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Chapter Text

- The Effect of Water -

The Agni Kai was intense.

Zuko and Azula were fighting each other, each with the intent of one-upping the other. They stood eight feet away from each other as they paused their rigorous bending battle. A battle to show who is the best at their element: firebending. The element of power. But great power comes with great control and responsibility, for which Zuko had years of control from his uncle, his true father figure. Azula though, was a prodigy, emitting blue fire and mastering lightning at a young age.

But even with all that said, they are both equal in their bending. And at this point, the former was winning the match.

Frustrated that her brother was besting her in every move and attack, she panted raggedly in exhaustion. Gritting her teeth in anger, she thought to herself, 'Damn that traitor! He thinks he can best me!? That...that ingrate! How did he become like this!? Where is his strength coming from!?'

Zuko took another stance and said to her, "Give up, Azula! Whether you like it or not, we're evenly matched!"

"Shut up! You can't be better! I'M BETTER! You hear me!? I'M BETTER!" Azula's right eye twitches, clearly losing what's left of her sanity.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines, there was one girl who went with Zuko. The dark-tanned skinned girl, her dark hair flowing in the wind as she viewed the fight between brother and sister in the Fire Nation Palace courtyard. Her name is Katara, and she is a waterbender.

'It looks like Zuko is having the upper hand.' Katara smiled in relief.

"Azula. It's over. You will not be Fire Lord. I will be Fire Lord and end this war!" Zuko told her in resolution.

"What makes you think you can beat me, you traitor of a brother!" Azula snarled. "Father never cared for you, and I can see why! You're too weak! You can't even finish me off if you're so sure of beating me! You didn't even finish off Father when you so-called redirected his lightning before you left!"

Katara, shocked upon hearing that, couldn't decide whether she should scowl or frown in melancholy. From what she knew from Zuko, he had a hard life, but never had he spoken about his father and home life.

"That's not weakness! That's compassion! He's my father, and I couldn't do that to him, no matter how much...no matter how much he hates me." Zuko frowned desolately.

The waterbender turned to Zuko with wide surprised eyes. 'So it's true...Zuko's father…' She looked down with an angry expression. 'How dare they treat Zuko that way!?'

Azula then began to form a jagged smirk. "Yes...father did hate you. And he should've done more than just burn your face!"

Katara once again was hit by another bombshell after another. Her mouth flew open as her eyes widened in horror.

Zuko didn't take too kindly to what Azula said, as he glared at her. "Don't you ever dare bring that up!"

"Oh why, Zuzu? Does it bring up bad memories? Well, good!" Azula turned to Katara. "Did you know that Zuzu here spoke out of term in a war council meeting when he was 13? He disagreed with sacrificing soldiers to let the others move forward, and apparently Zuzu didn't like that! So he had to challenge the officer in an Agni Kai, just like you see now! But thinking he was going to face off the officer, instead he was fighting Father!"

Zuko stood there in silence as he gazed at the ground, shaking in anger, but helpless as to what his sister was telling his friend. Meanwhile Katara was just appalled at what she was hearing, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Oh yes! That's what happened. And Zuko was acting like a pathetic little baby about it! He asked Father to forgive him, but it only made Father more upset! He told him 'Pain and suffering will be his teacher!', and then burned his left face! The rest is HISTORY! With that, he was banished, never to come back to the Fire Nation!"

Katara just couldn't stand hearing the rest, and turned to Zuko to see how he was taking all of this. When seeing his shaking form, not so much.

When she was about to turn to glare at her, and as well as about to shout out furious words at Azula, she noticed something in her fingers.

Light...

No...lightning!

Her eyes widened once more in alertness. She took a quick glance at Zuko, who seemed to be distracted by Azula's words, his body still shaking.

'Zuko!'

"Aww, what's the matter Zuzu? Did I hit a touchy subject?" Azula taunted him with the same smirk. "Heh, you were always such a crybaby. Maybe I should put you to bed...PERMANENTLY!"

And with that, Azula striked.

Zuko, realizing his mistake, looked up and was about to try to redirect the lightning, but as soon as he was going to…

ZAAAP!

BOOOM!

"AAAAUUGGGHH!"

Zuko looked on in horror...his eyes wide in shock...mouth agape…

...THUD!

...A body hit the floor.

...But it wasn't Zuko's.

"KATARA!"

Azula cackled.

And Katara...lay limp. Smoke was emitting from her chest...and she wasn't responding.

Zuko stood there in shock. His eyes still stayed wide, his mind now processing what's actually happening right now.

His friend…took a lightning bolt from him…

Katara...risked her life for Zuko.

For him.

Meanwhile, Azula just continued to cackle.

"Hahahahaaaa! Well, well, isn't that sweet!? Your little waterbender peasant took the bolt for you! I find that hilarious! She must be stupid to risk her life for a failure like you!"

Zuko didn't register what his sister was saying. He just looked down at Katara's limp form, hoping for some movement from her.

There was nothing.

Zuko's eyes were wide with horror, the fear that he couldn't save another person. He couldn't...but she saved him. She saved him.

Her once enemy. She saved her once enemy...turned friend.

His friend…

Katara...was his friend.

She risked her life for him…

He...He couldn't save her...

Azula grinned maniacally. "Well, what do you know, Zuzu? Looks like you're all alone now. I guess trash like you deserves that, huh!?"

Zuko didn't say anything...he just stood there looking down at Katara's unresponsive body.

This made Azula frustrated. With a scowl, she gnashed, "ANSWER ME, YOU MISERABLE EXCUSE FOR A BROTHER!"

He stood there still...

The Fire Nation Princess glared at him. Taking this as another chance to calm her senses and prepare another bolt of lightning, she then grinned maniacally once more. "You know, Zuzu...you really shouldn't avert your attention away from your opponent. Allow me to show you what HAPPENS!"

She then fired another bolt of lightning…

Only for Zuko to quickly redirect it, his instincts on overdrive. He made a swift and hurried turn and then fired back at Azula, the bolt of electricity flying straight at her at great speed.

It struck her in the right arm.

BAM!

"AAAAAHHH!"

Azula yelled out loud in pain from the shock that punctured her armor and her arm. She held onto it, her arm feeling limp for the time being. Gritting her teeth in agony and glancing at the damage her brother did, she turned her attention to Zuko with a crazed look in her eyes, but also something else…hurt. Hurt that her own sibling did this...to her.

It was then Zuko spoke.

"Azula...you've gone too far this time..." He looked up at her, his expression twisting into what appeared to be of a cold glare...aimed directly at his sister.

For the first time in her life, Azula...was actually starting to feel a little afraid...of her own brother right now.

But she didn't let it show, as she gritted her teeth in rage. "Oh, what!? Did I hit a nerve!? Are you gonna rampage like a child now, all because I brought up bad memories of your worthless childhood!?"

"Azula...I advise you to be quiet." Zuko said in a dangerously low tone.

Azula's eyes widened at the severity of his tone.

"For your information, it wasn't your throwbacks to my childhood...what you did, even if you were targeting me, what you did…was mortally wound one of my true friends. You may throw insults at me, you may belittle me, you may even attack me. I'm used to it all by now. But what you did, even if it wasn't intentional, you struck my friend and laughed at her sacrifice...to save me. My friend who I bonded with...telling me that she lost her mother during this war, and how I mentioned we lost ours... there are two things I will not tolerate. You harming Katara, this girl who told me how she lost her mother because of this war...like we lost ours...and you laughing at her, not only just for risking her life for me, but laughing at how you never once consider that you may love Mother just as much as me, and never thinking that Katara had to feel the pain of losing her OWN mother, just like we did!" Zuko said to her in a vehement manner.

The Fire Nation Princess stood there stunned, unable to think up a snarky remark.

"From this point on...we are ending this." Zuko said with steel in his voice.

...Darkness.

…Then...pure stark light emerged in the distance.

"What…?"

Where was she?

She remembered jumping in front of Zuko and saving him, but...what…

Wait.

The pain of being stuck by raw energy.

The feeling of hitting the pavement.

...Oh no.

Is she...dead?

"H-...Hello?"

...Nothing…and the light was growing bigger by the second.

"...Zuko?"

...There was nothing.

Starting to feel afraid, she was about to say something, anything to make sure she wasn't alone here wherever she's floating(she thinks she felt as if she was floating), until…

"Katara."

Gasping, she recognized the voice.

"...Y-Yue?"

"Yes. It is me, Katara. I am speaking through you telepathically."

"Wha-...what happened?"

"You risked your life to save Zuko by taking the lightning bolt from Azula."

"Risked my life? You mean...I'm...dead?"

"Not exactly. You are in a limbo of sorts, where your soul has been stabilized in Purgatory, the realm where you are in-between the material world and the Spirit World, also known as Paradise."

"What? What am I...what am I doing here?"

"The reason why you're here, is because you have the will to refuse to die, even when you have passed. You feel as if you have a task to uphold, and help as many people as you possibly can. Such as helping Zuko and his Nation. Helping the Avatar with his responsibilities. And helping your friends, as well as your family, people, and everyone around the world."

"Oh...then, can I go back to my…to my body?"

"I'm afraid it is not that simple. Once your spirit leaves your body, it begins to automatically go to a path called the Passage, where the Passage is located in the realm of Purgatory. The Higher One has stopped you from passing through to Paradise."

"The Higher One?"

"Yes. The most High One out of the Spirits and the One who is in line with the Avatar, has stopped you from passing on. For He knows you have a wonderful purpose in your world. However, once the spirit leaves the body, and if the body is fatally wounded, then that person cannot go back to their body in the material world."

"Oh...well, then, what do I do?"

"For now, you have to remain somewhere else. The Spirits and I have discussed where we should take you from here."

"Somewhere else?"

"Yes...in a new world per se."

"W-What!? A new world!? Wha-What do you mean!?"

"What I mean is that when you are in the Passage, you'll automatically go into only one direction to wherever you will pass on to, that being Paradise. But we all had to change the location on where you will land instead of your final destination, as you are still needed in your world. So as of now, we stopped you from your supposed destination to Paradise to tell you where you'll be going.

"But...But wh-what about my friends? What about my family? Dad? Sokka? Gran-Gran? Oh no, Aang! And Toph, Suki, and...and Zuko. How will they know that...wait, do they even know I'm...well, here?"

"Do not worry, Katara. I will personally tell them all...that includes your brother Sokka as well…"

"Yue...he really does think about you."

"I know he does. But he has someone very special to him now. He and Suki are inseparable and I'm really happy for him. You don't have to worry about me, I am quite content with how Sokka is doing and finding someone else. I will watch him as he and Suki will prosper together."

Katara smiled. "I'm glad."

"Thank you, Katara. But as for informing them, I will tell them once you go to your destination."

"...Okay. But how does this all work? My spirit will be in this other world or…?"

"Hm-hm. Well, everything is linked to each world in a way. While there is one universe full of living beings, there is also another universe where there are beings that look like us, each having the same physical appearances. There are also different events, timelines, and even geography in each of these different realities of these worlds. You are just added to that world as a stranger there. Your spirit will appear there, but it will morph into your physical body, allowing you to move freely and normally in that world. I hope this makes sense."

"Uh...yeah...I think."

Yue giggled. "I kind of had a hard time understanding this too when the High One explained it to me as well. But just know that you will be alive in your physical body in that world. You will still remember your time over at your home world, but you will be a stranger in this world you are going to enter. However, your other physical body in your world will still be in a comatose. Your body will have time to heal slowly from the damage it was inflicted on you. Azula struck you in the heart, and it will take who knows how long for it to heal.

"Oh, okay...but...do you happen to know how long it will take me to heal? And if I fully heal, does that mean I can go back to my own world?"

"...That's where things get complicated."

"Complicated?"

"Well, you see Katara, you're still fatally injured. You're more than likely dead, but thankfully, the High One intervened. And the only way to really come back is that you have to be in a full comatose to naturally heal the damage that has been done to you. And that way, when that time comes, you...have to die in the other world."

"What!? Die in the other world!?"

"Yes. But I advise you not to do that...well, not just yet. For one, it is considered suicide, which it's morally wrong, and it will literally lead to that if you do it very early. If you do it the moment you enter this world, it will be all for naught, as not only it will not let you go back to your world, but you will be stuck in Purgatory forever. The reason for that, is that you aren't fully healed, and if you do take your life in this world, you'll be truly dead. With that, I advise you to keep living in this new world until the time is right until you are absolutely healed back in your world. And even if you are healed, you still can't take your life; it is again, morally wrong. This is...where it gets tricky. On how you need to go back to your world when you are fully healed, you need something to happen to you, such as an unforeseen accident or attack. You can't force someone to kill you, it has to happen naturally."

"...Well...that's...that's great." Katara mumbled solemnly.

"Do not worry, Katara, I know you'll prevail. It will be difficult at first, but...you have to keep going. For your friends and family, for Aang...for Zuko."

Katara blinked in the vast nothingness(which the light was still growing into a moderate size, almost filling her vision). "Z-Zuko?"

There was a pause, and for some reason, Katara felt like Yue was smirking during that pause. "Just know that everyone will be waiting for you. Sokka, your father, your grandmother, Suki, Toph, Iroh, Aang, all of your friends...even Zuko. They'll all wait for you. And by the way, Zuko won against Azula. He prevailed because of you, Katara."

Blinking and feeling herself blushing at that, Katara said. "Uh...oh. Well...I'm...I'm glad he defeated her...f-for me…"

"Hm-hm. He is very loyal and very honorable. He didn't even end his sister, he just contained her when he defeated her. He truly is a good person."

Katara couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah...he certainly is."

Yue just giggled at the statement. "Also, Aang has just now defeated Fire Lord Ozai. The war is now officially over."

That put a surprised, but relieved smile on her face. "Oh, that's wonderful! I-I'm so happy for Aang! He did it! He honestly did it!"

"Yes...and he did it by losing his attachment to you."

Katara blinked. "His attachment to me?"

"Indeed. He realized he needed to make a choice. To save the world and everyone in it, or to hold onto his beliefs and attachments. He chose the former. He has become a fully-realized Avatar."

Katara took a moment to let that sink in, thinking back on how Aang had feelings for her. But upon knowing that he chose everyone in the world and his duties as Avatar...it made her feel proud of him. So very proud of him. He finally realized...he had matured and grew into the Avatar he was meant to be.

But another thought came to her.

"Oh! Wait, then, does that mean Aang...did he...kill Ozai?"

"That is the thing. He was almost about to do so, but he thought of a better punishment for him. He energy-bended his bending away."

"Energy...bending?"

"Yes. He took away Ozai's bending, never to let him use it ever again. He was so consumed by power, and what better way to punish him than to take it away? He is now defenseless without his bending, rendering him the only thing he hates to be in his own mind: being weak."

Katara smirked at that. "Hmph. Serves the jerk right."

"Indeed. He is now being carried by the Fire Nation officials for his war crimes. Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Suki are coming back with Appa, who had arrived where they were."

Now Katara felt a little worried. "Wait, but...how will they handle me in my state?"

"I will appear to Zuko in a moment, and then to the others when they come to the Fire Nation Palace. Again, there's no need to worry, Katara."

"Well...okay. Just try to calm down my brother...and Aang…and tell them...first, tell Sokka that I love him. Secondly, tell Aang that I'm immensely proud of him. And tell the other that I will come back soon and that I love them as well. Oh and lastly...tell Zuko...that I would do it all again in a heartbeat."

"I will surely tell them, Katara."

"Thank you, Yue. ...Is...there anything I need to know in this new world?"

"Just know that you shouldn't tell the people there who you really are. We picked this world as it's not the most dangerous. Just act as normal as best as you can be, and use your bending when only necessary."

"Okay…" Katara sees the white light getting larger, definitely flooding her whole entire vision at this point. "Well...I'm ready."

"That's good...oh, and Katara?"

"Yes, Yue?"

"...Your mother is very immensely proud of you...and she loves you dearly."

Katara was stunned.

"...I...I…" She took a shuddering breath. "...Thank you."

She could feel Yue's warm smile.

"It is time...be careful out there, Katara."

...She was now surrounded by darkness once again.

But this time, she felt a familiar weight all around her.

Eyes now gaining sight, Katara flailed her arms and legs around as she seemed to be...swimming in place.

She was in water!

And from the taste of it, it was seawater. She began to swim where she hoped was the way up.

Soon, she emerged out of the water, taking a deep breath and coughing up a bit. As she floated there, the waves of the ocean were pushing her forward. When she tried to rub the seawater out of her eyes, she adjusted them so she could clearly see what was in front of her.

Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her as she floated in the water.

For one thing, it was a little close to the middle of the evening, the sun setting at the horizon. The day was in twilight, and she looked to be near...a beach?

At least...she thinks it was a beach.

The shore was apparently lined with debris(she thinks?) both small and large. And further up past the beach, there was a barrier and...buildings of foreign design, as well as streets and hills that resemble the Fire Nation's landscape.

Curious as to what world she had landed in, Katara trudged along the water to get to the shoreline. As she came up to the sandy part of the beach, she was soaked completely, still wearing her Water Tribe clothing. It wasn't the best attire to go swimming in, but that wasn't her fault entirely.

"Very interesting choice to put me in, Yue…" Katara mumbled.

As she treads up the beach, she stopped for a moment to glance up at the night sky.

Katara sees the moon up in the distance of the sky and couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. 'Wow...they have the Moon here as well.' Katara paused in her train of thought. '...Well, yeah, Katara, they have to have something light up the night...I guess it's just...nostalgic.' She frowned at the thought of leaving her world behind for now. '...It's gonna take some getting used to. But I can manage this...I hope.' Her thoughts went back to Zuko, how she saved his life from Azula's lightning bolt. Looking down at the sand, she thought firmly. 'I would still do it again...anything to help out my friends.'

Then, there was a slight pain that was emerging on her chest. It grew even stronger and Katara couldn't help but grit her teeth at the feeling. When she touched her chest, she felt a sting that made her yelp.

"Ow!" Katara looked down at her chest, and saw that she had a burnt hole on her shirt...and then she realized it was the spot where she was struck by Azula's bolt.

Eyes widening, she flinched at the sudden pain. "Oh...I...I guess that stays as well." She gritted her teeth again at the pain that was searing her chest. "Well...I guess it's better than being dead. Can't let things be too easy for me." Katara joked weakly. Upon inspecting her chest a little more, she thought to herself. 'Well, I'll see if a little healing water can somehow ease this wound.'

Katara gathered all the water she had on her clothes, and applied it through the hole in her shirt and onto the wound onto her chest. It was a weird motion, but it got the job done, the stinging pain easing itself away for now.

Once that's done, she glanced around her surroundings to look at these objects that are scattered around on this beach.

They look metallic and...junky. Some were large, while some were medium-sized and some were small-looking. There were some that seemed to be opened up revealing foreign parts inside of them. While she is interested in these certain things, whatever they are, she decided that now wouldn't be the time to look at them, especially in the dark. So she walked up to the stairs to exit the beach and came across a black paved street with lines painted on it.

'Huh. This is a large street.' As Katara stepped onto the street and began walking on it, something caught her attention to her right peripheral vision.

It had two lights emitting on the front on it and...it was heading straight towards her!

Katara looked to her right at the thing in curiosity, but soon she realized it seemed it wasn't slowing down. Frozen just a bit, her eyes widened as she tried to make a run for it to dodge the fast approaching animal(maybe? What was it?), until when it got closer, it made a complete stop, a screeching sound coming from it once it did.

The waterbender held out her hands in an attempt to tell it to stop, which thankfully it did from what she's seen. However, what happened next almost confused her.

Something opened from the thing's right side(not her right, but the thing's), and...a person came out of it.

From the lights on the front of whatever this thing was, it was a dark-haired man who was dressed in a weird attire along with a large gray coat on and an odd-looking hat on his head.

"My goodness! Young lady, what are you doing standing in the middle of the road!?" The man exclaimed in concern.

"Oh! U-Uh, I'm, uh…I was just, um, just..." Katara started lamely. "I was, uh...taking a stroll?:

The man just looked at her with an observant look. "What's...that you're wearing?"

Katara blinked. "What I'm wearing?" She looked down and what she wore, which it being her usual Water Tribe garments. "Uh...my…clothes?"

Now the man blinked. He then looked a little closer at what she wore thanks to the light shining on her form. "Wait...why is there a hole on your chest there, young lady?"

The waterbender froze as she looked down at the burnt hole in the middle of her shirt that was in clear view for him to see.

Then, as if on cue, her chest started to sting again.

"Ack!" Katara hissed in pain, her hand going up to her chest.

The man, alarmed by her reaction, frowned in worry as he said, "My word, young lady, are you alright? What kind of wound is that?"

"Oh, it's, uh, nothing really, I was...um...just…" Katara faltered there, trying to think of the best lie she could come up with. But seriously, how else is she gonna cover up what this really is on her chest? She can't say she'd been hit by lightning, that would be too bizarre...right? "I, uh...a land leech sucked on me?" She finished lamely with a sheepish shrug.

'Ugh. Nice one, Kat.' She cringed inwardly at that poor excuse of a fib.

The man looked at her with something that was akin to doubt and...sympathy? "Little lady, my Quirk is "Lie Detector", and I can say that right now, I didn't even need to use it to know that you're lying."

Katara looked at him oddly with a blink. "Uh...what?"

'Quirk? Lie Detector? You mean, he's like Toph in a way?'

The odd-outfit wearing male sighed. "Young lady, I think you need to come with me."

Katara's eyes widened at the offer. "What?"

"No worries, I'm a detective in the police force of Musufatu. The name's Tsukauchi Naomasa. Actually, are you lost by any chance?"

Katara looked at the man a little curiously and a little cautiously. 'Detective, huh? I heard about those...I don't know what a 'police force' is, but I know I'm in some place called...Mu-su-fa-tu?' "Um…" 'Should I say I'm lost? ...Well, I might as well. I mean, I basically am.' "Uh, yeah...yeah, I am."

The man named Tsukauchi nodded. "Alright then. You might also need to get someone to check that out." He pointed at her chest.

Looking down at the wound(which stung again), Katara winced. "Uh, yeah…"

"Hm. Well, hop in the car. We're going to get you to a hospital."

"Car?" Katara said in confusion.

Tsukauchi blinked. 'Huh. She must've been hit in the head too.' "Um, yes, young lady. This thing right here." He patted the top of the thing that was called 'the car'.

"Oh!" Katara said in realization of what that thing is in front of her. Tsukauchi patted it and it made a metallic noise, which she realized it wasn't a living animal. "Oh...oooh, so that isn-" Katara stopped herself to not give herself away. "...Uh, o-okay." She approached the car and observed the vehicle's left side and saw an outline that looked like a door. Figuring out the mechanics a second later, she pulled the handle of the door and climbed in the car.

The interior looked...very odd and very foreign to her.

Once Tsukauchi closed the door to his driver's seat, he turned to Katara. "Close your door and put your seatbelt on, okay?"

Katara jumped in her seat, and quickly closed the door with a SLAM! Wincing at that, as well as Tsukauchi, Katara looked at what looked like a 'seatbelt'. She looked to her left and saw an apparatus on the upper part of her seat. She lifted her left hand up to grab it, and as if on instinct, she pulled the apparatus, which it became longer, and wrapped it around herself...only for it to retract back to its place.

Tsukauchi sweatdropped, while Katara just looked confused.

"Uh, here, I'll just, um...help you out." Tsukauchi said as he reached for the seatbelt, pulled it, and wrapped it around Katara and snapped it into the socket that was next to her on the seat's right.

Katara just blinked and flushed in embarrassment. "Um...thanks."

"No problem." Tsukauchi nodded. Before he put the car out of park, he said, "Oh. I'm sorry, I forgot to ask your name. What is it, young lady?"

"Oh, um, K-Katara."

"Katara, huh? That's a nice name."

"Uh, thanks…"

The detective nodded with a small smile. He got out of park and they drove forward, which gave Katara a little gasp.

"You okay?" The detective asked.

"Uh, y-yeah. Just, um…" Katara thought of nothing to say to that. "...N-Nothing."

Tsukauchi just glanced at her for a second until he said, "Okay then." He continued to drive his car. "...So, how did you really get that wound, Katara?"

Katara turned her head to look at the man next to her, looking like he was driving this thing called a 'car'. "Um…"

'Well, what do I say? I can't tell him that I got this injury from saving my friend from his crazed sister who was gonna shoot lightning bolts at him. I mean, this Tsukauchi guy is wearing some pretty odd clothing, I don't even think he knows anything about bending...does he?'

"Actually, I'm sorry."

Katara looked at him again dumbfounded. "Huh?"

"Well, I shouldn't pry. Even though I am a detective and a police officer, and it is my duty to help the public, I won't force you to tell me. I just really want to make sure if you're okay and that you're not in any danger." Tsukauchi told her as he looked at the road ahead of them.

"Oh, um...no, I'm just...well...I guess I'm just...honestly, I am pretty lost right now..." Katara said honestly.

Tsukauchi glanced at the girl, saying to her, "...I see."

They were quiet for a little while, as they stopped at traffic lights and intersections, which Katara caught on that there were more of these 'cars', which was the reason why they had to stop the car at times. They seemed to be in some...concrete and glass-looking city, unlike the stone buildings of the cities of Omashu and Ba Sing Se. People were walking about in this city, which was called Musufatu...

However, there was one thing that Katara noticed that threw her off a bit.

While she was sight-seeing, she saw other people with weird-looking appendages coming out of their bodies, some with strange-looking body shapes, and some who looked like animals that were walking on their two legs.

Katara, even more dumbfounded, was beginning to wonder if she was getting delirious from the injury on her chest.

'What is all of this? What...what kind of world am I in?'

A melodic sound interrupted her thoughts, and Katara jumped in her seat when it came.

Before she could say anything about it, quickly as if he had done this before, Tsukauchi picked up a rectangular object, looked at the front of it(which seemed to have moving words on it), pushed something on it, and put it to his right ear.

"Talk to me." Tsukauchi said into the object. "...Really? Are there any Heroes around? ...Not yet, huh? …" He sighed. "Well, I was going to drop someone off at the hospital before I got home, so...it's a young lady that I almost ran over near Dagobah Beach...yes, she's fine. She has an injury, and...well, I don't think it's fatal, she seems to be functioning properly." He glanced at Katara for a second, while Katara looked at him, perplexed that he's talking to an object. "...Hm. Well..." He looked back at the road again. "...I mean, I'm almost near the hospital, so..." He sighed again. "...Well, alright. It sounds serious. I'll be there. ...Yeah, don't worry, I will. See ya there." He lowered the object away from his ear and pushed a circular red spot on the front of it.

Katara just looked on in confusion. "Uh…"

"Change of plans." Tsukauchi said as he continued driving. "I have to get to a scene that's happening right now."

"A...scene?"

"A crime scene to be more specific." Tsukauchi said as he took a turn to a street.

"A crime scene!?" Katara said with shocked wide eyes.

"Well, it's more like it's happening right now. Something about a Villain with a Mud Quirk."

'A Mud...Quirk? There's that word again.'

"Oh…" Katara said dumbly.

The car was almost to its destination, when Tsukauchi asked Katara, "Oh, yeah. What's your Quirk, Katara?"

"My Quirk?" Katara quickly thought back on what the term 'Quirk' could mean here. She thought back on what Tsukauchi said about having a Quirk that made him be a Lie Detector. She also noted back that while looking around the streets and sidewalks, there were multiple strange-looking people walking around. Could those be Quirks? And lastly, the detective said that there's a Villain with a Mud Quirk.

She also noticed that he said 'Heroes' and used the term 'Villain'. She heard them before when she and Sokka played "Good Guys and Bad Guys"(Sokka was always the 'good guy', unfortunately). Heroes are supposed to help and protect people, while Villains do harm and evil towards others for their own selfish gains.

"Katara?"

'Oh! Darn it, that's right! I got sidetracked!' Katara shook her head. "Um...water manipu-...lation?"

Blinking at her claim, Tsukauchi hummed. "Interesting…"

"Uh, I call it 'waterbending'." 'Gosh, I hope I'm saying the right things.' Katara thought a little anxiously.

"Huh. That's a nice way of putting it." Tsukauchi said with a nod and a small smile to her. He looked at the road. "Well, here we are."

Katara looked to her left to see a crowd of flashing cars and people in blue uniforms lined up and surrounding something.

"What's happening?" Katara had to ask.

"A Villain is taking a hostage by using his Mud Quirk," Tsukauchi explained. He turned his attention to the girl. "Just stay in the car, okay?"

'What? Someone is taking somebody hostage?' Frowning at that, Katara wouldn't take that sitting down. She then realized something…

'Wait...mud...hey! I could help!' Before she could say anything to Tsukauchi, he already left the car. "Wha-hey!"

The detective didn't hear her as he approached the scene happening right now.

Her frown going deeper, she opened the door to get out of the car and raced over there.

As soon as she went a little closer, a cat person came up to her. "Hey! *Meow* You can't get any closer! A negotiation is being held at place!"

Katara stopped and blinked at the cat cop.

'Okay, this world just got weird.'

"Stand back and let us handle the situation at hand! *Meow*!" the cat cop said.

"Katara?" said the voice of Tsukauchi, who came up to them.

"You know this girl, Tsukauchi?" asked the cat person.

"Yeah, Sansa, it's the girl I told you about. Her name's Katara." Naomasa said. He looked at the waterbender. "I told you to stay in the car, Katara. It's too dangerous to be out here right now!"

"But I can help!" Katara tried to tell them.

"Little lady, listen, if you want to be a Hero, then that's great," Sansa informed. "But you're too young and not registered to be one right now! *Meow!*"

"What!? Registered? What do you mean? I just think I can take this guy if he's made of mud! Mud is basically dirt with water in it, so I can try to take him down with a swipe of my ben-I mean, my Quirk!"

Tsukauchi looked a little surprised at her reasoning, but the cat cop named Sansa didn't take that too lightly.

"Young lady, *Meow* you need to stand back right now! We can't let anybody go past here and be in harm's way! I know kids want to be Heroes nowadays, but this is a very serious situation. *Meow* We need to hold him off until the Pro-Heroes arrive, so don't get involved with what's happening right now, alright?! *Meow* Now go back to the car, and let us handle this!"

Katara scowled. "No! I'm gonna help whoever's being held hostage!" She rushed past Sansa and Tsukauchi.

"Katara!" Tsukauchi yelled back.

"HEY! *MEOW* COME BACK HERE!"

And with that, Katara dashed through the cops and the police vehicles to get to the scene.

'No matter what world I'm in, I will NOT let anyone get hurt! I will never turn my back on anybody!'

And so it begins...from this point on, the decision that Katara made as of right now will alter the course of her journey back home...from here, this different world will be Katara's temporary new home…

Right now...this is Katara's...My Hero Academia!

End of Chapter 1

Chapter Text

When Katara reached the scene, she saw what this 'mud guy' looked like, as well as the person who's been taken hostage. The hostage...was a short little boy with purple ball-like hair and wearing weird clothes like Tsukauchi. He looked to be shivering in fear, wide-eyed and on the verge of being hysterical.

The mud guy...looked exactly like he was described. A man made of mud.

His shape was humanoid, but he looked a little bulky...or maybe it was because he was caked with more mud, making himself try to look more menacing. Either way, Mud Man was actually wearing some clothes, although they were dirty from the filth he was producing(she guesses?). An ordinary shirt, and a pair of long pants, along with odd, but interesting-looking shoes. As stated before, he seems to have some bulk on his arms and has a build that belongs to an earthbending bodybuilder. But the most interesting feature was his face, as it looked like it was melting, but she could see the eyes very clearly. His mouth looked disgusting, like it was dripping from his lips and from the corners of his mouth, all the while gritting his white teeth, the only thing that seemed to be clean. He also had no hair, making him bald...she thinks?

But there was another thing that she noticed; the dangerously sharp-looking knife that was close to the boy's throat!

Katara's eyes widened at the situation. Frowning, she grunted. 'Damn! I didn't really think this through!'

"Hey, who's that?" said a male officer.

"What's that girl doing!?" said a female officer.

"What is she trying to do!? She's ruining our negotiation!" said another cop.

"YOUNG LADY! COME BACK HERE!" the cat cop known as Sansa yelled as he and Tsukauchi caught up to the barrier that the police put up to keep bystanders at bay.

"Katara!" called out Tsukauchi. "Please, get back over here! It's too dangerous!"

'Well, no turning back now.' Katara thought with a sigh. She looked at the Mud Guy and gave him an intent gaze. "Let him go!"

The Mud Guy sneered at her. "And just who the fuck are you, bitch!?" He yelled through his garbled voice.

Katara recoiled at his harsh attitude. 'Okay, he's definitely a rude one.'

"I...I'm…" Her eyes then widened as she realized something.

'Oh crap!' She thought in dread. 'I can't tell him or anyone else who I really am, Yue said so! But…'

"Tch!" Mud Guy scoffed. "Fucking poser! Why don't you run along and act like a Hero somewhere else!? You're lucky I haven't slit this kid's throat by now!"

Katara stood there and looked around her surroundings. There were more people gathered around the perimeter as this police force(from what Katara heard from Tsukauchi) was keeping them away from the scene.

"Katara! Please, come back over here! Don't make it worse for the boy!" Tsukauchi called out to her again.

Katara winced. 'Yeah...definitely no turning back now. Maybe I should try a different approach.'

"You better do as these coppers say, little girl, or else this midget boy here will have a new coat of red on his shirt!" Mud Guy threatened harshly.

The waterbender took a deep breath and said, "Why are you doing this, really?"

This took the Mud Guy a little by surprise, but he loudly garbled out. "None of your fucking business!"

"Helping people is my business!" Katara countered back.

Mud Guy growled. "Well, what are you supposed to be then!? You're too damn young to be a Hero! So what are you, a Vigilante?!

"I'm neither! I just help who's in trouble!" Katara said with resolve.

"Oh, well, doesn't that make you fucking special!" Mud Boy sneered.

"Okay, first of all, stop with the swearing! You got a child in your grasp!" Katara scolded him.

"Huh?" The boy uttered and blinked in confusion as she stopped shaking in terror for a moment. "Hey, I'm not a child! I'm turning 15 in a few-"

"Shut up, kid!" Mud Guy yelled at him, instantly shutting him up.

Katara blinked at the boy's statement. "Uh…" She shook her head. "Look, is there any way we can settle this?"

Mud Guy glared at Katara. "You can get All Might's ass over here, so I can teach that fucker not to only humiliate my brother, but on ruining my life!"

Katara looked at the Mud Man oddly, "All...Might? Is that a...person?"

Now Mud Guy blinked. "...What? You, uh...you don't know who All Might is?"

This made Tsukauchi look on at the scene in confusion, as well as a little bit of shock. With his lie detector Quirk, he can see that she's telling the truth. 'What? She's serious? She doesn't know who All Might is?'

"Uh..." Katara paused for a moment. 'Wait…what happens if I say no? Will people get suspicious?' She didn't want to take the risk in this strange new world so she said, "Um...y-yeah! I, uh, of course I know wh-who All Might is! I-I mean, d-doesn't everyone?"

Naomasa looked at the girl with suspicious observant eyes. 'That, right there, was a lie.'

Apparently, Mud Guy was thinking that as well, as he looked at her warily.

"...What's All Might's gender?" Mud Boy asked her.

Katara blinked with wide eyes, 'What? ...Oh. Oh...oh crap…' She cringed and answered, "Uhhh...a...a guy?"

Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes at the girl with more suspicion. 'She's answering the question with such hesitation...that's very odd.'

The Mud Guy also wasn't buying it either. "Hmm...what year did All Might take down Toxic Chainsaw?"

'Toxic...what?' Katara sweatdropped, a dumbfounded look on her face. "Uhhh…"

The Mud Boy decided to ask another question. "What year, month, and day did he beat Black Adam and Prince Adam?"

"...Huh?"

"Later this year, what month, on the same day, did he not only stop a speeding bullet train with his bare hands from colliding into another one, but caught an airliner from falling out of the sky before it came crashing onto the ground?"

