Everyone was under pressure now. Since the first ones were weird, it felt like everyone had to come up with something silly. Akumu was staring at his blank board, still unsure of what to write. Caelus was also unsure, but he eventually just shrugged his shoulders, and decided to go back to his roots, writing down the thing that seemed to fit best. While Caelus was writing, Tsuyu raised her hand with a “ribbit.” “Then, may I go next?” She asked. 

“Go ahead, Tsu.” Midnight smiled.

Tsuyu stood up and went to go up to the front, her whiteboard in hand. “I’ve had this in mind ever since I was in elementary school.” She then turns the whiteboard to the class. “Rainy Season Hero: Froppy.”

“That’s so cute!” Midnight clasps her hands together in delight. “It seems friendly. I like it! It’s a great example of a name everyone will love!” As soon as she said that, people in the class raised their fists and chanted “Froppy.” Ah. People seem to love that one-...

Caelus smiled to himself. That’s cute. It fits her and her quirk really well too.

Next, Eijirou stood up. He rushed up to the front before slamming his whiteboard on the desk. “Then, I’ll go too! Sturdy Hero: Red Riot!” 

“‘Red Riot?’” Midnight repeated. “You’re paying homage to the Chivalrous Hero: Crimson Riot, right?”

“Yes.” Eijirou confirmed, his toothy smile widening as he rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s pretty old-fashioned, but the hero image I’m going for is Crimson himself.”

Midnight chuckled, “If you’re bearing a name you admire, it’ll come with that much more pressure.”

“I’m prepared for that.” He clenched one of his fists.

“Man, I haven’t thought of a name yet…” Denki muttered. Jirou reached over to him and tapped him on the shoulder to grab his attention. He perked up and looked over towards her. 

“Why don’t I give you one? How about ‘Jamming-Yay?’”

“It’s like Hemmingway, who wrote A Farewell to Arms ! Sounds smart! It’s cool!” 

“No… It’s because even though you’re strong…” She snickered, clasping her hand over her mouth to hold back her laughter. “...You always end up like that-...”

“Hey, Jirou! Stop messing with me!” Denki huffed at her as she stood up and hurried to the front. 

“Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack.” She smiled. 

“That’s good! Next!” Midnight gives her a thumbs up of approval. 

After a bit of time, students got up one by one to reveal the hero names they came up with for themselves.

“Tentacle Hero: Tentacole.” The masked one presented.

“It’s like tentacle with some octopus thrown in!” Midnight hummed with a grin.

“Taping Hero: Cellophane.” Hanta seemed a bit nervous to present his, but he got the thumbs up from Midnight.

“Nice and simple! That’s important!”

“Martial Arts Hero: Tailman.” How simple, but effective. 

“Your name reflects your body!”

“Sweets Hero: Sugarman!” He had nearly slammed his whiteboard into the desk a little too hard, but he definitely got the thumbs up from Midnight.

“So sweet!”

“Pinky!!” Mina announced after she had thought of a new name.

“Peachy pink complexion!”

“Stun Gun Hero: Chargebolt!” A mixture of charge and lightning bolt. How nice.

“Oh, I feel tingly!”

“Stealth Hero: Invisible Girl!” Figures.

“That’s great!” She reaches out towards the other students who haven’t chosen a name yet. “Come on, let’s keep right on going!”

Momo stood up and presented hers up to the front. “I hope I will not bring shame to this name. Everything Hero: Creati.”

“Creative!”

“Shoto.” Shoto blinks. Midnight places her hands on her hips and tilts her head. 

“Your name? Is that okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Jet-Black Hero: Tsukuyomi.” Fumikage looked down at his board as he presented it. 

“God of the night!”

“Fresh-Picked Hero: Grape Juice!” Mineta wasn’t tall enough to look over the desk, but he raised the board high enough to see it.

“Pop and kitschy!”

Koji didn’t say anything. He just got up to the podium with a nervous expression and showed his whiteboard— “Petting Hero: Anima.”

“Okay, got it!” Midnight gave him the thumbs up.

“King Explosion Murder.” Katsuki stated, his tone firm and gruff. Ah. Of course. 

“You probably shouldn’t use something like that.”

“Why not!?”

“You should be, ‘Explosion Boy!’” Eijirou suggested.

“Shut up, shitty hair!” Katsuki yelled at him.

“Okay, my turn…” Ochaco muttered as she stood up from her seat and walked up to the front while Katsuki continued to yell at Eijirou and get laughed at. “This is what I thought of,” she had a nervous grin on her face, despite her presentation. “‘Uravity.’”

“Sounds stylish!” Ochaco sighed in relief at Midnight’s greenlight. “Choosing hero names is going more smoothly than I thought it would!” She looked at the clock, they still had a good amount of time left. “All that’s left is Bakugo, who needs to rethink his, Iida, Midoriya, Gonzales, and Nikushimi, right?”

Tenya swallows hard as he stares at his board. At first, he starts writing. But then he pauses. And then he erases it, rewriting something else and presenting up to the front. It was just his first name, like Shoto’s.

“You’re using your first name, too?” Midnight mused. Tenya nods and then just goes to sit back down. With a shrug, she looks towards the rest. “Midoriya, Gonzales, Nikushimi, are any of you ready?” She asked.

Caelus scratches his wrist, then raises his hand. “I am.” His heart feels like it’s in his throat as he makes his way up, glancing down at his board before looking back up again. “Starling Hero: Icarus.” He shifts back and forth on his feet.

“Oooh!” Midnight clasps her hands together with glee. “A reference to Greek mythology! I love it!” Akumu looks up from his board and gives a thumbs up of approval from the back. Caelus smiles, and he slips back to his seat, his wings ruffling happily. He’d been a bit nervous about it, but hearing the validation made it feel a bit more confident.

“What about you, Midoriya, Nikushimi?” Midnight glances over towards the two. Izuku looks up while Akumu shakes his head. 

“I-I’m ready!” Izuku stands up to present his name. He then shows the board, making everyone stunned. “Deku.” A word that means “useless.” 

“Midoriya?” Mineta blinked.

“Are you really okay with that?” Denki seemed uncertain about Izuku’s choice. It was, in all fairness, a questionable choice for a hero name.

“You might be called that forever, you know.” Eijirou chimed.

“Yeah. I didn’t like this name until now.” Izuku looked down at his board, his expression unreadable. “But someone changed the meaning of it, and that had a huge impact on me. It made me really happy.” Izuku smiled. “This is my hero name.” He looked towards the rest of the class. The class seemed to understand. Izuku went to sit back down at his desk. Only then did Akumu finally stand up to present his name. 

The whiteboard was placed down. “Yokai Hero: Yamishibai.” He muttered. He wasn’t all that sure on this one. All he really did was combine the two words “yami” and “shibai.” In other words, “Dark Play.”

“How dark!” Midnight beamed as her hands came together again. Must be a habit. “Like the spirits of the night!” Akumu just nods and walks back to his seat. Then, he stared at the words that he had written. Meanwhile, Katsuki stood back up to the front of the class to reveal the new name he had come up with.

“Lord Explosion Murder!” He yelled out.

“No, that’s still no good.” Midnight sighed.

Before Katsuki has the opportunity to create a new one, the bell rings, signaling the end of the period. 

“Now that everyone's decided on their hero names, we'll go back to talking about the internships.” Aizawa stood up, his lower body still enveloped in his sleeping bag, while Midnight stood and stretched beside him. “They will last for a week. As for where you'll have them, those who had offers from pros will be given your own lists, so you can choose from those yourself. Those who didn't have offers will choose from among forty agencies around the country that will be accepting our interns.” Aizawa lifted up a paper form for the class to see. “They all work in different places and have different specialties.”

“For example, Thirteen would be focused on rescues from accidents and disasters more than fighting villains,” Midnight adds on with a smile.

“Think carefully before you choose.”

“Yes sir!” The class replies, and the bell rings again to signal the next period.

“I want to fight crime in urban areas!” Eijirou exclaimed, smiling as he looked down at his form.

“I hope I can intern at a place with floods. I wonder if there are any?” Tsuyu tilts her head, placing a finger on her chin. 

“Turn your choices in before the weekend,” Aizawa says flatly as he turns to leave with Midnight, and Denki looks up, shocked.

“We've only got two days?!”

“Make your decision efficiently,” is the last thing that Aizawa says, his yellow sleeping bag tossed over his shoulder. “Dismissed.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Hey guys, have you decided which pro agency you're going to yet?” Mina asked, a bit of exhaustion in her voice as she looked over her form. Mineta turns, pointing a confident thing to himself.

“I'm going to Mount Lady!”

“Mineta, you're thinking about something perverted, aren't you?” Tsuyu half-asked, half-stated as she passed by, leading to the grape boy looking scandalized. 

“Of course not!”

“Ashido, you may not have made it far in the tournament, but you put up a pretty good fight. It's weird that you didn't get any offers.” Ojiro pointed out as he came to stand by her desk, and Mina sighed, springing up and pointing at him.

“You said it.”

Ochako turns to Izuku. “Deku, have you decided already?” However, he didn't seem to hear her over him muttering to himself.

“There are only forty heroes who'll take us, so after looking up their specialties and splitting them into groups…”

Damn. Izuku was making it seem like an art form rather than a work study.

“Oh, sorry! I was lost in thought…” Izuku looks over, and Tsuyu tilts her head as she approaches.

“You're really thinking carefully about this, huh, Midoriya?”

“Actually, I've already decided!” Ochako declared, balling her fists beside her.

“Really?” Mina looked over, surprised.

“Where?” Ojiro asked, lifting his head a bit to see her better.

“Battle Hero: Gunhead’s agency!” Ochako grins, looking over at the two. At her reply, Izuku seems surprised.

“Huh? Gunhead's a huge battle type! You're going there, Uraraka?” He looks a bit nervous, but Ochako doesn't waver.

“Yup! I got an offer from them!” She nods, punching the air in front of her. 

“Really? I totally thought you were trying to be a hero like Thirteen.” Izuku points out, and Ochako’s stance relaxes a bit. 

“Ultimately, yes. But fighting Bakugou at the sports festival made me think– the stronger I get, the more possibilities I'll have!” She takes a fighting stance, a determined look on her face. “If I only do what I want, I'll have a narrower perspective!” Izuku blinks twice.

“I see.”

Ochako looks over at Izuku, her expression shifting to one of worry. “More importantly, this has been bothering me for a while, but… You're trembling, aren't you?”

Izuku looks down at his desk. “Oh, this? It's the air chair exercise.”

“Air chair?! Don't tell me you do that all through class?” 

“There's no way!” Mina exclaims, leaning on Izuku's desk.

“That's such an old fashioned exercise.” Mineta comments, eliciting an almost offended look from Ojiro.

“What are you saying? The isometric muscle contraction of the air chair means it's an easy way to train without moving!”

“Shut up…” Katsuki growls from the seat in front, his paper crinkling in his grip from how tightly he was holding it.

“He who follows two hares catches neither.” Fumikage remarks, watching the interaction go down between the group across from him. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Caelus huffed a sigh, running his hand through his hair—now a multitude of long, thin braids that had been grouped together and pulled into a messy bun—and scratching at his neck. “Man, if being a hero includes making a lot of big and difficult decisions, then I'm not gonna be very good at it,” he groaned. 

“I already picked one.” Akumu blinked as he showed him his piece of paper. “I did some research on Odd-Eye. So I’m going to his agency.” He then pulls his phone out. “If you’d like, I can do some research for you, too.”

Caelus tilts his head. “Odd-Eye? I don't think I've heard much about him. What does he look like?” He pulls up a picture after a few minutes. Black coat, short green and purple hair, an eyepatch… He looks like an occultist, which makes sense as to why Akumu was going to go to him out of all pro heroes. Caelus raises an eyebrow. “Damn.”

“Mhm.” Akumu slips his phone away. “...Y’know, the number ten hero might interest you.” Akumu suggested as he looked back down at his paper.

Caelus frowns, thinking for a while. Who's number ten…? “Oh yeah. She's the dragon, right? Ryukyu?” He looks over at Akumu. Akumu nods his head with a small, “Mhm,” leaning back into his seat. Hm. “...That's not a bad idea, actually.” He muses, his wings fluttering a bit around him as he speaks. 

“Do you think we can turn these in early?” He erases some of his handwriting to rewrite it neater on the page. Caelus shrugs.

“I mean, probably. Aizawa said we had to turn it in by the weekend, so there's a good chance.”

“Hm. Okay.” Akumu stood up from his seat and stepped up to Aizawa. “Teacher,” Aizawa turns around to look at Akumu with a small, “hm?,” before Akumu hands him his worksheet. “I’ve decided.” He hands him the paper. Aizawa takes the paper and Akumu just walks away from him to go back to his seat.

Caelus digs around in his bag for a pencil for a minute, and when he eventually finds one, he pulls up the site for Ryukyu’s agency on his phone, copying the name down onto his form. He does a quick once over to make sure he's got everything right before he slips up to the front. “Sir? I've decided too.” He scratches the back of his neck. Aizawa raises a questioning eyebrow, as if to say “ you too?, ” and Caelus just nods. Aizawa shrugs, then takes the paper from his hand without any further inquiry. Caelus slips back to his seat and pulls his headphones on over his head, deciding to pass the rest of the time listening to music. 

A pair of headphones sat on both of their heads as they waited for the school day to end. This was an easier day, in all honesty. Just a few more mundane classes and they’ll be out. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

A few days later, the class stood gathered in a train station, their hero costumes in hand, Aizawa standing at the front. “You all have your costumes, right?” He asked, his hands tucked into his pockets. “Remember, you're not allowed to wear them in public. Don't drop them or anything.” 

“Yes sir~!” Mina bounced up on her toes, lifting her hero costumes over her head, earning a glare from Aizawa.

“Speak clearly! It's, ‘yes, sir,’ Ashido.” He scolds, and Mina deflates.

“Yes, sir…”

“Make sure you mind your manners with the heroes at your internships! Off with you now.” He lowers his head a bit as he dismisses them, the class immediately breaking off into groups.

“Tokoyami, you're going to Kyushu?”

“That's in the opposite direction.”

“I can't wait!”

Caelus turns to Akumu, his bag and suitcase slung over his shoulder. “Welp, see you in a week.” Akumu nods his head and waves to Caelus as he turns around.

“See ya. Don’t die.” He hummed as he headed to his station.

Caelus chuckles. “You know I can't die any more than you can.”

“You know what I meant.”

“Yeah, yeah. See ya.”

Chapter Text

Caelus watched the landscape pass as the train pulled out of the station, heading for Ryukyu's agency in Tokyo. As music blasted in his ears, he hoped the visible headphones would discourage any strangers from trying to approach or make conversation with him. The train ride, he'd discovered, would take about two hours, which wasn't too bad in his opinion—it was about the same length as the trip from Phoenix to Tucson, and his family had made those trips regularly. 

The train's journey was a lot smoother than the car’s had been, though; the trouble-free ride mixed with the music in his headphones made him sleepy. 

The drink you spilt all over me

Lover’s Spit left on repeat

My mom and dad let me stay home

It drives you crazy, getting old

We can talk it so good

We can make it so divine

We can talk it good

How you wish it would be all the time

The drink you spilt all over me

Lover’s Spit left on repeat

My mom and dad let me stay home

It drives you crazy, getting old

The drink you spilt all over me

Lover’s Spit left on repeat

My mom and dad let me stay home

It drives you crazy, getting old

This dream isn't feeling sweet 

We're reeling through the midnight streets

And I've never felt more alone

It feels so scary, getting old

We can talk it so good

We can make it so divine

We can talk it so good

How you wish it would be all the time

This dream isn't feeling sweet 

We're reeling through the midnight streets

And I've never felt more alone

It feels so scary, getting old

This dream isn't feeling sweet 

We're reeling through the midnight streets

And I've never felt more alone

It feels so scary, getting old

I want ‘em back, I want ‘em back

The minds we had, the minds we had

How all the thoughts, how all the thoughts

Moved round our heads, moved round our heads

I want ‘em back, I want ‘em back

It's not enough to feel the lack 

I want ‘em back, I want ‘em back, I want ‘em

You're the only friend I need (you're the only friend I need)

Sharing beds like little kids (sharing beds like little kids)

And laughing 'til our ribs get tough (laughing 'til our ribs get tough)

But that will never be enough (but that will never be enough)

You're the only friend I need (you're the only friend I need)

Sharing beds like little kids (sharing beds like little kids)

And laughing 'til our ribs get tough (laughing 'til our ribs get tough)

But that will never be enough (but that will never be enough)

Before he knew it, the train had pulled into the station, and he was jerked out of his doze by the train stopping. He sits up with a low groan, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to wake himself up. His wings ruffled, shifting back into the draconic form they'd taken at the USJ—it was a bit of a conscious decision, seeing how Ryukyu's quirk turned her into a dragon. He wasn't about to miss a chance to go along with a theme. He swiped his stuff from the seat next to him, then slipped out his phone as he disembarked, typing out a quick text to Akumu.

Today at 14:32

[Caelus] : Made it to Tokyo, heading over to Ryukyu's now. I'll keep you posted

He didn't bother to wait for a response; he could guess that Akumu was either still on his train or busy. Either way, he wouldn't bother him any more than necessary. He pulled up the site for Ryukyu's agency, then typed the address into his maps. It would be a little weird to go a whole week without his best friend and human GPS, but he'd be fine. Probably.

It was about a twenty five minute walk from the station to Ryukyu's agency, and Caelus looked up at the building for a moment, taking in the sight of the billboard posted on the windows. A woman with short blonde hair stood facing profile, dressed in stylish clothing, the word “Dragoir” stamped in silver lettering across the bottom of the poster. That must be Ryukyu, Caelus mused to himself before he looked back at the door, pausing before pushing the door open and stepping inside. Though he does let his headphones dissolve so he doesn’t come off as rude.

“Hello?” He called out hesitantly, letting the door fall closed behind him. 

The agency had been a pretty large building on the outside, and it was only further evidenced by the interior. There weren’t any dividing walls or doorways, leaving the floor space wide open.

At the other side of the room, Caelus spotted the woman he’d seen on the billboard outside, sitting at a desk. She was dressed in a dark red qipao accented with gold and pale green, and white sleeve-like gloves covered her arms, almost reaching her shoulders. Hearing his voice, she lifted her head and smiled as he approached.

“Ah, hello there. You’re Gonzales, right?” Caelus flinches, but he quickly covers it up by clearing his throat. 

“Ah- Please, just Caelus will do,” he replies, giving what he hoped was a warm smile, and Ryukyu nods.

“Right, you’re a transfer from America. Welcome to Japan,” she smiles in return. Caelus exhales a silent breath of relief, then nods.

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to working with you.” Caelus bows, his wings fluttering around his shoulders, and Ryukyu hums, her eyes trailing over their draconic form. 

“Likewise.” Ryukyu says as Caelus straightens up, folding her arms over her chest. “Your performance in the sports festival really impressed me. I must admit, I’m a little surprised you came here of all places. Surely you had offers from much more important heroes?” She raises a brow.

Caelus just shrugs. “I’m not one to overcomplicate things. We’re both flying types, and you were pretty well off, all things considered, so I figured coming here would be a good option.” He replies, scratching his wrist behind his back. Ryukyu nods as she listens. 

“Well, in any case, I’m glad that you came to me. I'm sure this will be a good learning experience for both of us.” The pro gives Caelus a smile, and he returns it with a nod. “Let’s get right to it, shall we? Change into your hero costume, and we’ll head out on patrol.” Ryukyu gestures for Caelus to follow her, and the white-haired boy does as he’s told, his wings fluttering in preparation.

Caelus steps into the changing room that Ryukyu had shown him to, glancing around briefly to check that there were no cameras. She didn’t really strike him as that type, but you could never be too careful; America had taught him that. Unsurprisingly, there were no signs that he was being watched, and none of his internal alarm bells had gone off either. 

Caelus set the case with his hero costume on a bench in the room, the hinges clicking as it swung open. He started by changing into his clothes, but quickly noticed a certain weight to the fabric that hadn’t been there before. He frowns, patting the fabric in confusion to try to identify the discrepancy until a note tucked in the corner of the case caught his eye.

“Dear Mr. Caelus Gonzales, 

When making repairs to your costume, our company decided to make some changes to the material. Thank you for understanding.”

Ah. They must’ve changed it to something stronger so it’d be harder to damage. It didn’t look or feel like they’d changed anything else about his costume. He fidgets with the corner of the note as he thinks before setting it down. His knives were nestled into compartments in the top section of the case, and Caelus picked one up, turning it over in his hands for a moment, then weighing it in his palm. No differences he could pick up on. He hums softly, then begins to set his blades in their sheaths, thumbing the hilts and handles of each before moving onto the next one and sliding it into place.

Ryukyu was waiting outside when Caelus left the dressing room, her gaze flicking over him to briefly appraise his appearance before nodding in approval. “Alright, are you ready? Let’s get going.” She starts towards the front door of her agency, and Caelus hums affirmatively as he follows her.

The streets weren’t packed, but they were relatively busy by the time that Ryukyu and Caelus stepped out of the agency. Caelus took a moment to take in his surroundings, his gaze idly scanning the crowd. “So, this is Tokyo, huh?” He muses, and Ryukyu nods.

“Indeed. As the capital of Japan, it’s one of the more populated areas. And with that, comes more targets for villains. Especially at this time of day, when everyone’s starting to wind down for the day and head home.” Ryukyu looks over her shoulder at Caelus. “In order to do the most damage possible, villains will want to attack when everyone is off their guard, so they lie in wait until the most vulnerable times.” Caelus nods in understanding. After all, he’d probably do the same thing. 

Either that, or he’d be just like the public - too tired for anything big and flashy.

“Today, we’re going to be patrolling the main metro areas and watching for anything out of place. If something happens, then we’ll intervene.” Ryukyu explains, snapping Caelus out of his thoughts before he nods.

“Alright.” He felt his phone buzz, and he slips it out, peeking at the screen.

Today at 16:09

[Akumu] : Just made it to Hosu. 

Oh, yeah. Hosu was farther from Musutafu than Tokyo. He types out a quick reply – “On patrol. Text you later” – and clicks send before he tucks his phone back in his pocket. 

The patrol goes fairly smooth for a while, but the closer night draws, a sense of unease begins to build low in Caelus’ stomach. He bites his lip, stopping himself from looking around on instinct. What’s with this sudden feeling of foreboding? His hands ball into fists inside his pockets. I can’t tell if this is paranoia or something’s actually wrong. His jaw tenses, and as if sensing his unease, Ryukyu glances down at him.

“You okay?” Her words snap Caelus out of his daze, and he nods without missing a beat.

“Yeah, fine. Just thinking, don't worry.” The eyes of his mask curve up in a reassuring smile, but beneath it, his brows are knit deeply. Is something happening with Akumu? Did they run into a villain? No, I’m overreacting. Maybe they’re just surprised by something on their way to Odd-Eye’s agency. Yeah. It’s probably nothing big. He takes a deep, slow, breath, in and out, but the knot in his chest doesn’t loosen. Focus. You can’t afford to be distracted. People could be in danger.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The moon hung high in the sky, pale white light washing over the city below. A soft wind made Caelus’ clothes beat gently against his skin as he soared over the city. A crackle of static came from his comlink, and Ryukyu’s voice came over the channel.

“How’re things looking up there, Icarus?” 

“All clear. Nothing unusual so far,” he replied, his gaze still scanning the ground below. Still, the nagging feeling remains. “Damnit.” He cursed under his breath. He hated this feeling, like something was going to happen, but he didn’t know what. It felt like something was hooked in his heart, and it kept tugging him in a certain direction, but he didn’t know where it was leading. 

Shit.

Chapter Text

The train is noisy. So very fucking noisy. Sitting in his seat, he’s looking down at his phone, following his GPS. Rather than making notes of where he had to go, he had a GPS system that gave him a trail to follow, which included telling him which busses, trains, and whatever the hell to take to get him there the fastest. It’s quite useful in a bustling country like this. Akumu leans back in his seat while he looks out the window.

There wasn’t a lot of information on Odd Eye. As much as he tried to look up things about Odd Eye, all he got was that Odd Eye was a pro hero known to be edgy. He himself was edgy, kind of. Well known heroes would’ve given him an aneurysm due to the attention, so maybe it was good he didn’t find a lot on Odd Eye. To his misfortune, that meant that he didn't know what to expect. And sure, he could always ask the spirits, but they are so vague and are always talking in tongues. It’d be like talking to a man who only speaks in hands. And no, not the sign language kind, because he knows sign language. Akumu stares down at his screen, watching his tracking icon trail down the highlighted path for him while he rides the train. He begins to fidget with the bandages on his fingers. Not that he needed them anymore, but it was good to be safe rather than sorry. He just hopes he won’t tear them later if he decides to transform later. Akumu turns his headphone volume up while he looks out the window.

It was weird. To be without Caelus, that is. Usually, Caelus would be showing something on his phone or the two of them would be talking about their own nonsense by now. But it was just him and his music this time. He did spend most nights like this, but during the day? It was strange. Not in a bad or good way. It was the kind of weirdness that can be comparable to watching a sun bear in a zoo—those things look like humans in bear suits, and they look like they are constantly struggling with existing. Very specific, yes, but it was that kind of weirdness. Akumu kind of didn’t know what to do other than just sit there and wait for the train to stop at his station. Maybe he can play some games or text someone. Or maybe he can write? Draw? Turn his music off and watch something? Or maybe he can just continue to sit here and sleep until his stop. The spirits are sure to wake him up, anyway. Though, he was a little paranoid being alone in a train like this while surrounded by strangers, spirits or not.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Spoiler alert: he fell asleep. To be fair, the seats were comfy as hell and he was in the perfect position to lay his head back, curl up deep into the corner of his seat, and just close his eyes.

Akumu groans as he feels a cold hand on his shoulder. While his eyes flutter open, his blurry eyes begin to clear up. The person waking him up did appear to be a ghost, at least. The missing eyes and the cut displaying her open throat did give it away. The ghost disappears as soon as he locks eyes with her. The train doors opening made him realize he’s at his stop. Now to get to his destination. Akumu gets up from his seat and brings his costume with him in that box. He reaches into his phone and pulls up a photo of the letter he got. It was a letter from Odd Eye, one that used invisible ink for some reason. It told him where his agency was located. For some reason, he was supposed to meet him up at some dark alleyway. Not creepy at all, of course not. Akumu sighs and begins to walk there while keeping his eyes down. 

The train station didn’t seem far from where he was standing, so he decided that walking there would be fine. He checks his text messages while he walks, looking up every now and then to make sure he didn’t bump into anything or anyone. 

Today at 14:32

[Caelus ] : Made it to Tokyo, heading over to Ryukyu's now. I'll keep you posted

Oh. He was already there, huh? His train ride took much longer than Caelus’.

Today at 16:09

[Akumu ] : Just made it to Hosu. 

That’s all he responds with before he shut his phone off and continues on his way. The streets were worse than the train. The amount of people around during the day made it damn well irritating to get to his destination. Irate, Akumu keeps his stiff body low and tries to avoid contact with anyone as best as he could. It was hard to do so, and he was tempted to use his quirk to get through the crowd. Though, if he ran out of time while phasing through people, the result might get bloody. So he’ll have to suffer for now. According to that letter, there were some descriptions as to what the door was supposed to look like. He would just have to find the right alleyway to go down. But in a huge city like this… Ugh. He’s already thinking about building hopping at this point, but that’s illegal. He was half tempted to just go wait in a coffee shop or something until night came, but he knew that was a terrible idea. That would waste too much time, and he only had a week to get something out of his internship. With a long sigh, Akumu continues to push his way through the crowd.

An hour or two passes before he finds the alleyway he was supposed to go down. The directions this man gave him on the note was so goddamn vague that he spent more time looking for him than he should’ve. Ugh. Maybe he should’ve gone with Ectoplasm after all. Akumu looks up at the large doors. On the large, imposing doors, there were circles engraved with runic symbols. Almost like ritualistic signs on the four corners of the doors and a fifth one in the middle. There were no handles, so this had to be a push door. 

Akumu takes a deep breath before he places one of his hands on the door. Then, he pushes it open, being greeted with the darkness within the building. Weird. He steps through the room, looking around with a sense of curiosity. Candles, dim lights, a ritualistic aesthetic… Wow, he underplayed Odd Eye’s edginess quite a lot. Akumu looks around while taking slow steps, careful not to touch anything. He looks around to see if there are any clues to where he’s supposed to go. Unfortunately, none, but the spirits were here to be his building GPS at least. A tour guide, even. He follows a couple of the ghosts around, up until he is met with a room where there was a chair in the room, a ritualistic rug underneath on the ground. The ritual circle was surrounded by what seems like cultists wearing clothes with an eye symbol over their faces. In the chair, there he was—Odd Eye. Supposedly the edgelord hero. 

...Well this isn’t weird at all. Akumu shoved his free hand in his pocket, the other still holding his hero costume case. 

“I have been waiting for ye, o chosen one, Akumu Nikushimi.” Odd Eye’s smile widens at the sight of seeing Akumu. Oh, yeah no, this was pretty fucking weird. “My name is Odd Eye. That is the name I go by in this world.” …Akumu may have underestimated his edginess a bit. The name he goes by in this world, huh? He must be one of those edgelord that are all about the darkness and demonology wannabes that don’t actually know anything about demonology. “Come now, be not afraid.” Odd Eye then gestures to the other people in the room, still looking at Akumu. “They are merely familiars contracted to me.” 

That’s when they looked towards Akumu. “We’re sidekicks.” One of them corrects Odd Eye’s claim.

“We’re paid to be here.” Another pipes.

Ah.

He doesn’t know if he should feel bad for them or not.

“Now, go follow one of my familiars, ye young one. Put on thine clothing of fury, and then we shall converse.” Oh hell. The way that this guy speaks makes him want to punch him, but he just shakes the thought of it out of his head for now. This is who he chose, so it better be worth it in the end. Cannot back out now. Akumu turns to one of the sidekicks, who gestures to him to follow them towards one of the bathrooms. 

The two of them head down towards the bathroom for him to change into his hero costume. The walk there wasn’t eventful. He steps into the bathroom before locking the door behind him. First, he pulls his phone out and checks for any cameras. The building itself was pretty damn dark, so he didn’t need to turn out the lights. There were no red dots, meaning there were no cameras. Not in the mirrors or in the corners. He didn’t hear the spirits warn him of anything, so he assumed it would be safe to change in here. 

Akumu opens up the case and looks inside. There was a piece of paper in the middle of the case. Huh. He picks it up and opens the folded piece of paper to read it. 

“Dear Ms. Akumu Nikushimi, 

When making repairs to your costume, our company decided to make some changes to the material and the design. Thank you for understanding.”

Ah. Fuck. Without his permission, hm? Well, this design better be worth it and the material better be comfortable. He looks at the clothes he was given before beginning to change. He tried to be quick about it, figuring that he shouldn’t make Odd Eye wait. 

Once he was changed out, he looked at himself in the mirror. He does admit, this outfit is a little better than his old one. From the bottom up, he was wearing thick boots. They had no laces, but rather buckles that tightened, like on his platforms back in middle school. Not that it was a bad thing. The boots reached just below the knees, and nearly made him as tall as his heels did. His pants were baggy and had some zippers on the side of his thighs. These zippers open up to his actual thighs, which had hidden sheaths underneath for two knife-sized blades of his choosing. His belt had two side straps hanging loose against his legs, paired with a harness-like belt that had some empty pouches. Hidden within his waistband, he had two holsters against his hips that don’t have a purpose yet. For his top, he had a baggy black jacket. It had some straps and buckles wrapped around the upper arms and some ribbon that masked his form a little better. His sleeves were so baggy that they reached down to his knees. On his neck, the company gave him a scarf to wear. It was a black scarf that covered his neck and the bottom half of his face. Speaking of his face, they gave him a mask for him to wear. It was metallic, covering the bottom half of his face. By no one’s surprise, it was also black. He doesn’t know why it was metal, why they made him one, or why it reminded him of Bucky’s muzzle, but he didn’t think too much of it. 

Eventually, he stepped out of the bathroom and walked back to the room where Odd Eye was. He stood in front of the pro hero, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. “Ah, ye finish quick.” He hummed before chuckling, leaning back into his chair. “Very well, then. The goal ye are heading towards… When described in the speech of this world, it would be what ye call… Heroes.” Odd Eye continues, despite his sidekicks’ introjections. “However, heroes are individuals who carry out acts equivalent to continuously placing themselves in the abyss. The masses will extoll them one at a time… But also fear them at another, as they were unable to fathom whether these heroes are Gods or Demons. ” …Huh? 

What is bro waffling about…? Akumu blinked. Is this real? Is he a real person? He’s in a simulation, he has to be. There is no way this man is even the slightest bit sane.

“Humans are creatures that hide dark truths within them.” Odd Eye’s dark smile widens, his eyes narrowing at Akumu’s form. “Whether or not ye will be able to overcome the truth when it overcomes ye, and whether or not ye are worthy heroic vessels…” Akumu’s heart almost skipped a beat as Odd Eye got up and lunged at him without warning. “Prove thyself to me! Come show it to me! The abyss that carves itself within thee!” Oh Jesus. He was almost startled. Akumu didn't process what was going on until he realized that Odd Eye’s hand was pressing against his forehead. He blinked as he looked up at Odd Eye. At first, they just stood like this, staring at each other, Odd Eye’s gloved hand pressing against Akumu’s cold skin. Odd Eye’s eyes widened, surprise appearing on his features. “Impossible…!” Odd Eye muttered. “To think that I am unable to summon the darkness from within thee…” 

“...There is nothing that you need to know about me.” Akumu finally replies. “I am a client. And you are a provider. That is all we need to know about each other.” His gaze hardens as he continues to glare up into Odd Eye’s eyes. He knows about Odd Eye’s quirk by now. He’s read the many articles of how Odd Eye had embarrassed villains into submission. Only one with the willpower of the damned Gods could get through such a quirk. 

What a painful quirk to deal with. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Akumu and Odd Eye were out and about around Hosu. The night was dark, but the city was still bustling with people. Either they had to go home or they were going to their nightshifts. Whatever it was, Akumu wasn’t really listening or paying attention to what was going around him. Patrol was nothing he was interested in, not when the spirits told him everything he needed to know when he was out and about. “Yamishibai.” Akumu perks up when he hears his “hero name.” 

“Ah?”

“Look.” Odd Eye’s hand hovers over Akumu’s shoulder. Not quite touching him, but close enough to where Akumu could feel the warmth of Odd Eye’s hand. Akumu looks into the direction of where Odd Eye was pointing. At first, he saw nothing. But with a squint, he could see something… Flying? Akumu blinked, noticing that it had no light. So it couldn’t’ve been Caelus. And looking closer, the thing barely looked human. Not to say that those with mutations don’t look human, but this thing didn’t look to be a human with a mutation quirk. “One of the devil’s doings.”

“...Hm.” Akumu hummed before continuing to follow behind Odd Eye. Strange sighting for sure. Last time he checked, animals didn’t have quirks. So it couldn’t’ve been an animal. And animals hardly looked like disfigured humanoids. It wasn’t like a greater or lesser ape. It just looked large and lanky, as if it had been stretched out on those weird, medieval torture stretcher thingies. Whatever they were called. 

It wasn’t until he felt something off. Incredibly off. “...Odd Eye,” Akumu started, earning a small hum from the pro hero. “When does patrol end? I wanted to go off and train on my own, if that was okay.” Akumu shoved his hands into his pockets as he looked up at Odd Eye. Odd Eye blinks at Akumu’s sudden need for some alone time. He knew Akumu was not the type of intern that fucked around, so this had to be important to Akumu, right?

“Well, young one, you can go off on your own and train as much as you’d like if that is what your heart desires!” As soon as Akumu heard that, he nodded and jumped off of the building they both stood on. It startled Odd Eye at first, but then he remembered that Akumu was basically invincible. So he can’t worry too much, right? Still, he decided to stay around the area just in case Akumu needed him later, even if they had each other’s numbers by now. He was a good student, and Odd Eye would love to keep in touch with such a prince of darkness such as himself.

A soft thud came from the pavement as Akumu hit the ground. He dusted himself off before beginning to walk off on his own, where his hunch was leading him. Normally, he’d ignore his hunches. And every time he had, something bad had happened around him that he wouldn’t care for. But now that he was a hero in training, he had to care for them. Especially since he was on an internship. It wasn’t long until he heard some ruckus going on somewhere.

“Ohhhhhh, shit.” Akumu blinked as he stared from the buildings in the background. He was not well equipped for high stress situations, as ironic as that was. He was a walking, talking, breathing stressful situation, and yet he can’t handle them himself. There was fire and water everywhere, as well as those strange looking creatures. He couldn’t see well, but judging by the spirits around him, they were all staring at the same thing. 

That’s when he heard it. A pro hero, looking for Tenya. Akumu stared towards the pro hero, one that looked like he had a light colored wetsuit on. He blinked a few times before slowly putting two and two together. He’s heard what happened with Ingenium, and he knew who Ingenium was to Tenya. It didn’t take him long to get the sum of four. 

“Shit.” Akumu turned and began to run off, hoping to find Tenya somewhere. He can only hope that the idiot didn’t get himself killed yet in the chaos. As long as there was no body, then he can assume Tenya was still alive somewhere. As he ran, he could hear the whispers of the ghosts.

“Right.”

“Straight.”

“Right.”

“Left.”

“Straight.”

“Straight.”

“Keep going.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“A child wearing a suit… Who are you?” Stain’s blade is pointed directly in Tenya’s face, and sweat can be seen beading on the blue-haired boy’s brow.

“I am the  younger brother of the hero you attacked,” Tenya grits out, forcing himself to stand. “The younger brother of a most excellent older brother! I have come to stop you in his place!” Fury fills his eyes as he stares down the Hero Killer, crimson irises burning. “Remember my name for as long as you live! Ingenium. It is the name of the hero who will defeat you!”

