A Hero and a 1/2

[Corwin of earth]

As Izuku was jogging home from the beach, his mind was filled with thoughts of UA. It was just two more weeks till the entrance exam. And All Might had said that if Izuku pushed and went "Plus Ultra!" Then the beach should be finished just in time. And then, with his body finally prepared, All Might would give Izuku his Quirk. The knowledge that his dream was almost within reach had driven him to work harder than ever, dragging away the largest pieces of junk that had once seemed immovable obstacles back when he started.

He was drawn out of his reverie by his arrival at a crosswalk. As he ran in place, waiting for the light to turn green, he spotted Akane across the street. She waved as she ran by. She often jogged at the same time that Izuku did, and they had occasionally talked while waiting at a light. She also wanted to be Prohero and had applied to UA. Thankfully she hadn't asked about his quirk. Izuku wasn't sure what he would have said if she had, but he knew it would have been awkward and embarrassing.

After she passed out of sight, the light turned green, and he resumed his run. The streets were mostly empty, and there weren't any more red lights, so it only took him ten minutes to reach his apartment building. Passing the elevator, he instead ran up the stairs. After three flights, he reached his floor. Unlocking the door to the apartment with his key, Izuku was greeted by his mother from the kitchen.

"Izuku, welcome home. Supper should be ready soon, take a quick shower and then help me set the table."

"Okay, mom."

"Oh, and the upstairs neighbor's husband has returned from his trip abroad with their son, so it might be a bit noisier than usual."

"Alright."

Izuku was glad to hear it. Ms. Saotome always seemed so lonely all on her own.

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Akane sighed in frustration. The argument had been going on for fifteen minutes and showed no signs of stopping. At first, she had taken part in voicing her objections to marriage, but she had given up after realizing that everybody was too busy shouting to hear what anyone else was saying.

Across the table from her sat the potential fiance. She hadn't heard his name over all the yelling, most of it hers. He seemed about as happy with the arrangement as she did, having been yelling his objections. Before coming to the same realization that she had and giving up.

Leaning across the table, she said in a half-yell to be heard over the din. "Do you practice martial arts?" He gave a quick nod. "Want to spar?"

His eyes lit up with excitement, and he nodded again with enthusiasm. Rising, she led him to the dojo.

"I'm Akane. What's your name? I couldn't hear it over all the shouting."

"I'm Ranma Saotome," he gestured over his shoulder back towards the main house, "sorry about all this."

"I won't say it's okay because it isn't. but it's not your fault. Now we have a spare Gi if you want to borrow one, or we could go ahead like this?"

Ranma took an opening stance. "This is fine."

Smiling, Akane took her own position and threw a probing punch. The tendo school of Anything Goes was a hard style based on hitting with powerful blows to overwhelm opponents.

Ranma swayed to the side, letting her arm slide past him, leaving a gap in her guard that Ranma tried taking advantage of with a kick to her stomach. Akane, however, had not fully committed to her punch and intercepted his leg with one arm while grabbing with the other. Ranma made an undignified hop backward, leaving her holding nothing but air.

Akane smiled. It was hard to find opponents that would take her seriously. Ranma, who had gotten back into a proper stance, smiled back. It made him look cute, though she probably shouldn't tell him that. It might damage his manly pride.

The spar went on for another ten minutes; with Ranma's artful dodging and Akane's skillful blocking, neither could land a solid hit on the other.

Akane stepped back from one final exchange of blows and dropped her stance. Seeing this, Ranma followed suit.

"You're pretty good." Akane said with a laugh.

Echoing her laugh, Ranma replied. "So are you."

Outside the dojo, Soun turned to the others.

"So it is settled, Ranma shall be engaged to Akane."

Everyone agreed. It was the obvious choice.

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As Ranma laid down in his bed for the first time in months, he felt the day had been pretty good overall. Sure, he wasn't happy about the whole marriage deal, and the curse still sucked. But Akane seemed like a nice girl that he wouldn't mind being friends with her. Ranma had never had many friends. Being taken out on training trips multiple months yearly meant he could never get close to many of his classmates. The only friend he had made was Ryoga, sure. There had been Ukchan, but he had probably forgotten all about Ranma after all these years.


Rolling onto his side, Ranma pulled out his phone. He didn't pay much attention to social media, but it paid off to check now and then if only so he could understand what his classmates were talking about. Opening the phone's browser, he checked what was trending, only to cry out in shocked outrage.

Staring back at him was the face that he had unwilling started to recognize as his own. It took him a moment to realize that it was not just a picture but the opening frame of a video. With a feeling of horrified fascination, he tapped the play button. The fight he had had with his father earlier that day played before his eyes. After a minute, he scrolled down to the comments; what he saw there drove him to new hights of horror and fury. Jumping out of bed, he stormed out into the living room.

"GET OUT HERE, YOU OVERGROWN FUR RUG! IT'S BAD ENOUGH YOU FORCE ME INTO SOME STUPID MARRIAGE, BUT YOU MADE ME A MEME TOO!"

Downstairs Izuku pulled out the noise-canceling headphones from his bedside table. He used to wonder why Mr. Saotome spent so much time away from his family. As he slipped on the headphones and blissful silence replaced the banging and yelling from above, he felt that he understood.

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AN: This is a crosspost of my fic from SB. Updates will be daily until this has caught up with SB. Afterwards I will be updating weekly on both sites.

Here is the original. Discussion of anything that hasn't been posted here yet should be kept in spoilers for those who want to read along.

 

[Corwin of earth]

The morning sun shone through the window, stirring Nodoka from her slumber. She stretched, and one of her arms bumped into something on the bed next to her. Surprised, she sat up and saw her husband sleeping beside her. Smiling, she rolled over, wrapped her arms around him, and sighed, happily reveling in the joy of having her husband home.

Genma was a hard man to be married to. He had a strange passion that drove him. Every week he had a new technique for Ranma to learn or some money-making scheme. He was constantly searching for something new, never content with where he was. Except for when, out of some instinct or simple whimsy, he would sit and wait with endless patience until everything was just the way he wanted. And then he would stand up and start wondering all over again. There had been times when she had considered leaving him. Those long months alone, when he had taken off with Ranma on training trips with only the occasional phone call for contact. After much arguing, she had extracted a promise from Genma that once Ranma was in high school, they would stop their wondering and stay with her.

The sudden blaring of an alarm shattered the peaceful quiet. Groaning, Nodoka climbed out of bed. She left Genma to sleep in. He would get up once he smelled breakfast. It had been a long time since she had cooked for anyone besides herself, so she decided to make a simple western-style meal; eggs and toast with some sausages to the side. And it wasn't long before the alluring smells coaxed her men out to the dining room.

The meal passed in comfortable silence. And when they had finished, Nodoka collected the dishes and started washing up. While Genma looked through wanted ads, Ranma joined her with a dish towel, drying and putting away the clean dishes. It was a well-practiced routine they had done many times before. It had always brought a bittersweet melancholy for Nodoka. The joy of having her husband and son back with her tainted by the knowledge that they would be leaving again all too soon. She had hoped that this final time would be a wholly happy occasion. But as she finished the dishes and prepared for work, she felt a quiet sadness overcome her. An era of her life was ending, and no matter how unpleasant it had been, she mourned its passing.

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Soun awoke alone in bed, the same way he had for years. Though the grief had faded, in quiet moments, it could return to haunt him. Thankfully, his daughters filled their house with the sounds of life, so those moments were rare.

Quickly rising and dressing, he headed down to breakfast. As he entered the dining room, he used his quirk to conjure up illusory flowers and butterflies.