'What in the-What is this, a guessing game? I can't answer all these questions!' Katara started to feel nervous and cornered. "Uhhh…w-well, uhhh..."

Now the hostage looked at her strangely, almost forgetting the dagger at his throat. "Whoa, you seriously don't know who All Might is? He's like the number one hero not only in Japan, but the whole world!"

For once, the Mud Man didn't even tell him to shut up, he basically agreed. "Yeah, what the hell, girl? You've been living under a rock?"

Nervous sweat started to form on Katara's face as she tried to think of a better way out of this. "Uh…"

Tsukauchi looked on at the scene in great interest. 'Hmm...this girl may have been odd before, but...to not know who All Might is? Either she really has amnesia, or...she's from somewhere else entirely…'

Upon seeing that the situation wasn't getting any worse anytime soon, Naomasa backed up into the throng of police officers and exited out the back way, getting his phone out once he came out of the crowd. He hurriedly went to his contacts and pushed the number on his phone to call a good friend of his.

"I hope he answers in time...and is watching the news right now." Mumbled Naomasa as his phone was ringing. Exactly after the first ring, another person picked up on the other line.

"Hey there, Old Friend." said an adult male's voice, sounding like he was running and out of breath a bit.

Giving out a smirk, Tsukauchi went straight to business. "Hey there. Where are you right now?"

"Well, I was, *breath* gonna get some groceries, *breath* but I saw the local news inside the store, *breath* and now I'm running off to the scene. I'm guessing you want, *woo* uh, someone to pacify the situation?"

"Well, if you could. I would think you've seen that girl out there trying to calm the Mud-looking perpetrator down?"

'Oh yeah! I saw her *breath* on the screen. That's really admirable *breath* of her to try to end things peacefully. Although…*hoo-boy* I heard on the screen that she doesn't seem to know about All Might? Is that true?'

"Hm...I'm honestly beginning to think so."

"Huh? Really?' The man on the line seemed to have stopped running as he was catching his breath a little better. 'Well...that is a little strange. I mean...I would think he's very well known not only around Musutafu, but around the world, right? I mean, granted, I'm...uh, certain All Might won't be offended if no one recognizes him, but I wonder why she doesn't know anything about the guy?'

"I wouldn't know either. Listen, where are you? You're not too far from here, are you?"

"Oh, no! That's why I'm running! I'm nearby from where you are!"

"Alright then. So you're probably heading towards the scene right now?"

"Yep! I'll be there in a jiffy!"

"Great. Oh, and by the way, the perpetrator wants to see you specifically. Maybe you can try to calm him down when you get there. Also, I think he's related to that Sludge Villain you've captured. He said something about him being his brother."

"Oh! ...Really? Wow. I didn't think the Sludge Villain actually had any siblings. Well then, no worries! I'll be there!"

"Good. We'll try to hold him off. See ya." And with that, Naomasa hung up and walked back into the crowd of cops and maneuvered his way back to the scene.

[Around the time when Naomasa was making the call.]

Katara was getting more and more anxious, as she was trying hard not to reveal to the Mud Guy, as well as everyone else around her, on where she came from.

Apparently, Mud Boy decided to ask one more question, "Do you even know what All Might says whenever he appears on the scene?"

"I...uh, well, um…" Katara stuttered, fumbling her words as she drew a blank. Even the onlookers that are watching the scene unfold murmured to themselves about this girl not hearing anything about All Might.

'Okay, this is getting us nowhere and making my situation much worse...but at least I'm letting this mud guy be off guard. He seemed to have calmed down for the most part...maybe if I keep on talking...'

Shaking her head to ease away her discomfort, Katara tried asking Muddy, "Look, um-w-why do you want to kick All Might's...uh, butt?"

The Mud Villain went back to the offensive. "I said it's none of your business!"

"But why? What's slitting a…" she glanced at the short boy, "Uh, a teenager's throat gonna solve anything?"

"You think I'm trying to do this to make a point!?" Mud Man hollered. "I'm just mad as hell right now! I've lost my job because my brother was doing crimes and fought against All Might! They found out that I was related to him and fired me because they said it was going to lower morale at my work or some bullshit like that! They were just trying to find a way to get rid of me because I stank up the whole workplace! Not many people like me because I do stink! Do you know what it's like to be a person made of fucking Mud!? Sure, our family is not the most glamorous, but we still try to get by! And yeah, my brother made bad decisions in his life, but he's still family! So don't go acting all holy on me and telling me what I'm doing is fuckin' wrong! I know! I just...I just..." Muddy growled. "WHERE THE HELL IS ALL MIGHT!" He hollered to anyone around him.

Katara looked at him with confusion, until a light went off in her head.

'Wait a minute...is that what he's doing? If he is, then...'

"...You're not gonna hurt that boy at all, are you?" Katara asked him.

Mud Man snapped his head back at the waterbender. "Huh!? What!?"

"Uhhh…" The boy blinked, and said in a shaky tone. "He has a knife to my throat, Lady. I think he intends to hurt me."

Katara ignored him and asked Mud Boy, "You're just doing this because you want to see this All Might person, don't you?"

At that point, Tsukauchi came back to the front of the crowd to view the scene.

Muddy looked at her as if he was studying her every move.

Katara frowned, now feeling sympathetic for this person. She may not know much about this world she's on, but she now knows this All Might guy is certainly highly respected. She also realized that she implied that she actually didn't know who All Might is, but right now, she doesn't care. This man sounded like he went through a horrible time, and he's just lashing out because he's angry.

She tried a different approach. "You seem to respect All Might, right? You talked about him and his, um...accomplishments. You even spoke very highly of him. And really, I get the feeling you don't wanna fight him, do you?"

Mud Boy narrowed his eyes at her.

Feeling like she's getting somewhere, Katara smiled calmly and asked, "What's your name?"

Mud Boy just stared at her. "...Dukanara."

The waterbender nodded. "Well, Dukanara, I learned that some people are just angry because they don't know how to handle their anger. In fact...I know someone who was angry at everything because he felt betrayed by someone in his family. He felt like he had to prove his worth to that person, to be someone he's not. He was even...my Villain at one point…" She looked at the ground with downcast eyes. "...But once he knew what kind of person he could be, and found friends that really did care for him, he felt truly...at peace." She looked up at him with resolution in his eyes. "And I think you could find that peace as well too if you just let yourself find it."

The Mud Man's eyes widened at her profound claim, still staring at the girl in front of him.

Meanwhile, the hostage was trying not to gag on the stench Dukanara was emitting. 'Man, this guy really does stink!'

Tsukauchi stood there a little stunned, quite amazed at how she's been able to pacify this Villain. Not only that, but the wisdom this girl is displaying shows that she was really mature for her age. She wondered what kind of hardships she had to endure.

"You see this right here?" Katara pointed at her chest that had a burnt hole on her shirt. "This...this was caused by me leaping in front of that person to save his life. I...I barely survived...but I would do it again. Just cause I can call him my friend now…"

Naomasa's eyes widened at what she said. Now only at how she got the wound, but he also caught the meaning behind Katara's words.

'She's...telling the truth.' The detective looked on, intrigued.

"I may not know your background, but...I know some people don't get angry without a reason. All I ask of you is to put the knife down and maybe we can talk about all of this."

Speechless, Dukanara looked like he was conflicted on what he should do right now.

"I...I…" The Mud Guy shut his eyes and gritted his teeth, trying not to form any tears from his eyes. His hand was still gripping the knife that was near the boy's throat, only this time his hand was beginning to shake. "I...I just…"

"It's okay...just put the knife down and let the boy go. Maybe we can talk to this All Might." Katara told him in reassurance.

The cops all looked on at the scene they were witnessing, a little astounded that this girl was doing all that she could to calm the Mud Man down.

Dukanara couldn't stop the tears from shedding as he sniffled. "Wh-Why…" He opened his eyes to the girl. "Why are you being so nice to me now? I could be a Villain and...and try to cut you next or something!"

"I don't think you're capable of doing that. Because I know deep down, you're your own good person. You talked about your brother, and you said he made some bad decisions...and it's really admirable that you still love him, but...don't you think you're going down that road once you continue what you're doing?" Katara asked him.

The Mud Man paused, stunned at that realization.

"It's not too late." Katara finished with a smile.

Everything was silent…

...Until someone landed beside Katara.

KER-CHALK!

"AAAH!" Katara screamed at the sudden sound next to her, as well as the slight shift in ground and the appearance that came out of nowhere.

All the people around the scene gasped.

Right at the small crater, there stood a tall and brawny man. He was wearing a white shirt and ordinary blue jeans with some sneakers. His build was of pure muscle, almost like a body-builder, and his physique looked chiseled and well-defined, his facial features having just that as well. His hair is blonde and reaches to his neck, but two long strands of his bangs were pointing upward to form a 'V' shape.

And he was grinning a big smile, the smile reassuring, as if it was to tell people 'Never worry! It will all be better!'.

This man was the number one hero in Japan…

All Might.

"I AM HERE!" All Might exclaimed in grandeur fashion.

Katara, who fell to the ground from both surprise and the shock of the impact that this person made, looked up at this man's impressive height and gasped as well. Her eyes widened at his stature, the mere presence of this giant of a man making her feel small and feeble. And it's not only that, but he seems to radiate not only some sort of otherworldly power that she can't quite place, but he held great confidence and character also. And that smile...it wasn't fake. It was genuine. It was endearing, comforting, and encouraging, almost as if he's saying, "It's alright now.'.

"IT'S ALL MIGHT!" Yelled a male bystander.

The waterbender sat there stunned.

'This...This is All Might!?' Katara thought in awe.

Behind them, Naomasa smiled at the Hero's entrance.

All Might looked forward to Dukanara. "Young Sir! I have seen the news that you wish to harm that young man right there! I also have been informed that you are related to a Villain that I stopped three months ago, the Sludge Villain. While I am sorry that I have to incarcerate your brother, he was doing a crime and harming others. I, along with the other Heroes, had to stop him from doing so. But please, Sir, you must know that you don't have to follow the footsteps of Villainy! I may not know your situation, but I might know one thing that can be said quite clearly: You're angry. Whatever it may be, either if it's your brother being arrested, or any other hardships in your life, then I can assure you…"

His smile softened. "...it will get better. Do not give up on the hope of people who do care for you. Do not give up on the hope of a better day. And do not give up the hope that lies within you. For you can change and be someone that other people can look up to and inspire. Whether it be as small as a meaningful conversation, or let it be as big as a heroic action."

It was then All Might's smile turned warm. "People inspire us everyday. Even ordinary people, for they inspire Heroes as well. To thrive to be better. To be stronger so they can protect each and everyone of them. They remind us what a true Hero really means, and what they stand for. Either way, everyone can inspire others, so they can inspire the other...maybe even change one's life forever.

The Hero looked at him with an encouraging smile. "So I urge you...please let the boy go. Don't let your anger cloud your judgement. You can inspire others...you can be your own Hero to someone who needs one."

Katara looked up at the man in wonder, amazed at the speech he displayed. What he said was full of so much meaning, full of significance. The way he said it...it truly sounded like he really meant it.

It made Katara now know why this All Might person is so well-regarded and renowned...

All Might side-glanced down at Katara, who was still looking up at him. He then gave her what looked like a nod of approval, with the same warm and encouraging smile on his face.

The girl blinked dumbly at the exchange. 'What...did he...had he been listening the whole time? Where was he?'

She then heard a whimper...she turned to look at Dukanara, and saw that he was...crying.

The Mud Man was sniffling and whimpering, so much that he let go of the boy to wipe away the tears off his eyes and to wipe his nose with the arm he was holding the hostage around with.

The boy stood there, unable to move, but once he realized that he could move, he yelped.

"ACK!" The boy looked around himself to see that if he was somehow harmed, albeit he does have mud stains on his shirt.

"Ho-...HOLY CRAP! I'M ALRIGHT!" The boy checked his neck again to see his neck was bleeding, but he deducted that it wasn't. He turned to the Mud Man, who was still crying, but still looked intimidating to the young man. His eyes bugged out at how close he was to Dukanara.

"...AAAAHHHH!" The boy then dashed for his life where All Might and Katara(who was beginning to stand) were…

"SAVE MEEEE!" He rushed to Katara with his arms out.

...Or maybe where Katara was.

Before Katara could say anything, the small boy jumped up to Katara, and latched onto her, with his arms and legs wrapped around her body and his face planted onto her chest.

"Wha-" Katara sputtered out as she staggered from the boy's sudden leap towards her.

"Oh thank you!" The boy exclaimed, the side of his face on her chest. "You saved me! You really saved me!"

It was then the boy was...rubbing his entire face on Katara's chest.

Katara blanched, not knowing if he's doing this on purpose or if he's truly happy that he was saved. She almost was about to go with the latter when he muttered something for her to unfortunately hear.

"Hm...these boobs are pretty small, but hey, boobs are boobs. Plus, she is pretty attractive, so I guess this will do."

. . . . .

WHAM!

"AAAACK!" The boy fell to the ground with a huge bump on his head that didn't belong to his hair.

Scowling, Katara was red with embarrassment and anger.

All Might, who saw the scene, sweatdropped.

"Um..." All Might decided to handle that later. Right now, he turned to Dukanara. "Uh, w-what is your name, Sir?"

The Mud Man sniffled as he shed more tears. With a whine, he said, "Dukanara…"

All Might nodded and smiled to the man, "Well then, Dukanara, it seems to me that all you needed was someone to talk to. I apologize to whatever has happened to you, but you shouldn't give into anger and violence."

"I…" Dukanara sniffled. "I-I know now. I...I just…" He whimpered as the tears flowed down his dirty face, wiping them away with his arm. "I just…" He lowered his arm away from his face and gazed at All Might with a teary smile, "T-Thank you..." he hiccuped, "Thank you, All Might. You...You really are a true Hero." He turned his attention to Katara. "And...thank you for helping me as well, lady."

Katara, who calmed down after the sexual harassment given by the boy, looked on at Dukanara with a blink, but she then smiled and gave him a nod. "It's no problem."

Dukanara nodded, the same smile on his face.

All Might turn to the police force. "Go easy on him. He just had a bad day. And find him some good job applications as well."

"Yes sir, Mr. All Might!" said the officers as they saluted.

Naomasa smirked and nodded at the Hero.

Everyone who had been watching all clapped and cheered, thankful that a crisis has been averted.

Katara looked up at the huge Hero, a little mesmerized at how honorable he was acting. To be so well-respected, she was beginning to think if All Might was actually the equivalent of what the Avatar is.

While she stared up at him and pondered this, All Might turn his head to her and said with a small smile. "You did good, little girl."

She blinked as she registered what was said to her. When it did, she gave the Hero a smile herself and nodded.

'Of course.' Katara thought. 'I will never turn my back on people who need help.'

Meanwhile, the boy was in a pained daze on the ground, his eyes turned into swirls and the bump on his head throbbing.

8:00 PM

While everything calmed down, the boy, who's name is Mineta Minoru, decided to drop all the charges against Dukanara, since he wasn't really hurt in any way(well, if you count Katara hitting him upside the head). The police sent Dukanara back to his home, but not until the mud guy thanked All Might and asked for his autograph. With a jovial laugh, All Might does and signed his shirt.

Katara looked on at the once perpetrator and the Hero with a smile. This world may be strange, but it seems it has some pretty good decent people in it...aside from that Mineta guy.

She huffed as she remembered what that little pervert did with her chest. 'I saved that guy, and that was the thanks I got? He even had the nerve to say that my breasts were small!' She 'hmphed' at that, crossing her arms over her chest. '...I mean, sure, they're not as big as Suki's, but I'm actually the same size as Toph...and...she's twelve...while I just turned fifteen…'

...She pursed her lips, a little...annoyed at the unfairness of it all.

"That was a very dangerous thing you did back there, Katara." The voice of Naomasa told her.

Startled, the waterbender turned to see the detective walking up to her, along with the cat cop named Catchu.

"I agree!" exclaimed Catchu. "Even if it was within your best intentions, you would have jeopardized the whole hostage situation! *Meow!*"

Katara glanced at the ground, feeling a little shamefaced as she frowned. Honestly, she really wasn't thinking, she just ran over to the scene without a plan or anything! She felt like Toph right now, which she was certain the earthbender would pelt her head with a rock if she ever heard that...or maybe she would be proud of that fact. She can never tell with her sometimes.

"Sorry…" Katara mumbled. "But, hey, everything worked out well, didn't it?" She said with a sheepish smile.

Sansa scowled, "While this did have a good outcome and you contributed to letting the perpetrator give himself up, you shouldn't have been so reckless enough to enter the negotiation, little lady! It could have been a lot worse! *Meow!*" He said sternly.

Katara winced. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry…"

The cat cop humphed as he crossed his arms and shook his head. "Kids these days! *Meow* They want to be a Hero so badly. Can't they just wait until they find a good Hero School?"

Katara blinked. "Find a Hero School?"

"Um, why don't I just take her to the hospital and send her on her way home, Sansa?" Naomasa asked. "It seems the crisis has been averted and nobody was harmed. Besides, she didn't use her Quirk, which would've gotten her into a lot more trouble."

The waterbender looked at the detective in confusion upon hearing that last bit. 'I could get in trouble with using my Quir-I mean, my waterbending?'

"Hmm…" Sansa closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep sigh. He turned to Tsukauchi. "Alright then," He turned his attention to Katara. "Well young lady, consider yourself lucky. We're gonna give you a pass since you didn't use your Quirk and things have already settled down now. But don't try something like this again, alright? *Meow*"

"Uh...y-yes, um…sir?" Katara said, a little flabbergasted for two reasons. One, there's a freaking talking animal standing on his hind legs in front of her wearing the same outfit as Tsukauchi. Two, there was a school for Heroes?

Sansa nodded. "Good. And you really should have that checked. *Meow*" He said, pointing at the wound on her chest. He turned to Naomasa. "Well, Tsukauchi, I'll let you take care of her from this point on. I need to get back home. This has been one heck of a day."

"Sure thing, Sansa." The detective nodded.

The cat cop made his leave, which left Tsuakuchi and Katara alone for a moment. Before the detective could say anything, All Might came up to them.

"Greetings, Detective!"

"Oh hey, All Might," Naomasa said with a nod and a smile.

Katara looked up to the Plus Ultra Hero and couldn't help but feel small compared to this giant of a man. She wonders if he's that strong to gain a lot of high regard from the people here.

"I see that everything has finally calmed down now! And the lad known as Dukanara is gonna be just fine! He just needed some encouragement to help get him by. Poor guy said that his old job was harsh on him because he smelled bad. He was really enthusiastic too, he wanted my autograph and everything! Hard to believe he's related to that Sludge Villain...hm. That Sludge guy must be the black sheep of the family. Speaking of his brother, Dukanara wanted to visit him at the prison to help encourage him to change his ways! Heh-heh, ah brotherly love." He then turns to Katara with a smile towards her. "I have to say, young one, you certainly have stopped a situation from turning dire."

She blushed a little. "Oh, I um, just...hate to see anyone be in trouble." 'No matter how much a perverted creep they are.' Katara thought, referring to Mineta.

All Might nodded. "Well, that right there, is a sign of a great Hero. You certainly came in at the right time. I bet you rushed into the scene without even thinking, didn't you?"

"Uh...no, I...actually didn't," Katara said, a little flabbergasted he found that bit out.

All Might laughed heartily...until he started to cough.

"Oh! *cough* Man, I, *cough* laughed a little too *cough* hard there!"

"Maybe you should get some rest, All Might." Naomasa told him, hoping he picked up the 'hint'.

"*Cough* Oh yes! I *cough* think that's a good idea!" He looked at Katara one last time. "Well, I, uh, must be off! Goodbye, young one! Until then, never stop dreaming and hoping!" And with that, he bent his knees and JUMPED up in the air. He almost looked like he was flying, but in reality, he was taking large and long jumps around the city.

Katara watched in amazement and awe as All Might went further away in the distance until she couldn't see him anymore...

"He sure is something, isn't he?" Naomasa asked her, which made Katara turn her attention to the detective.

"Uh, yeah…" She looked to the ground, contemplating what to do from here. Tsukauchi was going to drop her off at some 'hospital' place, and then he was going to bring her home…

Home...she doesn't have a home right now...

Before she even started to get depressed, Tsukauchi interrupted her thoughts by saying, "Well, Katara, let's get on over to the car."

"Oh, uh, right!" Katara then followed him to his car. Once she entered the passenger side and sat in her seat, all the while remembering what she had been told by Tsukauchi about the basics of car safety, she asked while putting her seatbelt on, "So...where to now?"

...It actually got quiet in the car for a moment.

Seeing that the detective didn't answer, Katara looked at him. He had his hands on that wheel thing he used to steer the car with, staring down at it as he looked like he was in intense thought.

"Uh...Tsukauchi?" Katara asked, feeling a little uneasy.

"..." He turned his head to Katara. "Let's cut to the chase."

Katara blinked.

"You said your name is Katara...is that your real name?"

Katara's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"Please answer the question."

He may have said it in a calm way, but it didn't ease her nerves. However, she decided to be wise and answer it. "Yes. My name is Katara."

"Sur-name?"

"...Uh...what?"

"...Nevermind. Next question...are you really from here?"

Now Katara's eyes are wider than dinner plates. "Uh...w-w-what-what do you mean?"

"I mean, are you from here, in the country of Japan, in the continent of Asia, and on planet Earth?"

'Oh crap!' Katara's mouth dropped in shock. "H-How-what-I-wait-um-I-no-I-w-well-I...I mean…"

"...Last question."

"Huh? B-But I didn't answer the second question!"

"Your reaction was all I needed. Now, last question...what exactly is…'waterbending'?"

Katara felt cornered for being found out like this. 'How did he…' Then she recalled he had a 'Quirk' called 'Lie Detector'. '...Oh. Wait...yeah, he did say that, didn't he? Then...in that case, he must've heard what I was saying about me jumping in front Zuko and saving him...well...shoot.'

She glanced down at what looked like a cup of steaming brown liquid...although the contents are questionable, she decided to use it as an example as waterbending. Raising her hand, Katara let her fingers look like she's pulling something in a fluid motion and repeated the same motion multiple times...and then the liquid began to rise! Levitating it out of the cup, she got it out in one elegant pull from her hand and arm, letting it become a formless mass full of steaming hot liquid. She began moving it around with graceful fluent motions, careful not to drop the hot liquid, whatever it may be.

Naomasa looked on in shock and awe as he stared at his hot beverage coming up from his cup. It took him a second later to realize that the coffee he had been drinking was being levitated and controlled by none other than Katara!

"Huh…so you can control anything water-based with your hands?" Tsukauchi asked softly.

Once she put the coffee back in his cup, Katara said, "Yeah...I can control any type of liquid. Let it be ice, rain, the sea, sweat, materials that are drenched in water like mud, bloo-...y-yeah, anything. I can also freeze it too."

Tsukauchi noticed that she didn't finish saying the word 'blood', but didn't say anything. Instead, he said, "Hm. That's quite an arsenal."

"Yeah...and as you may have figured out, I'm...really not from here. Like I said, I'm pretty much lost…" The waterbender sighed. "...I guess I really do have some explaining to do…" She cringed. "But...I don't know if you'll believe me. I mean, even if you are a lie detector, I don't know if some of the stuff I'd say would be outlandish to you."

Tsukauchi frowned at that. "Kid, I've seen a lot of weird things in my line of work. Heck, I live in a world where mostly everyone has a different ability and/or power. So you'll just be a part of the things I've experienced on a daily basis. No worries on that."

Katara smiled at that answer. "Well...okay. But I warned you. Some of the stuff I say may surprise you."

Naomasa smirked. "I'll keep that in mind."

The waterbender nodded, her smile in place. She took a deep breath and exhaled, collecting her thoughts on where to start. "...Okay. Well...um, first off, I'm...from a village...that's located in the South Pole...in my world. I'm...I'm from a tribe called...the Southern Water Tribe."

9:00 PM

"Whew! Got out of there before it closed." said a very abnormally skinny, almost unhealthy-looking man with blonde hair and sunken eyes. He was wearing the same clothes as All Might, and has the same voice as him slightly…

He was carrying groceries as he entered his home to relax for a bit, until he had to go out again around ten. Once he put his groceries up, he plopped onto his couch and took a deep breath.

"Man, I'm glad the hostage situation was taken care of peacefully back there." The man said to himself. "Now just a few moments of rest before I go see Young Midoriya in about an hour." He smiled. "Hm...he's training himself real hard. If he keeps this up, he'll obtain One For All with flying colors."

He then set the timer for thirty minutes for his nap on his phone, until he got a text.

"Hm? Oh! It's Young Midoriya! Well, that's convenient. I wonder what he has to say…"

Izuku: Hey, All Might! My mom went to b-bed early and I-I'm thinking of going to Dagobah Beach a little early instead of ten! I-I want to ask though, is 9:30 okay? I-I understand if you don't want to right now, I j-just thought it would be better t-to just get going with the t-training and get it out of the w-way for you."

The man, apparently known as All Might, smiled at the boy's text. "You never need to worry about that, Young Midoriya."

'Heh. This young man never ceases to amaze me…' He sweatdropped a bit. 'Although, I can't believe the boy still stutters even when he texts.'

He decided to text him, and while he was in the process of doing so, another one came up.

"Huh?"

It was from Tsukauchi.

Naomasa: Hey, Toshinori. You home?

'Hm? I wonder what Tsukauchi wants?'

The man known as Toshinori texted him back.

Toshinori: Yeah. Just got home actually.

A minute passed...

Naomasa: Good. I need you to stay there for a moment. I'm coming over.

Toshinori blinked, "Wha?" He texted the detective back.

Toshinori: Now? What seems to be the problem, Old Friend?

He waited for a moment...

Naomasa: You know that girl you've spoken to?

Toshinori arched a brow.

Toshinori: Uh, yeah? That nice girl who stopped the hostage situation?

Naomasa: Yeah...she has amnesia.

"Amnesia?" Toshinori muttered to himself in surprise.

Toshinori: She does? Her cognitive skills seemed pretty okay.

Naomasa: She only knows certain people. When it comes to where she is, where she comes from, she doesn't know. She basically didn't know who  you  are, remember?

Toshinori: Well, yeah, but...I mean, okay, but, um...no offense, Old Friend, it's not like I don't want to help anyone in need, but...is there a reason that you're texting me about this?

The frail-looking man waited for his reply…

When the reply came, his eyes widened in shock. "W-What!?"

He quickly texted back...only for him to have another reply.

"..." He texted back.

He got another reply later.

"...Curse my good-hearted nature." Toshinori mumbled.

He texted back to Naomasa.

Toshinori: Okay...I'll do it.

Naomasa smirked. "Thanks." He texted back his message and put his phone back inside his trench coat.

Katara looked on in puzzlement. "Uh...what were you doing?"

The detective turned to her with a smile. "I think we got you a place to stay."

The waterbender blinked. "Really?"

"Yep. Just know that you have amnesia. You know what that is, right?"

"Uh...yeah, I know what that is."

"Good. Now, about this person who is going to watch over you…"

End of Chapter 2

Chapter Text

"Alright then. We're here." Tsukauchi said to the waterbender as he put the car in park next to a square, two-story ordinary-looking compact home.

Katara looked at the place that was to her left with wary eyes. "So...this is where I'm, uh, supposedly staying? And he lives here?"

Tsukauchi nodded to her with a smile. "Yep. Don't worry. Even though he has a condition, he'll take good care of you. He's a good guy and very reliable. You can even say he has a heart of pure gold. Just...don't be surprised by his appearance."

"Uh...okay." Katara worries were eased a bit, only slightly.

"Come on, let's meet him." Tsukauchi said to the girl as he opened his car door. Katara opened her car door(she still can't get over this 'car' thing) and got out, following the detective. Once they stopped in front of the door, Tsukauchi pushed a button next to it.

Raising an eyebrow at that, Katara asked. "What did you do there?"

Tsukauchi turned his head to blink at her and realized what she meant. "Oh. I was just letting him know that we're here. I rang the doorbell. It makes a sound when you push it to tell people that someone's at the door to their home."

"Oh...wow." Katara stood there, trying to absorb that information.

'This world is even more advanced than the Fire Nation…' She looked back at the car that they drove. '...Very much so.'

She heard the door open.

She turned to see who this man is…

...He...was a literal skeleton.

A tall skeleton with flesh…

With sunken eyes…

And the wildest hair she has ever seen…

...Katara was having second thoughts.

"Uuuuh…" Katara just stared at the man, wide-eyed in shock at his appearance.

'Whoa...Tsukauchi...wasn't kidding...'

"Uh...hello there." The man said awkwardly. He was wearing a very loose blue shirt and some baggy camo-green pants with a belt to secure them with. He was also barefoot, which she remembered from Tsukauchi that the people here(in this nation anyway) take their shoes off at the genkan before going further at anyone's home.

The man continued. "Um...You must be...Ka-tar-a?" He looked at Naomasa to see if he pronounced it right. The detective nodded with a smile.

"Um...yes…" Katara said dumbfounded.

"Oh, uh, okay…" The man said a little uneasily. He just stood there for a moment, until he said to them. "Well, uh...my name is Toshinori Yagi. Nice to meet you. Come on in, I...uh, I guess."

As soon as the two entered this strange man's home, Katara glanced around the area. It looked like they'd entered some form of main room, where there was a table, plush looking chairs and a stand where there was a large flat object on it. There were also some stairs to the left that led to the second floor, and further ahead from the first floor, there was a kitchen area...she would think.

All in all, the place looked small, but it looked functional. It was also very tidy and clean, meaning he took care of his place, which was a good sign for Katara.

"Um, make yourself at home, Miss Katara." The man known as Toshinori said to her.

"Oh, uh, thank you." Katara said as she went to the bigger and wider looking chair and sat on the center part of it.

'Wow, this is very comfy.' Katara pushed on the cushion she was sitting on.

Toshinori then spoke up. "Um, excuse me for a second, Miss, I, uh, need to speak to my friend here for a, um, a moment." He turned to Tsukauchi. "Is it okay if we go outside?"

"Sure." Naomasa nodded. He and Toshinori went outside of the house.

Katara sat there as she watched them leave. Sitting on the couch alone in the quiet, she glanced around the living area a bit, until she looked down at the table in front of her. Seeing a long black bar looking thing, she picked it up and observed it. It had little colorful bumps on it and has some sort of language and insignias below them. Curious, she pushed one of the bumps and the top of the bar lit up red. Surprised by that, she gasped and dropped it on the table, making a loud clanging noise.

...Nothing happened.

"...Okay…" Katara murmured with a sigh. "You're in a whole new world, you're staying with a completely weird looking stranger, everything is super-advanced, and everyone in this world has a...Quirk...whatever that could mean...oh, and I think there are no benders around here...except for me."

She sat there in silence…

"...This...is really different."

"I know what you're thinking, but you're the only one I know that can take care of her." Tsukauchi reasoned.

"Well...I mean, are you sure? I understand why you can't, but...I mean, what about your sister?" Yagi said as he ran his hand through the back of his hair in uncertainty.

"That was gonna be my second option, but honestly, I really don't want to burden her on taking care of anybody. I just knew that you were the type to help out anyone in need, so I came to you."

"Yeah, but...I mean, does she have any parents, relatives, or…I don't know, people that she knew when she had amnesia?"

Naomasa stood there for a second, and said, "That's the thing. She's...kind of a mystery."

"A mystery? How so?"

"I don't know for certain, but simply put, I don't think she's native to Japan."

Toshinori blinked. "Really?" He thought about it with his hand on his chin. "Huh...she did have an accent in her way of speaking...but her Japanese sounded really fluent when I heard her confront that Dukanara guy."

"Like I said, she's a mystery…" Tsukauchi looked thoughtful about that. 'Yeah...she actually did speak some good Japanese...although she did have an accent to it. Hmm...very weird. From what I got from her, she sounded like she wasn't lying, so maybe they speak a different kind of language or dialect there?'

Meanwhile, Toshinori was thinking hard on what he should do. 'Hmm...I haven't fully thought about this, but I think I can take care of her. On top of training Young Midoriya, and looking after Young Katara, I think I can manage…' He looked up at Tsukachi. "So she doesn't know her parents, relatives' names or anything? Does she know how to use her Quirk at least?"

Snapping out his thoughts, Naomasa said, "Oh, yeah, that she does. Her Quirk can let her control water."

"Control water?" Toshinori replied in surprise. "Wow...well, that's something different. Like she controls anything liquid based?"

"Yep. And as for her parents and relatives, that's...what I'm trying to find out. She could be from another country from what I suspect."

"Hm...yeah, she doesn't look like she's from around here...especially in that getup." Toshinori muttered. He thought about that for a second, and said to the detective, "Actually, was she in some sort of cosplay or something? That outfit she wore was...it kind of looked like something you see in medieval Japan or something."

'Hoo boy, he's asking too many questions.' Tsukauchi thought, being true to his profession as he kept calm and expressionless. "I mentioned that to her a while back, but she just said she doesn't know."

"Huh...so she really doesn't remember anything about herself? Just certain people and how she uses her Quirk?" Toshinori asked.

"Indeed." Naomasa nodded. "I'm really sorry I have to drop this on you, especially since you…" He looked around the street for anyone that may be walking by. Once seeing the coast is clear, he continued softly, "Since you've selected someone to inherit your Quirk."

Toshinori nodded, "Don't worry, Old Friend. I can handle it. I'll just tell her I have to run errands in the middle of the day on Saturday and Sunday, and that I have to do late night work…" He sweatdropped. "I just got to think of a profession that sounds believable."

"Just tell her you work at the police force as one of our investigators and make up as much as you can. I don't think she knows too much of the process of how police work goes."

"Well...okay." Upon remembering something else, Toshinori asked Tsukauchi, "Oh, um, I'm guessing you didn't like...tell her I was...you know, him, right?"

Naomasa smirked. "Come on, what do you take me for? Of course I didn't say anything about you-know-who."

The skeleton man chuckled. "Sorry, I'm just making sure…" He turned his head to his door and back at Tsukauchi. "Well, I'll try to take good care of her. I won't let you down, Detective."

Smiling at that, Tsukauchi nodded. "I'm pretty certain you'll keep that promise."

Toshinori smiled back.

The detective also decided to ask, "How are you feeling, by the way?"

The smile was gone as Toshinori looked a little uncertain. "Oh, well, you know, I'm uh...I'm…" He shrugged. "Well, I've been doing better, all things considered. There's still the occasional cough here and there, but it's been...not common lately."

Tsukauchi frowned at that, but only nodded. "Well, I hope you get better, Old Friend."

"Yeah…" Toshinori said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Katara, meanwhile, just sat there on the couch as she waited for the two men to come back inside.

"...This is a nice...home, I...guess…" Katara muttered as she glanced around the place once more.

It was then the front door opened and Tsukauchi and Toshinori came back inside, much to Katara's relief.

"Well, Katara, it looks like you got a place to stay." Tsukauchi told her with an encouraging smile.

The girl blinked. "Really?"

"Yep." Toshinori nodded. "He told me about your situation too, Little Miss, and I can only say that I hope you'll regain your memories back someday."

"Oh, uh, yeah…" Katara said, feeling awkward for letting Tsukauchi lie about her current circumstance.

Naomasa smiled with a slight nod at her and turned to Toshinori, "Well, I'll leave her in your hands, Yagi. Until then, I'll be calling you." He turned to Katara. "You be good now, okay Katara?"

Katara gave him a smile. She stood up and gave him a bow in appreciation, saying, "Thank you so much, Tsukauchi. I'm really grateful for your help." She turned to Toshinori and bowed to him. "And I'm really grateful that you let me reside here for a while, Mr. Yagi."

Toshinori smiled at her kind manners, as well as Tsukauchi, the latter replying back, "No problem, Katara. Just be careful, alright?"

Katara looked up and nodded with a smile.

