It has been a week since the trip to the USJ. Since then, Izuku has been training hard with his forms to try to keep up. Whilst his forms cannot grow through training, that doesn't mean he doesn't need to practice to get used to each of their unique abilities. "Ok…" He took a deep breath. "One more time, from the top." He brought the dial forth, selected the DNA, then pushed it down.
The green glow that followed and enveloped him vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by Wolfcry's larger frame. "Releasing training drones." The Omnitrix warned him as several mechanised units came out and surged around him. However, Wolfcry was more than capable of dealing with them.
He either slashed them or used his sonic howl to blow them away. After less than 10 minutes, he was done with them. The Omnitrix beeped red, a warning that he was turning back, and in a red flash, he was back to normal. "I wonder how long I've been here already," Izuku asked himself as he rechecked the Omnitrix, then reached for his shoulder, scratching it.
The Omnitrix switched to normal watch mode, briefly showing him the time. He sighed, then looked outside, seeing it was already evening. Truth be told, he has been doing this a lot lately. Training until night. For the last week, in fact. His defeat at the USJ was, honestly, a fair one. They used their heads and effectively defeated him in one of his most dangerous forms. But that made him feel like he could do better!
Surely, if he trained hard enough, he could unlock some kind of new ability with his aliens, right? Who was he kidding?
"I am gaslighting myself." He said to himself, seeing the cleaning drones arrive to clean the mess he had caused. He reached for his shoulder again, scratching it again. His shoulders have been a bit itchy lately, too.
Mirko hasn't been around much lately, either. She has been busy with her hero work, leaving him to deal with things himself. He has essentially racked his brain for every possible move he can do with every form-analysed their powers from every detail given by the Omnitrix, and already learned a few tricks, but he just felt like there was more.
"Eep!-" A yelp snapped him out of his thoughts, making him put his guard up and ready the Omnitrix in case he was about to get jumped.
"Whose there?" From his knowledge, no one used this place for training at this hour. For anyone to come here this late was highly unusual. He turned the dial slightly, selecting Diamond Soldier in case he had to fight.
"E-easy there, H-HAP guy!" The person who came out was none other than Mina Ashido, one of the 1-A students.
"Mina Ashido," Izuku said softly, letting his guard down.
"Just call me Mina, please." She said, approaching him nervously. "So, training hard late into the night?"
"I need to keep myself in practice with each of my forms, so." He shrugged. "I have to work hard."
"Any signs of growth? Like, can you fire guy shoot concentrated lasers of fire?" Mina asked.
"N-no, Fire Hazard can't- W-wait a minute! What are you doing here at this hour?" Izuku asked, flipping the script on her.
"Who? Me? Well, nothing much, really, just out for an evening stroll." She replied, but Izuku knew she wasn't saying the exact truth.
"Mina…" He brought up the Omnitrix.
"Ok, ok! Just no creepy ghost guy! Jeez." She whined, not keen on being threatened with possession."I wasn't lying completely, you know? I was enjoying an evening stroll through campus when I saw bright flashes outside and decided to check it out. Imagine my surprise when I see a big bad wolf!"
"Wolfcry," Izuku said, realising she was speaking about Wolfcry. "Sorry if I am a bit paranoid."
"No, no! I understand! Especially, well…You know." She said slowly. "The whole Aldera deal?"
"I am over it." He claimed, scratching his shoulder again, this time rougher. "I want to leave things in the past and enjoy UA. So far, things have been nothing short of great since I came here."
"Apart from your application getting suspended?" She guessed.
"Apart from that, yeah." He replied. "But, from what Mirko told me, since 1-A has space now, and with the Sports Festival coming up, I might just be able to earn myself a place in UA after all."
"Why would you want to give up having Mirko as your mentor, though?" Mina asked, feeling a bit confused about his decision. "I mean, you have way more free time than we do. You can study at your pace and train at your pace, without schedules and teachers breathing down your neck."
"True, but for HAP proteges it is apparently harder to get a license," Izuku replied. "I can still take the exam like any other applicant, but from what Mirko told me, I'd be limited to working for her agency. Even now, with the Festival coming up, due to my position, I need her permission to go to other agencies."
"I see! But doesn't she let you go to other agencies?" She asked.
"Mirko is…She likes my Quirk a lot." Izuku replied, trying not to make it sound awkward.
"You do have a stupidly powerful Quirk. I can see why she'd want you all to herself." Mina replied, putting things into perspective. She then noticed him scratch his shoulders again. "Are you alright? You've been scratching your shoulders quite a bit."
"I am good, it's just…Gah!" He said, reaching below his shirt to scratch his itchy shoulders. "This itch doesn't want to let up easily!"
"I think I have a cream for stuff like this!" Mina perked up. "Can you accompany me to our house?"
"I don't think I am allowed." He replied awkwardly.
"Then just to the intersection. I will bring the cream to you!" She added.
"Yeah, that works." He replied.
"Awesome! Let's go, then! Before Erasurehead starts haunting the campus." Mina led Izuku out of the training gym and toward the housing district. However, as Izuku kept scratching his shoulders, he failed to note another symptom. His temperature was increasing.
"Here!" Mina kept her word and came back to him with a tube of cream.
"Why do you have prescription cream for itchy skin?" Izuku asked, feeling curious. In the dim light, it was not possible to tell, but he was getting quite red.
"My Quirk used to cause me bad rashes all over," Mina admitted. "And I mean ALL OVER! It sucked so much. Eventually, my body got used to it, but I still keep a tube around in case of anything."
"Thanks," Izuku said, then lowered his shirt to apply it to his shoulder. However, upon doing it, he noticed something worrying. He hissed as he tried to touch his shoulder now, finding it extremely sensitive.
"Something the matter, Midoriya- Oh my Gosh, you're all red!" Mina remarked, then touched his forehead. "And you are burning!"
"But I am feeling just fine!" Izuku argued. "It's just my stupid shoulders giving me grief."
"Come here, under the street lamp." Mina urged him to her, then, as he stepped forward, she saw the full extent of his perceived fever. "You look like a walking piece of cotton candy!"
"Surely, you jest!" He argued again, but then something happened. He flinched, then looked at his right shoulder, seeing a nasty, yellow-tipped pocket of pus forming. And it was forming fast. "That isn't normal, is it?"
"Not at all," Mina replied, horrified by the sight before her. "We need to get Recovery Girl!"
"Negative." The Omnitrix spoke, echoing in Izuku's mind. "Initiating Transformation Sequence." Suddenly, Izuku's Omnitrix activated, and Mina noticed.
"Hey, why is your Quirk-" Then the dial went down by itself, turning Izuku into Fire Hazard. "Midoriya?" She asked, worried about what she was seeing.
"Ugh…" He took several steps back, holding his shoulders. Somehow, they were way worse now. He felt a pressure coming from them, and it hurt. It hurt a lot.
"Take distance at once from this area." The Omnitrix warned. "Pyronite Eruptive Cycle inbound."
"Midoriya?" Mina tried to get close, but the alien's fiery body kept her away. Then, before she had a chance to call out to him again, he took off, flying off campus. "He can fly like that?!" She gasped, shocked at the sight she had just witnessed. Looking down at the ground, she saw her tube of cream and picked it up. "Just what was that?"
Izuku didn't land, but crashed far into the woods on UA's campus. "My shoulders…What is going on?!"
"The Pyronite sample has fully synced with your current age and has begun its Eruptive Cycle. When pyronites reach maturity, their bodies experience a change due to an increase in gas in their core. You are erupting."
"Are you saying I am about to blow up?!" He gasped, then tried to turn back, slamming the dial on his chest. "Why isn't it working?"
"Until the cycle is done, you have been locked into pyronite form."
"And when will I know it is- Ohhhh. Something is happening! I can feel it!" He exclaimed as his body began to heat more, the grass around him catching fire. He held his shoulders as the rock began to crack and melt. "At least…No one will see this…Right?"
"Actually…"
"Oh no…"
"What a pleasant evening," Nezu said as he was sipping some tea, watching the forest area of UA. "Hmm? What is that glow?" Suddenly, a large explosion that sent fire all over the woods took place, making Nezu drop his tray of tea in the process. "My tea! What is-"
"Relax!" Paradox showed up to calm him down. "It's just Izuku going through alien puberty."
"Excuse me?" Nezu turned back to look at him.
"Right. I guess the sight still demands investigation. Well, you know what to do."
Izuku took laboured breaths, feeling…Honestly, he was feeling like he had just taken a huge dump, and then some! Like a huge pressure was released from deep inside him. "Phew! That feels so much better! And my shoulders no longer-OH MY GOD?!" However, looking around himself, he noticed he was in the heart of an actual forest fire.
"Shit, shit, shit! Ok, calm down, and start taking it back in." He inhaled deeply, and sure enough, the fire all around him began being absorbed back into his body, slowly putting it out all around the forest. It didn't take him long to put out all of the fire around him. "There…All safe." He looked at his shoulders, seeing them…Changed. "Whoa."
His shoulders now looked like open craters or something. The fire around his head was larger, and the fire coming out of his shoulders seemed to come from within his body. It was quite the sight. "Do all my forms have this kind of cycle?"
"Negative. Additionally, most have been patched, meaning you won't experience them."
"And how come this one happened?" He asked.
"System error."
"Are you fucking-"
"Midoriya!" The angry voice of Erasurehead cut through the night as he, along with Nezu and Paradox, showed up.
"Professor Erasurehead!" Izuku panicked, slamming his dial and turning back. "I am so sorry, Sir, my Quirk acted up and-"
"Cut the crap. You went through alien puberty."
"What?"
"Professor Erasurehead was brought into the know-how some time ago, Midoriya. Forgive us for not informing you." Nezu explained. "Still, this is quite the incident. Look at this place!" The Dean of UA said, gesturing around them. "The closest trees have been downright turned to charcoal! Our landscaper will throw a fit when he sees this level of fire-based destruction!"
"I'm so sorry, Sir! I couldn't control it!" Izuku apologised again, bowing his head down.
"There is nothing for you to apologise for, Izuku!" Paradox pointed out. "Good thing you came here, away from the houses! Otherwise, we'd be dealing with a lot more trouble than just some burnt trees."
"Professor Paradox! Oh no…"
"Now, now, there is no need to worry yourself, Izuku. I am not here to take the Omnitrix away, if that is what you were afraid of. I am just here to make sure you are alright." The man replied, easing Izuku's worries.
"I am fine now, but…One of the 1-A girls saw me when I was having symptoms."
"Who?" Aizawa asked sharply.
"Mina Ashido," Izuku replied.
"Well, we can explain this as an allergic reaction that badly interacts with your Quirk. Those things happen." Nezu said. "Though I do need to ask if there is any chance of this happening again."
"None, Sir," Izuku replied. "The Omnitrix stated that this happened simply due to a system error."
"An error?" Paradox echoed, looking a bit worried. "Well, I am sure it was something minor. Now, run along, Izuku! I assume Dean Nezu here will need to write a check for the landscaper to fix this mess tomorrow as is."
"R-right! I apologise for the trouble." He left the area, hurrying a bit.
"I take it there shouldn't have been any errors?" Nezu said, having noticed Paradox's reaction when Izuku told him about the error.
"No, none. And this confirms a fear I've had." Paradox began. "Even the brightest minds of our universe pale compared to the mind wielded by Azmuth."
"Then this can happen again." Aizawa pointed out. "Not this specific event, but a similar one. Another system error in the Omnitrix."
"The only way I see to ensure it won't is to have Azmuth take a look at Izuku's Omnitrix," Paradox said, but he didn't seem too keen on that angle. "I will see what can be done. In the meantime, please keep a close eye on Midoriya in case anything else happens!"
"What's the worst that can happen?" Erasurehead asked.
"He can lay eggs!" Paradox said, instantly silencing the man.
"I swear, this kid is gonna be a ton of trouble." Aizawa sighed.
The next day, Mirko was back, and they resumed training. Granted, no matter how much he pushed himself, Izuku knew he could never grow his aliens. They were not Quirks. He had to constantly remind himself of that detail to keep himself from forgetting. After training was concluded, however, Mirko had something to talk to him about.
"You know, the UA Sports Festival is coming up," Mirko mentioned to him.
"Isn't that usually held at the start of summer? Pretty sure there is at least one full month left until then." Izuku pointed out.
"I know, but I thought you could use a reminder. As it stands, 1A is down 2 students from their starting amount. I heard they plan to bring someone to replace one of them, but one spot is still open. You could take it."
"And leave the HAP program?" Izuku gasped slightly. "D-Did I do something to offend you, Mirko?"
"What? Fuck no!" She replied. "You are a great protege! But, I don't know, I just feel like you could do with a more professional guiding hand."
"Wait, you mean to say you doubt you are fit to be my mentor?" Izuku asked.
"I know for a fact I ain't some saint, kid. I might be in the top 10, but that is because I know how to kick ass. That is all I do well." She continued. "But you? You can run faster than a bullet and do ice, fire, and lightning! You can go through walls and survive underwater indefinitely, create earthquakes, and even heal the ones in need! Not to mention you can go nuclear! You have a lot more in terms of variety than most heroes - no, scratch that! No hero, not even All Might, could do half the stuff you do! And me? I am just a rabbit."
"But that is not true, Mirko! You are a great mentor!" Izuku tried to argue.
"Oh yeah? What kind of mentor drags you out in an actual villain fight? Had you been found out, you'd have been kicked outta the program." Mirko pointed out. "You did good work back then, but I feel like it is work you shouldn't have had to do yet. I had time to think."
"So…You are saying I should join 1A?" Izuku asked slowly.
"I'll still retain an official assistant teacher position, so it's not like we won't be seeing each other." Mirko pointed out. "Less free time, though, for you."
"What if I don't want to leave the HAP?" Izuku asked. "What if I refuse a spot in 1A?"
Mirko chuckled at his words. "You do have that option, alright. But truth be told, this entire thing was more or less a way for Nezu to keep you close and prevent other academies from potentially poaching you. Since your application has been unsuspended, you might not even need to wait for the Sport Festival. You could just march into Nezu's office and demand a transfer."
"And you went along with it. Why?" He asked slowly.
"Because you were insane!" Mirko said loudly. "Your Quirk is insane! Your forms are insane! Everything about everything you do is insane! I wanted to look at it closely. To witness your power first-hand! And I had! And you didn't disappoint. Especially when you had that fight against that Bakugou brat!"
"So, in the end, you were only interested in me because of my Quirk?" Izuku asked, trying to mask the hurt. In truth, the Omnitrix was not even his Quirk. He was Quirkless. And looking at Mirko now, hearing her say stuff like that, was making him think that perhaps he rushed his judgment.
And not just with Mirko.
Could it be that everyone around him was only treating him normally because they believed he had a powerful Quirk? If they knew, even if things cannot get as bad as Aldera, he still expected to be ignored and treated as invisible. He grabbed the Omnitrix tightly, feeling anxiety take over. In the end, power was all the world cared about, didn't it? Not even someone like Mirko was an exception.
"Huh?" Mirko didn't answer. Instead, she just looked at him. He was acting odd, but then she recalled something. Something that was mentioned in his file. "Oh! Wait, no, that is not what I meant, I-"
"I-it's alright!" It wasn't. "I think I will go now, Miss Usagayama, and maybe see with Nezu about that transfer and-"
"I didn't mean to sound like those Aldera fucks!" She shouted. "Christ! Just…I'm sorry." She added.
"There is nothing to apologize for, I-"
"No, there is!" She added again. "I read your file. I know all about Aldera. It says your Quirk came in late. Very late. You were labeled as Quirkless due to that, and seeing how Aldera was run, I don't expect you to have a good opinion on people who had their Quirks all their life."
"It's not even that…" He said softly. "It just seems like everyone only cares about me because I have a Quirk to begin with!" But he didn't.
"I…I know how that's like." Mirko said slowly.
"How?" He asked, confused. "You had yours from an early age, right? Yours is a Mutant-Type. There is no way to misdiagnose those, since physical proof is present since birth."
"It's not about having the Quirk, but what people thought about me because of my Quirk. I'm a rabbit!" She pointed out again, this time with a blush on her face. "And you know the saying…Rabbits fuck, a lot!"
"Oh! Wait, so…Huh?"
"Christ, you're- People didn't expect I'd become a hero!" She blurred out. "They expected I'd become a teen mom more than anything. Those like me, with animalistic Quirks, can be prone to experiencing heat periods. It's especially stigmatizing on women, since it makes us seem like sluts who'd spread 'em for any lucky sod on the street, so long as we sate the lust."
"I read about that!" Izuku's brain suddenly activated. "An article about the challenges of individuals with such Quirks!"
"I worked hard to prove everyone wrong and make them eat their words." She said, inhaling deeply. "But rabbits…go into heat at any time. I have to take daily meds to be on the safe side. Heat suppressants, birth control, and even a pheromon inhibitor."
"But, wouldn't you, you know…With your boyfriend…Help reduce the meds?" Izuku asked slowly.
"What boyfriend?"
"Oh! A fiancée!"
"No," Mirko replied, looking irritated.
"Hus-"
"I AM NOT MARRIED!" She shouted, frustration visible on her face. "Do you see a ring on me? I am single! I've been single since I finished high school!"
"How?!" Izuku asked.
"More like why. As I said, heat can flare at any time! A boyfriend was bound to either distract me or do something malicious, like replacing my meds with Mentos to get me pregnant. It happened to a friend of mine with a similar Quirk, and I was not about to take a risk!"
"But, you're here now, right? You are in the top 10!" Izuku argued.
"The stigma isn't gone, you know?" She replied. "There are still whispers and rumors, even magazines that might spin things outta control and paint me like the animal they think I am. You think being discriminated against as a Quirkless is the tip of the iceberg? It's just part of it. We've all been discriminated against, for one reason or another, all because of our Quirk."
"That is not the same, though," Izuku argued. "I was always treated as less. You were expected to be…Easy. Everyone around me was convinced I was nothing but a burden to society and to them. You had the option to work hard to prove everyone wrong. Until I got the Omnitrix, I was denied even that!"
"What the- Hold on!" Mirko put her hand up. "What do you mean by that? Omnitrix?"
"T-that's how I've taken to calling it," Izuku replied, realizing he slipped. "But my point still stands! Until I got my Quirk, everyone either avoided me or made it a mission to remind me daily about how useless I was! You cannot know how that is like. You at least had a Quirk. So do not try to build a bridge out of weak straws!"
Mirko flinched. "Fine. I admit, the comparison was weak. But my point also stands regarding how even we, people with Quirks, can be treated by those around us!"
"But never as bad as someone without a Quirk." He took a step backwards. "I need time to think."
"What? Hold on, we are not-" Blinding green light had her avert her gaze, only to see Accel there.
"Leave me be." Then he left, faster than Mirko could ever hope to be.
"Wait! GRRR! This guy is going to be the death of me!" She stomped on the ground, cracking it. "Nezu…Surely he knows how to better handle Midoriya!" She left, going to his office.
"I'm afraid the issue is out of my control, Rumi," Nezu said, addressing Mirko using her name directly. "It sounds like you unintentionally struck a very sensible subject within the young man, then failed to properly apologize."
"I did apologize!" She argued.
"Not how you should have." Nezu pointed out. "Look, I won't hold it against you. You tried, and from what you told me, even shared things about yourself in an attempt to create a bridge of understanding. But you severely underestimated how poorly Quirkless individuals are treated in our society."
"I thought…I do not know what I was thinking!" She admitted. "He just seemed so hurt."
"He is afraid of being treated like that again." Nezu pointed out. "Invisible. Useless. Like a burden."
"But he is not! He has all those cool powers - that kid is bound to become the next number 1 hero! No doubt about it!" She stated firmly.
"How he is now doesn't matter as much as what he used to be and the marks that time has left behind," Nezu added. "Give him time to calm himself, Mirko. He will be fine."
"He might be leaving the HAP. Honestly, I don't blame him. I was suggesting to him that he should impress you lot and join 1A come the festival." Mirko confessed. "I just don't think I am suited to be his mentor anymore."
"True, you were initially drawn in by his capabilities as well," Nezu added. "But ignoring everything related to his Quirk, what can you tell me about him from the time you spent together?"
"He is very polite," Mirko said, pointing out the one trait that stood out the most about Izuku. "Socially awkward, too, but given where he comes from, I doubt he had many friends. Or any. He is driven, though. He works hard."
"Good," Nezu said, nodding his head.
"He is also smart. I saw one of his notebooks once. He had a whole page dedicated to Kamui Woods, and there were some theories about his Quirk there that, quite frankly, were on point. I met the guy, and we talked. But for Izuku to figure so much out about his Quirk without asking the guy directly is…Impressive."
"And scary, in its own way," Nezu added. "He can easily figure out weaknesses, too!"
"But that is a good thing! With his abilities, he might choose more wisely what form to use in any given situation! That is something he needs to work on, as he has a limit on how long he can use his Quirk for!" Mirko added. "He is also physically fit."
"Trust me, Mirko, his current condition is a far cry from how he was a year or so ago," Nezu said. "I have a picture of him from public records. Here." He put the picture on the desk.
"What the-" Mirko grabbed it. "This can't be the same guy!"
"But it is." Nezu insisted.
"He…He really worked hard, huh?" She asked slowly, putting the photo down. "And then All Might rolled in and tried pissing on all his hard work."
"But we- You - Did not allow him to." Nezu pointed out again. "Thanks to you, Izuku got the chance to become part of UA. "
"Heh." Mirko chuckled. "Can't exactly call him funny, you know? He is so uptight. So stressed all the time. He needs to learn how to loosen up. How to relax and stop overthinking everything." Nezu nodded along. "I guess he is somewhat cute as well." Nezu stopped nodding. "His freckles are unique. Don't see a lot of those on people. And his green mop of hair is quite fluffy."
"Ummm. Mirko?"
"I know he doesn't have a girlfriend, and he might not get one soon due to his lack of confidence, but I know he will be a good man to whatever lucky girl-"
"Rumi!" Nezu raised his voice slightly. "Are you…Considering engaging in a relationship with him?"
She blushed. "What the fuck?! I didn't say that!"
"But you were certainly trailing off there to some non-relevant things!" Nezu pointed out. "As Dean, I need to inform you that you cannot engage with your protege in any form of relationship! It is professionally irresponsible and morally wrong."
"What the- I just told you I am not-"
"But, should he join 1A, leaving the HAP, I ought to tell you that teacher assistants are not expected nor required to abstain from relationships within the academy." Nezu pointed out, making her words die out. "Looks like I hit the nail on its head. When did he start looking cute to you, Rum-"
Suddenly, Nezu found his desk flipped. "MY DESK!"
Izuku sighed as he sat at his desk. He really went off on Mirko, didn't he? "She didn't deserve that." He said, burying his face in his arms, trying to think of something to say to his mentor. She didn't deserve that, not one bit! She didn't know he was really Quirkless, and he almost slipped and told her about the Omnitrix!
She also opened up to him about her own struggles. But he just couldn't help but see them as lesser than his, simply because she had a Quirk and he did not. Was this how it was to discriminate against someone for something outside their control and knowledge? She didn't know he was actually Quirkless.
God, how does Katsuki do this? He feels like crap now. Mirko had a right to share her hardships, and instead of understanding them, he labeled them as lesser by comparison. Then there was that entire discussion about him leaving the HAP program. Sure, joining 1A would put him under UA's direct supervision, but all in all, what he had now was more free time with less oversight.
Now that he thought about it, the reason that he has so much free time is likely because of Mirko. Other heroes might be more hands-on with their protege, but she was more hands-off. She trusted him to do the self-study part by himself, which he did, and she mostly took part in his training to some degree.
He was mostly training himself while having access to all of UA's facilities. Some might say she was neglecting her role as his mentor, but maybe that wasn't the case. Maybe she was just trusting him to figure things out on his own, and all she was doing was giving him access to the resources that could make that happen.
He really could use some wisdom from Professor Paradox right about now.
His phone buzzed instead, showing a message.
"Nezu's office. Now." It was from Mirko.
"Oh no…"
Walking into Nezu's office, Izuku was met with the sight of the Dean and Mirko, although for some reason, Cementoss was here as well. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"
"Please, take a seat. Also, ignore Cementoss; he is here to fix the wall." Nezu said.
"What happened to the wall?" Izuku asked.
"Well, that is a subject for another time," Nezu said, giving a side glance to Mirko. She flipped his desk into the wall. "For now, I think we ought to discuss your recent argument with Miss Usagiyama."
"Oh. I see. I apologize for my words, Mirko, I was just-"
"Save it." She said. "Nezu here told me something after I flipped his desk into the wall."
Izuku gulped. "Something?"
"All done," Cementoss said. "Try not to throw the desk into the wall again, Mirko. You are lucky it didn't go through into the other room."
"Thanks for the fix, Ken." Nezu thanked the man, then watched him leave. "Now we can speak freely."
"Why didn't you tell me you were Quirkless?" Mirko's sudden question made Izuku's blood freeze. "Nezu told me everything! After I flipped his desk into the bloody wall, he just blurted it out!"
"Not my proudest moment, I was high on annoyance and frustration," Nezu said. "I will be docking your pay for this month, however, Mirko. Consider it a lesson on how NOT to treat your boss!"
"Forget about your freaking desk and wall for a minute here! Why did I have to learn second hand?" She asked again, staring at Izuku. She then went to him, grabbing his hand. "And this? Some alien device capable of turning you into aliens?! This is absurd!"
Izuku yanked his wrist back. "I- Well, I didn't choose this, but-"
"And I understand what you were saying before, too. I do now, at least." Mirko added, grabbing his attention. "Given what Nezu told me, plus Aldera and all, it paints a whole different picture. And I…I'm sorry. The way I acted must have made you think all I cared about was your power."
"I…" He couldn't find his words.
"It's alright," Mirko replied. "In fact, it is more than alright. You deserve all the praise, kid. Most Quirkless guys your age don't reach adulthood. You know, with the suicide rates being as high as they are and all. But you held on! You survived in a world that doesn't give two shits if you live or die."
"But…Doesn't this change things?" He asked, looking at her. "Wouldn't you start treating me differently now that you know I am, in truth, Quirkless?"
"Are you kidding?!" Mirko raised her voice slightly. "I am more mad that you didn't tell me sooner! Seriously, if I am to be your mentor for the next 4 years, I ought to know this detail! And to learn aliens are real is just…Crazy!"
"I also told her about the entire deal with All Might." Nezu sighed. "But, on that note, his suspension no longer meets the requirements to be supported, meaning you can, in fact, join 1A. Why, we can complete the documents right now if you wish."
"Wait!" Izuku said quickly. "I want to…Say some things, first."
"Go on."
"I'm sorry for how I acted before, Mirko," Izuku said, resuming his apology. "I treated your hardships as lesser than mine, and I must have made you feel bad. I know I feel bad after saying all of that. I felt like I was discriminating against you, believing your issues are not as bad as mine. Believing I was having it rougher just because I lack a Quirk, without properly understanding the hardships someone with a Quirk faces."
"But you do have it rougher than me," Mirko admitted. "Being Quirkless in this society is rough. Rougher than not having some useless Quirk! And…I guess you live with the fear constantly, do you not?"
"There is no way to tell what others think of the Quirkless," Izuku admitted. "Sure, I can possess and read minds using Poltergeist, but that is highly invasive."
"Mind reading in general is invasive, Midoriya." Nezu pointed out. "There are laws especially tailored around Quirks that read minds."
"My point is that I don't want to force it. If I do, and they ask, I might expose myself. I just…I fear being mistreated again." Izuku admitted further. "If I come forth with the truth to everyone, odds are I will go back to being Deku, the useless, and the burden."
"That is highly unlikely!" Nezu said strongly.
"Do you screen your students psychologically, too? Or do you ask directly what opinion they have on the Quirkless and their role in society?" Mirko asked, receiving silence from Nezu. Higher intelligence does not mean he was immune to being argued against, nor silenced by a good argument. "I thought so."
"They are good," Izuku added. "If they didn't want to be heroes and help others, they wouldn't have come to UA."
"At this, I seek to rebuke you, Midoriya," Nezu said, sounding almost disappointed to admit it. "I am afraid that the motion of a true hero is limited. Very limited. Many young heroes nowadays do it for the fame rather than the mission."
"Even I am not a saint. I did it to prove others wrong at first. Only realized the real meaning of heroism later in my career." Mirko admitted. "Real rude awakening."
"So that means my fears are not without reason," Izuku said.
"Unfortunately, there will always be those who are affected by the way society is shaped. And in your situation, they can use all manner of arguments: Artificial. Fake. Not a true Quirk, and thus, not a true hero." Nezu shook his head. "It'd be mighty disappointing to hear my students engage in such behavior."
"Which is why you ought to keep your trap shut!" Mirko said, pointing at him. "We do not know who might just act on some self-righteous reasoning that you don't belong simply because you lack a Quirk. I wouldn't put some punks in this University past assault."
"But they are UA students!" Izuku said loudly, stunned to hear such words from Mirko. "Surely they wouldn't attack me just because I am Quirkless!"
"I am afraid Mirko is correct. There are individuals we have flagged as being influenced by problematic ideologies. Those students are under close observation for any highly negative developments." Nezu said, further shocking Izuku. "As such, apart from staff members you or I deem trustworthy, we ought to keep the secret of the Omnitrix."
"I understand, yeah," Izuku replied, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "But I still retain my opinion that I treated you poorly, Mirko."
"Hey, it's alright. If anything, we were both being dicks to the other." She said, trying to move past the subject. "Now, on another note-"
"I am staying in the HAP program." Izuku declared.
"Oh?" Nezu perked up. "And why is that?"
"So I can remain Mirko's protege."
"Huh? Didn't I tell you I am no good as a mentor?" She said, protesting his decision.
"True, your overall teaching approach leaves much to be desired," Izuku admitted. "But you have something I can learn: How to stick it to people."
"Umm. I don't think that is a positive thing to learn." Nezu said, voicing his opinion.
"No, but in a way meant to show others wrong. The drive to go forward and prove those who'd put you down wrong. To show every person who ever doubted you, insulted you, or tried to put you down directly, just who they messed with." Mirko's eyes widened as he spoke. "I want to learn how to do that. I want to learn how to stand tall and, maybe, one day proudly announce that I am Quirkless without caring so much what others say."
"Ah, now that is a different angle," Nezu said, pleased with the more detailed explanation. "Mirko? What do you say?"
"Fine." She sighed. "I will keep you as my protege."
"Marvelous! Glad you two could patch things up!" Nezu said, happy to see a happy ending to this little drama. However, the moment was interrupted as another voice cut through the silence.
"I hope we are not interrupting." Seemingly out of thin air, Paradox appeared, and he was not alone. Azmuth was with him, riding on his shoulder. "Because we don't have the time for pleasantries."
"Is that…" Mirko said slowly, staring right at Azmuth.
"What are you staring at, woman? Have you no manners?"
"This is going to be a long day…" Nezu sighed.