Location: Musutafu – Midoriya Household
Date: Monday | 06:15 AM
CREAK.
The front door opened. Izuku Midoriya stepped into the entryway, wiping sweat from his forehead with a small towel.
He was breathing heavily, his dark green tracksuit clinging to his skin from the intense morning workout.
Right behind him, Kuro trotted inside, his tail held high.
"I'm home," Izuku called out, kicking off his running shoes.
Inko peeked out from the kitchen. She held a spatula, wearing her usual apron.
"Welcome back, Izuku," Inko smiled. Then she wrinkled her nose playfully. "Oh my. You stink. Go take a bath right now before you sit at my table."
Izuku laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry Mom. I pushed it an extra two kilometers today."
"Bath. Now," Inko pointed toward the hallway. "Breakfast will be ready when you're done."
Izuku nodded and hurried down the hall to the washroom.
Inko watched him go. Her smile softened into something a bit sadder.
Seeing him push his body so hard every single morning always brought a familiar ache to her chest.
She still felt the heavy guilt of his diagnosis. She hated the bad luck of it all. Why did her sweet boy have to be born without a Quirk?
For years, the apartment had felt like it was carrying a quiet, suffocating grief.
Meow.
Inko looked down. Kuro was sitting by her feet, staring up at her with his bright amber eyes.
The sadness in Inko's chest loosened.
She crouched down and gently scratched the black-and-white cat behind the ears.
"But things have changed, haven't they?" Inko whispered.
Ever since they adopted Kuro, the heavy atmosphere in the house had slowly lifted. Izuku wasn't holed up in his room anymore.
He had a spark in his eyes again. He was building his body, he was confident, and he was actually smiling.
"You're a good boy, Kuro," Inko smiled, standing back up. She grabbed a small tin from the counter and poured premium cat food into his bowl. "Here's your breakfast."
_-_-_-_-_
Date: 06:45 AM
Thirty minutes later, the dining table was set.
Izuku sat in his school uniform, chewing on a piece of grilled fish.
He looked healthy. The baggy clothes he used to wear now fit snugly around his developing shoulders.
Sitting on the floor nearby, Kuro was eating his own food.
The television in the living room was turned on to the local morning news.
["In a surprising turn of events, the Takoba Municipal Beach Park, which had been an illegal dumping ground for over a decade, has been completely cleared,"] the news anchor reported.
Footage played on the screen. It showed the beach.
The massive mountains of rusted cars, broken refrigerators, and twisted metal were completely gone.
The white sand was visible for the first time in years, and the ocean water looked clear.
["City officials have no record of a cleanup crew being dispatched. It appears a local volunteer, or perhaps a group of good Samaritans, took it upon themselves to restore the coastline."]
Inko stopped wiping the kitchen counter. She walked over to the television, her eyes wide with amazement.
"Oh my goodness," Inko gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. "Look at that, Izuku. The whole beach is clean! I haven't seen the sand there since you were a baby."
"Yeah," Izuku said softly, looking at his rice bowl.
"It must have taken months," Inko smiled warmly. "With all the scary news lately, it's just so nice to see that there are still good, hardworking people out there doing the right thing in secret."
Izuku felt his face heat up. He rubbed the back of his neck, a quiet, genuine smile spreading across his face.
"Yeah, Mom. There are still good people out there," Izuku replied.
On the floor, Kuro stopped eating. The black-and-white cat looked up at the television, then looked at Izuku.
Meow.
Kuro gave a very smug, self-satisfied meow and went back to his food.
_-_-_-_-_
Location: Musutafu – Bakugo Household
Date: Monday | 06:50 AM
CLATTER.
Katsuki Bakugo slammed his glass onto the dining table.
He was already in his middle school uniform, stuffing rice and eggs into his mouth. He chewed loud and fast, glaring at nothing in particular.
At the kitchen counter, his mother, Mitsuki, was washing a frying pan.
"Slow down, Katsuki," Mitsuki scolded without looking back. "You're going to choke before you even leave the house."
"Shut up, old hag. I know how to eat," Bakugo grunted, taking another massive bite.
Mitsuki just rolled her eyes. She turned off the faucet and dried her hands on a towel.
She turned around to grab a clean plate, and her eyes caught the television in the living room.