"Good morning!" He cheerfully called out to his daughters, scattering make-believe petals in their hair. Sitting down, he turned to his eldest daughter.

"Ah, Kasumi, what wonders have you prepared for us today?"

"Just the usual." She answered.

"And it is usually wonderful." He turned to his second daughter. "Nabiki, how are you this fine day?"

"Oh, just fine, daddy."

"And you, Akane?" He turned to his third and final daughter.

"Oh, just peachy." She bit out. "I've been engaged to a boy I met for the first time yesterday. and I am just truly overwhelmed with happiness at the prospect of getting married before I even start high school."

"Akane, I thought you two were getting along so well together last night, and you have to admit, he's not exactly hard on the eye," Nabiki said with a knowing grin.

"You didn't seem to think so last night when you were saying that you would. 'never marry him in a million years.'" Akane said

"Now, it isn't that bad. Ranma seems like a nice charming young man," Kasumi said

"Don't you start. You weren't so polite when Daddy offered your hand to him."

"Akane, there is no need to speak to Sisters like that," Soun said

Jumping to her feet, she walked out of the room. "I've got training to do. Don't bother waiting for me. I'll be late for dinner."

Soun sighed. How had things gone so wrong?

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Akane stormed out of the house. She looked at the dojo for a moment and dismissed it. Beating up dummies or smashing bricks wouldn't be enough. She needed something that could hit back. Digging out her phone, she sent a text. It only took a few seconds for a reply to arrive. Address in hand, she set off.

Her destination was a normal-looking apartment building surrounded by its identical brethren. As she entered the elevator, she got another text telling her to go to the roof. Exiting on the top floor, she climbed a flight of stairs and pushed open the door at the top.

"Welcome to the Saotome Dojo." Ranma greeted her

The Saotome Dojo looked an awful lot like the roof of an apartment building. The only thing setting it apart from one was a large mat covering the concrete and a small sign reading, 'for vigorous thrashing apply here.'

Akane said, "It doesn't look like much."

Ranma smirked. "According to Pops, 'a Dojo is not a building. It is where a master teaches his art. Thus anyplace a master instructs his students becomes a dojo.' I say he's too embarrassed to admit he can't afford one."

Akane chuckled. Kicking off her shoes, she stepped onto the mat.

"So, do you want a friendly spar like last time? Or something more exciting?"

Ranma raised a questioning eyebrow. "Quirks?"

"Yeah."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

Akane snorted. "What? Are you afraid you might lose?"

Ranma stiffened in outrage. "As if! Go ahead, use your quirk. It won't make any difference."

"Then come on, show me what you've got."

Ranma lunged forward and kicked Akane in the stomach. She didn't react in time to block, but as the breath was driven out of her, she was able to grab. Heaving his leg straight up with all her strength, she flipped him upside down.

Ranma thrust his hands down, turning a fall into a handstand. Then he pushed. His foot caught Akane under the chin sending her stumbling back, giving Ranma the time to backflip back onto his feet.

'He was holding back yesterday!' Akane thought. 'But so was I.'

She reached out with her quirk, feeling the air around her. It was still and calm, but that would change. She pushed, and the air began to move, rotating around her. Slowly at first, it kept growing faster until she stood in the center of a miniature tornado.

"So, are you just gonna stand there? Or are you going to show me what you've got? Couse so far, I'm not impressed." Ranma said, feigning a yawn.

That bastard! She charged toward him, carefully handling the cyclone to keep it from slipping out of her range. Ranma didn't move. Confident his speed would allow him to dodge her attack. Once she reached Ranma, she punched while drawing off some of the fast-moving air from her cyclone and thrusting it forward. Her fist missed. The wind didn't

Ranma was sent flying, landing with a roll. He popped back onto his feet and began to glow blue. Spectral shapes that looked almost like armor began to form around him. They were so faint Akane couldn't make out any detail apart from what looked like paws around his hands.

Ranma jumped. Akane froze in confusion for a moment before realization hit her. Looking up, she saw Ranma hanging in the air right above her. Akane jumped backward, barely getting out of the way. As soon as Ranma touched down, he jumped again, this time straight at Akane. As he approached her, the cyclone caught him, sending him far to the side. Akane ran forward, hurling blasts of air toward Ranma, but he was too quick, taking great bounding leaps from one side of the roof to the other.

What followed was a game of cat and mouse; Ranma's speed meant Akane couldn't land a hit, while Akane's shield prevented Ranma from getting close enough. They kept on like that until they were both to tired continue.

Ranma walked over to a bag at the edge of the training mat and took a pair of water bottles from it. He tossed one to Akane, who gladly drank from it. Opening the second, he poured some over his head to cool off. Akane's eyes bugged out as she watched the (though she would never tell Nabiki) cute black-haired boy she had spent the last half hour sparing with transform into a short red-haired girl.

"What the fuck!"

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Quirk analysis notebook by Izuku Midoriya.

Page three: Akane Tendo.

Quirk Name: Whirlwind.

Description: Tendo is able to control all the air within a two-meter radius of herself. Normally she is only able to move the air up to thirty kilometers an hour. But by spinning air around herself, she is able to bring it up to hundreds of kilometers an hour. this creates a nearly impenetrable barrier as anything lighter than a car will be thrown back by winds of that speed. By drawing away fast-moving air from her shield she is able to send out blasts of air in any direction as a long-range attack, though this does reduce the speed of her shield leaving her vulnerable.

 

[Corwin of earth]

QLAs an essay by Izuku Midoriya.

QLAs, (or Quirk-like abilities), as their name implies, are like Quirks. What sets them apart is their origin; unlike Quirks that naturally manifest around the age of four, QLAs must come from an external source and can manifest at any age. The best-known example is the so-called Water of Life (which has recently been discovered to be caused by a moss that lives in the local lake as the first known example of a plant with a Quirk.) Which causes local wildlife to grow to enormous sizes and grants humans incredible strength and vitality. Legally QLAs are treated no differently from Quirks and...

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After a long and hard-to-believe explanation, Akane had come to two conclusions. The first was that China was far stranger than she had ever thought; the second was that her daddy was only the second worst father in all of Japan.

"He threw you off a cliff!"

"It wasn't that bad. The waterfall was way worse."

"Waterfall!"

No, the dishonor of that most ignoble title belonged to Genma Saotome. She wondered if she should make him a trophy. A plastic sippy cup seemed appropriate with '#1 wurst dad.' written on it. He didn't deserve to have it spelled properly.

"Sharks!"

"They were animatronic; he stole them from an amusement park."

"Why?"

"Encouragement?"

She and Ranma sat together, talking all morning.

"-and so then it turns out that the stranger is herself from the future, trying to prevent some horrible catastrophe."

"What happens next?"

"I don't know; that was the finale of the season. And the next one won't release until next year!"

Akane found that she actually enjoyed Ranma's company. He had some fun (and some horrifying) stories of him traveling with his father on training trips. But he was also a good listener. She found herself talking about all her hopes, dreams, and hardships (though those felt petty compared to the trails Ranma casually mentioned in passing).

"As far back as I can remember, I've wanted to be a hero. It feels kind of silly to say, but I just like helping people. I've applied to several different hero schools. UA's my first pick, obviously. But I'd be fine with any of them."

"Mama's been arguing with pops for years about where I will go to high school. Mama wants a regular school close to home; pops says that will interfere with my training. They eventually compromised on sending me to a hero school."

"Which one?" Akane asked

"Mama wants Furinkan cause it's the closest; pops wants UA. They couldn't agree, so they left it up to me to decide." Ranma answered

"If you get into UA," Akane said, "maybe we'll end up in the same class,"

Ranma smiled, "That would be nice."