Stain’s eyes glow in the light, the arteries visible in the whites. “I see.”

“Die.”

“Like I would!” Tenya shouts, his engines blazing as he lunges forward. However, Stain leaps out of the way, disappearing behind the boy.

“Ingenium. You’re brothers, huh?” Stain says, though it’s more a statement than an actual question. “In order to let news of me spread… I let him live.” Stain drives one of the spikes on his shoes into Tenya’s upper arm, the boy crying out in pain. He’s kicked to the ground, his face pressed into the concrete, but his eyes remain on Stain. The vigilante looms over him, his foot pressing harder against Tenya. “You’re weak.”

He flips his sword around and the blade pierces into Tenya’s other shoulder, blood spattering across the blade and the concrete around them. 

“You and your brother are both weak. Because you’re fakes,” Stain declares, his blade still embedded in his arm.

“Shut up, villain!” Tenya strains, holding back the urge to cough up a lung as he struggles against the vigilante. “He’s paralyzed from the waist down due to spinal cord damage! He can’t work as a hero anymore! Tensei is an excellent hero who saved many people… and led them until now… There’s no reason for you to crush him… He’s my hero… He was an excellent hero who gave me a dream!” He struggles to ball his fist, his fingers shaking and scraping against the pavement. “I won’t forgive you… I’ll kill you!”

Stain points behind him, towards a hero in a suit designed after Native American regalia. Blood stains his clothes from a deep wound in his shoulder, and he’s trembling even leaning against the wall. “Save that guy first. Reflect on yourself and save others. Don’t use your power for yourself.” His voice is cold and flat. “Being taken in by the hatred before you and trying to fulfill your own desires…” His eyes narrow. “That is the furthest from what a hero should be.” He pulls his blade from Tenya’s arm, lifting it up to his mouth. “That is why you’ll die.” His tongue runs over the blood on the chipped blade, and Tenya can feel something change. He tries to move, but he finds out that he can’t. As he struggles, Stain flips his blade once more, poising the tip over the left side of Tenya’s chest. “Goodbye. You’re an offering to a more just world.” His aura becomes oppressive, hanging in the air like a curse.

“Shut up… Shut up…” Tenya feels tears welling up in his eyes, both out of anger and grief. “No matter what you say, you are the criminal who hurt my brother!”                                                        

As Stain raises his sword as Tenya goes on, only to be interrupted by a sudden pain in his face. It didn’t take long before he was shot across the alleyway, another kid landing onto the ground. Akumu looked towards Tenya, kneeling down to where he was. 

“Ni…Nikushimi-…-san…?”

“Jesus, Iida-kun…” Akumu muttered before glancing back up towards Stain. “That’s the hero killer?” He grimaced a little behind his mask before standing back up, deciding to keep opinions to himself. 

“Nikushimi-san, why?” Tenya managed, his eyes fixed on Akumu’s back. Akumu didn’t reply. He didn’t need to say anything, nor did he want to. There was no way he was going to admit that he was worried about Tenya. 

“We should move to a bigger street.” Akumu’s fists balled up as he took a step back. “It’d be easier for the pros to see us that way.”

“I can’t… move my body…” Tenya’s voice was rough and hoarse, no doubt from the beating he’d taken earlier. “Ever since he cut me… I think it’s his Quirk…”

With a sigh, Akumu nodded. “...Shit, okay.” He looked around the alleyway before noticing that there was another person here. A pro, by the looks of it. “...Are you kidding me?” He takes a deep breath before locking his eyes onto Stain. So far, Stain has been pretty generous with time here. He’s surprised Stain hasn’t made a move yet. 

“Nikushimi-san… Don’t get involved! This has nothing to do with you!” Tenya hissed, his voice resolute despite his current weakness. Was Akumu listening? No, not in the slightest. He only swallowed hard as his eyes narrowed at Stain. 

“Your friend came to save you.” Stain spoke up, his hold on his sword shifting. “That’s a great line, isn’t it? But I have a duty to kill him. If we clash, of course, the weaker will be culled.” Akumu didn’t reply, nor did he move. He just waited for Stain to come closer. “Now, what will you do?” Akumu exhaled hard out of his nose before sneaking his phone behind his back. Shoto was in Hosu too due to Endeavor, right? He saw Endeavor’s flames not too far from here, so Shoto had to be here too.

He silently sent his location with a bit of hesitation. As much as he hated asking for help, he knew there weren't many other options. Plus, maybe Shoto would bring Endeavor here. Akumu slips his phone back into his pocket.

“Stop it! Run away! I told you didn’t I? It has nothing to do with you!” Tenya yelled, his eyes frantic.

“Shut up, will you!?” Akumu finally snapped, not bothering to turn to face Tenya. “You’re on the ground and can’t move. The class and your family would be damned if something were to happen to you, too.” With a low growl, Akumu’s body began to turn translucent. He’s getting ready to phase through the ground. As soon as Stain’s smile widened, his blade drawn back, Akumu dived into the ground. 

In a split second, Akumu rose up again, his leg materializing back in order to deliver a devastating blow to the sternum. 

“Ay…” Akumu dusted himself off a little as he watched Stain’s weapons rise. 

“No! If he cuts you, then-!” Tenya shouted. But the swords only phased through Akumu’s body. Akumu and Stain shared glances before looking down at the blades that were “in” Akumu’s stomach. 

“...Hoe.” Akumu grumbled before he ducked down, a blast of fire behind Akumu tornadoing towards Stain. Well, that was quick. He huffed in relief. 

Stain leaps back and out of range of the blast, making a ‘ tsk ’ sound. “One after another… There are a lot of people getting in my way today.”

“Nikushimi. You need to give more details in times like this.” Shoto deadpanned, lifting his phone to show off the screen. “You made me late.” His eyes narrowed, flames blazing off his left.

“T-Todoroki-kun, you too?” Tenya gasped. 

Akumu only rolled his eyes in response. Well, at least Shoto came here earlier than he thought he would. The only issue is that Endeavor was nowhere to be found. “Where are the pros?” Akumu inquired before lunging at Stain. Shoto’s ice began to freeze the ground, making the injured pro hero and Tenya stay put so they wouldn’t move. And in turn, flames danced around and in front of Akumu as they both went for Stain. The flames melted some of the ice so the Native pro hero would slide down close to where he and Tenya were.

“Don’t worry. The pros will also get here in a few minutes.” Shoto said, watching as Stain leaped backwards. “This is just like the information about him implies. I won’t let you kill these guys, Hero Killer.”

“Keep your distance,” Akumu leaped back so he was behind Stain. “I don’t know how, but he had incapacitated Iida without much injury.” 

Shoto shifts into a fighting stance, his gaze flicking back to Tenya. “I can keep my distance and–” Before he finished, a blade flew at him, grazing his cheek. Stain surged forward, dagger in hand. 

“You have good friends, Ingenium!”

“Damnit-!” Akumu mentally facepalmed.

Stain swiped at Shoto, but a large spike of ice shot up between them, catching the blow. Both he and Shoto looked up at the sword that had been tossed into the air, and while Shoto was distracted, Stain grabbed his collar, pulling him close in an attempt to lick his cut.

Ew.

Fire burst out from Shoto’s left, forcing Stain to retreat. “That was close…!” Stain jumped into the air as ice shot up from the ground once more. The sword he’d thrown landed back in his hand, and Stain swung it in a wide arc, cutting through the ice that had just formed, though he was pushed back by another wave a few seconds later. Tenya watched with a mix of determination and despair.

“Why are you two… Why… Please, stop!” He struggled, sweat trailing down his face. “I’ve inherited my brother’s name. I have to do it… That guy’s mine…!”

“You inherited it? That’s strange.” Shoto scoffed a bit, flames blazing before pressing his palm to the ground, creating another wall of ice. “The Ingenium I saw before didn't have that look on his face, though.” Tenya gasped a bit, and Shoto breathed out a puff of frost. “You’ve got a lot going on behind the scenes in your family too, huh?”

Stain sliced through the wall of ice separating the three of them, chunks of it flying everywhere. “To block your own view of an opponent faster than you… What a foolish plan.” He sneered, and Shoto’s flames began to blaze once more.

“I wonder about that.” Shoto started, then grit his teeth as a pair of switchblades embedded themselves in his arm. Stain dropped down over him, katana held in hand.

“You’re pretty good, too.”

“Son of a-...” Akumu muttered before he decided to reenter the fight. He was originally just going to grab Tenya and the pro hero and get them to safety before anything but this guy was clearly above Shoto’s league. He leaped up from behind Stain and grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt, dragging him roughly across the building.

“Nikushimi!” Shoto shouted, and Akumu tossed Stain down before Stain could get a stab in. A wall of ice followed after Stain before Akumu landed next to Shoto. “Get back!” Akumu jumped away from Shoto, landing next to Tenya and the injured hero. 

“When are the other pros coming? This guy is way out of our league.” Akumu hissed as he knelt down to the two injured, looking at their wounds. 

“I wanted to hurry up and carry those two out of here, but he can react so fast, he can avoid ice and fire.” Shoto huffed, holding his wounded arm. “I can’t leave myself that open. I think our best option is to hold on by avoiding close combat until the pros get here.”

Irritation flashed across Akumu’s face, a sigh leaving his lips. “...Okay.” Akumu grumbled, pushing against his knees in order to stand back up. “You’ve lost too much blood. Let me distract him and you support from behind.”

Shoto glanced at Akumu, then locked his eyes back towards Stain. “That’s a pretty big risk…” He paused. Did they really have a choice here? Akumu was the least likely to get injured here. “...But yeah. The two of us will protect them.”

“Two against one, huh?” Stain shifted his stance. “It won’t be easy…” Especially with someone who cannot be pierced. But as long as he could take half and half down, then maybe he’ll have a chance at taking down Akumu.

Before he had a real chance to think, Akumu was already lunging towards him. Akumu was damn fast, and it was too hard to read his movements like this. Every time Stain thought he could get a hit in when Akumu’s body materialized, Shoto’s ice and flame came in quickly, making Stain jump back every time. At this point, Akumu wasn’t paying attention to what was going on with Shoto. He was too busy making sure Stain stays far away from the injured. 

“Please stop…” Tenya once again spoke, though the guilt in his eyes was much more apparent. “I’m… already…”

“If you want us to stop, then stand up!” Shoto snapped, his flames continuing to roar. Stain jumped forward, avoiding the jagged ice that shot up in front of him and Akumu’s quick kick. “Look properly at what you want to be!” 

Ice and fire continued to mix as Shoto and Akumu fought, the Hero Killer dodging both  blasts. “Ice and flame. No one’s ever told you?” Stain rushed forward, weaving between the spikes of ice. “You’re too focused on your Quirk. You’re being careless!” He closes the distance before Shoto can dodge, his sword aimed to cut directly across his chest. Akumu’s eyes widened at the sight of the proximity. 

“Todoroki-san!” But before he could react, someone else did instead.

“Recipro burst!” Tenya shouted, shooting forward and kicking away Stain’s blade, snapping it in the process. The flames of his engines had turned blue, and Stain was knocked away with a powerful kick, the force blasting away the clouds of smoke around them.

“You got free?” Shoto looked over at Tenya, then at Stain. “That Quirk isn’t as great as I thought.”

“Todoroki-kun, Nikushimi-san, this has nothing to do with you two, and I apologize.” Tenya said, his form still hunched. “That’s why I can’t allow you two to bleed more than this!” The broken half of Stain’s blade lodged itself in the pavement behind them, and blood dripped from Stain’s hand as he spoke.

“It’s no use trying to be reformed for appearance’s sake. A person’s essence does not change so easily.” He said lowly, his eyes and tones full of malice. “You will never be anything but a fake who prioritizes his own selfish desires. You are a cancer to society that warps the idea of ‘heroes.’” His eyes narrowed. “Someone must set you straight.”

Shoto only leaned forward a bit. “You’re an anachronistic fundamentalist. Iida, don’t listen to the logic of a murderer.”

“No, he’s right,” the other boy muttered, “I have no right to call myself a hero… Even so, I cannot give in.” Blood streams from the wound in Tenya’s shoulder, rolling down his armor and down to his balled fist. “If I give in, then Ingenium will die.”

“Out of the question.” Stain’s eyes flash, and Shoto pushes Tenya aside, blocking him with his flames once more. 

“Idiot! The hero killer is after me and that kid in white armor, right? Don't fight back. It’d be better if you ran away!” The injured pro shouted, still immobilized and injured. 

“Shut up!” Akumu growled once he caught up, looking down at the injured pro hero. “Do you hear yourself? Leave you and our friend to die? You’re still immobilized.” 

“It doesn’t look like he’ll give me an opening to do that, anyway.” Shoto gritted out, keeping his flames up. “Something clearly changed just now. He’s flustered.” Stain leaps away and Shoto pivots, another sheet of ice bursting up from beneath his foot. Stain dashes around it as Shoto calls up his fire once more, continuing doing his best to shield Tenya and the injured hero on the ground. 

Seeing how determined Stain is, Tenya steps forward, but his engine doesn’t respond, only sputtering out smoke. He grits his teeth, then an idea comes to him, and he looks over at Akumu. “Nikushimi-san, can you regulate temperature?”

“Ah?” Akumu turns to Tenya. “I can make things colder. Why?” 

“Cool down my legs!” Tenya shouts. Akumu blinked before nodding. Never in his life had anyone asked such a thing before, but he could give it a shot. His hands grab onto Tenya’s calves before a freezing chill goes through Tenya’s entire body, the exhausts nearly freezing up as Akumu’s hands begin to grow icy. 

Stain flies down the wall, avoiding the bursts of flame from Shoto, and Tenya’s engines blaze to life once more. The force of the propulsion shoots him upwards, and at the same time, Akumu jumps up from Stain’s side, preparing a nasty blow. His arm pulls back before the both of them lock onto the target. Soon enough, Stain gets his shit rocked, earning a cold, iron fist to the face and a devastating kick to the back of his ribs. 

Stain was only momentarily stunned, and he managed to grab his sword and swipe once more at Tenya. The boy shifted back so the blade only sheared off some of his hair.

“I will defeat you! This time, you, as a criminal–”

“Keep after him!” Shoto shouted. A burst of flames followed quickly as Tenya shot another kick towards Stain, hitting him in the same spot as before. Akumu grunted before pulling his fist back again, hitting Stain in the face once more, the force of the kick and the punch making Stain spin like a ragdoll. 

“And I, as a hero!”

A final burst of flames seared the vigilante, and with an exhale of breath, he seemed to lose consciousness. Both Tenya and Akumu hit the ground covered in ice, but Shoto’s voice was still sharp. “Stand up! He’s still…” However, before he could finish, each of them caught sight of Stain. He was caught on a ledge of ice, and his whole body was limp. 

Akumu blinked. “I think he’s knocked out.” He nudged Shoto a little. The other boy exhaled a bit, relieved, looking over at him.

“Then, let’s restrain him and get out to the street. Is there anything to tie him up with?”

“Yeah. Lemme take his weapons off of him, too. Here.” Akumu pulls out a few zip ties from the pockets hanging from his belt and hands them to Shoto. “You restrain him. I’ll collect the weapons.” 

“Good idea.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Native sighed as he walked, accompanied by Akumu, with Shoto and Tenya a few feet behind. Akumu was mostly dusting himself off again, texting Odd Eye to come by as soon as he could. “Sorry… Even though I’m a pro, I was just in the way.”

“Nah…” Akumu muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets once he was done. “...Don’t think anyone could do much against a quirk like that.”

“Fighting three-on-one with the guy making mistakes himself, we still barely won,” Shoto pointed out, holding onto the unconscious vigilante. “He was probably flustered and forgot about Nikushimi entirely. And he wasn’t able to deal with Iida’s last Reciproburst or Nikushimi’s movements.”

Once they made it out to the main street, they paused. “Now, let’s quickly get him to the police-” Native started, but was cut off by another voice. 

“Wha-... What art thou doing in such a place?” Akumu looked up as soon as he heard Odd Eye’s voice. A mumbled “fuck” could be heard by the others as Akumu scratched the back of his neck. “I thought art was training else where!” 

“...Hi, Odd Eye.” Akumu sighed.

“Who’s that?” Shoto glanced towards Akumu.

“The hero I’m interning with, Odd Eye. Why are you here?”

“The Endeavors had given me the task of coming here.” Odd Eye crossed his arms. “While clueless, I’m glad that my dark prince has not sustained any injury.” 

He can feel both Shoto and Tenya just staring at him, one of their eyebrows’ probably raised. He cannot believe that Odd Eye actually does speak like this. It almost reminds him of Fumikage. 

“It’s around here!” As Odd-Eye and the students looked over, another group of pros jogged over.

"Endeavor told us there was a request for help here, but…” One of them started.

“Children?”

“Those injuries look serious!”

“I’ll call an ambulance right away!” Most of them immediately started fussing over the kids, but one of them noticed something different.

“H-Hey, this is…” The lady beside him gasps.

“Don’t tell me…it’s the hero killer?”

“What?”

“Call the police, too!”

Some of the pros pulled out their phones to call the police, while the others set to attending to the students.

“You’re alright?”

Akumu just nodded. Man. I want to take a nap.

“And you?” The pro looked at Shoto, who shook his head. 

“I only received minor injuries. But Iida is…”

“He’s bleeding badly,” one of the pros remarked, watching as Tenya approached.

“The ambulance will be here soon! Until then…”

“You two…” Tenya started, ignoring the concern of the pros. Both Akumu and Shoto turned to look, watching as the other boy bowed at the waist. “You were injured because of me. I am truly sorry.” His voice became a bit choked. “I couldn’t… see anything… through my anger…”

“Don’t start apologizing now,” Akumu hummed as he shoved his hands back into his pockets. “I’d rather you be alive anyway.”

Shoto only inclined his head a bit. “Pull yourself together. You’re the class rep, right?” Tenya lifted one arm to wipe at his face, nodding.

“Yeah.” 

Out of the corner of his eye, Odd-Eye spots something, then shouts, “Get down!” A large, winged, lanky figure came down from the sky, blood trailing from a wound in its head. 

“A villain?!” One of the pros exclaims with wide eyes. Everyone ducks, and Akumu blinks.

Ah. shit. 

The thing grabs him by the waist, and in a few flaps of its wings, it shoots up into the sky.

“Nikushimi-san!”

"Nikushimi!"

A splash of blood hits one of the pros in the fierce wind, her hands raised against the force of it. “There’s blood! Did he escape here after being beaten?”

“...For real?” Akumu sighed, unsure of whether or not he should break free or just accept his fate. At this point, too many things happened tonight and he was bone tired from all the excitement. But before he thought about phasing through the creature’s sharp grasp, his eyes widened when he realized that a certain someone had broken out of their bindings. And before he knew it, he had plummeted onto the ground with the creature.

“This society overgrown with fake heroes…” Stain rushed forward, then jumped, drawing a blade from god knows where to plunge it into the thing’s exposed brain. “...And the criminals who wave their power around idly… should all be purged.” The energy that radiated from him was nothing short of manic, and saliva dripped from his teeth as he loomed over the creature. “This is all…” He twisted the knife, then tore it viciously out of the creature’s wound. “...to create a more just society.”

“He saved the kid?!”

“Idiot, he took a hostage!”

“He killed someone with no hesitation.”

“Anyway, get ready to fight for now!” The group of pros all prepared to engage, but yet another voice interrupted them, this one also familiar and extremely irritating.

“Why are you all standing around in a group?” They all turned to look, and the massive, flame-wreathed form of Endeavor stalked over. “The villain should’ve escaped this way.”

“How are things on your end?” One of them asked, and Endeavor turned a bit. 

“Things got a little rough.” He replied simply, then eyed the thin figure that stood over Akumu and the thing. “But don't tell me that man is…?”

Stain turns his head a bit, and once he catches sight of Endeavor, his eyes narrow. “Endeavor.” He spat the name like a curse, and honestly? Who could blame him.

“Hero Killer.” A grin spreads across Endeavor’s face, and his fire leaps to life in his hand, blazing wildly as he prepares to attack. Before he can though, Odd-Eye throws a hand out.

“Halt, dear Endeavors!” The cloth mask that had previously covered the upper half of Stain’s face fell away, and Akumu had to stop himself from physically recoiling. How… Revolting.

“You fake…” Stain hissed, and there was a noticeable weight to the air now. “I must make things right…” It spoke of vengeance, of bloodshed and murder. “Someone must be dyed in blood…” Even the pros took a subconscious step back. ”I must take back what it means to be a hero!” Stain’s foot hitting the ground echoed like a warning shot. “Come! Try and get me, you fakes!” Endeavor inhaled sharply through his nose, his eyes locked on the Hero Killer. “The only one I’ll let kill me is the true hero… All Might!” His aura felt like a deep crimson, all-devouring abyss, and one of the pros fell to the ground with the sheer intensity of it all.

A knife clattered against the concrete, and then the moment was broken.

Endeavor examined the still body from afar, his voice laced with confusion. “He’s… He’s unconscious…” Tenya and Shoto hit the ground moments later, pure, unadulterated shock written on their faces, and Odd-Eye exhaled heavily.

Akumu just laid there for a good while. How could one process what the fuck just happened? What Stain said, what Stain did, what the whole situation spelled out… Akumu slowly got back up to his feet and just stared at Stain. A slow step forward was followed by another hesitant step, and then Akumu hurried back over to the group. 

Chapter Text

“You guys alright?” Akumu asked as he closed the hospital door behind him. “Assuming neither of you got much sleep.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall next to the closed doors. 

“No, not really,” Shoto replied, his voice low. 

Tenya sighed. “I didn’t think so. Me either.”

Akumu hummed, letting the words hang in the air before looking over at Tenya. “Thinking about it, that was really fucking stupid of you, going after him alone.” He began. Despite his calm tone, he was, no doubt, scolding the boy for being so reckless. “It’s a miracle that the two of you are alive; with your wounds, he probably could’ve killed you if he’d wanted to.” Shoto looked down at his bandaged arm.

“Yeah. We were obviously left alive on purpose.” He looks over at Tenya. “You’re amazing to have been able to face him after all the murderous intent directed at you.”

“No, that’s not it,” Tenya replied immediately. He hesitated, then lowered his head. “I…” Before he could finish, the door slid open once more, and Manual and Odd-Eye stepped into the room. 

“Ah, art thou wounded ones awake?” Odd-Eye mused.

Akumu turned his head towards the open door, taking a moment to process who just walked in. “Hm? Oh, yeah.”

Tenya straightened his back, guilt flickering across his features. “Manual…”

Odd-Eye turned to face Akumu, placing his hands on his hips. “My dark prince, what in the devil’s order werst thou thinking while running into such dark demons alone?”

“Hey, I’m not hurt, am I?”

“I-... Well, no, but, twas reckless nonetheless, even for a dark knight such as thou.” Odd-Eye sounds like he’s about to have a heart attack, but he doesn’t show it as he turns to the door. “Before anything else, however, thou all havest a gueste.”

Moments later, a large, hulking man– dog?– Thing?? stepped into the room, his hands–  paws?– tucked in his pockets. 

“Thine order of the light and law, Kenji Tsuragamae.” At the introduction, both Tenya and Shoto stood up, but the police chief dismissed them. 

“Oh, you can just stay seated, woof.”

Akumu blinks. Did he really just say that, or is it a bit…? It could genuinely be either or.

“You must be the UA students who brought down the hero killer, right?”

“Yes.” Tenya nods, and Shoto inclines his head.

“Regarding the hero killer we arrested,” the chief starts, “he had fairly serious injuries, with burns and broken bones, and is receiving treatment under strict guard, woof. Since you are UA students, I’m sure you already know that when superpowers were still becoming the norm, the police attached high importance to leadership and standards and made sure Quirks were not used as weapons. 

And then, the profession of ‘hero’ emerged to fill that gap, woof. For an individual’s use of force and power that can easily kill others– actions that normally would be appropriate to denounce– to be accepted officially is thanks to early heroes who followed the ethics and rules of the profession, woof.

Even up against the hero killer, for uncertified individuals to cause injury with their Quirks without specific instruction from their guardians or supervisors is a clear violation of the rules. The three of you and the pro heroes Endeavor, Manual, and Odd-Eye must receive strict punishment.”

Shoto’s body tensed, and his eyes sharpened. “Wait a minute. If Iida hadn’t done anything, Native would’ve been killed. If Nikushimi hadn’t come, the two of them would’ve been killed.”

“Todoroki-kun…” Tenya muttered, his eyes wide, but Shoto went on.

“No one realized that the hero killer had appeared. Are you saying we should’ve followed the rules and watched people get killed?” He took an indignant step forward, and Tenya gave him a look that told him to stand down.

“Are you saying that as long as it turns out all right, it’s okay to bend the rules?” The police chief asks, and Shoto blinks, his eyes widening a bit. He grits his teeth, the irritated knit of his brows and set of his jaw growing more prominent.

“Isn’t it a hero’s job to save people?” His voice raised a level, and the police chief closed his eyes.

“That is why you are not a full-fledged hero yet. Goodness, what are you being taught by UA and Endeavor, woof?” 

Shoto’s expression darkened. “You damn mutt!” He snapped, and Tenya tried to protest as Shoto advanced across the room. Akumu blinks. The way he said it almost sounded like a whole ass slur, but Akumu said nothing about it.

“Stop it. He is absolutely right.” Just as Shoto reached the police chief, however, Odd-Eye held up a hand.

“Wait one moment. Listen to his words in their entirety.” Shoto almost looks offended at the interruption, but before he can say more, the police chief speaks up.

“That was the official opinion of the police. And the punishment and such would only happen if this were all made public, woof.” The police chief scratches his nose. “If this were made public, you would probably be applauded by the public, but you would not be able to escape punishment. On the other hand, this is a bit underhanded, but if it is not made public, the burn scars would support Endeavor being the hero who saved the day, and it would end there, woof. Thankfully, there were very few witnesses. This violation could be crushed here, woof.

But this would also mean that no one would know about your good judgement or achievements. Which do you prefer?” A slightly shocked silence hangs for a moment, Akumu, Tenya, and Shoto processing what had been offered to them. “Personally, I don't want to be the one to find fault with promising young ones because of one big mistake, woof.” He stuck out his tongue and gave the trio a thumbs up, and Manual’s smile looked slightly forced when he spoke.

“Either way, we will need to take responsibility for being negligent in our supervisory duties.” Tenya’s shoulders sag, and he takes a few steps forward, bowing in front of the pro hero.

“I am truly sorry.” Manual raised a gloved hand and gently bonked Tenya on the head, placing the other on his hip.

“All right. You’ll cause trouble for others! If you understand, then don't do it again!” 

“I won’t!” Odd-Eye looks over at Akumu.

Akumu glanced off towards the side as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “...My bad,” he muttered underneath his breath. 

“Please take care of it.” Shoto bows his head slightly, his hands in loose fists.

“Because of the unfairness of adults, you will not be able to receive the praise you would probably have gotten, but at least, as someone who also protects the peace, I can say thank you.” The police chief bows at the waist, and Shoto huffs a bit, looking away almost in embarrassment.

“Please start with that next time.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“That’s what happened?” Caelus’ incredulous voice came over the phone, and Akumu could hear the irritation in it as well. “ No fucking wonder Endeavor looked so pissy in that picture. He didn’t even capture the damn guy, he just got the credit! Doesn’t fuckin deserve it, but whatever. ” His annoyed huff was audible over the phone, and there was a moment of silence before he spoke again. “ Still, I’m glad you guys are alright for the most part. Give Shoto and Tenya my best wishes for me, yeah? ” 

“Yeah, I’ll tell them. See ya in a few days.” Akumu said, then pulled his phone away from his ear and clicked the end call button. 

When he stepped back into the room, both Tenya and Shoto were seated, the former a bit slouched, the latter looking solemnly at the door. “Caelus sends his regards, along with pretty much everyone in class,” Akumu reported, slipping his phone into his pocket and leaning against the wall. 

“Nikushimi.” Shoto spoke, his expression serious. Well, more serious than usual for him. “Iida just finished getting examined.” Akumu blinks, then both he and Shoto look at the bespectacled boy. Something clicks in Akumu’s head, but he stays silent. 

“My left hand might have long term damage…” Tenya started, his voice low. “Both of my arms were pretty beat up, but it looks like the damage to my left arm was especially severe.” He runs a hand over the bandaging and splint of his arm. “There was damage to my brachial plexus. But it just means that I'll have trouble moving my hand and fingers and experience some numbness. Apparently there’s a possibility that it can be healed with nerve transplant surgery.” He gives a weak attempt at a reassuring smile, but it drops once he lowers his head. “When I found the hero killer, I stopped being able to think. The first thing I should’ve done was tell Manual. But I forgot myself in my anger.” Tenya lifts his head a bit. “I hate him, but he spoke the truth. That’s why, until I become a true hero, I think I want to leave my left hand as it is.” 

“Iida…” Shoto muttered. 

“...You know you’re gonna have an injured hand for three years then, yes?” Akumu asked as he crossed his arms, his head tilted to the side a bit. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”

Tenya nodded. “I’m sure. It’ll be better that way.” Shoto watches the pair for a moment, then looks down at his hands. 

“I feel… kind of bad…” Shoto muttered. At his words, Tenya looks over in confusion. 

“About what?”

“I feel like if I get involved… other people mess up their hands…” Akumu just stared for a good moment. Was he being deadass right now? “…Is it a curse?” …He was, indeed, being deadass. 

Tenya burst out laughing while Akumu just stayed silent. “Todoroki-kun, I didn’t know you could make jokes!” 

“No, I’m not joking. I’m like ‘The Hand Crusher’ or something.” Shoto for his part, bless his heart, sounded very distraught, but it only made Tenya laugh harder. Akumu could only close his eyes as his lips quivered behind his mask, his chest shaking a little as he held back laughter. 

“‘The Hand Crusher!’”

Chapter Text

“Seriously?! Seriously, Bakugou?!” Caelus and Akumu, reunited once more, winced at the wave of laughter from Eijirou and Hanta. And, once they stepped into the classroom, it became painfully obvious what they were laughing at.

Oh, poor Katsuki.

“Stop laughing!” He was trembling, and his ashy blonde hair was slicked neatly against his head. It was so weird, but it was so funny. “My hair’s gotten used to it, so it won’t go back even after I wash it! Hey, stop laughing! I’ll kill you!”

Truly, poor Katsuki.

Caelus snorted to himself, and all Akumu could do was press his lips together and pray that he wouldn’t show his amusement. 

“I’d like to see you try, Side-Part Boy!” Hanta cackled, and Katsuki balled his fists, his hair puffing up to its normal, spikey and explosive state.

“What’d you say?!” 

“It’s back!” Hanta and Kirishima exclaimed, this time maybe a bit nervously.

Meanwhile, Mina was talking to Kyoka. “Wow, you even got to fight villains? I’m so jealous!”

“I just helped people evacuate and did logistical support, so I didn’t do actual fighting, though.” Jirou twirled one of her earphone jacks around her finger.

“It’s still amazing, though!” 

“All I did was train and go on patrols, too.” Tsuyu croaked. “There was this one time when we caught snugglers from a neighboring country.”

Mina’s and Kyoka’s eyes both widened at the sound of that. Drug smugglers? And Tsuyu helped stop them? “That’s crazy…”

“What about you, Ochaco?” Tsuyu turned to face the brown bobbed girl. “How was your week?”

“It was very worthwhile…” Ochaco hummed, her tone low as she continued to throw air punches.

“Ochaco’s awakened, huh?” Tsuyu muttered to the other two girls.

Kyoka nodded. “She went to that battle hero’s place, right?”

Both curious and concerned, Denki glanced towards Ochaco. “That’s a huge change for just one week…” 

“Change? That’s not it, Kaminari.” Minoru started before he began to bite onto his nails, staring into nothing as if he was reminiscing about what had happened at his internship. “Women are all demons. They’re just hiding their true personalities.”

“What did you see at Mt. Lady’s place!?” Denki reached over the desk and grabbed Minoru by the wrist. “I was kind of fawned over and had a good time. But the ones who changed the most, or at least went through the most were you three, right?” He then looked over to where Tenya and Shoto were standing around Akumu and Caelus. But he was hinting at the most obvious three. 

“Oh, yeah! The hero killer!” Hanta pointed out as he was in the middle of being dragged around by Katsuki.

Kirishima, in the same boat, smiled despite his relief. “I’m glad you guys made it out alive! Seriously.”

“I was worried.” Momo expressed, still borderline worried. 

Rikido then steps in. “I heard Endeavor saved you, right?” 

“That’s amazing! As expected from the number two hero!” Tooru exclaimed.

For a moment, Shoto paused. “Yeah. He saved us.” Caelus scoffed, but remained silent.

“I saw on the news that the hero killer was connected to the League of Villains. Imagining someone that scary coming to USJ freaks me out.” Mashirao scratched his temple.

“He is scary, but did you see the video, Ojiro?” Denki stepped over to join them, a hand on his hip. 

“Video? You mean of the hero killer?” Mashirao turns to face him.

“Yeah. Seeing that, you can see how he’s really single-minded and, like, tenacious. Doesn’t it almost make you think it’s cool?” Denki looks across the classroom before catching sight of Akumu, who was slowly raising an eyebrow at such a statement. “Huh?” And then it hit him as he looked between Tenya and Akumu. “OH- Sorry…!”

“No, it’s fine.” Tenya raised his arm a bit so he could look at the bandages on his wrist. “It’s true he was tenacious. I understand how people could think he’s cool. But he chose purging as a result of his beliefs. No matter what he thinks, that part is definitely wrong. In order to keep anyone else from turning out like me, I will once again walk on the path to becoming a hero!” He does that hand motion thing again. The thing where it looks like he’s moving like some kind of robot. “Now, it is time to commence class! Everyone, take your seats!”

“He’s so loud…” Fumikage muttered.

“It’s ‘cause you talked about weird stuff, Kaminari!” Kyoka cast a glare over at the yellow-haired boy, who sighed sheepishly.

“Sorry about that.” 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Okay, I am here.” All Might exclaimed as he stood in front of the students. “Anyway, we’ll start now,” he says as he looks around at all the costumes. Looks like most of them had their gear upgraded or something of the sort. “Right. It’s hero basic training. Long time no see, boys and girls! How’ve you been? For this time’s basic hero training… Since you’ve all just gotten back from your internships, we’ll have some fun with a rescue training race!”

“If we are doing rescue training, then shouldn’t we do it at USJ?” Tenya’s hand shot up almost immediately.

“That place is for training disasters. Do you remember what I said? That’s right! I said ‘race!’ This is Field Gamma! A dense area filled with factories laid out like an intricate labyrinth. You’ll break up into four 5-person groups and go through the training one group at a time. When I send out a distress signal from somewhere inside, you’ll all start at once from the outskirts of the city. It’s a race to see who will rescue me first! Of course, you’ll have to keep damage to buildings to a minimum.” All Might pointed at Bakugou, giving him a look. Caelus snorted, and the blonde in question scowled.

“Don’t point at me!” Katsuki snapped.

“All right, first group, get in place!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Iida hasn’t completely recovered yet, right?” Denki frowned a bit, his brows knitting. “He should just watch.”

“This group has everyone in the class with good mobility.” Eijiro looks over at Denki beside him, a wide grin on his face. “Who do you think’ll win? I think Sero’ll be first!”

“But Ojiro’s there, too,” Denki pointed out, folding his arms over his chest.

“I think it’ll be Ashido. She’s really athletic!” Minoru piped up, earning a nasty side-eye from Caelus.

“Deku’ll be last.” Katsuki scoffed, his fists balling at his sides.

“Even if he’s injured, I still think it’ll be Iida.” Ochaco sat back on her hands, looking over at Tsuyu beside her, who nodded in agreement.

“Ribbit.”

“What do you think, Caelus?” Akumu hummed. “I was thinking Sero, but I dunno.”

“Uhhh… Let’s see,” the white haired boy muttered, looking up at the screen. “Sero’s definitely up there, at least. His Quirk makes moving around stuff like that easy. Iida’s really fast, so his only main issue is climbing. Ojiro’s good at both, but his range is limited to how far he can jump and stuff.” He put up one finger for each person he mentioned. “Ashido’s acid is applicable in a lot of situations and environments, but it could be relatively time-consuming, which isn’t ideal. As for Midoriya…” He trailed off, his brows knitting. “He’s well built, but his Quirk is a huge control issue.”

Akumu just stared for a good moment. “I asked you a question, and you gave me a paragraph.”

“My bad…” Caelus scratched his head.

“Okay, here we go! Start!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Rikido sighed. “That was some hard training.”

“Our first class in a while made me sweat!” Yuuga huffed, wiping off his face with his cape.

“I need to work on my mobility.” Eijiro slid his shoulder pads off, setting them into his locker. 

“You must compensate for it by gathering information.” Fumikage was in the middle of  adjusting his tie, and Denki spoke up from behind him, still in the middle of taking off his tee.

“That’ll put me a step behind everyone,” the blonde protested. “I’m jealous of guys like you and Sero.” He huffed, glancing over at both of the boys in question, Hanta giving him a sly grin.

“Hey Midoriya,” Minoru waved the curly-haired boy over, a suggestive grin on his face. “I’ve discovered something crazy! Come here! Look at this hole, Shawshank! It is probably thanks to the efforts of those who came before us! Next door is, you know—the girls’ locker room!” He gave a thumbs up, his face flushing.

“Stop this, Mineta!” Tenya karate-chopped at the air, his shirt still unbuttoned. “Peeping is definitely a criminal act!”