["In a surprising turn of events, the Takoba Municipal Beach Park, which had been an illegal dumping ground for over a decade, has been completely cleared,"] the morning news anchor reported.
Bakugo stopped chewing.
Footage played on the screen. The massive mountains of rusted cars, broken refrigerators, and twisted metal were completely gone. The white sand was totally spotless.
CRACK.
The wooden chopsticks in Bakugo's hand snapped clean in half.
"Hey! Don't break the silverware, you brat!" Mitsuki yelled.
Baam.
She walked over and smacked the back of his head with her dish towel.
Bakugo didn't yell back. He didn't swat her hand away. He didn't even move. He just kept staring at the empty expanse of Takoba Beach on the TV.
Mitsuki noticed his weird silence, but she was too busy looking at the news drone footage. She put her hands on her hips.
"Wow. Whoever did that has some serious dedication," Mitsuki muttered. "They moved literal tons of garbage. Probably some guy with a heavy-lifting quirk. Good for them."
Bakugo's hands started to shake. His knuckles turned pure white.
A heavy-lifting quirk. Yeah, right.
He knew exactly who did it. He had hidden behind a rusted van in the dirt and watched him do it.
He had watched Deku, the Quirkless loser who was supposed to be a stepping stone, drag a heavy truck chassis across the sand. No crying. No complaining. Just working.
'Six months,' Bakugo thought, grinding his teeth together. 'He was dragging trash for six months. Building muscle. For what? He doesn't have a Quirk. He's a pebble. He's nothing.'
But the memory of Izuku from that day at the beach flashed in his head.
The way Deku had looked out at the ocean. His calm, focused eyes.
Deku wasn't scared of him anymore. Deku didn't even look at him. And that stupid black cat had just sat on the tires, staring right at him.
SCREECH.
Bakugo pushed his chair back hard. It scraped loudly against the floor. He grabbed his school bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"I'm going to school," Bakugo growled. His voice was tight. He walked straight toward the front door.
"Where are you going? You didn't finish your food!" Mitsuki yelled, pointing at his half-eaten breakfast.
SLAM.
The heavy front door slammed shut.
Bakugo walked down the street with heavy steps. His hands were sweating inside his pockets.
Pop. Pop.
Small sparks went off on his fingertips, burning the fabric. He was completely pissed off. He needed to prove Deku was still beneath him.
_-_-_-_-_
Location: Aldera Junior High – Rear Courtyard
Date: Monday | 12:15 PM
The lunch bell rang. Students flooded out of the classrooms, filling the hallways with noise.
Izuku walked out the back doors toward the courtyard. He had his bento box in his hand and his charred notebook tucked under his arm.
He was planning to review his kinetic-dampening bracer designs while he ate.
Step. Step.
Someone blocked his path.
Izuku stopped. He looked up.
Katsuki Bakugo stood in front of him. His red eyes were furious, but there was something else there too.
He looked frantic. Desperate.
"Kacchan," Izuku said. His voice was calm. He didn't stutter. He didn't shrink back.
That calm tone only made Bakugo angrier.
"Don't look at me like that," Bakugo snarled, taking a step forward. "Don't look at me like you're better than me. I saw the news today. I saw you at the beach dragging that trash for months."
SIGH.
Izuku let out a small sigh. He gripped his bento box a little tighter.
"I was just cleaning up the neighborhood, Kacchan. That's all."
"Shut up!" Bakugo yelled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You think moving some garbage makes you a hero? You think building some muscle means you can stand on the same level as me? You're Quirkless!"
Izuku looked at him. He saw the raw, painful denial in Bakugo's face.
Bakugo's entire worldview was built on the idea that power determined a person's worth.
Izuku changing the rules was breaking his mind.
"We don't have to do this, Kacchan," Izuku said gently. "I'm not trying to compete with you. I just want to do my own thing."
"I said shut up!" Bakugo stepped right into Izuku's personal space, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous threat. "Fight me, Deku."
"...."
Izuku blinked. "What?"
"Fight me. Today. After school," Bakugo demanded, his palms smoking. "Sector 4 abandoned lot. No teachers. No holding back. I'm going to prove to you that you're still nothing. And if you don't show up, I'll burn that stupid notebook of yours to ashes right in front of the whole class tomorrow."
Izuku stared at him. He wanted to walk away. But looking into Bakugo's eyes, Izuku realized that his childhood friend actually needed this.
Bakugo needed a reality check, or he was going to destroy himself with his own pride.
Izuku slowly nodded.
"Okay, Kacchan," Izuku said softly. "I'll be there."
"Hmmp!"
Bakugo sneered, turning around and marching back toward the school building.
_-_-_-_-_-_
Location: Abandoned Industrial Lot – Sector 4
Date: Monday | 04:30 PM
The lot was empty. High concrete walls and old, rusted fences boxed it in.
Bakugo was already waiting. He threw his school bag onto the dirt. He stretched his arms.
Pop. Pop.
Small explosions sparked in his palms.
Crunch. Crunch.
Izuku walked through the broken gate.
He wore his dark green gym clothes. He didn't have his vigilante suit, but he had his custom-built kinetic-dampening bracers strapped securely under his long sleeves.
"You actually showed up," Bakugo sneered, a wide, aggressive grin spreading across his face. "I thought you'd run crying to your mom."
"I told you I'd come," Izuku said.
He dropped his bag by the fence. He didn't get into a dramatic fighting stance. He just stood there. His feet were shoulder-width apart. He was completely balanced.
"Don't hold back, Deku!" Bakugo roared.
BOOM!
Bakugo blasted himself forward. The explosion kicked up a massive cloud of dust.
He flew straight at Izuku, pulling his right arm back. He aimed a heavy right hook directly at Izuku's face.
A year ago, Izuku would have frozen.
Today, Izuku just watched the mechanics of the movement.
'He's putting all his weight into the right side. The trajectory is a straight line,' Izuku noted mentally.
Izuku didn't run away. He didn't cross his arms to block.
SWISH.
Izuku stepped diagonally to the left. He pivoted on his heel.
Bakugo's explosive punch sailed right past his ear. The heat singed Izuku's hair, but the fist hit empty air.
"What?!" Bakugo gasped. His momentum carried him forward.
Izuku reached out.
He grabbed the back of Bakugo's collar. He swept his foot behind Bakugo's ankle and used Bakugo's own forward speed to throw him into the dirt.
THUD.
Bakugo hit the ground hard. He rolled across the gravel, tearing the knee of his pants.
He scrambled back to his feet, spitting dirt from his mouth. His eyes were wide with shock.
"You got lucky!" Bakugo screamed.
He launched himself again. This time, he didn't aim for a punch. He aimed both palms straight at Izuku's chest.
"Die!"
KABOOM!
A massive blast of fire and concussive force erupted.
Izuku was already moving. He raised his arms, crossing them in front of his face.
The metal plating of his hidden bracers engaged. The internal springs absorbed the heavy shockwave.
Izuku skidded backward in the dirt, leaving two shallow trenches with his shoes. He didn't fall.
He lowered his arms, completely unhurt.
Bakugo stopped. He stared at his own hands, then at Izuku.
"Why won't you fall down?!" Bakugo yelled.
His voice cracked.
He rushed in for close-quarters combat. Bakugo swung a left hook, sparking a small explosion from his palm to increase the speed of the punch.
Izuku didn't back up. He stepped into the strike. He slapped Bakugo's wrist away before the explosion could fully form.
SMACK.
Izuku followed up immediately. He drove his open palm into Bakugo's chest, throwing the blonde boy off balance.
Bakugo stumbled back, but his raw battle instincts kicked in.
SWIISH-CRACKLE.
He spun around, launching a flaming backhand aimed at Izuku's head.
Izuku ducked under the arm. He grabbed Bakugo's elbow, twisting the joint just enough to break his posture, and shoved him hard against a rusted shipping container.
CLANG.
Bakugo hit the metal. He was panting heavily. He looked at Izuku like he was looking at someone else.
Deku wasn't just dodging. Deku was fighting back. He was dismantling every single move Bakugo made without throwing a single punch.
It was pure, frustrating fight. It was the exact same way pro heroes fought street thugs.
"Stop dodging!" Bakugo screamed, his pride shattering.
He started throwing wild, sloppy explosions. He blasted the ground, kicking up rocks.
He blasted the concrete walls. He wasn't thinking about tactics anymore. He just wanted to hit something.
BOOM. BOOM. CRASH.