Akane smiled back, "yeah, it would."

Eventually, the day turned into evening, and Akane headed home. As she made her way through her neighborhood, she pulled out her phone to check the time. Seeing the date, despair overcame her, and she cried to the heavens.

"Oh no, I forgot about school."

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The following days passed in a blur for Ranma. His days were filled with study and training. During the evenings, he would go out with Akane. Taking care to avoid their families, they would wander the city, sometimes running, sometimes walking, but always together. While he was still in no way interested in marrying her, Ranma found he enjoyed his time with Akane. Sadly, time passed as it must, and this pleasant time did not last. And before he knew it, the day of the exam had arrived.

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"SEVEN MINUTES!" Present Mic's voice boomed throughout the fake city where the practical exam was taking place.

Izuku was panicking, time was running out, and he still hadn't scored a single point. Dashing from street to street, all he saw were the broken remains of already defeated robots.

"H-help!"

The cry came from an alley on his left. Without thinking, he swerved into it. A candidate was crushed beneath a fallen robot. Rushing over to them. Izuku grabbed onto the robot and pushed. It barely moved a centimeter.

"Can you push?" Izuku asked.

"It's too heavy."

"SIX MINUTES!"

"I'm running out of time," Izuku thought.

Desperately trying to remember what All Might had said, Izuku pushed with all his strength. There was a flash of green light, and the robot was gone. A second later, it came down with a tremendous crash, over a hundred meters away.

Izuku stared down at his hands in awe, then the pain hit. It felt like his bones had been shattered into a million pieces; his muscles felt like they had been dipped in acid; his nerves-.

"Thanks, man. I couldn't have done it on my own. Come with me. I'll help you get some points to return the favo-."

"FIVE MINUTES!"

"Crap, we're running out of time."

The other contestant grabbed Izuku and dragged him into a run.

"By the way, what's your name? I'm Naomi Shimizu."

Before Izuku could answer, a trio of robots turned a corner and opened fire. All Izuku could remember from the running, screaming, and the odd explosion or two.

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Akane dropped to the ground, letting the broken remains of a three-pointer fly over her.

"Hey! Look where your shooting; that almost hit me!"

"Stay out of the way if you don't want to get hurt!"

Akane glared at the explosive, blond maniac that had nearly crushed her as he blasted off down the street, searching for more robots to smash.

"I sure hope I don't end up sharing a class with him."

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Once the exam had finished and the contestants had departed, the real work began. The staff of UA gathered together and began to review the footage. The robots recorded when they had suffered enough damage to be defeated. That, along with their locations, made it simple to assign the villain points appropriately. Rescue points, however, were not so easy. They had to watch through hours of video looking for acts of heroism. Furthermore, how many rescue points to give was a subjective matter and often subject to debate.

But after many days of hard work, they had finished, and the results began to be sent out. Over the following weeks, All across the country, hopeful applicants opened their letters. Most were greeted with disappointment.

On one quiet spring afternoon, Akane and Ranma celebrated the fact that they were not one of them.

 

[Corwin of earth]

The entrance to UA was grand and imposing as if it were declaring to all the world that "here, heroes are made."

Most new students were awed by it.

Ranma thought it was all a bit overblown. "It's just high school. What's the big deal?"

"You just don't get it," Akane said.

Walking into the building, they were surrounded by hundreds of other students hurrying to class.

"What's our class number again?" Akane asked

"1-B."

They quickly made their way to the classroom and took their seats. It wasn't long before their homeroom teacher arrived.

"Welcome to UA. I am Sekijiro Kan, but I am better known as the Blood Hero Vlad King. Now, we shall start with some introductions, each of you will come up to the front of the class one by one, say your name and tell us something about yourself. We'll go by seating number."

The first one up was a blond boy who spoke with a french accent. He strutted to the front of the room and struck a pose before introducing himself as Yuga Aoyama and proudly declaring that he loved to twinkle.

A girl with bubblegum pink skin and hair was next; she had two horns and dark gold eyes. She skipped as she walked up to the teacher and twirled as she spun around to face the class.

"Hello! My name is Mina Ashido. I like to dance and spend time with my friends. I look forward to getting to know you all."

Tsuya Asui Had long green hair and large frog-like eyes. She liked the rain and making new friends.

Tenya Iida was tall with short-cropped black hair and wanted to live up to his family's heroic legacy.

Denki Kaminari had yellow hair with a black lightning bolt in his bangs. He tried and failed to act smooth.

Eijiro Kirishima had spiky red hair and a friendly expression. He wanted to be a manly hero after the model of his idol Crimson Riot.

Koji Koda was a shy-looking boy who liked animals.

Kinoko Komori was short and had long bangs that hid her face. She liked mushrooms.

And then it was Ranma's turn. He felt a bit of trepidation, having everyone look at him expectantly. But he forced it down with a smirk and confidently spoke.

"I am Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome school of Anything Goes Martial arts."

Rikido Sato was broad and boisterous and liked to bake.

Ibara Shiozaki had vines for hair and enjoyed classical music.

Jurota Shishida was covered in brown fur and had protruding incisors. He liked building modal airplanes.

Mezo Shoji had six arms connected by a thin skin membrane and wore a face mask. He wanted to be a hero that people could trust in.

Pony Tsunotori had two long white horns and hooves instead of feet. She spoke with an American accent and loved anime.

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu had grey hair and silver rings around his eyes. He wanted to become a hero to be a shield for those in danger.

Akane came after him. She took her place at the front of the class and bowed.

"My name is Akane Tendo. I practice my family's school of martial arts and want to become a hero to help as many people as possible."

After her Juzo Honenuki, he had no lips leaving his teeth constantly exposed and giving him a skeletal look. He liked swimming and wanted to become a rescue hero.

Next was Izuku Midoriya. He had green hair and plenty of freckles and wanted to be a great hero who inspired others.

And finally, there was Neito Monoma, another blond who liked baseball.

Vlad King clapped his hands to draw the class's attention back to him.

"Now that we have all started to get to know each other. We'll be heading to the auditorium, where principal Nezu will have some words for you all."

Vlad King led them through the school's empty corridors to the room where they had taken the written portion of the entrance exam.

Principal Nezu was short, furry, and spoke in a high-pitched voice. It should have been comical, especially with a suit that made him look like a child playing at adulthood. Somehow it gave an air of sophistication.

"Welcome to UA! For the next few years, you will be in our care. Here you will learn the skills to achieve your goals, whether heroics, business, or just getting your high school diploma. If at any time you require help, do not hesitate to ask me or any of your teachers."

The talk lasted nearly an hour, reviewing the school's various facilities and rules. Afterward, they returned to their classroom and began the day's first class.

Ranma once again was underwhelmed by the experience. Apart from the costumes, it was a boringly ordinary school day.

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Akane had the best day ever! Sure, the material they had gone over wasn't that different from middle school. But it was being taught by heroes! She spent the whole ride gushing to Ranma about Present Mic and Midnight and, of course, All Might! It was probably pretty boring for him, considering he had been there with her. But he had been very sweet and not complained at all.

Her good mood didn't lessen even as she parted ways with Ranma. It lasted all the way home, where Nabiki popped it like a balloon.

"You look happy, had a good day with your boyfriend?"

"Ranma is not my boyfriend!"

"Realy? I thought you liked him? Especially considering all those dates you go on."

"Those aren't dates! We just hang out like friends do!"

"A friend who just happens to be a boy?"

"Yes! A boy who is a friend, not a boyfriend."

"Poor Ranma, stuck in the friend zone."

"Aaaaggggghhhh!"

