12

"So, Monoma."

"Midoriya," the boy said with a smug look on his face.

"Why are we doing this again?"

It was currently lunch, Izuku flanked on both sides by Manga and Pony. Mei, on the other hand, was currently in the workshop - again - working on another one of her inventions. Across from them sat a rather smug looking Monoma. He sat seemingly calm, as if he had his entire speech planned out. But his look - his facade - didn't fool Izuku. He could feel that the boy in front of him was a full of nerves.

"Manga and Pony said that you were… sorry?" Izuku questioned, almost disbelievingly.

"I—" he paused, seemingly in an attempt to reconsider his words. His image broke a little as he faltered. "Yes," he said, almost reluctantly. "That day in the park, I misjudged you, you see. An honest mistake, if I'm to be honest," he said. His smug smile found its way onto his face. His facade was back up, as strong as ever.

"A mistake?" Izuku asked. A couple bugs rose from his hair and found their place beside his head. The hornets, a total of three, buzzed, urging Monoma to continue.

Monoma nodded. "I didn't believe you to be… so powerful. But it showed. Yesterday, during my class's battle trials. The strength of your friends - my classmates - revealed themselves to me. They are true warriors, worthy of being here at U.A. It was afterwards, after reigning in their fights, that I knew you to be the one responsible. Only someone sufficiently as strong could motivate such a group to be so successful and proficient."

Izuku took a second to take in all of the information supplied by Monoma. He takes the excuse, for now. But another question came to his mind. "And how about that little bout you had in the park? What was that about me being… quirkless?" Izuku said, warning him to choose his next words carefully. The hornets landed near Monoma, on the table space in front of him.

"Yes. Well, you see, my quirk… I can copy other peoples' quirks upon physical contact. I can copy up to three at a time, as long as I use each quirk by itself, none simultaneously." The hornets inched closer in response to the half-answer.

"What does that have to do with your… expressive vernacular?" Izuku said in a warning tone.

"That's what's strange here," Monoma admitted seamlessly. "That day in the park… I didn't feel a connection when I touched you. No 'spark' you could say, that established a connection to your quirk. Just an… empty void. A giant expanse. It was similar to how I feel when I touch other… quirkless people. But different, at the same time, in a way that I can't explain."

Izuku scrunched an eyebrow in confusion. "You say that you couldn't feel my quirk?"

Monoma shook his head. "Precisely. None that I could feel. It's why I called you… called you what I did. So I sincerely apologize for all the trouble I've caused."

"Huh."

Hmm. I suppose I can give him the benefit of the doubt. But why wouldn't he be able to feel my quirk? What's so special about it?

"Thank you for your honesty, Monoma. But if I end up finding out that you're lying, or anything of the sort…" The hornets lunged at Monoma, causing him to flinch ever so slightly. But the insects stopped before they touched him, instead buzzing dangerously close to his face.

"Yes, I — I know. You'll send your swarm upon me with the utmost wrath. I shall rue the day I dared to defy you," Monoma sarcastically remarked. His facade was back up again, making the flinch from before almost seem like it never occured.

"Good." The hornets flew back into Izuku's hair. "Glad you understa—"

A blaring siren disrupted the lunch time air. "There has been a Level 3 Security Breach. All students please evacuate outdoors promptly," announced the PA system.

Everyone was still at first, quiet aside from the screeching sound of the alarm. But then people started to panic, the rumble of feet against the ground filling everyone's ears.

"It's the security alarm system! It means that someone has trespassed on school grounds! I've never seen anything like this in my three years here!" someone explained expositionally.

Is that really what this is about?

Izuku remained seated in his seat as the masses around him began to panic. He motioned to Manga and Pony and - yes, even Monoma - to sit still. All three complied, even if the third did so reluctantly.

As Izuku connected to his swarm, he utilized the ants near the school's entrance to see what all the ruckus was about. A large amount of the ants had taken refuge underground, hidden from the hundred or so feet stomping on the ground. A little scrying revealed that the media that were crowding around the entrance from the morning had found their way through the school's barrier.

Not an actual emergency, then? Must be a fluke in the security system. He peeked with his ants again, finding Aizawa and Present Mic talking down the eager reporters.

Better calm down the masses, I suppose.

