Chapter 107 - 12-13

Chapter 12: Slow Unraveling

When Izuku got up that Friday morning, the first thing he did was move over to the wardrobe and compared his height to a series of pen-marks. Even if he was sore and groaned in protest ever so often after the training of the previous evening, he persisted in his task. Once finished, he stepped back and frowned.

"Back to normal," muttered a confused Izuku. He stroke his chin, baffled.

For reasons that eluded Izuku, he had discovered that in the last days his height had changed. On Tuesday he realized he had shrunk a bit (in human form) only to regain his height on Wednesday. The previous day he had been shorter by one inch. That hadn't been the only oddity Izuku had discovered.

Izuku studied the rest of his body, from the shape of his fingers to the length of his toes. He memorized the measurements and observations, but from what he could tell, he was back to being the same boy he had been prior to manifesting his rabbit form.

"From all the quirks I've studied, I don't believe there is anything similar to this…" he muttered, pacing in front of the mirror. "Then again, I don't believe there is any hero with a quirk like mine. Maybe I am facing some kind of singularity? With my two forms slowly becoming one…? No, although maybe my forms can be affected by the other?"

On and on he went, muttering to himself. Still droning on, Izuku went over to his desk and picked a notebook he kept hidden. He sat down and added a new entry, going into detail regarding that day's findings. With that done, he put the notebook down, and leaned back.

"Why did I have to manifest a quirk like this?" Groaned Izuku.

He could only sigh, as nobody would be able to answer that question. Instead, he started his morning exercises. As he exercised, Izuku couldn't help but think about his current problems.

Ever since it was discovered that Mineta had peeped into his room, Izuku had been a mess of nerves, especially given Ashido's persistence. She, differently from the rest of the girls, was convinced Mineta was telling the truth and was going out of her way to find out the truth. While a rational part of him told Izuku that odds were that he wouldn't be discovered no matter how much Ashido persisted, he still worried. The consequences of having to confess the truth were too painful to even think about them.

Izuku dispelled those thoughts and, once finished exercising, prepared for the day ahead. It was a merry Izumi, seemingly untroubled by Izuku's problems, who hopped out of her room towards the bathrooms for a quick shower.

When Izumi finally made it to the dining hall, there were already quite a few girls having their breakfast. She went straight to a particular brunette on one of the many tables. Izumi was about to happily greet her friend, when she noticed the look on Ochaco's face.

"Wow, you look like a zombie," blurted out Izumi.

And indeed, with those bags beneath her eyes and the way she appeared ready to doze off, Ochaco looked like part of the living dead. It didn't last long, surprisingly. Ochaco blinked and turned towards Izumi. Her entire being appeared to be revitalized in the presence of the rabbit girl. With newfound life, Ochaco sheepishly grinned at Izumi.

"Hey there! Sorry, I am just tired after yesterday's training," she chuckled.

Izumi was sorely tempted on asking (read: insist on knowing) about Ochaco's mysterious new tutor. She held her tongue, however. If Ochaco respected Izumi's rather privileged (and in her own opinion rather unfair) tutoring, she would have the decency to do the same.

"That tough?" Izumi casually asked as she sat next to Ochaco.

There were already a plate with pancakes and fruits waiting for the rabbit girl, courtesy of a certain brunette.

"Well…" Ochaco slowly trailed off, only to shudder.

Izumi could only stare as Ochaco looked dead ahead, gaze wandering off, and her expression became haunted.

"Yes, it was… tough," replied the brunette. With a strained smile, she added "my tutor is a slave driver."

"I know that feeling," muttered Izumi.

"What about your own training yesterday?" Ochaco wondered, unsure whether Izumi was in liberty to share.

"Oh yes, it was… ehm…" Izumi was saying, as she recalled her training with All Might.

She glared straight ahead, an eyebrow twitching. All Might wanted her dead. That was the only reasonable explanation for her training regime. Between the Number One Hero and Miruko, Izumi was bound to drop dead any day now.

"Fine, definitely fine," Izumi said through gritted teeth.

Ochaco looked sorely tempted on inquiring just who was training Izumi but in the end she closed her mouth. Izumi, on her part, was once again tempted on asking just who had Ochaco started training with. Having a teacher or an older student tutor you wasn't against any rules. In fact, rumor had it that Vlad King tutored people in martial arts, Snipe had a shooting club of sorts and Power Loader had his workshop open for anyone who wanted to keep working or even learn some engineering. It was, however, a complicated matter if you didn't include personal training (gym, physical training, etc.) and homework, without mentioning ongoing recreational clubs.

The two girls chuckled and got down to eating. Munching, the two fell on a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their own food.

On another table, not far from them, Izumi could see Ashido and Hagakure discussing something. Yaoyorozu and Jiro were also hanging out with them, but were quiet. Izumi perked up her ears and angled them towards the small group, curious.

"-none of the seniors!" Hissed an exasperated Ashido.

"Mina, I keep telling you: the little perv lied," said Jiro.

"I don't know," hummed Yaoyorozu. "I do think he might not have been entirely truthful, but the way he described this individual…"

"I know, he sounded convinced," Hagakure said. "Still, how can it be so difficult to find someone with green hair, freckles and eyes and who is rather plain-looking."

Izumi couldn't help it. She choked on her breakfast and started coughing. A panicking Ochaco started slapping Izumi's back.

"S-sorry, food went the wrong way," wheezed Izumi.

Ochaco still looked concerned, and gave Izumi a mug to drink.

"I-I'm fine, I swear!" Izumi said, smiling at Ochaco.

"Right…" slowly nodded Ochaco.

"So, what are you plans for this evening?" Izumi hastily asked, trying to divert the conversation. The last thing she wanted was for Ochaco to wonder why Izumi really broke into such a coughing fit, that and Izumi didn't want to look like she had been eavesdropping. Luckily, Ochaco didn't appear to mind.

"Oh, I am actually free," Ochaco said with a smile. "What about you?"

"I'm also free," Izumi said, lightening up.

"That's great! Do you want to do something?" Ochaco wondered, excited. "Something that doesn't involve training. I think I had more than enough for one week."

"We could," Izumi said, nodding. She hummed with a frown. "But what? U.A. has only training facilities."

"We could hang out here," Ochaco proposed.

"Or maybe in one of our rooms," Izumi suggested, only to realize what she had just proposed.

Their eyes met after the proposal, only for the two girls to avert their gazes and blush. The thought of spending alone time in their rooms was appealing, to say the least, but perhaps a bit too forward. They were both too entrapped in their own embarrassment to realize how flustered the other was.

"I guess we can come up with something afterwards," said Ochaco.

Izumi could only agree with the brunette. With that decided, the two got down to finishing their meals, lest they were late.

Thankfully, the rest of the breakfast remained uneventful. However, throughout it all Izumi remained worried. She hadn't known Mineta had given such an accurate description of Izuku to Ashido. What if Mineta told the boys? Worse, what if Bakugo heard about it? That wasn't good, not at all.

Izumi was able to dispel most of her worries after breakfast thanks to Ochaco. Once they had finished eating, the two went to the school proper and chatted about this and that. By the time they made it to their desks, Izumi felt far more relieved.

Most of her classmates were already there, including most of the girls. The few stragglers were walking in, while the rest kept to their own little groups. Tokoyami chatted with Shoji and Sato, while Koda quietly listened in. Mineta, Kaminari and Sero seemed immersed on some talk that may or may not involve women, while Kirishima talked to Ojiro about fighting. Aoyoma, on his part, was mostly himself, sparkles and everything.

Sadly, that was as far as she could have it easy. No sooner had she sat down, none other than Bakugo Katsuki, one of her sources of stress, stomped towards her. Izumi did not like the determined burning red eyes trained on her. They held a purpose, and Izumi could only fear what that entailed. For a moment, the blond just stood there next to her desk, scowling, before taking a deep breath and finally addressing the rabbit girl.

"Oy, Bu- Izumi," Bakugo said through gritted teeth. "Are you busy this evening?"

Izumi stared at Bakugo, dumbfounded. Of all the things she had expected from the explosive blond, a relatively polite greeting, saying her actual name, and then asking about her time were definitely not in her list, much less all together. In summary, Izumi was at a complete loss.

"Eh… come again?" Izumi wondered, tilting her head in bewilderment.

Behind Bakugo, Izumi could see the girls gathering, curious about whatever Bakugo was saying. The blond appeared to notice and spun around. However, the girls all quickly acted as if they actually weren't trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. Ochaco, on her part, sat on her desk, glancing between the two with an undecipherable face.

"I said hello," Bakugo said through greeted teeth. It was almost as if being polite was taking an immense effort on his part. "Are you free or not?"

"Eh…" Izumi frowned. Polite Bakugo was an extremely odd Bakugo. "Why are you asking?"