"Well, follow me, Young Katara. I'll show you where you'll be staying until then." Toshinori advised Katara as he led her to the stairs. Tsukauchi left and it was only the two of them alone in the house.

"Okay." Katara said as she followed the skeletal man.

As they went upstairs and onto the second floor, Katara glanced around the area, which looked just as normal...that is, until she sees a table-stand against the wall with a picture on it.

The picture was that of an attractive young woman with dark shoulder-length raven hair that had a side squirt ponytail hairdo on the top left side of her head. She seems to be wearing what Katara would presume to be a normal looking outfit in this world, a pair of jeans, and a pink short-sleeved shirt. The bottom of the picture cuts off her legs, but the rest of the woman was apparent, as she looked to be pushing a smile upwards with her fingers. She looked silly while doing so, but Katara figured that was why she was doing it: to try to be silly.

Katara briefly paused as she looked at the photo, but kept on following Mr. Yagi.

"And here you are, Young Miss." Toshinori led her to her room. It was a moderate guest room, with a bed and a desk inside it. It was perfect for Katara, as she's not one for crowding her room with stuff...although, she didn't bring her stuff with her as far as she can tell.

"Thank you." Katara said with a smile to Toshinori, entering the room.

"Well, uh...I don't have any clothes that might fit you, but um...we can certainly go window-shopping if you're up to that." Toshinori said, a little awkward saying that.

Katara turned to the tall skeletal man. "Oh, um...yeah, sure. I don't have any clothes with me, so, that would be nice."

"Okay then." Nodded Toshi. "Well...you must be tired, so...I'll let you rest, if you're feeling that way."

"Oh, well, I can, uh, I-I can stay up a little bit." Katara informed him.

"Oh, alright…" Toshi stood there uneasily as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, um, are you...hungry? I can make something. I just got my groceries back here and I can make a mean stir-fry."

Before Katara could decline, her stomach started to growl. Blushing in embarrassment at that, she mumbled. "Um...I mean, if you want to. I mean if you've already eaten, I don't want you to make another meal just for me. I mean...I, um, I am KIND OF, uh...a little hungry, but-"

Toshinori chuckled. "Young Katara, it's of no worries. It is not a burden to me to make something for you. Besides, it seems from what I heard, you may be more than just 'a little' hungry."

Katara blushed a bit at that. "Uh…" 'Oh heck, just accept his offer! You haven't really eaten thing for supper in this world...and I haven't eaten anything recently.' "Well...okay then."

Nodding to that with a smile, Toshinori said, "Then I'll make you something. Would you like to relax for a while and let me tell you when it's done?"

"Um, yes, that would be nice."

"Then I shall make you your dinner, Young Miss." Toshinori said with a kind smile, and closed the door softly.

Katara stared at where Mr. Yagi once stood. Once again glancing around the room, she sat on the edge of her bed to think about the events that led her here. To the lightning strike to her chest, to being transported to this world, to meeting Tsukauchi, to confronting the Mud Man Dukanara, to revealing the detective on who she is, to now residing in this man's home.

She wonders what else will be in store for her in this world...

One thing she had to say about Mr. Yagi though, was that he certainly seemed nice.

As Toshinori went down the stairs, his thoughts went to the burnt mark on Katara's clothed chest.

'Hmm...that was quite an interesting wound she had on her...from what Katara said, she'd saved her friend by jumping in front of him. But what she saved him from, I don't know...I forgot to ask Tsukauchi about it, but perhaps I could say something about it to her." The skeletal man frowned. 'Not now though, I don't want to force the question on her...however, she seems to be functioning properly and looks healthy…'

As he made his way to his kitchen, he got the necessary ingredients and began to turn on the stove and put on his white apron. Once he put the vegetables in the frying pan, he looked at the time on the electric clock that was seated on the counter.

9:25 PM

...He froze…

..He just remembered that he didn't reply to Midoriya's text a while ago...and that he was supposed to be there at 9:30…

"..." Toshinori just looked at the clock.

…

"...OH CRAP!"

BLURK!

Katara, who was laying on the bed, sat up in an instant.

"Huh!?" She said, startled.

She got off the bed, exited her temporary room, and went down the stairs to see what the danger was.

"Mr. Yagi!? Is everything okay?" She asked him in concern.

When she saw him in the kitchen area coughing, he had his back turned to her. Toshinori jumped and turned around to look at the young girl in surprise...

Katara's eyes widened in shock.

"U-Uh..." Toshinori stood there like a deer in headlights.

His mouth was dripping blood, making him look like he was in worse shape than he was now, and thanks to his appearance, it only made him look even more frightening. To say that what she's looking at now, certainly was alarming.

"Mr. Yagi! W-What happened!? Wh-Why are you bleeding!?" Katara exclaimed as she rushed over to him.

'Oh damn it!' Thought a frantic Toshinori. "H-HOLD IT!" He held his hand out.

Katara stopped in her tracks, confused.

"I, uh-*cough* I, uh need to-*cough*- Actually, I think I need to, uh, check up on this cough! S-Sorry you have to see that!" Toshinori got a white oven towel nearby and started to wipe off the blood from his mouth. Once he put the red stained towel on the counter, he said, "U-Uh, I-I'm also very sorry, but uh," He dug up his wallet out of his jean pocket and got his money out. "I also remembered that I need to, um, go somewhere! Like, uh, right now! H-Here!" He gave her the yen. "You, um, you know how to order on the phone, right? Oh, o-or online even?"

Katara blinked at him. "...Phone? Online?"

'...Well, shit.'

"O-Okay then, um...well…" Toshinori was thinking quickly on what he should do to make sure she had dinner.

'Oh man! Oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man, what do I do!?' He looked at the clock on the counter once more.

9:26 PM

'Oh crap! I got to go to a fast food restaurant...FAST!'

"Uh, wait here!" Toshinori exclaimed, startling Katara once more. He was lucky that he didn't cough after that-oh no.

He grabbed the towel again, and coughed into it.

Katara was getting worried. "Uh, Mr. Yagi?"

"No, no!" Toshinori held his hand out, his voice muffled by the towel. "I'll be right back! I-uh-I have to go get something!" He dropped the towel, grabbed his wallet with the money put in, and then dashed to the back of the home, outside where his truck was parked.

Katara just stood there, bewildered.

"...What the…?" She uttered.

Toshinori exited the home just in time, and looked down at his smartwatch.

9:27 PM

'I got to hurry!' Yagi thought to himself and buffed up to All Might. 'And I just know where to go, the restaurant is nearby! I hope she likes hamburgers!'

And with that he super-speed ran to the nearest McDonalds.

...This is awkward.

All Might is standing near the counter in front of a dumbstruck cashier, and customers are gazing in wonder at the No. 1 Hero in Japan...getting food from McDonalds.

"...Please, I really need this to-go, like right now." All Might ushered the male cashier.

"Oh! Uh, s-sure thing, Mr. All Might!" Said the young man cashier, possibly awestruck. "It would be an honor! A privilege even! I-I'll get your order ready!"

"Great! Please hurry, young lad!" All Might said with a forced, but genuine(at least he hopes) smile. He turned to everyone else. "And I'm really sorry to pop up like this,folks! I just, uh, I've been craving a good burger for a while!"

The customers still looked at All Might in shock and wonder.

"...Right!"

"H-Here you are, All Might!"

'Wow. That was fast.'

"Oh! Uh, thank you, young man! For that, you, uh…" All Might got his wallet out and got a lot of yen out."You get a big tip!" He (softly) slammed the money on the counter, grabbed the paper bag full of food as well as the drink that came with it, and dashed out of there.

The cashier looked on dumbly at the speeding rocket into the night.

"..."

The other cashier next to him looked at the money on the counter, picked it up, and counted it.

"...Hey, this didn't pay for the meal."

"Dude, All Might just ordered from my cash-register. I don't care if it's somehow Monopoly money, I'm gonna savor this moment."

Katara just still stood there, a little bit in shock. She looked down at the towel and saw that it was blood-stained.

"...Um…"

The back door opened.

"I AM-, uh, I mean, *ahem*, I-uh, here I am!" Toshinori came rushing inside with a paper bag and a cylinder thing with a stick poking out of the top.

"Oh, uh-!" Katara exclaimed, surprised.

"Here! Just, um, eat this!" Toshinori shoves the food and drink into her arms and hands. "I have to, uh-I REALLY gotta go somewhere right now! Sorry that I, uh, couldn't, um, fix dinner for you! I, uh…" He looked down at his watch.

9:29 PM

"ACK! Sorry-I-got-to-go!" Toshinori yelped and rushed out the front door, opening it and slamming it once he was outside.

Katara looked at the retreating figure as he exited his home. Blinking at the oddity of it all, she looked at the contents that were in her arms. She lifted up the bag and looked at the golden yellow arches that was printed on the front of it. There was a...delightful smell in the bag. Before she looked in it, she glanced at the drink that was in her other hand and studied the top of it, seeing that there was liquid inside. She looked through the straw to see inside the cup…

'O...kay? What do I do here?'

She then went over to the couch to sit on it and put the drink on the coffee table. She placed the bag on her lap and opened it...to meet with a wave of an aroma that smells...delicious.

"Oh…" Katara uttered in pleasant surprise as she reached in the bag and got out the box that contained a quarter pounder and the bag of fries with it. She sniffed the fries, which smelled just as good, and picked one up with her fingers. She looked at the golden yellow fried stick and put it to her mouth and took a bite...her eyes widened. She then ate the second half of the fry in one bite, and ate another fry. And another. And another. And then she threw caution to the wind and took a few fries and shoved them in her mouth.

She looked at the box that she set on the couch as she chewed the fries. Looking at it in question, she swallowed her food and picked up the paper box. There was something inside of it, yet she had no idea what it was.

While observing the box, she found flips on it. Thinking she can fiddle with them, she did just that, and the box soon opened up to reveal…

...A weird looking food...thing.

Blinking at this, she sniffed it again. Although it has a different smell, the aroma was kind of appetizing. She gingerly lifted up the bun of this foreign food and saw that there was meat inside of it…

"...Interesting." Katara muttered.

She decided to get the odd food out of the box, and hold it with both hands. She drew the food close to her mouth, but she paused for a bit, a little cautious on taking a bite.

'...Well, it's just food right?'

And then Katara took a bite of the sandwich. She chewed…

...Her eyes widened again. The taste she was experiencing…

"...Oh. This is good." Katara said to herself with her mouth full. And then she took another bite, and another…

'Wow. This world's got some good food.'

Meanwhile...a bushy, green-haired, fifteen-year-old boy was approaching the same beach that Katara came out of.

"Whew! J-Just in time. Man, I'm g-glad I got here early." Stuttered the boy. "Now I g-got to wait on All Might."

His mother went to bed early, so he left his apartment around 9:10 and arrived at Dagobah Beach around 9:29. The reason he's even going here at this hour was because he was being trained by a Hero whom he highly respects and admires...

That Hero, that man, was known as All Might.

This boy was named Izuku Midoriya, and he is pronounced Quirkless, meaning he has no special power. But during the past three months, he's been training to earn a Quirk. To receive it by none other than his idol himself.

He sat on a washing machine on the sandy beach to wait for All Might.

"Hmm…" He dug his hand into his pocket and looked at his phone screen. "Huh...he never replied back to me. Did he miss it?"

He looked at the time too on his phone.

9:32 PM

Izuku sat there and pondered on why All Might didn't text him…

"Maybe...he just got it and he's on his way right now? …But that wouldn't make much sense. I sent my text around nine o' two, and that would make him have enough time to reply back…" Izuku's eyes widened as he had a dreadful thought. "Oh man...maybe I caught him at the wrong time while he was fighting a tough Villain. Or he was napping after saving a bunch of people. Or maybe he was hurt or something! He does have that condition, and murmur, murmur, murmur, murmur-"

He kept on murmuring as he sat there thinking of the possibilities on why All Might, aka Toshinori Yagi, hasn't appeared yet.

Then he had another dreadful thought.

'Oh no! W-What if he was annoyed!? What-What if he got tired of training a-a-a Quirkless kid and thought I couldn't obtain it!? What if-What if he just forgot and-and...gave up on me!? I-I should've known, All Might wouldn't want to help someone like me, I'm just a-'

"I'M SO SORRY! I AM HERE!"

"AAAH!" Izuku fell back off the washing machine in shock, as the sudden bulky and broad figure of All Might appeared in front of him.

"Oh! Uh, Young Midoriya! I apologize for the wait! I was, um, taking a very late nap, and the time just passed by for-...uh, are you okay, Young Midoriya?"

Izuku's shaky hands picked himself up, staggering a bit as he began standing. "Y-Yeah, I-I'm fine, A-All Might. I j-just...n-need a breather…"

"Oh, um, okay…" All Might rubbed his head awkwardly. "Uh...do you want to do this another time, or-?"

"No!" Izuku said, instantly recovered, turning around as he had stars in his eyes. "I'm ready to train! Let's go!"

All Might just smiled a big grin. "Haha! That's the spirit, Young Midoriya! Now, how about we try something a little different, eh?"

As she finished her hamburger and fries, Katara laid her head at the side of the couch.

"Wooo...man, that was filling." Katara sighed, full from the meal. She turned on her side as she let her eyelids slowly close.

"I wonder what Mr. Yagi needed to do? He looked to be in a hurry. I hope...he's…" She yawned. "...okay. He looked to have been...bleeding..."

Katara then closed her eyes, and began to drift off to sleep, snoozing away…

Chapter Text

12:20 AM

...All was quiet outside of Toshinori's home.

...Suddenly, in an alleyway, a gust of wind blew with an unexpected woosh and a small boom came into existence scaring away an alley cat resting on a trash container.

The cause of the sudden noise and shift in the air was none other than All Might himself.

"Woo! Man, just in time! I almost-"

Poof!

"-had to-oh, there it is…" Toshinori sighed in relief, "Okay then. Now, I just have to sneak into my...own home…" he blinked, "Wait, what am I doing? It's my own home! I shouldn't be sneaking in, I own it!" he shook his head, "Sheesh, having a random kid in my house is surely gonna cause some problems...I haven't thought this through."

'But it's not heroic to let a child, especially a little girl, to fend for herself out there. Especially if that girl has amnesia...Nana wouldn't approve of that.'

Toshinori frowned upon thinking of his old mentor…

He stood there silently, and sighed, "...I shouldn't make myself wallow in the past. I should just try to keep moving towards the future…" nodding to that, he went to his back door. Although, his mind couldn't help but wander back to Midoriya's progress.

'Speaking of the future, Midoriya is certainly improving!' Toshinori thought with a smile as he opened his back door, 'The boy is doing his best in trying to obtain One For All...I hope that he does.'

Once he entered his home, Toshinori went over to his living room area...to find Katara sleeping on his couch. The McDonald's paper bag and other wrapper contents were on the table, as well as the opened cup to her beverage.

Toshinori couldn't help but smile at the scene. 'Heh, well, it looks like she enjoyed the meal.'

He realized that he was doing a big task in taking care of this girl, and honestly, maybe he agreed to it because she impressed him back there when she was talking to Dukanara. Either way, all he knows is that Katara would surely be a great Hero someday if she kept those ideals going; now if only she can regain her memory.

Before he went to bed himself, Toshinori went over to his closet to get a blanket to cover up Katara from the cold. The girl was snoring softly away even as Toshi gently placed it on her.

Smiling and nodding at not waking up Katara, he went to his stairs up to his room. He stopped in mid-step and looked down at the couch where Katara was.

With one last smile, Toshinori mumbled to himself, "It's almost like having a daughter...heh," and with that, he went up the stairs to his room.

But not until he looked at the picture of Nana before he could enter it.

"..." Toshi then went inside to get some goodnight's rest.

Tomorrow is another day…

Thursday

8:00 AM

...She heard a slight popping and sizzling sound.

She also...smelled something...delicious.

"Mmph..." Katara gradually opened her eyes to the smell of sizzling...meat?

She slowly sat up from her couch, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She then realized that she had a blanket on her as it fell off her form. Blinking at the blanket, she looked up ahead at where the delectably wondrous smell was coming from.

It was then Katara saw that Toshinori was in the kitchen...

Was he cooking?

"Um, good morning?" Katara said, adjusting her eyes to the man.

Toshinori turned his head to Katara, and said with a smile to her, "Ah, good morning, Young Katara! Would you like some breakfast?"

Blinking at the skeletal man, Katara could only say, "Uh...sure. What are we having?"

"Glad you ask!" Toshinori said with a grin. "We are having what is called an American Slam! Minus the pancakes! It contains American bacon, American sausage, American style hash browns, and wouldn't you know it? American-style scrambled eggs! Ah yes, those Americans really do know how to eat!"

"...A-mer-icans?" Katara asked in confusion.

"..." Toshinori sweatdropped, "...Um, don't worry, it's good."

"Oh...okay," Katara said, still wondering what an 'American' is. She smiled though and said, "Either way, it does smell divine though."

"Haha! Then I must be doing it right!" Toshinori said as he stood in pride, "To tell you the truth, it's been a while since I made this kind of breakfast, so I hope it's to your liking."

"Oh, um...well, y-you didn't, uh, really have to make breakfast for me. I mean, I can help you out with the cooking if you want me to." Katara advised.

"Huh? Oh no, you're my guest! I mean, you're basically under my care now, so, I can cook this up for you!"

"Oh, well...I mean, I don't mind," Katara offered.

Toshinori glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "Wait, are you asking to cook something?"

"Um...yes?" Katara answered, a little puzzled.

"Even if it's a cuisine you're not familiar with?"

Katara's eyes widened at the claim. 'Oh no. Did he know I'm not from this world?'

"W-What do you mean?" she asked, hiding a little of her discomfort.

"Well...while American food is kind of foreign, it is simple to make...I mean…" Toshinori sighed, rubbing his head with his left hand while sizzling the bacon on the pan on his stove on his right, "I hope you don't take this as an offense, but...well, you don't seem to look like you're from around here."

Her worst fears seemingly coming true, she tried to think of something to counter that…

...That is, until Toshinori said, "I mean it's just because of the dark skin. And while there are some dark-skinned Japanese in Okinawa and around here, yours seemed a little darker in tone. I mean, I meant that in no offense! I just, uh...well, are you like...I mean, do you remember what race you are, or...what country you were born in? You also seem to speak very fluent Japanese..."

'...Oh. H-He's talking about...this world. Where I'm from in this world…'

Katara let out a mental sigh of relief...but soon realized that Toshinori asked some very good questions. Especially the last one.

"Oh, um...well, that's...what I'm trying to figure out...and as for the Ja-pan-ese thing," she winced at how poorly handled she said that, "I, uh...I guess I'm a fast learner?" she shrugged sheepishly.

Toshinori hummed in thought as he cooked breakfast.

Katara felt a little uneasy with the silence…

"...Okay then. I do want to ask, how did you wound up on Dagobah Beach? The one you were on? I heard from Tsukauchi that he found you around that area," Toshinori asked.

"...Um…" Katara tried to think of something that sounds plausible, anything…

But then, Toshinori chuckled slightly, "You know what? Nevermind. I'm sorry. I'm probably making you a little uncomfortable asking these questions. You just had amnesia, and here I am asking you questions. That's thoughtless of me. I apologize. You don't have to tell me anything. If you ever want to cook something with me, then you're welcome to! I just wanted to treat you to some breakfast for today. Although, I'm surprised you remember how to cook. That speaks great maturity right there. What did you remember cooking?"

Katara blinked at the man, and felt her cheeks heat up from the praise, "Oh, um, f-first of all, it's no problem! I mean, you haven't offended me or anything. But it's, uh, like you said, I'm just...trying to remember stuff...and, well, I'm not an experienced cook, but I just do soups and...bake fish...I-I think!" she said, feeling a little embarrassed at the moment.

"Ah, alright then. Well, we do have a lot of fish here, heh," Toshinori said as he turned off the stove. "Okay! All done!"

"Oh?" Katara said, her eyes lit up.

Chuckling at her curiosity, Toshinori prepared the meats, potatoes, and eggs on her plate and rested it on his table. "Come and sit! Nothing like a good hearty breakfast to start the day!"

Katara, while still a little leery on Toshinori(especially after that episode from last night), sees that the man, even though a little abnormal-looking, was a nice person so far. He made breakfast for her, so that's a plus!

'Heh, Sokka could probably take some lessons from him.' Katara thought as she smiled slightly.

"Okay. Sure!" Katara got up from the couch and sat near Toshinori's table to begin eating...until she looked confused and looked at Toshinori, saying, "Um...what do I use to eat with?"

"Oh! Well, since this is an American-style breakfast, I just use a fork and a knife!" Toshinori gestured as he lifted them up in his hands. "But...you can use chopsticks if you want. It doesn't matter. Whatever works for you!"

"Oh...um...I probably would like some chopsticks, if...that's okay?" Katara asked a little sheepishly.

Toshinori smiled at her, telling her, "No worries! It's of no hassle whatsoever! Hold on, I'll get them."

"Oh, thank you," Katara smiled back at him.

Nodding to the girl, Toshinori got up from his seat and went to his cabinet drawers to search for some chopsticks. However, while looking for them, he was thinking, 'Hmm...so she can remember how to use chopsticks. Very interesting…'

"Ah! Here we are!" Toshinori proclaimed as he got out a pair of wooden chopsticks. "Here you go, Young Katara!" He gave them to her.

"Thank you!" Katara said with a grateful smile and bowed her head in appreciation where she was sitting.

'Aww, she's a polite little girl.' Toshinori smiled at that.

Toshinori went back to his seat and began to eat his breakfast, while Katara was getting prepared to take her first bite of bacon with her chopsticks...

Once she took that bite...her eyes went wide...the strip of bacon was hanging off her mouth. She decided to throw caution to the wind once again, and put her chopsticks down, and use her fingers to chow down the whole strip of bacon.

"Mmm...oh, wow!" Katara said with her mouth full of bacon, but kind enough to cover her mouth with her hand, "That's...oh, that's good!" she swallowed her food, "Wow, what was that again, Mr. Yagi?"

Toshinori sweatdropped a bit, but smiled all the same, "Uh...bacon, Young Katara."

"That...is exquisite," Katara complimented with a serious look in her eyes.

"Oh, uh...well, you'll definitely like the sausage and eggs then!"

Katara smiled and said, "If it's this good, I'm certain I will. Thank you for making breakfast, Mr. Yagi!"

Toshinori smiled kindly back to the girl. "No problem, Young Miss."

They went back to eating and enjoying their meal. However, during the meal, one glaring detail that Toshinori couldn't help but glance at was the burnt spot and hole on her shirt.

'Hm...Katara said she'd gotten that injury from saving her friend...I wonder what happened? ...And I wonder why she could remember that incident, but forget everything else? Maybe the person she saved was very special to her…'

"Um, Mr. Yagi?" said Katara, her voice taking him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, uh, sorry, Young Katara. I was just thinking that...hm…" Toshinori lowered his head to think about his next words. He looked back up and said, "If you don't mind me asking, but what happened to your, um…" he pointed at his chest, indicating that he was talking about hers.

Katara looked down and saw the burnt hole on her chest. "Oh! W-Well...I...I...that's, um, still a mystery to me. I mean, I don't know where this, um...this mark came from."

"Huh?" Toshinori blinked at that, "But you..." He stopped at what he was about to say. Not only is he about to reveal something that only All Might knows, but it would raise questions for Katara on wondering who Toshinori really is.

'But why would she say that? She said that she got that from protecting her friend...so...why-'

"Mr. Yagi? Are you okay?" Katara asked with concern etched onto her face.

"Oh, um...y-you know, I...hm...I think you might need a new wardrobe," Toshinori said, covering his suspicions about her.

The waterbender blinked and looked at him oddly.

"Well, I mean, you can't just wear that outfit all the time. Especially with that hole on your...shirt?" Toshinori asked slightly in question.

"Oh...well, I..." Katara looked down at her worn attire, "...You know what? Yeah, I think I should get some new clothes," she looked up at the skeletal man with a smirk, "You did say we can go window shopping for some."

Toshinori chuckled, "That I did."

"Well, maybe we can go after breakfast?"

"Hmm...well, first off, we need a shirt to cover that spot up," advised Toshi, "You don't even have to change, just slip one of my shirts on. Also, the stores would open around ten, so maybe another hour, and then we can go."

"Oh, okay. You, uh...don't mind if I wear one of your shirts? I mean, will they...fit me?" Katara said a little awkwardly.

"Oh, sure! I mean, it's just to cover up that spot you have. It's only temporary."

"Okay..." Katara thought about something else that could pose a problem.

'What kind of currency does this world have, though?'

"Um...Mr. Yagi? My, uh...my memory is kind of fuzzy on...money, but...what do we use for currency here?" she asked Toshi.

Toshinori looked at her with a curiously raised eyebrow, but answered her either way, "Well, in this country, we use yen as our currency."

"Oh, okay...what does it look like?"

"Uh...well," Toshinori dug into his pocket to get his wallet out and get some yen out of it to show it to her, "This is what yen looks like."

"...Pieces of paper?" Katara looked at them bewildered.

"Hey, money is money. But you can also pay for your new clothes with this," Toshinori got a small rectangular looking object out of his wallet, "A debit card."

"A...debit card?" Katara asked, looking at the object in wonder.

"Uh, yeah! It's, um...money in a card! I have a bank account…" Toshinori looked at her strangely, "Um...do you...do you, uh, happen to kno-I mean, uh...remember what...um...banks are?"

'Goodness, I don't want to feel like I'm insulting her, but...'

"Oh! I mean...yes, but...that, uh...I can't, um...remember the process of...debit cards..."

"Oh, um...okay…um...well, basically, there's money in this card, and it's linked to the bank that I'm using...as in they store the money to me electronically..."

"...E-lec-tron-ic-ally?"

"...Uh, how about we finish our breakfast first and I'll...explain later before we go shopping?"

"Oh, uh, okay," Katara said, feeling a little embarrassed about not getting what he's saying.

Toshinori could only think one thing.

'This...could take a while...goodness, poor girl. She must've hit her head harder than I thought.'

10:00 AM

So, after eating breakfast and being taught the basics of electronic banking(which she kind of gets the gist of it...a little), Toshinori and Katara went outside for a little window shopping in Musutafu.

While trekking the sidewalk with Toshinori, Katara still wasn't used to seeing all these strange-looking people with certain Quirk mutations on their bodies walking by them, as well as the Quirkish people who look like human versions of animals. She may pass by the occasional regular-looking person, but they would always show something that indicates they are anything but normal. If she were to be honest, some looked like they could've passed off as spirits back on her world. She avoided eye contact with some of them to not be rude, but it was kind of hard to do so when there are so many different-looking people passing you by.

Toshinori also noticed the uneasy demeanor that Katara was exhibiting whenever she passed a certain Quirk user. It was strange, to say the least, but he kind of chalked it up to her having amnesia...although, she did say that she didn't remember how she got that burnt wound on the chest when she just recalled how she did get it last night…

'Maybe it's something to do with the brain? Something sciencey, maybe?' Toshinori thought to himself.

After a while of walking and passing clothing and electronic stores(which Katara was fascinated by the displays they had in their windows), they came up to a clothing store that was catered for teens.

"Ah! This, um...looks promising!" Toshinori announced, looking up at the sign of the store.

Katara, who was wearing her usual getup, but having a white large shirt on her to hide the burnt hole in her shirt, looked up at the sign above them as well, and read, "...Uniqlo?" she looked at Toshinori, "Does...that mean anything?"

"...To tell you the truth, I don't know," Toshinori sweatdropped, "But they sell some good stuff here for the kids, I would think! I mean, I never shop here, but hey! You're young and...probably, uh...you probably know what's 'hip'! So with that, I entrust you with my debit card to buy any type of fashion that catches your eye! Just, um, don't go over twenty-five thousand yen, if that's okay?" he told that last part to her a little sheepishly.

"Um...okay. Sure thing," Katara nodded.

"Okay then! Well, uh..." Toshinori fished out of his pocket to get his wallet and get his debit card out, handing it over to her, "Here you go! Have fun shopping, Little Lady!"

"Uh...wait...you aren't coming in with me?" Katara asked him as she looked at him in disbelief.

"...Oh. Well, I mean...I-I guess, uh...I guess not? I just thought you needed to like...get in the shopping zone or something without me around," Toshinori said as he rubbed his neck, a little bit embarrassed.

"Oh, well...I-I might need help on this...kind of thing," Katara said with a small blush, a little shy about asking for fashion advice in this word.

"Oh, uh...okay. Well, if you need help, then...I can help ya, um...find some appropriate clothes." Toshinori said awkwardly.

Katara looked up at the man and smiled in appreciation. "Yeah, um...that would be great."

"Uh...okay then," Toshinori said with a nod.

'Well...I guess I'm doing this then.'

Katara...has no idea what she's gotten herself into.

She looked at the line of clothes that range from short sleeve shirts, to long-sleeved shirts, to jeans, to jean shorts, to shoes, and to...other oddities!

And they were all in different colors! And have words on them! And who would want to wear pants that stop at the upper thigh!?

And just what the heck are these undergarments!?

Meanwhile...Toshinori just...wants to die.

Not really, he just...he just feels dead inside.

"Mr. Yagi, what is this thing? Is this...is this for the…" Katara blushed a little bit and whispered the rest of the sentence to him, "...the chest area?"

'What the hell have I gotten myself into…' Toshinori thought as he stood there, dead-eyed with a deadpan face…

"...Um, Mr. Yagi?"

"I...I think I need to go wait outside. I'm sorry, Katara, you're on your own on this one." And with that, Toshinori just casually walked out of the store, letting a few customers look at the skeletal man weirdly, but of course, he ignored them to uphold his dignity.

Katara just looked at Toshinori's retreating figure as she blinked in confusion. "Uh…"

...Now she was alone...in a totally different environment.

Some women looked abnormal with their wings, claws, eye colors, tails, and even skin color, while some were ordinary looking, but were wearing different attires that just seemed...too impractical.

"Ma'am, is there anything I can help you with?" said the voice of a female employee.

When Katara turned to the woman worker, she saw that she was...a cyclops...

"...U-um, n-no," Katara stuttered.

"Are you sure? What kind of clothes are you looking for? You seem to be wearing some...interesting choice in fashion," said the cyclops woman.

"U-Uh...w-well..." Katara sighed solemnly, "...What is this?" she asked as she raised the bra in front of her.

"...Um...well, that is a B-cup bra. A 34 size B-cup bra, I would presume," The cyclops woman said with a blinking confused eye.

"...A...what? I, uh...I don't...really know what that means? I mean...what...what does that mean?"

"...Uh...w-...well...o-oh! I-I, um, I think I'm being waved over! Excuse me!" the cyclops woman said as she dashed away in another direction, away from Katara.

"...Great. Thanks...thanks a lot." Katara muttered a little sourly.

And with that, she looks around the store to see if she can find anyone that can assist her.

Ten minutes passed, and Katara had no such luck.

She found two employees and asked for their help, which they didn't help her whatsoever. The first one was mostly busy hanging new clothes on the rack, while the other was at a desk that was called 'customer service', but she looked at her like she grew a second head when she asked the employer her questions.

So as of now, she's resorting to asking customers about what kind of fashion is acceptable, which sounds way more pathetic than it actually sounds.

'I...am going insane,' Katara thought to herself when she went to the young women's apparel section, eyes wide and bloodshot from not being successful in finding anyone to help her, 'And Mr. Yagi just straight up left me! I just...I just want to know what is appropriate to wear in this world! And so far, everything looks so...not appropriate! I mean, what kind of pants exposes your legs!?'

As soon as she maneuvered around a rack of clothes, however…

BUMP!

"Oof!" Katara exclaimed.

"ACK!" said a girl's voice.

Closing her eyes and shaking her head to clear away the shock of bumping into someone, Katara said to the unlucky patron, "Uh, s-sorry, I, um, I was just-"

"Oh, no prob! I was just-...whoa, what are you wearing?" asked the girl.

As soon as Katara opened her eyes, she sees...

...One peculiar-looking...girl?

Her appearance was...well, her skin color was pink. Along with bushy short pink hair...with little yellow horns sticking out of her head. Not only that, but her eyes are...just black. Like her scleras were black, but they have orange irises in them...

And she was wearing what looked like...a blue tube-top around her chest and torso, which had no sleeves, and some...some white shorts?

She doesn't know what the appeal of these shorts are, but...

'...Wow, this girl has great legs…and hips…and her chest is…'

Blinking at her attire, Katara soon registered what she said as she looked at the girl's bewildered face and said, "Uh, I...uh...my...clothes?"

Raising her eyebrow, the pink girl looked at her curiously, "Um...sorry to break it to you, but you look kind of...well, don't take it the wrong way, I can see where you're going with it, but you look...well, blah."

"...Blah?" Katara blinked at that term.

"Yeah. I mean, your hair looks great and all, keep that, but...hmm..." the girl put a hand to her chin and she studied her for a second, "...You know what? I think you need some help."

Now Katara blinked in offense. "Wait...what?"

The girl smiled widely, "My name is Mina! Ashido Mina! What's your name?"

"Wha...uh...Katara?" the waterbender uttered.

"Katara, huh? …" Mina waited for Katara to finish saying her whole surname.

"...Oh! Uh…" Katara realized that there was supposed to be one more name before(or after?) the first name...but what could she use? "Um...Y-Yagi...Katara?"

"Yagi Katara?" Mina blinked at the name, "...Well, either way, how ya doing!?"

"Um...fine, I guess?" Katara said in slight confusion.

Mina beamed, "Well, as a future Hero, I'm going to make your day even better! I'm gonna help you out with your fashion!"

Eyes wide at that notion, Katara stuttered, "Oh, I, uh, u-um, well-"

"Follow me! I know just the kind of clothes that would match those striking blue eyes of yours! I've been here for a good while to know what's what around this store!" Mina said with glee as she turned around and practically skipped her way to another part of the aisle. Once she sees that Katara isn't following her, Mina goes back to where she is, grabs her wrist and says, "Come on! There are some cute tops over here!"

"W-Wait, I-ah!" Katara said as she was pulled by Mina to look at some clothes.

"Hmm…" Mina hummed as she observed the attire she let Katara try on, "Wow! I got to say Katara, those jeans really emphasize your legs well! And you have such nice hips! You've been holding out underneath that outfit!"

Katara blushed and looked down at what she was wearing.

Easily put, her attire was a pink and white striped top, a pair of blue denim skinny jeans, and some gray-white slip-on shoes, which her hair is still down as it flowed all the way down her back, completing her look. However, she felt...really weird wearing it.

"Um...thanks...I, uh, I think," Katara murmured.

'These pants are a little tight,' Katara thought, a little self-conscious.

Mina, not noticing her discomfort, giggled, "Oh, you look so pretty! I think you should totally keep that! But! The most important thing is, do you like it?"

"Uh...I mean, if this is what they're...wearing, then I...I guess...it's okay," Katara trailed off from there.

"Hahaha!" Mina laughed at that statement, "Girl, you're funny! Oh! Try these shorts and sandals on next!"

...She felt a little exposed when wearing the shorts.

Having the same top on, but wearing some blue denim shorts this time, along with a pair of sandals, she looked down at her bare legs in embarrassment.

"Uh...is this...natural?" Katara asked, completely mortified that she's showing this amount of skin.

Mina laughed again, "Wow, you're really funny! Don't worry, Kat, you look absolutely fabulous!"

"Uh...do I?"

"Yeah! I bet you can deliver a mean kick to someone with those toned legs of yours!" Mina said to her with a wink.

Katara flushed a bit at the praise. 'Well, the only good thing about this trip is that I apparently have nice legs...and hips.'

"Oh! Try this top on with these shorts!" Mina told Katara.

...Katara takes it back. Now she feels exposed.

She's wearing a blue spaghetti shoulder-strap tank top and some white denim shorts this time, along with some gladiator sandals.