Akane stomped up to her room. Slamming the door shut, she threw herself onto her bed and screamed into her pillow.

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A girl sat beside a smoldering fire in the mountains outside of Musutafu. If there had been anyone to see her, they would have been shocked into silence. Not by her beauty (though she was beautiful) but by her swearing very loudly in Chinese.

"Stupid, useless, rotten fucking wood, why won't you burn!

In frustration, she started punching the ground, each blow leaving a crater behind. Eventually, she turned her wrath upon a large boulder. Shards of rock were sent flying until, with one final punch, she shattered the boulder into a dozen pieces. Underneath where the boulder had stood was a hole in the ground. Curious, the girl climbed down to investigate. But as she reached the bottom, a voice echoed from the darkness.

"Who has released the great and powerful Happosai? For this service, you shall be rewarded. I might even take you as my disciple if you are worthy."

"I don't understand you. Do you speak Chinese?"

There was a long pause, and then.

"Yes, I do. I was asking who you are?"

"It sounded like you said a lot more than just that."

"No, no, that was it."

"Are you sure? It sounded like an awe-inspiring speech. I'm sure I would have been very impressed if I had understood it."

"The mood's been ruined. It wouldn't be the same."

"Okay, could you come out where I can see you? It's awkward talking to someone when you can't see them."

The figure that emerged was not as she had half expected. Some demonic creature with horns and fangs that towered over her. But a short, balding, wrinkly old man.

"I am indebted to you for freeing me. Please tell me your name and what you desire. If it is within my power, I shall see it done."

''My name is Shanpu, and I must kill Ranma!"

 

[Corwin of earth]

It a been a bad month for Shanpu. It had started with the yearly martial arts tournament. After many brutal bouts, she had come in first, only to see some stupid red-haired Japanese tourist eating the feast that was rightfully hers! So she had challenged the girl to a dual and lost. Usually, it wouldn't be that bad. Sure it would have been embarrassing, and the other girls would have mocked her for being defeated by an outsider, but that would have been bearable. But her Great-great-grandmother had been watching, and she insisted that Shanpu initiate the kiss of death.

Now Shanpu revered her ancestors and respected the ancient laws of her people. But many of those laws were stupid! It was much easier to revere your ancestors when they were dead and not jumping around yelling and hitting you with sticks!

So she chased after the girl all the way to Japan even though she didn't speak the language. She had lost the trail at a city, Mosatfu, or whatever it was called. Stupid Japanese and their stupid language, why couldn't they speak Chinese, like proper civilized people? But then she'd found someone who did! Sure he was a creepy old guy who lived in a cave. But he'd offered to help her find Ranma, so she decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

That was a mistake, as the creepy old man had turned out to be a creepy old man. She had spent the entire night fending off his inappropriate advances until she had lost her temper and smashed a log over his head. She had panicked, thinking she had killed him, but he had just been knocked unconscious. As the days wore on, she started wishing she had killed him that night. Every day brought some new indignity as he tried scheme after scheme. She had begun reflexively hitting him whenever he was out of her eyesight. On the plus side, it motivated her to start learning Japanese (because she couldn't trust that he would translate things correctly.)

And to top everything off, people kept mispronouncing her name!

"Shanpu, name is Shanpu. Not Shampoo!"

"That's what I said, Shampoo."

Shanpu snarled in frustration.

"Where, Ranma?"

"Which, Ranma? Can you tell me their surname or describe them?"

"Short, red-" struggling to remember the word, she pointed at her hair. "Wears white Gi."

"I think I know someone like that. Come on, follow me."

The woman led Shanpu down the street through an alley and across a park stopping at a cafe.

"Hay, Ranma! Got a girl here, says she's looking for you."

The person that answered was short and had red hair. While they weren't wearing a Gi at the moment, they did look like they practiced martial arts. There was just one problem.

"Ranma girl! Not boy!"

"Well, why didn't you say so?"

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Izuku was packing his bag after the last class for the day when Mr. King called out to him.

"Midoriya, stay for a minute. There's something I want to talk to you about."

So he sat at his desk while the rest of the class streamed out. Tendo gave him an encouraging wave as she passed. Once everyone had left, Mr. King walked over, grabbed the seat from the desk in front of Izuku, turned it around, and sat across from him. Izuku instinctively shrunk down in his chair. Usually, when a teacher did that, it meant that he was in for a scolding, Normally for daydreaming in class.

"Midoriya, your not in trouble. I want to talk to you about your lesson plan. Due to your unique situation, the normal course will not suffice."

"You know-?"

"About you and All Might?"

Izuku nodded mutely.

"Yes, I do. The principal told me, along with some other staff members, at the beginning of the year."

"So what does this mean? Am I going to get special lessons?"

"In a way. It's called quirk counseling. Usually, children go through it after their quirk emerges to help them manage it. You will have sessions twice a week alongside your regular lessons."

"For how long?"

"Until you can safely use your quirk without injuring yourself."

"Why are you doing this? Is it because of All Might?"

"Midoriya, what do you think a teacher's job is?"

"To teach?"

"No, it is to help our students learn. Despite what you might think, there are plenty of other people out there with similar struggles. People who never learned to control their quirk or ate or drank something and found themselves with abilities they never had before. We are here to help you on your way to becoming a great hero, and whatever help you need to achieve that, we will provide."

Izuku's vision wavered as his eyes filled with tears. Sekijiro reached across the desk and pulled him into a hug.

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Ranma was alone in the apartment when a knock came at the door. Opening it, he saw the green-haired kid from class.

"Saotome, what are you-?" His eyes widened in realization. "You're Mrs. Saotome's son!"

"Yep, you're Midoriya, right?"

"Yeah, I live downstairs. My mother sent me to give some spices to Mrs. Saotome. Is she in?"

"Nah, she's out running some errands. You can leave the stuff on the counter. I'll put it away when I'm done here."

"What are you doing?"

''My Katas."

"You do martial arts?"

"Yeah, my family's school."

"Really? That's so cool! What type is it? How long have you been practicing? Do you use your quirk with it? Would you mind letting me watch you practice? That was rude. I shouldn't have asked that. I am sorry I did not mean to insult you!"

It all came out as a mumbled jumble of words that went by so fast that Ranma could barely understand it.

"I don't have any problem letting you watch. Just make sure to keep your distance, so you don't get hit."

Midoriya sat on the sofa across the room from Ranma and adopted a look of excited waiting. Like a little kid waiting for the fireworks to start. Ranma returned to the center of the living room and returned to his drills.

Punches and kicks alternated with ducks and dodges. All the while, Midoriya sat watching, enraptured by the sight.

Once Ranma finished, Midoriya jumped to his feet and began clapping before he rushed over, muttering again. This time Ranma couldn't make it out at all. At first, Ranma was willing to wait it out. But after a minute had passed and the mumbling had, if anything, intensified, he decided to interrupt.

"I take it you're a fan of martial arts?"

Midoriya ground to a halt, his face glowing red in embarrassment.

"I- don't have a quirk. But I always wanted to be a hero. There was a time when I thought that if I learned karate or Kung Fu, I could become a hero that way. But lessons are expensive, and it wouldn't have worked anyway. There'd be a lot more heroes out there if that's all you needed to become one."

"So, how'd you get into UA?"

"I ate a hair that gave me super strength."

A grim look came over Ranma's face.

"I'd be careful with that. You never can tell with hairs."

Midoriya laughed awkwardly.

"Anyway, I've been trying to study what I can about fighting on my own. I know they'll be teaching us about that in hero class. But I'm behind everyone else in experience with quirks, so I want to work extra hard to catch up."