Izuku called upon his insects again, this time gathering them above the cafeteria's exit. The swarming bugs also caused another bit of panic, students screaming at the incoming mass of bugs. Izuku forgot at that second that some people weren't exactly comfortable with insects swarming past their heads and feet. But he went along with his plan anyway.

The large mass of insects found their place, forming the words 'Stop. Do Not Panic' in the air. The message seeming caught the attention of most of the students, temporarily halting the stampede. "There is no need to worry. The trespassers are merely the media folk that were crowding around the entrance this morning. Nothing to worry about. Eraserhead and Present Mic are currently taking care of the situation," the bugs said in unison.

At that, a couple students actually looked out the window, thereby confirming what Izuku's bugs had announced. The resulting discovery calmed down the students, and it wasn't long before everyone was mostly back to their normal routines. A few of the more rule-abiding students continued their march outside, but most returned to the cafeteria to resume their lunch.

As the commotion died down, Uraraka and Iida - who had seated themselves elsewhere when they saw the meeting between Izuku and Monoma - approached Izuku after departing from the crowd.

"Wow, Midoriya-kun! That was a cool way to use your bugs!" Uraraka exclaimed.

"That is, if those bugs were yours. Unless there is another student who wields some sort of bug control?" asked Iida.

"Nope, they were mine," Izuku said, sending the bugs back to the outside. He called upon a few of them back to himself, their bodies taking residence in his hair again.

"In that case, good job, Midoriya. I knew that I voted for the correct candidate for Class Representative." Iida said.

"Yeah! Nice going, Class Rep!" Uraraka exclaimed.

Oh. I forgot about that. If he were to be honest, Izuku was quite baffled by the results earlier, when his class decided upon anonymous voting to choose Class Representative and Deputy Representative. Yaoyorozu came in second place with three votes, gaining the deputy position. Meanwhile, Izuku got several more votes - six, to be exact - which secured his place as Class Rep. 

It was strange, because Izuku didn't expect to get any votes at all. He personally voted for Yaoyorozu; her brief introduction convinced Izuku that she had the right mannerisms and intelligence to handle the position. 

In regard to his votes, the only ones that he had confirmed had voted for him were Iida, Uraraka, and Asui — Tsu, he mentally corrected himself.

"You got voted as Class Rep?" Pony quietly asked.

"Hmm?" He turned to Pony. "Uh, yeah. I haven't been able to tell you guys yet since it just happened a while ago," Izuku responded.

"Huh, who would've known," Manga said. "Izuku voted as his class's representative."

"Well this has been nice and all," interrupted Monoma, "but I believe that I should excuse myself. If I may?" He turned to Izuku, asking for acceptance to leave.

Izuku nodded. Monoma nodded as well, then walked back to where a good portion of 1-B was seated.

Uraraka and Iida gazed at the blond boy with questioning glances, turning to Izuku. "If I may ask, what was that about, Midoriya?" Iida asked.

"Oh, it's nothing much. Just something that happened a few months back at—" Izuku abruptly stopped, becoming slightly disoriented with the output of some of gis bugs.

In another part of the school, some of his bugs were engulfed into a black mist. The bugs found themselves suddenly transported into what Izuku believed was a run-down bar. But before he could further explore the place, his connection to his bugs were cut. 

"Strange," Izuku muttered.

"Izuku? Something wrong bud?" Manga asked.

Izuku's thoughts rushed back to the present, taking root back to his body. He looked to Manga, who was beside him. "Uh… yeah. No, I mean. I think. Something weird with my bugs, is all. Probably just… I'm not sure, really. But it's nothing. Probably."

(・・)

"If you say so, Izuku."

"Yeah." Just another mystery to add to today's revelations.

The next day gave in to another surprise to class 1-A. Aizawa had announced that they were going to participate in an off-campus exercise to coincide with their Basic Hero Training class. It was supposed to be a practice rescue exercise, with the choice given of whether or not to your costume. 

When the time came to head to the location, Izuku grabbed his costume and got on the bus headed to the site. 

Despite Iida's best intentions, his sternness to provide order proved to be fruitless when the bus turned out to be more luxurious than it appeared. Unlike a normal school bus, the vehicle had plenty of space. While their were normal rows of seats, there were also seats on each side, having students sit face to face. 