“My little Mineta is already a criminal act!” Minoru ripped off the poster in its entirety, leaning closer to the wall. “Yaoyorozu’s ample yaoyoro-boobs! Ashido’s slender waist! Hagakure’s floating underwear! Uraraka’s fine uraraka-body! Asui’s unexpected boobie–” Just as he was about to look, his eye was stabbed with a certain someone’s earphone jack. 

“Jiro’s earphone jack! With its brutal combination of precision and surprise attack abilities, it’s super strong!” Izuku exclaimed, his eyes wide.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Once the two made it home, Akumu was already in bed. The whole internship thing and then classes on top of that only exhausted him more than usual. The whole Stain incident only stressed him out, and while he’s seen many corpses before, it’s not like he’s seen people actively die in front of him. That literally almost happened, and with a fellow classmate nonetheless. 

Caelus knocked at the door, poking his head in a moment later. “You want coffee? I can order some for us.” Akumu raised his hand and gave a thumbs up. That was a yes.

Chapter Text

Aizawa lifted his head, a sheet of paper in hand. “Okay, that’s it for class. There’s only one week left until the final exams. You are all studying properly, right? I’m sure you already know, but it won’t just be a written exam. There’s also a practical component. Make sure you train your minds and bodies at the same time. That’s all.” Aizawa closed his eyes, and the door slid closed after his exit.

“I haven’t studied at all!” Mina (21st) and Denki exclaimed. While the girl was beaming and laidback, the boy was… well.

“With the sports festival and internship, I didn’t study at all!” Denki (22nd) exclaimed, his head in his hands and his distress clear in his voice.

“It’s true that we had one event after another, but…” Fumikage (15th) glanced around.

“For the midterms, we’d just started school, so they didn’t cover much,” Rikido (13th) said to Koda (12th), who just nodded his agreement, “so I didn’t really have a hard time with them, but with the back-to-back events and stuff, the finals will be different…”

“It’ll be tough since there’s a practical exam, too.” Minoru (10th) spoke up, looking all too smug in his seat.

“T-Tenth on the midterms!?” Denki and Mina’s jaws dropped as they stared at the grape boy.

“And here I thought you were one of us!” Mina scowled, pointing accusingly at him.

“Guys like you are only likable if they’re dumb…!” Denki muttered, his irritation clear. “Where’s the demand for this?!”

“The world, I guess.” Minoru smirked, the sparkles of pride almost visible.

“Ashido, Kaminari! L-Let’s do our best! We all want to go to the training camp together, right?” Izuku (4th) smiled, doing his best to motivate them all.

“Yes! As class rep, I also have high hopes you’ll all be moved to action!” Tenya (2nd) chopped his hand, which was now in a brace.

“It’s pretty hard to fail if you just pay attention in class.” Shoto (5th) looked over at them from the corner of his vision, and Denki clutched his heart.

“Be careful with your words!” 

“You two, I may be able to be of assistance with the class lectures.” Momo (1st) offered with a warm smile, placing a hand over her chest.

“Yao-momo!” Mina and Denki beamed, their hands clasped in front of them.

“I can’t help at all with the practical, though…” Momo looked extremely down, and Shoto looked over with a quiet hum.

“I’m not one of those two, but can I join, too?” Kyoka (8th) raised one of her notebooks.“I’m having some trouble with the quadratic functions…”

“Sorry, me too! How are you with classical Japanese?” Hanta (18th) clasped his hands together in prayer, bowing in front of Momo’s desk.

“Huh?”

“I’d like to join, too.” Mashirao (10th) wandered over, a sheepish look on his face.“There’s a bunch of stuff I don’t get…”

“Please!” The three of them all asked at the same time, and Momo lit up.

“Everyone!” Momo gasped. “Yes, of course!” She bounced up from her seat, and the other three jumped up as well.

“All right!”

“Then, let us hold a study session at my residence this weekend!” Momo looked supremely anticipatory, a closed-eyed smile on her face.

“Seriously? I can’t wait to see your house!” Mina bounced over, her hands flounced behind her.

“Oh, in that case, I must tell Mother and have her open up the hall! What kind of tea are you all partial to? In my family, we always drink Harrod’s or Wedgwood, so if you have a preference, let me know! Of course, you can trust me to help you study, too! I will definitely show you how I can help!” Momo’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, her excitement clear despite her composure, shocking everyone around them.

“It’s like she casually slapped me with the huge difference in how we were born…” Denki hummed, his tiny smile full of contented warmth.

“...But her bounciness is so cute that I don’t care.” Kyoka agreed, and the others all nodded along, wearing matching expressions of bliss.

“What was that again? Harry’s? That’s fine.” Denki’s voice was higher-pitched than normal, his face a bit flushed with happiness.

“Harrod’s, right?”

“Look at the difference in virtue.” Eijiro (16th) eyed Katsuki in front of him, who was blazing with restrained irritation.

“I can do it, too! Want me to beat it into you?” Katsuki (3rd) grit through his teeth, but Eijiro remained unfazed.

“Yeah, I’m counting on you!”

“Akumu, can you help me study?” Caelus (20th) asked, tapping his fingertips together.

“Hm? Oh, uh… Sure.” Akumu (6th) shrugged lightly. “Did you not pay attention or something?”

The white haired boy shakes his head. “No, I did, I just didn’t care enough to like… apply it, if that makes sense.” He bit his lip, glancing off to the side.

“And now it’s biting you in the ass?”

“Shut up… It’s not my fault my memory’s dogshit.” Caelus groaned.

“Everyone’s panicking now, even though it won’t do any good to cram this late in the game.” Yuuga (19th) had his eyes closed in ignorance, his chin in his hands.

“Shouldn’t you try cramming a little?” Shoji (11th) stuck an arm out to him, and Yuuga gave him a look as he turned to face him.

“What are you talking about? What is it?”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Lunch was no different from any other day. Akumu had packed them both a lunch and now they sat at their usual booth, eating from their bento boxes. So once the bell rang and class was starting up again, they heard from Izuku what the practical exam was most likely going to be like. 

Big, giant robots again, huh? The funding for this school must be insane. 

“All right!” Denki and Mina both exclaimed.

“Oh, it’ll be easy if it’s robots!”

“Yeah, yeah!”

Shoji blinked at their buffoonery. Most people would take this more seriously. “You guys look like you’d have a hard time controlling your quirks against people.”

“Yeah! But I can just let loose with robots, so it’ll be a cinch!” Denki beamed, throwing his fists into the air. 

Mina follows, “And it’ll be a cinch for me to melt them!”

Hanta points towards them, leaning back into his seat. “Now you just need Yaoyorozu to help you study, and you’ll be set for finals!”

“We’ll definitely be able to go to training camp now!” The two cheered, excited.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re people or robots. They’re the same if you beat ‘em up, right?” Katsuki pointed out. “What’re you idiots talking about it being a cinch for?”

“Who’re you calling an idiot?!”

“Shut up!” Katsuki snapped before Denki could say more. “If you need to control your quirk, then control it! Idiot!” Then, Katsuki turns to Akumu. “Hey, Nikushimi!”

“...Eh?” Akumu perked up a little, unsure what word vomit Katsuki could possibly have planned for him. 

“I don’t know if you have an unbeatable quirk or what, but you seriously keep rubbing me the wrong way. I don’t need another result like at the sports festival. At the upcoming finals, we’ll get individual scores, so we’ll see who’s better whether you like it or not.” Katsuki growled before raising a finger towards Akumu’s direction. “I’ll beat you with an indisputable difference! I’ll kill you!” Then, he turned his gaze over to Shoto, in which Shoto only turned his head slightly. “Todoroki! You, too!” Everyone watched as Katsuki stepped out of the classroom and slammed the door shut. Caelus raised one brow.

“What’s up his ass?”

“My big fat talent, I guess.” Caelus snorted. There was another joke to be made there, but they were in public.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Bakugo that intense.” Eijiro scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Impatience…?” Fumikage hummed. “Or hatred?”

From outside the room, Aizawa stood there, secretly listening in on his students with a notebook in hand. “...Bakugou has gotten worse than I thought.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The next few days were mostly spent on training and studying. Back at home, Akumu and Caelus were at Caelus’ desk. Laid on in front of them, Caelus had a few notebooks, a glass of water, and shrimp chips as a snack to help his focus. Meanwhile, Akumu had a bottle of soda and his own notebook, filled with colorful notes.

“Do you always treat your notes like an art project?”

“Yes.”

Every now and then, the housekeeper would bring in some refills for the two of them as they studied. Due to Akumu’s usage of highlighters, sticky notes, and neat handwriting, it was pretty easy to get most of the math portions. What made it difficult is that Akumu used a lot of shortcuts that Caelus didn’t get, so there would be a lot of explaining. A lot of the time, Caelus was just tempted to use a calculator instead, but it was different in Japan. Sure, they can use calculators, but they can’t rely on them like in America. 

At least history and Japanese were also on the easier side. There wasn’t too much issue when it came to the studying portions. But hell. Akumu’s notes were very detailed and they didn’t miss a damn thing. It was no wonder Akumu scored so high in the midterms. 

But the three days of exams came in hot. Akumu typically finished early and fidgeted while Caelus used up all the time, sometimes not having enough time to finish up. It was clear who took their studying more seriously. Before Caelus knew it, Aizawa’s voice broke the silence. “Pencils down, everybody. The last person in each row, collect the answer sheets and bring them here.” That meant the exam was done.

“Thanks Yao-momo!” Mina exclaimed as Momo collected the sheets.

“I didn’t leave anything blank, at least!” Denki beamed.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Now, we will begin the practical exam.” Aizawa stood with other teachers. And in front of them, stood all the students in their hero costumes. “Of course, it is possible to fail this exam. If you want to go to the training camp, then don’t make any stupid mistakes.”

“There are a lot of teachers.” Kyoka muttered.

“I expect that you all have gathered information ahead of time and have some idea of what you will be doing.”

Denki abruptly shouts, “we’re fighting robot warriors like at the entrance exam, right?”

“Fireworks! Curry! Test of courage!” Mina cheered.

“Too bad! For various reasons, the exam will be different starting this time!” A voice from Aizawa’s scarf soon came, muffled from the cloth, before the principal popped right out. 

“Principal Nezu!” Part of the class exclaimed nervously.

“Different?” Momo asked, nervous now.

“From now on, we want to focus on person-to-person combat and hero work,” Nezu states while using Aizawa’s scarf to climb back down to the ground. “And stress teaching that is closer to actual fighting. So, we’ll have you form teams of two to fight against a teacher!”

Ochaco was visibly sweating. “Against… The teachers?”

“In addition, the pairs and who each pair will be up against have already been decided. These were determined at my discretion based on various factors, including fighting style, grades, and interpersonal relationships, so here they are: First, Todoroki and Yaoyorozu are one team, and they’re fighting me.” Aizawa smirked as he gripped onto his scarf. “And Midoriya and Bakugo are a team, and their opponent,” Aizawa pauses, allowing All Might to land his grand entrance. Literally.

“I… will do it!” All Might’s smile widens as his fist balls up, staring down at the two children. 

“All Might!?” They gulped.

“Work together to beat me, you two!” As soon as they heard that, Katsuki glared at Izuku, and Izuku took a small step back as he swallowed. 

“And now, we’ll announce the teams and the teachers they’ll be up against all at once!” Nezu announced. With how it goes, Cementoss was against Rikido and Eijiro. Ectoplasm versus Tsuyu and Fumikage. Powerloader against Tenya and Mashirao. Aizawa to Shoto and Momo. Endeavor against Caelus and Akumu. Thirteen up against Ochaco and Yuuga. Nezu versus Mina and Denki. Present Mic against Kyoka and Koji. Snipe against Tooru and Mezo. Midnight against Hanta and Minoru. And finally, All Might against Katsuki and Izuku. 

“The time limit for the exam is thirty minutes! Your objective is either to put these handcuffs on the teacher, or to have one of you escape from the stage!” Nezu stated, holding up a pair of cuffs to show off.

“Capture the teacher or escape… It’s kind of like combat training.” Denki commented.

Mina then raises her hand. “Is it really okay to run away?”

“Yup!” Nezu gave a thumbs up.

“But it’ll be different from the combat training! You’ll be up against someone waaaaaay better than you!” Present Mic motioned dramatically. 

“Better… Than us? I can’t really imagine it, though…” Kyoka deadpanned as Koji motioned to not provoke him.

“Dummy! Hey girl, watch your mouth! You hear?”

“This time, your exam will be very similar to a real battle.” Thirteen hummed. “Please think of us as villains.”

Snipe was then next to speak. “Assuming you come across the enemy, if you think you can win a fight against them, then that’s fine. However…”

“In cases where there’s too big of a difference in your abilities, it would be smarter to run away and get help.” Aizawa then looks at a certain three. “Todoroki, Iida, Nikushimi. I’m sure you three understand this well.” Damn. The call out was clear.

“Fight and win, or run and win…” Izuku muttered underneath his breath. 

“That’s right! Your decision-making skills are being tested! But with these rules, you’re probably thinking the only choice is to run, right? That’s why we had the support course make these for us!” All Might reaches around his back pocket before pulling out what looked like large bracelets. “Ultra compressed weights! We’ll put on about half of our body weight. It’s to give you a handicap. It’s old fashioned, but it makes it hard to move and eats up stamina!” That’s when All Might’s wrist began to tremble a little bit. “Oh shoot, they’re heavier than I thought…” He clears his throat and stands back up after applying six of those weights. “By the way, there was a competition to decide on the design, and we ended up using Young Hatsume’s.”

“Hatsume!” Izuku was surprised, no doubt. Her designs before weren’t nearly done as well, but now, it seems like she is improving.

“To allow us to consider fighting you, huh? You’re underestimating us.” Katsuki firmly stated.

At first, All Might only laughed. But then, he stopped in an abrupt manner. “I wonder…” Oh. No doubt about it, the teachers might give their all, handicapped or not. 

“All right, each team will take the practical exam in order on the prepared stage. Sato, Kirishima, get ready.” Aizawa ordered as the rest of the teachers began to walk off.

“Yes, sir!”

“Those waiting their turn can watch the exams or think of strategies as a team. Do what you want.” He turns around to go and follow the rest of the teachers. “That’s all.”

Immediately, students were already turning to each other.

“Ojiro, I would like to see what we can do with our quirks.”

“Of course.”

“Tokoyami, let’s come up with a plan.”

“Very well.”

“The problem is how to strip Ms. Midnight, right?”

“No. You’re such a scumbag.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“You wanna talk strategies?” Caelus approached Akumu while Akumu was getting himself ready. They were up against Endeavor out of all heroes. He didn’t even know that guy was a teacher here. Or maybe the school took hours to convince the guy to do it, and only was able to get him here once he realized they were going to put him up against the Americans. It made sense, considering Akumu was from a prestigious hero line. Not to mention how Caelus had to be careful in high temperature environments, which Endeavor fit the bill for perfectly. Caelus would be the easier to knock out, and then he’ll have some time with Akumu. See what he was really made out of.

Akumu only shrugged his shoulders. “Nah, I was gonna wing it. Did you have a plan already?” Caelus scrunched his nose.

“Not really. I mean, I had a concept but that’s about it…” Caelus shrugs, scratching at his arm. 

“You be the distraction and I cuff him? Yeah, was thinking that, too. I just didn’t know how we’d do that.”

“Well, his fire can’t really hurt either of us, per se. I can absorb the light and you can just… phase through it.” The white haired boy shifted his hand to scratch at the inside of his wrist. “The heat is probably going to be an issue though.” An idea popped in his head, and he looked over at Akumu. “Hey, can you tell when I’m overheating?”

“Yeah.” He began to readjust the straps on his gloves, making sure they were secure as he spoke to Caelus. “Why?”

Caelus hummed. “I was thinking that since you’re cold as shit, if I start overheating, you can phase through me or something to help me regulate it.” 

“I’d have to do it for long periods of time. But I guess I can try doing that.” 

“Yeah, I figured. It’s worth a shot at least.” Caelus ran a hand through his hair. 

Akumu nodded before putting the cuffs on his belt, letting them hang by the chain. “C’mon, it should be our turn by now.” 

As if right on cue, the intercom went off. “Aizawa has been handcuffed. Team Todoroki and Yaoyorozu had passed. Nikushimi and Gonzales, please head to the stage.” Caelus groaned. 

“Ughhh… this can only go well.”

“Yeah.” Akumu hummed, sarcasm hidden underneath his deadpanned tone. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Nikushimi and Gonzales, practical exam. Ready, go!” 

The round had started and they were in the same stage as Eijiro and Rikido were. This place must work best for Endeavor, or something like that. The two of them walked down the streets together, looking for Endeavor. Caelus had his head on a swivel, and he’d taken out his earbuds to hear better. His wings had taken the form of a dark maroon cape, secured around his shoulders with strings of beaded turquoise. 

Akumu still had one earbud in for the most part. He worked better with music, believe it or not. But as they continued, he decided to take the earbud out and slipped it into his pocket. Not because he heard something, but because he had a hunch Endeavor was going to blast some fire in their direction at any moment now. And as soon as he puts it into his pocket, his body phases through the ground, a wall of fire blazing towards them at mach ten. 

Normally, they would’ve won just by Akumu escaping through. But they wanted a full score on this, right? And the highest possible score was to capture, not to run. Caelus leaps into the air and out of the way with a flap of his wings, and he scowls. “He really isn’t the type to waste time, huh?” He mutters under his breath, his wings and body pulsing with light as his Quirk’s power swells. Alright then. The direct approach it is. He shifted into a combat stance, watching as Endeavor advanced. 

Akumu waits underneath the ground for a moment. He can’t see through solid dirt and concrete, so he had to rely on the vibrations and his hearing. But once he was sure Endeavor passed him from above, that’s when Akumu popped up behind, reaching for the cuffs at his waist. But it seems like Endeavor was expecting it. Shit. Akumu’s head hits the ground, Endeavor’s heel digging into his skull. Akumu quickly phases back into the ground, avoiding the flames that came with such a devastating kick. He can only use that move so many times before someone begins to expect it from him.

Seems like Endeavor knew to not hold back at all when it came to Akumu due to his regeneration.

Welp. Here goes nothing. Caelus leapt forward while Endeavor’s back was turned, releasing a blinding flash and aiming a roundhouse at the back of his head. Endeavor grunts from the flash, using his arms to cover his eyes. And in turn, moves back by instinct to avoid whatever attack Caelus likely had planned. He was fast, which was expected from such a high ranking hero. And kind of irritating, but that’s not the point. Caelus growled under his breath, and his wings soak in more of the sunlight as he hovers in the air, the eyes of his mask narrowed. 

Akumu appears in front of Endeavor this time. The flames that came his way were expected, but he can’t use his phasing thing forever. When Akumu’s body charred and fell to its knees, Endeavor realized how… Lifeless the body looked. Like there was no spirit in it. And that’s when it hit him. Literally. A choked, strained grunt left his lips as he felt something cold leave a scratch along his back, his body being pushed forward. Behind him, there was Akumu. Another Akumu. Except it was a light blue, translucent version of him, kind of like when Akumu phases through walls and floors. 

It wasn’t often he’d use this move. He hated using it, usually. Mostly because it leaves his soul vulnerable to spiritual attacks. So, quickly, Akumu flies through Endeavor’s body, a chill shooting through Endeavor’s entire body before Akumu returns to his own. “Caelus, now!” He yelled out, and Caelus wasted no time in letting off another blinding explosion, briefly dropping down to restore Akumu’s body before attacking again. 

 At that moment, Akumu’s body regenerated before Akumu’s body phased through Endeavor’s body again. And with a click behind Endeavor, they manage to cuff the bastard. The horn goes off and the intercom turns on. “Endeavor has been handcuffed. Team Nikushimi and Gonzales had passed. Uraraka and Aoyama, please head to the stage.” 

Finally. Akumu huffed before walking over towards Caelus, regenerating anything that hasn’t already been regenerated. “Down to get something from the vending machines?” Caelus nodded. 

“Yeah, definitely.” He rubbed the back of his head. “That went about as tedious as I expected.” He sighed, looking over at the cuffed pro. That odd feeling of suspicion rose up again, but he pushed it aside. 

“Tell me about it. My head’s gonna be aching for a while.” He sighed before heading off of the stage with Caelus, but not before uncuffing the pro. They were done anyway. 

“Oof, rip. That looked like it hurt.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

As expected, Caelus got his canned coffee and Akumu got his soda. They both sat in the area where the others watched. For the most part, the other matches actually were quite interesting. It was uncommon to see students go up against their teachers.

Chapter Text

“Everyone… I’m looking forward… To hearing your stories… About training camp…” Mina whined, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. Eijiro, Rikido, and Denki stood with her, an air of despair hanging over them.

“W-We don’t know for sure yet! There might be a last minute twist!” Izuku tried his best to reassure them, but Hanta placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Stop, Midoriya. If you say it out loud, it’ll probably jinx it.” He sighed.

“If we failed the exams, then we’d have to skip training camp and be in summer school hell.” Denki murmured, his shoulders hunched and his head down. “And since we didn’t pass the practical exam… If you guys still don’t get it, then you’re dumber than monkeys!” He turned, jabbing two fingers into Izuku’s eye.

“Calm down, that’s too long.” Hanta narrowed his eyes at Kaminari. “I don’t know, either. Our team passed thanks to Mineta, but I was just sleeping the whole time. Anyway, since we don’t know how they’re scoring it…” Hanta pointed over his shoulder at Minoru, who was clearly enjoying the praise.

“If you feel bad for us, then I dunno, just bring me back lots of stuff!” Denki exclaimed.

The door abruptly opens, revealing Aizawa. Surprisingly, he’s not in his sleeping bag this time. “Once the bell rings, get in your seats.” However, the warning was unnecessary; most of the class had scrambled to their seats the second the door opened. “Morning. Unfortunately, there are those who did not pass the final exams. Accordingly, for those training camp in the woods… Everyone’s going!” Aizawa gave a bright smile. Really weird coming from him.

The relieved cry went up almost instantly. “A last minute twist!”

“We can go, too!?” Eijiro beamed, and Mina bounced in her seat, happy tears in her eyes.

“Really!?” 

“Yeah.” Aizawa nodded. “Some failed, but no one failed the written exam. In the practical, Kirishima, Kaminari, Ashido, Sato, and Sero failed.”

“Eh-!? I knew it…” Hanta facepalmed. “Just because my team passed didn’t mean I scored high enough not to fail…”

“For this time’s exam, we on the villain side made sure to leave a way for the students to win while watching to see how you all would take on the task at hand. If we hadn’t, most of you would’ve gotten stuck before you started,” Aizawa explained.

“So when you said you were really out to crush us…” Mashirao trailed off, and Aizawa glanced at him.

“That was to make you feel cornered. In the first place, the training camp in the woods is one to increase strength. So those who failed need it the most. They have to get stronger.” Aizawa gives that weirdly bright smile again. “It was a rational falsehood.”

“‘A rational falsehood!?’”

“I was tricked again! As expected of U.A!” Tenya muttered, his hands trembling. The next moment, he shot up from his seat, his hand raised high. “However, since you lied to us twice, our faith in you will waver!”

“Wow, you’re being a wet blanket, Iida.” Ochaco laughed, tilting her head to look at him. 

“That’s true. I’ll consider that.” Aizawa looked over at Tenya, then back towards the rest of the class. “But I wasn’t lying about everything. Failure is failure. We have prepared a separate time for extra lessons for you all. Frankly, it’ll be tougher than the extra lessons you’d get if you stayed at school.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Well, in any case, I’m glad we can all go together.” Mashirao smiled, holding a training guide that had been passed out earlier.

“A week of training camp, huh?” Tenya mused, looking down at his own pamphlet with Izuku peeking over his shoulder.

“We’ll have to bring a lot with us.”

“I don’t have a bathing suit or anything. I’ll have to buy a bunch of stuff.” Denki looked up, his hands in his pockets.

“Night vision goggles!” Minoru popped up, but was ignored.

“Oh, then since we’re off tomorrow, and we just finished our exams, why doesn’t Class A all go shopping together?!” Tooru bounced, her voice light and playful.

“Oh, good idea!” Denki looked over at Ochaco beside him. “Wouldn’t that be the first time we all hung out together?”

“Hey, Bakugo, you’re coming, too!” Eijiro turned, but Katsuki was already halfway out the door.

“Like I’d do something so irritating.” Katsuki grumbled.

“Will you come, too, Todoroki?” Izuku walked over to stand by the other boy’s desk, who turned his head to face him.

“I go visit my mom on our days off.” 

“You guys are such party poopers!” Minoru piped up again. “Get a clue, you clueless guys!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“And so, here we are!” Mina bounced, throwing her hands up to the sky. “With the most stores in the prefecture, the newest and coolest, most advanced—Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall!”

“They don’t just try to cover the various body types due to quirks by numbers, but they actually have designs that fit a wide range of ages, from teens to seniors, so…” Izuku muttered incessantly, drawing Fumikage’s attention.

“You’re scaring the children. Stop that.” Fumikage

“Oh, aren’t those the U.A. students!?” Someone from afar pointed them out, a smile spreading on their face.

“First years?!”

“I saw them on TV!”

“Sports festival, yay!” The three cheered, eyes shining and voices excited.

“Oh, there are still people who remember that…” Ochaco mumbled, giving a nervous smile at the attention.

“Anyway, I need to buy a big carry-on bag.” Kyoka looked over at Momo, who smiled at her.

“Oh my, then why don’t we go around together?” 

“Where can I get lock picking tools and small drills?” Minoru scanned the upper floors as he muttered to himself, but his intentions were obvious.

“I don’t have any outdoorsy shoes, so I want to go buy some.” Denki said, one hand tucked in his pocket while the other pointed off in another direction.

“Oh, me too, me too!” Tooru bounced up and down, but Tenya jumped in a second later.

“The guide said to bring shoes that are already broken in–! Oh, but I see, perhaps we should choose based on utility?” Tenya frowned in thought, lifting a hand to his chin.

“Everyone has different things they want to do, so why don’t we decide on a time to meet back up?” Eijiro offered, and Mina jumped forward.

“I agree!” 

“Then let’s meet back here at 3 o’clock!” Eijiro declared, looking up at the clock, which now showed 1pm. So they had roughly two hours.

“Okay!” The class all cheered before breaking off.

Already, Akumu had separated from the group. Caelus blinked and looked around. Fuck. Oftentimes, when Caelus wasn’t paying attention and they were in public, Akumu just disappeared from everyone’s sight. Augh. Now I’m stuck with a bunch of people I don’t know that well… He sighed, briefly lamenting his luck before splitting off as well, slipping on his headphones and turning on some music.

Meanwhile, with his headphones on, Akumu was walking around the stores. For the most part, he already has most everything that he needs. A flashlight, a sleeping bag, a carry-on bag, a good pair of shoes, bug spray… He was mostly just here for the clothes. And maybe for the pepper spray. Or maybe bear spray was a better option? Either way, he needs something to negate an attacker and he can’t use his quirk or something. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Caelus was wandering, looking around for somewhere to buy a sleeping bag, plus other outdoors stuff and possible self defense items, when a raspy voice called out to him. “Oh, it’s someone from U.A. Cool!” Caelus blinked and turned towards the footsteps, a tall figure in a dark hoodie slinging his arm over his shoulder. “You were the one who did all the flashy stuff at the sports festival, right?” Caelus suppressed the instinctual reaction to push the guy away, instead just nodding in reply.

“Yeah.” He looked away, his voice flat and emotionless as he spoke, his hands tucked into his pockets.

“And wasn’t your little friend one of the guys who ran into the hero killer at the Hosu incident? That’s so cool!” This time, the question immediately set off alarm bells. Wait. But their names weren’t released to the press. Caelus’ eyes narrowed a bit, and his hand twitched with the thought of reaching back and burning the stranger’s face off. No. We’re in public. If I attack first without apparent reason, it’ll only put the blame on me. He took a subtle breath, calming the racing of his heart. Calm down. Be smart, logical.

“Man, I seriously can’t believe it. I can’t believe I’d see you again in a place like this.” The emphasis on the word ‘again’ only solidifies Caelus’ suspicions, and his jaw tenses as the other man goes on. “It makes me feel like there’s something to it… something like fate, or destiny.” The feeling of a dry hand wrapping around his neck makes Caelus’ breath hitch. “But well, from your perspective, I guess we haven’t met since the attack on UA, huh?” The white haired boy turns his head a bit, glancing at the man out of the corner of his eye. Piercing crimson irises meet bright golden ones, and a malicious grin spreads on the man’s face. “Why don’t we have tea or something, Caelus Gonzales?” Caelus stamps down the low growl that rumbles in his throat at both the name and the threat. He knew who this man was.

Tomura Shigaraki.

“Act natural, like I’m an old friend. Don’t make a fuss, okay?” Tomura said, his hand still around Caelus’ neck, but his middle finger lifted. “Calm down and catch your breath. I want to talk to you.”

What on earth could a crusty bastard like yourself possibly want to ask me? The words sprang up, but Caelus swallowed them back. He knew a smart mouth in this situation would only get him killed, and while he’s not worried about dying, he’s not too enthused about the idea of being sought after by villains for his immortality.

“That’s all. Just try and do something funny.” Caelus felt the tip of Tomura’s middle finger just barely missing the skin of his neck. The threat wasn’t lost on him. “It’s simple. The instant all five of my fingers touch your neck, you’ll start crumbling from the skin of your throat. You’ll turn to dust in less than a minute.”

Caelus’ eyes narrowed. “We’re surrounded by people. If you kill me here, the heroes will be called and you’ll be cuffed in no time,” he countered lowly, shifting his gaze to look at Tomura again.

“I’m sure,” Tomura replied, his smile widening a bit, and he pointed out to the crowd. “But look at these guys. Even though anyone could wield their Quirk at any time, how can they smile and gather like that? When it comes down to it, laws and rules assume that individuals have morals. They’re convinced that there’s no way anyone would do it. Before I’m caught, I could crumble twenty– no, thirty people…” Tomura trailed off, and Caelus took in a breath.

Fuck. Of course he’s threatening the civilians. Caelus wasn’t one to care about strangers, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care when he heard about the victims of mall or school shootings, and it certainly didn’t mean he’d be okay with letting these people die. Fuck, fuck, fuck. The boy grit his teeth for an agonizing second, then let his muscles relax. 

“What is it that you want to talk about?” He asked, and Tomura laughed.

“This is nice. Since we've got this chance, why don’t we sit down and have a chat?”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Anyway, I hate everything, but what pisses me off the most right now is the hero killer.” Tomura started. The two of them were sitting on a nearby planter, and Tomura still had his hand around Caelus’ neck. The white haired boy raised a brow.

“He’s not with that league of yours?” He muttered. Part of him was somewhat glad for the opportunity; this might provide some useful insight for the pros later. So the media’s theory was wrong. 

“I didn't acknowledge it, but that’s how it ended up in the news.” Tomura went on, sounding a bit more irritated than before. “That’s the problem. Almost everyone is looking at the hero killer. The attack on UA and the Nomus I released in Hosu City… everything was upstaged by him. No one’s looking at me. Why is that?” Caelus scowls a bit. That’s what you’re pissed at? You really are a manchild. “No matter how much he boasts, in the end, he just destroyed what he didn’t like, right?” Tomura leaned closer. “What do you think is the difference between me and him, Gonzales?”

Caelus paused, weighing his words. “...I think the difference has to do with your perspective.” He answered, his voice still lowered. “I don’t understand or agree with who you are. I don’t agree with Stain, but I can understand him and his motives; he wanted to follow All Might’s ideals.” He thought for a moment, then continued, “When A- Nikushimi was saved, Stain didn’t do it just because he wanted to. Even if the way he did it was wrong, he did what he did to live up to those ideals.” Caelus looks over his shoulder, only to find Tomura already staring at him, his eyes dark and wild. It immediately set his nerves on edge.

Tomura sighs, as if in relief. “It’s like a weight off my chest. I feel like I’ve connected the dots. Why the hero killer pisses me off, and why you irritate me… I feel like I understand now.” Tomura’s grin widens, but the expression is dark and filled with nothing but malice. 

“Everything’s because of All Might.”

Caelus’ pupils shrank, but he stayed silent as Tomura went on. “When all’s said and done, that’s where I ended up.” He laughs, pulling away from Caelus’ ear. “What was I worrying so much about? These guys are able to smile thoughtlessly because All Might is smiling thoughtlessly.” Tomura’s grip on Caelus’ neck tightened, and it was all Caelus could do to not react with anything other than a sharp inhale and an uptick in his heart rate. “It’s because that trash is smiling thoughtlessly, as if there was no one he couldn’t save! Ah, I’m so glad we could talk. It’s great. Thanks, Gonzales! I don’t have to do anything different.”

Only then did Akumu finally appear. There, standing in front of the two, Akumu stood still, staring down at the both of them. “...Take your grimy hands off of him, you troglodyte.” Akumu stated firmly, his tone unwavering and uncomfortably calm. He doesn’t know who was gripping Caelus’ neck like that, but he knew it wasn’t good news. Not in the slightest.

Caelus’ gaze flicks up, and a brief moment of dread crosses his eyes. From the way Tomura’s hand tightens around his neck, he thinks for a moment that he’s going to do the exact opposite, until he withdraws abruptly, throwing his hands up and smiling as if nothing was wrong. The sudden release from the tight hold caused air to flood into Caelus’ lungs all at once, and coughs wracked his body as he recovered.

“Ah, your friend is here too? Sorry ‘bout that.” He turns, looking back to Caelus. “I’m off, then.” Under his breath, he adds, “If you try following me, I’ll get angry.” With that, he stood and walked away, his hands tucked in pockets as he left Caelus and Akumu alone. Akumu glared at the villain as he stood next to Caelus, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“...Who was that?”

A low growl rumbled in Caelus’ throat as he looked up, glaring at Tomura’s back, his hand still on his neck. 

“Tomura Shigaraki.”

Akumu blinked and just stared for a good moment. “...Damn, seriously? The guy from USJ?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Started asking me shit about Stain.”

“We should probably report this. Police was looking for the guy, y’know.” Caelus looked over, then stood up.

“Yeah, let’s. I got a good look at his face too, and it should help a bit with the search.”

“Cool, c’mon.” Akumu began to head off into a certain direction, which was where he last saw a security guard. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Later that night, Caelus was taken to a nearby police station to be questioned about the encounter. The mall had been locked down, but none of the security nor heroes on duty had managed to catch Tomura, so all they had to go off of was Caelus’ testimony.

The detective, Naomasa Tsukauchi, leaned back, scratching behind his ear with a pen. “From what I’m hearing, it sounds like they aren’t a monolithic organization. But the part where he wants to defeat All Might hasn’t changed…” He made a quiet sound, then looked back over at Caelus. “Anyway, thank you, Gonzales-kun.” Caelus blinked and looked up, the other man’s voice pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Oh, you’re welcome…” He paused, then looked off to the side. “I only wish I could’ve gotten more out of him.” He grumbled, and Naomasa leaned forward.

“Don’t worry about it. In fact, you did well holding up when your life and the lives of others were at stake. Most people would get scared and panic. The fact that there were no victims is thanks to you staying calm.” Caelus remained silent. That’s probably because of all the shooting threats and lockdown drills we had to do back in America…

Chapter Text

A few days after the mall incident, Caelus was woken by the buzzing of his phone. Grumbling under his breath, he reached for it and cracked his eyes open, seeing a notification from the 1-A group chat. 

Today at 11:27

[Izuku] : Hey! Mineta and Kaminari invited me to join them for endurance training at the pool at UA. Is anyone else interested in coming with? 

Caelus raised a brow. Huh. He’d heard that UA had a ton of different types of facilities for different types of training, but to think they had a pool too… Caelus yawned, then pushed himself up into a sitting position. Once he slipped out of bed, he threw on a black tee he’d bought at an Ado concert and some sweatpants, pushing open his door and heading over to knock on Akumu’s. “Hey. Izuku’s asking everyone if they want to do endurance training back at UA. Apparently, he, Denki, and Minoru got the school’s permission to use the pool.” He called through the door, leaning against the wall beside the wooden frame.

Akumu was at his desk, drawing something. He turns to face the door, blinking a few times before standing up, thinking as he opens the door. “You’re asking me if I wanna swim with ‘em?” Caelus nods and Akumu hums as he stands. “...Y’know what, yeah, I’m down.”

“Banger. You wanna change here or head out now and change over there?”

“Let’s just change over there. Less hassle.”

Caelus shrugs. “Fair enough.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Half an hour later, Akumu and Caelus were standing out on the school’s patio with the rest of the boys, minus Izuku, Denki, and Minoru; it looked like they were taking a bit longer to change. Caelus was wearing a swim binder along with the school issued swim trunks, while Akumu was in the school’s full body suit. The other boys were all stretching and warming up in preparation for training while they waited, and soon enough, the sound of rushing footsteps could be heard, followed by Tenya’s voice.

“You’re late!” Minoru and Denki faceplanted, skidding to a stop across the pavement, and Caelus winced. Ouch.

“Hey, hey, hey! Why are you guys here?” Minoru yelled, and Caelus turned to look as Izuku spoke.

“Since we’re doing endurance training at the pool, I messaged everyone to see if they wanted to come.” He beamed, and Denki balled his fist.

“Is that what happened? You’re too diligent, Midoriya!”

Minoru leaned in to whisper something, but Caelus and Akumu couldn’t hear. Not like they wanted to; it was pretty obvious, anyway. When Denki and Minoru turned to the opposite side of the pool, they saw the girls in the same type of full body suit that Akumu had changed into.

“Oh, Mineta.” Tsuyu remarked, and Kyoka raised a brow.

“Kaminari, you came, too?