"Oh yeah! You're working it girl!" Mina said, snapping her fingers with a grin. However, she frowned in confusion, "Hey, your bra straps are showing."

"My...bra straps?" Katara asked in equal confusion.

"Yeah, on your shoulders." Mina motions her hands on her shoulders.

Katara looked at her shoulders and only saw that her binding straps were underneath the spaghetti straps.

'Is she...talking about my bindings?' Katara thought as she asked, "Oh, uh...is...that a problem?"

"Well...kind of. The straps need to be a little thinner," Mina told her as she looked thoughtful, "Hmm…" looking around her surroundings, she went up to Katara and whispered to her, "What's your bra size?"

Katara blinked. "...What?"

"Hehehe!" Mina giggled, "Come on, we're both girls here, no one's around! I'm just gonna find the right stylish bra for you! So, what's your size?"

...Katara was beginning to realize what a bra actually is at this point.

"...Uh...a, um...a 34 size B-cup?" Katara answered in uncertainty.

'Oh man, I hope she's okay. It's been a good while...I probably shouldn't have left her there…' Toshinori thought with a frown as he stood outside the store, 'I mean, I didn't want to go looking for teenage girl clothes and other...things for Katara. It's just too awkward! I mean, I know I'm supposed to take care of her, but, she's not like my kid! ...Although, I wish I had a kid...along with a wife…' he frowned further, '...Damn that monster. He's making me live a life of fear, so much that I can't settle down. I don't want anyone I know and care for getting hurt...lest he ever comes back.'

Toshinori stood there in contemplative thought.

'...But, maybe I really shouldn't have left Katara there…'

...He looked at his phone for the time.

11:20 AM

"...She's fine...I mean...no, yeah, she's fine. I wasn't a coward for not helping her...not...one...bit…"

…

"...Wait, what the hell am I doing!? I've left a teenage amnesiac girl in a store without any supervision!" Toshinori exclaimed with wide eyes filled with horror and realization. "I got to find her!"

Turning around to quickly enter the store, he was about to near the sliding doors, when they opened to reveal...Katara in an all-new attire.

She was wearing skinny jeans and a pink shirt that she tried on at the store. She was also carrying some bags and is with another girl who had pink skin and little horns on her head.

"You didn't have to pay for my, uh, new clothes," Katara said to Mina with a small embarrassed flush.

"Are you kidding? You look like you needed a fashion emergency! I mean, I meant that in no offense whatsoever! I'm just glad I came here today and saw you!" Mina said with a grin, "It felt good helping a citizen out with what's 'in' and what's...well, 'out'! Haha! It may not be a Pro Hero profession, but I like to think I saved you from a fashion disaster!"

"Well...thank you, either way, I, uh, I guess…" Katara said awkwardly.

"Oh, no prob!" Mina beamed, "Hey, what's your number? We should totally hang!"

"Huh? My, uh...my number?" Katara said with a blink.

Meanwhile, Toshinori, who was just now in front of the girls, sweatdropped. They also haven't seemed to notice him yet.

"Yeah! What is it?" Mina asked with a big smile.

"Uh...my...um, m-my number, you sai-"

"Ah, there you are, Katara!" Toshinori stepped in, making her jump.

Mina on the other hand…

"AAH!" Mina yelped in surprise, wide-eyed at the skeletal man.

...Toshinori sweatdropped once more. "Uh...y-yeah! Anyway, t-thank you for finding my, uh...m-my niece, young lady!"

"Your niece?" Mina recovered from the shock and turned to Katara, "That guy is your uncle?"

"...Yes. That he is," Katara answered, looking at Toshinori with narrowed irritable eyes.

Toshi gulped.

"Oh! Um, okay!" Mina said as she looked back at the man, then back at Katara, and back at Toshinori, "...Uh, hi! Are you a Yagi? Cause I was gonna call you Mr. Yagi!"

"Uuuh...y-yeah?" Toshinori blinked.

"Yep! My uncle, Mr. Yagi! He's showing me around the place and taking care of me! Aren't you, Uncle?" Katara said with a slight glower.

"...Yes. That I...was," Toshinori said, getting a little nervous.

"Oh…" Mina smiled, "Okay!" She turned to Katara, "So, what's your number again?"

"Actually, she doesn't have a number!" Toshinori hastily intervened, "Because, she, uh, she doesn't have a phone!"

"Oh…" Mina frowned in disappointment, "Aww..." she then smiled and turned to Katara once more, "Well, hey, maybe we can see each other in the shop again! Oh wait, summer vacation is almost over, and we got to go back to school next week, so...what school do you go to?"

Katara looked back at Mina with a questionable look, "School?"

"Oh! O-Oh, yeah, t-that's right!" Toshinori suddenly says with wide eyes, "School! Uh, which reminds me, we, um, got to go somewhere, like right now...f-for school purposes! C-Come on, Katara, let's go!"

"Huh?" Katara said, turning to Toshinori, "Where-wha-ah!"

It was then Toshinori grabbed Katara by the wrist and dashed down the sidewalk while dragging her behind him, the shopping bags still in Katara's hands.

While they were running away, Katara called back to Mina, "U-Uh, thank you for getting me some clothes, Mina!"

Mina blinked at the sudden departure as she stood there dumbfounded.

"...Aww," Mina mumbled, "Well...okay then."

Both Toshinori and Katara were standing in front of a ramen spot, while the former was catching his breath.

"Whew! That was close!" Toshinori said as he wiped off the nervous sweat on his forehead. "Heh, well, it, uh...it looks like you made a new friend, Katara! Heh, and I also heard she paid for your clothes! That was nice of her!" he turned to her, "So, I'm guessing you're all-?"

...Toshi was looking at a very annoyed Katara, who was glaring at him right now.

"..." Toshinori froze, "...I'm...sorry…"

"..." Katara sighed irritably, "...Well, maybe it was a good thing that you left me there. That Mina girl who helped me out was nice and informative...and she introduced me to things I didn't even know existed."

Blinking at that, Toshinori asked, "What kind of things?"

Katara looked at him with a deadpan look, but then gave him a crooked smirk, "Oh, you know, stuff like bras and panties."

"...Oh…" Toshinori just stood there with wide eyes, "...Okay. Um...nevermind then."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Well, either way, this shopping trip certainly made me realize a lot of things."

"Really? Like what?" Toshinori asked.

Seeing that she almost let that slip, Katara thought of something to cover it, "Oh, uh, that, uh...that people have some...weird fashions here."

Toshinori chuckled, "Well, you should check out the Harajuku district if that's the case."

"Heh, no thanks. I'm kind of hungry right now," Katara told him. She glanced at the ramen spot in front of them, "Hey, maybe we should eat here?"

Toshinori looked at the cafe, "Hmm..." he looked back at the waterbender with a smile, "I do feel up for some ramen right now."

SLUUURP!

"Mmm! Wow! This is great!" Katara said with a happy smile as she took another bite of the ramen noodles with her chopsticks.

Chuckling, Toshinori said, "Yep! Nothing like a good bowl of ramen to keep you satisfied."

"Mm-hmm!" Katara nodded as she swallowed her food, "Thank you so much for the meal, Mr. Yagi!"

"Heh-heh, Katara, just call me Toshinori. Or heck, call me Toshi even! I mean, I'm not that old yet."

Katara giggled, "Well, Toshi, this is an excellent lunch! Thank you!"

Toshi smiled, "You're quite welcome, little lady. Glad you're enjoying it."

"I certainly am!" Katara said with a smile as she got some more noodles from her chopsticks and bit into them.

Toshinori couldn't help but smile warmly at the girl. This girl was almost becoming like a daughter to him...

It was then he remembered something, "Oh! Uh, Katara!"

Katara swallowed her bite and looked at him, "Um, yes, Toshi?"

Once again, he couldn't help but smile at the girl. "Well...have you ever been to school before? Or gone to school here in Japan?"

Chapter Text

1:00 PM

Tsukauchi took another sip of his coffee.

'Mmm. Roko sure did brew a good batch today.' Tsukauchi mused to himself.

It's the afternoon, and it was an average day at the office for Tsukauchi and the officers. A few Villains have been arrested for small crimes and taken into custody by the Heroes, from pickpocketing to robbery, and property damage when they want to cause trouble. As of now, it's just Tsukauchi and the rest of the detectives and officers in the Musutafu Police Department doing mundane work.

As he looked through police reports, he couldn't help but think back at the kind, young girl named Katara.

She was certainly an interesting young lady, her ability to 'bend' water as she puts it. She also said some pretty bizarre stuff, from her home 'world', to her village, to other people that can bend the elements, fire, earth, and air, to how everything works in her world. However, the most fascinating thing about what she said though, was this person, the Avatar. A person who is reincarnated and able to control all the elements... He didn't know why, but he believed her. Maybe it was because of his Quirk 'Lie Detector'(it never failed him before) that made him believe everything she said. Her tone sounded honest, and she had no reason to lie... also, she didn't look mentally off. And really, what she said back to the mud-guy last night was very sincere.

Also, from his line of business, he's always expecting the unexpected, and Katara was as unexpected as they come.

'She's certainly a very unique character. Hopefully, Toshi watches over her, just for a little while... I know he can't do it forever, but I couldn't take care of her either. I have a twenty-four-hour job. I just hope Toshi is up for the task... I haven't even told him how long he should keep her…' Tsukauchi sighed, '...Just hang on a little while longer Katara... you too, Toshi,' the detective took another sip of his coffee.

Then, Tsukauchi's phone on his desk rings.

Finishing his sip, Tsukauchi laid his mug down on his desk and picked up his phone, checking the caller ID.

-Toshinori-

"Huh?" the detective looked at the ringing call in alarm, 'I wonder what Toshi's calling for? Is Katara okay?'

He decided to find out once he answered it.

"Hello? Everything okay, Toshi? Did something happen to Katara?"

"Oh! Hello, Naomasa! There's no need to worry, Katara is just fine! Everything's fine. I just called you for a favor."

"Oh…" Naomasa sighed in relief and then chuckled, "Okay then. Sorry for the questions Toshi, it's not that I don't trust you. I just always expect the worst whenever I get calls."

"Oh dear... well, I can safely say that you have one tough job then, Old Friend."

"Appreciate that," Naomasa smirked a little, "So what's the favor?"

"Heh. Well, I'm... thinking of maybe sending Katara to a school."

"Oh? So she's interested in learning here?"

"Well... it was my idea, honestly. I just feel like she needs to go someplace to communicate with kids her age... I mean, that doesn't sound like a bad idea, does it?"

Tsukauchi chuckled, "No, in fact, that's a great idea. And I'm thinking you want me to write up some documents for her, right?"

"Um... yes... I mean, I'm not breaking any laws or anything if I ask you to do this, am I?"

"Well, first of all, I can't do that. I'm just a detective."

"Oh... well, uh-"

"But, I can try to talk to some of my 'higher ups' on doing something like that. I'm pretty certain they can patch some fake documents in no time. No questions asked from them."

"Oh... really?"

"Of course. They always make fake documents for us officers whenever we go undercover."

"Oh! Wow, uh... okay...um, thanks, Naomasa."

Naomasa chuckled, "No problem. What does Katara think about it, though?"

'Well, I did ask her, and... I think she's okay with it. I'm in my room at my house by the way. Katara's downstairs, so it's just us talking. We talked about it earlier at a ramen shop, and she seemed like she was fine going to a school."

"Hm. Well, that's good at least. I don't think you can juggle crime-fighting and looking out for Katara at the same time. Plus, you have that teaching job offer at UA."

"...Oh crap, you're right! Ah man, I almost forgot about that! And if Katara wanted to go to...well, a Hero school I would think, then I won't be around much often! Ugh...I didn't think this through."

"You often don't," joked Tsukauchi with a smirk.

"Oh, ha ha. But seriously, there's also training Young Midoriya! I mean, I can't slip up and let her know that I'm training a young boy to have...you know, that."

"That I do, Toshi."

"Yeah! And also, I can't let her know that I'm All Might! ...Hey...wait a moment...she has amnesia, right?"

Raising an eyebrow at the question, Naomasa said, "Um, yeah?"

"Well…if that's the case, she doesn't know who All Might is, right?"

"...Um, Toshi, I'm certain you already know this."

"Yeah, I do! And if that's the case, then why not I just…uh, tell her?"

"..."

"..."

"Are you...sure about that?"

"Well, hey, she has amnesia, right? And I can just tell her not to say anything about my All Might identity...right? I mean...I feel like that would be a good idea. That way, when I go off to fight Villains, train Midoriya and teach at UA in the future, she won't be wondering what I'm doing all the time!"

Tsukauchi blinked, "Wait, so...you're saying you can take care of her long term?"

"...Well...yeah...that's uh...that's what I'm doing right now, right?"

"Well...yeah, but...are you, um...sure?"

"...Well...yeah? I mean, even though the girl has amnesia, and doesn't know certain...things, she seems like a smart girl. When we were eating out at that ramen shop, she was talking about how she wants to learn certain things around here. She looks like she's willing to learn, and she...she seems...well, she seems to be a good kid from what I've seen in her mannerisms."

Naomasa processed all this information…

"...You're getting a soft spot for her, aren't you?" Tsukauchi asked him plain and simple.

"Hu-wha-huh!? I-uh...I mean...w-...w-...w-well, yeah. I mean...yeah, she's been growing on me a little bit. She seems to be a nice girl, and that speech she gave out to Dukanara is certainly a sign of heroism. I can honestly see great potential in her if she ever becomes a Heroine. I mean, her bravery was very inspiring. She ran in that interrogation without thinking, not even knowing who the assailant and the hostage are...that kind of sense of justice almost sounds like me back then...back when I was..."

Tsukauchi felt the pause through the other line. He didn't say anything, but depending on where that sentence was going, he probably had a clue. He didn't say anything about it, though, for his friend's sake.

"...Anyway, she's also...well, you know, she's...well, she's almost becoming like a daughter to me…"

Tsukauchi frowned at that, but in pity.

"Wow...she certainly has an effect on you, hasn't she?"

"Heh, yeah...and uh, yes, I know, she's not my kid, but...I always wanted to know how it felt to...well, I guess to have a daughter…and to be a father..."

The detective sat there, a frown on his face as he felt sorry for his friend.

"...You know, you can still find someone."

"Oh no, I think it's too late for that. I'm old now, and I don't want anyone that's in a relationship with me to be put in danger. I just can't take that risk. Especially if…"

"Toshinori...you don't have to worry. He's gone."

"...I can only hope so. Though I wouldn't be surprised if he's somewhere around trying to slowly regenerate."

Naomasa sighed, "You know, for someone so positive in their thinking, you are grim when it comes to you-know-who."

"Well...I can't help it...that man was a monster."

"Hmm…" Naomasa hummed in agreement, "...Well, you shouldn't be so morbid about that. You took care of him, and that's all there is to it."

"...Yeah...heh, yeah, you're right. Sorry, I...uh...I'll try not to think about it as much."

"There ya go," Tsukauchi smiled, "So, about Katara…"

"Oh, yeah! Heh, yeah, Katara just seems like a really sweet young girl. I think I can manage to take care of her even further down the road. But she needs to go to school for her to socialize with kids her age."

"Hm. I can agree with that," Tsukauchi paused, "...Are you sure you want to tell her about your identity?"

"Well, I...um...hm...I mean...well, actually thinking about it now, I feel as if I should maybe tell her, but not, well...uh, not today."

"Really? Well, when are you gonna tell her?"

"...Maybe when she decides which Hero school she wants to go to?"

"That seems like a pretty long way. Think you can manage to keep your secret that long?"

"Oh yeah, sure! I mean, I've been keeping this secret for a good while now! It's been years, I think I can handle eight months of not overusing One For All during that time!"

"Well...okay then. If you say so. Just tell her beforehand that you're putting her in a school. And find the best but closest one for her."

"Hey, no worries! I'll talk to her and find the best and nearest school she can attend to!"

"Alright. Until then, I'll ask my superiors about those documents."

"Thanks, Naomasa."

Tsukauchi smiled.

"No problem, Toshinori."

Toshinori hung up his phone and stood there for a moment to contemplate what Naomasa told him about finding someone...someone to be with...

'Thanks for reassuring me to find a lady, Naomasa, but…' the man frowned, 'No...I just can't risk it...even if he is gone, I just don't want anyone to be in danger from any Villain in general…'

Sighing at the unfairness of it all, Toshi nodded at that conclusion and walked out of his room. Upon exiting it, he almost passed the picture of the woman without a second thought...until when he reached the first step of his staircase. He looked back at the picture of the woman…

'...Nana…'

He slightly frowned, the feeling of dejection overwhelming him for just a second...he continued down the stairs.

Once he arrives on the ground floor where his living room is, he sees sitting on the couch and Katara looking at the TV with such amazement and wonder. She's currently watching a documentary on how Quirks were manifested.

"Wow...this...this is...this is really...fascinating…" Katara said to herself, seemingly not noticing Toshi coming down the stairs.

Toshinori smiled at Katara's interest in the program. "Yep. Quirks are still a mystery to this day, though."

Katara jumped in her seat, surprised by the voice. She turns her head behind her and sees Toshi standing there with a smile and his arms crossed.

"Oh! Toshi! Um, I was…" she paused.

'Wait...can I tell him the reason why I was amazed was that I was looking at this...thing? What was it, a...tee-vee?'

"Hey, no worries, little lady! I mean, you have amnesia, you have to catch up on all kinds of this information! Plus, it is a very entertaining documentary," Toshi told her.

"Uh...yeah, it, uh...it sure is," Katara said with an awkward smile that she hoped didn't look too forced.

'Documentary? ...I...I'll just go along with it.'

Thankfully, Toshi didn't pay too much attention to it as he rubbed the back of his head and cleared his throat to say, "Um, so, uh...Katara, I've...been speaking to Tsukauchi and…"

"Wait, Tsukauchi? He's here?" Katara asked in confusion as he pointed down to emphasize Tsukauchi's location, "But I didn't see him come in."

"...Uh...I-I called him…" Toshi blinked at Katara's question.

Katara blinked as well as he stared at him.

"...on, um...on my phone?" Toshi said as he scratched his head in confusion, but for a more different reason.

"...Oh. Oh!" Katara seemed to get what he's saying now.

'Oh, does he mean that thing people carry in this world all the time? That...rectangle object?'

"Uuuh...o-oh yeah! That...th-the phone! Um, y-yeah, okay!" Katara nodded and gave Toshi the fakest smile that she could muster.

Toshinori just blinked at her again as he looked at her oddly…

"Um...okay then," Toshi said.

'Goodness, she really does need to go to school,' Toshi thought.

'Goodness, I just made myself look stupid, didn't I?' Katara thought at the same time.

"Uh...anyways, um," Toshi cleared his throat once more, "I, uh, I spoke with Tsukauchi...um, on my phone, and he said that he'll, uh, help you get some...uhh...documentation for you so you could stay here for a good while."

"Stay here? You mean, at your home?" asked Katara curiously.

"Well, uh...yeah, but I meant staying here in Japan as well."

'Japan? That's the country we're in right now, right? Tsukauchi said something about that...' Katara couldn't fathom the process behind it, but she could see how it would make sense to have documentation on other people if there were other countries out there in this world besides this one…

...How big is this world, anyway?

'Well, I'll figure it out eventually. This tee-vee thing has been telling me some good information so far about what these Quirks are.'

"Oh...uh, yeah! Okay! That...that sounds cool," Katara said, trying to be nonchalant about it.

"Uh...right," Toshinori nodded, "So! Um...the reason I called that to attention, is...well, I'm thinking of sending you to a school, Katara."

Katara's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah! I mean, I feel like you need to communicate with kids your age instead of little old me here," Toshi joked with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head, "So, what do you say? You said you wanted to do something like that at one point, right?"

"Um...well, yeah, but…" Katara looked down in thought, considering the ups and downs of going to a school.

'Well, attending school will let me learn more about this world...but on the downside, I'll be the odd one out. I mean, everyone will know this stuff and know how to use certain things like phones and other oddities, except me...but...I really do want to try to communicate with other kids around my age. And I got to admit, shopping with Mina was kind of fun...I mean, I guess I could make some friends before I...go back...'

"Um…I mean," Toshinori began to say awkwardly, "I-If you don't want to, then I understand. I just, well, I thought that you would be feeling a little lonely here when I...go off to some places. And I think you wouldn't want to be cooped up in my house all day…"

"...I mean," Katara began to say, "If it's the normal thing for girls my age to go to a school, then...yeah, okay. I can do that," she said with a small smile at Toshi.

Toshinori straightened up at her answer, "Oh! Well, um, okay then!" he smiled at her, "In that case, I think it's a good time for you to get a cell phone."

"A...cell phone?" Katara asked as she blinked in surprise.

'Is...that the same thing?' she thought.

"Well, yeah! I mean, you're old enough now to have one, and you need to call me whenever you need me for something and...you can maybe call some new friends. That Mina girl wanted your phone number, so I thought, 'Hey! Katara needs a cell phone!'...so, yeah! What do ya say?"

Blinking at that, Katara put a hand on her chin to ponder on using this peculiar object 'the phone'...or 'cell phone' as she learned it was also called.

'Huh...well, I need to adapt...so, yeah, that'll be fine.'

Meanwhile, Toshi sweatdropped as he looked at Katara contemplating about it.

"Um...Katara?"

Katara looked up at Toshinori, "Okay. That'll be good!" she said with a smile.

"Oh! Okay! Uh, great!" Toshi said with a smile.

'Um...was she joking with me on that pause? I mean, everyone wants a cell phone, don't they? Her amnesia isn't really that bad, is it?'

Deciding to forget about that for now, Toshinori then told her, "Okay then! Well, how about we look at the internet and find some schools close by that you can attend?"

"The...in-ter-net?" Katara asked in confusion.

'...Yeah, she definitely needs to go to school.'

And so, after Toshinori showed Katara the 'wonders' of the internet(she was blown away by it, as well as Toshi's laptop), they found certain schools around the area where Toshi lives that include middle schoolers from age 14 to 15.

"Hmm...so these symbols here...they're stars? And if they're filled up, that means it's the best?" Katara asked.

"Um...yes. That's exactly what that...means," Toshinori said, a little baffled that she was curious about that.

'Katara must've been hit hard on the head,' Toshi concluded.

"Huh...well, why not this one then?"

"Oh, um...okay. I mean there's more if you want to look at, but, uh…"

"Well, the most 'stars' mean that it's better, right?"

"Well...yeah...but I mean, this is the first one we saw. I mean, if you're sure, then you're sure, but...do you want to check out the others or…?"

"Hmm...nah, I think this one is good."

"Oh! Well...alright then! Then this one it is!" Toshinori then clicked on it to check out the info, as well as the website.

'Wow. That was easy.'

"Okay! So...what now?" Katara asked him.

"Um...I'll...call them I guess. I mean, right after Tsukauchi makes those documents, of course. Oh! But first, we need to find you a phone!"

"Oh! Okay...well then, where to?"

One Trip to a Cell Phone Carrier Store Later…

"That was...an experience," Katara said, a little stunned.

"Yeah...sometimes even I don't understand what they're saying about all those plans," Toshinori said as he scratched the side of his head.

"Uh...yeah."

'I meant all the devices that they had there, but I'll just go along with what he said.'

Katara looked down inside the bag to see her new phone. Apparently, it was an iPhone...Toshinori told her that she should get that one, as it was the most popular. She just went along with what he said. However, she was given a choice of what color she wanted in...which she chose blue. To some, it was an odd choice for a girl to choose blue out of all the colors for a phone, but it represented the Water Tribes...plus, she liked blue.

'I need to know how to use it though…' Katara mused.

"So..." she began to say, "I have a phone now…"

Toshinori turned to her, expecting her to be a little excited...but she looked even more confused and uncertain.

"Um...yep! Are you, uh...excited?" he asked

"...Well...yeah, I...I am, a little…" Katara said as they began to walk side by side on the sidewalk, passing other businesses.

As they walked, Toshinori glanced at the young girl with a puzzled look, not expecting that answer.

'Hm...that's odd. Most kids her age would love to have a phone…'

"...Well, all we need to do now is enroll you in that school once...you know, the other thing is done," Toshi told Katara, changing the subject.

Katara turned her head to glance at Toshi with a smile. "Yeah…" she looked down as she walked, the smile on her face still, "...That part will be fun."

Toshinori glanced back at the girl, "Hm?"

"I mean...the whole school thing. I...I like to meet kids my age and make new friends. Also, I can learn some new stuff about...here…" Katara said, slightly wincing as she caught herself from saying too much.

The thin man turned his head to Katara with a smile himself. "Well, it's good to see that you're excited about it! Heh, most kids dread going back to school."

"Really? Why's that?"

Blinking at that question, Toshinori began to think about that, "Um...I...guess they don't want to learn anything?" putting a hand to his chin, Toshi muttered, "Actually...I don't see why anyone would not like school. I mean, it's their education! They would need it for the long run, and be in a profession that they would like to work in! I mean, of course, everyone wants to be a Hero, but they could use their Quirks for certain things like plumbing, construction, even engineering if they want to. Heck, even accounting! Hmm...maybe if they, murmur murmur murmur…"

Now Katara blinked as she looked at the man. "Um...Toshi?"

"And maybe-hm?" They stopped as he turned his attention to the girl. "Yes, Katara?"

"You were...kind of drifting off there," Katara said with an amused smirk.

"...Oh!" Toshi blinked again "Uh...wow, I was, wasn't I? ...I never did that before…" he gave out somewhat of a warm smile as he looked ahead. "Heh. Kid must be rubbing off on me."

Katara cocked her head in confusion, "Who?"

Realizing his mistake, Toshi winced and turned his attention to Katara once more with a sheepish but panicked expression, "Oh, uh, n-nothing! Nothing, just, uh...someone I know."

"Oh...okay," Katara just shrugged as they continued walking, much to Toshinori's relief.

They were silent in their walk, passing people as Katara looked on at the sites of this modern city. To people, to buildings, to vehicles, to monuments to shops…

Katara stopped to look at a shop window that sells toys. Out on display, were toy figurines that resemble that huge guy from last night...wearing some sort of weird-looking outfit...as well as another weird-looking outfit that had a cape on it.

"Hm?" Toshinori noticed that she wasn't walking ahead of him. Turning around, he saw that Katara was looking at a few All Might action figures that were on display. Going over to her, he said in a joking manner, "Something caught your eye?"

The girl jumped and turned to Toshi, "Oh, uh, no, I was just…" she turned to the action figures once more, "...Hey, um…" seeing if the coast is clear from any walking bystanders, she quietly said to him, "Do you happen to know who this All Might person is?" she asked, turning her head to him.

Toshinori once again blinked. "Uh...you...don't know?"

Blushing in embarrassment, Katara decided to keep talking as if it's normal to ask the question, "Well...he seems to be very popular...I'm just curious about him."

'Hm...she honestly doesn't know who All Might is, huh? I mean, I already knew that, but...it's kind of odd hearing it.' Toshi thought with interest.

Before Toshinori could ask further, a voice rang out.

"Excuse me!" a loud but somewhat formal voice said.

They both turned to see a tall young man with blue hair and glasses on with a polo shirt and jeans, along with nice shoes. He was coming up to them at a moderately fast pace, but then he stopped almost immediately, letting whatever little wind fly past the pair.

"Uh...y-yes?" Katara asked the male in question.

Toshinori blinked what seemed like the fourth time today, his gaze and attention now on the young man.

The young man looked at her face closely, until he nodded, "Yes! You are definitely that girl on the news last night!"

"Huh?" Katara blinked.

"I have to say, you were quite brave on going into that interrogation without a second thought! In fact, it inspired me!" he said while making chopping-hand motions in the air...for some reason, "It inspired me to achieve my goal of being the best Hero that I could be! You certainly showed courage and determination in helping out that hostage, as well as that misunderstood captor! Very noble of you indeed! And it must be a joy to be alongside All Might, the Symbol of Peace and Justice! I'm certain you must've been in awe of his extreme presence!" he raised a fist to his face to add dramatic effect, "It would be an honor to meet All Might in person. This is why I aim to go to the most prestigious school there is, UA, so I can learn the ways of Heroism to be like him!" the young man nodded, "...Oh! I am deeply sorry! I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Iida Tenya! I aim to be a Hero someday just like my brother!" he bows to her stiffly, "But either way, I just want to congratulate you on doing such a selfless heroic deed! I wish to be like you whenever I see someone in danger like that. Whatever school you wish to attend in the future, I'm sure you'll do splendidly, whatever Quirk that you may have!" he straightens up again, looking as serious as he can be.

...Silence…

"...Uh...thank you?" Katara said back as she looked at him in bewilderment.

The young man, known as Iida, nodded and saluted to her. "It was no problem! I just felt like I wanted to say that since you really inspired me!"

"...Uh…" Katara was at a loss for words.

"...Um, if you don't mind me asking since I told you my name, may I ask what is yours?" Iida asked, almost sounding a little embarrassed.

"Umm...my name is…Yagi Katara?"

"Ah! Excellent! Then with this, Yagi, I bid you a very heroic day!" Iida then turned around and jogged his way down the sidewalk, passing pedestrians as he whizzed past them by.

...More silence...

"...Huh…" Toshinori looked on at the scene oddly, "Well...that was nice of him, I...guess?" he turned his attention to Katara, "It looks like you really made a difference to that young man, Katara."

Still dazed by Iida's sudden meet and greet, Katara blinked a couple of times, "Uh...yeah…" shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Katara asked Toshi, "Uh, how did he know that I did that?"

"...Did what now?"

"Um...that I...tried to save someone, and that All Might came to save the hostage and captor?"

"...Uh...the news, young Katara."

"...Okay…"

…

RIIING! RIIING!

"Oh! Uh, my phone," Toshinori said, as he fished his phone out of his baggy pocket. Looking at the caller ID, it read Tsukauchi on it.

"Oh! Um, you know what? Let's get back home, Katara," Toshi advised her as he pushed the 'accept' button to talk to Tsukauchi.

"Uh, sure…"

Meanwhile, Katara was thinking…

'Okay, two things I know so far about this world: There are some really strange people here, and I really need to get adjusted around here more. I still don't know what he means when he says the 'news'...what does he mean by that?'

Back at Toshinori's…

Once Toshi drives his truck up the small driveway in his moderate home, Katara gets out of the passenger seat and begins to close the door, when she sees that Toshi wasn't also getting out of the vehicle.

"Uh, Toshi? Are you getting out?" Katara asked him.

"Uh, well, actually, I need to see Tsukauchi for just a moment. It won't take long! Just, um...don't answer the door to anybody and make yourself at home!"

"Oh, okay! But, um...you'll teach me how to use this, uh…'phone', right?"

Toshinori smiled at her, "Of course, little lady."

Katara smiled back, "Okay then! I'm, uh, not...um, attuned with this kind of stuff, believe it or not."

"Heh. No worries! Technology can be a little intimidating."

"Oh yeah, uh, heh," Katara said a little awkwardly, "Well, I'll just go on in! Thanks for the phone, Toshi!"

"No problem, Katara!" Toshi said with another smile and a wave.

Katara closed the truck door, and went inside Toshinori's house, while Toshinori backed up and drove back on the road.

When she did enter the home, she went to her room upstairs, all the while almost passing the picture of the woman that was in the hallway...until she backed up and looked at the picture again.

Staring at it, she furrowed her brows in curiosity.

"...I wonder who this woman is?" she asked herself.

She kept staring at it.

"...Whoever she is, she must be really important to Toshi," Katara concluded as she looked around the place for any other pictures on the wall...not even artwork was displayed, "...I should ask him sometimes."

She then continued through the hall and was about to go to her room…

...but when she opened the door, it didn't look like her room.

"Oh!" Katara exclaimed.

She went to the wrong room and entered Toshinori's bedroom.

It looked...quite plain actually. There were drawers, a bed, and another tee-vee mounted on the wall, but the room seemed to be just...ordinary. There was a closet next to the bed, as well as another door to the far right.

"...I...shouldn't walk into his room like this...it's his private area, after all...yeah," Katara nodded and turned around to go to the room across from his, which was hers, but her eye went back to the picture on the stand in the small hallway.

Katara stared at the picture again…

'...You know...I never saw any other pictures around here that Toshi is familiar with.'

Looking back at Toshi's room, Katara contemplated the thought…

"...Well, he did say to make myself at home...and I guess I am living here for a while."

But first, she put her newly required stuff on the bed in her room. As she exited her room, she looked at the open door to Toshi's room…

"...I mean, I'm just looking inside. It's not like I'm going into his personal belongings or anything...yeah...exactly," Katara told herself.

She took some tentative steps to Toshi's room until she's in his doorframe.

"...Okay…"

Katara walks inside his room...

...Nothing out of the ordinary here...

Katara then went to the door to her right…

It was some sort of...she would say washroom?

"Huh…"

She exited it to see what else she could observe. Not looking for anything personal of Toshi, she's just taking a look around the place...taking a look around his home...his room…

Katara glanced at the closet.

'...Just one peek. It's probably just clothes. I mean, I'm not gonna find anything too shocking.'

Katara went over to the closet and gingerly opened it ever so slowly.

"..."

She then opened the door fully…

"..."

…

…Her eyes widened comically.

...Okay, she was wrong. What she found was shocking.

"...What...in the…?" Katara looked on in stupefaction as she blinked.

"Here you are, Toshi," Tsukauchi gave him Katara's fake documents in the lobby of the Musutafu Police Department.

"Thanks, Naomasa!" Toshinori said to the detective with a smile as he held onto the records.

"No problem. So, has Katara been informed about the school thing?"

"Yep! She chose the first school that seemed like the better choice," Toshinori chuckled...until he frowned, "Although, for someone who has amnesia, she certainly has forgotten a lot of stuff on how to function in society."

Naomasa frowned slightly.

"I mean, I don't know, I would think that some people who do have it would've remembered how to do things normally. Like she would remember how to dial a phone or know how a computer works, or something...I mean, is that part of amnesia? If it is, she must've certainly hit her head pretty hard...how did you find her again?" Toshinori asked.

Naomasa just stood there silent, appearing to look like he was thinking...until he sighed, "...Toshi, I'm sorry. I can't tell you everything, but...just keep a good eye on her, okay?"

Confused a little bit, Toshi says, "Um, hey no worries. I won't let anyone harm her."

"I know you won't. But...I haven't really been honest with you about her."

"Huh?" Toshi blinked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, for one thing, what I told you was true, she is a mystery. And...she told me some things about herself that sound a little questionable."

"Questionable?"

"Mm-hmm. And the strange part is...she's not lying."

"Uh...okay? Well...what did she say?"

"That's where I can't have myself tell you everything. I don't think she would even like it that I'm telling you anything about this as of right now. You might just need to ask her yourself."

"Oh, um...alright," Toshi scratched his head in confusion.

Tsukauchi just smiled, "Hey don't worry. I can tell she's a good-hearted kid. You can just ask her, you know? I'm certain she'll answer you honestly."

Toshinori stood there as glanced down, processing this information with fingers on his chin.

"...Well...okay then..." he then looks up at Naomasa, "She's not like in any...um, danger, is she?"

Naomasa shook his head, "No no, nothing like that. She's just trying to find someplace to live for now."

"Oh...uh...this isn't, like...some really unbelievably out-of-this-world type of stuff, is it?"

The detective smirked at him, "As I said, you're gonna have to ask her that yourself, Toshi."

'Hm...is Katara hiding something? But she seems like a nice girl,' Toshinori thought as he drove his truck back to his home, with the documents in his passenger seat, 'I wouldn't think she would be some type of...alien? No, that's ridiculous, don't think that. I mean, we're a super-powered society now and we still haven't even found any life on planets! So, I'll rule that one out...but what did Naomasa mean when he said all that stuff? Still a mystery but she wasn't lying? What did she tell him?'

...He sighed, '...She has been acting a little...well, I don't want to say abnormal, but odd whenever she tries to understand simple stuff like a TV, laptop, a phone, heck even my truck!'