It was this setup that brought along the predicament of conversation. And, to Izuku, it wasn't hard to predict what was to be the topic of conversation, given the past few day's events. 

"Midoriya," Kaminari said, "I've got to admit, your quirk's a bit of a doozy."

"Oh?" Izuku rose an eyebrow. 

"Yeah. And a bit scary too." He paused. "No—No offense, of course," he added quickly.

"Mhm." 

"Your quirk really is versatile, though," Tsu said. "Your dragonflies really helped to lead me to Sero," she ribbeted.

"Yeah, and it also helped you completely bury Shoji," Ashido admitted sheepishly.

"Surely it can do other stuff, no? Just think of what he can create! Imagine a swarm of butterflies. It would be magnificent!" added Aoyama.

"I can... do things like that, I suppose. I just need to find enough of one bug and command them all at once. Sort of like this." Izuku demonstrated his point by summoning the two fireflies he had hidden in his hair. The insects lit up and began to perform their own little light show.

The others around him were suddenly looking at Izuku in disbelief.

"What?" he asked, as the fireflies continued their performance.

"Oh, splendid! But I must ask, are you always so prepared?"

Izuku quirked an eye at the question.

"I think what he means to ask is: Did those fireflies really just come from your hair?!" Ashido questioned.

"Uh… yeah. I always have some bugs in supply. Just in case, you know?" Izuku said nonplussed.

"Ehh…" Ashido drew out.

"Well, I believe that you're pretty manly just for that! I don't think that I'd be able to stand being so close to so many bugs," Kirishima interjected. "How do you do it?"

"How do I do it?" Izuku paused. "I'm not entirely sure of what you mean. But, I suppose that I could say that it comes naturally to me. A 'the bugs are my friends,' sort of thing.

"Wow! Being able to brave through it all? Just like that? Man I'm kinda jealous. You could get a whole lotta popularity if you play it out right. Unlike my own quirk, [Hardening], which isn't too flashy." Kirishima went on to demonstrate his own quirk, hardening his arm in example.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Izuku said. "You can easily be a pro with your hardened skin. You'd be like a bruiser, in that regard. A melee combatant who soaks up the damage. You'd be in the eye of the media just like that, taking up hits in a fight."

"A bruiser?" Kirishima asked. "I haven't heard of that term before."

"Oh, yeah. It's, uh, actually a video game term. A friend of mine kinda likes to go on about that kind of stuff. I thought that the term fit. Seems like his hobby-talk has sorta bled into my vocabulary."

Izuku shook his head. "Nevermind that. I, on the other hand, am not a frontline combatant. I'd much rather stay in the shadows, using my bugs remotely. I wouldn't actually show up on T.V. all that much. Unless I'm doing something wrong, anyway."

"Really?" Kirishima asked."

"Mhm. Nothing all too flashy for me that the public has to see. You, however? I can see a couple Super Moves for you. Perhaps you can launch you at an enemy, like a human bullet? Or your armor, for example. It's based on your stamina level, right? I can guarantee you that you haven't reached your limit in regards to how much armor cam cover your body."

"Wow! You really hyper-analyzed me, didn't you?! You even got that part about my stamina correctly! Kirishima exclaimed. "Thanks for the tips, Midoriya!"

Izuku nodded.

"You've thought long and hard about stuff like this, haven't you, Midoriya?" Iida mentioned. "You even have usages for Kirishima's quirk figured out."

Izuku shrugged. "I suppose. I mostly analyzed all your guys' quirks during the battle trial."

"Scary," Ashido said. "Wonder how far-in you've thought about all of us, eh?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Well, I'm impressed," Iida said. "A skill like that could go pretty far."

"Pfft. You think Deku there can amount to anything?" Bakugo yelled from further away, interrupting the conversation. "All he can do is research others' quirks. He got lucky with tentacle arms the other day. But in a real fight? Against somebody like me? I'd crush him!"

"Whoa man, kind of extreme," Kirishima said. "What's your beef with Midoriya, anyways? Aizawa-sensei had to stop you the other day when you were running at Izukj the other day during the ball toss. And what's with 'Deku?" What's that mean?"