Izuku ducked under a wide swing. He deflected a blast with his left bracer.
He moved with the fluid, disciplined grace that Martial Arts Kuro had drilled into him every single night on the rooftops.
Izuku looked at Bakugo. He saw how sloppy his childhood friend was getting.
Bakugo was swinging so wide he was going to tear his own shoulder muscles. He was going to blow up the entire lot and get them both arrested if he didn't stop.
'He's not fighting me anymore,' Izuku thought sadly. 'He's just fighting himself.'
Bakugo lunged one last time.
"AGHHH! DIE!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs, pulling both arms back for a massive, two-handed blast. He left his entire torso completely exposed.
Izuku stepped directly inside Bakugo's guard.
"I'm sorry, Kacchan," Izuku whispered.
Izuku brought his hand up in a rapid, precise strike.
BAAM. BAAM.
He hit the specific nerve cluster right on the side of Bakugo's neck.
It was the exact spot Assassin Kuro had taught him to aim for a quick, non-lethal knockout.
SMACK.
Bakugo's eyes rolled back. The explosion in his palms died out with a sad little fizzle.
THUD.
Bakugo collapsed into the dirt, completely unconscious.
The lot went silent. The dust slowly settled in the evening light.
Izuku stood over his childhood friend. He wasn't breathing heavily.
He didn't feel a sense of triumph. He just felt a quiet, heavy maturity.
He had fought his childhood friend with a powerful Quirk, and he had won using nothing but his own effort.
Izuku reached down. He grabbed Bakugo's arm and hauled him up over his shoulder to carry him home.
_-_-_-_-_
Location: Private Beach Resort – Okinawa
Date: Three Days Later | 02:00 PM
The ocean breeze was warm and smelled like salt and fresh fruit.
Kaito sat in a lounge chair under a large white umbrella. He was wearing an open short-sleeve button-down shirt and sunglasses.
He held a tablet in his hand.
He looked at the digital bank statement on the screen.
Between the massive consulting fees from the top Japanese pro heroes, the completed Endeavor contract, and the untraceable funds he had quietly routed out of All For One's shell companies during his digital raid, the final number was staggering.
Two billion yen.
He had decided he needed a break before dealing with the American military. He rented out the entire private wing of the resort for two straight weeks.
"Kaito-san! Look!"
Kaito looked up from his tablet.
Tamao was running across the white sand, holding a large seashell.
She looked completely healthy and full of life.
Following close behind her was Hanako Oguro.
The woman was walking slowly, using a cane, but she was smiling brightly.
Iwao walked beside his wife, his massive hand resting gently on her back to support her. The scarred vigilante in that past was now a pro-hero, looked more at peace than Kaito had ever seen him.
"It's a very nice shell, Tamao," Kaito called out.
SPLASH.
Down by the water, Koichi and Kazuho were splashing each other, laughing loudly.
Rapt was floating on a massive inflatable raft, completely asleep in the sun.
Kimiko, her daughter Emi and her husband Kenji was playing together.
Shoko was cooking in the back and was assisted by Soga and Moyuru.
Makoto walked over holding two iced drinks. She handed one to Kaito and sat down in the lounge chair next to him.
"You really went all out for this, Kaito," Makoto smiled, looking out at the group. "I haven't seen them this happy in... well, ever."
"Working requires proper maintenance," Kaito said, taking a sip of the cold drink. "A burned-out team makes mistakes. This is just preventative logistics."
"You can just say you care about them, you know," Makoto laughed, shaking her head.
Kaito didn't reply. He just watched Iwao help Hanako sit down in the sand, listening to the sound of the ocean.
_-_-_-_-_
Location: Shizuoka – Arisaka Household
Date: Two Week Later | 08:00 PM
The vacation was over.
Kaito sat at the kitchen table. Grandma Saki was sitting across from him, pouring hot green tea from a small ceramic pot.
She set a cup in front of him.
"The beach was lovely, Kaito," Grandma Saki said, smiling warmly. "My joints haven't felt that good in years."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Grandma," Kaito said. He took a sip of the tea. He set the cup down and looked at her.
"I have a new contract," Kaito said. "It's not in Japan. It's in the United States. In New York. It will take three months."
Grandma Saki blinked, her hands resting on the table. "America? My, that is very far."