"Because I wish to speak with you…" Bakugo murmured, holding back a hiss of annoyance. This about being polite was really taking a toll on him "…alone."

Izumi's heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Could Bakugo have figured out the truth? Oh God, he wanted to confront her, didn't he? Oh no, just when it was all looking fine (somewhat)!

The girls behind the blond immediately started waving their arms and shaking their heads, urging Izumi to say that 'no'. When Bakugo glanced towards them, it looked like they were busy gossiping with each other. No sooner had Bakugo looked back at Izumi, the girls went back with their signaling, and rather vehemently at that. Poor Izumi could only watch, a bit overwhelmed by the situation.

"What do- do you want to talk about?" Izumi asked, trying to prod for information.

Please, tell me he hasn't figured it out! She pleaded deep within.

By that point, the girls were looking desperate in their attempts to get Izumi to deny Bakugo the chance to talk alone. Izumi had no idea why.

"Just to talk," muttered Bakugo, averting his eyes.

Alright, something is odd about this, Izumi thought, utterly confused. If he knew or suspected something, wouldn't he be a bit more abrasive and hot-headed about it? Katsuki would not doubt want to confirm right away if I so happened to be the same Deku he knew, right?

In any case, Izumi was far too curious herself.

"Yes?" Izumi tentatively replied.

The girls of 1-A all reacted with visible disappointment. Ashido and Hagakure face palmed, while Yaoyorozu covered her face. Jiro raised an eyebrow all while Asui seemed to tilt her head, confused. Bakugo snapped his head back, only to find his female classmates busying chatting.

"Then meet me at the gym during lunch time," Bakugo said.

"Alright…?" Izumi was still unsure what was going on.

Bakugo harrumphed, turned around, only to stop dead on his feet and spin around in an instant.

"And don't bring anyone, alright?!" Bakugo demanded.

Izumi sweatdropped. Leave it to Bakugo to be unable to finally act condescending and annoying. Then again, his politeness had lasted far more than Izumi had expected. With that said, Bakugo finally stomped his way to his desk. The girls ignored him, following his movement from the corner of their eyes. As soon as Bakugo had sat up, Izumi found herself surrounded by her female classmates.

Izumi could only shrink with the way they focused on her.

"Izumi, what the hell?" Ashido asked.

"What?" Izumi replied, confused.

"Why did you agree to go out with Bakugo, girl?" Hagakure wondered.

"Go out?" Izumi said. "He just wanted to talk about something, and it was during lunch break."

Probably to squeeze answers out of me, she mentally elaborated. She knew that Bakugo had already been suspicious of Izumi as it was. If Mineta had opened his mouth near the explosive blond… then Izumi was sure Bakugo had started connecting the dots. Hopefully, it wasn't the case. Regardless, Izumi had to know.

"That's not the point! Why do you want to hang out with him?" Ashido asked.

"I thought you said you disliked him," Yaoyorozu said.

"Or do you actually have a crush on him, ribbit?" wondered Asui.

"It-it isn't like that!" Spluttered Izumi.

"Is he your type?" Hagakura asked. "That's the problem, isn't it? You like the bad boys, don't you?"

"Ooh, go figure an adorable bunny girl is into mean SOBs," teased Ashido. "We need to fix that."

"I thought you'd be more into quiet brooding type, like Todoroki, ribbit," added Asui.

Izumi felt like she would faint and her face couldn't get any hotter.

"It's – it's nothing like that! This is Bakugo we are talking about," Izumi squeaked.

"That's the point! He actually said your name, girl! Do you know what that means?!" Hagakure asked, horrified.

"Eh… he wants something from me?" replied Izumi.

"That he wants to confess to you!" Hagakure said.

Izumi's brain shut down at that thought. Could Bakugo… No, no way, absolutely not. The thought made Izumi recoil.

"What?" Squawked Izumi.

"Girls, come on, it isn't like that," said an oddly defensive Ochaco. "We all know Bakugo doesn't like anyone else other than himself."

"Uh, but maybe he is starting to develop something for our adorable bunny here," Ashido seemed way too gleeful about this. "He probably respects strength, and our little girl here showed she has it in spades. I don't know about you, but it sounds to me like love is in the air here."

With a cackle and a devious grin, Ashido turned to Izumi, ready to extend her suffering as long as possible.

"Come on, do you really like Bakugo or not? He's definitely your type, isn't he?"

"She has better taste than that," harrumphed an indignant Yaoyorozu.

"What? You think she likes Todoroki or Iida?" Chuckled Jiro, only to pale. "You don't like Iida like that, do you? Please, tell me you don't. That would be way too weird."

"What's wrong with Iida, ribbit?" Asked Asui. "He seems decent enough. Intense, but decent, ribbit."

"Or do you like hunks like Kirishima?" Teased Hagakure, getting to enjoy Izumi's flustered face.

The thought that the girls assumed she was into boys made Izumi have a hard time thinking. She was still coming into terms with the extremely unlikely scenario that Bakugo might (emphasis on might) want to confess to her. It was impossible, never going to happen… but what if? And that terrified Izumi. It did not help the girls kept making her imagine scenarios with different boys.

This was not something Izuku had ever experienced. The idea of getting approached by the opposite sex in such a manner was not just a foreign concept. For Izuku, it was an impossibility. No girl would ever confess feelings to the resident creepy useless nerd.

"So what is it? Are you going to accept Bakugo's confession?" Ashido said, enjoying the way Izumi looked more horrified by the second.

As it so happened, Izumi was so flustered, she responded with the first thing to come to mind… something she would come to regret.

"I'm not into boys!" Izumi huffed.

Silence. Seconds passed.

What followed happened extremely fast. Izumi squeaked and slapped her hands over her mouth, wide-eyed and shocked. The girls stared, gobsmacked, before Ashido and Hagakure went for her hands, trying to pry them off Izumi's mouth. Yaoyorozu and the other girls seemed rather flustered by the admission, but by the smiles on their faces, they probably found it adorable or something.

"Come on! Repeat that last bit!" Cackled Ashido.

"Yes! Come on, Izumi, we won't judge!" Laughed Hagakure.

Izumi, even with her tiny arms, managed to wrestle against the two maniacal girls and keep her hands on her mouth.

Et tu, mouth? Was all Izumi could think. She couldn't believe that her own lips betrayed her in such a way. How had it slipped like that?

"And what, pray tell, is going on here?"

The girls froze. There, glaring at them at the door, was none other than Aizawa. Within the span of a second, all girls were seated and staring straight ahead. Most of them, however, had grins and smirks on their faces, glancing at the embarassed rabbit girl. Izumi, on her part, smacked her face on her desk.

That's it! Goodbye social life! It was nice while it lasted! She dramatically thought.

Little did she know about the timid smile Ochaco struggled to conceal next her.

-.-

The teacher's lounge of U.A. had multiple functions. The most important of which, of course, was for the teachers to regain their strength and morale after trying to cram information into the heads of a myriad of dunderheads. It also helped to be a rather nice environment to chat for teachers. For All Might and Miruko, on the other hand, the lounge served another person: go over their classes.

As inexperienced teachers, both of them were at a loss on how to best plan a class. All Might was the sort to try to read basic manuals (from "Teaching for dummines" to "I Need a Hero to Teach me!") and even write down plans in advance, whereas Miruko was more of the type to just wing it and do her best. Needless to say, neither was sure what they were doing. Were it not for Nezu's basic guidelines and general directions, they might as well have been at a loss on how to teach.

At the moment, though, both Pro-Heroes were doing something different regarding their classes: they were reviewing them. That too was different for each Hero.

"A nudist, that's what he is," scoffed Miruko.

"Perhaps, but he seems to have a good grasp on hero work," rebutted All Might.

Seated on comfy sofas opposite each other, the two heroes faced their colleague as they went over notes regarding their latest class.

"Shouting 'power' at the top of his lungs while waving his pecker for the world to see doesn't constitute hero work to me," snorted Miruko.

"He has the spirit, doesn't he? Even when naked he fights on," mused All Might.

"Like I said, a nudist," said Miruko. She glanced down at the notebook on her lap and scowled. "At least he seems to have some initiative. The other boy, the elf-looking one… that kid has serious confidence issues. How in the world did he manage to make it to third year?"

"He's merely… reserved," remarked All Might. "He didn't do that badly."

"He stood half the exercise muttering against a wall," deadpanned Miruko.

All Might had little to say about that. He merely shrugged, smiling sheepishly to his colleague.

"Y'know, all this is nonsense," huffed Miruko.

All Might blinked, confused.

"What is?"

"This! Communication, teamwork, coordination…" Miruko groaned. "This is stupid."

She leaned back, huffing in annoyance. Opposite her, the Number One hero offered a small smile.