He drove up to his small driveway again and put his truck in park, turning it off.

"Hmm…" Toshi tapped his head as he pondered, "...Well...I might as well have to ask her..." sighing once more, he got the documents in his hands and got out of his truck.

Entering inside his house, he sees that Katara isn't anywhere on the first floor.

"Huh?" Toshinori closed the door behind him and called out, "Katara?"

…

"...Hm? Katara?!" Toshi said a little louder, putting the documents on a counter.

…

...He blinked, "Um...K-Katara!? Are you here!?"

…

"...O-oh! Yeah! Uh, sorry!" yelled out the voice of Katara. However, her tone sounded...embarrassed.

"Oh! Uh, okay then!" Toshinori called out, followed by a sigh of relief.

'Whew! I thought she was gone.'

Then Katara called out, "Um...Toshi?! Can you come up here for a moment?! I, uh...need to show you something!"

"Oh!? Uh, hold on, I'll be up!" Toshi called out.

'Hm...maybe she's trying to work on her phone.'

And as Toshinori went through his living room and went up the stairs and into his small second-floor hallway…

...He sees his door is opened.

"..."

...Toshi's eyes suddenly widened like dinner plates.

'...Ooooh...no...'

"...U-Uh...K-Katara!?"

'Please don't be in my room, please don't be in my room please don't be in my room, PLEASE don't be in my room!'

He gave a quick glance at Nana's picture and upon viewing it, he seemed to feel like her silly smile became mischievous all of a sudden...and was directing it at him.

"Toshi...I'm in your room," said the clear voice of Katara.

'OOOOOOH SHIT, NO!' yelled Toshi's mind.

He never ran so fast in his frail life to his room. It was probably a millisecond when he reached his door.

...His eyes looked abnormally large for his sunken head at this point.

'...Oh no.'

"Toshi...I have...questions," Katara said with a raised brow, as she pointed at the display...in his closet…

…

…

...It was a shrine made for Nana, with posters of her Heroine costume, some pictures of her in her civilian clothes in general, and...one poster where she looked to be younger, probably in her 20's, wearing a one-piece swimsuit…

Katara just...stared at him, waiting for an answer from him…

...She looked worried too. Also, she was blushing a little bit...

Toshinori...now officially wants to DIE.

"...Umm...I can...explain."

Chapter Text

"Um...I can...explain."

"Please do."

"...She's…" Toshinori's completely panicked face morphed into a solemn frown, "...She's someone I greatly admired and respected."

Katara blinked at that answer. She noticed that he said the words 'admire' and 'respect' in the past tense.

"...Oh," she said, suddenly feeling even more guilty about stumbling onto the shrine.

Toshi sighed, "...I...I'm sorry you had to see all of that."

"...Well...I'm not gonna lie, it is creepy."

"...Well...it's not like that, honestly. I mean, it certainly looks like it, but…" Toshi looked at her with intent. "...Katara."

Katara looked at Toshinori curiously. "Yeah?"

"...How about this? I tell you something about myself, and...after that, you tell me something about yourself."

Blinking at that deal, Katara asked, "Um...wha-uh, where is this going, Toshi?"

He looked at her somberly. "Katara...I know that you're hiding something."

Katara's eyes widened. "Wh-What? What do you, I mean, how am I hiding something?"

"I just feel like you are," Toshi says with a shrug.

"...Wait...you went to see Tsukauchi a while ago…" Katara's face paled. "...Did he...tell you anything?"

"Honestly, no. He just told me to ask you...but, I'm gonna take a guess here and say...you don't really have amnesia, do you?"

Katara's heart skipped a beat. "Um…"

"...Hm. In that case, I'll go first then," Toshinori said.

I'm really taking a risk here… thought the thin man.

"...Those pictures of that woman you see there...she was my mentor." Toshi said as he looked down at the floor.

Katara looked at Toshi, her brows furrowed in interest. "Your mentor?"

"Yes...she was...like a mother to me," realizing how that sounds, especially since he has a shrine of her in his closet, he looked up and instantly added, "I mean, no! I-I don't fantasize her that way though! I mean, I did have a crush on her one time when I was real little, but...I just...well, she was the only woman that...that actually...well, that actually cared for someone like me,"

"Care for...someone like you?" Katara asked in confusion.

Toshinori looked back down with a smile, "Yeah...I just...I just really admired her," he gave out a short chuckle, "...She was one heck of a woman."

Katara gave a poignant frown, "...But...why would you say that? I mean, the 'caring for someone like you' part?"

"...Before I tell you that, let me ask you something...do you happen to know what Quirks are?"

"Uh...they're what makes the person who they really are, right? I mean, it's their own power, so...that's what a Quirk is." Katara said, hoping she got that answer right.

"Yes," Toshi nodded, "That's what the documentary you saw said."

"Oh, I mean, well, it's...only common...knowledge…" she said as she looked a little trapped and uncertain.

"That it is...but do you happen to already know that knowledge before you have amnesia?"

"...Uh…w-what-I mean...uh...y-yes?" Katara asked nervously.

"...So you don't have amnesia at all?" Toshi asked, tilting his head at her in curiosity.

Katara froze, "Wha-...um...uh...I…" now she felt cornered.

"...Hmm," Toshinori decided to switch to a different topic, "Well, even though I haven't seen your Quirk in action, it has something to do with controlling water, right?"

"...Y-Yes," Katara nodded, feeling a little timid all of a sudden as she glanced down at the floor.

"...Is your...ability a Quirk?" Toshinori asked curiously.

Surprised by that question, she was about to answer when she paused, not sure if she could say anything about it.

...Well, Yue never specifically said I could tell anyone around here where I came from.

Before she can decide what to say next, Toshinori then tells Katara something else.

"Well...everyone in the world has a certain Quirk. But there are some that aren't so lucky…" He looked down to think back to his time when he was Quirkless...and then began to think about Young Midoriya.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked curiously.

"Well...80% of people on this planet have Quirks. Then there's the other 20%...which don't have Quirks."

Katara listened to every word Toshi was saying…

"...I was one of those 20%."

She blinked at that confession. "Wait...you don't have a Quirk?"

"...Back then, I didn't."

Now Katara was confused. "Huh? But then…"

"My mentor gave me my Quirk," Toshi revealed. "Or...I suppose it's more accurate to say that she passed down her quirk to me. Of course, it wasn't instant - she still had it long enough for her...final battle."

"Her final battle?" Katara asked, surprised once more.

Toshi winced at that. "...Yeah...she faced...someone horrible. A terrible Villain of unimaginable power."

"A Villain?" Katara asked intrigued.

"Yes...it was Nana Shimura's last fight."

"Nana…?" Katara looked at the picture of her in her hero costume, which was displayed in the center of the shrine. She processed this information after a pause, which she then asked him, "Wait...so, you didn't have a Quirk, but you obtained a Quirk from...Nana? Is that her Quirk?"

"...Yes."

I...can't let her know anything about One For All...maybe not yet...I don't want to put her in any danger...

Toshi sighed, "...Yes, I did obtain...her Quirk," he looked up at the young girl, "You met All Might, right Katara?"

Katara stood in puzzlement on the change of subject, but the gears were turning when she actually thought about it. "...Wait...are...wait a minute, are you...are you saying…?"

Toshi looked at Katara with resolution. "...You must not tell a soul, Katara...but I...am none other than-"

The man then suddenly started to grow. Muscles began to fill out the body's skeletal frame, making his size and height swell up exponentially. Before she knew it, she was looking at the proud, muscular All Might, and not at Toshinori, the man who looked so frail that a single shove would end his life.

Katara's eyes went wider than they should. "All Might?!" she gasped.

"Haha! That's right, young lady-oof!" the Number One Hero of Japan laughed heartily...as well as now being stuck in the doorframe.

She blinked at his particular situation and just...how different the man became, with his voice and demeanor changing radically...

And even though he was stuck in his doorframe, it didn't stop him from saying what he had to say.

"It-..." he grunted, "It is I, All Might. I AM HER-ack!"

And just like that, All Might disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and the fragile Toshinori returned, coughing up a scary amount of blood. He collapsed on his knees as he coughed the last bit of blood that came out of his mouth and onto the floor.

Katara gasped again, but this time in horror, "Oh my gosh! Tosh-I-I mean, All, uh, All Might! A-Are you alright?" she quickly knelt by the hero's side, trying to help him up.

"Oh," hack, "N-Not-" cough, "N-Not to worry, K-Katara," Toshinori wheezed, wiping the last of blood off his lips. "It happens all the time after I transform." COUGH! "Ugh…man, I did not think that through..."

Katara couldn't believe it...the giant man that she met last night...was Toshinori this whole time! But...how did...when...why…

"Okay, I have so many questions right now, now more than ever. How did...how did you do that? And what happened to you? You were big the next and now…" she looked at the blood on the floor, "Just...what happened?"

All Might said nothing for a minute, a shadow growing above his eyes.

"Young Katara...please brace yourself." Without warning, he slowly reached for his large shirt, and peeled it up. Katara's eyes widened as she prepared to cover them- until her hands froze.

What should've been a normal, yet skinny body was instead a body of a survivor. Toshinori's left side was heavily scarred, with a large chunk of it missing. The fact that he was even alive was a miracle in Katara's eyes. The young waterbender wasn't sure if she was going to scream, puke, or faint.

Instead she just stared in shock.

Toshi sighed, "...Yep," he coughed slightly, "This was given to me by…" he lowered his shirt down, his face turning somber, "...by him."

"Wh-...Who?"

"The Villain I mentioned...it's someone I wish to forget...I just hope to God he's dead as of right now…" Toshinori told her grimly.

Katara just looked at him with intrigue, and a little bit of surprise.

Wow...whoever this...Villain is, or was, he must've been something terrible. This person looked like he did some serious damage to Toshi...

Feeling as if she would hit a nerve if she asked who this 'person' was, Katara decided to help him back to his feet. "Can you stand?"

"Heh. Of course I can, little lady. This happens almost every time I overuse my Hero form, so I can deal with it," Toshinori reassured her as he tried to walk, but Katara would have none of it.

"Wait! Hold on, let me help you."

She then guided him to his bed, and let him sit there on it.

"I...I can't believe this," Katara softly said to herself.

Toshinori sighed. "Yeah...I'm the one and only All Might. And really, right now you're one of the few people who know my secret identity."

"Your secret identity?" she asked, stunned.

"Yes...this person you see now is my real form...and you must promise me that you will not tell anyone about my condition."

"I-...Is this treatable?"

Toshi let out a small chuckle. "It is treated...but it still hinders me. I've lost my stomach, and my respiratory system is damaged beyond repair. It makes it difficult to fully transform into my All Might form as you just saw."

"But, when you came down to help Dukanara…"

"I can only hold it in for so much. I'm just glad I didn't have to fight anyone at that time. I can't overuse it or do anything else extreme with it, unless I just want to injure my insides even more. I have to limit the time I use it everyday...it could even maybe limit my lifespan if I keep on using it carelessly."

Katara's mouth dropped open in shock at hearing this. "Y-Your lifespan!?"

"Yeah…" Toshi looked at the young girl. "Seriously though, Katara...please don't tell anyone about me being All Might."

Staring at the man in front of her, she could only look at him in pity.

"If anyone finds out that the Symbol of Peace is…" Toshinori briefly paused to grimly look down, "...gravely injured, then that would cause an uproar. I'm pretty popular among parts of the world...as I said, I'm the Symbol of Peace, and I'm said to be the Number 1 Hero around. I just...don't want them all to lose hope," he looked up at Katara. "That, and I don't want any villains to catch whiff of this. That All Might is weakened…" He shifted his eyes to his left, his demeanor uncertain. "...Just...please promise me…"

Katara looked at Toshinori with such grief, her eyes softened in understanding.

"Of course I'll keep it a secret," she nodded.

Toshi looked back at the young girl in slight surprise.

"I...I may not know much about this place…" Katara looked down as she kept talking, "but...you seemed to be well-respected and well-loved around here. I don't know who would try to cause any harm to you...in fact, I don't know your whole story," she frowned, "but...I really appreciate you taking me in. I...needed someplace to stay. And...since you're being honest...I should be honest too."

Katara closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"...You're right. I am hiding something…" she said as she opened her eyes to look at Toshinori. "I'm...I'm not from here."

Toshinori blinked. "Um...well, I think that's pretty obvious, Katara."

She chuckled. "No, I mean...I'm...I'm really not from...this…" Katara took a brisk sigh. "I'm not from your world."

Toshi...blinked again. "Uh...what now?"

"Well…" Katara blushed a little as she felt embarrassed. "I, uh...I'm not from this world."

"..." Toshinori blinked a third time. "...Um...where are you from, then?"

"...You know, I think I need to show you my...well, my bending."

Toshinori looked at her oddly. "Bending? Um...you bend? What does, uh...what does that mean?"

"...Follow me to the kitchen."

Once Katara asked Toshi to turn on the water to come out(she can't believe the type of technology this world has.), the water was flowing downward into the sink.

"Um...okay. So...uh, actually, I heard that your Quirk can control water by Tsukauchi. Is...that what you're gonna do?" Toshi asked.

"Um, yeah...but, I call it 'bending'." Katara explained.

"Oh...wait, 'bending'? Why is that?"

"Well...we bend the element to our will. Thus, that's why we call it 'bending'. In my case, I can bend water, or anything mixed in it."

"Oh...huh." Toshinori then looked at the running water. "Well, uh...I guess you're gonna show me how you do it then, huh?"

Katara nodded. "Yeah…" She then raised her hands as she gracefully slid into a pose. With fluid, water-like movements, she appeared to be doing a smooth, graceful dance-

...Until Toshinori looked back at the flowing water. The water's path suddenly shifted towards them, the outlet of water going to a controlled path. The water kept floating towards Katara as she 'bent' a growing ball of water, her movements not stopping.

Toshinori looked on in wide-eyed disbelief, wonder, and awe.

"Whoa…" Toshinori mumbled in amazement.

Katara kept going with her movements, until she told him, "Uh, Toshi? You might want to turn off the water now."

Snapping out of his stupor at the unreal display, he quickly rushed over to the sink and turned it off.

Turning back, he stared as Katara was controlling a moderate sized ball of water. She moved her hands around gracefully as she directed the water and controlled it like it was alive, like a floating sea serpent. She twirled, letting the water surround her in a tendril, and then, when she stopped, she gathered all the water into a ball again and...froze it. She made an appropriate-sized ice ball, and then, she let it drop in her hands.

"...Wow," Toshinori said, floored. He then realized something as he blinked. "...Wait!" he pointed at the ice ball. "You can freeze things too!?"

The waterbender shyly smiled, "Heh, yeah, that's, um...part of my bending. Anything water-based, I can also freeze it."

"...You surprise me everyday, Katara."

Katara raised a brow. "You only met me yesterday."

"...Oh. Well, yeah, but…" Toshi rubbed the back of his head. "...Still, some people would call that a Quirk, but...I think that looked like something more to it, didn't it?"

Katara smiled. "Yeah...it has to do with, well, the spirit. Chakras, chi, and all that."

"Ah…" Toshi then put a hand to his chin. "Hmm...so…" he looked at Katara. "You don't have a Quirk, then?"

"Heh, no…" Katara said as she nervously tossed the ice ball to each of her hands.

Toshinori stared at her for a second...and he smiled.

"Heh...wow. That's...quite amazing, Katara." he complimented.

Katara blushed a tiny bit as she held the ice ball with her left hand. "Thanks...so...do you believe me?"

"...Honestly...I shared a secret to you, and you shared a secret to me…" Toshi softly chuckled, "...Man, this is deep."

"I mean, I know you probably won't believe me, but I'm not...well, I'm not crazy. It may sound like it, but...well, what I'm telling you is one-hundred percent truth. And yeah, like you said, you shared something, I share it with you...and this it." Katara held up the ice ball.

"...Different world, huh?"

"...Yeah."

"...Heh. Well, lucky for you, I believe pretty much anything," Toshi said with a smirk.

Katara looked at the thin man, perplexed. "You believe me?"

"Kid, I live in a world where Quirks just popped out of nowhere. And I was one of the unlucky few that didn't have one. Besides, I've encountered even more bizarre stuff on a daily basis," Toshi reasoned. "You coming from another dimension isn't that surprising at this point."

"Uh...okay…" Katara had to blink at that.

Toshi chuckled at her owlish expression. "Don't worry, Katara. I believe you. And your secret is safe with me."

Katara, a little surprised, looked at Toshinori, and just couldn't help but give him a soft sincere smile. "Thank you, Toshi."

Toshi smiled back. He came up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "How about...you tell me all about where you're from? I feel like I need to know your story first."

Katara couldn't help but shed a few tears. Someone other than Tsukauchi believed her...she's really thankful to Yue and whatever Spirit out there decided to send her to where she is now. Not being able to control herself she gave Toshi a hug, almost knocking the thinly man over.

Toshi, surprised by the sudden affection, eventually returned the hug, albeit cautiously, as not to invade her personal space.

...Thanks, Tsukauchi. Toshinori thought, feeling a little tear go down his bony cheek as he smiled.

Patting her back, Toshinori gave her some reassurance.

"...I still think it's kind of creepy that you have a shrine of your mentor," Katara said in a slight joking manner.

"...Um...yes...again, I'm really sorry you had to see that," Toshi coughed in embarrassment.

Katara pulled away and giggled, a hand covering her mouth. "Well, it showed you really did admire her."

Toshi smiled. "That I did."

Katara smiled as well. "...Would, um...would you be willing to tell me your story? I mean, after I tell mine?"

"...I...it's not that I don't trust you, but I...rather keep that a secret for now."

Katara frowned, but she nodded in understanding, "Okay…" she smiled again. "Well then, how about I tell you from the beginning?"

Toshi nodded with a warm smile. "I would like that."

Katara told him everything, her past, her family, and her friends. Toshinori was amazed at what Katara was telling him so far. From what she's saying, there were some people that could bend four elements in her world; water, earth, fire, and air. Similar to his world, not all of the people in her world shared these incredible skills. For example, her brother and his girlfriend lacked the ability to bend, but were nonetheless capable warriors, as well as other enemies that they've fought. She even explained the war that was going on with the Fire Nation and the rest of the nations, the Air Nomad genocide, and most importantly, the Avatar.

"The Avatar is a twelve year boy? Wow...the poor kid. Such responsibility...and his people were all wiped out?" Toshinori mumbled sympathetically.

"Yeah…" Katara frowned at the thought of Aang being the only airbender left...until she thought of something. "But...there could be more."

Toshinori looked at the young girl in question.

"I mean, they are called Air Nomads for a reason, so there is a chance that some of them might've survived..." Katara put a hand to her chin. "Aang would love that...to know that his people might still be out there somewhere." She looked at Toshi, "He basically fought and defeated the Fire Lord. I heard he took his bending away...that ought to be a blow to his ego," she smirked.

Katara was smiling at the memory of the karmic punishment, but Toshi was not. What little color in his cheeks left him as memories of a certain villain returned in full force, his hands latched onto innocent civilians and heroes as their quirks were being stolen from them-

"Toshinori?"

The Number One Hero blinked as he realized that Katara was shaking his arm. All mirth from her face was gone, replaced by confusion and worry. He blinked, and he realized that he reverted back to his hero form.

Letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in, he let out a defeated sigh as he deflated to his true form.

"Sorry...just...had a bad memory," Toshi muttered.

"Oh…" Katara wanted to ask what it was about, but she knew that it would be too much. Whatever memories she accidentally triggered, it had to be terrible enough for him to unconsciously revert back to his hero mode, regardless of his limit.

Toshinori decided to change topics. "But what about you and that Zuko boy?"

"Oh, well...we fought his sister, Azula, and…"

The scar…

"...she was about to hit Zuko with a bolt of lightning and...I leapt in front of him so he wouldn't get hit…"

Toshi then knew what that scar meant.

My word...that was what caused that hole in her shirt?

His eyes widened at the thought.

It looked like it was aimed straight at the heart…

"...Wow." Toshinori mumbled. "You jumped in there without thinking...didn't you?"

Katara blinked at that. "I...well, I, uh...I guess I did."

"...Why is that?"

Katara looked up in puzzlement at the thin man, "Why? Well, he's my...he's my friend."

Toshinori smiled at the girl. "You must care about this Zuko fella."

Blushing a little bit, Katara mumbled. "Well, yeah...I leapt in front of him to get hit by lightning. Of course I care..."

Nodding to that, Toshinori's smile became warm. "The ones that...we care the most, are often the ones that change us for the better."

Katara looked at the man in confusion.

"From what you've told me, he must've changed his mind to join sides because you reminded him of himself and how he lost someone...someone that was important to him."

Blinking at that, it took Katara a minute to figure out what he was guessing.

"Oh…" she looked down at her lap.

My mother…

That's something we both have in common…

"...Yeah…" a bittersweet smile made its way onto her lips.

Seeing that smile made Toshinori smile as well. That tender moment was ruined when a thought occurred to him.

"So, you got that wound on your chest, and you got...transported here?"

"Oh, uh...it's...it's Spirit stuff," Katara said with a little bit of uncertainty in her tone.

Toshi looked at her oddly. "Oh...um…"

"...I don't know myself really. But I'm here for a reason, right?" Katara assured with a shrug.

The Number One Hero sat there to think about that for a second. "...Yeah," he nodded, "maybe you are here for a reason."

Katara looked up at Toshinori. "You think so?"

"I mean...whatever you, uh...believe in, it basically gave you another chance…" Toshi ran his hand over the back of his head. "Sorry, I'm not good at this type of stuff. I mean, I like to think deep, but...I'm just not that good at...explaining it."

The waterbender smiled and giggled. "I get what you mean. Even if you didn't say it."

Smiling at that, Toshi nodded. "Yeah...thanks."

They sat there for a while…

"...So...how will you get back?" Toshinori asked.

Katara's eyes widened a little bit.

Oh...I...haven't talked about that yet, have I?

"Um…" Katara sat there, almost unsure how to answer that question.

...I can't. I can't tell him that. He lost someone that seemed to be family to him...possibly almost like his mother…

She didn't know too much about Toshi's real family (mainly because he didn't like talking about them), but with Nana, she sounded like she was a great woman who took wonderful care of him.

I'm a little concerned though about that picture of her in that swimsuit she was in. She did look younger in it though, to be honest, but...

Shaking her head to clear those strange thoughts, Katara made the decision.

I won't tell him how I'll go back...he doesn't need more turmoil in his life...but how will that affect him if I did somehow die any day now?

Katara still sat there, seemingly lost in thought.

"...Uh, Katara?" Toshi said in concern.

"...I...don't know." Katara finally answered.

"Oh...hmm…" Toshi put a hand to his chin. "...Well, that could be a problem for you."

You have no idea… Katara thought in sorrow.

"Well…" she said, "I'll just...uh, figure out how I'll go back...but until then, I'm perfectly fine with where I am right now." she finished with a smile at Toshinori.

Toshi softly smiled as well. "I'm glad you are." He then took a glance at his watch. "Oh...it's almost around 2:30. We need to get over to that school and sign you up!"

"Oh, um, do I need to go with you?"

"Hmm...well, I would think so. I mean, I have to let them know that I have a kid with me."

"Oh...well, okay…"

"Hey, I'm pretty certain it will be an easy process. Besides, you picked the closest school to go to after all." Toshi reassured her with a smile.

Katara couldn't help but smile at this kind man. "Well...alright then."

And so, Toshinori and Katara went to the school that the latter chose to attend. Sending the school board the documents, it looked like everything checked out for her to enroll in the school. After everything was settled, Katara was now able to attend the school, which she could now let herself be able to learn a lot of stuff about this new world that she's in.

She just has to wait for three days to go to this school, though. Today was something called a 'Thursday', and she had to wait until three days for a 'Monday' to come around.

Until then, Toshi got to show her things that couldn't possibly exist in her world. Things such as the internet, laptops and computers, video game consoles, tablets, television, even books and magazines! As of now, Katara is trying to figure out how to use her phone.

"So...this is called an 'app'?" Katara asked Toshinori as she pointed at the little square that was on the right bottom of the screen of her phone. "And...this app lets me...call people? Even when they're further away?"

Toshinori smiled. "That's right, little lady."

Katara looked at the phone in wonder. "Wow...I never had anything like this in my world."

"Heh, you think that's amazing? You can also watch programs on-the-go with it."

"Really?" Katara turned to Toshi, eyes wide with awe.

"Yep!" nodded Toshinori with a chuckle. "Speaking of which, what kind of, uh...entertainment do you like? We have this thing called 'animation', which is categorized here as 'anime'. They also have another form of animation in the country of America that I stayed for a while, which is called a 'cartoon'."

"Oh...uh, well, I don't particularly know what animation is in general, but...could you give me an example?"

"Certainly!" Toshinori smiled widely. "In fact, let me see your phone for a second."

"Oh, uh, okay," Katara gave her phone to him and Toshi basically went to the app store and tapped an anime streaming service app. "There you go!' He gave it back to her.

Katara looked at the screen and saw the colorful and artsy-looking anime character on the homepage of the anime streaming app. "Whoa...they look...different."

"Heh, yeah, each show has a different style. Oh! This one is a classic! It's, uh...a pretty long series, but the adventure, story, lore, and characters are fantastic! It's about a pirate crew trying to find this legendary treasure and go on epic adventures!"

"One Piece?" Katara said as she looked at the title and the characters. "And...they're pirates?" She raised a brow skeptically. "But... aren't pirates bad?"

"Oh, no, they just want adventure and to follow their dreams separately! They also face a corrupt government and face big-time evil pirates as well! You gotta check out an episode at least! ...But you can definitely skip the filler episodes. Nobody in the history of any anime fan likes filler episodes."

"...Filler...episodes?"

"..." Toshi chuckled again, "Here, Katara, I'll show you…'

And so for the next few days, Katara got associated with the new technology in this world, learned about certain events thanks to the news, and learned a little bit about this country of Japan…

Toshi meanwhile...well, he said he had to go to some 'police meetings' during the night. He did this around the next day and Saturday, but not on Sunday. Katara never asked what the meetings are, but he usually tells her that she can go on to bed if he's out later.

Although, while she did wait, she, in the meantime, gave this anime stuff a shot...and was immediately hooked. She was addicted on that anime that Toshi recommended called 'One Piece' and never stopped watching it since...until she had to charge her phone battery up.

But Toshi was right...this anime was long.

Monday - 7:00 AM

"Uh...do I have to wear this?" Katara asked Toshi as she fiddled with her skirt that stopped to her knees. She was wearing a junior-high school uniform that was sent to her by the school she was going to, which was called Onderon Junior High. It consisted of a long-sleeved purple vest that covered her white buttoned up shirt, which she had a red decorative bow on her collar. Her skirt was dark-blue and at knee-high, while she wore black stockings and penny-loafers.

Toshinori was driving Katara to her new school in his truck, with the ride being just about 3 miles away from his home. The thinly man glanced at the young girl and smiled.

"Well, it's the dress code. Here in Japan, you have to wear your school uniform...well, until you go to college."

"College?" Katara looked at Toshi questionably.

"I mean, I don't know how long you'll be here, but there are numerous colleges around the Tokyo area." Toshi said, as he kept his eyes on the road. "But, again, who knows how...well...you know…" He scratched the side of his head awkwardly with his right hand as his left was on the steering wheel.

"Oh...I mean...y-yeah…" Katara didn't say anything after that.

In fact, the ride was rather pleasant for them. Katara gets to look around her surroundings on where she's at, and observe the school kids that are going off to their designated schools.

If she was honest, she was a little nervous. Katara never actually been to a school before, and she really feels like she's entering unknown territory. She did have an education back at the Southern Water Tribe, but it was very limited. Now she's going to not only a school, but a school in a world that's not her own.

Yes. Nervous...but excited.

Despite the world she was in, she felt like she'd be the odd one out. Then she remembered Mina, and how peculiar she looked.

Yeah...very odd looking indeed. Katara thought. Hm...I wonder if I'll see Mina again?

"Well, here we are!" Toshinori told her as he stopped the truck in front of the school's entrance.

Katara looked at her window and saw the school, the building being three stories high. There were kids her age going inside the facility, the girls wearing the same uniform as her, while the boys have the same vests on, but were wearing dark blue pants with their shoes on.

She looked out the window, suddenly having second thoughts about all of this.

Katara gulped.

Well...this is it.

"Go on, Katara. Let this school give you some knowledge. Not only about this world, but about...about your future." Toshi said with an almost uncertain smile.

Katara looked at the school for a few more seconds, when she took a deep breath. "Yeah...you're right." she turned to Toshinori with a smile, "Thanks, Toshi. I'll do my best."

Now Toshi's smile became warm. "I'm certain you will."

Katara nodded to the man, returning his smile with her own, and turned to open the truck door. Letting herself out, she stood there...and took another deep breath. She closed the door, and Toshi drove off.

...Okay...okay...just...take a step and...just walk to the building like a normal person...in this...world.

Shaking her head a little bit, she took a step…

...And instantly tripped on a crack on the pavement thanks to her new penny-loafers.

"AH!"

Just when she was about to hit the pavement, she felt a hand smacking her on the back.

She blinked, and she realized that despite nobody grabbing onto her back, she was still floating in the air, her face just a foot away from kissing the ground.

"...Huh?" Katara uttered. She thought she was frozen in time, until she discovered that she was able to move her fingers and arms.

I'm...floating…

"Wow! Oh my gosh! You almost fell down face first! That would've been very unlucky!" said a sweet sounding voice.

Katara turned her head to look at who helped her from her embarrassing fall.

The brown-haired girl who she assumed was responsible for this strange phenomenon was wearing the same outfit as she was, telling Katara that she was going to the same school as she was. She had a cute, round face with nearly equally round eyes that sparkled with kindness.

"Uh...t-thank you?" Katara said with a blink.

"Oh, no problem!" the girl said with a sweet smile. "You would have bad luck on your side if I didn't help you out!"

"...What now?"

The girl giggled cutely. "Here, let me help you up."

She then helped Katara up as the waterbender kept floating in place. Once Katara was looking like she's standing, the girl tapped her fingers again together. Katara then felt gravity pulling her down again.

"ACK!" Katara staggered a tiny bit. Once she got her footing, she looked at the girl in awe. "Whoa...wha-what did you do?"

"Oh, that's my Quirk! Zero Gravity! I touch an object with all five pads on my fingers, and then that object will float in the air at zero gravity! When I touch all five pads on my fingers again, it's back to its gravitational mass!" The girl explained. "Oh!" She put a hand to her mouth, "I'm sorry! I didn't introduce myself! My name is Ochako! Uraraka Ochako! What's yours?"

"Um...Ka...Katara. Ka-I mean, Yagi...Katara." Katara said, still floored by what Ochako did.

"Oh, neat!" Ochako said with a bright smile. "Hey, you must be a new student! I've never seen you around here before!"

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm, uh...I'm new."

"Well, hey, why don't I show you around the whole campus? Oh! What's your Quirk, if I may ask?"

"Oh, uh...controlling...water."

"Whoa! Wow, really!" Ochako said with stars in her eyes. "That's like, really super interesting! You got to show me some time!"

"Oh, uh...okay, sure," Katara said with a small smile.

And soon, the two girls made their way to the school grounds and entered the building, while Katara listening to Ochako go on about what the school has to offer.

Once they were inside, it seemed that Katara and Ochako shared the same classroom. Katara looked around to see different kids with different quirks and appearances. Ochako told her she could pick any desk for her to sit in, and the waterbender picked the one that was closest to Ochako.

Katara thought Ochako was an interesting girl. She was bubbly, and she always said the weirdest things, which honestly made her laugh. Katara also learned that she was living in a difficult position, where her father's construction business wasn't doing so well, and she and her family had to be frugal with their money (which Katara later learned that the currency here was yen). They basically hit it off.

The teacher welcomed Katara as a new exchange student from somewhere, that place being 'Okinawa', which Toshi said was a lower prefecture of Japan. After introducing herself (rather awkwardly), Katara sat next to Ochako and experienced what her first school day was like.

"You...want me to use my ben-uh, Quirk on...this thing?" Katara asked as she pointed at the water fountain.

"Mm-hmm!" Ochako nodded fervently in excitement. "This will be perfect! I'll turn on the water fountain, and you get to control the water like you said!"

"Uh...okay…" Katara just decided to roll with it.

"Okay!" Ochako then pushed the button of the water fountain, and a spring of water came out.

Seeing the action made Katara pause as she looked at the water shooting upward as it curved down to splatter on the metal base.

Wow...how does it do that?

Realizing that Ochako was waiting for her to demonstrate her 'quirk', Katara snapped back into reality, and then, with a wave of her hand, she gathered some water from the fountain instantly and bent it to her will.

Turning off the water fountain, Ochako looked on in wonder.

"Oooh! Whoaaa!" Her eyes sparkled, her mouth forming an 'o'. "Wow! That's how you use your Quirk?"

"Yeah. I just...wave and gesture my hand around until the water is under my control," Katara explained lamely as she let her hand move back and forth in a wavy fashion while controlling the water. "I also go into different stances to perform certain kinds of attacks."

I don't think I can explain the concept of chi and chakras to her...I guess I just have to explain it as simply as I can, Katara thought.

"Certain attacks?" Ochako asked as she had a cute look of confusion. She then giggled as she covered her mouth. "You sound like you're trying to train yourself to be a Hero!"

Katara blinked as she kept controlling the water. "A Hero?"

"Oh! I mean, if you are, then that's really cool! Great even!" Ochako backtracked. "I just didn't think you would be so intent on being one so soon! Oh, hey! When did you decide that you wanted to become a Hero?"

"Wha-I...um, w-well…" Katara hasn't thought about the prospect of being a Hero...but she guessed that saving her world was considered Hero-worthy. Still, she's stuck here now in this world with people that have very amazing abilities called Quirks. She wouldn't think that being a Hero (or Heroine?) in this world was her top priority.

...Although, maybe she can do some help...she does like to help people. And Heroes are meant to help people, right?

I never turn my back on people when they need it!

Katara furrowed her brows in thought as she kept controlling the water into an amorphous ball of liquid.

"...Oh! I'm sorry!" Ochako said, her face showing slight embarrassment. "I didn't know it was personal! I was just curious! Honest!"

"Huh?" Katara looked at the brunette, and almost dropped her ball of water, "Oh! Uh, no, I was just...I never really gave it any full thought."

Now Ochako blinked. "You didn't?"

"Well...I mean, I would probably like to someday. I mean…" Getting tired of controlling the water, she froze it into an ice ball.

"WHAAA!?" Ochako said with wide eyes. "You can freeze water too!?"

Startled by Ochako's exclamation, Katara, as soon as the ice ball went to her hands, juggled the ice ball in her hands, until it broke into pieces on the floor.

...The two girls stood there, looking at the ice debris.

"...Um...yes?" Katara said sheepishly.

"...THAT'S SO COOL!" Ochako exclaimed in excitement.

"Uh…" Katara blinked. "Tha...Thanks...?"

"What else can you do with your Quirk!?" Ochako had to ask.

"Oh, well, I…"

Control blood.

She shook her head at the thought. "Well, I just control anything that has water in it."

Ochako gasped. "Oh...my...GOSH! That is super cool! Like, you can control anything that's water-based!?"

"Y-Yeah." Katara looked down at the broken pieces of ice scattered on the floor. Then, with a wave of her hand, she used her bending to gather all of the ice particles and form it into water again.

That amazed Ochako even more.

"WHOA!" Ochako exclaimed in surprise

Almost dropping her water once again, Katara formed the water into a ball, and asked Ochako, "Hey, uh, could you open the window so I can dump this out?"

"Oh! Sure!" Ochako said with a beaming grin. She went to the window and loosened the latch, opening it. "Okay! Now you can get rid of the evidence! Hehe!"

Katara looked at her weird, but smiled nonetheless and she bent the water out of the window.

I hope no one is on the ground floor right now. Katara thought.