"Well, why don't you show me what you've got? Maybe I can give you some pointers."

Midoriya's mouth fell open in surprise.

"You'd really do that?"

"Yeah, I don't have anything else to do, and it'd be good to have someone new to spar with."

"I'm not really sure how to start."

Ranma smirked. "Just try and hit me."

"Okay."

Midoriya drew his arm back, and Ranma immediately saw problems."

"Stop, stop."

"Wh-what's wrong?"

"Everything! To start with, your footing is unstable. A light breeze could knock you over, standing like that. Look, here's how you do it, feet shoulder-width apart, one ahead of the other. Then there's your hand. Lead with your knuckles. If you hit with your fingers, you'll break them. Don't get me started on your posture-."

Ranma was gratified to see that Midoriya was paying attention and had even started taking notes!

"-Now try again, and this time do it better!"

"Yes, sir!"

This time he managed a decent punch. Ranma still dodged it effortlessly, but progress was progress.

When Inko came up to check on what was taking Izuku so long, she was overcome with tears of joy to learn he had made a new friend.

 

[Corwin of earth]

It was the dark of the night. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. So Eri felt safe to cry. Tears ran down her face as sobs escaped from her mouth. Her blanket was her only comfort as she wished that someone would come and hug her, but she knew that no one would.

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Izuku's plan to take the bus lasted until he made contact with Ranma, who persuaded him to jog there instead. In the end, he'd enjoyed it. However, it had been disconcerting to see Ranma running across fences and lamposts as if they were solid ground.

"It's good for training your balance," Ranma cheerfully explained while somersaulting through the air. "You'll want to work up to it, though. Start with running on sand or gravel."

Izuku just nodded and tried to keep up with his ridiculously athletic classmate. In the end, they arrived ten minutes early.

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Happosai was ransacking a closet when he heard it. The soft, quiet sounds of a child in distress. Dropping what he was holding (there was a distressing lack of women living here) and went to investigate. It didn't take him long to find where it was coming from. The room was shockingly bare compared to the rest of the house, with only a bed and dresser. Dark thoughts began to fill his mind. If his suspicions were correct, then there would be hell to pay.

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As far as Izuku was concerned, the following days were some of the best of his life. The classes were harder than in middle school, but the subjects were interesting, and heroes were teaching them! He spent his evenings with Ranma and Akane (it turned out that they knew each other already). They would both give him advice on fighting, which often turned into arguments about whose style was better.

His quirk counseling with Ms. Ninomiya had been going well. She was able to drain energy from people. She would have him draw on One For All and then draw off some of the energy, letting him practice at a lower power level and acclimatize his body to it. And while he'd occasionally bruised or sprained something, he hadn't broken any bones!

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Eri nearly screamed when the figure climbed up into her bed. But she had learned screams only made people angry. She clamped her mouth shut, but a quiet whimper still escaped.

"Shhh, it's alright. I'm here."

"Wh-who are you?"

"I'm Granpa Hapi. I visit all the good boys and girls and bring them chocolate and candy."

"You need to go! If they find you here, they'll hurt you!"

Anger flashed across Granpa Hapi's face for a moment, and Eri flinched in fear.

"Don't be scared. Nobody can hurt Granpa Hapi, and as long as I'm here, nobody can hurt you, either."

"Y-you promise?"

"I promise."

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"-Now, when you punch, don't just use your arm. Turn your torso and lean into it. That lets you use your back and shoulder muscles to hit harder." Akane said.

"But don't put too much force into it, or you'll overbalance and leave yourself open to a counterattack," Ranma added.

Izuku nodded and continued to lay into the punching bag. Trying to apply their advice as he did so.

"I still think we should have used a boulder for this," Ranma said.

"And I still think it's too dangerous," Akane replied.

"It's what Pops did with me."

"Then we're definitely not doing it," Akane said, crossing her arms.

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Kouki grumbled to himself as he climbed out of bed. Things had been going downhill since the Boss fell into a coma, and the kid had taken over. He abandoned their ways yet spoke of returning Shie Hassaikai to its glory days. He wore a mask and called himself some ridiculous name! Kouki couldn't be bothered to remember it. The kid was a kid, and he would remain that until he started acting like a man.

Dressing, he went to the kitchen. Picking up a tray loaded with food, he headed to the girl's room. That was another thing that had gone wrong. Being Yakuza was about honor and standards! You didn't go around hurting women and children, especially not family! Kouki had sometimes thought about doing something, confronting the kid, or calling the police. Despite how he ranted about how Quirks were a disease, the kid used his own freely. And so Kouki did as he was told because however much he disliked doing it, he feared being made into a stain on the floor, and the walls, and the ceiling, more.

Opening the door, he saw a lump on the bed covered with a blanket.

"Wake up. Breakfast is here."

There wasn't any answer, so he walked over to the bed and pulled back the blanket. His mouth dropped open in shock.

"Oh, is that for me?" Happosai asked.

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Shanpu was buying breakfast when the bane of her existence found her. Once that title had been contested between great grandmother and Muusu. But ever since she had run into that disgusting little pervert, it had been no contest. She prepared to kick him into the nearest trash can when he made an inappropriate move. But he didn't. In fact, looking closer, he looked unusually serious and even a bit worried. And then she saw the girl. She must have been very young if she could hide behind the creep. Leaning forward, she hissed into his face.

"What did you do?"

Happosai looked affronted.

"To her? Nothing! To those who were hurting her? Not enough!"

"What do you mean?"

"She was being kept in a Yakuza compound. They were experimenting on her, trying to weaponize her quirk."

Shanpu's eyes narrowed.

"What do we do?"

"Run. While the Yakuza are a shadow of their former selves. They are still more than we can take on our own, especially while protecting Eri. One of my old students lives not too far from here. He should be able to shelter us while we devise a plan."

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"They won't catch him."

Kai turned to see who spoke. It was one of the old-timers. They didn't like him, only staying out of respect for the Boss. Fools, they clung to their 'Old Ways' even as they faded into nothing. He might not like this new world, but Kai understood it required new methods.

"You doubt my Eight Bullets?" He asked with an inquiring look.

The old man snorted. "It wouldn't matter who you sent. That was Happosai. No one's ever caught him."

Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Who is this Happosai?"

"A thief, some say the best thief. For over forty years, he ran around Japan stealing from everybody: politicians, celebrities, common people, criminals, and even Yakuza. And no one caught him. Oh, they tried. The police, heroes, villains, us, not even All Might or All For One could do it. So send out your bullets. It will be good exercise for them. But do not be surprised when they return empty-handed."

Kai turned to look out at the city in the dawn's early light.

"We shall see."

 

[Corwin of earth]

AN: I accidentally posted chapter eight instead of chapter seven. So you're getting two updates today.

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Genma happily walked arm and arm with his beautiful wife. It was one of his most treasured experiences, so what if passers-by sent them dirty looks for being so familiar in public? They had been married for nearly twenty years and were still in love. Could those disapproving watchers say the same? He doubted it.

That's not to say that he was blind to her faults, few though they were. She could be so unreasonable about things. Take, for example, that business with the springs. It wasn't his fault Ranma fell in. If the boy had only kept his balance, it wouldn't have happened. So what if Genma hadn't read the brochure all the way through? Everybody knew that all the important stuff was in the front. Who put warnings five pages in? Sure, it had claimed the waters had transformative powers, but everyone knew that was just code for 'buy our overpriced water bottles.'