"I don't make the curriculum," said All Might. "Not that I believe it is badly designed. These are all basic hero skills."

"Seriously? We shouldn't be teaching this crap to the kids. We should be giving them a run down on how to grow stronger," Miruko said. "They can work out the rest on their own."

"Strength isn't everything. In fact, for most cases, there is always a more powerful quirk out there. It is wise to train the students against stronger foes."

"Yeah, but first they need to know how to do stuff on their own!" Miruko exclaimed.

"Even I worked with others, Usagiyama," sighed All Might. "I doubt I'd been as successful as I've been without the aid of my good friends David Shield and Sir Nighteye, without mentioning countless others."

Miruko, though, grumbled under her breath, annoyed by what she was being forced to teach.

The two Pro-Heroes fell into silence, going over their papers and notes. From what All Might could see from the corner of his eyes, Miruko's notes were nearly as lacking as his own. He mentally chuckled at that. Both Pros definitely had a thing or two to learn about teaching.

"So… how is the whole controversy going on?" All Might asked, clearing his throat. "Things finally blowing over?"

"I wish!" spat the Rabbit Hero. "The other heroes of the city are piling up on me and trying to enforce some crappy boycott. Assholes, the lot of them."

All Might frowned at that. There had been something he had been curious to know but never had the opportunity to ask it (or perhaps the courage). Being as they were in such a cordial conversation, All Might decided to ask.

"Why do other heroes want to kick you down in the polls? I am well aware how competitive our industry is, but this appears to be a bit… more… than just competitiveness," All Might remarked. "One could almost call it excessive."

Miruko scowled, an eyebrow twitching with annoyance.

"They are just whiny idiots. They can't stand that I can do their job ten times over," scoffed Miruko. "They were waiting for this opportunity."

"I just hope it doesn't affect you on the long run. It would be a pity if you were stuck low in the rankings," All Might commented.

"I don't give a damn about the polls and that crap," scoffed Rumi.

"Truly? Even if they will dictate your funding?" Wondered All Might.

"Alright, I might give a crap because of that, but other than the damn funding, I'm a hero to rip evil a new one, not to appeal to idiots. People can eat shit and die for all I care," Miruko said.

"Don't say that," All Might said with a frown. "Our mission is to protect people. Anything less and we would be absolutely pointless."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Not that they care, do they?" Scoffed the rabbit hero.

All Might hummed, stroking his chin.

"You're only saying that because of your little controversy," All Might pointed out. Clearly, he was onto something, if Miruko's scowl was anything to go by. "It would do you good to be a bit less abrasive to the public."

"I am not abrasive. Heck, people loved me! Then all of a sudden I try to drill some sense into this idiot and I'm the villain?" Miruko bitterly retorted.

"You weren't exactly nice," pointed out All Might.

"I was fighting a freaking villain. The brat was either suicidal or too stupid," said the rabbit hero. "You've had your fair share of nutty fans, haven't you? You know, the sort that try to steal your underwear."

"Oh yes, I had to contend with people like that," All Might nodded.

"Yeah, but I bet you don't deal with perverts. There's always that one creepy dude obsessed with me lurking about. I know I am pretty damn hot stuff alright, but come on!" exclaimed an exasperated Miruko.

"What is Z's strategy for – well – helping you go back to normal?" All Might asked.

"Publicity stunts and whatnot," huffed Miruko. "Getting a few interns to show I'm approachable and I can be around kids, include a sidekick or two to show that I can do teamwork if I so desperately need so… y'know, that crap."

"And not apologizing?" All Might hummed.

"Ha, Z said it best: you don't apologize to the mob. Besides, what am I supposed to do? Go and lie because I don't like how morons are reacting? Hell no! I meant what I said and I will say it again if I have to," an unrepentant Miruko proclaimed.

All Might shook his head. Leave it to Miruko to remain headstrong in her decision. He could understand her position and, truth to be told, he sympathized with her situation. It wasn't nice when the public decided to cancel a hero for some reason or another. However, the whole debacle hit All Might too close to home.

"Do you know how the kid is taking it? The one you – you know – gave a piece of your mind to," All Might wondered.

"Oh, yeah, he's suffering alright," sarcastically growled Miruko. "He's been to talk-shows, been visited by heroes to offer their 'support', and people are even rising money for him. Heck, Z told me he's still sobbing in social networks for attention. Ha, setting that brat straight was the best thing to happen to him. Little brat..."

All Might blinked. Suddenly he felt rather sympathetic towards Miruko, more so than before.

"To think it all happen because of said you said in the spur of the moment," hummed All Might.

"In front of a god-damn cell phone, you mean," grunted Miruko.

"I can relate to your situation, actually," All Might confessed. "I once had an encounter where I run my mouth. It wasn't like your case, of course. There was, thankfully, no camera, but I did kind of said the wrong thing…"

"You? Symbol of Peace and number One Hero?" Miruko asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I might be the alleged strongest hero in Japan and, perhaps, the world, but I am still human, and I have made my fair share of mistakes, including this one encounter," admitted the Number One Hero. "There was once this kid… a quirkless boy, you see, and he was desperate for my opinion on whether or not he could be a hero."

Miruko listened attentively, curious. It was the first time she head a personal experience from All Might after all.

"He asked me if he could be a hero, even without power," retold All Might.

"And what did you say? Oh, cheese and carrots, don't tell me you actually encouraged the boy," said Miruko.

"No," grimly said All Might. "I told him to forget it."

"Wait, just like that?" Miruko asked, surprised.

"No… I was far more cutting and blunt. Admittedly, I was a bit annoyed at the boy's insistence. He reminded me to some of my worst fans. Unfortunately, I did not answer his heart-filled question with any kindness. I failed to notice the suffering and darkness he was enduring…"

Miruko stared in disbelief.

"You told a kid to sod off?" She asked, wide-eyed. She grinned, amused. "Seriously?"

"In a manner, I did," sighed All Might, filled with shame.

"Damn," Miruko whistled in amazement. "Well, that sucks. But it wasn't your fault. You can't tell powerless kids to throw themselves in danger."

All Might snorted at that, grinning.

"You are not wrong. For the most part, someone that is quirkless has a monumental disadvantage in comparison to others," All Might conceded. "However, do you know what that same kid did after I had crashed his dreams? After I – his Idol – blatantly told him to forget all about becoming a hero?"

"Don't tell me he went to the media or something," muttered Miruko.

"He dived head first towards a villain to rescue a friend," All Might said.

"Huh?" Miruko blinked at All Might, unable to process what she had just been told.

"Oh yes, even after I had shattered his aspirations, broken him apart from the seams… he couldn't help it. His legs moved on their own and the kid went straight into the mouth of danger, even if it meant certain death… and for one piece of work of a person, actually," All Might said. "The villain had this hostage – a teenager - choking him to death. None of the heroes could do anything, because the villain was made of sludge, so everyone could only watch."

"Damn, that quirkless kid must have had spunk," hummed Miruko. "A reckless idiot, but a brave one at that."

She leaned forward, intrigued. All Might had to bite his lip to avoid laughing at the way her ears were straight and set towards him, revealing her undivided attention.

"So… what happened?" She asked, failing to act as if she didn't really care.

"He failed to rescue his friend, of course, and he could have died had I not intervened. Believe it or not, that quirkless kid inspired me to push forward. When no other hero in the area was doing anything, seeing that powerless kid, so weak and feeble, desperately rush against all the odds stacked against him in order to save a life… how was I not supposed to push forward?

"The other heroes were embarrassed by the whole thing. They berated the kid. Even the media wasn't kind to him. However, once I found the kid alone… I apologized and told him the truth," All Might retold.

"And what's that?"

"That he could be a hero," All Might stated.

"Bullshit. You said it yourself, he failed, and how is a quirkless kid supposed to do anything?" Miruko retorted.

"He might have failed, but he had both the heart in the right place and a good head over his shoulders. He lacked perhaps the power to back up his dreams, but that was a matter of preparation. True, he wouldn't be a top ranking hero, and perhaps it would have been impossible for him to even get into the industry… but when a quirkelss kid can be heroic and buy a hostage precious seconds of breath when even the strong and powerful couldn't, how was I supposed to say otherwise?" All Might explained.

"Really? You tried to give false hope to the kid?" Miruko asked.

"Oh, but that's the funny part: he actually wasn't quirkless. He later discovered he had a quirk all along," All Might chuckled. "In fact, he actually made it to a hero course."

"Seriously? Ha, what are the odds?" Miruko wondered. "Good for him. What did school did he managed to get into?"

"Oh, he got accepted into a rather prestigious school at that. You actually met that kid," All Might said with a smile.

"I met…" she trailed off, frowning, only to gasp. "No freaking way."

"Yep," All Might nodded.

"Lil' bunny? Seriously?" Miruko laughed. "Well, good on the little bunny!"