“Kaminari, Mineta!” Tenya smiled as he approached, opening his arms wide. Not unsurprisingly, he’d brought a swim cap and goggles with him. “It was a great idea to suggest endurance training at school! I’m impressed!” Denki and Minoru looked more and more fearful as his giant form drew closer, his shadow blocking out the sun. “Now, why don't you come and sweat with the rest of us?” When he got over to them, Tenya just hooked his arms around their bodies under their arms and lifted them up, laughing jovially and carrying them over to the rest of the group. 

“N-No, wait…”

“W-wait…”

“Wait a minute!” 

Damn.

“Here I go!”

“Here!”

“Got it!”

“Ribbit!”

“Take that!”

“Got it!”

While the girls got to play with some of the beach sports equipment, the boys all got to work on their training. Caelus and Akumu were fine, but the same could not be said for some of the others… Minoru and Denki were sprawled spread-eagled on the floor.

“All right, let’s take a 15-minute break!” Tenya declared, bringing over a large cooler. “I brought these for everyone! Drink up!” When he flipped the top open, cans of orange juice were nestled in the ice. 

Rikido made an awed sound. ”Whoa!”

“Just what I'd expect from the class rep!”

“I feel alive again. Thanks!”

While the other boys all grabbed some orange juice, Caelus and Akumu had brought their waters and some canned coffee from their apartment. Akumu looked straight into his coffee as he drank it under the shade, but Caelus was leaning against one of the walls under the sun, letting the light seep into his wings and warm his body. He took idle sips of his coffee, his head tilted upwards and staring blankly off into space.

“You’ve been working out, huh?” Mezo sat across from Mashirao and Fumikage, sheltered under the awnings.

“Yeah, I’ve been working out ever since summer vacation started,” Mashirao said, clenching one fist, and Fumikage lowered his head.

“We must do our utmost.”

Shoto watched Caelus stare up at the sky, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. The longer he looked though, the more something seemed off. He frowned lightly in confusion, then approached with quiet steps, stopping just beside the winged boy. When Caelus still didn’t acknowledge his presence, he hesitantly lifted a hand and tapped him on the shoulder. “Gonzales?”

The sudden touch jolted Caelus out of his thoughts, and he whipped his head around to see the half and half boy standing a foot away from him. “Aiyah-! …Todoroki?” He tilted his head, and Shoto let his hand drop.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He said, his eyes on Caelus’. “I saw you staring up at the sky just now, and you haven’t blinked in five minutes. Are you alright?” Caelus’ eyes widen, and he quickly shakes his head. 

“Oh, no- yes, I’m fine. That’s something I do when I space out, you don’t need to worry,” he tried to reassure him, but Shoto didn’t seem fazed.

“Are you sure? Looking at the sun like that for a long time could cause permanent damage to your eyes if you’re not careful.”

“Yes, I’m sure , ” Caelus sighed, running his hand through his hair. “It was an honest mistake. I’ll be fine.” Shoto hummed, nodding silently. Then, a familiar voice shouted out.

“Of course!” Katsuki snapped, advancing towards Tenya and Izuku. “Otherwise, there’s no way I’d lose to a damn nerd like you!” Izuku jumped before Eijiro stepped in, holding an arm out to  keep Katsuki from getting any closer.

“Kacchan!”

“I got your message, but sorry I’m late!” Eijiro gave a nervous smile, raising a hand. “It took some time to get Bakugou to come.” 

Izuku breathed a sigh of relief, though it was quickly cut off as Katsuki shouted again. “Damn Deku! You wanna decide things right now? Huh?” He growled, explosions crackling from his palms. Izuku attempted to raise his hands in surrender.

“No… That’s not…” Tenya lifted a hand to his chin. 

“It’s true that just training isn’t that interesting.” Izuku started a bit at his words. “Everyone, do you want to see which of the boys can swim 50 meters the fastest?” Tenya raised a hand, earning a myriad of excited looks from the boys.

Denki stepped forward, a grin on his face. “Yeah!”

“Sounds fun!” Sero stood up, a towel still around his shoulders.

“Let’s do it!” Rikido balled his fists, and Momo stepped forward from behind Tenya.

“Iida-san, we will help, too.”

Tenya nods. “Thanks!”

Caelus walked over to Akumu, setting his coffee down. “You gonna join us?”

“Nah. I’m just gonna watch.” Akumu hummed before taking a sip out of his coffee. Caelus nods, then gives him a thumbs up.

“Aight. Wish me luck, yeah?”

“Mh.” Akumu nodded. He didn’t say anything else, but the message behind the nod was clear. Kick their asses.

Mashirao lifted one hand. “What about Quirks? Can we use them?”

“We’re at school, so there shouldn’t be a problem.” Tenya mused, and Caelus snickered.

Well, he knew what he was doing.

“However, you cannot cause damage to any people or buildings!” Tenya added as Katsuki’s grin turned feral.

“I’ll crush you, Deku!” Katsuki spat. Izuku met his gaze with a nod, then the blonde turned his attention to Shoto, who had taken a seat against a wall. “Of course, I’ll crush you, too, Half-and-Half Bastard!” Shoto only inclined his head, and the competition began.

The first set of swimmers were Minoru, Fumikage, Koda, Katsuki, and Denki. Momo had created a whistle with her Quirk, and she stood off to the side. “Then, on your marks…” Each of the swimmers got into position. “Get set…” With a blow of the whistle, everyone dove into the water. Well, except for Katsuki. He just jumped up and propelled himself across with his explosions. 

“Explosive Speed Turbo!” He shouted, then pointed back towards the start as he landed on the other side. “How was that, you extras?!”

Hanta pointed back at him. “What do you mean, ‘How was that’?!”

“You didn’t even swim!” Eijiro followed, earning some more small explosions from Katsuki.

“It’s freestyle!”

The next round was Shoto, Yuuga, Hanta, Eijiro, and Rikido. 

“On your marks… Get set…” Another blow of the whistle, and they’re all off. Hanta used his tape to fly himself over, Yuuga winked as he blew past on his navel laser, and Shoto slid across on top of his ice. Yuuga’s laser sputtered out after a moment, crashing into Hanta and bringing them both down. Shoto landed lightly on the other side, looking over as Minoru and Denki yelled at him.

“You’re supposed to be swimming!”

Caelus was up the next round, along with Tenya, Izuku, Mashirao, and Mezo. “On your marks… Get set…” On the whistle, Mezo, Mashirao, and Izuku all dove into the water, but Tenya and Caelus jumped into the air. Tenya landed on the pool lane lines and used his Quirk to slide across like he had in the sports festival. 

“You too, Iida?!” Sero exclaimed. Tenya had pulled ahead  of everyone else, and it looked like he would win. However, Caelus passed Tenya by in an instant, giggling to himself at the shocked expression on his face. He landed on the other side with a bounce and a teasing wink, and cheers went up from the class.

“Whoa!”

“Good job, Gonzales!”

“Iida, you were so close!”

Caelus helped pull Tenya out of the water, the blue haired boy smiling good-naturedly. “You beat me, Gonzales.” The white haired boy flinched a bit at the name, but his smile remained.

“Don't sell yourself short, class rep. But please, don’t call me by my last name,” he added a little sheepishly, letting go of the other boy’s hand. “I prefer my first name.” Tenya nodded.

“Alright, Caelus.”

A few minutes later, the rest of them all gathered, Caelus, Shoto, and Katsuki in front of Tenya. “The winners of each heat– Bakugou-kun, Todoroki-kun, and Caelus-kun– will race for first place,” Tenya declared, his hands on his hips. “Is that all right?” Caelus nodded, scratching the inside of his wrist.

“Mmh.”

“Yeah,” Shoto nodded along, and Katsuki glared over at him.

“Hey, Half-and-Half Bastard! Don’t hold back like you did at the sports festival.” He scowled. “Come at me seriously!” Caelus raised his brow. He didn’t even fight you though… Shoto just inclined his head. Caelus glanced over to where Akumu was, and Akumu just shot him a thumbs up from afar. As expected. 

“All right.”

“You too, damn feathers!” Katsuki snapped, looking over at Caelus, who just shrugged.

Once the three of them had taken their places on the perches, Tenya stood at the sidelines with the rest of the class.

“Then, the 50-m freestyle final will begin now!” Tenya yelled, and the rest of the class began shouting encouragement. 

“Go, Bakugou!”

“Don’t kill the other guys!”

“Todoroki, don’t lose!”

“Do your best, Gonzales!”

“Everyone, fight!”

Tenya raised a hand, Momo having passed the whistle to him. “On your marks…” Explosions blew out from Katsuki, frost covered Shoto’s right arm, and Caelus’ wings spread to their fullest extent, glowing faintly as they soaked in the sun. “Get set…”

The whistle blew, and as all of them leapt forward…

They fell into the water.

“Wh-What?” Denki leaned forward, his brows knit, and Hanta spread his hands.

“Their Quirks were erased?”

“It’s 5pm.” They all turned to the familiar voice, Aizawa’s eyes glowing, his hair lifted, his hands tucked in his pockets. “Your pool use time has now ended. Hurry up and go home.” Tenya snapped to attention, but the other boys protested.

“Come on, Mr. Aizawa!”

“We just got to the good part!” Aizawa’s glare intensified.

“Did you say something?”

“Nothing, sir!” The class replied simultaneously. 

How unfortunate. Caelus pulled himself out of the pool with something akin to an angry meow, his pure white hair stuck to his head and shoulders, making him look like a wet cat. He knocked the side of his head, trying to shake out any water from his ears. Akumu was drying himself off with a towel before handing another one to Caelus. Caelus accepted it, then got to work drying his hair as he headed over to Aizawa. “Mr. Aizawa?” He asked, and the older man looked over at him and Akumu. Aizawa guesses the question he’s about to ask, then nods.

“Come on. This way.”

Chapter Text

So, it was time. 

Akumu and Caelus were gathered with the rest of 1-A outside UA’s gates, Aizawa facing them.

“UA High has finished its first semester and started summer vacation.” Aizawa started, his hands tucked in his pockets, his eyes narrowing as he went on. “However… Those of you trying to be heroes will not receive days of rest. At this summer training camp, we’ll have you aiming for even greater heights– for Plus Ultra!”

“Yes sir!”

While they wait for the buses, Akumu and Caelus are standing off to the side together but not talking. Caelus’ wings this time are a quilted red cape, and he fidgets with the short ponytail over his shoulder. “What type of training do you think we’ll be doing at the camp?” He thinks aloud, his head tilted back a bit.

“Probably a lot of quirk training. Like… Extending the limits our quirks have, y’know?” Akumu shrugged his shoulders. Caelus hummed, nodding a bit.

“Sense makes.” The sound of Ochaco’s voice rises, along with her clapping in rhythm.

“I-It’s time for training camp! Training camp! Training camp!” She bounces back and forth, and soon enough, Denki and Mina are joining in.

“Training camp! Training camp! Training camp!” Caelus and Akumu blink, then share a look. Are they always like this?

From a few meters away, a mocking voice calls out. “What? There are people in Class A taking extra classes?” It was a boy with cold blue eyes and neat blonde hair, and Caelus narrowed his eyes. I recognize that guy. Didn’t he try and steal Akumu’s headband during the sports fest? He huffs. “Does that mean you had people who failed the finals? What? Isn’t that weird? Isn’t that weird?” He parroted, his hand still pushing back his bangs. “Even though they're supposed to be way better than Class B? How can that be?”

A girl with orange hair smacks him on the back of the head, then picks him up after he ragdolls. “Sorry!” She waves in apology, then starts dragging the blonde onto the bus. Izuku looks over, and his face brightens a bit. 

“Oh, it’s Class B–”

One of the girls spoke up, her eyes and hair the same dark, fern green. “We kind of met during the sports festival, but nice to meet you, Class A.” Another girl nods, then the orange haired girl from before called out to the rest of her class.

“We’re getting on the bus!”

“Okay!”

Minoru watched as they all headed over, very obviously drooling as he watched the 1-B girls. “Not just the girls from Class A, but the girls from Class B will also be there!” He wiped off some of his drool with his arm. “It’ll be like a buffet we can pick and choose from!”

Eijiro gave him a flat look. “That’s about enough out of you.” Both Caelus and Akumu glared at the back of the grape-shit’s head.

“Eijiro, you’re so much better than me,” Caelus muttered under his breath with a disdainful shake of his head. Akumu just nodded in agreement.

Tenya’s voice cut through the air, demanding the class’ attention. “Class A’s bus is this way! Line up in seat order!” Tenya ordered, his arms doing the robot-moving thing again.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The bus was loud and filled with the chatter of the students, as to be expected. Akumu and Caelus both had their headphones on and were both asleep, Akumu leaning against Caelus’ side while Caelus leaned back in his seat, his head resting on top of his shoulder. Aizawa turned, attempting to speak over the din. 

“Everyone, the bus will stop once in about an hour. After that–” His words faltered. The only thing discernible through all the noise was Denki’s loud, “Let’s play music!” Aizawa stared with an almost scandalized expression, before sighing and looking ahead again. “Oh, well. This is the only time they’ll be able to play around.” He mused to himself.

An hour later, just as Aizawa had said, the bus pulled off to an overlook, and the doors opened, allowing the students to get out and stretch.

“Finally taking a break, huh?” Denki mused, but Minoru was much less relaxed than the blonde.

“I gotta pee!”

Eijiro looked around at the area, curious. “Anyway, does this even count as a rest area?” He was kinda right. It was more of an overlook than anything, a cliff with the edge blocked off by simple wooden fences. Caelus was wide awake by now, thanks to the sun, but he knew Akumu was still tired as shit, even if he didn’t look like it.

“Huh? Where’s Class B?” Kyoka asked, her hands on her hips. Minoru rushed over to Aizawa, holding his pants.

“B-B-B-Bathroom!” He stuttered out, his voice frantic, but Aizawa ignored him.

“There’s no point in stopping without a reason,” the dark-haired man said flatly, drawing the attention of the rest of the class.

“Huh?”

Minoru tried once more, "Where's the bathroom?” A second later, the doors of a car a few feet away slammed open, and an unfamiliar voice called out.

“Hey, Eraser!” Aizawa bowed.

“Long time no see.”

“Lock on with these sparkling gazes!” A brunette woman in a flouncing red dress winked at them, large, paw-like gloves on her hands. Dressed in a similar outfit in baby blue was a blonde woman, who clawed playfully at them.

“Stingingly cute and catlike!”

“Wild, wild…” The two of them posed, and off to the side stood a kid who looked like he did not want to be there. “Pussycats!”

“These are pro heroes who will be working with us during the camp, the Pussycats.” Aizawa introduced them, but soon enough, Izuku jumped forward, eyes shining.

“They’re a four-person hero team who set up a joint agency!” Izuku exclaimed. “They’re a veteran team that specializes in mountain rescues! This year will be their twelfth workin–”

Autistic.

“I’m 18 at heart!” The woman in blue had shoved her glove in his face, cutting him off with a malicious look. “At heart…?”

“Y-you’re 18!” Izuku stuttered, his voice muffled by her hand.

“Greet them, everyone.” Aizawa ordered, and the class immediately called out.

“Nice to meet you!”

“We own this whole stretch of land here.” The woman in red pointed off into the thick forest that expanded under them. “You all will be staying at the foot of that mountain.”

“So far!” The class was shocked. Minus Caelus and Akumu.

“Huh? Then why did we stop here?” Ochaco muttered, and Tsuyu tapped her chin beside her.

“Could this mean…?”

“No way…” Rikido took a step back.

“Why don’t we get back to the bus, huh?” Hanta smiled, but it quickly stiffened. “Fast.”

“Yeah. Let’s do that.” Denki nodded, 

“It’s 9:30 a.m. right now. If you’re fast, maybe around noon?” The woman in red’s tail flicked behind her, and Caelus recognized it as a sign that they should probably get out of there.

“No way… Guys…” Eijiro took a step back, his expression filling with dread.

“Let’s get back!” Mina yelled.

“Get back to the bus!” Eijiro turned, and he and the rest of the class started bolting towards the bus. “Hurry!”

“Kitties who don’t make it by 12:30 won’t get any lunch!” The woman in red declared as she watched them panic, and before they reached the bus, the woman in blue blocked their path.

“Sorry, ladies and gentlemen. Training camp…” Aizawa started as the woman in blue pressed her hands to the ground, “...has already begun.”

“Wh-What is this?!” Ochaco exclaimed, the ground beneath their feet gathering and tossing them all off the edge of the cliff.

“The ground is rising up!?”

“Hey! Since it’s private land, you can use your quirks as you wish! You have three hours!” The woman in red shouted  over the fencing. “Come to the facility on your own two feet! After getting through… The Beast’s Forest!”

“‘The Beast’s Forest!?’” Izuku echoed the name, and Denki blurted out in surprise.

“That name sounds like it came right out of Dragon Quest!” 

“U.A. does stuff like this way too much.” Kyoka said under her breath, giving a flat stare to the girls next to her.

“Hey.” Aizawa calls out from over the cliff, catching everyone’s attention. “Nikushimi, Gonzales, stay with the class. You’re not allowed to fly off on your own. You two are skilled, but going solo won’t slide today.” He then pulls back from the edge. Caelus scowls. Buzzkill. Akumu’s eye visibly twitched for a second but he just sighs, accepting this fate. Damnit. 

“It woulda been so funny though…” Caelus grumbles under his breath, looking back at the forest.

“It’s no use complaining.” Eijiro was oddly optimistic, dusting off his shirt. “We just have to go.” 

Minoru, catching sight of the darkened forest immediately runs towards it, presumably to relieve himself, but freezes as a hulking form approaches. It’s huge and hulking, and there are no visible eyes, but its mouth is full of teeth and its limbs are host to giant claws. It lifts one clawed hand and swipes down at Minoru.

“Calm down, kind beast! Stay back!” Koji rushes forward with his hands raised, presumably trying to use his Quirk to calm the beast, but it takes no heed. Caelus darts forward and yoinks Minoru out of the way, then drops him a second later, shuddering in disgust. 

Ice from Shoto’s Quirk covers the ground, freezing the beast’s legs, and Tenya rushes forward. “Reciproburst!” His Quirk burns through the fabric of his pant legs as he lands a devastating kick, the impact knocking off the beast’s left arm. Explosions ripple through the air, blasting Katsuki forward.

“DIE!” Katsuki yells, blowing off the beast’s other arm within seconds. Soon enough, Akumu delivers the finishing blow; his arm grows cold and a ghost-like steam burns off of Akumu’s fist. For a moment, a light blue, translucent flash of smoke explodes outwards with the beast, causing bits and pieces of earth to fly everywhere.

“You guys defeated that beast in an instant?” Rikido jogged over to Shoto, Hanta following close behind.

“You did it!”

“”You did it… And I did, too…” Minoru mumbled under his breath, and Caelus discreetly inched away from him.

“You’re amazing, Bakugo!” Eijiro awed, but the blonde continued to glare into the trees.

“Not yet!” The sounds of rumbling,  grunting,  and breaking wood surrounded them, shadowed figures lurking all around them.

“Hey, come on. How many of them are there?” Denki kept his eyes on the trees.

“What should we do? Run away?” Mina frowns, blinking and

“This is no joke,” Rikido said. “If we don’t make it to the facility by noon, then we don’t get lunch.”

“Then we have no choice but to get through here and take the shortest route.” Momo stepped forward, her expression determined, and Tsuyu nodded in agreement.

“Ribbit.”

“All right. Let’s go, Class A!” Tenya shouted, standing in front of their group. 

“Yeah!”

Mezo and Kyoko used their Quirks to scout the area around them, calling out their findings. “There are three up ahead!” Mezo spread his arms. “Two each on either side!”

“Seven total. They’re coming!” Kyoka looked up from the root her jack was plugged into.

“All right, here I go!” Hanta swung down from the trees as a winged creature dove down. He wrapped his tape around the base of the creature’s wings, sealing them shut. “Sato! Kirishima!” Rikido and Eijiro activated their Quirks, the redhead focusing on the limbs while Rikido uppercut the creature’s jaw.

“Dark Shadow!” Fumikage opened his arms, and Dark Shadow expanded from his lower body.

“Got it!” The shadow lunged forward and knocked one creature down, Mashirao coming in after and knocking it back upwards again.

“Aoyama, now!” 

“The finishing blow, right?” Yuuga winked from his spot in a nearby tree, and his laser struck the creature in the back, exploding blue and dust rising into the air all around them.

“Damn it!” Minoru cursed, throwing as many of his Quirk’s balls at a monster as he could, sticking them to nearby trees. “It’s you guys’ fault that my pants are wet!”

“Get away, Mineta!” Denki jumped forward, climbing up the creature’s back and perching on top of its head. “1.3 Million Volts!” Electricity shot through the creature, and it was subdued, but Denki had short-circuited his brain too. “Yay...”

“Birds of the forest!” Koji shouted. “Remove the evil beasts from this place!” A swarm of birds began dive bombing the creature, allowing Mina to dive in and splash her acid onto its leg.

“Take that!” 

“Oh, no! It’s gonna get me!” Tooru yells as the creature falls to one knee, leading another over to her group.

“Hagakure, good job being the bait,” Momo narrowed her eyes.

“There!” Mina high-fives Tooru as she passes, splashing more acid onto the creatures.

“Everyone, please take cover!” Momo warned before cannon fire explodes around them, knocking the creatures down.

“You did it, Yao-momo!” Mina yelled in celebration.

“Okay, Tsu-chan!” Ochaco ran to hide behind a tree after touching one of the creatures with her Quirk,

“Leave it to me!” Tsuyu wraps her tongue around the creature, then throws it up into the air, letting it float high over the trees. “Ribbit.” She jumps down to Ochaco, who touches her fingers together.

“Release.” A few seconds later, the creature crashes heavily into the ground.

“More have appeared!” Mezo shouted.

“Akumu!” Caelus yells out as he flies right past him, leading a beast towards Akumu. Akumu, having shifted into a spirit with a chain quirk, shoots out chains from the ground before wrapping it around the beast, pulling it apart piece by piece. Caelus then lands and they give each other a high five. Another monster was frozen by Shoto, and Katsuki blew it apart with an explosion to the face.

“Don’t get in my way, Half-and-Half Bastard!” Katsuki growled, breaking through the smoke while Shoto ran alongside him.

“I’m not in your way.”

“Let’s go, Midoriya!” Tenya dashed ahead, and Izuku nodded.

“Okay!” 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Oh, you’re finally here, meow!” The woman in blue had her hands on her hips.

“That took quite some time.” The woman in red commented, standing beside Aizawa, watching as the class finally trudged through the treeline. Everyone was exhausted, and clearly feeling the effects of their Quirks as they collectively breathed tired, relieved sighs.

“What do you mean, three hours?!” Rikido exclaimed as he fell to his knees.

“That’s the time it would’ve taken us. Sorry!” The woman in red apologized, not at all sounding apologetic.

“You were trying to boast about how much better you are? That’s mean…” Rikido closed his eyes.

“I’m hungry… I’m gonna die…” Eijiro held a hand over his stomach, crying up to the sky.

The woman in blue giggled behind her gloves. “But honestly, I thought it would take even longer. You guys didn’t have a hard time beating my earth beasts as I thought you would.” She smiles. ”You guys are great… Especially… You four!” She points to Katsuki, Tenya, Shoto, and Akumu. “Were you able to act without hesitation because of your experience?” She licked her lips, then pounced, bouncing all around them like a cat to catnip.  “I’m looking forward to where you’ll be in three years! I call dibs!”

“Wh-What are you…?!” Tenya exclaimed, he, Katsuki, and Shoto all raising their arms to shield themselves. Akumu was…. Less than comfortable, to say the least, and Caelus discreetly tugs him out of sight, hiding him behind his wings.

“Stop that! Get away!” Katsuki yelled.

“Mandalay… Was she always like that?” Aizawa pointed at the woman in blue, and the woman in red shrugged.

“She’s a little desperate since she’s about the suitable age for, you know…”

“Speaking of ‘suitable age…’” Izuku started, and the woman in blue shoved her glove in his face again.

“What about it?” She asked, and Izuku pointed behind her.

“I-It’s been bothering me for a while… Whose child is that?”

“Oh, not one of ours. He’s my cousin’s kid.” The woman in red shakes her head. “Come on, Kota. Greet everyone. You’ll be with them for the next week.”

“Oh, um, I’m Midoriya from the U.A. High School’s hero course. Nice to meet you.” Izuku walks over with a friendly smile, then holds his hand out for the boy to shake. Instead, the boy throws a solid punch… right where it hurt.

Caelus and Akumu flinched. They felt that in their soul. Izuku makes a pained sound as he holds the area and falls forward, Tenya racing forward to catch him.

“Midoriya-kun!” Tenya then looks at the kid, almost offended. “You brute of a nephew! Why would you do that to Midoriya-kun’s scrotum?!”

“I don’t intend to hang out with guys who want to become heroes!” Kota glared at them out of the corner of his eye.

“‘Intend?’ Just how old are you!?” 

“Precocious brat.” Katsuki smirks proudly.

“Isn’t he kind of like you?” Shoto glances over.

“What? Not at all!” Katsuki turns, stomping into Shoto’s space. “Anyway, shut up, you GG bastard!”

“Sorry.” 

“Enough with this charade. Get your stuff off the bus.” Aizawa calls, stopping the fight before it can start. “Once you’ve put your bags in your rooms, we’ll have dinner in the cafeteria. After that, you’ll bathe and go to sleep. We’ll start for real tomorrow. Now, move quickly.” He points at the building behind him.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Thanks for the food!” Izuku claps his hands together before beginning to eat.

“Really? So the girls’ room is a normal size?” Hanta asks through a mouthful of rice, looking over at Kyoka beside him.

“Are the boys in a big room?” She tilts her head.

“I wanna see it! Hey, can I go see it later?” Mina looks over her shoulder at Hanta, who nods.

“Sure, come whenever!” 

“So good! Rice is so good!” Eijiro is shoving as much rice as he can into his mouth, Denki following his lead.

“It’s soaking into my internal organs! It’s a match for Lunch Rush’s cooking! I can keep chewing forever!” The woman in blue passes behind him, and he freezes. “I smell beef!”

“Is that from a clay hotpot?!” Eijiro straightens his back, snapping his head towards the woman in blue, who was carrying a tray set with meat and veggies.

“Yeah. But man, it looks like you guys were so hungry that you’re acting weird.” The woman in blue mutters to herself. “Anyway, today’s the only day we’ll be doing stuff for you, so eat as much as you can.”

“Thanks!” Denki and Eijiro shout at the same time.

“Oh, Kota! Can you bring those veggies?” The woman in red calls over to Kota as she runs past, and the boy stays still for a moment before obeying.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Due to their gender situation, they had a bath dedicated to them, separating them from the boys and the girls. From over the walls, Akumu and Caelus could hear the others talking. 

Akumu sunk into the hot water, his mask off of his face for once. He kept his nose and upper head above the water, but his lower jaw and down was engulfed within the steamy temperatures of the hot bath. Caelus had taken his off in the changing room, and it was set on the stone beside them. An audible purr rumbled in his throat as he lounged against the warm water and stone, his eyes closed in an expression of contentment.

Akumu let out a slow exhale, bubbles rising from his lips before he rose back up just to speak. “Peak relaxation.” 

“On god.” Caelus also took in a deep breath, his arms hanging against the stone as he looked up at the sky. 

“Well, frankly, food and stuff isn’t really that important,” they heard from over the wall. They were next to the boys’ bath, which was between theirs and the girls’. “That’s not what I’m here for. I know that much, at least. What I’m here for is beyond that wall.” Judging by the fact that Minoru was… Minoru, they both could assume he was talking about the girls’ bath.

“What are you talking to yourself about, Mineta?” Izuku’s voice then came through. The both of them then looked at each other for a moment. Bro…

“This feels great!”

“I love that there are hot springs here!” 

The voices of the girls came through the wall. Muffled and not very clear, but they could hear them. 

“See, there they are… Nowadays, for them to not stagger bathing times for men and women is an accident… Yes, an accident waiting to happen.” Mineta continued on, clearly planning to do what he was about to do. He had no shame for being a pervert, truly.

“Don’t tell me you’re…” Denki muttered.

“Mineta, stop it! What you’re doing is demeaning for both yourself and the girls! It is shameful behavior!” Tenya’s voice piercing through confirms what Mineta was obviously thinking about.

“You’re too fussy. Walls… Are meant to be climbed over! Plus Ultra!” Now, normally, Akumu or Caelus would’ve done something as soon as they heard something like that. But to their fortune, someone else was going to do it for them.

“Before learning to be a hero, you need to learn about being human.” The sound of Kota slapping Mineta back down the wall was satisfying to the ears.

“Damn kid!” Mineta called out as he fell.

“Mineta really is the worst, huh?” Tsuyu sighed.

“Thanks, Kota! Yayay!” Mina yelled out. The sound of Kota falling over the wall was then heard. Poor kid.

“Disgraceful.” Akumu hummed as he raised his head above the water, but kept his neck submerged. 

“Right?” Caelus agreed. “That kid’s got my respect.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Everyone had to get up early as hell for the next day. It wasn’t even six, the sun was rising, and everyone was already in their PE uniforms outside with Aizawa. Some of the students yawned and stretched, not used to getting up so early. “Good morning ladies and gentlemen!” Aizawa starts. “Today, we will begin training camp to increase your strength in earnest. The goal of this training camp is to increase everyone’s strength, and with that, for everyone to obtain their provisional licenses. It is to prepare you all to face hostilities that are becoming more real by the minute. Proceed carefully.” Aizawa then pulls out a ball and tosses it to Katsuki. “So, Bakugo, try throwing that.”

“This is from the fitness test...” Katsuki mumbled, looking down at the ball with mild confusion. 

“Your previous record from right after you started school was 705.2 meters. Let’s see how much you’ve improved.” Aizawa states as Katsuki walks off to the side in front of the class, getting ready to toss.

“Oh, we’re checking our progress?” Mina called out.

“Since a lot has happened these past three months, huh?” Hanta smiled, excited to see Katsuki’s difference from then to now. "Maybe he can throw it a kilometer or something now!”

“Do it, Bakugo!” Eijiro cheered for Katsuki.

“Then… Here I go…” Katsuki pulls back his hand and then tosses it as far as he can. “Go to hell!” An explosion follows behind the ball, and the ball is tossed to God knows where.

“709.6 meters.” Aizawa pulls out a screen and shows it to the class.

“Huh? It’s less than I thought…” Hanta muttered underneath his breath.

“It’s been about three months since you started high school. Through various experiences, you all have definitely improved. But that improvement has mainly been at the mental and technical levels with some increase in stamina.” Aizawa steps out in front of the group. “As you can see, your quirks themselves have not improved that much. That’s why we will work on improving your quirks starting today.” He looks at the class out of the corner of his eye, then grins. “It’ll be so hard you’ll feel like dying, but try not to actually die.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

And training has started. People were mostly off doing their own thing, so it was just Caelus and Akumu training together. What changes there anyway? This was for the sake of their quirks, so they had to train themselves in a very specific way. In order to increase the time limit for Akumu’s transformation, his body had changed into the ghostly form of a woman with a light quirk. And to help Caelus’ heat limit, Akumu would repeatedly throw down flashbombs and inflict some burns to heighten that limit.

Every now and then, they would switch up the training to something different whenever Akumu’s time limit was up—speed and endurance. Caelus would come at Akumu as fast as he could, and with his reflexes, Akumu would either try to counter or dodge. The only problem with Akumu’s physical form was that it was much more fragile compared to other people’s, which is where his regeneration comes in. And in order to shorten the regeneration time, he would need to keep doing it and focus his energy on both movement and regeneration at the same time. 

At the current moment, neither of them were talking, they were both too focused on training. 

In this hell, it was all they could do. Train their quirks and reap the benefits of it. Caelus dashes and flies into Akumu’s face, only to be met with another flashbomb. His wings absorb the light and return the favor, just to be met with another flash of light. He could feel the burns beginning to seethe into his body, but he wasn’t about to call it quits on training. That’s when he saw Akumu’s transformation shift back, and immediately, Caelus switched his defense to offense. Caelus flies down to where Akumu is, his body spinning around like a torpedo. The crash landing was bloody. The splitting noise of Akumu’s flesh being torn apart and his bones shattering could be heard, a pair of Akumu’s legs being the only thing left standing. 

A new body shoots back up, reforming from Akumu’s severed legs, and Caelus aims to try and “kill” Akumu again. But Akumu shifts his body and dodges the attack. This continues on and on, no matter how much time has passed. It could be minutes, it could be hours. This was the longest they’ve ever gone without a break, and this would be one of the few times Akumu wasn’t training Caelus on how to use a weapon. It was all about quirk usage. 

It took a while, but Caelus noticed a change within Akumu’s transformation internals. The time between usage got shorter, and as soon as Akumu shifted back into that light-using ghost, Caelus switched back to defense. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Training continued on and on until dinner. By the time Akumu and Caelus were done, they were both covered in blood. And by the Gods, Akumu was much more exhausted than Caelus was, and Caelus looked like he was about to pass out. That was the longest training session they’ve ever had, and they definitely tested their limits a lot more than they’d like. 

“Oi, you two,” Aizawa calls out for the two of them. “Both of you look like a mess. Go bathe before dinner, you can’t get the tables dirty with Nikushimi’s blood.” He ordered both of them. Akumu and Caelus nodded before going inside to get themselves cleaned up.

“You look like you’re about to faint.” Caelus rubbed his neck, his entire body sore from absorbing as much light as he did. It felt like his entire body was burning red hot. 

“I am.” Akumu deadpanned, spent from all the transforming, regenerating, dodging, and countering. He himself didn’t notice a difference in his quirk, but Caelus did. Vice versa for the other way around. He noticed that Caelus could handle just a little bit more light than usual, which was quite good in their circumstances.

Once they got cleaned up, they both headed outside to where Class A and Class B were. Honestly, they barely noticed that Class B had joined them. They were too busy doing their own thing. They stood there with the conjoined classes, looking at the tables where there were stacks of unprepared food. 

“Now, remember what I said yesterday?” That blue cat, Akumu and Caelus had yet to learn her name, then repeated herself. “‘Today’s the only day we’ll be doing stuff for you!’”

“At least make your own food!” Another Pussycat, one with green hair and yellow clothes, enthusiastically waved her paw around. “Curry!”

“Yessir…” The students collectively groaned, absolutely exhausted out of their minds after all that training.

“You all look exhausted! But that doesn’t mean you can make any old sloppy cat food!” The green haired pussycat cackled. 

“It’s true that part of rescuing someone is filling the stomachs and spirits of those exhausted during a disaster.” Tenya muttered to himself, “that’s U.A. for you! No opportunity wasted!” Tenya turns to the two classes, shouting in order to hype the others into making dinner. Whether or not it was working was debatable. “Let’s make the most delicious curry in the world, everyone!”

“Okay…” The classes groaned in a lazy manner. 

That’s when everyone got started. Some students began to head to the grills, and Shoto began to fire them up with his quirk. “Todoroki! Can we get fire over here, too?” Mina called out to him.

“Bakugo, use explosions to light this.” Hanta asked.

“Like I would, scum!” But despite Katsuki’s protest, he does it anyway, firing up the grills with his quirk. However, it didn’t work, and it left nothing but char.

“If you only rely on others, then you will not learn how to light a fire.” Momo stated as she creates a lighter with creation.

“No, it’s fine.” Shoto hummed as he lit up another grill.

“Wow, thanks!” A girl from Class B exclaimed, moving in to use the grill.

Mina bounced around as she cooked. “Burn, burn, burn it up!” Ochaco then knelt down a bit.

“You can’t burn it all up.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Thanks for the food!” Most everyone exclaimed collectively.

“If I got this from a restaurant, I wouldn’t be very happy, but in this situation, it’s delicious!” Eijiro says through bites of food, and someone from across the table calls him out.

“Don’t say that! It’s rude!” 

“Yao-momo, you eat a lot, huh?” Mina turns over her shoulder, smiling.

“Yes. My quirk turns lipids into various atoms to create things, so the more I eat, the more I can make,” Momo replies as she straightens her back.

“It’s like poo.” Hanta hummed without thinking, earning a punch from Kyoka.

“Apologize!”

“I’m sorry!”

Chapter Text

The next day was nothing short compared to the day before. There was more training, more time to improve their quirks and evolve them into the fullest. Koji can be heard in the distance trying to use his voice better in attempts to increase the range. Meanwhile, Aizawa was scolding the failed five.

“Hey, extra lessons group, don’t stop.”

“Got it!” Eijiro grits out, his head being pulled back by Aizawa’s scarf.

“Sorry, I’m kind of sleepy…” Mina mumbled, doing her best to keep a smile on her face.

“I didn’t think yesterday’s extra lessons… Would go until 2 A.M….” Denki’s voice was hoarse, but maybe worse was Rikido’s.

“And we started at 7 A.M.…” 

“I told you it’d be tough.” Aizawa scowled. “You’re not just trying to improve your quirks. Above all, you need to work on the weaknesses that were exposed during the final exams.” The students all startled a bit. “Think carefully about why you’re more tired than your classmates before you move.” He yanks Eijiro back a bit before releasing him and turning away.

“Y-Yes, sir…”

“Uraraka! Aoyama!” Aizawa called out to the two of them behind him. “You two should, too. You didn’t fail, but you were close. If 30 points was passing, you were at about 35.”

“Ah, we barely made it…” Ochaco mumbled, floating a rock in front of her, while Yuuga doubled over a bit, having just come out of the bathroom.

“How unexpected…” 

“Don’t lose focus. All of you, move faster! No matter what you’re doing, you should always be aware of where you came from. That’s what it means to improve. Always keep in mind why you’re sweating, and why you keep getting nagged.” Aizawa stated, looking over at the entire class now.

At that, Izuku blinks, then jogs over. “That reminds me, Mr. Aizawa, it’s already the third day…” 

“What did I just say? Don’t walk over here like that,” Aizawa scowled, jumping down from his perch.

