35

 Notes:

I know it may be a bit late, but I'm gonna say it anyway. I hope that everyone had a happy holiday season!!! Hopefully, you all had a small reprieve from the stresses of your lives and finally found some time to relax and cool down. On a similar note, I wish you all a Happy New Years! May everybody's next year be a great one!

P.S. This chapter was originally going to be a holiday special that involved a knockoff Winter and Crimson duo (just some Worm characters for those of you aren't in the know) wrecking some havoc. But alas, it isn't; it's just a regular, plain old update.

Oh well, there's always Valentine's Day. I do have an idea for when we get there, and it'd actually fit in with the plot instead of being a random one shot thingamajig. So there's that.

Well, that's enough rambling. Onwards, to the chapter!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"I highly wish for you to reconsider, ma'am," came Nezu's voice. "I assure you that things at U.A. are changing for the better."

"And I already said, the answer is no!" exclaimed Inko. "My son has been hurt too many times since he started attending U.A.! He could have died this time, with all this kidnapping business!"

"Miss Midoriya," All Might began rather quietly, "I understand that what happened must have been terrifying. And I truly apologize for Izuku's abduction. I still feel somewhat responsible for the event, despite your son's assurances that I'm not at fault."

Izuku frowned from where he laid on the hospital bed. Despite all that had happened, All Might was still burdening himself about things that weren't his fault. Even still, Izuku still felt comforted by his words, even if they didn't do much in easing his worries. After all, there was a chance that he no longer would be attending U.A. All Might's pleas just might sway his mom over to their side.

Nezu took a sip of his tea before speaking up again. "It's true that what happened to Izuku was a mistake on our part. And as All Might does, I too take my own part in holding responsibility over your son's unfortunate meeting with the League of Villains. However, that is exactly what the dorms system aims to circumvent. Izuku's safety is our number one concern alongside his education."

Inko sighed, a slight sniffle in her voice. She then turned towards her son. "I know that you want to keep going to U.A., Izuku. But I'm sorry. It's just… you were taken by villains! I could have lost you."

Izuku didn't respond, instead lowering his eyes to his lap.

Inko turned back towards All Might and Nezu. "With the state the U.A. is in, I simply can't trust the school with my son's safety. He's had a target painted on his back ever since he started attending!"

Tears were starting to drip from her eyes, her voice growing more hoarse and broken as she continued. "This isn't about him being a hero. It's about him attending a school that is constantly being attacked by villains and can't prevent students' injuries!" 

She took a pause, taking a breath. "I don't want to ruin Izuku's dreams, but there are plenty of other hero schools that he could attend, you know? I'd feel much more comfortable with that."

"You drive a hard argument, ma'am," Nezu admitted. "But there's something that I'd like to point out that doesn't apply to the other students." Nezu took another sip of tea before continuing. "I can for sure guarantee your son's safety from this point on. I know a couple people in high places who already have their eye on him, mine included."

"I like your son's tenacity, as well as his keen eye and calculating mind. It's simply a delight to talk to him. Who knows," Nezu spread his arms out wide, "he just might make a fine successor for my position one day. I'd still like to see that happen, or at least give him that choice. All I need is some time with him, and he'll come out smarter and less foolhardy than before."

That gave Inko a moment of pause. But before she could respond, the situation became even more unbelievable when All Might transformed into his hero form, only to plant himself down on his knees. 

"I truly believe that Izuku would make an amazing hero in the future!" All Might proudly acknowledged. "His pure willpower and sheer tenacity are inspiring! His spirit has me wishing to personally cultivating him myself, evenku thrive," All Might continued, much quieter than before. In a puff of smoke, he reverted back into his scrawny form.

"I understand your worries, Miss Midoriya. And it is completely reasonable for you to have doubts in U.A. and the staff at the moment, I know that. But please don't focus on the now, but on U.A. and its plans in moving forward! Please allow me to continue mentoring Izuku. I want to help guide him along on his own path. And I promise, I will protect him to my utmost ability." 

Inko stood there dumbfounded at the utter devotion All Might had shown in caring for her son. Somehow, Izuku has gained so much praise from his idol, the man he had looked up to ever since he was a little kid. It took her a few moments, taking in all the support he Izuku had just received from his own principal and All Might as well. She sighed.

"Fine…" she spoke with a fire in her eyes. "But you two better make sure that nothing happens to Izuku. Because if something does, I promise that you'll regret it."

Izuku sighed, finally finding it in himself to relax. "At least All Might didn't have to meet us at home."

"Why?' Inko asked. "Is it because of your room? I'm sure that he would have been delighted to see the balance between your bugs and All Might memorabilia that you've amassed over the years."

"Mom!" whined Izuku.

