New Number One Hero

They were surprised when Aizawa called the six who had participated in the mission of saving Eri to the staff lounge a few days later, but it couldn't have been compared to when they saw Eri there, having her hair styled by an enthusiastic Hado. The big three were already there. " We're going to take care of her in U.A." Aizawa announced nonchalantly.

The girl seemed to grow accustomed to them for when they gathered around her this time, she didn't shy away. " I will be looking forward to seeing you more often." Sora clapped her hands happily.

" If you need anything don't be afraid to ask." Yuu smiled at her.

" And if anyone is being mean to you again I'll deal with him for you," Whisper declared proudly.

" Thank you. Thank you so much!" The girl seemed much more lively and happy than when they saw her a month ago.

When they went out of the school as Aizawa requested, they were informed of the reason why she was to be put under UA's care. She had no family to go back to. Her grandfather, the head of the Shie Hassaikai, was in a comma. And because of her Quirk, it was dangerous to put her in an orphanage as Togata informed them that the horn related to her Quirk was growing again.

So they were going to watch her in the teachers' dorm and help her control her Quirk. Isn't this too much for you?

But by the look of it, Togata was going to take care of her seeing how he was free and close to her in the first place. " I see, that would make sense."

" Anyway, why are you telling them all of this?" Whisper gave the teacher a questioning glance.

" For Eri-chan's sake, it's better if she comes into contact with more people," he replied scratching his jaw. " Now that we want to keep an eye on her in the dorms, it may seem like a confinement. So we want you to come by and visit her every now and then, we'll have her first interact with you who know about her the most."

" I get it now." Sora smiled. " So we'll be coming to play with her so often. I like this! Can we start right away?"

"Class A is to go back to the dorm. You have guests arriving soon." He said calmly.

" Guests?" But Aizawa wouldn't say much.

________________

" Who do you think is coming?" Sora sat at a table with a mug of hot chocolate in hand.

" Another journalist, maybe?" Whisper suggested.

" I hardly doubt so." Yuu looked up from his homework. " I think it's someone we already know. Else Aizawa-sensei wouldn't have left us on our own with them, right?"

" True." She sipped on her drink when there was a knock on the door. Iida told them to get up to greet their guests and to their astonishment, it was the Pussycats that strolled into the dorm, making their famous pose. Except that without their fur paws and catlike costumes, it felt amusingly odd.

" Long time no see!" Iida greeted them with a bow.

" You kitties look like you've been doing well!" Pixiebob smiled broadly at them while Ashido ran to Tiger to get the package of paw pad buns.

" That young delinquent is here too." Whisper pointed at Kota facing away from them.

" Please, come inside." Shoji invited them but they politely declined, saying they ought to go visit class B too.

" But why are you back at UA?" Sato asked having brought a tray of tea for them.

" We came to let you know we're in business again." Pixiebob smiled, holding her hands at Sato as though to tell him not to bother with serving them anything.

" Back to business? " Whisper tilted his head. " But didn't the green-haired old lady lose her Quirk- ouch!"

Yuu grasped Whisper and pulled his jaws hard. " She isn't an old lady, and be considerate of her feelings."

" Still, I thought it was why you were suspending activities?" Midoriya continued.

" It's not back!" Ragdoll said it unexpectedly cheerfully. " I'll be doing office work to support the other three. Office Lady Cat!"

" We received a report from Tartarus, though." And according to Pixiebob, All For One was saying he could return Ragdoll's Quirk if only they would allow him to use his. Of course, no one would believe that.

" This man's terrifying." Whisper gulped. " I feel like he could toy with one's mind easily. He is better off locked in Tartarus, he ought not to see the light of day!"

" They're still trying to pin down how many and what kinds of Quirks he's hiding," Pixiebob explained further and Yuu could feel himself sweating even more. Such villain, who needs to be restrained from doing anything at all to contain him, was moving freely among them for so long and up until a close time. How come no one heard of him before Kamino's incident?

" Then why are you starting up again this time?" The question came from Yaoyorozu.

Mandalay told them that for the second half of the year, they were ranked 411 on the Japanese hero billboard chart. " Quite low." And Whisper got his head squeezed this time.

" No, it's the other way around. They were inactive for half a year. They shouldn't even be that high in the chart," Yuu muttered.

"Eh? Really?" Sora tilted her head. " Then why?"

" The approval rating." He looked at Pixiebob.

" There are people waiting for us." The blonde woman had a soft smile on her.

I see. That's why they're going back then. Sora looked at the four pro heroes before her with sparkling eyes. These guys are awesome! That's what a hero is like!

 Speaking of the billboard chart..." Yuu murmured, his eyes falling on Todoroki and the boy seemed off in his thoughts.

" Without All Might, Endeavor is sure to be number one this time." Yuu nodded his head as Sora whispered. " I wonder how Todoroki is feeling right now?"...

________________

" Have you heard it? What happened at the announcement of the Billboard chat results." Sero asked as he sat on the armset of the sofa next to Sora.

" I know, what Hawks said." Sora pointed.

" I wonder if he wasn't satisfied with Endeavor taking the position of the number one hero." Asui had one finger propped against her jaw.

" I hardly doubt so." Yuu turned from the TV and was facing them. " What he said was true though. If the number one comes fourth when considering the approval rating ranks..."

" All Might always was on the top even when coming to approval rating." Midoriya joined in.

" True. People put so much trust in him. But, even though he is number one now, it seems not all people are thinking highly of Endeavor." Yuu took a breath. " The symbol of peace isn't just built on strength and skills after all."

" I have to agree." They looked back as Todoroki strolled over to them. " And I can't blame people for not liking my father very much."

" Todoroki-san..."

" I know that heroes aren't just supposed to save people physically. Unless they could bring peace to their minds and souls as well... unless you capture their hearts, it will be meaningless."

There was a heavy silence cast upon them. But it was punctured by the TV. " We cut the following program to bring to you this breaking news. Directly from the heart of Kyushu District, the number one hero, Endeavor, is currently engaging what appears to be a mutant villain, Nomu."

" Nomu!"

The screen cut to a shaky video of the battle scene. Everyone couldn't by any means mistake the black creature sparing with Endeavor.

" No, this one is even different from the ones we fought before..." Midoriya couldn't help but sweat as the Nomu showcased his superiority when it came to power and speed. " It's even stronger." As if it wasn't enough proof that he overpowered Endeavor, he broke a skyscraper to two with a fling of his arm.

" What's this monstrous strength..." Whisper shivered.

Hawks joined the fight and tried to corner him as Endeavor unleashed multiple lashes. They converged on the Nomu and the damaged building behind it. The pro hero decimated it to smithereens. However, Sora could see that the Nomu was still alive. You're kidding me... Her heart throbbed hard against her ribs. Those things... what are they exactly made of... It was even more disturbing when he spat more Nomu out.

There is no way out of this! Yuu could hardly think of any plan that could work in that situation. It was just as Endeavor released a strong glow, he was burning brighter and brighter till it was hard for them to follow anymore.

The villain continued to reform, rushing at the hero who threw him back with a burst of flames the camera shook even further and it was hard to tell what happened next. All they knew was that Endeavor was impaled, it seemed the Nomu went for his left eye.

Everyone lost their voices, everything was horribly quiet. And Todoroki froze rooted in one spot, eyes glued to the screen horrorstruck. Endeavor, his father fell down.

" He is-" Yuu made sure to squeeze Whisper's head, preventing him from blurting anything. His eyes flicked between the screen and Todoroki for the boy was yet silent and motionless he could have passed for a statue.

Endeavor then burned again, going for the attack and getting flung at a building. The helicopter's cameras were focused on him as he fought to stand, face covered in blood.

" There's no Symbol..." The camera now focused on the running civilians trying to escape. " That's what it means to have no Symbol..."

" You've got to be kidding me..." Todoroki seemed to regain his voice again.

" Everyone's panicking! This is bad." Tokoyami mumbled.

" Even though, the number one hero is there..." Whisper couldn't believe his eyes. They should feel safe, they should know that Endeavor wouldn't let them down. That was the way with All Might.

Aizawa came rushing into the dorm just as someone on the other side of the camera shouted. " Don't just say whatever you want! What are you looking at to come up with that, TV?!" There, elbowing his way through the mass of people was a pinkette boy, two friends clinging to him as though trying to prevent him from starting a squabble. "Look at that! The flames are still burning, see? You can see that, can't you?" It was then that the camera shifted position, showing a blazing fire in the distance. "Endeavor's still alive and fighting! Stop letting something that isn't there get you down! Right now, who's the man... risking his life for our sake? Look!"

Another helicopter camera captured Endeavor chasing the Nomu through the sky, evading a wave of whips conjured by the villain.

Endeavor was burning yet brighter, closing on the creature. They propelled through the sky, a trailing of light left behind them as they rushed at a neck-breaking speed. Hawks stepped in to distract the Nomu just as Endeavor was gathering more firepower.

With Hawks' feathers, Endeavor's speed was boosted as he went for a finishing blow, but the beast fended against it and pushed against the hero. There was a strong blast of wind and all they could see was the bright light of Endeavor.

" Old man... I'm watching..." Yuu and Sora were the only ones who heard Todoroki's choked whisper. " I'm watching!" And it grew to a cry as if the boy was hoping it could reach his father.

Endeavor and the Nomu rose skyward, far, far between the clouds where no camera could glimpse them. Until they were nothing but a twinkling star in the twilight.

" Todoroki-san..." Yuu mumbled, eyes fixed on the screen. " The Symbol of peace isn't just built on strength or skills... yet..." The faraway star was glowing brighter than any around it. " ... Those save lives." And then it was as if a second sun had appeared out of nowhere. Everyone stood up to their feet, holding their breath while waiting for the smoke to clear up, waiting for the slightest sign of Endeavor surviving that enormous fire blast.

And so they both, hero and villain, were falling in a ball of fire and hit the ground. And they watched as the flame hero stood up, right fist held above his head. They breathed out in relief. They ran over to their friend just as he squatted down, pale as though breath was squeezed out of him within those minutes. Even though you said all that... Yuu smiled gently down at the boy. You were the most restless of all of us. " Endeavor, your father, was amazing, Todoroki-san..."...