“Is All Might… I mean, are the other teachers coming?” Izuku lowered his head a bit, his hands at his sides. Aizawa closes his eyes.

“Like I said before the training camp, in order to keep villains from finding out where we were, we kept the number of people to the absolute minimum.”

“That’s why you got a training camp with the four of us!” The pussycat with green hair called out from above.

“And especially since we believe All Might is one of the villains’ targets, we can’t have him here. For better or for worse, that’s what happens, since he stands out so much… Hmph.” Aizawa makes an irritated sound, and Izuku sweat-drops.

The woman in blue giggles behind her hands, then shouts to address both classes. “More importantly, everyone, tonight we’ll have a test of courage with the classes pitted against each other! After training hard, you can play hard! The carrot and the stick!”

“Oh, I forgot…” Kendo looked over, while Kyoka looked away, visibly nervous.

“I hate scary things…” 

“Revelry in the dark…” Fumikage murmured from the entrance to his cave.

One of the Class B students said, “They’re letting us do the typical training camp stuff, too, huh?”

“Heheheh-... I like the part where we’re ‘pitted against each other…” Monoma had a smug smile on, but it was less convincing because of how pale he was.

“So, do your best right now!” The woman in blue called out once more, earning both lively and tired responses.

“Yessir!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

At the end, Caelus and Akumu were gone once more, because once again, their training had left them both covered in a concerning amount of blood. While they washed off, the rest of the class had set to making that night’s dinner. 

“Bakugo, you’re really good at using a knife! It’s unexpected…” Ochaco leaned in as she watched Katsuki slice the carrots, and the blonde whipped his head to her.

“What do you mean, unexpected? How can you be bad at using a knife!” 

“There he is. We haven’t seen the capable version of him in a while.” Denki commented as he passed, and Eijiro grimaced.

“Everyone’s too energetic…” 

“Did you need All Might for something? You asked Mr. Aizawa about him, didn’t you?” Shoto walked over to stand next to Izuku, who was loading firewood into the grills.

“Yeah… Um…” Izuku blinked, looking up at him in surprise. “I did, about Kota…”

“Kota? Who’s that?”

Izuku’s head jerks up again. “Huh? That kid… You know. Mandalay’s cousin’s, um… Huh? He’s gone again.” He scans the campsite for a long while to point him out, but trails off when he can’t find him. Turning back to the firewood, he says, “That kid hates heroes—I mean, he hates the whole quirk-based superhuman society in general, and I couldn’t say anything to help him. I was just wondering what All Might would’ve said to him… What would you have said, Todoroki-kun?” Izuku looks serious, and Shoto turns his gaze away.

“It depends.”

Izuku winces. “Of course it does!”

“To have some stranger trying to reason with you would just be annoying, right? What’s important is what actions he took or is taking. If the words are going to move someone by themselves, they have to be pretty powerful. I think words have to be accompanied by action.” Izuku looks up at Shoto, taking in his words and thinking about them for a moment.

“...That’s right. It’s just as you say… I’m just a stranger. How can I say anything to him?” He smiles a bit to himself. Shoto looks down at him at the shift in tone.

“I don’t know what you want to do with him, but I don’t think you should keep poking your nose in a delicate situation. You have no qualms about breaking through that kind of stuff, even though you don’t seem like the type,” he states, and Izuku folds in on himself a bit.

“Sorry about that…”

“You guys! Your hands have stopped moving! We’re going to make the best meat and potato stew!” Tenya exclaims from the side, working quickly to skin a basket of potatoes.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Now, we’ve filled our bellies and washed the dishes!” The blonde in blue placed her hands on her hips, beaming. “Next…” Mina jumped up and down, bouncing her fists.

“...It’s time for the test of courage!”

“We’re gonna test it!” Hanta, Denki, Eijiro and Rikido all jumped to follow her lead. Soon enough, though, Aizawa cuts in.

“Before that, it pains me to say this, but the extra lessons group will be having class with me now.” Mina’s eyes widen to the size of dinner plates, and her jaw drops.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

“Sorry,” Aizawa deadpans, wrapping them all up in his scarf. “Your training during the day wasn't good enough, so I have to use this time.” He yanks them to the ground, then drags them all off. The class watches in regret, sympathy, and anguish as they cry out.

“Give me a break!”

“Let us be tested!”

After they’re gone, the Pussycats gather everyone together outside the treeline. “Okay, so Class B will be the first to be the scarers. Class A will leave in pairs every three minutes. There are tags with your names written on them in the middle of the route, so bring those back with you,” the woman in blue explains, pointing to a map of the course.

Fumikage mutters, “Revelry in the dark…” under his breath, and Ochaco blinks.

“Those being the scarers aren’t allowed to make direct contact. Show us how scary you are with your Quirks.” The woman in blue winks, and the man in brown and yellow points at them all.

“The class that makes the most people piss their pants with creativity and imagination wins!” He declares, and Caelus immediately looks at Akumu. Hello, walking cheat code. Caelus can’t see it, but he can just sense the shit eating grin underneath Akumu’s mask.

Kyoka grimaces. “Stop it. That’s filthy.” 

“I see! They’re trying to make us refine our ideas by making us compete with each other, giving us more options for our Quirks in the process!” Tenya leans in, clearly taking this way too seriously. “As expected of UA!” 

“Now, you’ll determine your partners!” The woman in blue jumps up, holding numerous slips of paper in her hand. When Caelus draws his, he sees the number 8 written on it. From the looks of it, he was with Izuku. “Hey, Aku. What number did you get?” He pokes his head over his best friend’s shoulder.

“I got 4.” He hummed lazily.

Caelus bounces on his feet. “Mm. 8 for me.” 

“Oh okay. Sucks we’re being separated again, I guess.” Caelus rubs the back of his neck.

“It’s to be expected but damn… I still don’t like talking to people.”

Mashirao was trying to comfort Yuuga, who’d been assigned to a team all on his lonesome. “We drew lots… Someone had to have this fate…” He murmurs, but a grip on his shoulder makes him freeze.

“Hey, Tail! Switch with me!” Katsuki looms over him, hooking a thumb over at Shoto. Caelus gives him a sympathetic look. Being stuck alone with Kats… Rest in peace. But, his sympathy is replaced with anger as Minoru creeps up on Akumu, Momo stepping back behind him.

“Nikushimi… Please switch with me!”

Akumu just stared down at Minoru for a moment. He blinks once. Then twice. “...Why?”

“Please, just switch with me! I’m begging you!”

“No, I actually like Momo out of all of you.”

“Hey, I said switch with me!” Katsuki yelled, still holding tight to Mashirao. Mezo stood with Fumikage, who only repeated, “Revelry in the dark.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Izuku and Caelus were waiting with their classmates who hadn’t gone yet, when an acrid scent stung at Caelus’ nose. He scrunches his face a bit, sniffing at the air. It takes him a second to place it, but when he does, his eyes widen. “The scent of smoke…?” Beside him, Izuku was looking into the sky.

“That’s…” He trails off. 

“Black smoke…”

“Is something burning?” Tenya’s voice is full of alarm. “Could there be a fire on the mountain?!” Suddenly, the woman in blue shouts, a glowing pink aura surrounding her.

“Wh-What is this?!” 

“Pixie-Bob!” The woman in red calls after her as Pixie-Bob is pulled off into the bushes. Caelus whips around, and his pupils shrink as he sees the blonde woman pinned under a large steel beam, blood trickling from a wound in her head.

“These pet cats are in the way,” an unfamiliar voice drawls, and Minoru stumbles back in fear.

“Wh-Why…? I thought they made doubly sure…” His voice shakes as the person holding the steel beam comes into view, along with a lizard man with purple hair and green scales. “Why are there villains here?!” 

Caelus growls, his wings bristling, and Izuku rushes forward. “Pixie-Bob!” Before he can get too close, though, the male Pussycat stops him. The woman in red gives Izuku a look, which causes the green haired boy’s expression to drop. Izuku whips his head towards somewhere, a name falling from his lips. 

“Kota-kun!”

“How are you this evening, UA High School?” The lizard strides forward, throwing his arms open wide. “We are the Vanguard Action Squad of the League of Villains!”

“The League of Villains?!” Mashirao exclaims beside Izuku, the two of them being shielded by the Pussycat in red. “Why are they here…?”

The person pinning down Pixie-Bob grins, who Caelus immediately guesses this is a trans woman. “Shall I crush this girl’s head? What d’you think? Well, what do you think?”

The male Pussycat leans forward, still in a combat stance. “Like I'd let you, you–” 

“Wait up, Big Sis Mag! Don't be hasty,” the lizard says as he steps between them. “You too, Tiger. It all depends on whether having power over life or death follows Stain’s tenets or not.” The lizard grins, and Izuku and Caelus straighten their backs.

“Stain…!”

“So you're the ones his ideology brought?” Tenya balls his fist, and the lizard nods.

“That's right! I'm–” He goes to introduce himself, but cuts himself off to point at Tenya. “Oh yeah, you, with the glasses! You were the one who brought about the end of Stain at Hosu City. I apologize for the late introduction.” The lizard reaches back for something on his back. When he pulls it out, it reveals itself to be a fuck ton of blades strapped together, and Caelus marvels at them for a split second before realizing they're still actively in danger. “I'm Spinner, the one who will spin his dreams into reality!” Izuku gasps at the display, but Tiger steps forward nonetheless. 

“I don't care, but you bastards… The woman lying there, Pixie-Bob, had started worrying about getting married recently. She was doing her best to find happiness as a woman, despite her age. You can't damage that woman's face and then just stand there laughing thoughtlessly about it!” Tiger unsheathed his claws, and Spinner lunges. 

“What’s a hero doing trying to be happy like an average person?!” He mocks.

“Tiger! I've broadcast instructions. Leave the safety of the other students to Ragdoll.” The Pussycat in red grits her teeth. “The two of us will hold them back here!” She then looks back at Izuku, Caelus, and the other students behind her. “Go, everyone! Listen carefully. Do not fight. Class rep, you're in charge!”

Tenya barks out an, “Understood!” then turns to lead the rest of the students away. “Let's go!” Caelus goes to follow, but pauses when he sees Izuku hesitating. Tenya turns as well, stopping in his tracks. “Midoriya-kun!”

“Go on ahead!” Izuku calls out. Tenya tries to protest, but Izuku turns to the Pussycat in red. “Mandalay! I know where he is!” He places a hand on his chest. Caelus’ eyes widen, and as Izuku bolts, Caelus follows after him.

Hearing the extra set of footsteps, Izuku looks back. “Gonzales-kun! You should go back with the others!” He yells over his shoulder. Caelus' eyes narrow. 

“No way in hell, Midoriya. You're the most injury prone out of everyone in class; you going off alone in a situation as shitty as this is guaranteed to get worse,” he said, his sharp, almost scolding tone surprising Izuku. “I don't know if I'm stronger than you, but I'm faster, and I can be a good distraction if we run into any villains. Just let me tag along, even if only for the sake of my sanity.” Izuku hesitates, but he can tell from the way Caelus is speaking that he's not going anywhere.

“... All right.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

When they got to the cliff, Caelus' heart dropped. Kota was on the verge of tears, and an enormous cloaked figure loomed over him, one arm poised to strike. “Izuku! Close your eyes, now!” He shouted without thinking, and Izuku barely had time to do so before a flash of light as bright and blinding as the sun went off. In the split second before the villain struck, Caelus leapt forward and snatched Kota away, the ground vibrating with the impact. Caelus hit the ground roughly, but he kept his arms and wings around Kota until they rolled to a stop. 

“Why…?” The little boy murmured, but Caelus ignored him. He instead fixed his glare on the villain, a bulky blonde man with a missing eye.

“Hm? You were on the list,” the villain muses, and Caelus tenses. Shit. This is so not ideal. The guy’s Quirk is no joke, he could tell from that punch. He’s not worried about dying, but he is worried about Kota. We came to get him out of danger, but ran right into it instead… fuck, fuck, fuck. He grits his teeth. Should we run? Try and get back to the heroes? He briefly glances back at Kota. However, the thought of fleeing immediately leaves his head, seeing the terror and tears on the boy’s face. 

Now, he's never been one for little kids. They're loud, messy, and their cries make his ears hurt. But, unfortunately, his paternal instincts are really fucking strong. If a child were to yell “Mama!” within earshot of him, his entire identity as a trans man will be thrown out the window for that child’s safety. 

This was no different. 

Caelus pulls off his mask, golden ichor splashing around the rim and dripping down his face. He tossed the stone mask aside, letting it clatter to the ground. His hands ball into tight fists, and his lip curls back in a snarl, baring his teeth as his wings pulse with light and heat.

“Stay back, Kota,” he said lowly, his pupils glowing a bright, piercing white. “I’ll keep you safe. Let me take care of this.”

“You'll take care of this?” The blonde cackles. “That sounds just like what someone who wants to be a hero would say,” he said, and Caelus watches as what look like muscle fibers retract back into his skin. Must be his Quirk. “Your kind show up everywhere, talking about justice. You're the one called Gonzales, right? This is perfect. We were told to take the initiative and bring you back for some extra points.” The villain activates his Quirk again, bundles of muscle wrapping around his arms, and Caelus tenses. “I'll make sure to torment you thoroughly, so show me your blood!” The blonde tossed his cloak off, dashing forward.

Shit- Caelus lifted an arm to block the punch, and while he succeeded, he could feel his bones cracking from the impact. He's thrown back against one of the cliffs, dust clouding in the air and ichor splattering across the ground. “Whoops. I almost forgot. If you know, tell me…” The villain straightens, “...where's the kid called Bakugou?” Caelus' pupils shrink. They're after Katsuki?! Shit… if he fights, he'll be walking right into a trap. “I still have to do my job,” the villain says, gearing up for another punch. However, this time when he lunges, Caelus flash bangs him, darting out of the way. The villain is stunned by the intensity of the light, as well as the impact against the stone wall, and while he's down, Caelus takes the opportunity to call out to Izuku.

“Izuku! Get back to camp! Find Aizawa, tell him what's happening!” He shouts, his Quirk’s power swelling. Izuku steps forward, a frantic look on his face. 

“But, Gonzales-!” 

“Go, now !” Caelus snaps as the villain begins to recover, his broken arm righting itself in an instant. Izuku looks like he's going to protest again, but soon thinks better of it and turns, bolting away as fast as his legs can go. Caelus huffs a tiny sigh of relief, then turns his attention back to the villain. There's one goal secured… Now I just need to focus on the nuisance in front of me.  

“Can I take that as an ‘I don't know?’” The villain asks, pushing himself back to his feet. “I can, right? All right, then– let's play!” The villain kicks out at Caelus, throwing him against the wall. When he falls to the ground, the wound closes up right away, but there's still golden ichor dripping from his hair. The villain cackles, his voice growing more maniacal. “Whoa, you've got such unique blood there, kid! This is great! It's what I wanted! This is so fun! What'd you say earlier? That you'd take care of this? Why are you running away? You're so weird!” The villain spreads his arms, drawing closer as Caelus pushes himself back to his feet.

Damn, that Quirk… He's not just strong, he's fast too… He snarled, and he let off another flashbang. He launched himself forward with a flap of his wings, throwing himself into a roundhouse, aimed for the side of the villain's head. He feels it make contact, feels it snap the villain's head to the side, and feels the villain stumble back. He drops to the ground behind him, then aims a right hook towards the man’s spine. The blow once again makes contact, but this time, he doesn't seem as fazed. 

“What? That's your Quirk?” The villain asks, almost mocking in its tone. “You’re pretty fast, but not nearly strong enough!” The man whips around, and he throws Caelus back with a sweep of his arm. Caelus manages to get his feet on the ground and skids to a stop while the villain speaks again, coughing lightly. “My Quirk lets me power up my muscles! I increase my speed and strength by increasing the amount of muscle fibers so much they can't be contained by my skin!” He boasts as the fibers snap and rewrap, the sound not unfamiliar to Caelus. He's fought Akumu enough times to know what tearing muscle sounds like. Doesn't make it any less icky. “What am I trying to say? I'm bragging! In other words, you are a completely inferior version of me!” He throws another punch, and Caelus darts out of the way once more. Still, the villain keeps after him, jumping into the air with his arm raised. “Do you understand how I feel? I can't help but laugh!” Caelus grunts as the strike tossed him back against the ground, more of his ichor splattering onto the stone. “You’ll take care of this? How’ll you do that? Don't just spout lip service you can't actually pull off! Be honest with yourself!” He raises a hand to hit Caelus once more, but when a rock suddenly clatters against the back of the villain’s head, Caelus' heart drops. 

Kota stood with tears in his eyes, his teeth grit in anger despite his obvious fear. “Water Hose… Papa… Mama… Did you torment them like that, too, before you killed them?” Kota yelled, and Caelus inhaled sharply.

“Huh? Seriously?” The villain turned to Kota. “Your parents were heroes? This must be fate!” He grins, spreading his arms. “Water Hose… It's thanks to them that my left eye is an artificial eye now.” The villain points at the spiked implant in his socket.

“It's your fault…” Kota’s breathing gets heavier. “It's because of guys like you… that it always, always turns out like this!” He yells, and the villain sounds a bit annoyed now.

“Kids are always shifting the blame like that,” he sighs. “That’s no good. It's not like I have a grudge about this eye or anything, you know. I just wanted to kill. And those two wanted to stop me. It was the result of all of us doing what we wanted.” Kota trembled as the villain went on, “What's wrong is wanting to do something you are unable to do. Like your mommy and daddy!” The villain's malice increases dramatically, and as he raises his arm, Caelus darts forward. “Which means, you're coming now aren't you, you piece of trash!” The villain turns to look at Caelus just as the white haired boy lets out another flashbang, stunning him with the intensity of it.

“Shut up, you disgusting piece of shit,” Caelus snapped, and he shoved one hand into the muscle that wrapped around the villain’s arm. Gotcha, bitch. The villain laughs.

“Or what? You gonna punch me with that weak arm of yours?” He taunts, getting ready to throw another punch. 

“No,” Caelus grits, and he can feel his body heat rising as his Quirk's power grows. “I'm gonna do something worse.” The villain can feel his muscles and skin beginning to burn, and his intact eye widens. “Lip service? Nah, that was a promise, and I am all too happy to risk my life to make good on my promises.” Caelus allows himself a faint smirk, then in a burst of searing heat and blinding light, the power he'd been accumulating exploded. 

The ground trembles and cracks, and the hot wind generated by the power of the explosion blows chunks of stone off the side of the cliff, taking Kota along with it. He's about to scream, but the feeling of warm arms grabbing him and lifting him into the air silences him. When he looks up, he sees Caelus hovering in the air.

“Sorry kid. Didn't mean to blow you away too.” He touched back down on the cliff, waiting until his footing was secure before putting Kota down. The little boy sat still for a moment, then turned back to look at Caelus.

“Th-Thank–” He started, but cut himself off when he saw the burns covering Caelus' arms and body. They were already starting to heal, but the sight of the torn, blistered skin with a strange gold substance dripping from the tears in the skin… it was far from a pleasant sight.

“We should head back, kiddo. Thankfully, it's not far,” Caelus said, and just as he was about to kneel to let Kota on his back, stone cracked and dust shot into the air, and he had to bite back the instinctual curse. When he turned, he saw the villain shifting under the rocks, barely conscious, but conscious nonetheless. 

Kota took a step back in fear, but Caelus wasn't too worried. The guy clearly didn't have too much fight left in him, so he figured he could just grab Kota and go. “Alright, hop on my back, kiddo. Let's get you out of here before that nutcase gets up again.” He kneels, and Kota hesitates for a moment, but the reminder of the villain motivates him to do as he's told, climbing onto his back and wrapping shaky arms around Caelus' neck. “Alright, hold on tight. Close your eyes too.” Kota obliges, but he can still kind of make out the flash—and the yelled insults that follow—as Caelus takes off towards camp.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Here, take this.” Momo hands Akumu a gas mask, which he takes. She had already given other students a mask, and the only reason why he hadn’t had one for so long was because he phased through most of the gas until everyone else had a mask. He knew her creation quirk was limited, so he didn’t want it to be wasted on him, just in case. “Are you doing alright, Nikushimi-san?”

“Mm.” Akumu nodded. That’s when he heard it. That’s when they all heard it. Permission to use quirks during combat, a message likely from Aizawa himself. “...Huh.” He looked towards Momo. 

“Permission to use our quirks already?” She muttered, concern and worry etched in her features. “Must’ve been Midoriya’s or Gonzales’ doing… Or maybe things really have gotten so dire.”

“Caelus.”

“Wha-?”

“He prefers Caelus. But I wouldn’t doubt this was his doing either.” Akumu begins off in a direction, motioning her to follow. “C’mon. We should group with people. The more numbers, the better.”

Momo nodded in agreement, and she followed behind. Then, there was that second message. Katsuki was a target, it seems. 

Of course, why wouldn’t he be? 

The two stayed silent as they walked. Akumu kept his ears open while Momo kept her eyes peeled. He listened for any potential noise and she made sure nothing escaped their sight. For an invasion, there wasn’t much going on between the two of them at all. Perhaps the other students were active targets, then. They had already rounded up a lot of people who passed out from the gas and left them with people who hadn’t been affected yet, and used the gas masks to make sure they could look out for themselves and their fallen peers. 

The longer they walked, the more Akumu doubted they could find anyone else. But on the bright side, it seemed like the gas was dispersing.

“Eh? Did someone take care of the gas?” Momo asked. Akumu just shrugged and slipped the gas mask off, adjusting his actual mask to make sure it was on right.

“Don’t need these anymore, then.” But to make sure, he let the gas mask hang on his waist. Even if he didn’t need it, he might as well have it as a keepsake.

“Hey, you two!” A voice came from the right. Akumu and Momo looked over to where the voice came from and noticed a male student from the other class. “Oh thank God I found some others…” He huffed as he ran up to the two. Sounds like he’s had a rough time alone. 

“Awase-san! Are you okay? Are you injured?” Momo searched him for any wounds, but found none.

“No, no, I’m okay. I saw that the gas was dispersing so I thought I’d go find you two, but I didn’t realize I had headed off alone… I thought someone else would come with me to make sure you two were safe.” He explained, still trying to catch his breath from likely running all the way here.

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay, too.” Momo looked towards Akumu. “We were trying to look for more students.”

“Then I’ll accompany you two.”

Great. A group of three. The three of them didn’t say much as they walked down the forest path. Every now and then, Akumu would look up to go look at the blue flames from afar. Looks like they were going to be trapped here, even if they do capture the villains. Or maybe someone like Shoto could get all that under control. 

Or maybe someone with a water quirk could get here fast enough. Those elemental quirks were quite common. 

Even with Akumu lost in thought, he still listened out for noise and looked in any direction where he heard something that wasn’t their footsteps, but it always turned out to be something small and insignificant.

It felt like nothing eventful was happening. Not until he heard something behind him. Drills? Chainsaws? Little did he know, it was both.

“Oi!” Akumu and Momo both perked up and looked behind them, only for the both of them to freeze. That is not good. Awase was already looking behind him, almost frozen in place. Behind them, there was a creature running towards them at top speeds, one that looked sickly sea green with blades and drills running rampant from its back. 

“Shit-!” Akumu runs in front of Awase and one of the drills runs through his upper skull, leaving the lower half of his head. Awase’s and Momo’s eyes widened from the way Akumu’s head exploded, a disgusting crunch echoing out within the woods as brain matter splattered across the dirt and chunks of muscle and bone littered the ground. 

Awase’s body tensed and shook from the way Akumu’s head was decimated, but Momo, despite her nausea, grabbed Awase by the arm and began to run. She knew he’d regenerate. “Go! He’s fine!” She urged him, and his feet finally began to work. Awase looked back, his breathing already hard and heavy from panic. But he was relieved when he saw Akumu running with them, and watched as his head rebuilt itself. Once his skin was replenished, his hair popped out of his scalp, blood still staining his mask and his neck from the earlier injury. Momo turns her head towards Akumu, “Are you okay, Nikushimi-san?”

“I’m fine, just keep running!” He stayed behind the two. If they were going to get hurt, then he made sure he was going to take most, if not all, of the damage. 

“What the hell, what the hell!?” Awase cried out. Too many things have happened tonight already. And the sight of Akumu’s brains out of his skull will forever stick with him. Never in his life did he think he’d see a fellow student’s brains and eyes out of their skull, but here he was, with Akumu’s blood splattered on his face from the initial impact.

They may run fast, but the creature ran faster. 

In one moment, Akumu was running. In the next, he felt his fragile body hit a tree. Now, most expect bludgeoning damage such as that to make the human body splat. But now, quite the opposite. The human body bounces. And his body bounced off of the tree and smacked dead onto the ground, causing both of his arms to split open. Torn muscle and broken bone regenerated like nothing, but he wasn’t the only one who got injured. Sure, he had the worst of it, but the difference was that he could regenerate.

Awase’s head had been smacked right into a tree stump, almost a rock. Had he been hit at a slightly different angle and he would’ve had a worse brain injury than a concussion. But with that blood trickling down his head, it was easy to assume he might already have a serious head injury. 

But Momo? Momo looked worse for wear. She had been knocked out and now she was on the ground, blood dripping down her head and her body limp on the ground. “Yao-momo!” Akumu’s body fully regenerates as he ran to her and picked her up. The creature behind only bellows as soon as it and Akumu make eye contact, and for a moment, Akumu was almost startled. But he gathered himself up and ran to Awase, forcing him to get up. “Awase, take Momo and run!” 

“Wh-!” Awase was interrupted once Akumu pushed her into his arms. “Go! I can take more damage than you.” He reassures him before making sure Awase is standing up and stable. Awase’s arm glowed for a moment before it temporarily fused with Momo’s, and by then, Akumu had pushed him forward to give him a boost. And in that same second, Awase watched as a chainsaw was raised and brought down onto Akumu’s body, cutting him from the shoulder to his side. Blood gushed from the wound and Awase almost screamed. But he looked away before he saw Akumu’s organs fall out of his body and kept running.

“Damnit, damnit, damnit, damnit!” Awase huffed. Despite his dizziness, Awase’s adrenaline and the endorphins from said adrenaline kept him going. He wasn’t gonna die here, not now. Not when Momo depended on him to keep going.

When Awase looked back again, he noticed that Akumu was running again, fully regenerated and still taking most of the damage. God, he knew he was going to owe Akumu big time after this. Just because Akumu can regenerate doesn’t mean he can’t feel the pain of being torn apart over and over again. 

But as Awase turns around, he hears the sound of Akumu’s flesh being torn open once more. 

“This is bad! This is really bad!” Awase yelled out in panic as he ran. Blood continued to trickle down his face, but despite his injuries, his skin stuck to Momo as he dragged her as far as he could away from this creature. “This guy’s really bad news! Yaoyorozu, are you alive?! Hey! Please, run! It’s gonna catch up!”

“I’m sorry… Awase-san…! I’m… I’m fine…!

“Crap! Damn it!” The creature’s blades and drills raised towards Awase, aiming at both him and Momo. “What’s that?!” That’s when he saw the chainsaw nearing him and Momo’s limp body. “What is that?!” He cried out as he held onto Momo’s head in an attempt to protect her. But the sounds of its weapons suddenly stopped, and he opened his eyes to see what was going on. With a high pitched groan, it turns while its weapons return to its back, and walks away. “What…? Why is it leaving?”

“Does this mean it has done its job…?” Momo’s voice was weak, but loud enough for Awase to hear. Momo managed to pick her head up, watching the creature before looking around. Awase looks down at her, realizing she finally came to. She creates something within her fist, a small glow coming from her hand. Then, she turns to Awase. “Awase-san, use your quirk to attach this…” she hands him an item, a small circular object, “...to that!”

Awase gently places her on the ground for her to recover. “What is this? A button?”

“Just hurry up and do it! It’ll get away!” 

With a nod, Awase turned and ran to go and stick the item to the creature’s back. “I don’t know what’s going on, but…!” Once attached, he ran back to Momo and hid behind a tree. “I attached it, like you asked!”

“Thanks, Awase-san.”

“Ah, that was too scary… Let’s get away!”

“Right.”

As they ran, Momo looked around and almost stopped. “...Wait, where is Nikushimi-san?”

“Ah?” Awase looked around for a moment, realizing that Akumu was, indeed, gone. Panic rose in his throat and he looked at Momo. “I-I don’t know! He was behind us just a minute ago.”

Momo’s eyes widened. Akumu was gone, and the creature was leaving. She then put two and two together.

Was Akumu also a target?

Chapter Text

“It appears the principal offenders of the U.A. High training camp attack called themselves the League of Villains Vanguard Action Squad. For U.A. High, in both the USJ incident and the Hosu incident, the name ‘League of Villains–’”

“Among the victims of the training camp attack was the child of the pro heroes, Water Hose, who were killed by Muscular–”

“We must conclude that there is some sort of problem with the management of U.A. High. Even if my child wanted to become a hero, I could not possibly enroll–”

The TV then shuts off, the screen going black. “I’m really grateful for all the publicity we’ve been getting.” Shigaraki, that damned villain who attacked during USJ and likely sent the creatures out during the Stain incident, then turns to his hostages. “Hey, don’t you agree…? Katsuki Bakugo… Akumu Nikushimi…”

Both Katsuki and Akumu sat there, their hands bound and their bodies restrained to a chair. Katsuki only glared at the villains, Akumu staring blankly without a response.

“I’ll ask you one more time, aspiring heroes, Katsuki Bakugo and Akumu Nikushimi… Will you join me?” Shigaraki hummed lazily. He’s been asking that, talking and talking, ever since they both woke up.

“If you’re gonna talk in your sleep, you should go to sleep and die.” Katsuki growled.

“Ah. Is that so? Perhaps you should listen in on this…” Shigaraki then reaches for the remote and turns the TV back on. 

“And now, please watch a clip from U.A. High School’s apology press conference that just occurred. 

“We deeply apologize for the incident that allowed harm to come to 27 first years of the hero course because of our unpreparedness. We apologize for causing unease in society due to our negligence in properly defending ourselves as a place of learning.” Aizawa’s voice came through before they all bowed. “We are truly sorry.”

“I’m from Yomiuri TV. Since the beginning of the year, U.A. High School students have had four encounters with villains. This time, there were even students injured. How did you explain to their families, and what are some specific countermeasures you are taking?”

“We will increase policing in the surrounding area and review the security within the school, ensuring the students’ safety with a strong position. That is what we told them.”

Shigaraki turns the TV off again. “It’s so strange… Why are the heroes being criticized? The way they were dealing with things was just a little off the mark.” He hummed while gesturing to Katsuki and Akumu. “Is it because it’s their job to protect? Everyone makes a mistake or two. Are they supposed to be perfect? Modern-day heroes are so up-tight. Don’t you think, Bakugo? Nikushimi?”

The lizard-like villain, the one with Stain’s scarf and mask, leaned further against the wall. “Once heroes receive compensation to protect people, they aren’t heroes anymore. That is Stain’s teaching.” Akumu’s eyes narrowed slightly at his words. So, the ideology of Stain still lives. In fact, it only brought up some strange people, people who wanted to fulfill what Stain could not. It’s weird beyond comprehension that someone was so convinced that fake heroes needed to be purged, if there were that many fake heroes in the first place.

“The strange system of transforming people’s lives into money or glory… The society that sticks tight to those rules… The citizens who blame the losers rather than encourage them… Our fight is to question: What is a hero? What is justice? Is this society truly just? We’ll have everyone thinking about it.” Such… Specific questions. And good ones to ask, too. A foolish person would answer those questions immediately without thinking about them. Likely something along the lines of, obviously a hero is someone who saves other people and does good things. And justice is delivering karma to bad people. But what happens when something is morally grey? Do heroes truly exist or are everyone villains in their own way? “We’re planning on winning. You like winning, too, right?” Both Katsuki and Akumu didn’t budge. They just sat there, quiet, refusing to open their mouths any further if not for resistance. “Dabi, release their restraints.” …Huh-?

“Huh? They’re both gonna fight, y’know.” The villain with the stapled, burnt skin turned to Shigaraki, blinking with confusion.

“It’s fine. We need to treat them like an equal, since we’re scouting them. Besides, you can tell if you’ll win or not if you fight in this situation, right, U.A. students?”

“...Twice, you do it.”

“What, me? No way.” The man in a black and grey skintight suit gestured with clear intent to not. But Dabi pushed.

“Do it.”

“Man…” 

As Twice approached the two, the magician that had kidnapped the two in the first place spoke up. “I do apologize for using such forceful methods. But please understand that we are not just a mob trying to commit crimes. We didn’t kidnap you by accident.” The both of them were unnervingly calm as Twice started to undo the restraints.

 As soon as Katsuki was released, Twice started working on Akumu’s restraints. “Even though our situations differ, everyone here has been restricted and suffered because of people… Rules… And heroes… I’m sure you also–” And once Akumu was released, there was an explosive noise as Katsuki knees Twice in the face. Then, he tosses an explosion in Shigaraki’s face, causing the hand on his face to fall.

“Shigaraki-san!” The magician and the lizard were stunned, Twice still on the ground.

“I, we , listened quietly to your endless talking… Idiots can’t get to a point, so they’re always talking for a long time. Basically, you mean ‘We wanna harass people, so please join us,’ right? Don’t bother.” Katsuki hissed before a wicked smile came to his face. Akumu simply stood next to him, hands in his pockets. But he was ready. “I want to win like All Might. No matter what anyone says, that will never change!” He shifted his stance into more of a defensive one, ready to take on what’ll come, if it will.

The TV behind the villains, however it had turned it back on, displayed the teachers on the news being interviewed. Even Aizawa was there, despite hating the media as much as Akumu did, if not more so. 

“You spoke about the students’ safety, Eraser Head. During the incident, it appears you urged them to fight. What was your intention behind this?” The interviewer started.

“I concluded that because we were unable to fully grasp the situation, it had to be done in order to avoid the worst possible outcome.” Aizawa answered.

“What do you mean by ‘worst possible outcome?’ You don’t call 26 victims and one abducted the worst possible outcome?”

“The ‘worst outcome’ I assumed in that situation was that the students would be at their wits’ end and be killed.”

The principal intervened, “The gas accounts for most of the victims. We have determined that it was a sleeping gas from one of the enemies’ quirks. Thanks to the quick response of Ms. Kendo and Mr. Tetsutetsu, there were no serious injuries from that attack. In addition, we are providing mental care to the students, but at the moment, we do not see any signs of serious psychological trauma.”

“Are you saying that it was a bright spot in this tragedy?”

“We believe that the worst outcome is one that would have infringed on the future.”

“Can you say the same thing for the kidnapped Bakugo and the kidnapped Nikushimi?” That made Aizawa pause for a moment. “They  enrolled at U.A. High with excellent marks and won first and second place respectively at the Sports Festival. In addition, during the incident with the sludge villain back in Bakugo’s middle school years, he resisted the powerful villain alone, so he has a history of showing how tough and heroic he can be, and Nikushimi has a long time heroic bloodline back in Vietnam and America. On the other hand, the violence Bakugo showed in the finals and his attitude at the award ceremony and Nikushimi’s allowance to get bloodied and battered the way he did show that they are both not always very mentally stable.” 

The interviewer kept throwing curveball after curveball. 

“What if the villains kidnapped them because they had an eye on that? Kidnapping them with deceitful words, and dyeing them with the path of evil? What evidence do you have for saying they have a future?”

That’s when Aizawa stood up, and bowed apologetically. “As an educator, I take full responsibility for Katsuki Bakugo’s violent and Akumu Nikushimi’s self-destructive behaviors. However, Bakugo’s actions at the Sports Festival originate in what he considers ‘ideal strength,’ and Nikushimi’s actions come from his idea of stunning his opponent, which clearly worked. They are trying harder than anyone in their pursuit of becoming the ‘top heroes.’” Aizawa then picked his head back up. “If the villains saw that and thought they had an opening, then I believe they are being short-sighted.”

“That is not evidence, though. This isn’t a question of how you feel—I’m asking whether or not you have a concrete plan in place.”

“We’re not just standing by idly,” The principal points out. “We are currently investigating along with the police. We will definitely get our students back.”

“Heh…” Katsuki’s smile widened at the sound of those words. “You said it, U.A. and Mr. Aizawa! That’s how it is, you damn scum of a league!” And with a pause, Katsuki’s fingers began to twitch. “Just so you know, we’re still allowed to fight! Ain’t that right, Corpse Bride!?”

“Mm.” Akumu nodded once. 

“You know exactly what your position is, huh? What smart boys!” The woman in those glasses exclaimed in disdain.

“No, that Bakugo kid’s an idiot.” Dabi hummed.

“I’ll stick you.” The blonde girl’s smile widened. 

“Even if he wasn’t going to join us, he should have pretended we were winning him over… Like that Nikushimi kid.” The magician shrugged. “He’s done it now.”

“I won’t do something I don’t want even if I’m only faking it. And I don’t want to be in an annoying place like this for very long.” Katsuki growled. Akumu continued to stand idly by, but despite his relaxed state, he was ready to spring into action if necessary. He mentally cursed Katsuki for putting them in such a compromisable position, but if this is how it was gonna be, then so be it.

“Father…” Shigaraki whispered.

“Don’t, Tomura Shigaraki! Calm down!” The warp villain was about to grab Shigaraki. But instead, Shigaraki did seem unsettlingly calm. He just put his hand up.

“Don’t touch him, any of you.” He then kneels down to grab the hand that had dropped before putting it back on. “These guys…” The hand somehow sticks back onto his face. “...are valuable pieces.” He hummed, glancing at the two chairs. One of them looked like it had toppled over. “I wish you two would’ve listened to me a little… I thought we could come to an understanding…”

“Come to an understanding? No way.” Katsuki growled.

“Then I have no choice. The heroes said they’re continuing their investigation of us. We don’t have time to talk leisurely.” Shigaraki turns to face the TV, which had somehow switched. “Master– Lend me your power.”