Despite his flawless logic, Nodoka had insisted that he was to blame! Genma had tried to reason with her, but once Nodoka had decided something, there was no changing her mind. She had made her displeasure known in no uncertain terms. Now, she was not so crass as to yell or complain. No, her punishments were far more insidious, food that was just slightly undercooked, laundry that was still just a little damp, laundry that would start its laud spin cycle just as he lay down to sleep. A thousand minor annoyances that drove him to despair, but each one was so miner that it would be rude to complain. In the end, it had taken him performing The Crouch Of The Wild Tiger over fifty times before she finally relented.

Genma was drawn out of his thoughts when Nodoka leaned her head on his shoulder and sight contentedly. Turning his head, Genma planted a kiss on her forehead.

Genma said. "Are you happy, my love?"

"Oh, yes," Nodoka sighed.

A middle-aged businessman gave them a disapproving look from across the street. Genma met his gaze and then kissed his wife again.

However much they might enjoy it, their walk was not purely for pleasure. Soun had invited them over for dinner. Partly for them to reconnect and for Nodoka to get to know his old friend. But also to bring their children together and hopefully spark something between Ranma and Akane. But that was later. For now, Genma just basked in the joy of being with the love of his life on a beautiful spring evening.

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Genma glared across the table at his old friend.

"Why didn't you warn me?"

"If I had warned you, you would have run."

"Exactly!"

"You think I would let escape and leave me to deal with the master all on my own? No, if I have to deal with him, then so do you. Besides, you would have done the same."

"How dare you! If it were me, I would have given you ample warning."

Soun snorted. "Try that on your wife. Maybe, she'll fall for it, but I know you too well."

"She wouldn't. Part of the reason I married her." Genma said, smiling before his face turned grim.

"Well, there's no point in complaining," Genma said, conveniently overlooking that it was him complaining. "He's here, and we have to deal with it."

Soun nodded, "thankfully, he's been too distracted with Eri to bother with us."

"Yes, the last time I saw him this angry was that time with that actor."

"The one who did . . . ?"

"Yes, him."

Genma couldn't remember his name. He'd been a massive star back in the day. Hit after hit. Some had even gone International. And then one little boy told 'Granpa Happi' about the bad man that hurt him. The scandal lasted for months. The man had gone to prison. He was still there, as far as Genma knew.

Soun leaned in and said in a conspiratorial tone.

"That gives me an idea. If we're able to spin this right, we could kill two birds with one stone."

"Tell me more."

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When Shanpu learned that the old pervert had a student, she imagined them looking like their master. Short, bald, ugly, and living in squalor in some tiny apartment. Instead, he was a tall, handsome man with long flowing hair. Who lived in a sizeable well-kept house. She had been even more surprised to learn he had children, three pretty-looking daughters. The eldest of them had scooped up Eri and was fussing over her. Despite her misgivings, it had so far turned out alright. Especially if she correctly understood what they were muttering about.

"You sealed away the old man?"

The two men jumped in surprise. Shanpu suppressed a smile. It wasn't often she was able to startle one of her elders. They looked at each other, seeming to communicate with only their eyebrows before. The shorter, rounder one cautiously answered.

"We did."

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"We tried! We got him drunk, dropped him in a pit with a pound of dynamite, and stuck a boulder on top! We thought he was dead!"

"Next time, poison the wine."

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Eri was dreaming. It had to be a dream because it was too good. She was surrounded by people who were being nice to her. They were giving her yummy food and calling her a good girl. And if it was real, that meant that bad stuff was going to happen to these nice people. So it couldn't be real, But since it was a dream, she was going to enjoy it as long as she could.

"Eri, would you like another cookie?"

Eri's eyes lit up.

"Yes, please!"

The cookie was big and crunchy, and it was the sweetest, tastiest thing she had ever eaten.

The tall man with the long hair walked over and sat down next to her. At first, she had been afraid of him, but Granpa Happi had said that he was nice.

"Hello, little Eri. Would you like to hear a story?"

Eri wasn't sure. Most of the stories she heard were about what happened to bad little girls who didn't do what they were told. But the long-haired man was nice, so he might tell nice stories. Eventually, she nodded her head yes.

She flinched when she felt the man's arms around her. He froze, not moving until she relaxed, then he lifted her and set her down in his lap.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess-."

As he spoke, lights began to float in the air coalescing into a picture of a girl with a horn wearing a pretty dress. Eri's mouth dropped open as she stared awestruck.

Though she couldn't see it, Soun had a smirk on his face. Later, after she had been tucked into bed, he would boast to Genma about how he's still got it.

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Quirk analysis notebook by Izuku Midoriya.

Page seven: Soun Tendo.

Quirk Name: Mirage.
Description: Mr. Tendo is able to create free-floating still images in the air. Once he has created one, he is unable to alter them but can move them. By creating and then replacing many images in quick succession, he can create the illusion of movement, similar to how video works.

 

[Corwin of earth]

The classroom was filled with nervous energy when Izuku arrived. Tetsutetsu and Kirishima were having an arm wrestling competition with Sato and Shoji. Tsunotori and Asui were loudly talking with Komori about costumes. Monoma and Honenuki were debating which quirk type was the best for capturing villains. (personally, Izuku thought that super strength was best, but he was somewhat biased.) It didn't take Izuku long to find the reason for this. Up on the blackboard was an updated class schedule.

9:00-10:00 English

10:00-11:00 Modern Literature

11:00-12:00 Mathematics

12:00-13:00 Lunch

13:00-14:00 History

14:00-15:00 Foundational Hero Studies

"Alright, everybody, settle down!'

Mr. Kan had arrived. There was a few moments of awkward shuffling as everyone took their seats. While Mr. Kan looked on with a bemused expression.

"Now, I'm glad to see that you're all excited for hero class, but that's several hours from now, and we've many other classes to get through first. Now, roll call!"

Usually, Izuku didn't have any trouble focusing in class. Even if it wasn't a subject he enjoyed, Having a Hero teach it was more than enough to keep his attention. But today, he found it nearly impossible. His mind kept drifting into daydreams about All Might and the possible form of the lesson. Based on the blank looks everyone had and how they stuttered whenever questioned, Izuku felt safe in stating that he wasn't the only one having difficulties. The only one unaffected was Ranma, but he only ever got excited about martial arts.

It felt like time was passing at a snail's pace, but it did pass. And when lunchtime arrived, Izuku grabbed his bag and rushed to the cafeteria. Grabbing a tray, he took his place in the line and filled it with food.

He joined Akane and Ranma at an empty table. But before he could start eating, someone spoke from behind him.

"Is this seat taken?"

Izuku turned to look back and saw Todoroki standing with a loaded tray gesturing towards the last chair.

"No, go ahead," Izuku said.

Todoroki sat down without another word and started eating, keeping his eyes locked on his plate. Izuku didn't know much about the scared boy. He sat behind Akane in class. But he didn't talk with her, or anyone else for that matter. he mostly kept to himself and focused on the lessons.

Turning back to Ranma and Akane, he saw they were starting to argue about something again. Ever since he had known them, Ranma and Akane had been very friendly (to the point that he still wasn't sure whether they were dating or not). But, when they argued, it could be heard halfway across the city. Izuku desperately tried to think of something to distract them before they drew the entire cafeteria's attention. But the only thing he could think of was seeing All Might again. That would have to do.

"So, what do you think All Might will be like?"

They both stiffened for a moment. They'd probably forgotten he was there. It happened from time to time. They'd start talking about one thing or another, and it was like the rest of the world ceased to exist for them. Izuku imagined that it was like when he would start mumbling to himself.

Akane was the first to answer (which wasn't unusual. Ranma tended to wait to hear what other people had to say before giving his own thoughts.)