All Might chuckled.

"So you see, perhaps you meant well when you told that boy off. However, sometimes you need to be a bit more understanding and not dismiss people so quickly," All Might said.

"It's not the same," Miruko huffed. "That asshole is obsessed with me. Wasn't even the first time I saw him creeping around."

"Do you even know him?" All Might wondered. "I have discovered as of late that not all fan boys are creepy useless nerds. Some of them actually possess rare qualities and hearts of gold. Appearances can be deceiving, after all."

"So what? I'm supposed to apologize to some idiot who got himself in danger and didn't like to be admonished?" Miruko grunted.

"No," All Might said with a smile and a shrug. "But next time to tell off someone, be it quirkless or not, try to understand where they are coming from. Some of them cling to the impossible as a life line, sometimes to the point of desperation. As heroes it is our duty to save them from themselves as much as from villain. In your case, you just need to trust in Z. That fox strikes me as someone who knows what she is doing."

"That she does, that she does…" chuckled Miruko.

She shook her head and quickly changed the subject.

"So that's the first time you met your son/daughter?" Miruko said with a smile. "You started by crashing his dreams?"

"He is not my son," said All Might, perhaps for the umpteenth time with a roll of his eyes.

The whole joke about young Midoriya being his son was getting old really quick.

"I don't know. I kinda see the resemblance," joked Miruko, studying All Might.

"Ha, do you wish to talk about resemblance?" retorted All Might. "I can assure you, young Midoriya's adorable ears did not come from me."

"Watch it, All Might. You are treading on dangerous ground here. Us rabbit people don't take kindly to this sort of talk," warned a smirking Miruko.

All Might ignored her comment, a smile stretching on his face.

"And that fluffy cotton tail? I am sure I, differently from a certain someone I know, do not have it," All Might carried on.

"Oy, careful," Miruko insisted.

"And all that cuteness? I must say, are you sure young Midoriya isn't your son?" All Might teased. "You are both extremely cute and cuddly."

"That's it, you crossed the C-word line, old man!" Miruko huffed with a grin.

All Might grinned back just as the rabbit girl charged, ready to make the Number One Hero pay for his transgressions against rabbit-kind.

When Aizawa went into the lounge, hopeful to get some rest and peace, he was not surprised to find a pair of rambunctious heroes inside. He was, however, somewhat baffled by the state in which he found them. It was not every day, after all, that he saw a muscular and almighty All Might kneeling on the ground, tickling the battle-lusting Miruko.

"Your secretary was right; you are ticklish!" mused All Might.

"S-Stop it! Stop it! C-curse you Z! Release me or I swear I will – Ah, stop!" Laughed Miruko, rolling on the ground much like a rabbit would do when tickled in such a manner. She even kept her hands close to her chest more like an animal than a person.

"That's what happens when you try to fight me, the Number One Hero All Might!" Laughed All Might.

Aizawa stared, dumbfound. It took two seconds for the two heroes to realize they were not alone. All Might and Miruko stared at the tired-looking Pro-Hero, and Aizawa was not sure just what exactly he was witnessing.

"This is not what it looks like," the two said in unison.

Aizawa closed his eyes, took a deep breath and turned around without uttering a single word.

"It's too freaking early for this," he muttered, trying to wipe out his most recent memory off his mind.

If only it was so easy…

-.-

Izumi wasn't sure what to expect when she went to the gym during lunch break. Ochaco pleaded, almost begged, for her not to go. What good would it do to hang out with the likes of Bakugo, after all? However, Ochaco didn't understand Izumi's situation. The rabbit girl needed to know the truth.

She did ponder if, perhaps, Ashido and company weren't off the mark with their wild speculations. Could Bakugo actually have developed feelings for Izumi? For starters, Izumi had always gotten the impression that either Bakugo was not interested in anything other than violence and training, or he played the other team. Secondly, even if by some impossibility Bakugo actually did develop feelings towards someone, Izumi believed he was too emotionally stunted and prideful to bring himself to admit it, much less confess it.

No, Bakugo had something else to talk about, and Izumi had a bad feeling it involved his suspicions between Izuku and the mysterious unknown Izumi. She mustered her strength and steeled herself for the confrontation. Izumi was not Izuku, and she would not take Bakugo's taunts and insults.

Bakugo was already waiting for her. He stood outside the gym, impatient and scowling, until he saw the rabbit girl. He scoffed when Izumi approached her and gritted his teeth, frustrated.

"Follow me," he grunted.

He turned around and walked off, hands in his pockets and as angry as usual. Izumi followed after Bakugo, trying to decipher anything from his demeanor. Sadly, she couldn't figure out anything. Finally, Bakugo led Izumi to an open field and looked at her in the eyes.

"Alright, Bunny, spill it," Bakugo spat. "I know your little freaking secret."

Izumi was, much to her own surprise, neither shocked nor scared. In fact, she felt unsure. Izumi was thankful she was dealing with the same pigheaded Bakugo rather than the polite one. Clearly, Bakugo knew Izumi would have never agreed to their private conversation without a modicum of respect. If only Bakugo could actually learn some manners and social queues…

"What secret?" Izumi said.

"Your real identity," Bakugo muttered, gritting his teeth. He stomped close to Izumi and loomed over her, staring down at the rabbit girl. "Do you want me to spell it out for you?"

"You'll have to be more specific than that," stated Izumi.

She was rather amazed by just how calm she was. Perhaps she had long assumed that Bakugo would be the first to figure her secret identity first, or perhaps Izumi was far more annoyed by Bakugo's abrasiveness.

"Do you, though?" Bakugo said with a sardonic smile. "Then fine, you asked for it."

He harshly poked at her, furious.

"You are god-damn fucking Deku!" He hissed.

Bakugo leaned so close to her, she was struck by the stench of his breath. Instead of afraid, Izumi found herself feeling an entirely different emotion. She pushed Bakugo off of her and glared at the boy.

"Ah-ha," Izumi said, folding her arms. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

That infuriated Bakugo and, strangely enough, Izumi enjoyed it.

"Don't play the Dumb Bunny," Bakugo hissed. "You are so pathetic, prancing around like a cute little bunny to hog all the attention."

"Don't call me cute," coldly replied Izumi.

"I'll call you whatever I like, Deku," retorted Bakugo. "And don't deny it! Your secret identity is shit. You have the same scars on your arm as Deku and you know Deku way too well for someone that was never anywhere near him."

Izumi raised her eyebrows. That seemed way too circumstantial to accuse her of being someone else enterily. She blinked, as she realized what Bakugo's game was. He wasn't there for an accusation; Bakugo was trying to rile her up enough to get a confession, for her to slip up. Well, Izumi was not going to give him the satisfaction of that.

"…and that alone made you think I am secretly a boy?" Izumi scoffed.

"Oh, that was only the tip of the Iceberg but there is more," Bakugo growled, frustrated that Izumi wasn't taking the bait. "First, the shitty nerd somehow got into I-Island… as if! The nerd had no idea on support! He was far more obsessed about being a fucking hero. However, if he somehow got into the U.A. secret identity program then the likes of Nezu and All Might, who have good relations with David Shield, could easily get all the papers to fake it!"

Izumi was rather surprised he knew that, but she quickly realized that it was probably Mitsuki's fault. His mother no doubt had gotten that titbit of information from Izumi's own mother.

"Second, there's that move during the Battle Trial!" Bakugo continued, grinning in triumph. "You managed to make a standard throw because you knew my technic and stance, just like Deku – that freaking creep – would."

Alright, that was a good observation on Bakugo's part. Izumi had known Bakugo always started a fight with one particular hook, which helped her to intercept and smack the boy to the ground during the Battle Trial.

"Third and last, the little perv saw Deku in the dorm's room!" Bakugo finished. "He saw you, didn't he?"

Izumi didn't reply. Her heart clenched as her worst fears came true.

"Admit it, dumb bunny," Bakugo growled, standing over her once again. "You are Deku, the shitty useless pathetic nerd!"

Izumi shrunk. For a moment, memories of Bakugo looming over him, grinning and hands producing explosions, flashed across her mind. How many times had Bakugo hurt Izuku in that manner, or merely stood like that to intimidate him? How many times had Bakugo looked down on poor Izuku, because of his dreams and ambitions? However, this was not the same Izuku Bakugo had dealt with back in Middle School.

I need to answer! But how? And what? Izumi desperately thought, trying not to be cowed by Bakugo's presence.

She suddenly remembered All Might's suggestions and advice. Izumi balled her hands into fists, took a deep breath and faced Bakugo, a wide grin on her face.

"You really think I am Izuku Midoriya? Or are you grasping at straws here?" Izumi said. She sounded confident, even though her heart was racing and she felt her breath starting to fail her.