"I have enough funds to rent a very nice penthouse in New York for the duration," Kaito said smoothly. "I can arrange private medical care, a translator, and comfortable travel accommodations. I want you to come with me. You can see the city."
"..."
Grandma Saki looked at Kaito. Her eyes softened, and a gentle, loving smile spread across her wrinkled face.
She reached out and patted his hand.
"Thank you, Kaito. You are a very good grandson," she said softly. "But no. I will stay here."
Kaito frowned slightly. "Are you worried about the flight? I can hire a private medical jet. And don't forget I can protect you even if all the villains in the world team up"
"I'm not worried about the flight or villains," Grandma Saki chuckled lightly. "Kaito, I already saw the world. When I was young, your grandfather and I traveled everywhere. We saw the big cities. We saw the oceans. We had our grand adventures."
She squeezed his hand.
"Now, this old body just wants to drink tea, tend to the balcony plants, and talk to Kimiko and play with her daughter," she smiled. "But you... you are young. You have the whole world in front of you. Go to America. See the sights. Do your important work. I will be right here waiting for you when you get back."
"...."
Kaito looked at her. He saw the genuine contentment in her eyes.
She wasn't staying behind out of fear; she was staying behind because she was at peace with her life.
"Okay," Kaito said quietly. "I'll call you every week."
"You better," Grandma Saki laughed. "Or I will fly over there and scold you myself. And Kaito, when will you have a girlfriend?"
"Huh?!"
_-_-_-_-_-_
Location: Tokyo International Airport – Private Tarmac
Date: The Next Day | 10:00 AM
The wind blew across the open tarmac.
A sleek, heavily modified military jet sat waiting on the runway. It bore the seal of the United States Armed Forces.
Kaito walked across the concrete holding a single black suitcase. He wore a sharp grey suit.
Ethan Drive walked next to him, carrying a heavy duffel bag over his shoulder.
"The flight is about twelve hours, Arisaka,"
Ethan said, grinning. "We've got decent food on board, but don't expect a luxury cruise. This bird is built for speed."
"I can sleep anywhere," Kaito replied.
BZZZT. BZZZT.
Kaito stopped walking. He pulled his phone from his pocket.
The caller ID flashed a familiar name.
Sigh.
Kaito sighed. He answered the call and put the phone to his ear.
"Hello, Christopher."
"KAITO!" Captain Celebrity's voice boomed through the speaker, so loud Kaito actually had to pull the phone an inch away from his ear.
"What is this memo I just got from my secretary?! You signed a contract with Cathleen?!"
"I accepted a three-month logistics contract with the Star and Stripe squadron, yes," Kaito said calmly.
"I was your first American client!" Christopher yelled. He sounded completely betrayed, like a jealous partner. "I made you the Golden Manager! You can't just go work for the competition!"
"It is a business contract, Christopher," Kaito deadpanned. "She needs her ground logistics overhauled. Why are you so nervous?"
"Because she's Number Two!" Christopher shouted.
He was currently sitting in his Japan office, pacing furiously behind his desk. "If you do the same thing for her that you did for Endeavor and Best Jeanist, she's going to take my Number One spot! I can't let that happen!"
"You are the Symbol of Hope. Just do your paperwork and you will be fine," Kaito said, starting to walk toward the jet stairs again.
"No way. I don't trust it," Christopher declared. "I'm packing up my Japan tour right now. I'm flying back to the States. I have to keep an eye on you two."
"Christopher, you do not need to fly across the world to supervise a logistics audit—"
"See you in New York, Kaito!"
Click.
"...."
The line went dead.
Kaito stared at his phone. He let out a long, heavy sigh and slid the device back into his pocket.
Despite his massive character growth over the last year, Christopher Skyline was still an absolute drama queen.
"Everything okay?" Ethan asked, pausing at the bottom of the stairs.
"Everything is fine," Kaito said, walking up the steps into the jet. "Just a minor headache."
He took his seat by the window.
RUMBLE. RUMBLE.
VOOOOM.
The jet engines roared to life, vibrating through the cabin.
Kaito looked out the window as the plane began to taxi down the runway.
He was leaving Japan for the first time. He was stepping onto the global stage.
_-_-_-_-_
Author's Note
Sorry this took a while, dealing with some writer's block. Thankfully I managed to map it out exactly as I expected.
.....
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