"I don't know. I'm sure he'll be a great teacher. They don't just let anyone teach at UA. But with famous people, it can be hard to tell what's the real them and what's just part of their persona."

A bolt of fear shot through Izuku. Did she know something? No, it was impossible! But what if? He had to check.

"What do you mean? What persona?"

Akane sighed. "There's a friend of the family whose a ProHero. You wouldn't have heard of him. He's very small time. But when he's out and about helping people and stopping crime, he acts like he isn't afraid of anything, and nothing can keep him down. But in private, he's a completely different person. Don't get me wrong, he's brave, hard-working, and loves to help people. But he worries a lot and can be forgetful. And you'd never know anything about it from how he acts as a hero. It's not that he's lying or anything. It's just that he has to act a certain way when he's being a hero. It's just that when he's out as a hero, he has to act like one."

Izuku relaxed. She didn't know anything about All Might's injuries. But then curiosity overcame him, a hero he hadn't heard about? He had to ask.

"What's his name? The friend of yours."

"Tofu Ono, but his hero name is Doc Tofu."

Izuku had a thousand and one questions, but they were interrupted before he could ask them.

"My, my, little sister, the way you talk about him. If I didn't know better, I might think that you have a crush on him. But there's no way that could be true. I mean, what would your fiance think?"

A brown-haired girl who Izuku recognized as Akane's sister had walked up to their table. Akane turned bright red at her words and yelled at her.

"Nabiki, Stop! What do you think you're doing?"

Izuku was stunned, confused, practically bamboozled. He tried to turn his jumbled thought into a coherent sentence, but all that came out was.

"F-fiance?"

Nabiki smirked and said. "Akane, you haven't told your friends? How unusually shy of you."

She swept behind Ranma and Akane, placing her hands on their shoulders, and continued looking Izuku in the eyes with a bright smile on her face.

"You see, these two love birds are engaged to be married."

Akane and Ranma both shouted at once, trying to drown her out, but it was too late.

"Don't listen to her! It's not true! We're not engaged! She's just trying to stir up trouble!"

"It was our fathers! We didn't have anything to do with it!"

Nabiki turned and walked away, laughing as Izuku realized everyone was staring at them.

In all the confusion that followed, no one paid attention to Todoroki as he quietly finished his lunch while staring off into nothing.

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Akane was pissed. If Nabiki wasn't on her knees begging for forgiveness by the end of school, then she'd be taking a trip over the horizon via air Akane. It had taken twenty minutes and four teachers to calm down the mess in the cafeteria. And afterward, she and Ranma had been taken aside for the awkwardest ten minutes of her life as the teachers asked about their home life. But at last, it was over. And now all she had to do was make it through history, and then they would be off to hero class!

The door opened, but it was Vlad King instead of the history teacher, Mrs. Aoki. He walked up to the front of the class with a solum look on his face.

"I am sorry to tell you this. But Hero class is canceled."

There was a general uproar as everyone shouted, demanding to know why.

"Settle down, settle down! I'm just as upset as you are. Class 1-A had theirs before lunch. They left the place in such a bad condition that they need to be repaired. None of the other training grounds are available today. So it's being rescheduled for tomorrow. There will be a free period in its place today."

Akane slammed her head onto her desk.

'A free period? More like an hour for everyone to pester me about the stupid engagement!'

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In the dark of night, two figures crept out of the Tendo residence. Both wore black masks that obscured their features and dark clothing. They walked down twisting alleys and forgotten back streets. Their destination was a large walled compound. When they arrived, the rounder of the two pulled an envelope from its sleeve and slid it beneath the gate. Their objective completed, they fled into the night. Unfortunately, they had not gone unnoticed. On top of the wall, a small masked man had seen them come, and soon he would know where they were going.

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Quirk analysis notebook by Izuku Midoriya.

Page thirteen: Tofu Ono

Hero name: Doc Tofu

Quirk Name: Static Fingers

Description: Doc Tofu is able to generate electricity from his fingertips. Using this, along with his extensive knowledge of the human body, he can induce any number of effects on both his patients and villains, from pain relief to paralysis. Despite his low ranking, he runs his own hero agency, which doubles as a private clinic.

 

[Corwin of earth]

was 14:05, and Akane was wishing for death.

"Come on! The way you two act, there's no way you aren't dating."

The pink-skinned Ashido was leaning over Akane's desk, her arms braced on Akane's schoolwork."

"No, we aren't! We're just friends! Now leave me alone. I have an essay to write."

"Everybody, get back to your desks! This is against the rules."

Normally Akane found Iida irritating with how he constantly ordered people around and told them off for not following the rules. Now she felt profoundly grateful.

'If only these idiots would listen to him for once!

"is it true you and Saotome are engaged?"

This time it was Komori. Akane had thought the short girl was shy. It turned out she was just waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting prey.

"No, We aren't! You shouldn't listen to rumors."

"Really? I heard that it was your sister who said it. Are you saying that your own sister would go around spreading rumors about you?"

"Yes, she's an untrustworthy gossip who will say anything if she thinks it's funny, and don't lend her anything. You'll never get it back."

Komori was left speechless by that. Unfortunately, Asui was there to make up the difference.

"Didn't the two of you go out to a cafe together yesterday? I overheard you talking about it with Izuku."

Akane desperately tried to come up with some rebuttal to this damming piece of evidence. Thankfully someone else intervened before she had to.

"Enough!"

There was a spike of cold as half the class had their feet frozen to the floor.

"you will all sit down and stop bothering Tendo and Saotome with your stupid questions."

Todoroki was glaring at the idiots who had her and Ranma surrounded. His right hand was holding a large ice crystal.

"Or what?"

Todoroki looked taken aback. It was clear he had not expected anyone to challenge him.

"Then they will be spending the next week in detention."

Everyone who wasn't already froze in fear. Akane sighed in relief. Mr. kan had returned.

"Todoroki, if you would release them."

There was a flash of flame, and all of the ice melted.

"Now, everybody, take your seats."

If she hadn't known better, Akane would have thought that her classmates could teleport. They moved so fast to get back to their desks.

"Saotome, Tendo, if anyone bothers you about this again, let me or another teacher know, and we will handle it.

"Thank you, sir."

Ranma just nodded in acknowledgment.

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Ranma ran across the rooftop and jumped. There were four meters of empty air between him and the next building. He made it centimeters to spare. Looking back at the street jammed with cars as people tried to make it home through rush hour. He wondered how people managed to go through life on the ground. He shrugged. Not everyone could be as skilled as him. Besides, they'd get in his way if they tried traveling up here.

Usually, he'd be heading out into the city with Akane. Doing whatever as long it kept them away from their parents. Or training with Izuku. But Akane had to punish her sister for what she had done in the cafeteria. And Izuku had to stay at school for some meeting. So he decided to go on an evening stroll. Other people might not consider running across rooftops relaxing, but he found it a great way to unwind.

He stopped to take in the view. The city looked like it had been cast in bronze by the setting sun.

"Don't do it!"

Startled, Ranma looked around for the source of the voice.

"Whatever you're going through, it's not worth throwing your life away."

A winged man was floating in the air below Ranma. He was wearing a tan jacket with a fur ruff and yellow goggles.

"I'm not going to kill myself." Ranma said, "I'm just taking in the view."

The man looked nonplussed for a moment but quickly rallied.

"Why don't you move back from the edge then? You wouldn't want to fall by accident."

"Eh, I'd be fine," Ranma said while sitting down, his legs dangling off the edge.

The man rose to be level with Ranma and sat down beside him.

"So, what's your name?" he asked.

"Ranma."

"Nice to meet you, Ranma. I'm Keigo. So, what are you doing up here?"