"You are Deku! Just admit it," shouted Bakugo. He leaned over her once again, this came producing explosions like he used to.

Izumi remained rooted in place and did not flinch. She puffed her chest and tried to keep her hands from shaking. She was not about to let that asshole get away with it.

He will no longer trample all over me, Izumi told herself. I am God-Damn Izumi Midoriya! I will not be bullied or mistreated like I was back in Alderra. Those days are long gone!

"It sounds to me like you are actually asking for confirmation," Izumi said. She couldn't believe just how even her voice came out. Where had all that confidence come from? "Let me tell you this and get it through your thick skull: I AM Izumi. Believe whatever you want, Bakugo. Tell anyone who wants to hear. I don't give a damn."

And with that, Izumi turned around and allowed her face to scrunch into horror.

Oh God, why did I have to antagonize him like that?! She wondered.

"Oy, where the fuck are you going?!" Shouted Bakugo, grabbing her arm.

She slapped his hand off and glared at him.

"Away from you, asshole," she retorted.

And after Bakugo stared at her, perplexed, Izumi hopped off. She might have looked like she was pissed off, but deep down it was another story altogether.

Holy carrots! Where in the world did that come from? Why did I say that? Oh God, what is happening? She thought, close to having a panic attack. It was all so unlike her, she was starting to worry she might have been possessed or something.

"I am not done with you!" Bakugo shouted, furious.

But Izumi didn't stop and continued forward, away from the boy. Thankfully, Bakugo didn't follow. She didn't glance back, though. She was too much of a nerve wreck at the moment, and she feared she would reveal how she actually felt if she turned around. Instead, Izumi moved onwards, back to the cafeteria.

Once she was far enough, Izumi paused on her march and allowed a long breath she hadn't known she had been holding.

"That went way better than I could have hoped for," sighed Izumi. A smile managed to stretch on her face. "Way better…"

Still, for a moment there Izumi had been terrified she had antagonized the blond too much and made him blow a gasket. Luckily, it seemed Bakugo had truly been trying to get Izumi to unknowingly spill the truth than actually confront her. Otherwise, Izumi wouldn't have been able to get away that easy.

Izumi, though, was not about to stay around for Bakugo to catch up. She hurried to back to the school and the cafeteria, hopping quickly down the pavement paths and up flights of stairs. By the time she made it to the cafeteria and the rest of her class, she was emotionally exhausted. That confrontation with Bakugo had taken its toll on her, especially having to keep her cool.

With her day soured and ruined by the asshole in chief, Izumi could only look forward to hanging out with Ochaco later that day. Thinking about the brunette brought a genuine grin on her face, but she still felt like Bakugo had spoiled her good mood.

Could this day get any worse? Thought Izumi.

As it so happened, it could. When she approached one of the tables, she knew right away something was off. The girls were frantically talking to each other. It was also the case across other tables. Something was going on. There was an energy filling the cafeteria, something that made Izumi apprehensive. When she saw the look of the girls, Izumi knew right away things were about to take a turn for the worse, and it would involve her.

"Izumi! Izumi! Is it true?" Hagakure exclaimed, rushing towards her.

The other girls all encircled the poor rabbit girl, curious, intrigued and shocked. Izumi, in turn, just looked at them, at a loss. She wasn't in the mood for this, but at the same time, Izumi didn't feel like delaying the inevitable.

"What is true?" Izumi asked.

"This!" Yaoyorozu said, handing over her cell phone.

Izumi blinked at the screen, only for her jaw to drop. There, glaring straight at her as the title of some gossip online magazine, was an article with a very peculiar title:

Unbelievable! Meet Izumi the Wonder Rabbit: the Daughter of All Might and Miruko's Niece!

Chapter 13: Messy News

She must have cleaned the apartment ten times before Inko Midoriya had finally decided to sit down and ponder on what she had learned. She fought down the urge to dust Izuku's room and forced herself to process the truth. She had to, for she would have to tell Izuku the following day. If only it was so easy…

Inko sighed and went to the kitchen. She had kind of lost of the habit of eating when stressed, but given the last revelations she had endured, Inko had bought a few kilos of ice cream and she was making steady progress to the bottom.

How could she not? What she had learned had been simple and, by all means, rather short in terms of a tale. However, it had changed Inko's entire life for better and for worse. No, what truly bothered Inko was how it would all impact Izuku.

Thinking about her son brought a pang of guilt. She had been rather unfair to him as of late, prioritizing Izumi's form… why did it have to take a life-altering truth to realize that much?

"How am I going to tell him?" Inko wondered.

Technically, it wasn't that hard. She had already practiced what she would say many times in front of the mirror and to herself as she cleaned. However, just imagining the shock on her son…

Maybe he won't take it so bad, Inko nervously reasoned. He might even see it as a plus?

Inko wasn't sure though. Not knowing gnawed at her just as much as her wild imagination. She remained there, pondering, all while enjoying her favorite chocolate ice-cream.

Suddenly, there was a loud ping next to her. Inko blinked and picked her cell phone up. Mitsuki had written to her. There was another ping. Then another. Before Inko could finish unblocking the main screen, Mitsuki had shot a barrage of messages. Perplexed, Inko tried to hurry down the sentences before Mitsuki wrote even more.

The green-haired woman gasped.

"Oh dear," Inko gasped, staring at the screen.

Mitsuki had sent Inko an article that was being spread around the internet. The title alone made the housewife nervously gulp. Inko scrolled down, her heart clenching painfully the more she read.

"This is bad," she mumbled.

She really needed to talk to Izuku.

-.-

There were many scandals and controversies that were common place, especially involving heroes. There were always that one media rag that kept insisting said hero was having an affair with that other hero, or that some random person was actually the son or daughter of some other hero. However, never before had the likes of All Might fallen amidst them, much less by a renowned media news network. It didn't help that it appeared that many of the biggest media networks agreed on the matter, convinced for some odd reason. To most of Japan, it would appear that All Might had sired a daughter… and said daughter was related to the Rabbit Hero Miruko.

Needless to say, it was said rabbit hero who took the news the worst. That Friday evening, after a day of obnoxious classes, Miruko couldn't help but angrily pace in his apartment. She wasn't alone. Seated on one of the couches was All Might himself. Although he was rather disgruntled by the news, he wasn't taking it as badly as Miruko. Perhaps it was because he knew he wasn't the father of Izumi, whereas Miruko had had a niggling suspicion for a while.

"What the hell? This wasn't supposed to happen, damn it!" Miruko growled, ready to wring someone's neck

"Repeating that won't change anything, fluff," said a young fox girl, perhaps no older than ten, carrying a tray of tea and biscuits.

For some odd reason, the little fox girl was wearing an oversized skirt and Hawaiian green shirt, a tie lose around her neck. She almost looked like a child cosplaying as an adult. Her bushy fox tail swayed placidly from side to side as she walked towards one of the other couches, betraying her good mood. There on the couch, sat none other than Principal Nezu. He happily accepted the offered tea and a biscuit, before Z placed the tray on a tea table, taking a cup of her own and joining the white-furred being on the couch.

All Might hated doing so, but he couldn't help but glance at the wrist-bands and choker on the fox girl. There was something about them, something unnerving that suggested a lot about Z's history. They also didn't look as something a child would wear, so they truly stood out.

"Truly, this isn't a bad thing," Principal Nezu hummed, before taking a sip from the tea. The little rat-dog-bear thing smiled and turned to Z. "Ah, what a delightful tea."

"Thanks! This one is my favorite, Imperial grey" Chirpily said the little girl.

All Might had to stifle a chuckle at the way Miruko glared at the casually talking fox girl and Principal, ignoring her entirely.

"My, what an expensive taste," mused the Principal.

"That was how I was raised," mused Z. She turned to Miruko, rolling her eyes at the angry rabbit hero. "Will you stop that, fluff? It is not that bad!"

"That's because you aren't being the media's favorite chewing toy!" Miruko exclaimed, only to point at her secretary. "And stop looking so happy about this!"

"What's there not to be happy about?" Z said, tilting her head with childish cuteness. "People back at home will forget all about how you admonished a quirkless kid. Everyone now believes you came here to spend time with your niece. Isn't this better?"

"I don't even know if we are even related!" Miruko shouted, infuriated. "For God's sake, Z, I didn't become a hero for all this media crap and neither did the lil' bunny!"

"That's right. Young Izumi has gone through enough without adding all of this nonsense," harrumphed All Might.

The number one hero wasn't sure how to feel about the whole thing. He already felt bad enough by indirectly piling on young Midoriya's emotional plate without adding more burdens. He was, however, intrigued about the potential link between Miruko and young Midoriya. All Might glanced at his phone, looking at the many pictures that accompanied the scandalous new article.