"Oh man! You definitely have to be a Hero!" Ochako said as she rocked back and forth a bit on her tiptoes.

"Um, you mean Heroine?" Katara corrected.

"Either way! I mean, I really want to try to be a Rescue Hero, but you, on the other hand, have so much potential to be an actual Pro Hero!"

"Oh, uh...wow, um...okay?" Katara said a little sheepishly. "I mean, are you saying I should be someone like All Might?"

"All Might?" Ochako blinked. "Well, All Might is a whole different level, really. Some don't even know what his Quirk is!"

"Oh…" That would be a good time for Katara to not to say anything of the sort about Toshinori's Quirk. So with that, she said nothing, letting her friend continue.

"Yeah! It's still a mystery! But still, maybe you can be like Endeavour! Well, except for the hot temper and the fire, heh. I just meant you can be like an element Hero or something!"

"Endeavour?"

"Ha, yeah, not a very good comparison, but you get what I mean!"

"...Uh, o-okay."

Ochako giggled, "But still, I want to make it to the top school in Japan! UA! That's where all the first class Heroes work and teach students like us to be top Heroes!"

"Uh...UA?"

The brunette laughed sheepishly. "Yeah, I'm really reaching it, but hey! You never know! Although, I just want to become a great Rescue Hero…" She then poked her fingers together as she looked embarrassed. "Also, I would love to make a lot of money just to support my family."

"Wait...you get paid doing Hero work?" Katara asked incredulously.

Ochako blinked at Katara again. "Well, yeah. You got to make a living somehow."

...Katara doesn't know how to feel about that. "I...just thought helping people would be good enough?" she asked in question.

"Oh, yeah! I totally agree!" Ochako nodded, "But, sometimes saving people doesn't always pay the bills, sad to say."

The bills? "Uh..."

BING-BONG! BING-BONG!

"Oh! That's the warning bell! We got to go to our next class!" Ochako told Katara. "Come on!" she rushed over down the hall, leaving a baffled Katara behind.

"..Huh," Katara glanced down in thought.

...I wonder what they teach at UA?

"Hey, Katara! You okay!? We gotta go!" Ochako said in the hallway

Katara decided to ponder that another time. "Uh, right!" She then rushed after Ochako.

Katara's first school day was quite...exciting, to be honest. She learned a good amount of Japanese history, science, math, and even calligraphy.

Once the final school bell rang, Katara and Ochako were outside of the school as they were walking through the campus.

"So, how was your first day?" Ochako asked Katara as they were walking.

"It was...pretty fun," Katara answered honestly.

"Really? Haha! I actually hate to learn stuff like biology! A lot of hard, scientific terms and words. Like photosynthesis is just plants giving out air, just say that!"

Katara laughed. "That part was interesting, I have to say!"

"Yeah, it can only be fun if you know what it is," Ochako made a pouty face. "I have to make an essay on it."

Katara giggled, as both girls exited the campus. She stopped on the sidewalk and waited while Ochako kept walking.

"Huh? Why did you stop?"

"Oh! Well...my uncle is picking me up." Katara told her.

And that's my cover. The niece of Yagi Toshinori.

"Oh! Well, okay! So you have family here? Where in Okinawa do you live?"

"Uh…" Katara froze at the question.

HONK-HONK!

Katara jumped at the sound, as did Ochako. Soon, a truck came driving up the curbside of the school.

"Oh! That's my ride!" Katara said with a smile.

She went over to the passenger side seat and opened the door. "Hey, Toshi!"

Toshinori smiled at the girl. "Hey there, Katara! How was school?"

"Oh, it was really great! Oh! Hold on," Katara then went to Ochako and grabbed her arm, pulling her to meet Toshi, "I met a friend today! This is Ochako! Uraraka Ochako! Ochako, this is Toshi!"

"Oh hi! Nice to-" Ochako said with a bright smile...until she actually looked at the man. Her smile froze, almost looking like it's forced now, as her eyes and expression were giving off a shocked and horrified look as she stared at Toshinori.

"...Um...hey there!" Toshi said with a wave and a smile at Ochako.

"...H-Hi…" Ochako stuttered as she shook in fear.

Katara saw Ochako's expression and assured her, "Oh, don't worry! Toshi is a sweetheart!"

Toshinori chuckled. "Why thank you, Katara! I try to be the biggest sweetheart there is."

"Uh...okay!" Ochako said, feeling a little calmer after Katara's words. "Um...w-well, it's nice meeting you, Mr. Yagi!"

Toshinori chuckled. "Same to you, young one."

Ochako laughed nervously. "Well...okay then!"

She turned towards the waterbender. "It was nice meeting you, Katara! I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay? We should totally hang out again!"

Katara smiled. "Yeah! That would be great!" She climbed into the truck, and said to Ochako, "I'll see you tomorrow then!"

"Yeah! See ya!"

They said their goodbyes, and Katara closed the truck door, with Toshi driving them away.

Katara sat in her seat and took a sigh. "Thanks for picking me up, Toshi."

"Oh it's no problem, Katara!" Toshinori said as he glanced at her with a smile. "It seems like you made another new friend at your school! She seems like a nice girl."

"Yeah, she is! She's very cheerful and funny, and actually told me some stuff about Heroes a bit."

"Oh? What did she say?"

"That they...well, they get paid for doing what they do."

"Oh...well, there are Hero Agencies around the city and around other towns. Some Heroes have to make a living, you know."

"Oh, okay..." Katara was silent for a second. "...Do you have a Hero Agency?"

Toshinori smiled a little sheepishly at Katara as he glanced while driving, "I, uh...actually do. But I don't go there a lot...you know, because of looking like this and all."

Katara blinked. "Oh...so...do you..." She looks awkward to say it, but managed to mumble, "Do you do Hero work for the money, or...?"

"Hm?" Toshi glanced at her with a blink of his own. "Oh, uh...well..." Toshi looked ahead as he drove. "...Not really. I don't help people because of money. I'm not that type of agency. I mean, I bet there are a lot of agencies out there that save people because they do want to save people, but...it doesn't put food on the table. But really...I just basically want to be a Hero because I want to. Not for fame, money, or to make myself feel better or anything. I want to save people and help them out the best that I can. To let them live out a future, thinking that they can make a difference out there in the world whether they have a Quirk or not..."

The waterbender looked at the thin man, her eyes...filled with absolute awe.

Toshinori glanced at Katara and saw her expression. Blinking at this reaction, he turned his head to look at the road he's driving. "Um...w-was I being weird, or...?"

Snapping out of her initial awe, Katara said, "Oh, no! It's just...that's very admirable of you, Toshi. You just...being a Hero to many people and inspiring them, not thinking once about making a profit."

Toshinori smiled sheepishly, "Heh...well, I just do what the right thing is, honestly."

Katara couldn't help but smile at the man. "That's what everyone should do, I would think."

"Heh, indeed."

They drove in silence for a while.

When they were almost reaching Toshinori's home, Katara decided to ask, "Hey, Toshi…"

Toshinori glanced at Katara, "Yeah?"

"...I think I want to go to a Hero School."

Toshi looked back at the young woman in surprise as he drove. "You do?"

Katara thought about it, before nodding, "Yeah. I do."

"...Oh! Well...where do you want to go?"

"...Have you heard of a place called UA?"

- (End of Chapter) -

Chapter Text

Toshi almost lost control of his steering wheel as he swerved a bit on the road.

"Whoa-hey!" Katara held onto the hand-gripper on the car door as she felt like she was being tossed around a little bit in the truck.

Once Toshi got control of the wheel, he blabbered out as he glanced at her flabbergasted. "UA!?"

Katara, recovering from the truck's near derailment, looked back at him in confusion. "Um...y-yeah?"

Toshi looked at her for a second, until he remembered that he was still driving. Looking back at the road in front of him, he drove up to a traffic light as it shined red, signaling them to stop, which Toshinori did.

Katara looked at him, still confused about his reaction. "Um…"

Toshinori turned his head back to Katara. "So, uh...UA, huh?"

"...Yes?"

"...Wow. Um...that's a, uh...pretty prestigious school."

"Uh, yeah...I heard it is…"

"..."

The traffic light turned blue.

As they drove back to Toshi's home, Katara sat there in silence along with her semi-surrogate caretaker being quiet as well.

As soon as they reached the small driveway to Toshi's home, and as soon as he parked his truck and shut it off, the frail man turned to Katara and said, "Well...I think you should go for it."

"Oh," Katara turned her head to Toshi with a blink. "Uh...okay."

"Yeah." Toshi nodded. "Just, uh...don't think it'll be a walk in the park."

"Um...okay…"

"I mean, not only will they test you and your ability to save people when using your powers- I mean, uh, bending, for good, but you need the education as well."

"Oh, uh, yeah, I, um, I know...I learned photosynthesis today."

"Ah! Well, great! That's a start!" Toshi said with a smile.

"Heh, yeah…" Katara sat there as she was left to think things over. She then asked Toshi, "Which Hero school did you go to, Toshi?"

"Oh, well...actually, I went to UA myself."

Katara's eyes widened a bit at that. "Really? You went to UA?"

"Oh, yeah. It was...really hard stuff...but it was quite meaningful and informative. The teachers back then were a little rough on ya, but they knew what they were doing...but they weren't really all that bad."

"Oh...so...this was when you had your quirk that Nana passed on to you?" Katara asked.

Toshinori explained a little bit of his Quirk to her yesterday when she asked him about it. It was...quite interesting. He didn't say everything about it, but it's supposed to enhance one's unique Quirk significantly...or in Toshi's case, his...physical strength? He didn't go too much into that, but honestly, with someone who hasn't used a Quirk, it was an impressive feat on its own.

However, that was in his prime, from what she gathered from him.

"Yep! Had to learn the ropes of Heroism and try to regulate my Quirk...again, it wasn't easy."

"Hmm...I bet it wasn't…"

They sat in the truck for a moment before Toshinori eventually spoke again.

"...Katara, can I tell you something? It involves UA."

"Huh?" Katara looked up at Toshi, "Uh...okay."

"...Now before I tell you this, I don't want you to tell anyone this as well, cause...I don't want the press to catch wind of this."

"Press?"

"The news."

"Oh. Uh...okay. What, um...what is it, Toshi?"

"...I'm gonna teach there."

Katara blinked at that. "What? Really?"

"Yes." Toshi nodded. "I was asked for the job from someone who knows my secret as well."

"Someone also knows your secret?" Katara raised a brow. "How many people know your secret?"

"Um...well, there's Naomasa, and...well, I guess I'll say that another member of the faculty knows as well. She's the nurse there, her name's Recovery Girl. And as for the person who asked me for the job, that would be the Principal of UA."

"Oh...so...three people know who you really are?" Katara asked, almost a little incredulously.

"Yeah...that might sound like a lot, but they're very good at keeping secrets." Toshi paused for a second. "...Just so I can be reassured, you didn't say anything about who I really was at your school, did you?"

Katara gave him a deadpan stare.

"...Heh. Just wondering." Toshi said sheepishly with a sweatdrop.

"..." Katara just rolled her eyes, "No, Toshi, I didn't. You don't have to worry about that. I know how to keep secrets as well."

"Ah! Good! I mean, I never doubted you, I just, uh...I can never be too careful, you know?"

Katara snorted. "I guess I can see why you would be a little cautious." She then went back to the topic at hand. "So you're teaching at UA, huh?" she smirked. "That just makes me all the more motivated to go now."

Toshi chuckles. "Yeah, me and my big mouth..." Toshi gave Katara a somewhat serious look. "But...are you sure? I mean, I'm not trying to change your mind, it's just...the entrance exams from what I remembered were pretty brutal."

"Oh, well...what do you do in the entrance exams?"

"Well, for one thing, you take a written test...believe it or not, that's the easy part."

"Uh...alright then. What else?"

"Oh, uh, weeelll...you have to destroy some robots to earn some points...in a fake, but realistic model of a city, which would be the REAL test site...there are a lot of robots in this test site, by the way."

"Um, okay. Robots...the artificial beings, you mean?"

"Yep! The ones that are made of metal. BUT! This, though, what we're driving in, is an au-to-mo-bil-e. We operate it. Robots are totally different. They move on their own, programmed to do one thing...or...two, or...three things...just know that robots move on their own, okay?"

"...Okay." Katara said with a bewildered look on her face.

"Right! Okay then, so...you have to destroy each of these robots to gain points. Oh! There are also rescue points! Those are gained when you help out anyone in need, whether the person is simulated or real. And those real people would be the other examiners that are trying to get in, just so you know. So, whoever has the highest points or did the best performance of rescuing for the judges to see, they will be accepted into UA."

"Oh...well, that doesn't sound so hard."

"...It doesn't?" Now Toshi blinked.

"Toshi, I dealt with a lot of obstacles in my world. To a sexist Water Tribe Chief, to a crazed Fire Nation Princess, to a corrupted Earth Kingdom capital city, to hordes of Fire Nation armies, to huge Spirits, to an invasion, and to listening to my older brother's complaining. I think I can handle some robots and a test." Katara said with a smirk, arms crossed in a cocky way, and her eyebrow raised cheekily.

"...Uh...okay then," Toshi said with another blink.

Katara chuckled. "Don't worry, Toshi, I'm more mature than you think."

"Uh, heh...yeah…" Toshi smiled a little bit at the waterbender, until it went down as he asked somberly, "You really had to grow up quickly back in your world, huh?"

Looking down at her lap with a small frown, Katara mumbled, "Yeah…"

"Hmm…" Toshi lowered his gaze as well, this time downward to his steering wheel. "...It can be a scary feeling."

"...Yeah…"

They sat there in silence again, until Katara broke it by asking, "So...did you take the job offer because you really want to teach kids on how to be a Hero, or...?"

Toshi turned his head at the girl. "Oh, well…" he glanced at the windshield for a moment.

...Should I tell her? thought Toshinori.

He doesn't know if he should tell her that he was actually looking for a successor to obtain One For All. He may have told her that his Quirk was passed down to him by Nana, but he didn't tell her that he could do that as well when the Quirk was acquired. Heck, he didn't even tell her that the Quirk is called One For All, and how there were more successors before Nana...

Hm...I probably shouldn't. Not that I don't trust her, it's just...well, there's no need for me to tell her everything about One For All at this moment...

"...Toshi?" Katara asked him, wondering why he was silent.

Toshi jumped in his seat, "Oh!" He turned his head back at the girl. "Uh, sorry! I-I mean...well, yeah, I guess I just want to teach kids on how to be a Hero, really...there's really nothing more for me to say on that, honestly."

"Oh...okay," Katara nodded at that. "...So, the next school year starts somewhere around April, right? Which it's, um...early next year in your world?"

"Oh yeah! The beginning of April! That's when I'll start my teaching job at UA as well!"

"Okay," Katara looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hm...well, I guess I need to get serious on my education then."

The thin man smiled at the waterbender. "Heh, now that's the spirit! As the saying goes, 'Knowledge is Power!'" He opens the driver's door. "Say, do you have any homework? I could, uh, help you with some of it if you, well...want me to."

Katara smiled kindly at Toshinori. "You know what? That would be great."

Roughly a month has passed and it was August. Katara was getting the hang of everything that's in the school system of Japan, and was actually doing quite well learning a lot of things, such as Japanese history, the scientific basics, mathematics, and as well as learning another language called 'English'. She was a natural genius, or that is to say, a fast learner. She has to thank the family genes for that. At times, Katara hung out with Ochako after school, going to the McDonalds (which Katara recognized from the golden arches), going shopping for a new attire to hanging out with other friends of Uraraka's.

They even discussed different kinds of Heroes and what kind of occupations they do, from Thirteen (Ochako's favorite Hero), Kamui Woods, to Mount Lady. Katara also learned quite a lot about other Heroes and their Quirks, from what they can do to what they can't do. For instance, Kamui Woods's weakness is, of course, fire, while Mount Lady couldn't squeeze through buildings or else she would cause property damage to the buildings around her.

Katara was even beginning to see that Hero work was...well, a lot of work from the sounds of it. From keeping the peace to constantly rescuing people from emergencies or villains, she began to see why some Heroes would want to get paid for doing this kind of stuff.

It was all very fascinating for Katara as she learns more and more about the world she's currently living in...

...Although, Katara really wonders what Toshi is doing in these 'police meetings' that he says he's always attending. She doesn't know too much about this police system that goes on in this advanced and modern world, but she would think Toshi, or even All Might, wouldn't be able to keep going to these meetings for so long if he has to do Hero work. He said that he was doing some work for Tsukauchi and the police force, but even then, if he was using his All Might form to do so, as he won't reveal his true form to the other officers, then that would lower his limit on using it...right?

Either way, he must really have an effect on this police force.

Middle of Autumn, Beginning of October

"Bye! I'll see you later, Katara!" Ochako said with a smile as she waved back to the waterbender as she power-walked away in the distance.

"See ya around, Ochako!" Katara said with a smile and a wave as well. She went her separate way down the sidewalk, passing streets, businesses, homes, and cafes, going through her daily route back to Toshi's home...to her home now, to be precise.

Home...she never thought she would call Toshi's place her own home now...

As she kept walking, backpack strapped onto her back and still wearing her school uniform, she stopped at an intersection and waited until the crosswalk sign light saying "STOP" turned into the "WALK" symbol.

She learned a bit about interacting, using, and operating some of the technology around here with flying colors. She got used to the phone she has, finding different apps for her interest, and using the feature on it known as "texting", and has been using a laptop to research things for her homework, as well as info on the world she's living in. She even has been using modern kitchen appliances on how to cook certain things, even using the stove and the microwave!

She also watches TV at times to see what kind of 'plays' (or movies and TV programming as it's called here) people tend to view. Mostly, she liked some of the romance-comedies, the action movies where they include a strong female character fighting the bad guys (although, she did like watching the guys fight the bad guys as well in these movies), and the occasional animated movies that come on. For the animated movies, there were different types of animation, and she really wondered why there were so many animated styles, such as CG animation and as Toshi called anime and cartoons '2D animation'. She did enjoy all of them, but the CG animated movies make things look a little too real-looking for her. She mostly prefers the 2D style of animation, as it was labeled as 'old school animation' by Toshi. Currently, the anime Katara was watching was called One Piece, which used quality old-school animation and storytelling.

As soon as the crosswalk light sign changed, Katara walked across the street with the rest of the bystanders. When she reached the other intersection, she stopped and looked to her left.

There were more lined-up shops, businesses, and other cafes on each side of the street, but could make out a beach in the distance.

She always thought about going to the beach to practice her waterbending, but couldn't because of the regulations of not using ones' 'Quirk' out in public…

Which is so unfair. It was bending, not a Quirk!

Either way, she didn't get to practice her bending all that much...she feels like she's getting a little rusty with it, honestly...

"...Hmm…" Katara stood there in thought.

Maybe...

...She can make a little detour before going home.

Before she could turn to her left and go up the street though, Katara got her phone out and told Toshi that she'll be a little later (she said she was gonna sight-see around the city). He replied back, telling her to be careful and come home around four, which Katara couldn't help but smile fondly at Toshi's parental demeanor. She kind of wished she had that when she was little…

Katara's smile went down just a bit.

Dad couldn't help it. He had a war to go to…

Sighing, she nodded and replied to Toshi to confirm that she will be home at that time. She then went up the sidewalk of the street to the beach up ahead.

As she passed blocks and businesses and came up to the road where the beach is on the other side of it, she realized something...

"...Oh...this is the same beach I came out of," Katara muttered, her tone a little surprised.

It was still littered with junk and trash around the area, along with the scrap metal and other used appliances, such as stoves, refrigerators, microwaves, and other electronics. There were even some cars and trucks laid to waste on the beach!

Frowning at the misuse of this recreational area, Katara crossed the street and went to the sandy shore.

Maneuvering through the junk that was on the beach, Katara eventually came up to the ocean, the small waves rushing up to her penny loafers. She looked out over the distance of the sea, watching the seagulls fly above the vast waters as the ocean water sparkled pristinely.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the beach air...and the junk that surrounded her. Her nose crinkled and she opened her eyes. Looking around the debris that was gathered here, she surveyed the area around her.

"...Why would anyone dump their trash here?" Katara mumbled to herself. She remembered it being close to night when she arrived on this world and seeing a lot of the junk on the beach…

...Actually, as she stood there on the shore, she noticed the whole beach looked a little...more spread out than usual?

Like, it was more...open?

...

...Has someone been cleaning up this beach recently?

Katara shook her head. Well, I didn't fully grasp everything that was around me at the time. She looked down at the waves that were coming up to the shore.

She pursed her lips in thought.

I...could try to practice my bending a bit...I mean, there's no one here...hopefully. Besides, the piles of metal junk here would obscure me...yeah, I'll just do a little bit of my bending for maybe…

Katara got her phone out and looked at the time.

3:00 PM

"...Maybe thirty minutes." Katara said to herself.

So with her backpack on and still in her school uniform, she got in a waterbender stance and began to pull and push her hands at the waves that were coming onto the sandy shore.

A Little While Ago...

Man, I hate lying to my mom in text...actually, doing that is a lot easier. At least I don't have to lie to her face.

Midoriya Izuku was walking over to the beach that's assigned by All Might for him to do community service. As of now, though, he decided to try to do some extra training today, a little more than usual in the workout plan. Plus Ultra! was the motto, after all. He went straight there after school, even before Katsuki could utter a word to him.

Well, either way, I can't let All Might down. If I'm gonna be a successor to him and get a Quirk, I need to do...this completely grueling workout plan...or whatever he calls it. Great American Plan? If that's true, then Americans push themselves way too much.

As soon as Izuku arrived at the beach, which he took a shortcut to enter from the left side of it, he took a deep breath. Scrap metal was right in front of him, and he has to do the agonizing and almost impossible task of cleaning up the whole beach...in the span of ten months.

Granted, he got some progress done...he thinks. Everything on the sandy shore looked...better, he would say…

But it wasn't good enough.

He had to clean everything up.

Sighing, Izuku's posture slumped as he mumbled, "Okay...let's get this over with."

And so, the messy broccoli green-haired boy took a deep breath, and unbutton his school uniform shirt, took it off, fold it, and rest it on an old freezer. He began pulling an old radiator with a rope from behind him for several minutes, trying to summon every strength that he has to even make it budge.

I know I'm over-pushing myself here...but I have to make All Might see that I can do it! To obtain his Quirk! This could be the only chance!

Izuku kept pulling the radiator, feeling his shoulders about to give in from the weight he was pulling. As soon as he and the radiator moved at least two inches, something in his peripheral vision caught him off guard.

"Huh?" Izuku stopped pulling for a moment to turn to his right.

From what he could make through the piles of kitchen appliances, rusted metal, and other junk around here, there was a silhouette passing by each of them.

"...Someone's here?" Izuku asked himself in curiosity.

Untieing the rope around himself, he went over to where this mysterious figure was going. Making sure he wasn't seen, he hid behind several metal objects and appliances, even behind a couple of cars.

As soon as he was near the ocean, he hid behind an old refrigerator and peeked around it.

It was a brown-haired and tanned-skinned girl in her school uniform, and she was...doing some weird motions and gestures.

Izuku blushed a bit.

Wow. She's pretty...

But back to what the girl was doing, she seemed to be pushing and pulling her hands out in front of her...rather gracefully, he might add.

And then...the water from the waves of the ocean were going up.

Izuku's eyes widened in shock.

The water...was being controlled? He looked at the girl again and saw that she was pulling the water away from its source. She then moved her hands fluidly around as the water was following its movements.

The water was being controlled by her!

Whoa...is that her Quirk? Izuku wondered.

But as soon as the girl moved around and let the water swirl around her, she looked at where Izuku was...

Her eyes widened at the single audience member that was viewing her. She dropped the water and it splashed on the sand.

Izuku jumped as he squeaked, and tried to hide behind the refrigerator. "I-I-I'm sorry! I just, uh, I just thought no one was here on this beach! I-I-I mean, I, uh, d-don't mind me, I'm just-I mean, no! I, uh, I-I-I-I-"

"Whoa, hey, um, calm down there," the girl told him as she approached Izuku, "I, uh, didn't mean to startle you."

Oh crap! She's coming this way! What do I do!? Izuku thought in a panic. I never spoke to a girl before! I mean, well, not all by myself! And she's pretty too! Oh man, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do, what do I-

"Uh...are you alright?" the girl asked him as she's now in front of him.

Izuku, who was looking down at the ground, now looked up and froze as he was slightly up-close to the girl.

"AH!" Izuku jumped, blushing up a storm as he put his hands up in order to defend himself from whatever.

OH CRAP, SHE'S EVEN CUTER UP CLOSE!

"Whoa there, buddy." The girl said in reassurance with her hands raised to calm Izuku down. "Calm down. Uh, what's...your, um, name?"

"..."

Did...Did she ask for my name? ...OH! M-My name! Y-Yeah! Uh-

"I-It's Izu-zuku…"

...I just told my first name to this pretty girl. Why did I do that? WHY DID I DO THAT!? What will she think?! I'm not hitting on her or anything, I just wasn't thinking! Oh  shit !

"Oh, uh, alright. My-"

"I MEAN, IT'S MIDORIYA!"

...

"...Oh. Uh...okay…" the girl said hesitantly as she looked at him in perplexment. "So...which one...is it?"

"...Oh." Izuku, feeling embarrassed, placed a hand on the back of his head as he rubbed it. "Um...w-well, my, uh...my last name is Midoriya. Izu-...Izuku is my first name..."

"Oh...well, um...my name is Katara. That's my…"

...

Wait, should I tell him my supposed surname? I mean, I just barely know this guy, and...well, he acted kind of weird back there... Katara thought. I probably should...oh! But I'm supposed to say the last name first! Oh man! Uuugh...well, what's done is done. I might as well just go along with it.

"...uh, that's my name, Katara!" Katara said with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, uh...o-okay." Izuku smiled hesitantly as he nodded.

Well, great job, Izuku. You probably made her uncomfortable...no, there's no 'probably', I think I pretty much made her super cautious of me. Ugh, stupid! And this is the first time in a very long time that I'm actually talking to a pretty girl!

...No one said anything for a second...

"...So...Izu-I mean, uh, Midoriya, um...what are you doing on this junky beach?" Katara asked Izuku.

"Oh!" Izuku froze for a second. "Um...w-well…"

Oh, crap, crap! I can't tell her what I'm really doing here! All Might told me not to say anything about this on him training me and getting a Quirk and...shit! I can't tell her any of that! But I don't l want to look like a freak or anything! She might think I was staring at her or something! Oh crap, crap, crap! What do I say!?

Katara looked at him expectantly, while raising an eyebrow at him.

...I mean, I could just say that I'm training...without including All Might helping me with the training, that is. And I could tell her that I'm...trying to get into UA...oh hell, why not? I mean, I already made a stupid impression on myself, so it's not like she'll think I'm amazing or anything. I mean, I don't have a Quirk yet...hopefully…

He glanced at Katara...who's starting to have an uncomfortable expression on her face, shifting in place and looking like she's finding a way out of this.

...Oh shit. Maybe I should say something now...aw, man. Yeah, just get it over with...

"I'm…"

Katara looked at Izuku with a blink.

"...I'm training for when I go to UA."

Katara looked...surprised, her eyes wide and her mouth forming an 'o'.

Well, that's expected. Now she'll ask me for my Quirk, which...I don't have...shit, I have to think up a Quirk! I can't say that I'm Quirkless, unless she just wants to laugh and ridicule me.

"I, uh-"

"Wow, you too?" Katara said in surprise.

"...Eh?" Izuku now blinked at Katara. "Wait...you're going to UA too?"

Katara smiled in excitement. "Yeah. I was just here to get my-um...uh-" She looked a little embarrassed as she cleared her throat. "My, uh, 'Quirk' working over here."

"Oh…" Izuku looked at the seawater coming up the shore as it shrunk back into the ocean. "Oh. So...that's your Quirk? Water manipulation?"

"Yeah! Water manipulation! But, uh...I just, um...call it 'bending'." Katara said with what hoped to be a nonchalant shrug.

"Bending?" Izuku said, intrigued. He then put a hand to his chin. "Huh...bending. I guess it makes sense, since it's 'bending' the water to its will. The term 'bending' could also mean she could bend the molecules, thus the water, since it doesn't have a firm shape as well as being a formless mass, could probably move in every direction freely. But could it also mean that she could attract the molecules by some sort of form of outlet, or does it-murmur murmur murmur murmur..."

Izuku kept on murmuring, which Katara looked on, baffled.

"...Um..." Katara blinked. "Uh...are you okay?"

"-and maybe-huh?" Izuku looked up and blinked as well. "...Oh!" Eyes widened slightly, he began to stutter again, "U-U-U-Uh, I-I'm, um, I'm so sorry! I, uh, I-I tend to do that! I-I mean, I analyze Quirks! Wait-I mean, I-I just like Quirks! I mean...uh…"

Still blinking at the young man, Katara just looked at him like he grew a second head.

...Whoa. This guy has some serious anxiety problems. Katara thought with a frown filled with pity. She decided to calm him down by saying, "Hey, it's okay. Really. I'm glad that my, um, 'Quirk' interests you."

"...You are?" Izuku asked in shock.

"Well, yeah." Katara said with a kind smile. "Hey, if you're planning to go to UA, then what's your Quirk?

"Uh...well, I…"

Hoo boy. Moment of truth here… Izuku frowned, looking dejected. "I…" He sighed, "...I don't have a Quirk."

Katara's smile turned into a confused frown. "You don't?"

"Yeah...I know, I probably should give up at this point, huh?" Izuku said with his head low.

Blinking at his dejected statement, Katara looked at the boy with shock. "What?"

"I mean...I know I'm Quirkless, but...I…" Izuku gave a determined frown, "...I don't care. Someone...someone told me that I can be a Hero...and I'm gonna follow through with that. I'm gonna get to UA and learn from the best, and I'm gonna prove to everyone that I can be a great Hero!"

Katara looked at Izuku for a moment, her gaze slightly in awe. She had heard from Toshi that some of the people who were Quirkless weren't once at all looked over in society. While she found that to be downright horrible and cold, he said that that was the sad reality. Either way, Katara was glad that her brother wasn't here. He'd have the worst time in this world.

Buty to see this boy, Izuku, shrug off the comments from others about a Quirkless person couldn't be a Hero...

Wow...he doesn't have a Quirk...he's...almost like Toshi. Yet, he's still going...even without a Quirk...that's…

"...Wow...that's really admirable," Katara said to him.

"...I-I'm sorry?" Izuku said looked up from the sand to Katara, his expression looking quite surprised. Out of all the things he was expecting for people to react to what he said, he wasn't expecting that.

Katara smiled warmly. "Yeah. That's very commendable. I say go for it. And if that someone told you can do it, then you should."

"...Oh...um...t-thanks..." Izuku said, dumbfounded. Did someone else...just told him he should live out his long-life dream?

Is she...is she messing with me?

He looks at the girl and sees that her eyes sparkle a sincerity, a warm sincerity that told him that she meant every word.

"...Wow...I…"

Someone else...believes I can do it. I mean, I just met this girl, but…

"...Do you...really think can I be a Hero? Even if it's someone as Quirkless as me?" Izuku asked her.

Katara tilted her head and looked at him puzzled. "Well, yeah. It doesn't matter if you're Quirkless or not, you can still be a Hero."

Izuku just stared at Katara...his vision was getting blurry, and he soon realized that his eyes were watering...

Upon seeing Izuku tearing up, Katara frowned in concern. "Hey, are you alright?"

"...Yeah...I'm…" Izuku wiped his eyes with his arm sleeve as he sniffled, "I...I'm just...happy someone else said this to me." He said with a happy but shaky smile, tears running down his face.

The waterbender's expression turned into shock upon hearing this. "No one...told you can be a Hero?"

The boy looked down as he smiled in melancholy. "No..." He left it at that.

Katara frowned. She couldn't believe the careless cruelty that some people could say or do in this world when they don't have a Quirk. It was quite disturbing, to say the least...

"...Well prove those people wrong." Katara said to Izuku firmly.

Izuku looked up and blinked at her dumbly.

Katara smiled. "Prove them that you can be a Hero."

The dark green-haired boy just stared at the pretty tanned girl...until he smiled back, this time in determination. He then nodded and said to her, "I will! I promise I will!"

"Then I'll keep that promise," Katara said with the same smile and a nod. "I think it was a good thing I came over here today."

Nodding to that, Izuku's smile turned soft. "Yeah...I'm glad you did." He chuckled. "It certainly motivated me a lot more."

Upon seeing that this beach was Izuku's training ground, Katara then said, "So, you train here?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm, um...training my body to be a little fit. I mean, I train in other places, but this is usually the main one. I'm, uh, I'm basically trying to clean up this beach."

"Wait, clean all this up?" Katara asked incredulously.

"Yeah...heh, I know, it's pretty daunting, but...I want to prove to that 'someone' I can do it."

Katara couldn't help but smile at the resolution in his tone. Although she was worried about how he was going to clean this all up, but she didn't want to discourage him. Instead, she just said, "Well, if you think you can do it, then go on ahead and do it."

Izuku nodded with a grin. "I will!"

Katara smiled widely as well. She feels like she has to keep encouraging him though...whether he makes it or not, she has to get his hopes up. Because she firmly believes this Izuku character can be a Hero. In a world where you have to have a Quirk to succeed, she wants this kid to have confidence in himself, to beat the odds, and to go beyond the distance.

"And..." She thought of what to say next. "...Just believe you can. Find that power in you to surpass expectations. As All Might would say, Plus Ultra!."

Now Izuku looked at her gobsmacked, "Wait, are you an All Might fan?"

Blinking at that, Katara was going to correct herself, but thought of Toshi…

"...Yeah. I guess you can say that." Katara said with a smile.

"...Wow...that's awesome!" Izuku said with a wide-eyed ecstatic look. "Which of his movies do you like!?"

"Oh, uh...movies...um, well…" Katara thought up something quick. "The...one where there are a lot of...bad guys?" she answered lamely.

Izuku chuckled. "Yeah, that one was intense."

...Wha? Katara blinked. I...okay...

"I honestly thought they were going to kill All Might in that one, but it ended on such an epic note. That iteration of him was really human, and it just goes to show that no matter what kind of super power you have, we're just human beings inside. Also, the villain was really good at his role, he just radiates evil-"

As Izuku kept talkig about the movie, Katara just decided to stand there and keep listening, not only to make him feel better, but to hear what kind of movie he was describing.

About five minutes in, Izuku finished by saying, "-and man, when the All Might actor shouted 'Plus Ultra!' at the end, it gave me goosebumps!" Izuku sighed, having said all of his take. "...Oh! Uh, sorry, I've been talking about that movie too much, heh. What do you like about it?"

"Uh…" Katara stood there, feeling a little embarrassed that she listened without saying anything about the movie. "I...basically like the part where...All Might gave the villain his 'just desserts'."

Izuku chuckled. "Yeah. That villain had it coming."

Katara chuckled as well, feeling relieved that she didn't have to explain more on why she did 'liked' it. It was then she blinked and remembered something, "Oh! The time!" she dug her phone out of her skirt pocket and looked at it.

3:30 PM

The waterbender winced. "Oh man. Uh, sorry, Midoriya, I, uh, gotta go."

"Oh, uh, okay." Izuku said, a little disappointed.

"Yeah, sorry, my uncle gave me a curfew. But still, remember what I said! You can do it, I know you can! Plus Ultra!" Katara said with a grin.

Izuku smiled back, feeling even more rejuvenated, "Plus Ultra!"

Katara giggled and began to walk away with a wave, "Bye, Midoriya! I hope we see each other again! Good luck to you!"

"U-Uh, yeah! M-Me too! I mean, uh, g-good luck you too!" Izuku said with a smile as he waved at her also. "Bye, Katara!"

"Bye, Midoriya!" Katara said as she rushed out of the beach and onto city streets.

Izuku kept waving as he had a smile on his face...until he froze. He blushed as he realized something.

Wait...I just...talked to a girl…

...Never had Izuku been so happy before in his whole life.

Wow. He's certainly an eccentric guy...I mean, he sounds nice, but he really has a big stuttering problem...and he seems very anxious. Katara thought as she walked along the streets back to her home. Either way, I really mean it. I hope he gets in…

Katara looked down as she walked, thinking about how no one ever told Izuku that he could be a Hero.

...I mean...no one? Not even his parents? How can anyone say that to a kid? ...I can't even think about it.

Her eyes narrowed as she can't help but really feel for Izuku...

...I think the reason why he's so anxious was because he was either verbally abused or…

She shook her head, not thinking about it any longer.

Before she could look up to see her way, she knocked into someone's shoulder.

"Ah!" Katara yelped, "Oh, uh, sorry!"

The person she bumped into looked like a tall teenage guy who was wearing a gray hoodie, with the hood up, blue jeans, and some sneakers.

"Oh. Don't worry about it." mumbled the teenage guy's voice. As soon as he turned his face to Katara, she froze.

...Zuko?

The guy glanced at her, but he stared at her for a second. Clearing his throat, he went back his way on the sidewalk.

...No...that was...someone different...his hair was...two colors?

Katara stood there a little baffled as she blinked, but shook her head and just decided to keep walking back to her home.

...That was interesting... She thought as she made her way to Toshi's home.

The guy who Katara bumped into kept walking to whatever his destination was…

...however, he couldn't help but briefly think about that girl…

...She was pretty cute. He thought with a red blush on his face, his expression stoic.

"Toshi! I'm home!" Katara said as she entered the house.

Upon not hearing Toshi's welcome, she called again, "Toshi?"

It was then she saw the TV was on, and that there was a news story that a villain was taking a family hostage. She put this piece of information together and came to one conclusion.

Katara frowned, "Oh Toshi...I hope you don't overuse your limit again." She remembered cleaning up blood off the floor when Toshi coughed some up after using his All Might form so much.

When that spectacle happened, she felt a little queasy...not only for the amount of blood, but she had to think of the possibility to 'bend' it…

She shivered at that thought. Katara just cleaned it with a towel and washed it in the washer(which she proudly knows how to operate). Toshi even asked her why she couldn't just bend the blood after it was all said and done, since it had water in it. Katara's answer was, "I didn't really think about it at the time."

Sighing at the possibility that she might have to clean up blood again from Toshi, aka All Might, she went to the couch and rest her backpack on the cushion. She sat on the right side of it and proceed to get her stuff out of the backpack. While doing so, she thought briefly back at that boy named Izuku...or Midoriya, as calling them by their last name was the formal thing in Japan.

I hope he goes beyond everyone's expectations...

Nodding to that, she got her homework out and placed it on the coffee table.

Honestly, she really didn't care if she was accepted into UA or not, but she had to do something in this world...

Although, she wouldn't be lying if she said that she was a little excited to see what else is in store for her in this world.

I do miss them, though... Katara thought a little regretfully.

She soon got to doing her homework…

...But couldn't help think about that other guy that looked like...Zuko.

...I wonder who that guy was? Katara thought curiously.

With that, she continued to study…

- (End of Chapter) -

Chapter Text

(Twenty Minutes Later in the Yagi Residence)

"Hmm...so, if I carry the 2 over 'x', then…" Katara mumbled to herself as she did her math homework.

It was then that the front door opened, and in came Toshinori, who was slightly out of breath.

Katara stood up from her place on the floor near the coffee table and asked Toshi in a hurry, "You okay? I saw the news."

Toshi took a quick breath and coughed a bit in his hand, letting specks of blood fly out of his mouth. "Oh, uh, hey, Katara. Yeah...yeah, I'm perfectly fine. I only just began using my All Might form today."

"Okay…" Katara sighed in relief. She wasn't going to have to clean up any blood then, thankfully.

"Hey, don't worry!" Toshi said with a smile. "I'm not that careless."

The waterbender just looked at the man with a dubiously raised brow.

"...Oh come on, I know my limits." Toshi defends himself as he sweat-dropped.

"...Still Toshi, you don't want a repeat of what happened last time, do you?" Katara said with a frown.

"Oh, uh, no...I definitely do not." Toshi winced at the memory. He felt bad for letting her clean up all the blood… "Uh...I'm still sorry about that, by the way."

Katara shook her head with a smile, "Don't worry about it, Toshi. I'm just glad you saved those people from that villain and stopped that building from collapsing on all of you."

"Heh, me too," Toshi said with a smile. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he said, "Woo, that one was really stressful for me, not gonna lie."

"Well...you know, you could let the other Heroes do some of your jobs for you just so you won't have to be All Might for so long." Katara said with a slight shrug.

"Well..." Toshi frowned as he glanced down at the floor. "...I just can't let people think I'm slacking off…"

Katara frowned again, this time in pity. She could understand his position, and even see what he's saying, but...she feels like he pushes himself too hard to try to be this symbol that everyone claims he is…

He says that he does all of this because he truly loves it. Saving people from disasters and villains, being a Hero, he wouldn't trade it for the world. He doesn't do it for popularity's sake, he truly does it because he wants to be Hero, to save and help people.

Katara just sighed tiredly. "Just...promise me you won't go overboard and change into All Might over something minor."

Toshi looked up at Katara and chuckled meekly. "Well…"

Katara gave him that 'look' which meant that he better say the right thing.

"...I mean…" Toshi sighed in defeat. "...Okay...I'll...I'll try…"

The waterbender smiled and nodded. "Good enough."

Chuckling at her statement, Toshi walked around to go to the kitchen. "So, Katara, how was your day?"

"Oh, it was nice!" Katara said with a grin as she sat back down on the floor near her homework. "Ochako had to go back to her home to meet up with her parents though. They're visiting her today."

"Oh, well that's good," Toshi smiled as he got a frying pan out of a kitchen cabinet. "I still feel bad for the girl having to live all by herself. But at least her parents are paying for her rent."

"Yeah…" Katara frowned slightly at the thought of Ochako having to live alone in her apartment so she wouldn't let her parents waste money on her...

Once Ochako told her more about her situation, Katara honestly felt for her as well. She wanted to not only become a Hero to help people out, but to help out her father's construction company, that being the reason why she wanted to make a lot of money. While she thinks earning money for being a Hero sounds a little...unethical, she can understand where Ochako was coming from, so she wishes her all the best at that.

Deciding not to think about Ochako's living condition right now, Katara then said to Toshi as she turned to look in his direction. "I did meet someone interesting today, though."

"Oh? Who may that be?" Toshi asked her as he grabbed some bell pepper to make supper.

"It was a boy at a very junky-looking beach that I decided to go to. I was over there to, um...well, train my bending, I guess I should say." Katara admitted, a little embarrassed.

"...A boy?" Toshi paused in his bell pepper chopping, turning his head to blink at her.

A boy? In a junky beach? Toshi thought. Could that be-?

It was then his thoughts were interrupted by Katara's giggles. "Oh don't worry, Toshi, he wasn't 'laying the moves on me' or however you say it around here. In fact, he was actually...well, anxious, really. He acted kind of spaztic."

...Anxious...spaztic? ...Wait a min-

"I mean, poor guy, I think he was...well, maybe shy, but he really sounded frantic…" Katara frowned. "...He said he was Quirkless."

...Okay, yeah, that's Young Midoriya.

"Uh-"

"I'm thinking he has self-confidence issues because of that, really. He said he was training to go to UA." Katara finished with a sad tone.

"...Um...we-"

"He said no one told him he could be a Hero. I didn't ask him if his parents ever told him he could, but...the look on his face makes me think that they didn't."

"...Oh…you...you think so?"

"...I don't think so...I just feel it..."

Toshi frowned.

...My word…

While Toshi didn't want to think about his actual parents, he also didn't want to think that there were more people like them...

Katara continued. "He did say someone told him that he could be a Hero, though…" She smiled slightly at the thought. "Whatever that person said to him, it really affected him. He kept going...and I told him that he could prove them wrong."

Toshi's eyes widened as he blinked in surprise.

"..." Katara looked at Toshi. "You think anyone can be a Hero without a Quirk, right?"

...Toshinori now felt really bad.

It's like...It's like what I told him the last time at that rooftop...I even told Young Midoriya that he couldn't apply to UA without a Quirk...

He looked at Katara, who was giving him such a look of hope, expecting him to say the right thing. If he tells her what he already said to Midoriya...then...

...I…

"...Toshi?" Katara asked, the look on her face deflating slowly as he took his time to answer.

...I really have to be truthful here...

"...Yes."

Katara blinked as her hopeful expression at Toshinori renewed.

"...Yes, they can," Toshi said with resolve.

I really am a fool...I need to apologize.

Toshinori looked at Katara...and smiled.

"I...hope this kid will do extraordinarily well. He certainly sounds like he has the spunk," Toshi praised.

Katara smiled back, happy at Toshi's answer. "I was hoping you would say that."

Toshi nodded as his smile remained. However, his thoughts returned to Midoriya.

Young Midoriya is going ahead of the schedule...he's pushing himself too hard. I need a talk with him.

As Katara went back to her homework, Toshinori gave her one last look before going back to making supper.

Should I tell her? ...No. I can't tell her that I'm training Midoriya. That would only complicate things. I'll tell her after the UA Entrance Exams...which will be a while, yes, but it will allow her to concentrate on her studies. I also don't want her to know about the history of One For All's past bearers. I just told her Nana has it and that's it...I don't even think I even told her what Nana's Quirk is. I was being vague about it on purpose...

As he chopped some bell peppers, he also had another thought.

I should buy lots of bottled water. That way, Katara could practice her bending away from the beach, where Young Midoriya could train himself to become the next bearer. I don't want him to get distracted, although, I need to talk to him about how he's overworking himself.

Nodding to that, he continued to prepare dinner, while Katara did her homework.

And so as the days and months went by, Toshinori decided to buy LOTS of bottled water for Katara. Upon asking why he's doing that for her, Toshi told her that it's a lot easier so that people won't see her do her bending and mistake it as Quirk usage, which made sense

That, and Toshi told her that the boy she met would probably like to concentrate on training himself without distractions, something which Katara could see the point in as well.

With that in mind, Katara began to practice her waterbending around the house. It was a bit difficult to maneuver inside the space, as the bottom floor of the house was basically one room, so she tried some waterbending upstairs, but she still felt boxed in at some of the rooms, including hers. This country of Japan was limited in space, so she herself had a difficult time practicing her bending at her new home. But it wasn't all that bad. Honestly, she can try to improvise, like guide her water upstairs, freezing and unfreezing water bottles, and do certain whip moves with her water. She would even try to use her bending to cook food with water on the stove. Anything that's mundane, even watering plants with waterbending, she did for the sake of practice.

She kept all this up during the course of four months. And along with studying, it was quite a hassle. But until that day arrived, she was ready to show her skills and grit to the judges. Toshi even said he was gonna be one of the judges!

That made Katara wonder though if he will be in his All Might form the whole time, which made her ask about that.

Turns out, Toshi has some more explaining to do.

Apparently, some Heroes who also happened to work at UA knew who he was beforehand, skinny-form and all. When being told of that, Katara couldn't help but wonder if Toshi was just too trusting of some people, or if he was that reckless.

Then again, now that she thought about it, she did understand why he would let some Heroes know his identity. He had to communicate with them on a daily basis in UA, and with Tsukauchi being part of the police force, that meant All Might had first access to some sort of intel when it came to villains.

Speaking of these police outings, he's been attending them even less now. He assured Katara that they can handle themselves some days without his help, and that he trusts them to become the 'fine protectors of the city.' That, and he figured that he could help Katara with some things, like her homework.

All in all, she seemed to be getting the gist of everything in this world, as well as doing well on her studies.

The only issue she really had was that she didn't know when she'll return to her world, but thankfully, now wasn't her time to go. If she was being honest, she wanted to spend more time with Toshi, Ochako, and even cheer on Izuku whenever she met him again. She made a connection with these people and didn't want to just leave them so soon. Especially when the only method of leaving this world was by dying…

She didn't want to think about that.

Four Months Later - February.

Exam Day - 6:30 AM

I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE!

Katara groggily got up from under the covers of her bed, and reached for her phone. She can't help but chuckle at the alarm she programmed into the phone.

It's mighty effective.

She snorted a laugh, now aware of the pun she just now thought up.

Pushing the covers off of her, she changed out of her pajamas and proceeded to get ready for the big day. She already made it through the written part of the exam, and she was accepted to go to the testing site.

Putting on her blue jeans and blue jacket, she went downstairs and frowned when she realized just how quiet it was. Usually, she would be greeted by the sound of sizzling bacon or eggs, but the kitchen was dead quiet.

It was then that she saw a note on the kitchen counter. Curious, she went over to it. It read:

Katara,

I had to go meet up with somebody very early in the morning. I regret to say that I won't be able to drop you off at the entrance exam building, but just know that I will be rooting for you in the judges section up there! I know you can do it! If you're anything you say you are, then give those robots the what-go! I'll be cheering for ya!

...Albeit a little quietly to myself, cause I don't want anyone to think I'm playing favorites.

But YOU CAN DO IT! I believe in you! :)

Good luck, Little Lady Katara!

Signed, Toshi

Katara couldn't help but smile warmly at the note.

You truly are a sweetheart, Toshi.

She quickly ate an apple for breakfast, before heading out the door, strapping her new thermos full of water around her torso for the exam in case she couldn't find any. She looked down at her phone, the GPS telling her where to go. She was given directions by Toshi, but they drove past the place once just in case.

As she walked her way while glancing at her phone at times, her thoughts went back to the note that Toshi left.

I wonder who Toshi was supposed to meet in the early morning? I mean, when did he wake up? Around six? Five-thirty even? I hope not five...well, either way, I hope he'll make it to the exam to judge us.

Katara kept walking to her destination.

You know, I wonder if Izuku will be there...I really hope he'll get in.

It was then Katara had another random thought.

Toshi told me not to bother him when he was training, and Toshi also started to attend those police meetings even less and less-

Katara stopped.

Wait...could that be...I mean…is that possib-

"Oh! Hey Katara!" called out a familiar girl's voice.

The waterbender looked over to her right and saw that Ochako was heading toward her down the sidewalk, waving to her all the way. She was wearing a winter coat and other winter clothes, as well as wearing a scarf around her neck.

Katara smiled widely and waved back to her friend. "Hey, Chako!" she said to her, calling her by the nickname she calls her.

"Heeey!" Ochako said in her cheerful way as she jogged. Once she stopped next to Katara, she asked, "You going to the UA entrance exams building?"

"That I am," Katara said with a grin.

"Awesome! We should totally head that way!"

"Sure thing!"

As they walked towards the exam building, they began chatting about what to expect.

"Man, I really hope I'll do well on the exam! This could be my only chance to get into UA and try to support my family!" Ochako told Katara.

"I'm certain you'll do great, Chako!" Katara encouraged her. "I just hope I'll be able to do well myself also. I'm a little rusty on some of my techniques...for, uh, my Quirk."

"Well, don't you worry! You certainly take your Quirk very seriously, and you showed me all the awesome moves you could do with it, so I'm super confident that you'll get in! Besides, your Quirk is really cool!" Ochako praised her.

Rolling her eyes with a smile, Katara chuckled. "Oh please, your Zero Gravity Quirk is just as awesome as mine."

"Aww, well, I can't control mine really well though. You learned how to control yours like...gosh, I don't even know! You said you trained yours when it manifested or something?" Ochako asked her.

Katara then briefly thought about the day when she was little...when she still had her mother...

"...Y-Yeah. I did," Katara said a little shortly. "Somewhere around that time."

Ochako nodded with a smile, thankfully not noticing Katara's strained response. "Well, either way, I hope UA will teach me how to control my Quirk better!"

Before they could discuss another topic, Ochako bumped into someone as they walked on the sidewalk into an intersection.

BUMP!

"ACK!" exclaimed Ochako.

"Oof! Hey, watch it!" said a gruff young male's voice.

Ochako plopped on the ground on her rear, while Katara went to her side.

"Hey, you alright?" Katara asked her friend in concern.

"Haha, yeah, I'm fine," Ochako answered with a sheepish smile.

Katara nodded as she helped her up. She then turned her attention to the young man who bumped into Ochako. He looked quite handsome in his school uniform, his dirty-blond messy hair resembling a small, spiky explosion. He also had red eyes, which looked more deadly than charming with his ugly scowl.

Not backing down, Katara returned the glare with her own. "You know, you could say you're sorry for bumping into my friend."

The boy didn't even look at Ochako as he stared at her. "...Hey, you're that girl from the news."

Katara blinked, "Huh?"

"It was a few months back...I think last June…" he said, his scowl being momentarily replaced with slight curiosity as he kept on staring at the waterbender.

...Oh. Is he talking about that incident with Dukunara? All the way back? Katara wondered.

"Huh? What did you do, Katara?" Ochako asked her in confusion.

"Oh, well...I-"

"You didn't even use your Quirk, did you?" The young male asked with a sneer.

Upon seeing his reaction to that, Katara blinked again. "Um...no?"

"...Tch. Why the hell didn't you use it then? You Quirkless or something?" he asked her in disgust.

Katara just looked at the guy for a second before she frowned. "Well, for one, a hostage was being taken, and the guy himself wasn't evil. He was just mad at people labeling him a bad person because he was related to that Sludge Villain. Secondly, no, I'm not. I just didn't want to use it on something like that."

"..." The boy scowled at her once more. "...Feh. At least announce that you have a Quirk next time, instead of acting Quirkless."

Katara's frown deepened. She didn't like how this guy was acting one bit. "I'm sorry, but why should I? Does that offend you somehow?"

The young man growled in frustration. "If you have a Quirk, then use it."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Katara challenged him in annoyance. "I couldn't do anything to harm the guy with the hostage in his arms. Besides, the guy himself was hurting, and I know from experience he was just angry."

Apparently, the young man didn't like the input that Katara gave him. "He's related to that damn Sludge Villain! If he's related to that fucker, then he shouldn't have any sympathy!"

"Wait...what happened?" Ochako asked either one of them in confusion.

Now what this male said has gotten her anger boiling. "Just cause he's related to the Sludge Villain, doesn't make him a bad person!"

The male just growled and looked at her with aggravation. "...Hey. It's exam day. What school are you going to?"

Surprised by the sudden change of topic, Katara just answered, "Um, UA."

"...Hmph!" he harrumphed. "Do yourself a favor and find another course then. Or hell, just find another school. I don't know what Quirk you have, or even if you do have one, but UA is the top Hero school in Japan, a place where strong students become upcoming heroes. If you ain't gonna use your Quirk, then that school isn't the one for you. UA is for the people who want to be recognized as actual Heroes, and if you ain't gonna use your Quirk to show how strong you are, then you might as well just be Quirkless. I plan to make it to the top as a Pro Hero in UA, not be some therapist that talks about their problems and shit. So don't get in the way of anybody, including mine, or waste anyone's time with what you have to offer."

Katara just looked at him appalled.

Ochako didn't like how this guy was talking to her friend either. "Hey, she does have a Quirk, and she WILL go to UA! Including me! And even if she didn't use her Quirk, that's still a great thing to do without using it!"

"Oh yeah!? Just what is her Quirk then if she even has one!?" he asked harshly.

"Water Manipulation!"

The boy and Ochako turned their attention to Katara.

She looked intense as she glared at the boy.

"What's your name?" Katara asked him fiercely.

"...Bakugou Katsuki." he said, sneering. "My Quirk is Explosion."

"I didn't ask for your Quirk." Katara sternly told him. "I just asked what your name is. And just to let you know, I'm going to UA to become an actual Hero, a hero that saves people from danger and does what they have to do because they care. You know, a hero that people actually deserve and look up to! Something you probably need to relearn in whatever school you put yourself in."

Katsuki's eyes widened in shock at the bold statement. He narrowed them into a glare. "Hey, you listen here, you-"

"No, I'm not done yet! You also need to know that anybody who is Quirkless can still be a Hero!" Katara told him off strictly. "I know someone who is trying to become a Hero even without a Quirk!"

Ochako gasped, while Katsuki went cold silent, his eyes widened a fraction in shock. His shock eased away as he just dead-on glared. "...Who is it?"

Katara glared back at him, about to say his name until she thought about the consequence of telling him. This Bakugou looks like he would make Izuku's life a living hell if she ever revealed his name to him, or if they would even cross paths with one another someday.

"...You know what? You don't even deserve to know the name of this person. You don't even deserve to know my name." Katara said to Bakugou with an icy tone. "All you need to do right now, is rethink your priorities and learn to act like a real Hero and not act like an ass!"

Katsuki glared hard at Katara, scowl plastered on his face, his teeth gritting as he looked like he wanted to actually explode back obscenities at her, to put her in her place…

"...Feh! You're lucky I have an exam to take!" Bakugou curled his lip up in another sneer as he turned around and walked away from the girls. "Here's hoping you lose the whole damn thing!"

Katara glared back. "You too!"

Bakugou paused in his walk, growled harshly, and just kept walking.

Frowning at the retreating figure, Katara let out a huff.

Ochako looked back and forth between her friend and the distant Katsuki. She turned back to her friend to say, "Um, okay, first off, that was cool how you stood up to that big meanie, but what did you actually do that got you on the news?"

Katara let out a weary sigh. "I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to get to the UA exam building. I promise that I'll tell you after we finish it."

"Oh. Uh, okay." Ochako blinked, and didn't press any further. The two then continued walking in silence.

"Wow! This is the entrance to UA! We're really here!" Ochako said with stars in her eyes.

Teenagers with all sorts of different Quirks walked up to the steps of the building, the words "UA Entrance Exam" written in large font above the entrance. The two girls looked on in awe as they realized that at this point, their careers as heroes depended on them being able to pass this test.

Katara looked up at the steps that lead upward to the academy building ahead. It all led up to this...this is the step forward to going to UA and becoming the newest beacon of hope to the people in this world.

Toshi told her that he wasn't gonna play favorites, but he'll cheer silently on the sidelines at the judges' section. When she thought of Toshi, he thought of what that jerk Bakugou said about Quirkless people in general.

I won't let you down, Toshi...

Still...she sometimes wondered if this was even worth it. To even go forward in this world to make a difference, only to...to die in the end...

I have to keep going. No matter my outcome here, I need to live on for Toshi, Ochako, Tsukauchi, and everyone around here, including the Quirkless. … Now that I think about it, I really do hope Izuku gets in...I wonder if I'll see him here?

"K-Katara?" Ochako asked.

...Wait...no...that didn't sound like Ochako.

Katara turned around behind her to see that it was none other than-

"Oh! Midoriya!" Katara said with a beaming smile. "You came to the exam!"

Midoriya was wearing his school uniform, his green, bushy hair still the same with his freckles and backpack slung on his shoulders. He waved to her a little shyly, looking a little nervous just like he was when she first met him.

"U-Uh, hey! W-Wow, we, uh, m-meet again..." Midoriya stuttered, a blush on his face as he gave out a timid smile.

Ochako looked at Midoriya and back at Katara. "Midoriya?"

Upon seeing that Ochako hasn't met Midoriya before, Katara said. "Oh, yeah, this is Midoriya! Midoriya Izuku! He was the one that I said didn't have a Quirk."

Izuku froze at this, his face becoming dumbfounded as his eyes widened.

"Huh?" Ochako blinked in confusion. "He...doesn't?"

"Ye-"

"NO!"

Both girls jumped in surprise as they turned to Izuku.

"I-I-I mean, I-I just got-I-I mean, it just came to me!" Midoriya frantically exclaimed as he stuttered.

Katara blinked and looked at him for a second. "It...came to you?"

"Y-YEAH! I-I-I mean, yeah, it, uh, it seemed to be a...a dormant Quirk! I, uh...I guess...it came super late...heh…" Midoriya nervously explained.

...

The wind blew between them, with a discarded newspaper flying by as the three stood still in silence.

"...Huh." Ochako broke the silence. "Well, that's...something."

Midoriya began to tremble in place.

"Wait...so…" Katara narrowed her eyes to study him.

The boy gulped.

"...You have a Quirk now?" Katara asked him.

"Uh! Y-Yeah! I mean, I-I know, it's...sudden. I mean, even I was, uh...surprised myself...but, I didn't have it for too long. I...don't even know what to do or...even how to work it, really. It just...happened…" Midoriya lowered his head and gazed to the ground, rubbing the back of his head in anxiety, hating to hear the next words that might come out of Katara's mouth.

Katara looked on at Izuku, trying to wrap her head around that information.

So...he had a dormant Quirk? He had one the whole time, but it was hidden, and he didn't know about it? ...Huh…

"...Well...hey, that's great!" Katara said, a smile forming on her face.

"R-...Really?" Midoriya asked in surprise.

"Yeah! I mean...you have a different goal now, but hey, maybe UA is the perfect place for you to get this newfound Quirk that finally awakened in you!" Katara advised, her smile uplifting.

And it was a genuine smile...but at the same time, she felt a little...disappointed. But not in Izuku! Just...this whole time Izuku was trying to get in while being Quirkless...then all of a sudden, his Quirk just manifested in him. That must've been a blow to his motivation…

But honestly, she can't help but admire Izuku for still going along with applying to UA, even when he just got a Quirk.

Still...it kind of feels like a cop-out…

"Oh! Uh...um, y-y-yeah! That's right! I, uh, I can try to...to perfect my Quirk…"

Midoriya then turned to Ochako whom he just now noticed. "Oh! Uh, h-hi! W-Who are you? A-Are you friends with Katara?"

"...Uh, yeah…" Ochako said, seemingly confused. She then turned to Katara and whispered to her, "Did he call you by your first name?"

Katara's eyes widened at that. "Oh...uh...I-I prefer everyone to call me by my first name!"

Ochako looked at her oddly and glanced at Izuku, who looked confused a little bit. "...Oh. Okay…" She then smiled back at the boy, "Well, either way, hey! I'm Uraraka Ochako! So you were gonna apply to UA without a Quirk? Whoa, that's actually pretty cool!"

"Huh? Wha-...really?" Izuku said in surprise with a slight blush on his face.

"Yeah! But you said your Quirk appeared because it was dormant? Wow, those are really rare nowadays! What kind of Quirk do you have if you don't mind me asking?" Ochako asked in enthusiasm.

"Uh...I...I don't have a name for it yet, but...I'll think of something..." Izuku said, frazzled and somewhat in a daze.

Katara smiled at her friend talking to her new friend. She got her phone out of her coat pocket and looked at the time. "Oh! Chako, we got to go! The opening ceremony starts in five minutes!"

"Five minutes!?" Izuku exclaimed. "W-We got to get there now!"

"Oh! Yeah! Well, let's go!" Ochako said in agreement.

So the three teens made their way inside the building.

Mmm...good coffee.

Toshinori sipped the dark liquid through his frail lips. He was in his golden-yellow suit and in his civilian form, sitting in a comfortable chair.

Well, this is it. Exam Day...I hope some of these kids will be accepted in UA. If they do, then they have a long way to go, but I can only hope they will be formed into great Heroes someday.

He looks at the multiple screens that are in the judges' room, seeing that everyone was filing inside the building and into the ceremony room. There were two kids who had entered that especially caught his attention, though...

Toshi smiled at the sight.

Ah, Katara and Young Midoriya are there! They finally made it to the building, and together even! Oh, and of course that Uraraka girl is there with them! Heh...it looks like Midoriya is making new friends...and so is Katara…

Toshi's smile faded a little as he suddenly remembered what he said to Izuku before he gave him his Quirk.

"Hey, Kid…" Toshi said to Izuku after he made the confirmation that he now earned his Quirk.

Izuku, who was almost emotional, stands tall and looks like he was ready for anything. "Yes, All Might?"

"...I'm sorry that I said you couldn't be a Hero without a Quirk."

Apparently, Izuku wasn't expecting that. "Huh?"

"Just know...this is just a power...a power being held by a Quirkless boy...a boy who will make that power his own. You said you want to become a Hero...that's a big dream indeed for someone like you...so...prove those naysayers wrong. Prove them you can...prove them that you can be a GREAT Hero!"

...If Izuku wasn't crying before, he was sobbing with joy now.

"NOW!" Toshi said as he transformed into All Might. "Here it is! You deserve it! Your very own Quirk! EAT THIS!"

Toshinori smiled warmly at that memory.

"The great All Might, huh?" said a bored voice from behind him.

Toshi looked behind him and saw it was none other than Aizawa Shouta, also known as Eraserhead, carrying a senior-size coffee.

The skinny man chuckled, "Yes! Hello there, Aizawa! I heard you're teaching the first-years?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Aizawa droned. "Although, I have something to ask you about one of the attendees."

"Oh? What do you mean? What seems to be the problem?" Toshi said, a little puzzled.

"Well..." Aizawa was holding a piece of paper in the other hand as he said, "I just checked the new attendees for the first-years, and...you wouldn't happen to know of a Yagi Katara, do you?" He raised an eyebrow when saying this.

"...Oh…" Toshi's face paled. "...Sh-She's my niece."

"...Hm...word of advice: Don't play favorites, especially when it comes to family members in this type of field. Be fair to all the attendees."

"Uh, h-hey, I know. She just wants to be a Hero. I mean, I haven't pulled any strings or anything! She did it all on her own. No worries, I'll treat her like how I should treat all of my future students."

"...Alright then. See to it." Aizawa turned around and walked back to who-knows-where.

...Yikes. Toshi thought with a wince. Not only can I not show any support for Midoriya, but I can't seem to show support for Katara as well...this is gonna be tough. Of course, I need to only focus on Midoriya, but I can't let Katara feel left out...

With that, Toshinori sipped his coffee as he contemplated how he should juggle these responsibilities.

- End of Chapter 8 -

Chapter Text

Whew! That written test was actually kind of tricky…

Katara walked alongside Ochako and Midoriya as they made their way to the auditorium for the next phase of the exam: the practical. She was informed by Toshi beforehand that there was an area outside the building that perfectly replicated a typical urban setting; from the generic hamburger restaurant to even the largest office building in Tokyo. This would be where they would use their Quirks against the robots, as well as helping anyone in a tight spot.

Katara snuck a glance at Midoriya, who was ahead of her.

Something about what he said early didn't make any sense. From what she picked up about this world and its (literal) quirks, quirks don't typically just pop out of nowhere. They usually appear at birth, if not around the age of four at the latest, and while cases of extreme late bloomers aren't nonexistent, it was to the point where it was considered a rumor - one for the quirkless so that they could keep their hopes up.

She couldn't help but wonder how and why it manifested so late for Izuku. Did something in his life trigger its activation? Did it come up as he was training on that beach she was at over four months ago? Did he even get to use it? And more importantly, how long has he trained with his new quirk? She just hoped that his lack of experience wouldn't hurt him in the exam.

(Katara wound up thinking about this so much that she almost didn't finish the written test in time.)

Either way, she couldn't tell if it was admirable or just plain reckless to apply to UA even with a newly formed Quirk that he wasn't trained with.

"Katara?" said Ochako's voice.

The waterbender turned to her friend who was walking next to her. "Oh, uh, yeah Ochako?"

Ochako raised a brow. She took a glance at where she was looking at, and from her line of vision, it was where Midoriya was. Her mouth formed and 'o' and she turned back to look at Katara.

Katara blinked. "...What?"

"...Do you think Midoriya's cute?" Ochako whispered simply.

Katara almost tripped on her two feet. "Wh-What!?"

"Oh, uh, sorry! I was only just wonder-"

"Are you okay, ma'am!?" said a loud and boisterous voice.

Both girls jumped and turned around to see…a tall guy with blue dark blue hair and glasses behind them.

Katara blinked again. Hey...it's that guy with the glasses! What was his name?

"Uh…" Katara said dumbly.

"Hm?" the young man adjusted his glasses to see who she is. "...Oh! It's you! Miss Yagi!"

Meanwhile, Izuku paused in his walk and looked around, "Huh? Did someone say…" he shook his head. "M-Must be my imagination…" He kept walking to his destination.

"Huh?" Ochako blinked in confusion. She turned to Katara, "Uh...does this guy know you?"

"Um…" Katara looked baffled.

Oh yeah...he wanted to go to UA as well...

The young man turned to Ochako, "Oh, hello there! My name is Iida Tenya!" he introduced himself, "As for knowing this young woman, I do not. But, she inspired me to go and thrive even further to be a Hero beyond fighting villains! It made me realize that being a Hero is sometimes about saving people from very dark places! And she showed that in that news coverage eight months ago, saving not only the person being held captive, but warming the heart of the would-be Villain! It was a brave and thoughtful effort, and it was an effort that paid off! Thus, she had me thinking..." Iida clenched his fist and brought it up to his face, looking determined. "That is definitely what being a Hero is all about! And surely it is a true sign of what being Heroic can truly do to a person's life!"

...The two girls just stood there after that speech, flabbergasted...

Ochako looked up at Iida, a little confused, but upon realizing what Iida was saying, her eyes widened and blinked. She turned to Katara and asked in excitement, "Wait! You stopped a Villain from attacking a civilian!? When did that happen!?"

Meanwhile, Katara just stood there with a blush on her face, looking astonished by Iida's(she's thankful she introduced himself again, she honestly forgot about him) speech. "Uh..."

"What? You haven't watched the news, Miss?" Iida asked in a somewhat shocked tone.

Ochako turned back to Iida, "Oh, um, no. The news always makes me kind of depressed sometimes."

"Hmm...I see." Iida nodded at that. "Yes, the news can be somewhat stressful...oh! Excuse me! What is your name, Miss? I mean, I only ask because I said my name first...I-I hope this is how it goes…" He looked unsure for a brief second.

"Uh…" Ochako then smiled, "Well, my name is Uraraka Ochako! And I guess you already know Yagi Katara!"

"Well, I said I didn't know here, but...I guess I...kind of do now! Either way, it's nice to meet you, Uraraka!" Iida nodded as he stood stiffly. He turned his attention back at Katara, "And I see you're going to UA as well, Yagi!"

"Um…" Katara smiled sheepishly, "Y-Yeah, I...I am. Um...by the way, I didn't really stop the person from harming the captive. All Might did."

"Ah! So modest!" Iida said with a serious expression.

"Wha-? No, All Might really stopped him, not me." Katara tried to tell him.

"While that may be true, Miss Yagi, I honestly believe that your words really have an effect on that person with a Mud Quirk!" Iida said with a chopping motion to somehow emphasize his point.

"...Mud Quirk?" Ochako asked in disbelief.

"W-Well, I-I mean, I just-" Before Katara could further explain, a loud booming voice interrupted their conversation.

"LAST CALL FOR ANYONE WHO ALREADY HAS THE WRITTEN TEST DONE! GO TO THE AUDITORIUM TO HEAR THE RULES OF THE PRACTICAL! CHOP CHOP, PEOPLE!"

The voice on the intercom startled the kids.

"Ah!" Ochako said in surprise. "W-We got to get to the auditorium!"

"Yes! Indeed!" Iida nodded. "We've wasted too much time! Let us go!"

"Uh, r-right!" Katara agreed in a rush.

"Hey, all you listeners! Welcome to today's performance! Everybody say 'HEEEY'!" called out the Voice Hero Present Mic at a podium on the stage in the auditorium.

...He was met with silence.

Katara, who was sitting next to Ochako, didn't know why people weren't shouting out the word. She tried to contribute, but Present Mic already spoke again.

"Alrighty! That's cool, my examinees! Now, at this point, I am here to present to you all with the guidelines of the practical! YEEEAH!"

...Still more silence.

Katara looked around the audience and felt like she was supposed to shout out as well. But before she did, Present Mic once again shouted out.

"Okay! Now, this is how the test goes, my listeners! You'll be experiencing a ten-minute long mock cityscape maneuver!"

As Present Mic explained the rules, Katara sat there as she idly listened. She actually already knew about this part from Toshinori. The written test was the actual real obstacle she had to conquer. She feels like this practical exam would be a...piece of pie. (Did she get that expression right?)

Just watch out for the Zero Pointer...and help out as many people as you can, Katara thought.

As the Voice Hero kept explaining each of the seven test sites will have a faux cityscape, she learned that the students from the same schools would be separated into these test sites.

"Aww," Ochako pouted. She turned to Katara, "Then that means we won't be able to help each other out."

"Oh," Katara frowned at that. "Yeah...that's right."

Ochako looked a little dejected...until she perked up again and told Katara, "Well, do your absolute best, Katara! I'll be silently rooting for you!"

Katara smiled at her friend. "Hey, I'll be rooting for you too."

"Excuse me, may I ask a question!" shouted...Iida?

Both girls jumped in their seats and turned around to see that it was indeed, Iida, who shouted.

"There appears to be no fewer than four varieties of faux villains on this handout!" Iida continued. "Such a blatant error, if it is one, is highly unbecoming of U.A., Japan's top Hero Academy! We're all here in hopes of becoming modeled Heroes!"

Iida then turned behind him, and pointed at someone up ahead of them. "And you! You've been muttering this whole time! I advise you to stop doing that immediately and listen to the instructor! It's very distracting! If you don't take this seriously, then you should just leave and go home!"

Hearing an 'eep!', the person that was called out then remained quiet, even though she didn't really hear any muttering.

Wait...muttering...that almost sounds like-

"Nice catch, Examinee 7111! But the fourth faux villain type is more of an obstacle! You'll see..."

As Present Mic kept on explaining, Katara decided to keep listening just in case the rules have changed or anything.

Still...who was muttering? Would that person Iida was scolding at be Midoriya?

Present Mic ended his speech by saying, "That's all for me! I'll leave you my listeners with our school motto! The Great Hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: True Heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life!"

Huh...good quote. Katara nodded at that. She certainly dealt with many ills in her life.

"PLUS ULTRA! Break a leg, everyone!"

"Ah, the one and only All Might! Welcome, welcome! We're glad you came!" said an oddly excited but dignified voice.

Toshi turned his head away from the screens when he heard the voice. "Oh! Principal Nezu! Hello sir! And of course I came! I mean, I am working as a teacher here after all!"

Up walked a little dog...mouse...bear thing in a suit who had a scar over his right eye. "Ah, yes! That you are! It's so exciting that the Number 1 Hero is now going to be a teacher here at our pristine academy of U.A.!" the principal said. Nezu then climbed up a plush seat and made himself comfortable. "I have to be honest, I was worried for a moment."

"Worried? What do you mean? I love to teach the children of today about Heroics," Toshi said in a puzzled tone.

Nezu chuckled, "You know full well what I meant, All Might."

"...Oh." Toshi rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as he weakly chuckled as well. "Well, I mean...well, hey, like I said, I wanted to teach kids about Heroics on the side as well."

"And that is very admirable." Nezu nodded. "It shows you're very serious about the job."

"Heh. Well, either way, thank you for allowing me to work here at U.A, Principal Nezu, sir. I promise to teach these kids to become the next best heroes of this generation."

"Oh, I'm very certain you will! Not only will you be helping certain students out, but you'll be helping out your niece as well?"

The two of them were silent as Toshi froze, his sunken eyes wide.

"...Uh, Sir? I, um...I can explain-"

"Oh please do. Cause from what I recalled, you're an only child."

"...Yeah...w-well…" Toshi tried to rack up something...but knowing who he's talking to, he might as well fess up. "...I'm, uh...letting her stay in my home while she's under the impression of being my niece?"

"...Hmm...interesting...go on." Nezu curiously urged him, his tone sounding oddly chipper.

"...Well...would you believe me if…" Toshi glanced around his surroundings as he was seated in his chair. Seeing that no one was within the vicinity of their conversation, Toshi whispered, "If I said she's...from another world?"

...Once again, silence.

"..." Toshi realized how stupid that sounded. "U-Uh, I mean, r-really, sh-she is! U-Um, I-"

"Hold on!" Nezu lifted a paw to signal Toshi to pause from talking. Chuckling, the chimera hybrid being continued. "You'll be surprised to know that I believe you."

"...What?"

Nezu let out a small laugh. "Well, I have been reading about quantum physics and how interdimensional traveling works."

"...Uh...o-okay?"

"Oh yes, it is quite interesting. Did you know that there could be alternate realities depending on a person's choice?"

"...Um...sounds...scary?"

"In a way, yes, but yet, it's so fascinating."

"...I...um, mean no disrespect, sir, but uh...are you pulling my leg right now?"

"Hoho! All Might, I'm a talking chimera that has a high intellect. Nothing's too strange for me!"

"...Oh...so...you won't, like...I don't know, tell anyone about this? About her not…" Taking one last look around to see if nobody was close by. Seeing that they were still alone without anybody nearby, he whispered, "Well...not being related to me?"

"Just as long as you won't favor her, and your successor as well."

"...I feel like you're blackmailing me."

"Haha! Oh, you haven't changed a bit. Welcome to the faculty, All Might!"

"..." Toshi sighed, "Neither have you, Principal Nezu. And thanks."

Upon stepping foot outside and in front of the gate of one of the test sites, she can only marvel at how vast it was.

Eyes widened at what's before her, Katara couldn't help but marvel at the buildings that replicate a city's skyline. The whole testing area looked like it stretched around three miles! It was all an impressive sight.

"Whoa…" Katara muttered to herself. She touched her water thermos, which hung by her side faithfully.

Hmm...from the handout, there are actually three types of robots I have to destroy. One is a...well a one-pointer, the other is a two-pointer, and the last one is a three-pointer...and the last is a big fat zero-pointer. I just got to avoid that one as best as I can whenever I see it.

When she realized that she would be alone in this part of the exam, she thought about Ochako and how she'll fare. Frowning at leaving her friend to fend off for herself, she can only hope that she will do well.

Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes to think what led her all to this.

The lightning...taking the hit from Zuko...being in another world while my other real body is recovering...meeting Toshi...and now completing an exam to become a Hero and learning on how to be one in this top Hero Academy…

As she was thinking this, meanwhile, Izuku was worried about his own problems.

The boy was looking around the group, seeing many kids with so many Quirks. It almost made him feel out-of-place here, all of these kids having Quirks and him just...now obtaining it from the one and only All Might, whose real name is Yagi Toshinori.

He hopes he can do this...

But will I be able to do this? thought Izuku. Will I be able to make All Might proud? Proud to be his successor?

Prove those people wrong.

He thought back to what that girl Katara said...

Prove to them that you  can  be a Hero!

She believed I could be one...even when I was Quirkless.

Frowning, Izuku looked down at the ground in thought solemnly.

...I feel like I...cheated somehow. No...that's not it...it's just...I felt like I lied to her. She really believed I could do it without a Quirk...

Looking up, he glanced around at the kids some more, feeling like he could maybe somehow spot that girl somewhere...and sure enough, he found a long dark brown-haired girl. And it looked just like…

Eyes widened as soon as Izuku recognized who it was.

Hey, it's Katara! She's here with us as well!

She looked to be lost in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about right at this moment...

Izuku winced as he might have the slightest idea.

I mean, chances are she could be thinking about that. I mean, I just basically told her I was Quirkless, and then all of a sudden, I'm not now. I'm pretty sure she was confused...I don't want her to think I lied to her.

Having that feeling of shame eating up inside of him, he felt like he should at least tell her something. Something to let her think that he wasn't really lying…

Had he thanked her for believing in him? For making him believe that he could still keep going?

I feel like I need to say something to her...

Izuku didn't know what he was gonna say, but he could think of something as he made his way up to her. He began to do so, when-

"Excuse me!" said a formal and strict voice. A hand was placed on Izuku's shoulder, which stopped him in his tracks.

"Eeep!" Izuku jumped and turned his head to look at the person who stopped him.

It was the glasses guy who called him out in the auditorium. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Uh…?" Izuku just looked confused.

"I see that you've been looking at that dark-skinned girl with wavy brown hair for a while. What is your intention?"

"Uh...I was just-"

"Please do not bother her right now. We are all trying to get ready for the practical, and bothering her right now will only make her lose concentration!" Iida scolded Izuku.

"Uh…o-okay..." Izuku could only dumbly stammer.

"...Hmph." The young man let go of Izuku's shoulder and went back to his spot to prepare himself.

...Well...great. I guess I just have to wait after I...wait, how am I gonna pass!? I don't even know how to use my Quirk yet!

Izuku sweatdropped as he shook with anxiety, the whole thing now starting to sink in again.

Meanwhile, Katara just stood there, the feeling of apprehension slightly creeping inside of her being.

This whole Hero business is actually a big deal here. I mean, I don't want to laze around and do nothing in this world, so...I might need to get serious in completing this exam...but, will it matter in the end once I...I go away?

Katara frowned at that depressing thought.

"You seem to be a little troubled," said a nasal voice next to her.

She blinked at the new voice and turned her head to see who it was.

It was a girl who was slouching, her dark green hair tied in a very peculiar way that made her hair look like a bow. She also has wide eyes, big hands with long fingers for a small girl, and her tongue was sticking out...she looked like a frog, to be honest. But in some way, she looked a little cute while doing so.

"Uh…" Katara just looked at her, wondering where she came from, "Yeah...I kind of am."

The girl nodded, "Totally get that. *ribbit* If I'm being honest with myself, I'm kind of nervous too about getting into this school. Chances are, kids like us that are enrolling here at UA are really reaching. But I want to go to this school, not only to try to become a Hero, but to also support my family. And really, in the end, even if I don't get in, at least I tried. I would think having hardships and struggles would build a person's character anyway. And I feel like that would be the most important aspect of not only being a Hero, but in life."

Katara looked at the frog girl, a little perplexed by her speech.

"Don't get me wrong though, I do want to get accepted here. I'm just preparing for the worst if I somehow don't. But my advice? *ribbit* Give it everything you got on any obstacle that stands in your way, and still keep on going after you conquer it."

The waterbender still looked at her, letting the info sink in. Her mouth turned up into a small smile as she said to her, "That's...some pretty good advice."

"Thanks. *ribbit* Sometimes saying stuff that's always on my mind seems to help people...but sometimes though, it often gets them annoyed." the girl muttered the last part. "But anyway, my name's Asui Tsuyu. But call me Tsuyu."

"Oh, uh, okay. Well, my name is Yagi Katara. But, uh, you can just call me Katara."

"Ah, first name basis, huh? Nice," Tsuyu smiled. "Well, before we start this practical exam, what's your Quirk if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, um, it's controlling water."

"Really? Ah. That's pretty good."

"Thanks!" Katara smiled. "Um...what's...yours?"

Tsuyu chuckled, "I thought it was obvious, but if you were trying to let me introduce my Quirk, then I appreciate it. Nah, it's just a regular animal Quirk, that being a Frog."

"Oh, a frog? What kind of frog?"

"Um...just a frog, really."

"...Oh. I mean-" Katara winced slightly, "I-I thought there were a variety of frogs?"

"Oh, there are. But I'm just a plain old frog...although I do secrete poison from my stomach."

Katara blinked at that. "Oh. Uh...well, that sounds kind of...um, you know, cool."

The frog girl chuckled again, "Yeah, it's kind of nasty."

"O-Oh, I-I didn't say-"

"Hey, no worries. I can tell by your tone, you were kind of grossed out by that."

"...Well, still, it is a power. I mean, I can even-" she paused at almost saying those next words.

Control blood.

"Even what?" Tsuyu asked in curiosity.

"...even I can control anything that's water...based…"

Tsuyu tilted her head in interest. "Really? ...Even-"

"AND GO!"

The two girls jumped at the voice and instantly, the kids all rushed into the test site.

"Uh-oh," Tsuyu said, "We better get going," she turned to Katara and waved before she went her way, "Good luck, Katara!"

"Uh, g-good luck to you too, Tsuyu!" Katara called out as she ran to the test site.

Phew! Thank goodness that conversation didn't go any further.

When Katara entered the mock cityscape, she checked her surroundings when she stopped at an intersection. While the kids separated into different areas, she checked which direction she could take.

Let's see...if I was a robot, where would I be?

Katara decided to pick a route and go the right way of the intersection. Once she was halfway at a city block, however…

CRAAAASH!

...A robot came bursting through a building wall.

"ACK!" Katara yelled out in surprise.

The robot looked like a scorpion of some kind...and it had a '1' painted on it.

A one-pointer! Katara then got serious.

She pulled some water out of her thermos, and used a water swipe to create a blade in a super-fast motion.

She cut the robot in half instantly before it can attack.

BOOOM!

Katara smirked. She then gathered the water and put it back in her thermos.

Okay. That's one. Easy...pleasy? She thought, trying to think of one of the expressions Toshi says. Shaking her head, she went forward down the road, finding more robots.

"Oh my!" Nezu exclaimed in excitement. "So, this young girl can control water? Is that her Quirk?"

"Uh...yeah...wow, she finished that robot quickly," Toshinori muttered, blinking in amazement.

"Hm. That girl's got a good reaction time." Power Loader complimented as he watched the screens.

"Indeed." said Cementoss, "If she can cut through sheer metal by using just water, then I wonder if she can cut through stone?"

"Well, I'll tell you one thing, she wastes no time on attacking," Midnight smirked. "Let's see where this one goes."

"Now, now, we must heed attention to the other examinees. Wouldn't you agree, All Might?" Nezu hinted subtly.

"Oh, uh, yes," All Might, aka Toshinori, looked at the other screens as he tried to find Midoriya. He found him on one of the screens...and he wasn't really doing so good.

Hoo boy...come on, kid. I know using One For All would be too dangerous to unleash at this point, but you got to do something…

Toshi looked at the clock as of now.

...Only eight minutes left.

"Huh, that girl took out another robot. A three-pointer this time." Vlad King murmured.

Eraserhead narrowed his eyes at the screen where Katara is, "...That your niece, All Might?"

"Niece? You have a niece, All Might?" Midnight asked, a little flabbergasted.

"Oh, your niece?" Cementoss said to All Might, "I didn't know you had a sibling."

"Yeah...you know, you never talk about your family all that much, All Might." Power Loader said to him. "Is this your brother or sister's kid? Are they Heroes?"

"...Um...well..." All Might sat there, gaze directed downwards. "...I was actually adopted. I, uh...had one brother…" All Might said discretely.

"Oh, you were adopted?" Midnight said in surprise.

"Oh...I see," Cementoss nodded in understanding...somewhat.

Eraserhead looked at All Might with a blank stare. "...Hm," he looked at the screens again.

"Now everyone, let's not ask All Might here any personal questions. Let's continue observing the examinees, yes?"

Everyone held their inquires another time as they watched the screens.

All Might muttered to Nezu, "Thanks."

Nezu, without taking his eyes off the screens, softly murmured back, "Oh, no problem, All Might."

6 Minutes Left

Okay, there goes a two-pointer. So far, that's...twenty, I think.

Katara went through other streets to find other robots, which she encountered and destroyed two one-pointers and one lone two-pointer. While traversing through the streets of this faux city, she could hear the echoes of other examinees destroying robots around her as well.

Once she went to another intersection, another three-pointer came sliding through the left of the road.

Katara huffed, "Okay, buddy, you're gonna have to join your pals in the pile."

But once the robot could attack…

"Woooo!"

A pink blur slid from the right side of the road at a fast pace. It went underneath the robot and kept sliding until it got out from under it. The figure then slid to a stop, appearing to be a girl…

Wait...that's-

"Mina!?" Katara exclaimed in shock.

The figure known as Mina turned her attention to Katara. "Wha?" she blinked, "Oh! Hey! Katara! Wow, you're applying to UA too!?"

...Wow. It seems like everyone I know wants to go to UA. What next, that little creepy pervert kid wants to apply here too?

While the waterbender stood there dumbfounded, the robot started to twitch and spark, but still kept going.

"Wuh-oh! Looks like I applied a little too much acid on that robot...although, not enough for it to shut down," Mina smiled sheepishly.

Acid?

The robot then staggered around, obviously the wires disconnected as Mina applied her Quirk on it. As the robot turned its eye on Mina, the pink girl pouted.

"Well, I guess I have to get rid of it the hard way! Aww, man…" she then threw her arm back and unleashed a swipe of acid on the robot's eye, sizzling it. However, it was still functioning, but it was on the brink of breaking down. But before it could be over, the robot decided to lock on the person who threw the acid substance at it.

"AH! Oh, come on, you stupid robot, just go down!" Mina complained as she backed up, trying not to be in the robot's path as it came her way.

Katara frowned as the robot has its eye on Mina, "Hold on!" she gathered some water out of the thermos, and made a water-swiping blade to cut the already damaged robot in half.

FFZZZTTTT-CRRAACKKLE-BOOOOOOM!

"AAACK!" Mina yelled out as she landed backward on her butt.

"Oh! Mina, are you okay!?" Katara exclaimed back at her as she rushed over to her aid, maneuvering the remains of the destroyed robot.

"Uh, yeah..." Mina replied in a daze. Katara went over to her and helped her up, in which Mina asked her, "Hey, was that your Quirk back there?"

"Oh, yeah. I can control water," Katara told her.

"Control water?" Mina glanced at the thermos that was on Katara's waist and near her hip. "Oh! So you sliced the robot with...like a water blade?"

"Yeah, something like that," Katara answered.

"FIVE MINUTES LEFT!" yelled out Present Mic on the intercom.

"Eep!" Mina jumped, as well as Katara. "Oh, man! I only got, like, ten so far! Sorry to keep this short, but it was great seeing you again! Good luck in getting into UA! I hope I make it in too!" And with that, she slid off into a different street, trying to find more robots to blow up.

"...O-Okay," Katara said with a blink. She then turned to the destroyed robot, "...I wonder if that counted as getting rescue points? Or maybe..." shaking her head, she told herself. "No, can't think about that right now! I got five minutes left, so I don't need to fool around!" She then went up a different street and kept going.

"Oh my! Your niece certainly looks like she has the fine potential makings of a Hero!" Nezu told Toshi.

Toshi can't help but smile at that, "Yeah. That she does..." He looked at another screen and saw Midoriya was struggling to try to get a point from a robot.

...Man. Poor kid...

Nezu also looked in Toshi's direction and sees Midoriya on the screen.

"...All Might?" spoke Nezu.

"Hm?" Toshi turned his attention to the chimera. "Yes, Sir?"

"What I'm about to do...is test these kids the true meaning of being a Hero...so I do ask you to trust me on this."

"...Huh?"

"It's time...for the Zero-Pointer."

"...H-Huh?"

Nezu then pulled a little remote out of his suit, and pressed a button.

"...Wait, what are you-"

4 Minutes Left

KRRRAAAAAAACKKKLLLEEE!

Katara felt the ground rumble underneath her as it shook, making her stagger a bit.

"AH! What the...?" Katara turned her attention to what caused that quake.

KRAAACKLE-CRAAAAASHH!

...And saw the gigantic zero-pointer robot trudging through buildings out in the distance!

Eyes widening at the monstrosity of this giant thing, Katara could only think one thing.

...I can see why Toshi wants me to avoid this thing.

As it came towards the mock city, it swung its mechanical hands and crashed through buildings, making them crumble, which made the examinees run away from the robot and falling debris in fear and panic. They ran past Katara, some even knocking into her, making her lose her balance even more as the robot came stomping towards them.

"Oof!" Katara grunted as she was nudged by a guy who ran past her.

"Miss Yagi!" yelled out a familiar voice. Katara looked forward to see the familiar frame of Iida, running away from the robot. "It's best we leave this area, immediately!" And with that, he passed her.

Before Katara could say anything, Mina came up to her, "Hey, what are you doing standing there, Katara!? We got to get out of here!"

"Uh, r-right!" Katara was about to turn around and run, when-

"OW! Hey, watch it! *ribbit!* " yelled out the voice of...

"Tsuyu?" Katara turned back to the fleeing crowd and saw someone on the ground…

It really was Tsuyu! And she was further behind the throng of people escaping.

"Tsuyu! Hold on!" Katara then ran through the other direction towards the zero-pointer.

"Huh? Hey! Katara!" Mina shouted as she followed after her.

Meanwhile, Iida, who heard Katara's name, stopped and turned around to see if anything had happened.

Once Katara was out of the mob of kids, she went towards Tsuyu, who seemed to be trying to stand up.

"Ow! Aw, man. That jerk stepped on my ankle," Tsuyu muttered as she hold onto her right ankle.

"Tsuyu! Hold on!" Katara called out to her.

"Huh?" Tsuyu looked to where she was called out and recognized the girl coming toward her. "Katara!?"

Once she came up to the frog girl, Katara asked in concern, "Are you hurt?"

"Uh, well, my ankle hurts. I mean, I think it's not broken, it just had been stepped on from all the chaos." Tsuyu told her.

Katara looked at Tsuyu's ankle. It looked a little bruised, so she quickly got some water out of her thermos.

"Uh...what are you doing? *ribbit?* " Tsuyu asked her in confusion.

"I'm gonna heal you, okay?" Katara said. As soon as she applied the water onto her ankle, she spread the liquid over it. It soon glowed as she moved the water around, the water turning into a light blue hue.

I didn't heal Toshi's wound because it looked pretty aged and worn throughout the years...plus, seeing the sight of blood, and...the thought of having to control it...but now, I'm gonna use my waterbending to heal Tsuyu!

As it continued glowing, Tsuyu took notice.

"Huh?" Tsuyu looked down at her ankle to see the phenomenon of the glowing water...and after five seconds, her ankle doesn't hurt anymore! "Whoa! It feels...better!" She moved it around a bit, "Wow! I didn't know you can heal as well, Katara! That's pretty nifty!"

"Thanks," Katara smiled. She then looked up at the zero-pointer to see how close it is...until she looked further up and saw-

"TSUYU! GO!"

"Huh!?" Tsuyu was about to look up at Katara, but she then felt her whole body being pulled and pushed forward. "ACK!"

CRAAASSH-CRACKLE!

"Oof!" Tsuyu landed and laid on the concrete. Getting up, she turned to Katara…

...and saw that Katara was under some of the rubble of the buildings.

"KATARA!" Tsuyu yelled out in shock.

"KATARA!" Mina screamed out in horror. She was watching Katara heal the frog-looking girl and saw that she was healing her with the same water.

And then...the rubble came crashing down on top of her! On top of Katara!

Iida looked on in similar horror.

"MISS YAGI!" he shouted out to her. He moved forward to get over where she is, but he stopped.

Wait...they wouldn't let a teenager be harmed in this practical, would they? I mean...she's fine, right?

Iida paused to see if Katara would get out of the rubble. He can see the half of her upper body was sticking out of the debris...but she wasn't moving.

...Until he saw her move under the rubble.

She's alive! I mean...of course she is! This is all a test, right? This isn't real...right?

He looked up at the zero-pointer, which it was getting closer by the second.

...Right?

He glanced down at Katara, who was sluggishly trying to get up from the stone that was under her...

...What am I doing?

It was then, Iida knew what to do.

She inspired me...I can't leave someone who inspired me behind...I can't leave this girl behind!

Iida's face turned hard as he gathered up the courage.

He then ran up where Katara was.

Once he passed Mina and soon Tsuyu, he yelled out, "Come on, girls! We need to help her get out of there!"

Mina and Tsuyu blinked, stunned at the situation and at the tall boy who was running up to where Katara was likely injured.

"...Right!" Mina said with a serious look and a firm nod. She rushed over to where Katara was.

Tsuyu also looked serious and said, "Yeah! Hold on, Katara!" She too rushed to the scene.

"PRINCIPAL NEZU! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT OF PROTOCO-UURK!" Toshi yelled out as he spurted out blood from his mouth.

"Ack!" Midnight yelped.

"...Hm. So the rumors are true," Eraserhead said with a monotone stare.

"All Might! Are you alright?" Cementoss asked in concern.

"Now, now, All Might, I know this is a little extreme-" Nezu said as he tried to calm Toshi down, but was interrupted.

"A LITTLE!? THIS IS REALLY EXTREME, SIR! KAT-MY NIECE IS BEING CRUSHED UNDERNEATH DEBRIS!"

"Yes, I know. But everything will work out in the end, All Might. Don't you worry."

"WORRY!? SHE'S CRUSHED UNDER RUBBLE!"

"All Might, you do remember the zero-pointer, do you?"

"YEAH, BUT-"

"Then you must already know that it will stop upon getting near the children, yes?"

"...Still! My niece is in danger!"

"Is she now?" Nezu challenged him, "Because it seems like she's still breathing from the look of this screen here. And look! Some rather brave kids are very determined on helping her out."

Toshi looked at the screen...and sure enough, not only were there three kids, two girls and one boy, going to where Katara is, but it seems Katara was still moving underneath the debris.

The skinny and frail man's eyes widened.

"As I said before, All Might, do not worry. Everything will work out. This is part of the test," Nezu said in a chipper tone.

...All Might, not wanting to spurt out blood from his mouth again, sat in his seat and calmed down his nerves.

...Kid, wherever you are, I think now is your time to shine.

Toshinori gulped in apprehension.

"Ugh..." Katara groaned and tried to get up...but then felt a stinging sensation hit her left ankle. "AH!" She collapsed on the ground. Turning her head back she sees that her leg was trapped under a piece of concrete.

"Augh..." Katara winced.

Well, thankfully it was just one of her ankles...

Pretty ironic, depending she just healed Tsuyu's a while ago...now she needs to put water on hers.

"Katara!" Mina shouted.

"Hang on, Katara!" shouted Tsuyu.

"Miss Yagi! We are here to help you!" Iida called out to her.

Katara turned her head to the voices and sees that they were coming to her aid.

"G-Guys!" Katara winced again, the pain in her ankle becoming more and more present.

"Hold on!" Mina said as they got over to Katara. She rubbed her hands together and grabbed the piece of concrete that was on her foot, letting her acid burn through the stone.

"Come on, young lady!" Iida told Tsuyu, "We have to help her get this debris off of Miss Yagi!"

"Right! And my name is Tsuyu!"

"Uh...r-right! My name is Iida Tenya! Now let's go!"

And soon both of the kids, while Mina was burning the concrete of the stone slab, lifted the debris off of Katara's foot.

But the zero-pointer robot is getting closer, swinging its arms around to destroy many other buildings.

"We got to hurry!" Tsuyu said to them.

"Yes! We need to...OH!" Iida then remembered something.

"Huh? You okay?" Tsuyu asked Iida. She didn't want another kid getting hurt.

"Huh? What's wrong!?" Mina shouted to the taller boy.

"Nothing! I'm fine! I, uh...I just remembered that, um...I can destroy this piece of rubble with my jet kick!" Iida told them, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"What!?" Mina shouted, her eyes widened incredulously.

"You can? Well then, what are you doing!? Kick this stone off of her! *ribbit*" Tsuyu yelled at him.

"Right!" Iida then got prepared for one of his legs to charge up. Before he did, he said to Katara, "Keep your head down, Miss Yagi! I'm going to destroy this debris with my Quirk!"

Katara, who looked up at Iida, said to him with a smile, "That's fine! Thank you all for helping me out!"

"Don't thank us yet! We got to get you out of here!" Tsuyu said.

"Uh, guys!?" Mina said as she pointed up with a look of fright on her face.

Iida and Tsuyu looked up...and saw that the zero-pointer was hovering over them!

"...Oh crap," Tsuyu said with wide-eyed panic.

Iida snapped out of his shock and yelled, "Hold on, Miss Yagi! We're going to get you-"

-YYYYYYYEEEEEEE-AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

Then...something shot through the air at super-fast speed...and collided into the nose of the robot!

BAAAAAAAAAAMMM!

The robot went back from the force of the hit, its 'face' dented and destroyed beyond recognition. It wobbled back and crashed through buildings as it fell, landing on several other structures and bringing them down with it.

CRRRAAAAASSSSSHHHH!

...The giant robot laid there motionless and broken.

"...Uh…" Iida looked at the scene with wide-eyed shock.

Mina just looked on with her mouth dropped in amazement at what she saw.

Tsuyu looked on at the scene, stunned and flabbergasted at the raw strength at whatever eliminated the giant robot.

Katara looked up at what occurred and couldn't help but look on in awe...

It was then she recognized the shape of the person...as well as the hair.

Eyes widening in, Katara shouted out, "MIDORIYA!"

Mina looked at Katara with a blink, "W-Who?"

Tsuyu turned to the waterbender as well. "Midoriya? You mean that person who demolished the zero-pointer?"

"My...word," Iida softly said.

The figure known as Midoriya stayed there in the air for a bit...until gravity began to start working again. He kept falling all the way back down to the ground at an alarming rate.

Katara, seeing that he might be in danger, tried to get up but her ankle was still trapped under the rubble. "Ugh! Guys! Someone has to catch him!"

"Huh?" Iida snapped out of his shock to glance down at Katara. "Uh, r-right!" He then directed his attention at the remaining two girls. "Quickly! What can both of your Quirks do!?"

"U-Uh, mine's Acid!" Mina answered quickly.

"Frog! ...M-Mine's just Frog!" Tsuyu answered.

"Hmm…" Iida then perked up, "It's a long shot, but we have very limited time!" He turned to Tsuyu, "Can your tongue stretch!?"

"Um, yeah, that's what frogs do!"

"Right! So when he's in catching range, wrap him around your tongue and throw him to me!"

"Uh, okay!" Tsuyu quickly glanced at the rubble, "Sorry to do this Katara, but I'm gonna have to stand on this debris for a moment!" She then hopped on the rubble and wait for Midoriya to fall in range.

-aaaaAAAAAAAAAHHHH!

"He's coming down closer!" Mina yelled out in anxiousness.

"I got it!" Tsuyu stuck her tongue out.

"I'll get ready!" Iida told them. He got the jet engines on his legs ready.

Once Tsuyu caught and wrapped around Midoriya's waist with her tongue as he fell further, she tugged her tongue and swung him over behind them and across the street.

"NOW!" Iida exclaimed, gearing up his jet-engined legs.

He took off, leaving a burst of wind as he ran.

Katara looked on in amazement as Iida boosted his way forward.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Midoriya yelled out.

"Hold on!" Iida shouted to the flying boy.

As soon as Midoriya was about to land on the pavement, Iida rushed over to immediately catch him in his arms. His jet engine legs cut off and he along with Midoriya were rolling onto the pavement to where the rest of the other examinees were.

The girls looked on with fearful anticipation.

All was silent…

...Until Iida shouts in the distance, "HE'S OKAY!"

Katara, Tsuyu, and Mina all had happy looks on their faces and cheered!

"...KIND OF!"

They instantly stopped cheering.

"What?" Katara said in confusion. "What does he mean by that?"

"Oh no! I hope everything is alright with the guy!" Mina said in a worrisome tone.

Tsuyu looked down at Katara from the rubble and back to Mina, "Hey, what's your name?"

"Huh?" Mina blurted as she turned to the Frog Girl, "Um, Ashido Mina!"

"Alright then!" Tsuyu nodded, "Well, you can just call me Tsuyu! Anyway, can your acid dissolve this piece of concrete quickly!?"

"Uh, w-well, I can make it stronger!" Mina informed her.

"Okay," Tsuyu hopped off the rubble and landed on the ground like a frog. "Try to dissolve it to free Katara then, alright!?"

"U-Uh, r-right!" Mina said as she gathered the acid in her hands and laid them on the concrete slab.

"Ah, there we go!" Nezu said as he sipped his tea from his tea cup. Once he finished, he told All Might, "See, All Might? Nothing to worry about! That young man pulverized the zero-pointer just in time!"

Toshinori gazed at the screens with his mouth partially open in shock.

"...Yeah," Toshi then smiled, "...That kid did it."

Way to go, Young Midoriya...way to go.

"Indeed he did!" Nezu nodded, "He certainly has some good potential."

Toshinori's smile became wider. "...Yeah…"

"Wow! That kid really destroyed the zero-pointer and saved all those kids! Now that's heroic!" Power Loader cheered.

"My, that was close," Cementoss muttered.

"Hoo! Yeah. That would've been ugly!" Midnight sighed in relief.

"It looks like the kid injured himself as well. That's pretty reckless." Eraserhead commented.

"Well, good thing that kid with the jet engine Quirk caught him in time." Vlad King murmured.

As the rest of the Heroes murmured among themselves, Toshi listened in on what they were saying…

"...Sir? They...really weren't in any danger, were they?" he asked Nezu in hesitation.

Nezu sipped his tea again. When he finished, he said cryptically, "Everything worked out, All Might. Everything worked out."

"..." All Might was now getting a little worried about what this job entails.

"MY GOODNESS! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?" Iida yelled out when he saw the state Midoriya is in.

"Just...Just one point..." Midoriya mumbled to himself, seemingly ignoring Iida's question.

"AND IT'S ALL OVER!"

...Midoriya then passed out.

"...Huh? One point?" Iida inquired. He placed Midoriya on the pavement gently, making sure to not injure him somehow even further. As the green haired boy laid there on the ground, Iida stood there over him and looked at the boy that saved their lives.

Iida frowned, "One point? Was he talking about the practical?"

Meanwhile, the rest of the examinees looked on at the scene in awe and wonder. They all murmured and asked among themselves 'who's that kid lying on the ground' is?

"Hey! Iida!" said the voice of Mina.

"Huh?" Iida turned his head to look at where the voice was.

Mina and Tsuyu came over to where the crowd was...along with Katara who had her arms around each girls' shoulders to help support her up.

Iida gasped. "Miss Yagi! Uh, Ashido, and, um, Tsuyu!"

The three girls came up to Iida and Midoriya. Once they did, Katara looked at the condition of Midoriya and gasped as well, but this time in horror.

"What in the world happened to him!?" Katara exclaimed.

"Whoa, he looks messed up." Tsuyu commented with a wince.

"Wow...y-yeah..." Mina said uneasily, feeling a little sick just looking at the poor boy's state.

Midoriya's limbs were strewn around like a ragdoll, as his arm looked beaten up when he punched the robot.

"It would seem he...hit the robot so hard, he...broke his arm?" Iida speculated. "...Or...made his whole body horribly mangled?"

"Now, now, children, let me see who's been injured," said an old elderly woman's voice.

The four kids turned to see…

...A very small old woman whose hair is up in a bun, and is wearing what looked like a doctor's coat, in which she had her pink costume under her coat. She's also holding a cane(?) that looked like a booster shot.

"Here you go. Haribo gummies for you!" The old woman gave a kid some gummy bears. "Oh, and how about some candy for you? Here you go!" She gave another kid some sweet tarts.

As soon as she's near the kids, she sees Midoriya. "Oh, dear. This one definitely needs medical attention. It looks like his Quirk did this to him."

"His...Quirk?" Katara muttered in question.

The old woman sighed, "This one needs to control it a little better."

She then did something a little...out there.

Her lips stretched forward and...gave Midoriya a little kiss on the head.

...Katara blinked.

It was then an examinee with dashing looks said in a weird accent that sounded foreign to Katara, "That mademoiselle is the backbone of UA. Her Quirk has a super healing factor. It's in large part thanks to her presence that UA dares to host such wild exams. Her Hero name is Recovery Girl."

...Recovery GIRL? She looks like an old lady. Katara raised a brow.

"MWAH!" The old woman known as Recovery Girl finished the kiss as her lips retracted back to her mouth. "This young man will be fine. Now, who else is hurt?"

"Oh! Uh, this girl is!" Mina told the woman, motioning Katara.

"Okay then. I'll be over there." Recovery Girl told them as she made her way to the girls. There were two robot paramedics behind her that were carrying a stretcher and scooped up the boy in seconds.

"Wait! Where are you taking him?" Katara asked the old woman.

"Oh, no worries. You can thank him when he wakes up. He's just going to the infirmary where he can rest up." Recovery Girl told Katara. "Now let me see your injury."

While the robots took Midoriya away, Iida kept his gaze on the boy as he was carried off. "...I owe that young man an apology," he muttered. He turned to Recovery Girl and the other girls, in which the old woman gave Katara a healing kiss on her ankle.

"There we go. