BNHA: Singularity

With the stealth jet capable of vertical take-offs and docking, Melissa landed it directly at an airfield attached to UA. Most of the students of Class 1-A were surprised by this, but things became clear when Melissa admitted, "Oh, this jet is something my father made a few years ago. He gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday, and I received permission from the Principal to keep it here."
Hearing Melissa's casual admission, Kirishima retorted, "Are you freakin' serious!? Does that mean you can take this thing for a joy ride whenever you want!?"
Smiling awkwardly, Melissa replied, "Not exactly. I can fly it over UA, but if I wanted to take it elsewhere, I would need to submit a flight plan and receive approval from the Shizuoka Area Control Center. Japan has some pretty stringent flight regulations, especially for military-grade aircraft."
Unable to restrain his curiosity, Kaminari asked, "This jet is military-grade? Does it shoot missiles or something?"
Channeling his inner teacher, Toshinori raised his right index finger and explained, "Of course not! You see, young Kaminari, any craft capable of exceeding Mach 2.5 is automatically classified as military-grade. As this particular jet is capable of exceeding Mach 10, outfitting it with offensive weaponry would be a severe violation of more than a dozen international treaties!"
Nodding her head, Melissa added, "Uncle Might is correct. Most countries outright prohibit people from owning private aircraft capable of exceeding Mach 2.5. And for a good reason, too, as most hypersonic jets use fission engines and hydrogen scramjet propulsion. If they were to crash, it would explode with the force of a low-yield nuclear bomb."
"..." x13
While everyone else, including Izuku, was at a loss for words, Toshinori exhaled a barrel-chested laugh, easing the tensions before suggesting that everyone call their parents. Most of their families weren't expecting them back until later that afternoon, so it would be quite a surprise once they showed up around 3-4 AM. Those who couldn't contact their parents or had to wait until the trains started running were invited to gather in the cafeteria to eat breakfast or hang out. Izuku was precluded from this, not because he lived on campus, but because Nezu wished to meet with him, Toshinori, and Melissa as soon as possible...
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Seated behind his oversized mahogany desk, Nezu,paw-like fingers linked together, said, "First of all, allow me to welcome you to UA, Melissa. It is a genuine pleasure to make your acquaintance, and I look forward to seeing the changes you introduce to the Department of Support."
As Nezu was a legend among the intellectual and scientific communities, Melissa felt incredibly nervous, visibly shrinking as she kept her eyes low and replied, "I-It's an honor to be accepted as an Assistant Instructor at UA..."
Amused by Melissa's reaction, a faintly sadistic glimmer flashed across Nezu's eyes before he promptly suppressed it, stating, "Please, there's no need to humble yourself. Rather, as you are one of the key figures that will help us overcome the forthcoming crisis, you'll need to learn how to carry yourself with an air of confidence. Many people will look to you for advice or as an example of how they should behave."
Raising her gaze, a look of perplexity marred Melissa's face as she offered a confused, "Pardon...?"
"He's referring to the Meta World Transversal phenomenon," said Izuku. "It won't be long before breaches start appearing in Japan, and my power could be instrumental in preventing things from getting out of hand."
Nodding in affirmation, Nezu stated, "That's correct, Midoriya-kun. Based on the data I've collected, choosing Perks, redistributing attributes, and the ability to form Parties are unique to you. Here, this is an example of a Status Window provided by Egypt's No. 1 Hero, Salaam."
Clapping his hands together, Nezu created a holographic projection for Izuku, Toshinori, and Melissa to scrutinize. The layout was similar to the Status Windows produced by Digitalization, but that was primarily due to Nezu formatting it that way. The Status Windows observed by those who had entered the breaches were slightly different, at least visually...
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Name: [Asim Gamal]
Title: Apostle of Amon
Quirk: Papyrus
Level: 93
[Attributes]
Strength: 99
Agility: 133
Vitality: 698
Intelligence: 92&nbsp;
Dexterity: 165
Luck: 108
[Skills]
[Sun God's Judgment]
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As if he could read Izuku's mind, Nezu explained, "According to Salaam, his Title vested him with an additional 300 Vitality and the Skill you see listed near the bottom of his Status, Sun God's Judgment. It miraculously allows him to create an artificial sun, incinerating his enemies with intense heat, albeit only once a day."
"His Level is fairly high..." remarked Izuku. "Way higher than the average Pro in Japan..."
Nodding in affirmation, Nezu revealed, "When he first started entering the breaches, his Level was only 73. That was a little more than three months ago."
Blinking in surprise, Izuku asked, "That fast? The Experience rates in the breaches must be insane..."
"So it would seem," replied Nezu, gesturing to create several additional windows, one depicting a giant snake, another showing a flaming bird, and the final exhibiting what looked like a Griffin but with wings of gold and a mantle that resembled the headdress worn by a Pharaoh.
Before anyone could ask, Nezu explained, "Though most of the breaches contain relatively weak monsters, these three, colloquially referred to as 'Boss Monsters,' were considerably more powerful. It was by defeating these beasts that Salaam was able to increase his Level so quickly, albeit at the cost of several Heroes' lives..."
"How tragic..." muttered Toshinori, his expression becoming serious as he thought about his decision to abstain from visiting Egypt.
Seeing through Toshinori's thoughts, Nezu exhaled a faint sigh before revealing, "Even if you had gone to Egypt, there isn't anything you could have done, Toshinori-kun. We're not entirely sure how it works, but most breaches seem to have strict Level and capacity restrictions. The lowest grade breaches are inaccessible to those exceeding Level 50, so with your Level of 17,638, the most you could have done is wait for beasts to emerge."
"Is that really the case?" asked Toshinori, regaining a glimmer of hope that had been missing from his eyes since the appearance of All-for-One. He feared that the latter had fled to a breach and was using it to get even stronger. If Nezu's words were true, which they usually were, it meant All-for-One could only rely on his subordinates to try and force monsters out of the breaches. However, even if he could increase his Level, he wouldn't be able to see or access his Status Window.
Nodding in affirmation, Nezu replied, "Yes. Also, what you're imagining is impossible, at least according to the information we have available. You see, so long as a single person enters a breach, the monsters within can no longer escape. Experiments to remove them have all ended in failure, so you can rest assured our mutual enemy won't be using the breaches to grow stronger. At the very least, not directly."
Exhaling a sigh, Toshinori muttered, "That's a relief...". At the same time, however, another concern entered his mind...
Reading Toshinori like an open book, Nezu exhaled an amused chuckle before explaining, "Worry not, Toshinori-kun. If the current trend holds, the first breaches to appear in Japan will be filled with fairly weak, easy-to-defeat monsters. Even normal citizens will be able to defeat them, so there is little risk of an accident occurring if we allow our students inside. Rather, with the Experience and resources available, it would be remiss of us 'not' to let our students enter them..."
Shifting his gaze to Izuku, Nezu added, "That's where you come in, my young, Digitalized friend. You would be surprised to learn how much land I own in Japan, and I have already convinced the Association to grant UA exclusive rights to any breaches that appear within the boundaries of my property. In exchange, I promised to develop a task force that specializes in clearing even the most troublesome breaches."
"And you want me to lead this task force?" asked Izuku, visibly perking up at the notion.
"In time," replied Nezu. "For now, I would prefer to keep your power under wraps, so the public leader of the task force would be one of the teachers in my employ. You will be allowed to join the task force, assuming you can obtain your Provisional Hero License, but certain people would make quite a fuss if I left a student in charge of such an important task."
Nodding his head, Izuku replied, "Makes sense. My only question is, who are you going to put in charge? Nemuri-sensei's Quirk would be incredibly useful within the breaches, but I don't think the public would feel at ease having her in charge..."
"You're right," replied Nezu. "Fortunately, UA has made quite a few hires in recent weeks. Including Miss Shield here, we have also recruited the Wild, Wild Pussycats, the up-and-coming team of Mt. Lady, Kamui Woods, and Death Arms, and a certain rabbit-themed Heroine who will probably curse me to death now that I've spoiled the surprise."
Though he was aware that Rumi had met with Nezu, Izuku didn't expect that she would actually become a teacher. She actively advocated against team-ups, so it was difficult to imagine her working in a group, much less teaching others how to cooperate.
Seeing through Izuku's thoughts, Nezu clarified, "Ms. Usagiyama won't be teaching a class directly. Instead, she is one of several Pros I have hired to beef up the school's security and patrol the areas where breaches may appear..."
Shifting his gaze to Melissa, Nezu's smile broadened quite a bit as he said, "Speaking of security, I would be grateful if you could help reinforce our network and upgrade some of our outdated systems. We are about to implement a dorm system and are currently converting a large portion of the campus into a refuge. I expect our enemies will infiltrate the grounds by masking themselves as evacuees, so we're preparing countermeasures in advance."
Regaining her usual smile, Melissa replied, "I'm not sure how much I'll be able to help, but I would be happy to offer my assistance."
Nodding in approval, Nezu returned his gaze to Izuku, stating, "That being said, Ms. Shield and Toshinori-kun will be living with you and your mother until the dorms have been completed. Rest assured that your mother has already given her permission."
Contrasting Izuku's relative calm, Toshinori appeared to fluster a bit as he asserted, "I'll be sure to guard them well...!"
"Yes, I have no doubt about that..." mused Nezu, narrowing his beady black eyes as he directed a knowing look at Izuku. Then, as there wasn't much else to discuss, he added, "Let's conclude this conversation here. I still need to discuss Ms. Shield's employment contract, but I have already sent most of the information I've received on the Meta World Transversal phenomenon to your personal computers and laptop. You are welcome to scrutinize it at your leisure, and if there is anything you'd like clarification on, feel free to call or shoot me an email."
Though he rose to his feet alongside Toshinori, there was one thing Izuku was still curious about, pointing out, "You never revealed who would be in charge of the Special Task Force."
Catching Izuku a little off guard, Nezu casually replied, "That's because I'm leaving the decision to you. I can't place you in charge publically, but the Special Task Force's success hinges on your Quirk and your ability to form a Party with shared Experience. There are still a few months before the predicted appearance of the first breaches, so use the time between now and then to decide who is most qualified for the position. Be it Ms. Usagiyama, Ms. Tsuchikawa, or Ms. Takeyama, I trust in your judgment..."
With Nezu going out of his way to provide the names of Pixie Bob and Mt. Lady, the smile on Izuku's face cramped. He would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to his reunion with the particularly 'feisty' cat girl, but now that he had multiple girlfriends, a fiancee, and a literal mate...he felt like he should probably cool his jets a bit. Contrary to what Nemuri had led the girls to believe, he didn't 'have' to fuck every woman he had taken an interest in...even if a part of him wanted to...
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As he had promised to do so after his return to Japan, the first thing Izuku did after helping Melissa get settled into her room was set out to meet Rumi. Fortunately, Melissa had wanted to get a jump start on the projects Nezu had assigned her, so after promising he would show her around the following day, Izuku boarded the earliest train heading in the direction of Ōkunoshima, reaching the outside of Rumi's home nearly four and a half hours later.
("I really need to get my Provisional License...") thought Izuku, making his way into Rumi's traditional Japanese house without bothering to knock or call out. Rumi had permitted him to enter freely, and since it was only 9:28 AM, he knew she was out on patrol. Thus, after dropping off his gym bag in her surprisingly tidy room, he entered the one adjacent to feed and pet her four rabbits.
*thump*
Hearing the telltale thump that generally preceded Rumi's arrival, after idling about in her room for the better part of two hours, Izuku stepped out into the corridor to meet her halfway.
Though she had already determined it was Izuku in her home using the Party's proximity function, Rumi feigned surprise, raising her brows before casually remarking, "Look at you...already treating this place like it's your own."
Fairly certain it wouldn't have any adverse consequences, Izuku calmly asserted, "You might not belong to me in the truest sense, but you're my woman until we 'both' stop breathing. Now, bring that beautiful brown ass over here..."
Adopting one of her characteristically predatory smiles, Rumi retorted, "Cheeky little shit..." despite making her way over and Izuku being much taller than her. His growth spurt had tragically started to peter out, but he was currently 177.8cm, nearly a full head taller than the 159cm rabbit girl.
With Izuku hefting her up by her ass, Mirko allowed him to kiss her, linking her arms around his neck and shoulders before eventually doing the same with her trap-like legs after the kiss lingered for more than a few seconds. From there, Izuku carried her back to her room, nearly falling through the bamboo partition as things got fairly intense 'very' quickly...
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After a 'cursory' thirteen rounds, Izuku gently caressed Rumi's head and ears as she used his chest and body as a pillow, absentmindedly listening to his explanation about the breaches until he asked her outright if she'd like to lead the Special Task Force.
"That damned rat..." muttered Rumi, more than a little annoyed that Nezu had spoiled her surprise. Then, in response to Izuku asking her to be the Special Task Force Commander, she replied, "I'm barely willing to sit your weak ass. What makes you think I'd want to watch over a bunch of brats in a literal life-and-death situation?"
Raising her face to meet Izuku's gaze, Rumi asserted, "You should dick those old hags from the Pussycats and put them in charge. They usually get put in charge of large-scale rescue operations, so they should make half-decent babysitters."
Adopting a wry smile, Izuku asked, "Why does it feel like all the women in my life are pushing me to have sex with other women...?"
Instead of answering Izuku directly, Rumi asked, "Do you not want to? I thought you had a thing for older girls."
"I definitely do..." replied Izuku. "But I already have eight, maybe even nine girls willing to fuck at the drop of a hat. Hell, if the two of us didn't live apart, I imagine we'd be fucking like rabbits every day. I'm surprised you're okay with 'sharing' me at all..."
Catching Izuku a little off guard, Rumi pointed out, "That's the problem, fool. Most guys can only shoot out maybe 2-3 times a day and would get sick of having sex all the time. You're like some kind of sex monster, able to keep fucking like a machine even when pitted against multiple women. If I didn't have those brats as a buffer zone, I wouldn't be able to remain a Hero..."
Though she didn't say it outright, the hungry look in Rumi's eyes revealed to Izuku everything her words didn't. She was essentially saying that if he didn't have other women, they would potentially spend all day, every day fucking. In other words, she would be a slave to his cock, setting aside all other aspects of her life in the pursuit of satisfying a desire that only grew more powerful as she had sex...
Caressing Rumi's pure white hair, Izuku's eyes narrowed as he mused, "I find myself becoming fonder of rabbits each time we meet..."
Rolling her eyes, Rumi returned her head to Izuku's chest, nestling closer to him as she muttered, "Anyways...it's obvious your Quirk has given you a disposition suited to fucking, just like mine makes me horny all the fucking time. You'll also have an easier time keeping everyone else in line if you're actively dicking the people in charge, so go to town..."
Finished with what she had to say, Rumi closed her eyes, suppressing her desire to resume fucking by attempting to take a nap. Izuku's scent made her want to rub her nose against him and lick the sweat from his body, but with a belly full of baby batter, Rumi wasn't as 'ravenous' as usual. Rather, &nbsp;she actually felt a bizarre sense of 'contentedness,' especially when Izuku ran his fingers through her hair...
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After his day trip to Ōkunoshima, Izuku spent the rest of his time before the Summer Training Camp accompanying Melissa around the campus or watching her work. She had already completed a prototype of an AT using a ludicrous piece of technology called a Synthesizer, functioning similarly to Momo's Creation Quirk but requiring the actual materials you wanted to synthesize, so he was helping her test them out while learning to use the Autocad-like software used to operate the borderline magical machine.
While observing Izuku skating around and across the walls of one of UA's many training rooms, Melissa, observing various data streams on a tablet, remarked, "There is too much tension on the ankles, especially when you change directions while moving quickly. If an average person were to try wearing them, their ankles would snap like twigs..."
"You're not wrong..." replied Izuku, feeling a growing pain in his ankles even though he was using Blackwhip to reinforce himself. It only took around 4000N of torque to snap the average human femur, and he was experiencing nearly five times that whenever he tried changing direction or sliding to a stop. He could severely decrease these forces by spinning or striking an object linearly, allowing the suspension system to eat most of the energy, but that was impractical.
"We could try redesigning them to function more like greaves," suggested Melissa. "You would lose a bit of mobility by not being able to move your ankles freely, but spreading the burden across the calf and incorporating secondary and tertiary support systems will make them a lot safer."
Shaking his head, Izuku contended, "I believe it's more of an issue on my part than a genuine design flaw. My spatial awareness and control aren't lacking, but this is essentially my first time skating. Once I get used to it, I'm certain the torque issue won't be a concern. Besides, if we make them too easy to use, they could cause some major issues once they enter the market..."
Understanding what Izuku was referring to, Melissa suggested, "We could install a limiter within the engines or include an automatic shutdown if the suspension system surpasses a certain threshold. That way, people won't be able to use them to flee or leap from high places when escaping crime scenes."
"You know people are more resourceful than that," argued Izuku. "While I'm all for including those restrictions, we both know it won't even take a day or two for people to jailbreak them. We could incorporate software to monitor, analyze, and track users, but without a secure network, it could be hijacked by Villains searching for 'rare parts.' That's one of the biggest problems with a technology like this. The more convenient and accessible something is, the sooner it is adapted, evolved, and taken advantage of by those who wish to stand above others..."
Though he doubted things would progress the same way they had in Air Gear, largely due to the presence of Quirks and the existence of the Meta World Transversal phenomenon, Izuku didn't disregard the possibility as he was presently living in an anime-themed world. Rather, after meeting a building-sized Goddess and being shoved into another person's body, he didn't discredit the possibility of 'anything' occurring...
Shaking his head, Izuku added, "The more powerful an AT is, the more inaccessible it should be to ordinary people. That might create a disparity between the weak and the strong, but that's how the world has always been. The important thing is ensuring that those at the top are stalwart, righteous, or idealistic. With the world on the verge of an unprecedented crisis, Heroes will be more necessary than ever..."
"I understand," replied Melissa, her expression portraying her conviction as she scrapped her ideas to make ATs as convenient and safe to use as possible. Instead, she started viewing them as weapons or mobility-type armaments, military-grade equipment that would be used by powerful, superhuman individuals venturing directly into the breaches or responding to crises around the city...much to the chagrin of Izuku's ankles...
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With the first week of Summer Break coming to a close, giving way to the second week, the students of Classes 1-A and 1-B were asked to gather at the front of the school, preparing to board the shuttles that would take them to their 'undisclosed' training location. Class 1-A was missing one of its usual members, Aoyama, but, far more notably, two 'new' people were present, both of which Izuku recognized...
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Name: [Katsuki Bakugo]
Title: Party Invitation Required
Quirk: Explosion
Bond Level: 94
Current Level: 30&nbsp;
Effective Level: 63
[Attributes]
Strength: 63
Agility: 53
Vitality: 223
Intelligence: 84
Dexterity: 92
Luck: 118
Free Attributes: 150
[Perks]
Party Invitation Required
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Name: [Himiko Toga]
Title: Party Invitation Required
Quirk: Transform
Bond Level: 92
Current Level: 16
Effective Level: 59
[Attributes]
Strength: 25
Agility: 22
Vitality: 235
Intelligence: 85
Dexterity: 29
Luck: 201
Free Attributes: 80
[Perks]
Party Invitation Required
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Though Bakugo just clicked his tongue when his gaze met Izuku's, Toga was similar to mushroom-themed Komori from Class 1-B, becoming like an excited puppy as she rushed over to him and exclaimed, "It's so good to see you, Izuku-senpai! And guess what, guess what!? We might be in the same Class from now on~!!"
Adopting a wry smile, Izuku feigned ignorance and realization as he replied, "It's good to see you again. If I'm not mistaken, you're the Vice President of my Fan Club. Himiko Toga, was it...?"
Cupping her visibly flushed cheeks, Toga's breathing became noticeably heavier as she muttered, "He remembers my name..." in an inadvertently sensual tone. She wasn't trying to be erotic, but that was the impression everyone got when seeing her gaze at Izuku like he was a piece of choice meat...
While making a mental note to speak with Nezu to ensure Toga didn't end up in his Class, Izuku questioned, "Weren't you doing well in the Business Course? What made you want to switch Departments...?"
Though it was obvious what her motivations were, Toga half-turned from Izuku, staring at him out of the corner of her eyes as she coyly replied, "It's a secret..." in her characteristically husky tone. Fortunately, as she and Bakugo were among the last to arrive, escorted by Aizawa, Izuku was spared from having to deal with the overly sensual fangirl for too long as they were promptly instructed to board the buses. Toga boarded the shuttle with Class 1-A alongside Bakugo, but because they weren't actual members, they sat at the front of the bus, the former initially pouting before learning that the latter was 'childhood friends' with the boy she idolized...
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Though they were nearly an hour early, Izuku and the girls weren't too surprised to find Melissa was already waiting for them, nursing a half-emptied frappuccino.&nbsp;
Perking up at the group's arrival, Melissa rose to her feet, smiling as she said, "I guess I'm not the only one who decided to come early. It's good to see everyone."
With everyone returning greetings and making themselves comfortable around a party-sized table, Momo asked, "How have you been, Melissa? Is your father recovering well?"
Nodding in affirmation, Melissa replied, "I-Island has some of the best Doctors and medical facilities in the world. It'll take three to six months, but Papa should make a full recovery."
"That's a relief..." replied Ochaco, her expression softening to match her words. Everyone had been careful about mentioning Melissa's father in the group chat, so they were genuinely relieved to hear he would recover fully.
Noticing everyone's relief, the smile on Melissa's face became even more radiant than usual. She didn't have anyone she could call a true friend at the Academy, so the past few days had been lonesome since her father was hospitalized and someone she had known for more than half her life was dead...
Directing her gaze to Izuku, Melissa combed back a few strands of loose hair as she revealed, "My Papa said I'll be accompanying you and Uncle Might when you return to Japan. He's arranged to have me become an Assistant Instructor at UA, so we'll be able to see each other every day. Let's work hard to make Air Trek a reality, okay~?"
Though he adopted a smile, Izuku was unable to respond before Mina interjected, asking, "What's Air Trek...?" with a genuinely curious look on her face.
"Oh, oh, I know!" replied Ochaco, channeling her maximum bubbliness as she explained, "They're kind of like inline skates, but they have motors in them and super powerful suspension systems that allow their wearers to traverse difficult terrain, navigate zero-gravity, and fall from great heights without fear of injury!"
Raising her brows, Mina looked to Izuku and asked, "Are they something you've been working on for a while? First time I'm hearing about them..."
"You're welcome to help test the prototypes once they're finished," replied Izuku. "You already use your Quirk to skate around; a custom pair of Air Treks would allow you to do so without melting the buildings and terrain."
Imagining Mina wearing a prototype Water Regalia, creating destructive bubbles with her Acid Quirk, a glimmer of expectation appeared in Izuku's green eyes. He had secretly been geeking out at the possibility of making everyone in his Party the first generation of Kings and Queens. Rumi was a shoo-in for the Bloody Road's 'Fang Queen,' having already mastered the use of Fangs, and Mina's Acid Manipulation made her uniquely suited to the Water Road...
Noticing Izuku's excitement, Mina adopted a teasing smile as she mused, "I sometimes forget that you're really into making things. And sure, I don't mind helping you test the prototypes. I was really into 'aggressive skating' when I was younger, so I can even perform some tricks to help you stress test them."
As Mina was a talented breakdancer whose primary means of getting around quickly was expelling acid from her soles to function as ice skates or rollerblades, Izuku wasn't surprised to learn she was into aggressive skating, a sub-division of rollerblading that revolved around the execution of dangerous tricks. Instead, he replied, "That would be helpful," before looking around the table and adding, "If anyone else would like to help, I doubt Melissa would mind."
"Of course not," replied Melissa, squinting her eyes and smiling brightly as she added, "The more, the merrier~!"
With everyone more than willing to lend a hand, the conversation abruptly became a discussion of the infinite possibilities of Air Treks. Melissa was a little overwhelmed by everyone's enthusiasm, but the smile never left her face as she took notes and drew up some preliminary drafts of everyone's personalized ATs...
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With the girls insisting that he escort Melissa home, Izuku did exactly that, accompanying the abruptly quiet beauty to the edge of the cordon zone in relative silence. It was fairly obvious she had something to say, but unless she broached the subject herself, Izuku had no intention of pressing her to speak. Sometimes, people just wanted&ndash;needed time to think...
Turning to Izuku after several seconds of silence, Melissa caught him a little off guard by revealing, "Papa seems to believe we're dating..." with an awkward smile on her face.
Not sure what to say, Izuku adopted an awkward smile of his own. He would normally crack a joke at such a time, but the presence of armed soldiers, security drones, and literal mechs forming a perimeter around the central research building made the atmosphere pretty tense.
Surprising Izuku a second time, Melissa broke eye contact and turned away from him as she appended, "He also seems to be aware of your relationships with other girls...if I had to guess, he learned about them from Uncle Might..."
"I...see..." replied Izuku, scratching the back of his head with a conflicted look on his face. He wasn't entirely sure what Melissa was trying to convey, but it seemed like she was suggesting they make things official...
Somewhat confirming Izuku's suspicions, Melissa lowered her head and muttered, "I...had a lot of fun today. Momo, Ochaco, Tsuyu, Mina, Toru, and Kyouka are all nice girls. I think the seven of us can become great friends..."
Raising her head just enough to glimpse at Izuku out of the corner of her eye, Melissa hesitated for several seconds before adding, "I still have a lot of doubts, but since Papa seems to be okay with it...do you...want to try dating?"
Wasting no time, Izuku asserted, "There's no way I would refuse such a proposition. You're an extraordinary woman, Melissa. I would have been happy to remain friends, but there would need to be something seriously wrong with me to refuse dating you."
Regaining a faint smile, Melissa rose to her full height and remarked, "A little over the top, but I guess that's to be expected from the future No. 1 Hero..." Then, extending her hand as if she were asking for a handshake, Melissa added, "Thanks for having me, Izuku." with a much brighter smile on her face.
Accepting Melissa's outstretched hand, a somewhat wry smile marred Izuku's face as he replied, "I should be the one thanking you, Melissa. I already considered myself blessed, but now I feel even more fortunate. Let's work hard to achieve each others' dreams."
Narrowing her eyes in delight, Melissa pointed out, "You've already helped me achieve two of mine. I always wanted a Quirk, and thanks to the Perks you gave me, I now have three Quirk-like abilities..."
Extricating her hand from Izuku's, Melissa habitually combed aside her bangs as she bashfully appended, "I also have a thing for handsome and athletic boys, so...I'm happy things developed this way..."
Though she had yet to see him directly, Melissa had 'petitioned' Mina for a topless picture of Izuku. He wasn't as bulky and broad-shouldered as she would have liked, but he had an eight-pack, defined obliques, and mouth-watering back muscles. If he wasn't set on becoming a Hero, Melissa was certain Izuku could have had a successful career as a male model...
Seeing the tell-tale glimmer of idolatry in Melissa's eyes, Izuku jokingly replied, "If we're talking about looks, you could have had just about any guy wrapped around your finger. Picking me to be your boyfriend makes me one of the luckiest men in the world."
Narrowing her eyes and adopting a broad smile, Melissa mused, "If you keep saying stuff like that, you're going to give me a big head. Let's just compromise and say we're both lucky~."
"Sounds good," replied Izuku, resisting the urge to compliment the bubbly blonde further. Instead, he extended his hand a second time, suggesting, "Here, take my hand. I'll walk you up to the checkpoint..."
Nodding her head, Melissa linked her fingers through Izuku's, swinging his hand and smiling brightly as they approached the checkpoint. She was a little dispirited when Izuku was denied entry into the tower, but knowing they would soon be 'living together,' there was a notable pep in her step as she practically skipped her way to the medical ward to visit her father...
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With Momo having invited the Ochaco, Tsuyu, Kyouka, Mina, and Toru to accompany her to Venice for a short holiday with her parents, Izuku saw them off at the airport with Melissa, Toshinori, and the rest of Class 1-A that had come to the island. They were originally scheduled to fly back to Japan later that day, but since Melissa's father had charted a hypersonic stealth passenger jet to ensure his daughter's safety, Toshinori arranged to have them all return together.
As could be expected from a plane that escorted VVIPs to virtually any destination within two hours, the ebony black jet, capable of becoming completely invisible, had first-class amenities. It could only seat sixteen passengers, but each of the seats was capable of fully reclining, and, in an emergency, barriers would activate around them, converting them into escape pods. More notably, there was a private suite with a jacuzzi, a tube-like shower, and an 'automatic wardrobe' that could take a person's measurements and prepare a perfectly tailored dress or suit within twenty minutes...
While Mineta, Kaminari, Sero, and Kirishima messed around with the automatic wardrobe, Izuku sat next to Todoroki, seated across from Ojiro and Shoji. Melissa was actually the one piloting the jet, with Toshinori as her co-pilot, so Izuku found himself in an increasingly rare situation where it was just him and his male classmates.
Breaking the somewhat awkward silence, Todoroki, seated with his arms crossed, abruptly asked, "Midoriya-kun...what exactly is your relationship with All Might? Forgive me if this comes across as impolite, but are you his illegitimate child or something...?"
Shaking his head, Izuku relaxedly replied, "No, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't view him as a father figure. Our actual relationship is closer to that of a Master and his Apprentice. I can't get into the details, but that's how it is."
"If that's the case, things make a bit more sense," muttered Shoji, keeping his voice low to avoid drawing attention to what he thought to be a touchy subject.
"What do you mean?" asked Izuku, genuinely curious to learn what some of his closest 'friends' thought of his situation.
"Your power is similar to All Might's," asserted Shoji. "You also appear to receive special attention from the school. At the very least, how you are treated is different from that of an ordinary student..."
Before Izuku could ask Shoji to explain, Ojiro took the initiative to reveal, "We know you live on campus, Midoriya-kun. Some of us were concerned about your relationship with the girls in our Class, so we asked Koda-kun to verify the situation using his ability to converse with animals..."
"..."
Though he was a little taken aback by the revelation, Izuku wasn't too surprised. He had anticipated someone like Mineta uncovering the truth and then trying to blackmail him, so he just adopted an awkward smile, rubbed the back of his head, and replied, "Sorry, guys...I've wanted to come forward for quite some time, but the situation is more than a little complicated. Even now, I'm honestly not sure how things developed as they have..."
"It's fine," asserted Shoji. "It might have been an issue if you were going around behind their backs, but it's clear that everyone involved is aware of what's going on. That's why none of us said anything until now..."
As he was one of the few that had yet to grasp the situation, a look of confusion marred Todoroki's face as he asked, "Wait...what are you guys talking about? Midoriya-kun lives on campus? And what's this about his relationship with the girls in our Class...?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
Not expecting Todoroki to be so 'oblivious,' Izuku, Shoji, and Ojiro fell silent for several seconds. Then, as it was a good opportunity to come forward, Izuku began explaining the situation from start to finish, even alluding to his Quirk a bit since the lowest Bond Level among the people present was Ojiro at 77. Most of his classmates would be joining his Party in the future, so Izuku figured he might as well plant the seeds to ensure there were fewer problems once the Meta World Transversal phenomenon reached Japan...
...
..
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Chapter 94: Chapter 94