"What?" she teased. "It's not like he's still here. He left ten minutes ago." It was true, All Might wasn't listening in like some sort of super spy. Izuku had checked with his bugs.

"You know," Inko began, "I'll always support you. But... that doesn't mean that I don't worry about you, you know?" A smile appeared on her face.

"When you finally got your quirk, you were just so happy! Your whole rhythm changed; you were more motivated than you were before. It just… it just made me so happy, finally seeing you looking forward to something again. I promised that I'd see through for you accomplishing your dreams, from that point on."

"But looking at your injuries, watching how far you'd go to reach your goal during the sports festival, and now this… I'm just scared you know?" She went in to hug him. "Promise me… Promise me you'll be careful?"

"Of course mom." He accepted the hug. "And… thank you. For letting me continue at U.A. You don't know how much it means to me."

"Of course, honey. I just want you to be happy. And, if you think you can make it, then go ahead. Become a hero."

"Thanks mom." Izuku sniffled.

The two stayed there for a minute, simply enjoying each other's embrace. "Oh!" Inko suddenly exclaimed, breaking the hug. "I almost forgot! You got a letter!"

Izuku blinked. "I did?"

"Mhm. It came in the mail the other day. Here, let me go get it." She reached into her bag, retrieving a green envelope and handing it to Izuku. "Here. Someone named Kota sent it."

"Kota?" Izuku spoke, surprised. He observed the letter in his hands. On its surface lay a somewhat messy scrawl that read: To Mr. Midoriya-kun. From: Kota Izumi.

"Huh."

"Well, who is it?" Inko asked.

"It's from a boy from the camp my class went to," Izuku responded. "I helped him escape from a villain."

"Oh! It must be some sort of thank you letter then! Go along, open it. I won't peak if you don't want me to."

Izuku did as she said, opening the letter and divulging into its contents.

To Mr. Midoriya-kun. I'm sorry that I hit you in the junk. Thank you for saving me and talking to me even though you barely know me. Get well soon, so i can say thank you and stuff. - Kota

Izuku smiled at the brief message. However, something else caught his attention. Just on the other side of the paper was another message, written in a much more refined and legible handwriting. He immediately read on. 

P.S. Hello Midoriya, this is Mandalay. I'd like to start things off by saying that I hope you get well soon. We heard that you were rescued the same night as Ragdoll, and I'm relieved to say you were. I apologize in lieu of my team, for not being able to protect you.

On a different note, I hope you don't mind me asking you something: what exactly happened to Kota during his encounter with Muscular? I assume that you had him within your range, considering all your bugs, so I'd like to know if anything was done to him. As is, he's exhibiting some… features he didn't have before. His quirk, the one he inherited from his parents, that is… well, it's gone now. He can't summon any water anymore, no matter how hard he tries. It used to come out as a small trickle, but he simply can't now.

However, we've found that Kota can suddenly control small animals. Whether it's squirrels, rabbits, or even the few invasive badgers that we have in the area, they follow him around. It's eerily similar to your own quirk, even. 

The only difference we've found is that the animals become smarter when more people are around, strangely enough. Now, I'm not too worried about the implications, since Kota seems fine at the moment of writing this. It's been a couple days after the incident, and he doesn;t show any signs of injury. However, I'd just like to know if something caused this change. Did Muscular inject some sort of serum into him? Or perhaps a special mixture of the gas that was spread across the forest? Of course, I'm not expecting you to have any answers since this is all the villains' fault, but anything you can think of would be useful. Thanks again, Mandalay.

Izuku took a minute or two pondering over the postscript. In all honesty, he'd completely forgotten about the strange occurrence with the animals back when he was still at camp. He had the League to worry about, after all.

But now that he had some time to think, he knew for certain that the animals had something to do with those visions. And that experience had while he was at Muscular's mercy… it was almost the same as his own vision, all those years ago. Minus the presence of that weird man, anyways. And all those scenarios were completely unlike that starlit void.

You wouldn't have any knowledge of this, do you, QA?

…

Izuku sighed. Even more mysteries and secrets. Just what he needed.

"Well," he muttered, "at least I'll have something to think over until I get out of here."

The Heights Alliance was rather impressive for a place that was built at such a short notice. The collection of buildings acted as dormitories, each specifically tailored for each class of U.A. Inside and out, the buildings were filled with complete furnishings and facilities that guaranteed complete autonomy if needed.

Izuku was in the common room of his class's own building, where he sat calm and motionless on the couch with his eyes closed. It was a fairly tranquil and carefree scene, a complete opposite from the previous dread that everyone had from the earlier threats of expulsion from Aizawa. 

However, if anything, Izuku was even more grateful for the rescue operation that his friends had staged, given the potential consequences that could have befallen them for their actions.

As for the present, Izuku's unmoving position on the couch wasn't just for show. He was currently in the process of readjusting himself; ensuring his familiarity of his surroundings through the extensive use of his bugs. 

The little minions darted in and out of every nook and cranny of the building and the surrounding area in order to paint a general picture of the place. In the sky and below ground ground, no space remained unexplored.

His current findings painted the other dorms that he could reach within his range with the exact layout of the others. The entire design and build of each were the same, the only difference being the inhabitants within. 

In fact, the only thing out of place was the oddly random metal box hidden underground. Wires and such extended from the cube, branching out to different parts of the campus. The wires were covered in stone and metal, completely defended from the threat of bugs. The peculiarity had been found by some of his more subterranean-focused bugs, and was currently bugging Izuku as his mind searched for the use of such a thing.

"That's still kinda creepy, Midoriya," Sero muttered. "You do know that, right?"

Izuku opened one of his eyes. "Hmm?" 

"It is just him basking in his own tranquility. A short reprieve from the givens of life," Tokoyami said. "Everyone has their own practices."

"Even so, it's pretty weird, him sitting so still and all," Ojiro added. "You barely look like you're breathing, Midoriya."

"Well, no matter what it looks like, you all will have to get used to it," Iida interjected. "We're all living together now, after all! We must get used to each others' oddities."

"Eh, I suppose that's true," Kaminiari said. "Guess I'll just have to accommodate myself to seeing bugs everyday, then."

"You aren't going to go spying on all of us with your bugs, are you?" Mineta asked, eyes in a mad frenzy. "Because if that's the case, I want in!"

"Mineta!" Iida chastised.

Izuku ignored the sudden explosion of a verbal war. He had sensed the oncoming group of girls approaching, and relented his hold over the bugs on the outside. He'd have to look more deeply into the metal box later. He wasn't exactly too keen on Ashido's idea, after all, if what he had heard was true. And he needed to prepare his room if what she had in mind came to pass.

"You boys all finished up with your rooms?" chirped Ashido.

"Yeah! We're just relaxing," Kaminari exclaimed.

"Yeah, seems just like it, with all the shouting," Jiro quipped.

"My apologies," Iida announced. "I was merely having a word with Mineta about what is appropriate and what isn't in living accommodations such as these."

"Anyways," Ashido interrupted somewhat uneased," we've been thinking, and we've got an idea! Why don't we have a peek into each other's rooms?!"

They started off with Tokoyami's room first. The boy was hesitant, blocking his door with his body. It took Ashido and Hagakure pushing him out of the way before he relented, giving the class a glimpse into his dark and gothic room.

Next was Aoyama, who was all too eager to showcase his own room. The shiny, twinkly room represented the boy quite well, considering his obsession with twinkling in the first place. The class, however, was unimpressed.

And after Aoyama, came Izuku.

"I suppose that I'll show you all," Izuku sighed. He opened the door with little fanfare, giving his classmates their first glimpse into his room.

"Wow," breathed Kaminari. "It's full of bugs… and All Might."

Kaminari's observation was an apt description of the room. No space was left uncovered by Izuku, being filled up with something related to bugs or the Symbol of Peace.

Around the room were various terrariums and jars, each filled with their own type of bug. Whether it was the extensive termite enclosure complete with a mound in the corner of the room, the various spider-filled jars, or the water-filled tank that housed giant water bugs, there was plenty for the class to take in. 

As for theAll Might figures and posters, they were strewn atop cabinets and over his bed, some even finding their way in certain terrariums. It overall created an odd mix of All Might and bugs that only spoke "Izuku" to those who would understand.

As everybody began to explore, Izuku felt Rikais XV and XXI crawl up his leg in greetings. He responded back in kind with a small thought of appreciation. It was then that Izuku noticed Iida approaching him, his focus on the box at the foot of Izuku's bed.

"Are you not done packing yet, Midoriya? I don't recommend slacking off in that department. It's best that you unpack now, lest that box stay there for the rest of the semester."

"Also, I'd normally advise against having such cramped quarters filled with so many bugs, but considering your quirk, I suppose it's fine. But in that case, it doesn't seem like you have much space left, when looking at all these bugs."

Izuku let out a small laugh. "You got me, Iida. My bug collection sort of got to me. But I just couldn't refuse the rhinoceros beetles!" he gestured towards the box. "I've been waiting for them for so long, that I had to take them. Even if I lacked the space."

"Rhinoceros beetles?" Kaminari asked. "Aren't those guys pretty big? Can I see?"

"Oh, sure!" Izuku said merrily, opening the box. The action revealed the box to be full of soil, with the said beetles laying atop the dirt.

Kaminari peered in with a confused look. "Those are worms. Bloated worms." Some of the others agreed, others showing some disgust at the sight.

"They aren't actually," Yaoyorozu said. "Those are simply rhinoceros beetles in their larval stage."

"You're kidding." Kaminari looked on in disbelief.

"No, she's right," Izuku said. "I actually have a couple beetles hidden in the dirt that are further along their metamorphosis and actually look like beetles, but they like staying in the dark. So I won't disturb them."

Yaoyorozu hummed in response. "Midoriya, can I ask a question?"

"Sure."

"Alright. You see, I recognize most of the arthropods here. For example, I see that you have some giant centipedes, which are native here in the islands of Japan. However, I'm certain that wetas this large," she gestured to the tank in front of her, "are from New Zealand. And I'm fairly sure that these," she pointed to the tank on her right, " are Longhorned Beetles. Which are native to China."

"You're right," Izuku admitted. "I actually got them from Melissa back on I-Island. The same with the rhinoceros beetles. They had this whole arthropod research center, and she let word in to the researchers that I was interested in keeping some of them. They were kind of uncertain at first, since introducing foreign insects could be pretty bad."

"But then again, Japan has had plenty of instances where an invasive species turned out to be pretty harmless in the end. Plus, we have people with quirks that could solve the problem if any of the bugs got out. So, they eventually let me pick a few bugs from their labs. And well, here they are now."

"I see," muttered Yaoyorozu. "And you let them roam free in you room?"

Yaoyorozu's statement caught a few of the class off guard, and it was only then that they noticed that the various tanks and jars had openings big enough for the bugs to escape.

"Yeah!" Izuku exclaimed with nonchalance. "They don't like being all cramped up in their own enclosures all the time, you know. Some of them like to stay where they are, like the termites. But some others like the Darwin Bark Spiders roam around from time to time."

"Darwin Bark!?" Kaminari exclaimed. "Where? Where?!"

"Is that why I've been here this faint clicking noise in your closet?" Hagakure asked, looking warily at said closet.

"Oh no, that's just Spurt," Izuku informed. "He's harmless, I promise."

Hagakure seemed satisfied with the answer. However, that didn't stop her from screaming when she open the closet door and looked inside. "What is that!"

"Spurt's a coconut crab," Izuku informed. Spurt gave off a small wave in greeting upon hearing Izuku introduce him. Izuku walked over and petted Spurt in response. "His kind usually grows this big."

"He's just as big as the principal," Jiro muttered.

"Yeah, pretty common for them. I promise."

Ashido looked at Spurt in awe and confusion. "And you have a crab because…" 

"Because. I just like him. He's nice to have around."

The class went back to exploring all the intricacies and wonders of his room, assured that they wouldn't get attacked by any of the bugs with Izuku in the room. Some were still a bit weary, though that was mostly due to the sight of all the bugs rather than the threat of them.

Of course, that was when QA finally spoke again.

"You have some pretty nice friends, Izuku."

What the— Hey! What's with you all disappearing and stuff? I have questions, you know.

"I know. And I am sorry for not answering them all. But I already said—"

Yeah, yeah. Some things are best left unsaid. He sighed.

"Hey, I'll tell you eventually… Maybe. When the time's right." She paused. "Your power is developing in interesting ways, you know."

Izuku furrowed his eyebrows. What do you mean?

QA let out a small laugh. "You haven't noticed, have you? With Spurt or the house centipedes? Heh, no matter. I'm sure you'll get it in time." 

Right. I'm sure I will.

"Oh, one last thing. I'm sorry in advance. But you sorta have to live with it. The price of sharing your head with otherworldly beings, you know. I recommend checking in on that metal box you found. It'll help. There's an exhaust vent on the far side of your range. That's where the entrance is."

Before he could question it, Izuku already got that sinking feeling that he knew what QA was talking about. And after a few moments, his hunch was right on the dot. He felt that urge again.

"Your little run-in with the League doesn't seem to be satisfactory enough, somehow. Probably has to do with your hospitalization and actual lack of fighting. But thankfully, I've managed to shift the urge back onto the usage of your power instead of physical fighting, so there will be less danger to your actual self this time around."

Do I really have to?

"It's best that you live with it, Izuku. I don't like it either, but there's nothing I can do about it. Besides, you're going to be a real hero someday, with a license and all that. Your urges will be fulfilled daily by that point. Just try to live with it until then, yeah?"

Wow. Thanks.

"Of course!" QA's voice rang with false cheer and a tinge of smugness. "Goddamnit! I did it again! I'm telling you, you spent too much time siphoning off of that Negotiator sh—"

And then she was silent yet again. Izuku sighed. "I guess I'll have to scheme my way out of the security, then."

"What was that, Izuku?"

Izuku's head shot up. "Oh! Nothing, nothing. Just talking to myself, as per usual."

Notes:

Sorry about this one's tardiness. I had a lot going on this week. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! And remember, and questions or criticisms you guys have, simply go to the comments!

Until next time then!