“That was a good decision, Tomura Shigaraki.” The TV hummed that low voice. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

There was a knock at the door, and when it slid open, Momo looked up to see Denki in the doorway. The blonde smiled, opening the door a bit more. 

“Oh, Yaoyorozu, you're awake!” His voice sounded relieved as he stepped inside, followed by the rest of the class. “Did you see the news? The media's swarming the school right now.”

“It's way worse than in the spring,” Rikido sighed. Minoru held his hands up high over his head, showing off a small melon. 

“We've got a melon! We bought it together! A big melon!”

Yaoyorozu looked around at everyone, her brows furrowing. “Did everyone from Class A come?” Tenya shakes his head. 

“No, Jirou and Hagakure are still unconscious from the villains’ gas. So, everyone but those two came.” 

Ochaco lowers her head a bit. “Seventeen of us…”

“Because Bakugou and Nikushimi aren’t here.” Shoto added under his breath, earning a frantic look from Mina beside him. 

“Hey, Todoroki!”

Caelus’ hands ball into fists at his side, and he can feel his body temperature rising slightly as a mix of rage, anxiety, and frustration knots up in his chest. Some of the others close to him inch away from the heat. Momo lowers her head a bit, guilt and regret obvious on her face. There's a tense moment between them for a moment, then–

“Yaoyorozu-san.” Caelus spoke up, startling almost everyone. “I'm not angry at you. Let me make that clear.” He lifted his head, taking off his mask so he could look Momo in the eyes. Momo’s eyes widen at the clear conflict on his face, and she tenses a bit. “I'm angry at the villains for kidnapping my closest friend, I'm angry at myself for not being able to do anything, and I'm angry at Akumu for scaring the shit out of me.” Momo looks like she's about to say something, but Caelus cuts her off. “But I'm not going to let that stop me. Just because I couldn't save Akumu back then doesn't mean I'm not going to save him this time.”

The class starts a bit at his words, and this time, Eijiro is the one that speaks. “Actually, Todoroki, Gonzales and I were here yesterday too.” He looks a bit nervous, but goes on. “While we were on the way to Jirou and Hagakure’s room, we saw All Might and a police officer talking to you.” Tenya’s eyes widened at the implication. 

“Does this mean you're going to have Yaoyorozu make another receiver?” Shoto meets his gaze head on, while Caelus looks at him out of the corner of his eye. 

“What if it does?” At Shoto's reply, Tenya grits his teeth. He looks like he's stewing in his anger, and when he speaks up again, it's an explosion. 

“It is as All Might said! This is something we should leave to the pros! This isn't the place for us to act, you idiots!” He shouted, and Eijiro matched him with an outburst of his own. 

“We know that! But, I couldn't do anything!” Eijiro clutched at his chest, his expression full of guilt and frustration. “After I heard that my friend was being targeted! I couldn't do anything! I didn't do anything! If I don't do anything now, I won't be a hero or a man anymore!” He cried, the class looking on with mixes of sympathy and sadness. 

“Kirishima, we're in a hospital! Calm down!” Denki muttered, holding one finger up to his lips. “It's fine to feel strongly about things, but this time–”

“Iida is correct.” Tsuyu pressed her fingertip to her chin, and Eijiro’s shoulders shook. 

“Iida, all of you, you're all correct,” he mutters. “I know that. But! Hey, Yaoyorozu, your hand can still reach! We can go save him!”

Mina moved her hands from side to side, a small frown on her face. “So, in short, you're planning on getting the receiver from Yao-momo, following it, and going to save Bakugou and Nikushimi yourselves?”

Eijiro nods. “Yeah.” Shoto looks over at the rest of the class, his hands at his sides. 

“Even though the villains said we were targets to be killed, they took Bakugou without killing him. They probably let him live, but that doesn't mean they won't kill him eventually.” Tenya tenses further, his eyes widening and his hands moving vigorously.

“Don't go overboard with your messing around!” Mezo steps between Tenya and Caelus, Shoto, and Eijiro. 

“Wait. Calm down,” he said, holding his bandaged arms out. “I understand Kirishima and Gonzales’ frustration at not being able to do anything, and Todoroki’s frustration at having Bakugou when in front of his very eyes. I'm frustrated, too.” One of Mezo’s Dupli-Arms becomes a mouth, turning to the other group. “But, this isn't a situation where we should act based on our emotions. Right?”

Yuuga rubbed his hands nervously, his voice shaking. “L-Let’s leave this to All Might… Mr. Aizawa’s permission to fight at the training camp has been rescinded, too.” Fumikage turns. 

“Aoyama’s right. I can't say much since I was the one who needed saving, though…” 

“But–!” Eijiro's about to protest, but Tsuyu cuts him off. 

“Everyone, we're all shocked from Bakugou’s and Nikushimi’s kidnapping. But let's think things through calmly.” She lifts a finger to her chin once more. “No matter how just your feelings, if you're saying you'll fight again… that you'll break the rules… Those acts are the same as those of villains.” The words hang in the air like stones, a tense silence falling over the room. A second later, Caelus makes an annoyed sound. 

“Tsk… Fine then.” He mutters, his hands in fists and a growl in his voice, and the class looks at him in shock. “The concepts of good and evil, the labels of hero, and villain… Those mean jack shit to me.” His wings bristle and his shoulders tremble, out of anger rather than guilt. “What matters most to me right now it's getting my best friend and classmate back, where they belong. If I'm a villain for taking care of my own, then so fucking be it .” His voice grew louder, colder, and sharper, and another tense silence fell over them all. When the door to the room suddenly opens, Yuuga starts, a doctor with wispy brown hair stepping into the room.

“Sorry to interrupt… it's time for Yaoyorozu’s exam.” Hanta looks over, hooking a thumb towards the door. 

“Wh-Why don't we go…? I wanna see how Jirou and Hagakure are doing, too.” Mashirao nods in agreement, heading for the door.

“Oh yeah.”

Ochaco waves as she leaves with the rest of the class, smiling softly. “Yao-momo, feel better soon.” Momo nods, her hands in her lap. 

“Thank you for your concern, everyone,” she says with a dip of her head but stops when Caelus and Eijiro approach her. 

“We talked to Midoriya yesterday,” Eijiro murmured under his breath. “If we go, we go right away. Tonight.” Caelus nodded. 

“Since you were seriously injured, I don't know how freely you can move, but we still wanted to invite you because you're probably the most important factor, and the most frustrated out of everyone.” Momo lowers her head, and Caelus hesitates before resting a surprisingly gentle hand on her shoulder. “We'll be waiting in front of the hospital tonight.” She looks up at him in surprise, meeting his sympathetic gaze with her own. “Come with us, only if you're able and willing. Don't force yourself,” he murmurs, then heads for the door. Momo watches him and Eijiro go, and once they're at the door, she looks down at her hands.

“...Thank you, Caelus-kun,” she says quietly, and Caelus freezes in his tracks. He pauses, his head slowly turning to look at her over his shoulder.

“Who told you?” is all he asks, and Momo folds in on herself a bit more.

“Nikushimi-san.”

Ah. Of course. Caelus huffs a tiny, wryly amused sigh, shaking his head a bit before leaving without another word.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

That night, just as promised, Caelus, Eijiro, and Shoto stood outside of the hospital, watching the doors for Momo and waiting for Izuku to arrive. 

Eijiro swallowed. “I wonder what Yaoyorozu decided,” he muttered, and Shoto lowered his head a bit beside him. 

“Well, no matter how restless we are, it's up to her,” he said, Caelus nodding beside him. However, just as they finished speaking, the hospital’s double doors slid open, revealing Momo as she made her way over. Her expression was reluctant but determined, and she looked off to the side as if checking they weren't being watched. She then glanced behind them, and the three of them turned to see Izuku approaching from behind.

“Midoriya…” Shoto murmured, while Eijiro and Caelus looked back over at Momo.

“Yaoyorozu… what's your answer?” Eijiro stepped forward a bit. Momo looked down, her expression becoming a bit more anxious.

“I–”

“Wait!” A familiar voice called out, and Caelus almost cursed aloud. The five of them looked back towards the hospital gates, seeing Tenya stop a few feet away. 

“Iida?” Eijiro muttered, his brows knitting. Izuku looks nervous as he meets the class rep’s gaze, bowing his head a bit.

“Iida-kun…”

“Why… Why did it have to be you of all people?!” Tenya gritted out, his shoulders hunched and his head lowered. “The ones who stopped me when I acted recklessly for personal reasons… You, who received amnesty with me… Why are you trying to make the same mistake I did?! It's too much!”

“What are you talking about?” Eijiro stepped forward, but Shoto placed his hand on his shoulder.

“We are still minors,” Tenya replied. “UA is in a bad enough position as it is. Who will take responsibility for your actions? Do you understand?!” Tenya's voice grew louder and more frantic, and Izuku stepped forward. 

“Iida-kun, it's not like that. We don't think it's okay to break the rules either–”

“Speak for yourself,” Caelus said under his breath, but just as he finished, Tenya lashed out, his fist striking the side of Izuku’s face. Momo clapped a hand over her mouth, Eijiro took a step back in surprise, and Shoto's eyes widened.

“I'm frustrated, too! And worried! It's only natural!” Tenya yelled, his eyes wide. “I am the class representative! I'm worried about my classmates! Not just Bakugou and Nikushimi! When I saw your injuries, I also saw my brother in his sickbed! What if your bodies end up irreparable like my brother's, because of your recklessness? Are you saying you don't care about my worries?” Tenya grabbed Izuku's shoulders, shaking him hard. “Are you saying that you don't care about how I feel…?” His voice cracks as Izuku keeps his head lowered.

“Iida-kun…”

“Iida.” Shoto's voice cues through the tenseness of the moment, and Caelus steps forward, separating Izuku and Tenya. “We don't expect to face them head-on and win either.” Tenya inhaled, his hands dropping as Shoto went on. “We'll extricate them without fighting.” 

“In other words, covert action!” Eijiro continued, “That's the way we students can fight while toeing the line on the rules!”

Momo held a hand over her chest, her gaze cast down. “I trust Todoroki-san. But so that I can stop them if anything happens, I plan to accompany them, as well,” she says, her voice and expression filled with determination. Eijiro gives her a relieved look, while Tenya looks scandalized. 

“Yaoyorozu-kun!”

“Yaoyorozu!” 

“I don't know myself, either,” Izuku murmurs, his head still lowered. “But after hearing I had a chance, I couldn't just sit still…” He lifts his head, his eyes taking on that indomitable spark. “I can't help thinking that I want to save them.” Tenya's expression becomes conflicted, and after a moment, he sighs. 

“We can't come to an agreement, huh?” He closes his eyes, seeming deep in thought before his mind is made up, and his eyes snap open once more. “Then, take me with you, too!” Caelus and the other four share a look, then look over at Tenya once more. 

A few minutes later, the group is all heading out of the hospital gates, though the sound of Tenya’s voice calling his name makes Izuku pause. 

“Midoriya-kun. I apologize for getting violent with you.” Tenya glances off to the side as he bows. “I'm sorry.” 

Momo frowns a bit, her tone almost a bit scolding. “Seriously, Iida-san. Your reason for joining the group is not very persuasive.” Izuku's eyes widen, and he quickly wrings his hands. 

“It's fine! I'm okay!”

“I am accompanying you because I am not convinced you will behave yourselves,” Tenya says as he straightens up, pushing his glasses up his nose. “If I even get a whiff of combat, then I will make you return immediately. In other words, you will be under my surveillance.” He points at Izuku, his usual air returning in full force. “That's right, I will be a ‘watchman’!”

“Watchman Iida…” Shoto mumbles under his breath, and Caelus can't stop an amused breath from leaving him, despite the circumstances. 

“The same goes for me.” Momo's eyes narrow slightly. “Bakugou and Nikushimi’s rescue is a job for the pros.” She reaches into one of the pockets of her dress, pulling out a device that pings quietly. “Looking at this objectively, there is no need for you all to do anything. However, it is a compromise plan because I know very well how you feel. Do not forget that.” 

Shoto nods. “Yeah.”

“I know,” Eijiro replies, stepping forward to take the receiver from Momo. Caelus watches her expression change, and he shifts slightly before they continue walking, his wings ruffling. She's not fully on board. He picks up on it instantly, but he doesn't say anything, instead fixing his gaze ahead. 

The following train ride is tense, the six of them facing each other across the cabin. “The coordinates on the receiver indicate Kamino Ward, Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture,” Momo says, holding out the receiver to display the coordinates. “Since we’re leaving from Nagano, it will take about two hours. We should arrive around ten o’clock.” Izuku looks up from the receiver to glance at Eijiro and Shoto across from him.

“Um, did you tell everyone that we would leave tonight?” He knits his brows, and Shoto speaks up in place of Eijiro.

“Yeah. They tried even harder to stop us when we told them, though.” Across the way, Caelus snorted lightly.

“Man, I wonder why,” he muttered, earning a glare from Tenya across from him. 

“After that, Uraraka said something pretty harsh, too,” Eijiro added after swallowing his mouthful of onigiri. “‘I think Bakugou will feel humiliated that he had to be saved by everyone,’ she said.”

A conflicted look crossed Izuku’s face, no doubt thinking about watching Katsuki being stolen away in front of him. Shoto watched, then exhaled through his nose.

“Just to be sure, you know that what we’re doing is selfish and that no one wants us to do it, right?” He deadpanned, his eyes closing as he spoke. “You can still turn back if you want to.”

“If I were hesitating, then I wouldn’t have said I’d do it in the first place! They’re not people who’d let the villains do whatever they want with them.” Eijiro countered immediately, and Caelus nodded along as well.

“Akumu can take care of himself, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to sit back and do nothing while my best friend sits in the clutches of that League of Manchildren. I’m going.” Shoto nods, then turns to Izuku.

“What about you, Midoriya?”

Izuku looks down at his hands. “I…” He starts, then trails off. He’s silent for a moment, then his gaze hardens, and he looks back up to meet Shoto’s eyes. “...I cannot turn back.” Caelus catches Tenya’s hard stare out of the corner of his eye, then watches Momo turn her head as Eijiro nods in agreement.

“I see… All right.” Shoto exhales.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“So, this is Kamino Ward?” Izuku looks around, and Shoto hums softly.

“There are a lot of people.” 

Caelus’ wings ruffle, and he mumbles something about “too many people” before Eijiro cuts in.

“So those guys are hiding out somewhere in this city? Okay, where are they, Yaoyorozu?!” Eijiro goes to bolt off into the street, but Caelus grabs him by the collar as Momo jumps.

“Hold it, poprocks.”

“Wait a minute!” The girl huffs. “From here on out, we must be very, very careful. The villains know what we look like, remember? We must also consider that we may be attacked at any moment.” Izuku picked up on the implications pretty quickly, and raised his arms in an X to cover his face.

“Got it! Gotta be covert!”

“That’s making you stand out more, Midoriya,” Shoto pointed out.

“But at this rate, we won’t be able to scout very easily,” Tenya murmured to himself, a hand raised to his chin in thought. 

“Then what are we supposed to do?” Eijiro rubbed the back of his neck, and in response, Momo pointed towards a gaudy store sign behind them, a hint of a flush on her cheeks.

“I have a suggestion.”

…Oh boy.

One after the other, they all changed into vastly different sets of clothes, adopting different personalities to match. Izuku had put on a fake goatee and changed into a blue blazer, dress pants, and a mauve tee, a pair of gold shades and a gold chain glinting on his nose and around his neck.

“Hey, you!” He puffed out his chest, his voice loud and growly. A valiant attempt, but it still felt a bit weird. Next was Shoto, who’d changed into simple black and white formal clothes and put on a black wig to cover his hair and scar.

“I see. Disguises, huh?”

Momo didn’t change that much, looking superficially into it, but she was still pretty different from her usual style. Her dress was a dark, vibrant pink, her hair fell in waves around her face, and her eyes were covered with silver shades with dark blue lenses. “That’s right.”

“What are these clothes?” Tenya muttered, tugging at the red bowtie around his neck. He'd slicked his hair back and drawn a mustache over his upper lip. Caelus knit his brows, scrutinizing Tenya. 

“Tenya, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I don't think that's the best color palette for you…” Eijiro, meanwhile, was a bit more aware, in dark red pants and a jacket over a white tee, his hair down and some horn-like accessories on his head. 

“I'll tell ya later.” 

Caelus ran a hand through his hair, then turned towards the door. “Alright, well, now that that's out of the way, we can-...” He blinked, seeing how the rest of the group was staring at him. “...What?”

“You need to change too, Caelus-kun,” Momo pointed out. The white haired boy folded his hands over his chest, tilting his head. 

“Why? I wear a mask all the time, and my appearance changes a lot.” 

“Your wings are still pretty distinctive, though.” Shoto folded his arms, and Tenya nodded. 

“Yes, yes. To keep up the pretense, we should all commit ourselves to the best of our ability.” 

Caelus stuttered. “I- Wha-buh...” He looked around as if searching for another way out, before sighing heavily. “Ugh. Fine. But this is only for the bit – don't expect me to make a habit of this,” he grumbled before striding back into the store to change.

When he came back out, everyone was… surprised, to put it simply. Caelus had let his hair out long and loose, and a small part of it was tied off with a silver ornament, while another smaller part was braided behind his ear. He'd put on a simple white sweater dress and shrugged on a short red cardigan over it, then finally, white stockings and black platform heels. He was almost the exact opposite of who he was before; soft, effeminate, composed. He passed… well.

He hated it. 

Momo clapped her hands together, smiling admiringly at him. “My, you certainly clean up well!” Izuku nods along, eyes sparkling a bit. 

“Yeah! You could definitely pass as a girl if you really wanted to; it's amazing how androgynous you are!” The words were clearly meant as compliments, but it only made him more annoyed the more they praised him.

Shoto blinks. “Nikushimi is one thing, but you-”

“Shut up,” Caelus snapped under his breath, irritation flashing sharp in his eyes. “Let's get this over with. I don't want to be like this any longer than I have to.”

As they walked out, Tenya and Momo, true to their “watchman” roles, hung back, just behind Caelus, while in front of them, Eijiro was helping Izuku with his impressions of… whatever that was supposed to be. Shoto hadn't meant to take the front, but he'd ended up there anyway. 

“Hey, you!”

“That's all wrong! You've gotta push your jaw out more!” Eijiro pushed in.

“Hey!” Izuku tried again, and Caelus cringed while Eijiro cheered.

“That's it!”

“There's a lady with a huge rack over there!” Tenya looked like he was a rocket about to take off with how straight his back was. Yikes. Still, Eijiro gave him the thumbs up.

“Okay!”

Momo twirled some of her curls around her hand, looking much too pleased with herself. “Kids would stand out in the shopping district at night, right?” She hums, but her bubble is quickly burst by a deadpan question from Shoto.

“Yaoyorozu, wouldn't it have been free if you used Creation to make all of this?”

“Th-Th-That’s against the rules! If I make anything I want with my Quirk, then circulation of money and…” She seems to panic for a moment, then regain her senses, clapping her hands together. “That's right, as a citizen of this nation, I must increase the flow of money in the economy!”

“I see…”

Eijiro gives her a look, but Momo motions off to one side, seeming to ignore it. Or maybe she just didn't notice. “Everyone, our destination is this way–”

“Whoa, it's UA!” A voice calls, making all six of them flinch simultaneously. Izuku turns as if to challenge them, but freezes when he sees a news clip being played on the screen.

“And now, please watch a clip from UA High School's apology press conference that just occurred.”

“Mr Aizawa…” Izuku starts as he pushes through the crowd to get closer, followed by Momo and the rest of the group. 

“And even the principal!”

“We deeply apologize for the incident that allowed harm to come to 27 first years of the hero course because of our unpreparedness. We apologize for causing unease in society due to our negligence in properly defending ourselves as a place of learning.” Aizawa then bows, alongside Principal Nezu and Vlad King, Class B’s homeroom teacher. “We are truly sorry.”

“Mr Aizawa, who hates being on TV is…” Eijiro trails off as a journalist pipes up. 

“I’m from Yomiuri TV. Since the beginning of the year, U.A. High School students have had four encounters with villains. This time, there were even students injured. How did you explain to their families, and what are some specific countermeasures you are taking?”

“Treating them like the bad guys…?” Izuku muttered, his hands balling up into fists by his sides. 

“We will increase policing in the surrounding area and review the security within the school, ensuring the students’ safety with a strong position. That is what we told them.” Nezu’s expression is unreadable, but the crowd around them has much clearer opinions.

“Huh? What are these guys saying?”

“They’re not being protected at all.”

“Hero schools aren’t usually defeated by villains…”

“How’s that s’posed to ensure anything?”

“Aren’t they just trying to protect themselves?”

“That’s disappointing, UA.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Master…?” Katsuki’s grin widened. “You’re not the boss around here? That’s not funny!” Akumu’s eye twitched. Does Katsuki think that was a joke? But regardless, it made sense. There was no way someone such as Shigaraki would be the mastermind of all this. That made a lot of sense. 

“Kurogiri, Compress, make him go to sleep again.” Shigaraki ordered.

“I can’t believe he’s such a bad listener. I’m almost impressed.” Compress shrugged before walking towards the two of them.

“If you want me to listen to you, then get on your knees and die!”

But Compress only got nearer. Closer and closer, he stepped. Akumu tried to think. Maybe he could pull Katsuki away and make his body translucent? Or maybe he could– 

Knock knock.

“Hello, this is Pizza-La, Camino store.” Everyone turned to the door and just stared. Did someone actually order a pizza, or-?

“Smash!” All Might breaks through the wall behind them. Katsuki’s and Akumu’s eyes both widened and they took a step back.

“What the–?!” The lizard barely dodges out of the way of multiple broken bricks.

“Kurogiri! Gate!” Shigaraki ordered.

“Pre-emptive Binding…” A wooden hero then broke in, using his tree-like arms to hold all the villains in place. “...Lacquered Chain Prison!”

“A tree? What the heck?” Dabi’s flames began to fire. But it was extinguished as soon as an elderly man in white and yellow flew in and kicked him against the noggin. 

“Don’t be impatient. It’d be in your best interests to stay put.”

“Just what I’d expect from one of the most competent new heroes around, Kamui Woods!” All Might exclaimed. “And the veteran faster than the eye can see, Gran Torino!”

Oh. Well, at least Akumu gets their names.

“You can’t run anymore, League of Villains! Why? Because we are here!”

“Right after that press conference… Don’t tell me this was pre-arranged?” Mr. Compress strained on the ground.

“Tree man! Stop pulling me! Push!”

“No! No…!”

“When one is on the offensive is when one neglects defense most.” Without opening the door, someone just slides through the side crack of it. Then, he reaches to unlock the door and open it. “We’re not the only ones here from Pizza-La Camino store.” The door opens to reveal the Swat team.

“Outside, you’re surrounded by skillful heroes, like Endeavor, and the police.”

“I’m sure you two were scared… You did good bearing it. I’m sorry. It’s fine now, you two.” All Might stood up.

“I-I wasn’t scared! Not even close, damn it!” Katsuki shouted, earning an eyeroll from Akumu and a thumbs up from All Might. All this talking and they still weren’t out yet. They can’t cheer victory when they weren’t even out of the building and still in the vicinity of these villains. 

“After I went through all that trouble to prepare this… Why are you coming to me , my last boss?” Then, he paused. “...It can’t be helped. ‘We’re’ not the only ones here.’ The same goes for us. Kurogiri, bring as many as you can over!”

“Nomus, I presume?” All Might huffed.

“What’s the matter, Kurogiri!”

“I’m sorry, Tomura Shigaraki. The Nomus that were supposed to be in a fixed location… are not there…!”

“Huh?”

“You are still green, Shigaraki1” All Might puts his hands around Akumu’s and Katsuki’s shoulders abruptly.

“Huh!?”

“League of Villains, you underestimate everything too much—The soul of a young man—The diligent investigations of the police—And our anger! That’s enough with childish pranks. This is the end, Tomura Shigaraki!”

“All Might… This is the hero acknowledged by Stain…!” The lizard was quaking in his boots. 

“The end, you say?” Shigaraki grits his teeth. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve only just begun.” Shigaraki began to try and break out of his restraints. “Justice… Peace… I’ll destroy this garbage heap that you put a lid on with such vague ideas! It was for that purpose that I set All Might apart and started gathering people to my cause…” He then glares straight at All Might. “Don’t be ridiculous. This is the beginning. Kurogiri!”

But then a strand of something ribbon-like pierced through, earning a scream from the woman in glasses. “No, stop! I couldn’t see anything! What, did you kill him?” The ribbon then twists and forms in front of her. “I played around with his insides and made him unconscious. He is not dead.” Oh. So it’s like Akumu’s phantom injury attack, in a way. Then, the ribbon forms a head. “Ninpo: Thousand Sheet Pierce! This man was always a nuisance. I’ll have him sleep.”

“Didn’t I tell you earlier that it’d be in your best interest to stay put? Kenji Hikiishi, Atsuhiro Sako, Shuichi Iguchi, Himiko Toga, Jin Bubaigawara. With little information and time, the police officers worked through the night to determine your true identities. Do you understand? There’s nowhere left for you to run.” Akumu paused for a moment and looked towards Dabi. The one person who likely wasn’t named due to the lack of his reaction. Or maybe it was because he was knocked out. “Hey Shigaraki, can I ask you where your boss is?”

“This… This is… Unsatisfying… Don’t be ridiculous… Don’t be ridiculous…”

“Where is he right now?” All Might pushed.

“Go away… Disappear…”

“Shigaraki!”

“I hate you!” As soon as he said that, two black-like vortexes appeared and those creatures began to push through.

“Nomus?!” Kamui exclaimed. “They came from nowhere! What is that?!”

“Edgeshot, what about Kurogiri?!” Gran Torino turned, but it looked like Kurogiri was still out.

“He’s still unconscious! He didn’t do it!”

“They just keep coming!”

“Kamui Woods! Do not let them go under any circumstance!” All Might ordered.

“Yes, sir!”

But at that moment, one of those black, inky vortexes appeared from within Katsuki’s mouth and forced out of his body. Akumu’s eyes widened at the sight before he, too, experienced that substance coming out of his mouth just to swallow him whole. All Might turned and tried to grab him. “Young Bakugo! Young Nikushimi!” But as soon as he grabbed them, they disappeared. “Noooo!”

“Endeavor, we need backup!” But once Kamui Woods looked down, he saw that the police and the heroes back there were overrun with more Nomus.

“Tsukaushi, expand the evacuation area!” Endeavor shouted.

“There should be two hideouts… That’s what our investigation results said…” Tsukaushi reached his radio. “Jeanist, didn’t you take control over there?” And yet, there was silence. “Jeanist!?”

“Toshinori, these guys…” Gran Torino and All Might were trying to defend against the Nomus, but there were just so many.

“They shouldn’t have been able to warp… They’re dealing with this too quickly…!”

“Master…” Shigaraki muttered.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“This is the spot the receiver is showing,” Momo murmurs, pressing against an alley wall, followed by Eijiro and the others.

“So that’s their hideout… It really looks like one!”

“I don’t know if it’s their hideout or not, but from what I can see on the receiver, the villain has not left here for the past day.” Momo then turns to the group. “Also, just because the villain is here does not mean Bakugou and Nikushimi are. We are here with very little to go on. Please think about that objectively.”

Tenya frowns, his brows knitting. “We don't have anyone who excels at sneaking around, like Jirou or Hagakure, with us.” Caelus gives Tenya a look, raising a brow in skepticism.

“What about me?” He frowns, and the class rep scowls.

“Your Quirk is based on light, Caelus-kun.” 

Caelus scrunches his nose in irritation, resisting the urge to point out how his footsteps are practically soundless. He grumbles under his breath, which Tenya takes as an acquiescence, then continues.

“If I think it's even the least bit dangerous, I will stop you immediately. Because I am your friend, I will not hesitate to call the police, either.”

“Thanks, Iida.” Izuku glances back at him, then looks back up at the building ahead. “What can we do with what we have…? I’ve gotta think.” Caelus blinks. Yap session incoming… “The prerequisite is that we not use our Quirks or fight with the villains. On top of that, we need to figure out if Kacchan is in that building or not.”

“It’s been a while since I saw that muttering,” Eijiro comments as Izuku goes on.

“It really feels like Midoriya-san.” Momo sighs.

“Like Iida said, we don’t have anyone with a good scouting quirk like Jirou or Shoji, so…”

Caelus tilted his head. “Why don’t we try the old fashioned way?” At the looks the group gives him, he places a hand on his hip. “Y’know, like… actually using our disguises to get close and scout from the street? Even if it’s not the best, we’re not entirely out of options.”

…Well. Here they were.

The six of them gathered around a brightly lit vending machine, their backs turned but watching the building out of the corners of their vision.

“There’s no reaction even though we’ve gotten this close,” Momo muttered, while Eijiro looked a little nervous.

“The lights aren't on either. It doesn't look like anyone's in there.”

“Maybe it’s meant to look that way.” Caelus’ eyes narrowed, and Shoto nodded.

“To hide a tree, use the forest… I guess they’re hiding as an abandoned warehouse.”

Izuku turned to examine the building as best he could, his eyes narrowing in concentration. Before he could get too caught up in it, though, a loud, boisterous voice cut through the tension.

“Hey, what’re ya doin’, hostesses?” A pair of flushed guys had stumbled up, very clearly drunk, one of them reaching out towards Caelus and Momo. “Come drink wit’ us!” One of the guys slurred, and Momo flinched back, Izuku and Tenya stepping protectively between them. Caelus shuddered in disgust at the comment, watching the second guy smack the first upside the head, a giddy grin still on his face. I fucking hate being a woman.

“Stop that, idiot!” Tenya and Izuku’s stiff attempts at delinquency returned, while Shoto simply turned and headed off on his own.

“Th-There’s a lady with a huge rack!”

“Hey, you! Hey, you!”

“Let’s get away from here for now.”

A few minutes later, they had retreated to another side street, a dim lamp buzzing faintly across the way. “There aren't many people walking by, but there are some.” Shoto glanced around at the sparse streets, Momo holding her hands close to her chest as she spoke.

“We can’t do anything to stand out. What should we do?” 

Izuku turned, looking back to a gap in the walls bordering the two buildings. “Let’s try going around to the back. No matter how little information we have on this place, it's all we've got.”

The six of them lined up single file, pressing their backs to the wall behind them as they squeezed into the borderline claustrophobic space. “This is very narrow,” Momo muttered to herself, pointing out the obvious. “I feel like I will get stuck…” 

“We can’t move until we know for sure it’s safe.” Izuku looks at the ‘path’ ahead. “No one will see us here,” his eyes widened as he caught sight of a barred window, “and at that height, we should be able to see inside, too!”

“Will we be able to see anything in this darkness?” Shoto asked, more to himself than anything, but Caelus looked over anyway. He, surprisingly, was the most comfortable out of all of them being restrained in the small space.

“I can see perfectly fine. I’m more concerned about you guys.” The other five all glanced at him. Now that they could look closely at his actual eyes, they could see his pupils were not only white, but glowing faintly in the dark. Probably because of his Quirk. Momo hummed, then pulled off her glasses.

“I can make a night vision scope-” 

“Wait, Yaoyorozu!” Eijiro cuts her off, leaning one hand against the wall in front of him while reaching into his pocket. “Actually, I brought one with me…”  

“Wow, why?” Izuku awed, and Eijiro’s expression shifted slightly.

“When I thought about what we’d have to do, I thought we’d need it.”

“But isn’t that super expensive?” Izuku tilted his head. “I did research on them online when I was thinking about my costume, but if I remember correctly, they cost around fifty thousand yen.”

“Who cares about how much they cost? Stop talking about it!” Eijiro sounded a little defensive, and they all took the hint to drop the topic. Shoto looked over at Izuku.

“Okay, then Midoriya and Kirishima, you two look through it. Iida and I will carry you on our shoulders. Gonzales, since you’ve got the best sight and angle, you help them look, and check for little things they might miss.” Shoto shifts his eyes to Caelus, who nods. His wings lift him silently up into the air, and he hovers at chest level with the window while Izuku and Eijiro struggle to climb up onto Shoto and Tenya’s shoulders.

“It’s really cramped…”

“Don’t lean forward too much. I want to make sure we can run the second we think it’s dangerous.”

“Iida, can you move back a little? Oof.”

“Tell us what you see. Kirishima-kun, Caelus-kun, what’s inside?” The redheaded boy lifts the scope to his eyes, and Caelus narrows his eyes, the glow in his pupils intensifying slightly.

“It’s fuckin’ wrecked in there… For a supposed hideout, it might as well be a war zone with how organized it is,” Caelus muttered, Eijiro humming in agreement beside him.

“It’s just dirty… I don’t really see anything…” He peered towards the back of the room, leaning into the scope before abruptly pulling away, a startled sound leaving him as he practically jumped back.

“Hey!”

“Kirishima?!” Izuku looked over at him in concern, and Shoto’s voice could be heard from below them.

“What’s wrong? What can you see, Kirishima?!” 

Eijiro’s hand is shaking as he passes the night vision scope over to Izuku, his pupils shrunk to pinpricks in his irises.

“In the back on the left…! Midoriya, Gonzales, look in the back on the left!” Izuku took the scope without hesitation, while Caelus turned back to look, a hand wrapping around one of the bars of the window. Unsurprisingly, Caelus saw it first, and he inhaled sharply, pulling back from the bars like they had burned him. Izuku saw it next.

Giant steel tanks, tubes and wires running into them, immersed in some type of liquid that couldn’t be identified at that distance, and an exposed brain poking out from the surface in each one.

“No way… Are those… all…”

“Nomu.” Caelus finished, a low growl in his voice. This was a warehouse of Nomu.

The clatter of metal sounded, and Eijiro turned to look towards it, then looked back at Izuku and Caelus. “Hey!” They turned, and outside, they could see a truck being lifted up by a giant purple boot, almost like it was being worn as a shoe.

“That’s…!”

With a wide grin and a grunt of effort, the truck came crashing down in the front of the building, stone and rubble crashing to the ground and a powerful wind exploding out around the impact site, the force knocking Eijiro and Izuku down to the ground. Caelus watched as a pro in long, denim clothes  strung up the countless Nomu with the tense, silvery threads of his clothes, another pro in white and purple grabbing one in her giant fist and squeezing, while Tiger retrieved the green haired Pussycat from the rubble.

“The Nomu hangar… is completely under our control.”

Izuku rubbed his back, muttering quietly under his breath. “Ouch…” Tenya had his head in his hand, and Shoto was looking over his shoulder towards  the entrance.

“Wh-What happened?” The sounds of police sirens rang out all around them, and Momo was the one to climb up with Eijiro to see what was going on.

“Mt. Lady and Gang Orca…” Eijiro started, “...and even the number four hero, Best Jeanist?” Caelus silently takes in the names, his  gaze flicking between the pros he didn’t know and matching their names to their assumed Quirks and faces.

“Mr Tiger is there, too!” Momo exclaimed, watching as Mt Lady made a disgusted sound, looking disdainfully at the Nomus in her hands. 

“Ugh, are these really alive? Is it really okay for our job to be this easy, Jeanist?” She looks over at Best Jeanist, who had turned his back to her. “Maybe we should’ve gone with All Might.” 

Easy… there was that word again. Caelus felt that familiarly vague tugging sensation in his heart, like a hook reeling in a fish. The same one he’d felt before the Stain incident.

Shit.

“Don’t think about difficulty and importance together, newcomer.” Best Jeanist replied curtly, looking over his shoulder. “Riot squad, get the Maidens ready. They might still be here. Please continue to give it your all.”

One officer, presumably the squad leader, gave a “Yes, sir!” while Gang Orca rushed over to Tiger and the green-haired Pussycat, who had apparently been in the nude when she was found, now covered in a sheet.

“Ragdoll! Answer me!”

“Is that your teammate?” Gang Orca asked, stopping beside the other pro. “Looks like she’s breathing. I’m glad.”

“But her condition…” Tiger looked down at Ragdoll, who seemed conscious, but incredibly dazed. “What did they do to you, Ragdoll?!”

Tenya looked immensely relieved, his voice bursting at the seams with it. “The heroes were already moving way before we were!” Eijiro nodded, a grin starting to spread on his own face. 

“Wow…!”

“Now, let us fall back immediately. There’s nothing left for us to do now,” Tenya proposed, and Momo nodded. Izuku,  meanwhile, was still preoccupied.

“Since she said, ‘with All Might,’ does that mean Kacchan is there, too?”

“If All Might is there, then there’s even more reason to rest easy. Now, hurry!” Momo started towards the entrance of the narrow path they’d come down, and Caelus dropped to the ground to follow after them. 

“Right.”

Caelus and Izuku were at the back, walking a little slower than the rest, but something caught Caelus’ attention. 

A sound.

It was faint, but it was there. An additional set of footsteps. Caelus froze, and his head whipped towards it. Izuku caught the motion out of his eye, which then drew Shoto’s. Then, there was a new voice. 

“Sorry, Tiger. She’s always had a good Quirk. It was a perfect opportunity, so I took it.” The voice wasn’t muffled, but it sounded more like it was being put through a radio filter.

“Are you with the League?” Gang Orca growled, and Tiger turned to the officers over his shoulder.

“A light, someone…”

“After my body turned into this, I also depleted a lot of what I'd stocked up…” The new voice continued, far too casual for the wrecked laboratory around them. Gang Orca threw a hand– fin?– out as the figure began to step out into the light, the tips of dark brown loafers glinting faintly.

“Stop! Don't move!”

Next was a body, dressed in a simple black and white tux, and Best Jeanist activated his Quirk, the fibers of the stranger’s clothes working to bind them.

“Wait, Best Jeanist, what if he was an ordinary citizen?!” Mt Lady exclaimed, but Jeanist ignored her.