"It was unavoidable. You all know fans. They love imagining connections between their favorite people. Anyone who saw a rabbit girl like Izumi was bound to start conjuring imagined blood-ties. And do you know what? This is great," remarked a smirking Z. "Just think about the polls, fluff."

"You are missing the point," Miruko growled.

Both Z and Nezu took a sip from their cups, exuding an air of calmness and confidence that was grating on the nerves of the already annoyed rabbit hero.

"You are making this look worse than it actually is," said Z with another roll of her eyes.

"It's bad enough that I need to leave a place because a bunch of assholes were throwing a childish temper tantrum, but this is getting worse! The idea is to have things blow over not explode to kingdom come!" Hissed Miruko.

Z sighed and lowered her cup, shaking her head.

"What do you want me to do, Rumi?" Z asked. "The people have already made up their mind and… well… I can't blame them. They came a good damn case about Izumi being related to you. Maybe…" she trailed off, offering a shy smile "…they aren't entirely wrong, at least in your case fluff."

"Didn't you say that Izumi looked a lot like your aunt?" pointed out All Might.

He gestured at his cell phone. Could there actually be credence to some of these claims? Those pictures… when Miruko had said Izumi looked like her aunt, he had thought she had meant it in some general sense, perhaps as two full rabbit mutant quirk users would. It was not so uncommon (albeit still rare) for two completely unrelated people to develop parallel yet similar quirks. He could have never imagined Izumi looking almost identical to said aunt.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean anything!" Rumi exclaimed. "How do we lose track of a family member? My family is really into – y'know – the whole big happy family shtick. For Christ's sake, my dad still sends postcards to this asshole of a second cousin of his."

"The accountant?" Z guessed.

"The same one," Miruko nodded.

"Man, now that's one piece of work," Z hummed in agreement.

All Might raised an eyebrow at the little girl. Just how well did Miruko's secretary know the Rabbit Hero's family? And why? As he pondered on that question, the little fox girl kept talking.

"Stuff happens, fluff" shrugged Z. "Just take the win, Rumi. Let the media hounds grasp on air as if it is the case. It will all blow over eventually. At best, someone put the groundwork to discover some long-missed relative of yours. At worse, this is the media spreading fake news as per usual."

"Indeed, you should truly be seeing the bright side to all of this," Nezu nodded.

"I don't think there is anything good coming out of this for Izumi," All Might pointed out.

"I'll admit this entire situation won't do poor Izumi any favors. Sadly, we were going to reach a similar crossroads ever since both your quirk and Izumi's are so similar," Nezu said, sending a meaningful look towards All Might.

The number one hero slowly nodded in understanding. People were bound to notice the connection between Izumi's immeasurable strength and fighting style to his own, especially with the media craving such conspiratorial ties between hero generations. It didn't help Izumi was a complete unknown that came out of nowhere. People loved running all sorts of theories and conspiracies with such individuals.

"But more importantly: the Sports Festival!" Happily said Nezu.

"The Sports Festival?" Miruko and All Might repeated, confused.

"Yes! With this news, a whole lot of people will want to attend! Everyone will pay a fortune to witness the alleged daughter of All Might and niece of Miruko in action!" Nezu proclaimed. "I will be able to double the entrance fee or even triple it."

"Or maybe even more!" Z said with a wide grin and greedy eyes. Her green eyes were almost shining with glee and All Might could have sworn she was salivating. "Ooh, think about the merchandize."

"And the media exclusives!" the secretary and Principal said in unison with the same happy faces and terrifying glint in their eyes.

All Might could only watch at the two, pondering if perhaps there weren't more blood-ties yet to be discovered within U.A.'s premises.

"Better yet, I might finally manage to bury the public's misconception that Shiketsu High is anywhere as good as U.A." cackled Nezu. "I will teach everyone who's the best Hero School in all of Japan once and for all!"

All Might (and Miruko) could only shiver as the Principal started laughing like a sadistic villain at the thought of one-upping the rival school. Z, for her part, merely drunk her tea, her bushy tail waggling in joy.

"Stop enjoying this," hissed Miruko.

"Sorry, fluff," said Z with a taunting smirk. "Can't help it."

Miruko scowled, and Z chuckled, amused.

All Might was about to reach for a cup of tea, only to notice Z's form smoothly stretch and grow from the corner of her eyes. The transformation was so seamless and fast, All Might barely had time to glance at her mid-change. When he turned to look at Miruko's secretary, he was baffled to find a young woman, on her early twenties, with the same crimson hair and bright green eyes as the child that had been sitting there. Differently from any other form of Z, All Might had never seen one that was androgynous. The lack of an adam's apple and the slightly wider hips (as well as slight bumps on her chest) suggested that she was a boyish looking girl rather than a feminine boy.

Could that be Z's true form? All Might wondered. He scratched his head. Does she even have a true form?

At the moment, Z no longer looked amused. Her tail wrapped over her lap and the secretary leaned forward, frowning. She looked rather serious and somber.

"I am actually a bit curious. The media really went out of its way with this investigation," hummed the woman. "They got pictures of Miruko's family, and even found a few images of Izumi shopping clothes."

All Might bit back a laugh. There were only to pictures of Izumi: one of them was a thoroughly embarrassed Izumi clad in a yellow summer dress, and another of Izumi resting her head against a table, both taken at a mall. If All Might had to guess, it probably happened around the time Inko Midoriya took her son for female clothing a little time before the start of school. In both pictures, Izumi looked flustered and ready to die of shame at the spot. That and Izumi was beyond adorable. No wonder someone had taken a picture of her.

And just like that, the cackling Nezu stopped his scary laughter and got serious.

"Yes… they were rather thorough," said Nezu. "If this investigation had happened after the Sports festival, when Izumi would have first made her appearance to the public, I would have understood journalists investigating this. Izumi's power is reminiscent to All Might's, and many people can reduce bare similarities, like Izumi and Rumi sharing lagomorph-related quirks, to familial bonds. What I do not understand is how Izumi, someone who by all means and purposes has yet to make any public displays, was the target of such a thorough investigation."

"The entrance exam perhaps? The fact Izumi took down the Zero Pointer in such a manner could have risen suspicions," All Might suggested.

"Perhaps, but so far none of the entrance exam images or information has been leaked to the public. I trust the chosen judges, and they are all tied to confidentiality agreements. We even go after social media leaks, and rather efficiently at that, otherwise many people would know how to gain points during the entrance exam," Nezu explained.

That was a good point All Might had forgotten. U.A. had long excelled keeping the whole deal of the Hero Points a secret, and for good reason. If people knew that they didn't need to be physically strong and only act heroically, most wouldn't bother training and displaying their prowess, or their true nature when in face of danger.

"But they found witnesses of the exam," Z remarked.

"And would you have believed Izumi is related to All Might from witnesses alone, teenagers at that?" Nezu countered.

"Actually… no. There are a lot of attention seekers who claim to be related to All Might," Z hummed.

"There are?" All Might and Miruko squawked.

Nezu and Z ignored the two.

"This article claims that a reliable source found out that my quirk very closely resembles Izumi's," All Might said, eyeing the article once again. "This means someone must have seen her quirk in action, and that person is trusted by the media. HNN wouldn't be so adamant on sharing these lies otherwise."

"Those fake news?" Scoffed Miruko. "They spew whatever nonsense they are told."

"HNN is a respectable source of news," All Might harrumphed.

"Yeah, right," huffed Miruko and Z.

"It really doesn't help Izumi is in the Secret Identity Program. That's almost like throwing honey over the girl and not expecting her to be hounded by bears," pointed out Z.

"But that's the thing, very few people outside the school should even know that Izumi exists," Nezu insisted. "Those who did see her outside U.A. wouldn't have been able to know she made it into U.A. either, much less anything regarding her quirk."

There was a moment of silence.

"Could there be a leak? Maybe a student who gave the media enough intel? Perhaps someone in the General Studies course who resents Izumi making it to the hero course?" All Might proposed.

"Again, whoever informed the media must have provided more than a simple statement or hint. These journalists must have had a very strong lead to even consider coming anywhere near my students," Nezu said. He didn't sound angry, but his tone had an edge to it.

"Maybe someone secretly recorded the entrance exam?" Z wondered.

Nezu appeared to consider it, only to shake his head. "I believe that there is another explanation… but I will review the entrance exam recordings."

"You think these journalists were already convinced about Miruko's ties to Izumi?" All Might wondered.

"And yours," added a disgruntled Miruko.

All Might scratched his head. What could he have done to convince anyone that he somehow fathered a rabbit girl?

"I think so. This article and investigation happened rather quickly, a suggestion that they already had a strong idea where to look at, and as you said, whoever their source is, the media must trust it implicitly. This suggests prior knowledge of Izumi to a degree, from her powers to her looks being similar to those of Miruko's family, gathered by one of their own, a journalist of some caliber more than competent enough to get that information without rising any of my suspicions," Nezu hummed, thoughtful.

