Everyone had changed back into their school uniforms and returned to the classroom, except for Izuku Midoriya, who'd gone to the infirmary for his finger.
Shota Aizawa also explained that the whole "expelling whoever comes in last" thing was just to keep them on edge and motivated.
Not that it seemed to work on everyone, apparently.
When dismissal rolled around, Momo Yaoyorozu hesitated for a moment, watching her classmates pack up. Then she leaned closer to Arthur and whispered, "Arthur, I already said I'd walk home with Kyoka and the others today. That's cool, right?"
Women were kind of weird like that.
They'd known each other for one day and were already on a first-name basis?
"I was planning to go out for a bit anyway."
Arthur tossed his bag into his desk drawer and headed out.
Homework?
Yeah, that's not happening.
"Momo, are you and Arthur… like, a thing? I noticed you guys use first names already!"
Mina Ashido, looking like a human alien, leaned in with gossip mode fully activated.
"N-no, that's not it, it's just that he saved me and I—"
Momo waved her hands frantically, stammering.
"Wait, what happened? Spill, spill!"
Mina said excitedly.
Tsuyu Asui and Toru Hagakure and a few other girls also gathered around, curious.
"But after seeing Midoriya's throw, Arthur gave off a weird vibe," Kyoka Jiro noted, glancing toward the door Arthur had left through.
---
In a run-down bar in a sketchy part of town.
Giran, missing a front tooth, sat with his usual cigarette, blowing out a cloud of stale smoke.
Arthur sat across from him, eyes narrowed. "You're an info broker. You'd know about something like this, right?"
"No."
"A Quirk that transfers Quirks?"
Giran crushed his half-finished cigarette in the ashtray, shaking it to make sure it was fully out.
"If something like that existed, it'd be all over the news. Or locked up so deep by the Hero Association that no one would ever hear about it."
Giran shrugged. "About 20% of the population is Quirkless. If transferring Quirks was possible, the world would've gone crazy by now, don't you think?"
Since he wasn't getting the information he wanted, Arthur didn't bother sticking around. He got up and left.
"Sorry I couldn't help. This one's on me."
Giran swirled the whiskey in his glass and called after Arthur's retreating back.
Thump.
The only answer was the door slamming shut.
"Man, asking something like that,"
Giran chuckled to himself, alone in the bar. "This guy wants to be a hero? That's the kind of question a villain would ask."
---
Yaoyorozu Residence.
"I'm home."
Momo Yaoyorozu stepped into the entryway and called out toward the living room while swapping her leather shoes for slippers.
No answer. Guess her parents weren't back yet.
Arthur should've been home by now, right?
Right as she finished changing her shoes, the front door opened behind her.
Momo turned to look and saw Arthur stepping inside.
She blinked.
She'd been walking back at a pretty leisurely pace with Kyoka and Toru earlier, so why was Arthur getting back after her?
And… he didn't seem to be in a great mood.
"Arthur, you're kind of late."
"…Yeah."
He paused for a couple seconds before answering with one word.
"Is something wrong?"
She'd spent a fair amount of time with him by now, but this was the first time Momo had seen this kind of expression on his face.
What was it? Pity? Regret?
Before she could figure it out, Arthur's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him. Her chest pressed up against his.
"Wha- Mmm!"
Momo barely had time to react before her lips were sealed.
The kiss was forceful, almost overwhelming, like he was trying to draw something out of her.
"Miss, you're back?"
The maid came rushing over.
She stopped mid-step, nearly screamed, and barely managed to clamp both hands over her mouth.
Okay, so she'd kind of seen this coming, but…
Right at the entrance? What if the master and madam walked in?
Momo, for her part, was way past thinking about that.
This kiss was even more intense than last time.
She felt like she was being swallowed up.
---
The next day.
U.A. High School, lunchtime in the cafeteria.
Momo Yaoyorozu was sitting at a table with Ochaco Uraraka and the other girls.
Mina Ashido glanced at her and suddenly said, "Yo, Momo, your lips look kinda swollen. I've got some lip balm if you want it."
"Ah… th-thanks."
Momo took the lip balm from Mina with an awkward smile.
She kind of wanted to say it wasn't because her lips were chapped…
But there was no way she was explaining the real reason.
After a night's rest, Arthur was back to his usual self.
There was a saying that the best comfort for a guy was a woman.
And if a woman was the one who hurt him, the solution was another woman.
"Arthur! I heard All Might's teaching at U.A. too! When's he gonna come teach us?"
Inasa was sitting next to Arthur, practically buzzing.
And just like that, Arthur's mood was bad again.
Afternoon class. The teacher was late, so students started chatting.
Then a loud yell came from outside the classroom door:
"I-"
Whoosh. The door slammed open.
"Am coming in through the door like a normal person!"