“Think about the situation. That instant of hesitation could decide the fight. Don't let the villains do anything!” He tightened his hold on the man’s clothes, but in a flash of black and red and an enormous explosion, the building was reduced to nothing, and all the pros and police had been blown away and knocked to the ground.

The sound of applause became apparent as the strange man drew closer, seeming supremely pleased. In the middle of it all was Best Jeanist, laying spread-eagled on the crushed pavement and bleeding heavily from a wound in his arm. “As expected of the number four hero, Best Jeanist. I thought I'd blown everyone away. To be able to manipulate everyone’s clothes and pull them to the side in an instant– that quick decision making… and skill… You must have nerves of steel.”

“This man…” Best Jeanist muttered, but the other man cut him off. “This isn’t what I was told… But so what…?” Best Jeanist used the fibers of his clothes to push himself up as best he could, then using his Quirk to shoot more of the thick denim towards the man. “A top hero… doesn't use that as an excuse for failure–” Before the threads could reach their mark, though, a gust of wind blew them away, then struck Best Jeanist’s lower body, splattering blood across his clothes and rendering the pro unconscious.

“I see… This is strength from a huge amount of practice and practical experience. I don’t need yours … It’s a Quirk that doesn’t go with Tomura’s disposition.”

Behind a cracked and ruined wall, Caelus and the others were all frozen, their eyes wide and bodies trembling. An oppressive aura of power lingered in the air like weights on top of them, making it nearly impossible to move past the fear in their bodies.

What the fuck. What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck. This guy… this place… Caelus did his best to keep his breathing as quiet as humanly possible, but shit. His heart was racing, and he felt like a deer in headlights. If he’d had the features, his ears would be pinned flat against his skull. I- The others-! We need to get the fuck out of here, now-

The sound of water spilling suddenly spilled in, “Damn it…” Katsuki coughed as he tried to cough out the strange, oily liquid. “...the hell…?!” He continued to choke and cough, Akumu standing next to him. Akumu swallowed in as much air as he could before he, too, tried to cough out that nasty liquid. 

“Sorry, Bakugo-kun, Nikushimi-kun.” The villain hummed.

“Huh?” The sound of rushing water bursts into the air, revealing the other villains either on the ground, nauseous by the liquid, or both. 

Caelus sensed everyone around him inhale sharply at the familiar voices, and he whipped his head towards the sound, his jaw hurting with how tightly he was gritting his teeth. Katsuki! Ani!

“Master…” Shigaraki muttered as he looked up at the tall villain.

“You failed again, huh, Tomura?” Slowly, he walked towards the other. “But do not be discouraged. Just try again. I have brought your associates back as well. Even these children. Because you judged that they were important pieces.” He holds his hand out to Shigaraki, who only stares up at him. “Do it over as many times as you need to. That is why I am here. It’s all for you.”

Everyone was silent. Akumu and Katsuki stared at the scene, both speechless and stuck dead in place. Izuku was about to move in by impulse before Tenya grabbed him. Everyone looked terrified beyond relief, fear grabbing each and every one of the students by the neck in its iron grasp. Momo looked as if she was about to vomit, and Eijiro didn’t even notice how she clung to his sleeve. They were all stuck, but simultaneously desperate to move, trying to think about what to do.

“You’re here, after all, aren’t you?” The villain calmly hummed before the smoke cleared, revealing All Might dropping down towards him. The wind knocked back at full speeds as the villain caught him by the fists. Debris flung back and some who were in the vicinity had to grab or hide behind something in order to not get swept up by the currents.

“I’ll have you return everything, All For One!”

“Will you kill me again, All Might?”

“E-Even All Might…!” Izuku’s voice cracked, still being held back by Tenya’s hand on his chest. Caelus shot him a sharp glare, the look in his eyes telling him to shut the fuck up. If they were found, they were dead.

“You’re pretty late. It’s a little more than five kilometers from the bar to here. It was easily thirty seconds after I sent the Nomus before you arrived. You’ve gotten weaker, All Might.” All For One laughed.

“What about you? What’s with that industrial mask you’ve got on? Aren’t you overexerting yourself?” All Might huffed. Katsuki and Akumu were both gripping the ground, having both been knocked off of their feet from the sheer force of their hands colliding. “I won’t make the same mistake as I did six years ago, All For One! I will take Young Bakugo and Young Nikushimi back! And this time, I will throw you in prison for sure! And all of the League of Villains you control with you!” All Might Lunged towards All For One as he pulled his fist back.

“There’s so much to do. It’ll be tough…” All For One’s arm clumps and expands, thickening before a black and red flash around his arm begins to spark. “...for both of us.” As All Might came for the hit, a strong wind current blew from All For One;s hand and tossed him backwards. His back hits the next building, causing it all to come down. “Air Cannon plus Springlike Limbs, Kinetis Booster times four, Strength Enhancer times three. This combination is fun. Maybe I’ll try to add a few more enhancer-types.”

Katsuki stood and coughed, trying to wave the debris away. But as he looked up, he realized that All Might had been thrown back. “All Might!”

“Even with your worry, he won’t die from something like that. So run away from here, Tomura, and take those children with you.” A bunch of spider-like limbs, black and red, shoot out and stab themselves into Kurogiri. “Kurogiri, get everyone away from here.”

“Hey, wait! He was defeated and is now unconscious!” The woman with glasses tried to reason. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but if you can use Warp, then you should get us away!”

“I just got mine, Magne. On top of only being able to transport short distances, unlike his coordinate transport, I can only bring people to me or away from me, and I can only send them away to someone I am very familiar with. So I’ll have Kurogiri do it.” A warp portal suddenly opens right up from the spider like limbs. “Forcible Quirk Activation! Now, go!”

“What about you?” Shigaraki asked. But there was no time. That explosion, All Might was already in the air and returning to the battlefield. 

“Think constantly, Tomura. You still have much more room to grow!”

“I won’t let you get away!” All Might bellowed.

“Master…” Shigaraki muttered.

“Let’s go, Shigaraki! While that pipe mask is holding All Might back! Get your pieces!” The magician belted. And suddenly, all of the villains were looking at Akumu and Katsuki as if they were pieces of candy.

“What a pain…!” Katsuki huffed as he faced them. Akumu swallowed hard, but now that they were both free, it was time to flee.

“Young Bakugo! Young Nikushimi!” Yet, before All Might could reach them, he was forced to dodge those spider-like limbs that came for him, bringing him farther from them. Already, the villains charged in, trying to grab the both of them once more. Katsuki dodges as best as he could, tossing debris and dust their way as explosions added to the mess. And Akumu’s body turned translucent, allowing him to sink into the floor. But Katsuki was surrounded. Every now and then, Akumu would pop out and try to kick back any villains that got too close to him. But that was the best he could do in this situation as he tried to make sure he wasn't caught either. 

“I’m going now!” All Might tried to rush in, but All For One’s tendrils stabbed right into his back.

“I won’t let you. That’s why I’m here!” All For One exclaimed before tossing him into the next building once more.

Izuku was still watching the fight, his eyes locked on Katsuki. Shoto looked incredibly conflicted, and Momo was on the verge of breaking down beside Eijiro. Caelus didn’t even know where to start with his feelings. But one thing was clear; they were not allowed to fight. 

Still, Izuku was deep in thought; planning an escape route or something else, Caelus didn’t know. Suddenly, his expression broke, and he turned to the rest of the group.

“Iida, everyone!”

“You can’t Midoriya!” Tenya cut him off before he could finish, his grip remaining firm despite the shaking in his arms. 

“No, there’s a way!” Izuku continued, his expression hardening despite the fear in it. “A way that won’t involve fighting that will let us leave this place, but still save Kacchan and Nikushimi!” Caelus caught on immediately, and as Tenya released Izuku, Shoto spoke.

“Let’s hear it.”

Izuku looks down at his hand. “But this plan also depends on Kacchan and Nikushimi…” He trails off, but Caelus shakes his head a second later.

“Ani can get out of there himself once he has the opportunity. You focus on Katsuki!” Caelus urged under his breath, and realization crossed Izuku’s face, then melted into determination.

“I don’t think my plan will succeed if I do it.” Izuku looks over at Eijiro. “That’s why, Kirishima–kun, you’re the key to increasing the success rate!” Eijiro gasps quietly.

“Give us more details, Midoriya.” Shoto hadn’t looked away from Izuku, who nodded.

“Right. This is my plan.” Izuku summarized his idea in a few seconds, and Tenya’s eyes widened. 

“That’s your plan?” 

“Kacchan should also realize the situation All Might is in.”

Shoto nodded along. “Yeah.”

“Kacchan’s on guard against the enemy, fighting from a distance. We need to do this at a time when Kacchan is a certain distance away from the enemy.” Izuku went on, and Momo looked to Tenya, worry in her eyes. Tenya lifted a hand to his chin in contemplation, his frown deepening.

“It’s a gamble, but considering the situation, there isn’t much risk to us. More importantly, if we succeed, it’ll change the tide of the fight for the better.” There was a moment of tense silence, then Tenya swallowed hard. “Let’s do it.”

“First, we’ll propel ourselves with my Quirk, Iida’s Recipro, and Gonzales’ wings. Then, with Kirishima’s Hardening… we’ll break through the wall! The second it opens up, I want Todoroki to make a path of ice for us– one that’ll go as high as possible. The villains haven’t noticed us yet! The villains have outmaneuvered us until now, but now we’re in a position to outmaneuver them. And we’ll cross the battlefield at a height they can’t reach. The villains’ boss is holding  All Might back. That means the reverse is also true! So then, it’s up to you, Kirishima. It’s no good if I do it. Or Todoroki, or Iida, or Yaoyorozu, or Gonzales… Ever since school started, you built an equal relationship with Kacchan… if you, his friend, called him…. Then I’m sure!”

“Come!” Eijiro reached out with one hand, and moments later, Katsuki yelled, a powerful explosion throwing him into the air and blasting away Tomura, who had attempted to reach for the blonde. Another explosion rang out, and Caelus heard the sound of Katsuki’s and Eijiro’s hands clapping together. 

“You stupid or something?” Katsuki snarked, but the grin on his face gave away his true feelings.

“What?!” Shigaraki bellowed, frustration and venom lacing his words. 

“Bakugou-kun, on my mark, create a blast–” Tenya started, though Katsuki cut him off.

“You match my mark!”

“Don’t fight at a time like this!” Eijiro shouted, still being carried by Caelus, Tenya, and Izuku.

“You show up everywhere!” Shigaraki hissed, his fists shaking with rage.

“Seriously?” All Might choked. “Jeez!”

“Don’t let them get away! Where are the long distance fighters?” The magician shouted.

“Dabi and Kurogiri! They’re both down!” Spinner exclaimed in response.

“You two, get close!” Magne ordered before something blue started to glow at her core. The two of them pushed against her, and her hands pushed at their backs. “Here I go!” But before she could release them, Magne hit the ground as Akumu kicked her down.

“Don’t you dare.” Now that Katsuki was out of the picture, Akumu was able to escape himself. But he wasn’t going to do so just yet, not when all of those students were now on the line. And with him, someone else was already kicking the other villains down. 

“Nikushimi, go!” Gran Torino ordered as each villain was knocked down. Akumu nodded and his body turned translucent once more. With a running start, he flew off and caught up with the other five.

Soon enough, Akumu was flying next to the other five.

“Nikushimi-san!” Izuku exclaimed. But Akumu only stared at them.

“Fuck, you guys are stupid…” Akumu muttered underneath his breath, looking back towards the battlefield as they flew away.

“Give us shit for it later, ani!” Caelus looked over at his best friend as best he could with Eijiro in his arms. “We need to get out of here!”

“Sure, but you so owe me if we get scolded for this.” Akumu fixed his gaze forward once more.

Chapter Text

It was a few days later, and things were certainly… going. Caelus and Akumu had returned back to their apartment after the Kamino incident, Akumu getting some much needed rest while Caelus helped the housekeeper with the chores. 

After Caelus and the others had met up with Shoto and Momo, they all went to the police station to turn over Katsuki and Akumu for questioning. Though, perhaps “interrogation” would be the more fitting word; it took them over half a day to finally get back to their apartment. Meanwhile, the news was abuzz with criticism and praise alike, including debates over the revelation of All Might’s true form, questions of whether he should keep teaching, and what would happen next. 

And then, there was the other obvious elephant in the room; the hero rankings.

With All Might no longer able to work as a hero, then naturally, the Number 1 spot would be succeeded by Endeavor. Caelus sighed as he swept, his wings fluttering. 

The relationship between Endeavor and Shoto was clearly strained. It didn’t take a genius to look at Shoto’s behavior at the sports festival and Endeavor’s “encouragement” and connect the dots. Admittedly, he didn't have any proof whatsoever, but Caelus still couldn’t shake that nagging feeling of suspicion that came up whenever he saw the Flame Hero. He cursed under his breath, the broom in his hands stilling.

“Caelus?” The housekeeper’s voice brought him back to reality, and he turned towards the apartment door she had just come through. “There’s mail for you and Akumu from the school.” She holds out an envelope with his and Akumu’s names on it, and he takes it.

“Thank you,” he smiles, setting the broom aside before tearing through the seal and looking at the paper inside. The white haired boy skims the notice, a frown beginning to curl at his face. Dorm system notice? Caelus turns and heads for the door to Akumu’s room, knocking twice before speaking. “Hey, Aku, you up? There’s something you need to look at.”

There was a tired groan before there was a small pause of silence. The door then opens, revealing Akumu’s tired face. He was definitely napping. “What is it…?” His speech was slightly slurred due to his fatigue.

Caelus held out the paper he was holding, folding his arms over his chest. “School sent that in the mail. Apparently, Aizawa and All Might will be coming by tomorrow to talk about it further.”

Akumu takes the piece of paper in his hands, staring down at the words for a solid three minutes. He had to reread it a few times just to make sure he was reading it right. “...Huh. Okay.” Caelus nods.

“I’m assuming they’d want our parents to be there as well, but I’m not sure how well that will work out, considering the sixteen hour time difference…” He trails off as he glances away, idly picking at the skin of his thumb.

“Well, if Aizawa and All Might are coming around during the morning, it should be noon over where they are.” Akumu shrugged. 

“My dad works at seven and gets off at five, and my mom… only god knows her work schedule right now.”

“So? As long as they come around after nine in the morning, at least one of each of our parents would be available.”

Caelus mutters something incoherent, his brows knitting in concentration. “...Urgh. I can at least try and text them to see, I guess. If they’re complicated, oh well.” He sighs, pulling his phone from the pocket of his sweatpants and scrolling through his texts to find his parents. Damn, it’d been almost five months since he’d last texted them. Of course, they’d texted him, but he hadn’t bothered responding. He typed out a quick message summarizing the situation, then tucked his phone back into his pocket. “Welp, now we just have to see how long it takes them to respond,” he says as he runs a hand through his hair, a mix of resignation and unease on his face.

“Kay, cool. I’m gonna go back to napping.” Akumu shuts the door. Caelus could hear the click of the lock turning before there was the sound of Akumu throwing himself back into his sheets. Mood.

Caelus stands there blankly for a while before he snaps out of it and heads back to his own room. 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

It was around ten the next morning when the doorbell rang, and Caelus’ voice called out, slightly muffled through the door. “Coming!” As promised, the door swung open a minute later, and Caelus was greeted with the sight of Aizawa and All Might standing at the door. The latter gave a smile and a wave, while the former just inclined his head in greeting. 

“Hello, you two. I’m assuming you’re aware of why we’re here?” Aizawa rumbles as he lifts his head, and Caelus nods. 

“Yeah. Come on in. Akumu’s inside with our parents,” he hums, stepping off to the side and opening the door further to let the pros in. The two older men share a glance before they step inside, slipping off their shoes and into pairs of slippers that the housekeeper had set out. Caelus then led them into the main room, where Akumu was sitting at the dining table with a laptop and tablet set out in the middle of it. The screens were turned to face out towards Aizawa and All Might as they took their seats, Caelus and Akumu sitting on either end of the table beside them. Displayed on the laptop was Akumu’s father—a man in his mid-forties with deathly pale skin, deep obsidian hair, and pitch black eyes. Well, it was clear which parent Akumu inherited his looks from. They even have the same stoic expression. On the tablet was a middle aged man with a stern face, tanned skin, and short, dark hair streaked with silver. If Aizawa had to guess, he was Caelus’ father, though he noted that they seemed quite different, both in terms of appearance and personality.

Caelus was… uncomfortable, to say the least. He knew what was going to happen next. He shifted in his seat, his wings ruffling and changing form into a heavy cape, held together with silver clasps and the dark fabric patterned with silver thread and the cowl-like collar lined with soft white fur. A security blanket of sorts. Akumu wasn’t so worried. If he knew anything about his father, it’s that he trusts literally everyone but his own son. So it was likely he’d accept this kind of thing anyway. After all, after he got kidnapped, his father blamed him rather than the teachers. Which was fair, but still. 

“Before we start, do you guys want anything? Tea, water, or…?” Akumu asked as he stirred the mug of coffee in his hands. Caelus had a water bottle set on the table, but he stopped by the kitchen to get a can of coffee from the fridge before sitting down.

“Oh, no, thank you! We won’t be here long, young Nikushimi.” All Might answered. Akumu raised an eyebrow and glanced towards Caelus, who, in turn, also glanced at Akumu. They both knew that would be wrong, considering their parents—Caelus’ father specifically. Aizawa caught the glance, though he didn’t point it out. He got the sense this would be more complicated than that.

“Coffee would be nice.”

Akumu nodded and got up, heading towards the kitchen. “Canned or strained?” He asked as he stopped at the doorway.

“Strained.” Akumu nodded once more and the sound of the coffee machine turning on was faintly heard from the kitchen.

Aizawa was the one to speak first as they waited for Akumu to come back out. “So, we all know why we’re here, correct?” Caelus’ father nods, leaning back and folding his arms over his chest, while Akumu’s father also nods, his hands intertwined with each other and resting on the table. 

“You’re asking for our permission to let our children live on campus,” Caelus’ father stated, and Aizawa dipped his head.

“Correct. Due to the recent attacks, we at UA have looked back on our previous pride and negligence and determined we can no longer let things stand as they are. We believe that it is in the best interest of the students and their safety that they be moved into dormitories within UA’s campus so that they might be more secure and less prone to being caught off their guard,” the dark haired pro explains, clasping his hands together and resting his arms on his knees. Akumu then returns with a mug of coffee, setting it down in front of Aizawa. It was steaming hot, but that didn’t stop Aizawa from taking a sip.

“I have no issue with this.” Akumu’s father hummed, his voice strangely both calming and stern at the same time. Did Akumu’s mother’s genetics give up, or something? They sound nearly the same. Nonetheless, it looks like he’s decided he’s content with this kind of thing. Maybe he’s already thought it over with his wife when they got the news. “But I do have a few questions,” he sat up in his chair. “How high is the security in the dorms?”

“Along with being within the borders of UA’s barrier itself, there are cameras and motion sensors stationed all around the campus to keep an eye on both students and anticipate any intruders if necessary. Apart from that, all the classes’ dorm buildings are set along the same main path, easily accessible to students but hard to reach from the outside,” Aizawa explained, setting the mug down in front of him.

“Hmm,” Akumu’s father leaned back in his seat, processing the information for a moment. “Then, one last question. I’m sure you’re aware of our dau-...” Akumu’s father pauses, noticing Akumu’s eyes in the corner of his screen. For a solid moment, it seemed like they were quietly glaring at each other, a silent conversation passing between them. Or rather, a silent argument. A slow breath left Akumu as he slowly turned his nose towards the laptop screen. Akumu’s father’s eyes narrowed just a bit before he cleared his throat. “Ahem, sons’ identities. Will they be separated from all the other students, or will they be in the same wing as the girls?” No doubt, their relationship was… Strained, to say the least.

Aizawa’s gaze sharpened slightly, while All Might just looked uncomfortable. “Due to the uniqueness of their situation, your sons will have a floor to themselves to ensure their privacy.” The Erasure hero straightened his back a bit, taking another sip of his coffee.

“Then I have no further questions.” Akumu’s father crossed his arms as he rested in his seat, deadpan. He looked satisfied with those answers, at least.

Caelus’ father, on the other hand, seemed much less satisfied. “If I may ask, what will the dorm life be like for the students? I’m assuming that they will go about their school day as usual, but what happens after that?” There’s a noticeable edge in his voice, causing Caelus to wince. Yep, there it is.

All Might blinked, surprise flitting over his face, while Aizawa showed no visible reaction at the borderline hostility. Which was somewhat valid, considering how short the time between attacks had been. “We’re constructing facilities similar to apartment buildings within the UA barrier and within walking distance to the school. Once classes are over, they will be free to spend their time however they wish before retiring to their dorms.”

Caelus’ father nodded. “You mentioned the school day? What sort of schedule is that?” He folded his arms over his chest, intertwining his hands on the table in front of him.

“The first bell is at 8:25, but actual classes start at 8:40 to allow for a short homeroom. Each period lasts about an hour, and there’s a ten minute break between them while the teachers commute between classes.” Aizawa answered this one too. Sort of made sense, given that All Might was relatively new to the staff. “Each day is six class periods and lunch, and lunch is after the fourth period, with the final bell ringing at 3:10.” Caelus’ father nods in understanding.

“Will there be a curfew set in place? If so, what time?” Caelus’ father leaned forward and closer to his camera with one brow raised in question, his demeanor not easing up in the slightest. This time, Aizawa’s eyes narrowed marginally, flickering with suspicion while All Might took the lead.

“Yes, yes. Curfew will be at 10 pm; students will have to be in their dorms by then, and they will not be allowed to leave until the next morning for classes,” the blonde replied, giving Caelus’ father a small, albeit nervous smile. 

“And what if a student is caught outside after curfew? How will the teachers discipline them?” The American man leaned back, the frown lines in his face growing deeper. All Might kept his smile up, though his confusion was clear as day.

“It will depend on the severity of the incident. For instance, if it was a first time incident or a matter of returning late, they will be given a stern warning, but the more frequent or severe it is, then the harsher their punishment will be.” Caelus’ father hummed and nodded, though his face remained stony.

Caelus watched the exchange with his shoulders hunched and his head bowed, though his eyes flicked attentively between the screen and his teachers. Holy interrogation… Sympathy knotted in his chest along with his anxiety. Sorry, All Might, Aizawa-sensei… I wish I could have warned you.

“Moving back to the dorms themselves, you mentioned that the dorms would be constructed like apartment complexes. Can I ask what types of facilities they’ll have?” 

Aizawa took the lead with this question. “The ground floor will be entirely devoted to common areas, including the kitchen, living and dining rooms, laundry rooms, and bathrooms. The upper floors from the second to the top floor will house the dormitories themselves, and all facilities will be divided by gender where necessary.”

Caelus’ father remained silent for a long moment, his expression hard and unreadable. “And these dorms will be paid for by the school? There aren’t any additional expenses for us if we allow our kids to live in the dorms?” Aizawa was taken aback, even if he didn’t show it. Concerns about money? Now? He understood, but at the same time, it seemed unimportant compared to his son’s safety. Well, now Aizawa sees why Akumu and Caelus glanced at each other as soon as All Might denied their offer, these two were a handful. 

“The dorms are funded by UA, yes, and no, there will be no cost to the parents if they send their child to live there. The only thing you should be worrying about is your son’s safety.” Aizawa didn’t mean for the last sentence to come out the way it did, but he’d said it before he could stop it. Thankfully, though, Caelus’ father didn’t seem to mind. At least, he didn’t show any irritation or increased hostility. 

But the same cannot be said for Akumu’s father. There was a side eye from the man before his eyebrow twitched. “You’re worried about the cost instead of your child’s safety? I don’t think money should matter to you if your son’s dead.” Akumu’s father’s tone was monotone, but the hostility can be perceived. Akumu’s eye twitched and he took a long sip from his mug. Caelus flinched.

“Yes, I am, in fact, worried about how much covering my son’s education will cost me. Just because you don’t have to worry about money doesn’t mean I have the same freedom.” Caelus’ father countered. He clearly didn’t take well to having his authority over his son challenged. 

“Imagine worrying so much about the economy that you can’t even worry about your own child, flesh and blood. I envy you.” Akumu’s father hummed with a tinge of sarcasm, dangerously calm as he took a sip from his cup of tea. Akumu nearly choked on his coffee before recovering in the next second, looking off towards the side with a sense of awkwardness. Caelus folds in on himself, digging his nails into his arms and wanting nothing more than to curl up and die in a hole. Aizawa and All Might both blinked, both unsure of what to say in this situation. Were they really arguing? How ironic—Akumu and Caelus were as close as brothers, but their parents looked as if they were going to jump through the screen and wring their necks just to prove a point.

There’s another pause, and Aizawa and All Might almost think Caelus’ father is going to ask some other oddly intrusive question or continue the argument with Akumu’s father, but instead, he leans back, folding his arms over his chest.

“While I do want to discuss this with my wife when she returns home, I think I can say with some degree of certainty that she will share my opinion on this matter. If you believe that the dorms really will help keep them safe, then I will leave him to you.” Caelus’ father nods with a sense of finality, his voice no longer hostile, but carrying a measure of authority. 

Aizawa doesn’t say anything about the man’s almost passive aggressive way of speaking. He only nods and straightens his back, squaring his shoulders. “Very well then. We appreciate your cooperation.” Caelus’ father nods, and there’s a moment before the call disconnects. Only then does Caelus relax, the tension in his body dissolving like dust in the wind, a sigh of weary relief falling from his lips. Yikes.

Akumu takes his laptop back, seeing that his father had disconnected from the call. “Is that it?” He asked as he looked up at his teachers. Aizawa and All Might nodded, standing up from their seats.

“Yes, that’s all we needed. Thank you, you two!” All Might smiled and turned towards the door, his footsteps receding. Aizawa lingered for a half second longer before following in his wake, but not without Akumu tugging on Aizawa’s sleeve.

“Hm?” Aizawa looked down at the student.

Akumu hands over the empty coffee mug, which Aizawa had emptied during the awkward argument between their fathers. “Keep it. We don’t need it.” Akumu said before practically shoving it into Aizawa’s hand and pushing him out before he could argue otherwise. The housekeeper followed to close and lock the door behind them. 

Once they were gone, Caelus slumped back into his seat, burying his head in his hands and grumbling incoherently. “Well, that went well.”

“You mean you’re gonna kill yourself?”

“I’m gonna fucking kill myself.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

A few days later, Caelus and Akumu stood in front of a large brick and concrete building, “1-A” painted on it in giant white lettering above a sign that said “Alliance.” 

“For now, I’m just glad that we were able to bring Class 1-A back together again,” Aizawa sighs, one hand resting over his scarf. Hanta balls his fist, beaming as he looks over at the rest of the class.

“Everyone was allowed to enter the dorms, huh?”

Toru sighs, slumping over beside him. “I had a hard time!” 

“That’s normal…” Kyoka scratched the side of her face, and Mashirao spoke up from beside them.

“The two of you were directly affected by the gas.”

“We were all able to be together again because of the teachers,” Tsuyu murmured, tapping her chin with the tip of her finger. “When I watched the press conference, I thought we'd lost them, and it made me sad.” Ochaco nodded beside her.

“Yeah.”

“I was surprised, too,” Aizawa says. “Well, I'm sure everyone has different circumstances.” He lifted one hand, burying it in his messy black hair and scratching at his temple. After a moment, he tucks his hands back into his pockets, speaking up to address the class again. “Now, I'll explain briefly about the dorms, but first—” He claps his hands together. “For now, we will focus on getting the provisional licenses we were planning to have you get during the training camp.”

“Oh yeah, they did talk about that!” Rikido mused, and Mina messed with her hands as she spoke.

“So much happened that I forgot about it.”

“This is important. Listen up.” Aizawa’s voice drew the class’ attention back to him, his words firm and clipped. “Kirishima. Yaoyorozu. Todoroki, Midoriya, Iida, Gonzales.” Caelus winced. Ah shit. Here it comes. He sighed. “These six went to go save Bakugou and Nikushimi that night.”

“Ribbit…” Tsuyu makes a nervous sound, and the silence that falls over the class is tense and heavy, like spiderwebs tangled with insect carcasses. Aizawa closes his eyes.

“Your reactions tell me that you all were at least aware of it. I’m going to set aside a number of issues and say this: If it weren't for All Might’s retirement, I would’ve expelled everyone except Bakugou, Nikushimi, Jiro, and Hagakure.” Caelus inhaled sharply. “Of course the six that went, but also the twelve who knew but didn’t stop them betrayed our trust, no matter what the reason. I would be grateful if you could follow the proper procedures and act properly in order to regain that trust. That is all.” Aizawa turns away, heading for the entrance of the dorm building. “Now, we’re going inside. Let’s have some energy!”

Katsuki looked off to the side, catching sight of the clear conflict and guilt on Eijiro’s face. He made an annoyed sound, then grabbed Denki by the collar and pulled him behind a bush. “Come here.”

“Huh? What? No!”

A few seconds later, there was the zapping of electricity being discharged, and when Denki resurfaced again, he had short-circuited.

“Yay…”

Kyoka burst out laughing, and Hanta was visibly straining not to laugh. “What? What did Bakugou do…?” 

“Kirishima!” Katsuki stomped over to the redhead, who looked over in confusion.

“Huh?” The blonde wordlessly held out a stack of five 10000 yen bills. Eijiro’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

“Wait, you're scaring me! What is this, did you shake someone down for money?”

“No! I withdrew this money,” Katsuki scowled. “You used up all your allowance, right?” 

Eijiro blinked. “Yeah… Where did you hear about me buying night vision goggles–?” Katsuki cuts him off by shoving the money into his chest and walking away. 

“If you keep having to scrimp and save, then it’ll make me feel bad. Show your dumb side, as usual.” Despite the circumstances, Caelus smirked to himself. Awh, Kats does have a heart. Meanwhile, Kyoka was still dying over Denki short-circuiting. 

“Yay? Yay, yay, yay!”

“Oh, no… I… Oh, Kaminari…” She finally gives up on trying to stop herself from laughing, and it’s only made worse when Denki jumps and makes another weird cheering sound.

“You’re laughing too much!”

“Sorry, everyone! This won’t make up for it, but let’s all go eat yakiniku with this money!” Eijiro makes his way back over to the others, and everyone cheers and laughs.

“Seriously?!”

“Yay!”

Once that was settled, the doors of the dormitory were opened up. “Each student dorm building holds one class.” Aizawa gestured around. “Girls on the right, and boys on the left. But the first floor is the common area. Food, baths, and laundry are on this floor.”

“Uwah!” Hagakure looked around in awe, lifting her arms into the air.

“There’s even a courtyard!” Sero had one hand on his chin as he scanned the area outside through the glass doors and windows.

“So spacious! So clean! And a sofa!” Mina beamed, bouncing up and down with excitement.

“It’s like a mansion!” Ochaco promptly collapsed, clearly not used to living in such an open space.

“Uraraka!” Tenya jumped.

“Did my ears deceive me?” Mineta whispered to himself, sounding far too excited. “Baths and laundry are in the common area?” He swallowed hard, his intent disgustingly clear. “Is this a dream?”

“They’re separated by gender. You better watch yourself.” Aizawa didn’t turn to look at Mineta, but the danger in his words was clear. Mineta froze.

“Yes, sir.” 

“Rooms start on the second floor. There are four rooms per gender on each floor with five floors total. Everyone gets their own room. They’re luxurious spaces equipped with their own AC, toilets, fridges, and closets.” Aizawa led them up to the second floor, letting the students tour one of the rooms so they could get used to the surroundings.

“There’s even a balcony!” Izuku poked his head over the edge, staring down at the ground while Denki gestured wildly around behind him, still short-circuited.

“This is about the same size as the closets we have at home.” Momo mused. Damn, she must be rich-rich.

“It’s like a mansion!” Ochaco promptly collapsed again, and Tenya whipped his head towards her. 

“Uraraka!”

“These are your rooms. The belongings you sent ahead have already been placed in your rooms, so unpack and get settled in today.” Aizawa showed them a layout of room assignments by floor. Like their fathers had been told before, Akumu and Caelus had a floor to themselves. “I’ll tell you more about what will happen from now on tomorrow. That’s all. Dismissed!”

“Yes, Mr. Aizawa!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Ahh, I’m so tired.” Eijiro sighed heavily, leaning back on his palms as he slumped into the sofa.

“Kirishima, are you done unpacking?” Sero tilted his head, and the redhead nodded.

“Yeah, finally.”

“Good work.” Izuku offered a warm smile, then looked over at Denki, who’d perched on the arm of the sofa beside him as he spoke.

“How things ended up this way weren’t great, but it’s kind of exciting to live together, huh?”

“Yeah!”

“Living together…” Tenya did the arm chop thing, plus some other robotic-type moves that really didn’t make sense. “This is also training to help us to learn cooperation and discipline!”

“You’re really going all out, huh, Iida?” Eijiro tilted his head, smiling as he looked over the back of the sofa.

“Boys, are you all done with your rooms?” Mina bounced in, the rest of the girls following close behind.

“Yup. Just relaxing now.” Denki offered a smile and wave of greeting.

“Well, the girls were all talking just now…” Mina leaned forward, and Tooru stepped closer, the two sharing a look.

“...and we have an idea.”

“Want to have a room presentation contest?” Mina grinned, much to the chagrin of three boys in particular.

“Huh?”

Footsteps trailed off as the girls went running off to Izuku’s room, and the poor boy barely had time to get a retort out before they’d thrown open the door. 

“No, no, wait!” 

“It’s filled with All Might!” Ochaco clapped her hands together, scanning the posters all along the wall. “It’s an otaku’s room!”

“It’s because I admire him…” Izuku muttered, leaning over his desk, which was lined with All Might figurines. “This is so embarrassing!” His face turned beet red.

“Crap, they just started something.” Denki muttered, leaning into Sero as he spoke.

“But it’s kind of fun…” The black haired boy was smiling, but still looked nervous.

“...Huh.” Akumu blinked before glancing towards Caelus.

“You think there’s any way to stop this before it happens? I really don’t want them looking through my stuff…” He sighed, scratching the back of his neck. He wasn’t as private as Akumu, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed the thought of having people peruse his space like an exhibit at a museum.

“Nope.” Akumu shrugged. “Oh well.” Caelus groaned.

When they got to Fumikage’s room, they found him standing solemnly outside of his door, his body weight propped up against it.

“This is foolish.”

…It was a valiant effort, really. But alas, the full body weight of both Mina and Tooru had him face down on the floor.

“So black! Scary!” Both girls exclaimed as Fumikage trembled in the corner, though whether out of anger or embarrassment, nobody knew.

“You little…”

“I bought this keychain before in middle school,” Kirishima hummed as he picked up a sword-like keychain off the desk, looking around the dimly lit room.

“Boys like this kind of thing, huh?” Mina tilted her head. Fumikage remained where he was.

“Get out.”

“A sword…! So cool!” Izuku was taken by a large prop sword in the corner, and he looked like he was about to grab it before Fumikage shouted at them.

“Get out!”

Okay, about as dark and gloomy as expected. Yuuga’s on the other hand…

“So bright!” Most of the boys exclaimed in unison, but the blonde wagged one finger at them.

“Non, non, not ‘bright,’ dazzlin—” He struck a series of poses as he got closer, but the girls– and Denki– had already left.

“It’s exactly how I thought it’d be.” Hagakure huffed, and Mina almost sounded like she was complaining.

“It fits within my expectations.” 

“This is starting to get fun! The last person on the second floor is—” Ochaco bounced, but her demeanor shifted at the disgusting aura coming from the last room. Surprise surprise, it was Mineta’s.

“Come in… I’ll show you something amazing…” 

“Let’s go to the third floor.” Everyone turned and headed towards the elevator, leaving Mineta poking his head out of the door.

“Come in… Come on…”

Thankfully, though, the next room was Mashirao, and his was normal enough.

“Wow, it’s so normal!” Tooru hummed, and Mina nodded in agreement. 

“So this is what’s normal, huh?” 

“It’s fine if you don’t have anything to say…” The boy sighed.

Next was Tenya’s.

“The shelves are lined with hard books.” Ochaco looked around at the immense wood bookshelves, packed end to end with hardcovers.

“That’s the class rep for you!” Mina exclaimed, and Tenya gestured almost proudly at his room.

“There’s nothing strange here!”

Ochaco burst out laughing, holding a pair of glasses identical to the ones Tenya was wearing, standing by a shelf lined with them. “There are so many glasses…”

“What’s strange about that?” Tenya exclaimed, vigorously adjusting his glasses. “It’s because I expect them to be destroyed during our intense training.”

After Tenya was Denki’s, and it looked… Well, there was no other way to describe it.

“It’s so gaudy!” The girls exclaimed.

“It’s like he just used anything he could lay his hands on.” Kyoka muttered, and Denki looked scandalized.

“What? Isn’t it great?”

Next was Koji’s.

“There’s a rabbit! It’s so cute!” The girls all squealed, going over to the fluffy white creature and fawning over it, still wearing the glasses they’d taken from Tenya’s collection.

“It’s not fair to have a pet.” Denki pouted. “Koda, you’ve gotta be doing this on purpose!”

Much later, the boys had gathered, namely the ones who’d had their rooms practically dissed or flat out intruded on by the girls.

“Anyway, I’m not satisfied.” Denki frowned, staring off towards the elevator.

“Yeah, what a coincidence. Me neither. Not satisfied.” Mashirao agreed, and Fumikage  nodded beside him.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, me neither.” Aoyama huffed.

“It’s weird for the boys to be the only ones getting picked on. You said this was a room presentation contest, right? Then, of course, we should also see the girls’ rooms before we decide, right?” Mineta stamped over to the others with a stride too big for his tiny stature. “Shouldn’t we decide who has the best taste in interior design from everyone in class?” 