"That's another thing. Few people know my family. I mean, they all live in the boonies, in the middle of nowhere, and they've gotten really cranky on outsiders since I reached the Top Ten," Miruko said with a frown. "What happened? Some idiot thought just because the lil' bunny and I both have rabbit quirks we were related?"

"That is what I find interesting. Then again, perhaps I am wrong," Nezu said.

Doubtful, thought All Might. Of all the people All Might had known, Nezu was the few people who were rarely, if ever wrong.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a loud beeping and a recorded voice, one that was yelling angrily for everyone to hear. All eyes turned to Miruko, who warily pulled out a phone, glaring at the screen while the ringtone kept on pestering the other occupants of the room.

"I will destroy you! I will destroy you!" the cell phone repeated.

All Might sweatdropped. What manner of ringtone was that? Then again, his wasn't that much better, was it?

"Speak of the devil and he shall come," Miruko groaned. "Just what I freaking needed! This is why this is terrible!"

"What is it fluff?" Wondered Z, only to raise an eyebrow. "And who exactly can contact you directly without going through me?" She asked with a pout and folding her arms.

"Who else, slick? My god-damn family!" Moaned Miruko, pulling her hair in exasperation. "Grandpa is coming here… and he's no doubt bringing hell with him!"

-.-

What Miruko did not know was that there was someone else angrily pacing, much like she had been. In fact, said person was just as frustrated as the Rabbit Hero, if perhaps not more so. Ochaco Uraraka could only quietly sit on her bed as her rabbit friend went from one side of the bedroom to the next, distraught and fuming.

"Isn't this good news? I mean, maybe you do have a relative in Miruko… that would be awesome, right?" Ochaco tentatively said. "And if people believe you are All Might's daughter, then that means you'll get all sorts of offers and opportunities."

"I do not want to be falsely given more privileges. I've already been fortunate to be given a whole lot more than I deserve… and All Might and Miruko deserve better than a scandal. Miruko already has enough on her plate and- and this will probably upset her family…" said Izumi, "…not matter if it is true or false."

Ochaco couldn't help but smile at that. Leave it to Izumi to worry about adults instead of herself.

"I don't even know how they managed to link All Might to me like this," Izumi wondered, plopping on the bed besides the brunette.

"Wait, so there is a connection between the two?" Ochaco asked, surprised.

"I – ehm – well…" Izumi spluttered.

Ochaco's jaw dropped. No way!

"Really?" Ochaco said, eyes promising to pop out their sockets. "You and All Might know each other? How?"

Izumi groaned. Her shoulders slumped, defeated.

"Y-yes, w-we know each other but- but don't tell anyone, alright? People will get worse if they knew."

Ochaco nodded, wide-eyed.

"He… he actually trained me. He wasted - I mean, spent – a lot of time on me, actually. It is all thanks to him that I managed to make it to U.A." admitted Izumi. "Without him, I wouldn't have made the cut."

"Really?" Ochaco gasped. "The number one hero was your personal trainer?"

Izumi just twiddled her thumbs.

"No wonder you are so awesome!" Laughed Ochaco.

Izumi ducked her head, thoroughly embarrassed.

"I guess someone must have seen you and come to the wrong conclusions. I mean, don't get me wrong, your quirks are way too similar but if someone saw you two hanging out together, training… it is no wonder someone might have believed you are related!" Ochaco trailed off with a grin. "All Might has never been seen training teenagers like that!"

"But that's the thing! No one saw us! I am absolutely certain!" Izumi exclaimed. "And no one was supposed to have seen me use my power in public!"

"Then how does the media know you have similar quirks?" Ochaco wondered.

"I don't know! Maybe- maybe a journalist sneaked into U.A.?" proposed Izumi.

"Last time that happened the entire school went into high alert," rebutted Ochaco.

Izumi nodded, conceding the point. She had forgotten about that experience.

"Izumi, this article is still a lot of guesswork. I mean, the part between you and Miruko being related is way more believable," Ochaco said, staring at the picture of Miruko's aunt. Was it wrong for her to believe that said Izumi was way prettier than her older doppelganger? "But all that stuff with All Might? There's no way to prove it. I have no idea why they are convinced, though."

"It must be the whole Secret Identity thing. There hasn't been a Pro-Hero with a secret identity in U.A. since All Might himself," said Izumi. "And for good reason. It is thanks to All Might that few to no powerful hero need to hide their identity."

"I guess that between you being a complete unknown, having All Might's power… oh, and the fact All Might himself of all people joined the school just when you entered!" Ochaco gasped at the realization. "That's it!"

Izumi's eyes widened, only to groan and lean back onto Ochaco's bed.

"People think All Might became a teacher for me," whined Izumi.

"You must admit, people really found the whole All Might becoming a high school teacher a bit weird and a bit out of nowhere," pointed out the brunette. "This whole family thing probably makes a lot of sense to people now."

Ochaco sheepishly chuckled as she realized something else.

"The same applies to Miruko, right? Knowing her and her personality, everyone must have been curious as to why Miruko chose to start teaching in U.A. I mean, yeah, maybe it was as a publicity stunt after the whole controversy with that fan she yelled at, but I think people will prefer this reason, especially her fans" Ochaco said.

Izumi could only groan given how it all made sense in a weird sort of way.

"Hey, it's fine, Izumi" Ochaco said with a smile. She laid on the bed, staring at Izumi. "Look, has anything changed? Does this discovery make you a different person?"

Izumi hesitantly shook her head, staring at the ceiling.

"No but-" Izumi mumbled only to be interrupted.

"You are the same Izumi that rescued me from the Zero Pointer, the same Izumi that made it as Class Rep, even the same Izumi that is constantly groped – eh, hugged, yes, that's what I meant – by Momo," Ochaco said. "You're…"

…the same cute ball of fluff and power I befriended, she mentally added, her cheeks gaining a tinge of pink with that thought.

"I… I guess," Izumi nodded, a small smile gracing her face as she turned towards her friend. "Still, why can I have something go my way for once?"

Ochaco tilted her head, confused. From her point of view, Izumi had quite a lot of things going for her.

"Everyone will probably believe this article and treat me differently," Izumi said. "I just… I just want to- to be… ehm… me."

Izumi's face fell, looking sorrowful and despondent. Ochaco frowned, perplexed. Could this be due to Izumi being stuck in the Secret Identity Program? Maybe she was struggling with keeping so much of herself secret. Ochaco felt her hurt wrench painfully at the thought of her friend enduring so much for the sake of her career.

"That hasn't changed. I am sure the guys at our class might be a bit annoying at first, but they are pretty nice," Ochaco said, only to scowl. "Except Bakugo…"

"Oh God, Bakugo is going to blow a gasket over this," whined Izumi.

"To be fair, that guy sure has a short fuse for most things," joked Ochaco. "Why would he mind, though? It really is none of his business whether you are related or not to Miruko…" she frowned as she thought about it "…or do you think he will throw a fit because some people claim you are related to All Might?"

"Knowing him, he might just be pissed that a little bunny girl like me has anything to do with All Might," Izumi said.

Ochaco could see that there was more to it than that. In fact, she got the distinct impression Izumi knew Bakugo a lot more than she would have liked. What was someone as kind as Izumi doing anywhere near that asshole? She could only guess.

"Well, who cares about that guy," Ochaco said, turning to look upwards.

And so the two stared at the ceiling, lying side by side.

"You know, Ochaco… thanks," Izumi said all of a sudden.

Ochaco blinked and turned to her friend, confused. They faced one another.

"For – ehm – being a good friend and all," Izumi elaborated with a shy smile.

Ochaco grinned, her heart fluttering.

"It is no problem, really," Ochaco said. "That's what friends are for, right?"

I am not into boys.

Ochaco blinked, recalling those words once again. The girl stared at Izumi and, rather slowly, it suddenly sunk to her how the entire situation would look like for an outsider. There they were, two girls, sharing a bed, in the privacy of their room and in what looked like a rather intimate moment for the two… Needless to say, Ochaco's face started burning by just imagining the possibilities.

"You alright?" Izumi asked, confused.

"Yes! Yes, I'm fine! Of course I am!" Laughed Ochaco, springing out of the bed and with her face burning an intense shade of red.

Stupid imagination, stop conjuring images of me and Izumi d-doing stuff! Ochaco swore, only to groan as yet more embarrassing scenarios flashed across her mind, making her only more flustered.

Izumi just stared at her, bewildered, only to shrug.

"Will you two kiss already?"

"Yeah, we are waiting for some action here!"

Ochaco and Izumi snapped their heads to the wall behind them, only to glance at each other. Their gazes met, and for a moment their eyes locked. Chocolate brown eyes pierced into Izumi's amethyst eyes.