Bakugo refrained from answering, instead making a frustrated sound and looking out the window. 

"Wow, such a jerk," Ashido said.

"Indeed," Tsu ribbeted. "He wouldn't get all that popular with an attitude like his."

"What'd you say, Frog-Face?!"

"Ha!" Kaminari laughed. "We barely only started socializing and already you've made it clear to us the unpleasantness of your steamed turd of a personality."

"What's with that vocabulary?! Want me to pound you in!?"

Conversation died down a bit after Bakugo's outbursts. Rather than Izuku's quirk, topics switched to more mundane things, like how school was treating everyone so far or the fact that All Might was a teacher. But excitement began to rise again as the class arrived at the exercise site.

"Wow! It's almost like Universal Studios Japan!"

The class departed from the bus, herded by their teacher through the doors of the large facility. They were greeted by someone in an almost astronaut-like suit.

Ah! It's the famous rescue hero Thirteen! Izuku thought.

"Hello everyone! Welcome to what I like to call, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. It comes with every disaster and accident you can imagine."

The various zones that Thirteen went on to mention were explored with Izuku's bugs. The different zones were indeed very intricately detailed, looking almost like the real thing. Whether it was the Landslide zone and its steeped terrain, or the Flood zone with its ocean aesthetics, the site looked a promising place to practice the class's rescue skills. 

Izuku took notice of Thirteen and Aizawa talking in hushed tones away from the class. He inched his insects a bit closer to the two.

"Thirteen, where's All Might?" Aizawa asked. "Isn't he supposed to be here?"

"It seems that he reached his limit during his commute this morning," Thirteen said, raising three fingers up

Huh. Looks like All Might used up all his time. Their lucky that I already know about it. They'd be having a problem with one curious and nosy student otherwise. 

Thirteen went on to explain his own quirk, [Black Hole], as well as the potential lethality of it. Thirteen's point of his quirk - that despite being used for rescue, had the potential to kill - reminded Izuku of his own quirk. His own bugs definitely had their various uses. Some focused on neutralization, others border on lethal.

As Thirteen rambled on, Izuku's bugs noticed a black swirl slowly expanding near the center of the room. He nearly jumped in place when his bugs saw the hand-covered face peek out of the hole. 

"Midoriya?" Uraraka asked. "Something wrong?"

A few of Izuku's bugs ending up getting caught up in the swirl, leaving Izuku slightly disoriented with the sudden shift. The swirl — the black mist — had transported his bugs to a rather large warehouse filled with various people. The constricting manner of the mist was all too familiar to the senses of his bugs.

It's like the black mist from yesterday. But instead of a bar, this time it's a whole group of - what I assume - are villains. That means that the media breaking through was, what, a distraction? For what? Getting info to break into here?

More and more villains poured out from the mist, leading to dozens of the criminals within the USJ.

"Thirteen and Eraserhead, is it not? asked the black mist. "According to class schedule I received the other day, All Might was supposed to be here."

There we go, confirmation that this guy was on campus yesterday. Makes sense.

Izuku paid little attention to the speech, ignoring Eraserhead as he jumped down to defend the class. He can handle himself.

Izuku began to survey the scenario, taking note of any dangerous looking individuals that he would try to keep away from. However, he was interrupted upon the arrival of the black mist from behind — A teleporter, then. Tricky.

"Greetings," announced the shadowy figure. "We, are the League of Villains. Forgive our audacity, but we've come here, to U.A. High School, this bastion of heroism, to end the life of the Symbol of Peace, All Might." 

His announcement was met with a stunned audience, the resolute, certain sounding goal to kill All Might shocking the students.

Focus. Retreat. Bugs. Izuku calmed.

"Kill All Might?" Izuku said. "That's quite the goal you guys have."

"Indeed it is." The mist said. Then he threw his arms up.

"Begone." The man's shadows exploded outwards, encapsulating most of the class.

"Writhe in torment, until you breathe your last." The threat was the last thing Izuku heard before falling into darkness.

Notes:

A/N: So, USJ, huh? Onwards, to the fight! Next chapter features the League of Villains!! Along with their secret weapon: the super strong, regenerating Lun— I mean, Nomu!

Anyway, hope to see you all next time! Ta-ta!