What a way to stoke the boys’ competitive streaks.

“Sounds good!” Mina clapped her hands together, while Kyoka looked shocked.

“Huh-?”

Mineta then turned to Akumu and Caelus, pointing to the two. “And you two! Where are your rooms even, ehhhhh?” Akumu and Caelus glanced at each other for a second before looking towards the class.

“...The top…?” The white-haired boy answered, regretting the choice already but recognizing there was no other choice here.

“The top floor? You’re not with the rest of the boys?” Eijiro blinked as he tilted his head a little. Since the rooms were ordered in alphabetical order, it was strange that Akumu’s room wasn’t next to Izuku’s or Mineta’s.

Caelus scratched at the underside of his jaw. “Yeah, there were some… special circumstances, in our case.”

“Eh? Like what?” Denki asked, gathering the attention of the other students.

Before Caelus could scramble for an answer, Akumu, thankfully, spoke for him. “Parental circumstances. It was requested by our fathers.” Thank the gods that Akumu was a quick liar, Caelus could feel his anxiety ease a little.

“Whuh-!? You can do that?” Denki blinked.

“Yeah. Had to happen during the conference, though.” Akumu hummed as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Lucky, you guys get a floor all to yourselves…” He grumbled as he crossed his arms.

Caelus let out a sigh of relief. Akumu looked up at Caelus and nudged him a little. “...You owe me a Dr. Pepper for that.” He whispered underneath his breath. Caelus nodded. Never an issue, especially for keeping secrets.

“Um, okay, so we’ll be deciding who has the best taste in interior decoration in the class, or who’s the Room King!” Mina clapped her hands again. Kyoka started a bit.

“Room King?”

“We don’t have to decide anything like that…” Mashirao muttered. The elevator dinged as the class made their way to the other rooms, and Ochaco hummed.

“The ones on the boys’ side of the fourth floor are Bakugo, Kirishima, and Shoji, right?”

“Where’s Bakugo?” Tenya chopped at the air, and Eijiro raised a hand to mimic Katsuki.

“He said, ‘This is lame. I’m going to sleep,’ a long time ago and went to his room. I’m sleepy, too.”

“Then, let’s do Kirishima’s room!” Mina rushed over with Tooru, who looked like she was waving her hands in excitement.

“Let’s keep this going!” 

“I don’t really care, but I don’t think you girls will get it—” Eijiro started as he pushed open the door, but when his room came into full view, he balled his fists. “This manliness!”

“Yeah.” Mina nodded blankly.

“This looks like it’d rank in around second for the room you’d least want your boyfriend to have.” Tooru pointed out, but Ochaco seemed hyped.

“It’s so hot! So hot and stuffy!”

“See? I told you.” Eijiro was grinning, but it was clear his pride was wounded.

“Next, Shoji.”

“There’s nothing interesting here.” One of Shoji’s arms spoke for him, and lo and behold, his room was predictably plain.

“Nothing interesting?”

“I didn’t know you were a minimalist.” Shoto commented, glancing over at the other boy.

“Well, I’ve never really liked having a lot of things.”

“It’s guys like this that are super pervy inside, you know.” Mineta was looking under the folded sheets, though for what, no one asked or wanted to know.

“Next, let’s go up a floor to the fifth floor boys’ rooms!” Tooru raised one arm while Mina pressed the up button on the elevator.

“We’ll start with Sero!”

“Are we seriously doing everyone?” The black haired boy’s comment sounded like an objection, but when they got to the room, it was actually really well put together.

“Wow!” The girls all awed, and Mina bounced, steepling her hands.

“Asian!”

“It’s lovely!” Ochaco beamed.

“Sero, I didn’t know you liked stuff like this.” Kyoka hummed, and Hanta laughed smugly.

“Yup, that’s me! Always expect the unexpected.”

“Next, next!” Tooru cheered, while Momo tilted her head to one side.

“Next is Todoroki, right?” 

“Hurry up and get this over with. I’m sleepy.” He muttered as he pulled open the door, revealing… wow.

“A Japanese style room!” Both Mina and Hanta’s jaws dropped in surprise.

“Was his made differently?!” Denki exclaimed, his and Mineta’s own jaws on the floor.

“We have tatami at home, so I can’t relax on the flooring.” Shoto said it like it would help explain at all. It didn’t.

“Who cares about why?” Denki and Mineta both whirled on him.

“How did you remodel it in a day?!”

Shoto’s response came blankly. “I worked hard.”

“What’s up with this guy-...?” Denki muttered.

“He seems like he’ll be a big shot one day.” Mina hummed as she made her way out, and Rikido sighed.

“Pretty boys do things differently, huh?”

“Okay, next! The last of the boys on this floor is…” 

“Me.” Rikido pushed open the door, revealing an array of baking supplies, ingredients, and a recipe book on the desk. “Anyway, it’s a boring room.”

“Anyone’s would be after Todoroki’s.” Eijiro sighed. Mashirao looked around, knitting his brows.

“Something smells good… What is it?” 

“Oh no, I forgot!” Rikido stiffened, his eyes widening. “I finished unpacking really early, so I baked a chiffon cake. I thought we could all eat it together.” He moved over towards the miniature oven on the desk, opening the door and lifting out the tin. “It’d be even more delicious with some whipped cream, but you guys want some?”

“Yeah!” The girls all cheered as they rushed in, and Denki and Mineta exclaimed.

“It’s like an exemplary unexpected side!”

“It’s delicious! So fluffy!” Ochaco had one finger pressed into her cheek, her eyes closed in a wide, contented smile. 

“Buono, buono!” No one could see Tooru’s face, but she was probably grinning too.

“He easily surpassed Sero’s unexpected side!” Mina awed as she ate, and Kyoka nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, yeah!”

“What a wonderful hobby you have, Sato,” Momo smiled earnestly, still holding her piece of cake. “Would you like to bake something to go with my tea next time?”

“Oh, I didn’t expect everyone to like it so much.” Rikido started steaming at the ears, his face going red. “I just make it as a part of training for my Quirk. Buying sweets can get expensive.” He scratched the back of his head, looking away from the others.

“That’s it for the boys. Next, it’s our turn!” Ochaco exclaimed.

“Wait, what about those two?” Sero asked before pointing over his shoulder to where Caelus and Akumu were. Caelus glared at him from behind his mask. Damnit, you, I was hoping they’d forget-!

“Oh, right! Nikushimi-san, Caelus-kun, lead the way!” Mina seemed excited for some reason. Akumu gave a thumbs up and headed towards the elevator, Caelus following begrudgingly. He held the door open for the other students before Akumu pressed the button to the seventh floor.

“I wonder what your rooms are like! Yours has to be super dark, right Nikushimi-kun?” Tooru exclaimed.

“Does that mean Caelus’ is super bright?” Ochaco put a finger up to her chin.

There was a long pause of silence before Akumu shrugged, the elevator dinging. “You’ll see.” He hummed as he stepped out of the elevator. Since Caelus’ room was the closest to the elevator, they ran up to Caelus’ door. They nearly busted the door open with excitement.

“Hey, wait! Not so fast, damnit!” Caelus rushed after them, trying to make sure they didn’t destroy the dorm and also weren’t snooping through his stuff without his knowledge. It was surprisingly neat, for now at least—only because Akumu helped him unpack and make sure things were neat. Akumu knew it’d be almost decimated in a week, if not two days. On top of the mattress was a bunch of plushies and the sleeping bag he’d brought from the states, the actual sheets the bed had come with moved over to the wall to make room for everything. 

“Wow, look at all those stuffies! So cute!” Tooru gushed as she picked one up, hugging it tight to her chest.

“Huh? Why do you have a sleeping bag if there’s an actual bed?” Mina tilted her head, and Caelus scratched the back of his neck. 

“I move around a lot in my sleep, and it’s just cozier for me that way.” 

Ochaco nodded. “Ah, so it’s a comfort thing? That makes sense. Thought you’d be comfy enough with your wings already though…” She looked pointedly at them, and he scowled under his mask. 

“That’s not how that works.”

“What’s this stuff over here?” Denki asked as he loomed over the altar next to Caelus’ desk, reaching over to grab one of the candles. The white haired boy turned, then moved quickly to smack his hand away. 

“Don’t touch that! Ah-...” He stopped, realizing how harshly that probably came off, then cleared his throat. “That’s for Lady Hekate.”

Denki blinked, confused. “...Lady who?” Caelus sighed. And this was why he didn’t want them in here.

“Hekate, Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, and necromancy. I’m pagan, and she’s one of the deities I worship,” he explained. Thank gods he was wearing his mask, otherwise he’d probably be as red as Eijiro’s hair.

“You’re pagan?” Mina’s eyes almost twinkled in woah. “Why didn’t you say so before? That’s so cool!”

Caelus muttered something incoherent, while Tenya pointed up at the flag on the wall over his bed.

“What does that flag stand for? It doesn’t look like the American flag.” Caelus almost flinched; he didn’t need to look to know what Tenya was talking about.

“That’s just the pansexuality flag. One of my friends got it for me in middle school, and even though I don’t really identify with it, I still keep it.”

Tenya tilted his head. “Why keep something if you don’t identify with it anymore? That seems redundant.” Caelus huffed.

“It’s a keepsake. What’s so strange about that?”

“These posters look really familiar…” Denki frowned, eyeing a group of art posters on the wall over his desk. He stares hard for a moment before realization flashes across his face. “Hey, wait, aren’t these characters from that one Hoyoverse game? Genshin, right?” The blonde looks over his shoulder at the white haired boy, who jumps.

“I wasn’t expecting anyone here to know what that game was…” He muttered, resting his face in one hand. Eijiro caught sight of the tablet on the desk, and he moved over to it, tapping the screen awake.

“Hey, Gonzales, what’s this for?” Caelus looked over and immediately froze.

“Uh, that’s my drawing tablet.” The white haired boy sighed silently to himself, thanking his better judgement that he’d assigned a passcode lock to make sure no one could get into it. 

“Woah, you do digital art? That’s so manly!” Eijiro awes, his face lighting up. “How long have you been doing it for?”

Caelus scratches his neck again. “Digitally, only a few years. I’ve been drawing traditionally since elementary school or so.” He sighed, then folded his arms over his chest. “Is that all? I really don’t see the point in poking around like this.”

Before anyone could really answer that, Mina and Tooru hops out of Caelus’ room. “Nikushimi’s next~!” Akumu sighed before walking over to his door, unlocking it before opening the door.

“Don’t set your expectations too high.” He deadpanned as he stepped inside, everyone else following inside. Needless to say, everything in here was nothing they expected. There was a bed in the corner, the supports and the headboard looking handpainted—there was the moon and stars painted beautifully on the black wood. The desk across the room held an expensive looking PC with two monitors, a bookshelf filled to the brim with sketchbooks, notebooks, and manga next to it. The window was blocked off with blackout curtains. One of the walls was covered with paper—sketches, paintings, ink and oils, all completed with Akumu’s signature on each artwork. On the opposite wall, there were band posters and game posters. The only predictable thing in here was that it was awfully dark, the room only lit up with a singular battery-powered lantern that somehow lit up the whole space just enough to show the details. The doors of the closet were hand painted as well, given the design of a sunset with hanging wisteria trees. On one of the doors, there was a full body mirror with plum blossom designs in the corners of the glass. In the corner, there was a handpainted dresser, all the drawers filled with pencils, inks, oils, paints, and unused sketchbooks.

“‘Don’t set your expectations too high!?’” Denki repeated as he stared at all the artworks. Then he looked at the desk where the monitors sat. Even the desk had handpainted designs. “Dude-!”

“How did you paint all this in one day?” Momo muttered in awe as she stared at the designs on the closet doors, her fingers gently grazing against the paint. 

“...Boredom.” Akumu shrugged his shoulders. Caelus nodded in agreement. He’d taught himself to do a lot of things out of boredom, plus he’d seen Akumu’s room in the States frequently, so this wasn’t really surprising.

“This is like Todoroki’s all over again! Like what do you mean, you did all this in one day?!” Sero whipped his head towards Akumu. “This is too much change! And where did you get the supplies for all of this?!”

“I bought it.” He deadpanned with a blink.

As Ochaco looked at the shelf, she looked at the wood and her eyes widened. “This-...!” She pressed her hand against the wood. “This is painted too!” On the sides, there were painted clouds, stars, birds, all with a dark forest at the bottom.

Out of the corner of his eye, Izuku caught sight of some notebooks on the shelf, and his mind immediately went to his own notebooks. He crossed the room and reached out to pick up one of them, his curiosity making his body move before he had the chance to think it through. As soon as he picked it up though, he realized this was no notebook. The cover felt as if it was made out of hard cardboard, covered with a thin layer of some grey threading. It was a high quality sketchbook. As soon as he opened it, there was an ink painting of a beautiful looking fox, surrounded by red spider lilies and thorny vines, completed with Akumu’s signature in the corner. It didn’t look like it was presketched, it looked like pure free-handing. Izuku’s eyes widened at the ink picture, almost forgetting to blink. What could he say? Saying that this was amazing felt like an understatement and insulting. 

“Nikushimi-kun, all this…” Eijiro picked up an unfinished drawing from one of the desk drawers. “...It’s so manly!” 

Akumu just sat at the edge of his bed before there was a tap from the window. Or rather, the glass doors to the balcony. Everyone perked up from the sound and Akumu sighed, opening up the backout curtains to reveal a crow. Akumu opened the glass door and the crow perched on his arm. With that, he turned to the group. “Are we done? I’d like to get some rest.” He leaned against the doorway, reaching towards the lantern and turning the dial to dim the light.

Before anyone could answer, the crow suddenly opened its beak. “Run.” Everyone was stunned, their eyes staring at the bird.

“H-Hey, is it just me, or did that crow just say ‘run…?’” Sero smiled nervously, pointing at the crow with a shaky finger. 

“Ruun! Ruuuun!” The crow screamed in a croaky voice, causing most of the students to scream and run out, leaving only Akumu, Caelus, Shoto, and Fumikage. Akumu blinked before looking towards the ones that stayed. Caelus snorted, and the shit-eating grin was clear even if his face wasn’t visible.

“Did you teach it how to do that?” Fumikage asked as he pointed to the bird.

“Yeah. It was Caelus’ idea, and I thought it would be funny, so I agreed.” Akumu replied before using a finger to gently pet the top of its head, and Caelus burst into cackles.

“It worked so well, I can’t-!”

“Run!” The crow cawed again and Akumu just put the crow on his shoulder.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

The others all went on to check out the girls’ rooms, but Caelus and Akumu stayed up on their floor to retire for the night. They’d said they were going to sleep, but gods knew they were just taking some time to game by themselves and recharge their social batteries. That was more than enough socializing for the day.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Akumu was woken up by the sound of Caelus knocking on his door, followed by the door swinging open. “Hey, it’s 7. We’ve got an hour before the first bell, so we should probably start getting ready.” The white haired boy sounded like he’d just woken up– and in all actuality, he probably had– but he knew Akumu would have waited until 8 to get up and get ready.

A soft groan came from Akumu before he pulled himself up from his pillow. He looked more like a corpse than usual, which says a lot. Caelus swore Akumu’s eyebags get progressively worse everyday. “Fine, fine…” Akumu got up from his bed and stretched, a few loud cracks coming from his elbows and his back. “You mind getting us some coffee while I get dressed?”

Caelus nodded. “Yeah, I gotchu.” He waved before heading out the door, both to toss on his uniform and get their coffee started. It took him roughly five minutes to get dressed and head down to the kitchen, surprising some of the other guys with how prepared he was. 

“Hey, you’re all dressed already?” Denki tilted his head. “You work, like, crazy fast.” Caelus shrugged as he made his way into the kitchen, turning on the coffee machine. 

“I’m used to running on a tight schedule,” was all he said before going to the bathrooms to brush his teeth and hair. 

About twenty minutes later, Akumu was fully dressed and down. He was usually faster than this, but he fell asleep pretty late last night. It took him longer to sleep than he expected, having fallen asleep at five in the morning. Caelus handed him his mug of coffee and Akumu turned away from the other students to lower his mask in order to take a long sip. Caelus just took his off fully, standing in a way that he would block the others’ view of Akumu just in case. As he did, he slipped his phone out of his pocket, checking the time on the screen. 7:27. Making good time so far. He tucked it back into his pocket, taking another long sip of his coffee.

Akumu almost chugged down the entire cup of coffee before setting the mug down on the counter, pulling his mask back up. He is going to need more caffeine than this, but he can’t complain. “...I’m going to collapse dead one of these days…” Akumu muttered underneath his breath as he ran his fingers through his untamed hair. 

Caelus hummed. “And then you’ll come right back because our Quirks said no death for us unless it’s under these very specific circumstances.” He sighed. While he wasn’t completely done with his coffee, it was half empty at this point, a testament to both his caffeine addiction and his deep aversion to being a morning person.

“How about I enter a coma, how about that.” Akumu rubbed one of his eyes as he put his head down on the counter. Mood.

“I’d probably crash out and kill everyone and then myself.” 

They should not be having this conversation out loud in the common areas. They were still gonna have it, but they shouldn’t. Not like anyone but Caelus can hear Akumu’s grumbling, but the others can surely hear Caelus.

“What-?” Denki furrowed his eyebrows when he heard that.

“Nothing. Just ignore me until we get to class.” 

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“I believe I mentioned this yesterday, but for now, Class 1-A of the hero course will be focusing on getting their provisional licenses.” Aizawa stood at the podium, his hands propped on either side of the desk.

“Yes, sir!”

“A hero license bears with it the great responsibility of human life. Of course, the exam to receive one is very difficult. Even the provisional license has only a 50% passing rate each year.”

“Just the provisional license is that hard?” Mineta’s eyes widened, his jaw dropping a little.

“That’s why today, we will have each of you come up with at least two…” The door to the classroom slid open, revealing Midnight, Ectoplasm, and Cementoss standing outside. “...ultimate moves.”

“Ultimate moves!?” Eijiro and Hanta jumped up from their seats, along with Mina and Denki.

“It’s like a real school thing and yet–...”

“It’s like a super normal hero thing!”

“‘Ultimate!’ This means that this move will give you a sure win!” Ectoplasm made his way up to the head of the room, followed by Cementoss and Midnight.

“A move so ingrained into your body that others cannot copy it.” Cementoss lifted one finger. “Battle means seeing how much you can force what you’re good at on your opponent.”

“Your moves will represent you. These days, pro heroes without ultimate moves are an endangered species.” Midnight was, as usual, posed in a way that showed off her, ah… assets.

“We will tell you more as we go along. We want you to proceed logically.” Aizawa had shifted to stand off to the side of the podium, letting the other three teachers take the lead. “Change into your costumes and meet in Gym Gamma.”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Gym Gamma, also known as the ‘Training Dining Land,’ or TDL.” Caelus and Akumu shared a glance. That can’t have been a coincidence.

“I came up with the idea for these facilities.” Cementoss kneels, making a small model of blocky terrain in front of him. “Terrain and other things can be prepared specifically for each student. That’s what the ‘dining’ part refers to.” He stands straight up, turning back to face the class.

“I see…” Denki hummed.

“Please allow me to ask a question!” Tenya’s hand shot up like a flagpole. “Why must we have ultimate moves for our provisional licensing exam? Please tell me your reasoning!”

“I’ll tell you everything in order. Calm down.” Aizawa glared at him. “The job of a hero is to save people from danger, like crimes, accidents, natural disasters, and man-made disasters. The exam to become one naturally looks at how well you are able to do that,” Aizawa explains. “Your ability to gather information, make decisions, move, and fight, in addition to your ability to communicate, draw people to you, and lead—Every year, a different test is used to look at how well you are able to do those things.”

“Of those, your ability to fight is especially important to your future as heroes. If you are prepared, you won’t have to worry.” Midnight stepped forward, holding up one hand. “Whether or not you have an ultimate move will greatly affect whether or not you will pass.” Cementoss was the next to speak.

“Not being influenced by circumstances and being able to act consistently will make you a great asset on the front lines.” Caelus frowned under his mask. In his opinion, being able to adapt to any and all circumstances at any given moment seemed like they’d be important during frontal battles too. Having a consistent module of action, though, could make it easy for villains to pick up on weaknesses and exploit them during fights. Seems a little redundant to make your moves predictable like that.

“Your ultimate moves do not necessarily need to be of the attacking type. For example, Iida’s Reciproburst—The temporary burst of speed is enough of a threat to be worth calling an ultimate move. Or Nikushimi’s Ancestral Punch—The sudden boost in power in one attack and the bright blinding glow that comes with it in order to stun anyone surrounding him is also worth calling an ultimate move.” Ectoplasm picked up where Cementoss left off as the other pro turned and walked further into the giant arena.

“I see… So we need to find something that allows us to feel like, ‘as long as I do this, I have the advantage. I can win.’” Rikido thought aloud, and Midnight winks.

“Exactly! Kamui Woods, who played a big part in the fight the other day, has a move called Lacquered Chain Prison that is the perfect example of an ultimate move. It restrains his opponents before they can do anything.”

“The training camp was cancelled, but the training you did to develop your Quirks was part of the process to create your ultimate moves.” Cementoss pressed his hands to the ground, molding the concrete into a similar arrangement of platforms and cliffs as the model he had earlier, while Ectoplasm spat out a series of clones. “In other words, until the beginning of the next semester, for the ten days or so until the end of summer vacation, you’ll be working out your ultimate moves as you develop your Quirks. You’ll be doing intensive training! In addition, you should think about how you can improve your costumes to work better with your developing quirks. Get through this with a ‘Plus Ultra’ mentality. Are you ready?”

“Yes, sir!”

“I’m getting excited!” Denki grinned.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Already, everyone was training with their quirks, gaining both criticism and advice from the teachers. Akumu already had a few “ultimate moves” in mind, but he never really had any real training with them. Most of them were what he could theoretically try. Before he could think on it further, he sensed someone behind him and ducked down, dodging a kick to the back of the head. With a confused blink, he looked behind him, noticing Ectoplasm.

“What are you spacing out for?”

Akumu stared and paused as he rubbed the back of his head. “Well… My Quirk is already versatile as it is.” Akumu awkwardly looked off to the side as he spoke, pressing his fingers together. “I am… Unsure, of what I could really do as an ultimate move that won’t cause collateral damage to buildings around me, other than using someone else’s quirk to my advantage.”

For a moment, Ectoplasm hummed as he let Akumu’s words simmer in his thoughts. “It’s true that you have a lot to work with due to your Quirk. Then today, focus on what you could do without transforming.”

Without transforming? Well, there wasn’t much he could do that didn’t include phasing through the floor or phasing through his own opponent. He’s already tried going for direct nerves before, but it’s tedious to do so, and everyone’s anatomy is ever so slightly different from each other’s. Was there something he hasn’t tried before?

“Yes, sir.” Akumu muttered.

Similarly, Caelus had ideas for his ultimate moves, but the closed roof and limited access to natural light made it a little difficult for him to try putting the moves into practice. Plus, part of his brain was still stuck on what Cementoss said earlier. “Not being influenced by circumstances and being able to act consistently will make you a great asset on the front lines.” He scowled, then shook his head. It was probably just his paranoia and pattern recognition being nitpicky. The sound of approaching footsteps snapped him out of his daze, and he whirled on whoever it was, releasing a small flash of light and darting back from the incoming blow. When the flash cleared, he was met with the sight of Ectoplasm. Or, at least one of them. “Hey. What’re  you spacing out for, huh? Seriously, both you and that friend of yours…” Caelus scowled.

“Just trying to figure out the logistics of some things. My Quirk will only absorb natural light, but most of the light in here is artificial, and the sunlight isn’t coming directly through the windows at this time of day. I’m trying to figure out some way to make something without spending too much of the light I have so I’m not useless.” Caelus scratched under the sleeve of his costume. Ectoplasm stayed silent, though it was clear he was thinking about the complexity that Caelus had put in front of him.

“A rational choice in the current circumstances. If you can’t focus on the bigger picture, then try working out smaller details in the meantime.” He mused before continuing. “I noticed that you have a habit of using brilliant and focused flashes of light before attacking. Perhaps you could try the reverse; using multiple smaller more scattered flashes to provide cover for  retreat.”

Caelus nodded slowly, flexing his fingers and creating a ball of light about the size of a ping pong ball. “Yes sir…”

“Take that!” Katsuki shouted from one of the towers of cement, a loud explosion following behind. The Ectoplasm clone he was directing his attacks at then melts into that translucent goo as the smoke surrounds the two of them. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to go wild! It feels good!” Katsuki then turns to Ectoplasm. “Ectoplasm! Mine died! Give me another!” As another one forms in front of Katsuki, the other students take a curious glance over at Katsuki. Then, another explosion follows.

“Oooh! Bakugo’s really into it!” Ochaco called down from where she was floating above them, and Rikido watched with several mouthfuls of cake in hand.

“That guy’s already got a lot of different ideas for his ultimate move, huh?”

“He had a name from the entrance exam!” Tooru exclaimed.

“Whoops!” Ochaco wobbled her hands and feet, trying to steady herself to prevent falling back down to the ground.

“Focus!”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

“I’ve got a move I’ve been working on since I was a kid called Grape Rush, you know.” Mineta called boastingly over his shoulder, looking over at Denki behind him.

“I mean, everyone’s thought about it before, right? I thought about doing a lightning sword or something.” Denki grinned, balling his fists up by his chest. “I’m getting excited just thinking about being able to do it for real in a place like this.”

Akumu furrowed his eyebrows a little before looking towards the ground, thinking about what he could try and do. Something that doesn’t require true transformation… Like what? “Hey.” Akumu was drawn out of his thoughts and he looked up at All Might, who walked up beside the ghost student. 

“Hm?”

“Here’s some advice. You’re only thinking about the ‘ghost’ part of your quirk. You’re forgetting the other half of your capabilities.” 

Confusion only settled in. Half? What else could he do? Before he could ask, All Might was already walking towards Eijiro. Well, looks like he was on his own on this one. He retraced back to what everyone already knew what he could do. He can transform, turn into nearby spirits, phase through walls and floors, fly, regenerate-... Wait, he can regenerate. It’s practically instantaneous, but he can control how fast he can regenerate and specific parts. That gave him an idea.

“Hey, Ectoplasm.” Akumu almost feels bad for asking about this, but he had to find out. “Can you do me a favor and rip off my arm?” The teacher, understandably so, whips his head around, looking at Akumu in what he can only assume is abject horror. Akumu closes his eyes for a second, glad he had a mask on as he fights back the urge to laugh. He swallowed down his amusement and pulled back his sleeve. “I can regenerate, remember? I just want to experiment something.” Ectoplasm blinks, and he stays silent for a minute before stepping forward and reaching out. He hesitates a second longer, as if asking himself if he’s really about to do this before eventually just going for it. Ripping off the bandaid, if you will. And Akumu’s arm along with it. As the sound of flesh and bone ripping apart echoes from the two, Ectoplasm realizes how weirdly easy it was to do so—as easy as snapping a pencil in two. Akumu looks up at Ectoplasm before muttering, “thanks,” and looking back down at his arm. “Now, can you drop it?”

As expected, the bleeding stops as soon as the arm hits the floor. Akumu focuses on regeneration, but in a specific way so that he doesn’t just regrow it back. Once a new limb grows back, the old one will begin to rot, making it impossible to reattach back to his body. But if he doesn’t regenerate a new limb, then he can still feel whatever the ripped off limb touches. So that begs the question, can he still control the limb? His eyes focused on the detached arm before, suddenly, the string of blood on the ground moved and connected to his shoulder and his delimbed arm. Then, the fingers twitched, the arm picking itself up and floating up into the air. As Akumu thought of closing his fist, the fist of the delimbed arm closed, too. As long as he keeps his blood flowing, he can control a dismembered limb.

Ectoplasm genuinely didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry.

“Doesn’t that… Hurt?” Ectoplasm watched Akumu experiment, controlling his dismembered arm with practice.

“Yes. A lot, actually. But you get used to it.” Akumu hummed before the arm reattached to Akumu’s body, twisting back into place. “Now can you do my leg?”

Caelus hears the sound of muscle tearing from across the arena, and his head snaps up in alarm before clocking the location and deducing the source. Ah, it’s just ani. He’ll be fine. He turned his attention back to the series of tiny marbles of light scattered all around, focusing on detonating them one by one instead of all at once. He kind of succeeds?— Some of them go off in clumps while others stay isolated. Seems like he’s gonna have to really focus on it until he gets more used to it. 

Once again, the sound of footsteps breaks him out of his hyperfocus, and this time when he looks up, he sees All Might. “Hello, Young Gonzales. I have a small bit of advice for you.” The white haired boy tilted his head, not at all dissimilar to the way a dog would look at a new toy. “Try focusing more on adjacent sources of light rather than direct ones. Since you’re already working to expend less light, add on to that by working to draw everything you can from the little you have.” How… vague. Not frustratingly vague, but it wasn’t pleasant either. Caelus frowned under his mask. What on earth was he trying to say? Before he could ask for further clarification, though, All Might was walking off towards Kyoka. He huffed an irritated breath through his nose. Might as well… I guess. Adjacent sources of light, huh?

It was true; even though the sun wasn’t shining directly through the windows, he could still sense the difference between the LEDs and the sunlight in the room. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to really feel for the different sources and reach out for them. It feels like he’s clutching at smoke, but honestly, he had nothing better to do at this exact moment. He had to replenish the light he’d just used to make those marbles anyway. Focusing on the small reserves of light around the edges of the room, he visualized reaching out and pulling them into him, like sucking the dregs of a milkshake up through a straw. For a minute, he felt stupid, sensing no change, but eventually, he felt the thrum of power grow marginally stronger. Ah. So it does work. And, since sunlight is a renewable resource, he can just keep sucking up those dregs until he has what he needs. Huh. Noted. 

Chapter Text

They’ve all been training for about four days now, coming up with some special moves that fit well with their Quirk.

“A new move…” Katsuki mutters to himself. “AP Shot!” He grins, balling his fists. “Haha! I did it!” However, before he could get too smug, the corner of the concrete slab he’d pierced through broke off, falling towards All Might standing below. The spiky blonde crouched down by the edge, eyes wide. “Hey, look out!”

“Idio—!” Aizawa reached for his scarf.

Before anyone could move, Akumu got to the falling rock first. Both of his arms were already dismembered, thanks to Ectoplasm’s clone no doubt, and both hands clutched their fists before breaking down the large boulder, punching it repeatedly to chip away at the boulder bit by bit faster than the eye can properly process. Then, they shot back to Akumu’s body, his own blood acting like an elastic rope to pull them back, and twisted as they reattached themselves. “...Good grief…” Akumu sighed before he yawned.

Caelus blinked. Wow. He really does just keep finding ways to surprise me. He swore, every time he learns something new about Akumu, it’s against his will. And he was sure everyone else could relate on a much higher level. 

“You alright, All Might?” Akumu asked as he rubbed one of his eyes, heavily fatigued from the lack of sleep these past few nights.

“Yeah.” All Might nodded, a small smile forming on his face. Usually, he would be quite disturbed by Akumu’s antics. But knowing Akumu took his advice and learned to do something no one else thought of gave him a satisfaction that outweighed his horror. 

“What was that, Nikushimi!?” Denki jogged over with Eijiro close behind, his eyes wide. “You just-?! Your arms???”

“I thought you just did ghost things…”

“Oh, Kaminari-kun, Kirishima-kun.” Akumu stretched, hearing something from his back pop. “I just forgot I could regenerate, that’s all.” He rolled his shoulder a little before doing the same to the other. “All Might may’ve given me an idea or two, I guess.”

“All Might, it’s dangerous, so don’t get too close.” Aizawa stepped up beside the older pro, who laughed.

“Oh, excuse me!” He lifted a hand, looking up towards the platform where Katsuki was training. “Young Bakugo! I’m sorry!” The blonde gave no response for a while, then eventually stormed off, letting off another powerful explosion.

“Watch yourself, All Might!”

Akumu glanced at Denki and Eijiro. “...You two made changes to your costumes.” It wasn’t a question, but an observation.

“You noticed? Did you?”

“No. No need to.” Akumu shrugged before looking towards the other students. “...But I can see everyone else making some needed adjustments.”

“Well, yeah! This is no time to lose focus! But my change in style is huge!” Denki hooked a thumb towards himself with a confident grin. “You’re in for a surprise! You wanna see? You can! It’s seriously amazing!”

“That’s enough, Class A!” They all turned towards the door, seeing Vlad King and the students of Class B outside. “Today, Class B is scheduled to use this place in the afternoon.”

“Class B?” Izuku blinked.

“Man, what terrible timing!” Denki deflated with a scowl.

“Eraser, hurry up and get out of the way.” The fanged man called from the door. Aizawa just gave him a flat look, his hands tucked in his pockets.

“We still have almost ten minutes. You’re not good at using time wisely, Vlad.”

“Hey, did you know?” The blonde from the sports festival grinned, flaunting his costume. What the fuck was his name again…? Mono-something. “The provisional licensing exam has a 50% fail rate. All of you should just fail!” He laughed mockingly. “Why don’t we see exactly who’s better?”

“Wait, is that Monoma’s costume?” Denki pointed at the blonde in confusion. Ah. Monoma.

“‘Since my Quirk’s Copy, there’s no need for anything especially eccentric,’ he said.” The orange haired girl from Class B answered. She was the one who let Mina advance to the finals. Kendo.

“That’s him not being eccentric?” Denki sweat-dropped.

In order to make Monoma stop laughing, Akumu reached towards his arm, pulling up the sleeve before ripping it off. His arm didn’t fully regenerate when they reattached, so it was easy to pull it off himself that time. As expected, the sound of flesh, bone, and nerves ripping apart caught everyone’s attention—Monoma’s especially, causing him to stare with wide eyes. And as much as Class B started to freak out, the rest of Class A seemed like they were getting used to it after seeing what Akumu was capable of. In fact, they kept talking.

“Still, his opinion is reasonable.” Fumikage let Dark Shadow fold back under his cloak. “As long as we are taking the same exam, it is our fate to crush each other.”

“That’s why Class A and Class B applied to different locations.” Aizawa called out as Vlad King stepped up beside him.

“H-huh-...?”

“The hero licensing exam takes place each June and September in three different locations across the country at the same time.” Vlad King turns to address everyone as well. “In order to avoid students from the same school fighting each other, all schools subscribe to the theory of splitting up their students by time or location.”

“Whew…” It was a small sound, but there nonetheless. Still, he kept up the act. “It is unfortunate that we will not be able to fight each other directly!” As much as he tried to sound fearless, Akumu had, clearly, shaken him and his fake confidence up.

“He said ‘Whew,’ didn’t he?” Eijiro looked over at Denki.

“I wonder if there’s a diagnosis for the type of mental state he has…”

“Narcissistic Personality Disorder.” Akumu whispered in reply as he tested out his control on his dismembered arm, but his words were loud enough for the two to hear him since he was right next to them. Denki snorted, but managed to hold his laugh back.

“‘All schools,’ huh…?” Hanta muttered, his Ectoplasm clone completely tangled up in a cocoon of tape. “That’s right, I didn’t really think about it that much, but we’ll be fighting against other schools to pass.”

“And in our case, we’re accelerating the process of getting them…” Izuku nodded.

“In addition, there are very few first years in the country trying to get their provisional licenses.” Aizawa narrowed his eyes. “In other words, the test will have those who’ve trained longer than you, with Quirks you don’t know about that they’ve polished up until now. The actual contents of the exam are unclear, but what is clear is that you all will have a hard time. It’s not good to get too hung up about it, but keep that in mind.”

“Yes, sir!”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

“Uweeuuuuugh…” Mina slumped back over the couch she was laying on. “We’re working so hard every day…”

“It’s not called ‘intensive training’ for nothing, huh?” Tooru hummed as Kyoka stretched her arms out in front of her.

“Even so, there’s less than a week left before the provisional licensing exam.”

“Yao-momo, how’s your ultimate move coming?” Tooru looked over at the girl beside her, who lifted a hand to her face.

“There’s something I want to do, but my body can’t keep up yet, so I need to develop my Quirk a little more first.”

“What about you, Tsuyu-chan?” The invisible girl turned to her other side.

“I’ve perfected a move even more frog-like than before. I’m sure even you’ll be surprised, Tooru-chan.”

“What about you, Ochaco-chan?” Tooru bounced up, but earned no response.

“Ochaco-chan?” Tsuyu poked her, and the brunette jumped. “You seem tired.”

“Oh, no, I’m not tired at all. I’m just getting started!” She tried to hype herself up, but soon enough, she dropped it. “At least, that’s how it’s supposed to be, but, how do I put it…?” She lifted a hand up to her chest. “Recently, my heart’s been feeling all stirred up…” Mina jumped up immediately.

“It’s love!”

Ochaco turned red. “Wh… What? Glove? Shove? Dove? I don’t know what you’re talking about!” She wailed, waving her hands frantically.

“Is it Midoriya, or Iida? You’re always with them, aren’t you?” Mina leans in, and as Ochaco covers her face with her hands, she spirals up into the air.

“No, no, that’s not it!”

“She floated…” Mina muttered. 

“Who is it? Which one? Who is it?” Tooru was practically bouncing out of her seat, and Kyoka wore a smug grin. 

“Spit it out. You’ll get a lighter sentence if you confess.”

“That’s not it, really!” Ochaco protested, still very much in the air. “I really don’t know anything about that stuff…”

“It’s not good to force an investigation, you know.” Tsuyu looked over at Momo, who nodded in agreement and stood. 

“That’s right. More importantly, we have an early start tomorrow, so we should turn in.”

“What? No way! I want to hear more!” Mina bounced her fists. “Even if we don’t talk about anything important, I want to force it to be about romance!”

“That’s…”

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・