Kiss? They both thought.

They snapped their heads away, now both of them blushing.

"Mina! Toru! What are you doing eavesdropping on us?!" Ochaco exclaimed, her face ready to burst from blood overflow.

"Waiting for the good part!" replied Ashido through the wall.

"It-it isn't like that!" Izumi shouted, unable to look at Ochaco.

There was suddenly the sound of a door being slammed open.

"Hey, what do you think you are doing?" By the sounds of it, Yaoyorozu had just burst into the room.

"Nothing!" Ashido and Hagakure said in unison.

"I warned you against eavesdropping on them!" Yaoyorozu said in her full rich-girl persona. Oh dear, someone had gotten into real trouble now.

"Quick, they are making a run for it!" Jiro's voice echoed through the wall, joining the fray.

"Ribbit!" exclaimed Asui, apparently also there.

"You will never stop me!" Cackled Ashido. "Run, Toru, Run!"

Ochaco and Izumi could only stand there, dumbfounded, as they heard quite the commotion on the next room. It sounded as if there was quite a scuffle over there.

PAM. BLAM. "Oy, you aren't going anywhere!" SLAM. CRASH. "Argh!" PAM. BANG. "Hey, watch it!" SWISH. "Gotcha!" SLIP "Ha, in your dreams!"

After a good minute of absolute noisy chaos, there was silence.

"That will teach you not to mess with Izumi's privacy," harrumphed a haughty Yaoyorozu.

There was the odd sound of something being dragged across the ground and what sounded like the groans of two tied up and gagged girls. Ochaco could only wonder what a protective (if not outright possessive) Yaoyorozu could have done to Ashido and Hagakure (not that Ochaco minded that much).

"You can go on doing – ehm – whatever you were doing now!" Yaoyorozu happily said, back to her chirpy persona.

"Geez, it isn't like they are making out or anything," Izumi managed to hear from Jiro on the next room, differently from Ochaco.

With that concluded, Ochaco and Izumi awkwardly stood there, separate and unable to face each other.

"S-so…" Izumi said, shyly twiddling her thumbs. "Th-that happened, huh?"

"Yeah," awkwardly chuckled Ochaco.

They glanced at each other, only to avert their gazes.

"So…" Izumi tried again.

"So…" Ochaco said, biting her lips.

"D-do you want to do something?" Izumi asked.

"Yes! Lets!" Ochaco said, thankful for the opportunity to break the awkwardness between the two.

I'm not into boys.

Ochaco almost squawked as once again remembered those words. Why couldn't her mind keep quiet about that? Why did her head keep echoing what Izumi had accidentally confessed earlier that day? And why the hell was she too darn giddy about it?!

"But what could we do?" Izumi wondered, oblivious to her friend's current state.

Izumi and Ochaco looked at each other. Apparently, they clearly thought of the same thing, for their faces burned hot once again and they looked away, embarrassed.

"N-nothing outside, I guess, given – you know – everything," mumbled Izumi. "M-maybe… check if there is any TVs available downstairs and maybe watch something?"

Ochaco bit her lower lip. The two girls, watching a movie by themselves? True, they would be on the open, free for other girls to join in. However, the invitation still sounded special in Ochaco's mind, something akin to… well… a date? No, she was reading too much into it, wasn't she?

"Yeah, let us just…" Ochaco nodded, smiling at Izumi "…enjoy this day, alright? It really sucked, didn't it?"

"Urgh, no kidding," Izumi said, a smile of her own facing Ochaco. "I just hope tomorrow is better."

"Don't jinx it," Ochaco joked.

The two girls shared a chuckle, before leaving the bedroom. The world might have gotten a tad crazier for Izumi, but at least she could count on Ochaco. The brunette, on the other hand, was really starting to discover just how badly she was crushing on the rabbit girl...

-.-

All around Japan, people were reacting in different ways. Most people dismissed the claim as hearsay, whereas others went insane with the revelation. The internet, especially the All Might forums, went crazy, lost in a frenzy of disbelief. For the most part, the people of Japan were strangely glad to hear that there could be another All Might in the future.

Pro-Heroes weren't sure how to react. Some on the higher ranks swore, cursing the fact that the number one position would no doubt be lost to them. Others were relieved that there would be someone capable of taking the mantle of Symbol of Peace. Villains on the other hand hoped it was all entirely speculation. One All Might was bad enough without having to add a second one… and one related to Miruko at that.

It was in one particular bar, however, where a certain young man took the news differently from most people. The bar itself was small yet not necessary lacking. There were a wide variety of beverages behind the barman and the place had everything a proper bar would hope to have. There was even a jukebox.

This man, white-haired and red-eyes, reacted to the news with a grin of all things, a wide creepy grin filled with hatred. At a simple glance, anyone could tell he was not entirely sane. His name was Tomura Shigaraki, and he was not just any person.

"So All Might has a little girl, huh?" said the man with his rough voice, sounding as if with a dry throat.

The barman, a man made of black-mist and clad in a fine attire for his role at the place, paused his cleaning. Whereas Shigaraki appeared to be rather lacking in regards to sanity, Kurogiri seemed to exude an air of patience. At the moment, the barman studied his charge. He had long known the young man, and he knew that tone very well.

"…oh, this is precious," hissed Shigaraki.

His grin was too wide and distorted. The chapped lips didn't help, nor his hateful red eyes. The way he revealed all of his teeth didn't do him any favors either. No, Shigaraki induced shivers whenever he was happy, or excited. At the moment, though, Kurogiri knew that the young man felt more than just joy.

"She'll die, just like her pathetic father," spat Shigaraki.

Kurogiri lowered the glass he was cleaning and addressed the young man. He had to step in before Shigaraki started one of his fits of rage.

"Tomura, the master-" Kurogiri started saying.

"I don't care!" Interrupted Shigaraki. "I want her gone. One All Might is bad enough without a miserable second one to pop up and replaced the first one!"

His hands flexed, an old habit back when he would started destroying everything around him. Lesser men would have hesitated in telling Shigaraki off. Kurogiri, though, wasn't a man per se.

"Our master demanded patience, Tomura," Kurogiri said. "Your plan shall take place when the time is right."

"Now is the time," Shigaraki insisted.

Kurogiri was ready to rebut the impatient young man, when all of a sudden there was a soft beep. Both of them knew what that mean. Their heads snapped towards the source, a small screen meant for video-calls. There was no image, but the caller's voice could be heard.

"Master," Kurogiri respectfully said.

"Master, so good you've decided to call. I have a proposition, master!" Shigaraki, ever the impertinent man, giddily said.

"Kurogiri, Tomura… I had expected this would happen," the voice of the caller was dark and reserved, yet gentle. It was rather creepy, actually, with hints of malice. "I take it you have heard the latest bout of rumor mill?"

"Yes! All Might has breed, apparently," Shigaraki spat with disgust. He smiled once again, delighted by thoughts of pain and suffering on a certain rabbit girl. "This is our chance, master. We can break the Number One Hero, bring him down from his high and mighty façade!"

The master didn't say anything.

"I can't wait to see the despair on that bastard's face… the suffering… that will teach him," Shigaraki appeared to lose grip of reality, lost on his desire to make the number one hero agonize. "And when we break All Might, we'll give him mercy by finishing him off! The world will see their hero torn apart before being disintegrated. Please, master, allow me to go ahead with the attack!"

The master took a moment to ponder, before he finally replied.

"You are still gathering men and resources, Tomura," calmly replied the master. "Do you truly think you have enough for an attack?"

"All Might is already weak enough. What will one week or two months change? Moreover, our weapon was already designed for All Might!" Scoffed Shigaraki.

"There is a possibility the school still expects something after your little show from the other day," softly said the master.

Kurogiri, who understood the whims of his master, could easily tell that his master was not entirely pleased with Shigaraki's little escapade. Unfortunately, when Shigaraki heard that All Might had started teaching in U.A., he went on a rampage and demanded to be taken to U.A. His actions were rash and foolish, promising to undo all of the master's hard work. Sadly, Kurogiri lived to serve, and serve he did.

"I will not fail, master!" Said Shigaraki, too sure of himself. "All Might will fall, and so will his stupid daughter. When I am through with them, they will be mere dust in the wind…"

He snickered, apparently pleased with that last sentence.

"We'll see about that," hummed the master, "but perhaps this will be an enlightening experience for you."

Shigaraki's already wide smile could only widen, all while Kurogiri worried.

"Very well, Tomura, you have my blessing," the master said. "I hope you learn from this, no matter the outcome. This is, after all, entirely for you to grow and mature."

Much to Kurogiri's chagrin, the elated young man broke into one of his foolish cackling sessions.

"Oh, but master, I won't be the one learning… I'll be the one teaching the world a lesson!"