"My friends are busy after school, so I went for a walk."

"A walk? Ten stories up?"

"Yeah, I like the view."

Keigo laughed.

"It's a nice view," Ranma said defensively.

"It is. I'm just surprised. Most people don't run around this high for the view."

"They would if they could," Ranma said. "They just aren't as good as me."

Keigo laughed again. "I'm sure they would. Now, why don't you run along home. But on the ground, you don't want to give any more heroes heart attacks now, do you?"

"Alright," Ranma said and pushed himself off the edge. The shock on Keigo's face made him laugh as he momentarily landed on top of a window sill. For someone else, it would have seemed like a sheer cliff, but to Ranma, small ledges, windows, and gaps in the tiles formed a staircase that he easily skipped down. As he neared the ground Keigo came slamming down in a storm of feathers. Ranma made one hop down on to the pavement and smirked.

"I told you I'd be fine if I fell."

Gasping for breath, Keigo just glared.

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It was a large well-to-do house. The sound of a young girl laughing could be heard. Shin sneered. What shameful secrets hid behind that facade, he wondered. Everyone lied. It was a truth he knew well. Some were just better at hiding it. Though there was one exception. he pulled out his phone and typed a number. There weren't any contacts saved on the phone. There was no point. This would be the first and last time he would be using it. It only took a single ring for an answer.

"I've found her."

 

[Corwin of earth]

His name was Kai Chisaki, and he was the only hope for a cure for the rot that consumed the world. Quirks were a disease, and he would create the cure. Like Alexander Fleming and his mold, Kai had found his remedy; all he needed to do was refine and synthesize it. Or rather, he had it, and then it had been stolen by an old fossil that didn't have the good grace to stay in the ground. But that would soon be taken care of.

He stood outside a large traditional home. It was surrounded by a wall that blocked his view. A sign instructing hung by the gate challengers to enter at the back for a 'vicious thrashing.'

"Tengai, Setsuno, and Nemoto go in, find the girl, and bring her out. Kill anyone that gets in your way, but do not chase them if they run. Everyone else spread out and intercept any that tries to interfere."

They all rushed to obey. The ones he sent in were not the strongest, but they were the most reliable. They would all obey him without question, but most lacked the finesse for anything delicate.

Now all he had to do was wait, and everything would be made right.

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Izuku was growing suspicious that his friends had only invited him over to act as a human shield from their parents. The dinner table was cramped with more people than it was meant to handle. The Tendos were squeezed in along one side with the Saotomes, along with a purple-haired girl who had been introduced as Shampoo on the other. Ranma and Akane were crushed together by the press of bodies at one end. Izuku and his mother at the other. The final addition was a young girl named Eri, currently sitting in his mother's lap.

If it weren't for what he'd heard in the cafeteria, he would have chalked the unusual seating arrangement up to a lack of space. But with the knowledge of the engagement, it was clear that the parents were (literally and figuratively) pushing Ranma and Akane together.

The meal had so far been an awkward and chaotic mess. Ranma and Akane steadfastly ignoring their parents by loudly talking with each other, His mother cooing over Eri. Mr. Saotome and Tendo telling stories from their youth, with many an unsubtle hint about how happy they were to have settled down and married. And everyone else trying to get a word in edgewise. Izuku just quietly focused on eating the (delicious) food.

"So, Mr. Tendo, how did you meet Genma?" His mother asked.

"Oh, it was when we were young men," Mr. Tendo said.

"Barly more than boys," Mr. Saotome interjected. "Alone in the world, without anyone to share with."

"We both had an interest in martial arts. And sought out the same master to learn from."

"He was a cruel but skilled teacher."

"Yes, I would not be the man I am today if it weren't for him." Mr. Tendo said with a pensive look.

But before Soun could elaborate, they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Are you expecting anyone else, Soun?" Mr. Saotome asked, a suspicious look on his face.

"No, I'm not." He moved to stand. But Kasumi stopped him.

"I'll get it, daddy. It's most likely Dr. Tofu. He said he might drop by with some textbooks for me."

As she opened the door, Izuku craned his neck to try and get a sight of the Pro Hero. But her back blocked his view. A deafening bang left Izuku's ears ringing, and Kasumi fell backward into the hall. Eri screamed in fear. Mr. Saotome and Tendo stood up. Izuku saw a splotch of red on Kasumi's chest before a masked man stepped over her. Someone shouted, but he couldn't tell who. He didn't remember moving, but he was across the room, arm raised to strike. But before he could, another man appeared in the doorway. A Yellow wall appeared in front of Izuku, blocking his fist.

"Now, now, we can't be having that."

The gun turned to point at him. His legs moved. There was a flash of green light, a tremendous crash, and he was across the street. An enormous hand landed on Izuku's shoulder. He heard someone taking a deep breath, and a wave of tiredness swept over him.

"Ahh, that's the ticket."

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Nabiki tried to ignore the screaming and crashing coming from the other room. Mr. Saotome had somehow managed to disappear, returning with Kasumi in his arms. And rushed them with Mrs. Saotome and Midoriya with little Eri in her arms into the back of the house. And settling Kasumi on a sofa. Before returning to join the fight.

"Nabiki, does your father keep a first aid kit?" Mrs. Saotome asked.

"Th-there's one in the bathroom."

There was a yell and a crash. Nabiki flinched.

"Not one we can get to, then." Mrs. Saotome muttered. She undid the sash from around her waist. "Nabiki, please give me a hand with this."

Pulling up Kasumi's shirt, she revealed the bloody wound. The sight of it repulsed Nabiki, but for some reason, she couldn't look away.

"I'm going to lift her up, and then I need you to tie this around the wound as tightly as you can." Mrs. Saotome said, proffering the sash. "Can you do that for me, Nabiki?"

Nabiki silently took the sash and nodded. Kasumi whimpered in pain as she was lifted off the sofa. Nabiki slid one-half of the sash under her. And reaching over Kasumi grabbed it from the other side. Twisting the ends together, Nabiki pulled. Kasumi's pained whimpers turned into a choked scream, but Nabiki didn't stop. There was still plenty of length left in the sash, so she wrapped it around Kasumi again and tied it off.

"Nabiki, I need you to look after Kasumi. Watch her injury, and make sure it doesn't bleed too much. Moving might worsen it, but if we have to move, She'll need your help. And whatever happens, you need to stay with her. Do you understand, Nabiki?"

It felt like her chest was being crushed in a vice. Kasumi didn't need looking after; she was the one who took care of people. She tried to explain this, but all that came out of her mouth was a strangled sob. She took a moment to compose herself before nodding.

"Yes, Mrs. Saotome."

She reached out and brushed a strand of hair off of Nabkik's face.

"There's no need to be so formal; call me Auntie Nodoka."

The corners of her mouth turned up.

"Yes, Auntie Nodoka."

Nabiki settled herself on the sofa by Kasumi's head. She took Kasumi's hand in her own, rubbing her thumb over Kasumi's knuckles. She tried to offer what comfort she could.

"Why's it so quiet?" Kasumi mumbled. Her voice had a horrible wet raspiness to it.

Nabiki's back stiffened as she registered what Kasumi had said. The sounds of fighting had abated. If Daddy and Mr. Saotome had won, they would have returned to check on them. That they hadn't meant that something worse would come looking for them. Auntie Nodoka took one of Daddy's swords down from the wall and tested its edge. Finding it to her satisfaction, she turned to face the door.

"Do you know how to use that?" Mrs. Midoriya asked, rocking Eri to keep her calm.

Auntie Nodoka paused a moment before answering.

"No."

The door handle started to turn.