He was dressed like a superhero straight out of an American comic. That was his normal hero costume.
All Might.
In an instant, pretty much everyone in the room looked impressed. Even someone like Shoto Todoroki.
"Oh oh!!"
"It's All Might!"
"He really is teaching at U.A.!"
"So cool!"
Honestly, fair reaction. Even when Arthur was still in America, he had heard of this hero and the first time he saw him was in that video of All Might laughing like a maniac while saving people from a burning building.
But while everyone else admired All Might for his heroic deeds, Arthur was more drawn to his power.
"From now on, I'll be in charge of your class!"
"So without further ado, today's lesson is battle training!"
The second All Might said that, Katsuki Bakugo, Inasa, Eijiro Kirishima, and a few others looked absolutely stoked.
Momo Yaoyorozu glanced at Arthur and noticed he had the same calm smile as always. She just hoped nobody got hurt.
"Next..."
All Might pressed a button on a remote. Compartments that looked like bank safe deposit boxes slid out from the right wall.
"Battle suits customized based on your Quirk reports and design concepts you submitted before admission!"
"Oh oh oh!!"
Everyone got hyped again. They didn't expect to get their hero costumes so soon.
All Might struck his signature flex pose. "Everyone, head to Training Ground B after you change!"
"Alright!!!!"
The locker rooms were already set up. No need to take turns changing in the classroom this time.
When Arthur opened the locker with his name on it and saw the shimmering silver light inside, he thought to himself: Awaken soon, or I won't be able to use my full power.
About ten minutes later, at the main entrance of Training Ground B, All Might stood with his hands on his hips waiting.
All 20 students of Class A slowly walked out of the dim corridor, each wearing costumes that screamed chuunibyo.
Aside from Izuku Midoriya's hero costume which was clearly trying to copy his own (made All Might chuckle), All Might's gaze lingered most on Arthur.
All black. A sharp British-style low-cut top. A loose undershirt that couldn't hide the strong muscles underneath (though not as bulky as All Might's). On both sides of the open belt, silver daggers gave off a chilling vibe. It wasn't as over-the-top as Katsuki Bakugo's, nor as goofy as Izuku Midoriya's. Just a modified black school uniform, the only unique part being the daggers at his waist.
"Did Young Arthur ever use a knife?" All Might wondered.
He'd seen Arthur fight more than once, but didn't remember him using a blade.
Anyone from Arthur's past life who saw this outfit might recognize it. It was basically a mix of Dio and Jotaro Kujo. The back was almost identical to Dio's, but in black to match Arthur's hair. The front removed Dio's weird crotchless pants and replaced them with pants similar to Jotaro's. The only things Arthur added himself were the daggers.
Apparently, like Momo Yaoyorozu's costume, it was sponsored and modified with German tech.
"Excellent! Everyone looks super cool!"
All Might quickly looked away from Arthur and yelled with relief and excitement, "Then let's begin, my fertilized eggs!"
Nobody really reacted to that, which made All Might feel a little awkward. After clearing his throat to save the moment, he explained the rules of the battle training.
The villains had hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in the building. The heroes had to find it and retrieve it, or defeat the villains. They'd work in teams of two, and matchups would be decided by drawing lots.
Then All Might pulled a lottery box out of nowhere.
Team A: Momo Yaoyorozu, Ochaco Uraraka
Team B: Shoto Todoroki, Mezo Shoji
Team C: Minoru Mineta, Tenya Iida
Team D: Katsuki Bakugo, Izuku Midoriya
Team E: Mina Ashido, Yuga Aoyama
Team F: Arthur Pendragon, Inasa Yoarashi
Team G: Denki Kaminari, Kyoka Jiro
Team H: Tokoyami, Tsuyu Asui
Team I: Mashirao Ojiro, Toru Hagakure
Team J: Eijiro Kirishima, Hanta Sero
"Huh!?"
As soon as the results came out, Katsuki Bakugo looked at Izuku Midoriya like he was his enemy. Midoriya looked so scared he almost collapsed.
Why the hell did he have to be on the same team as that Deku?
"Yo, are those two gonna be okay?"
"I feel like they're gonna fight before the actual match."
After the past two days, a lot of people already knew Bakugo and Midoriya didn't get along. They couldn't help but worry.
"According to fanfic logic, shouldn't I be teamed up with Momo Yaoyorozu or some other girl?" Arthur said, laughing at himself.
"Arthur! We're a team!" Yoarashi Inasa shouted loudly.
"Shut up, you're so loud," Arthur said, raising an eyebrow.
"This team is kinda overpowered, right?" Kyoka Jiro noticed Arthur and Yoru Inasa.
Denki Kaminari looked scared, clasping his hands together like he was praying. "Please don't let us go up against them."
...
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GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.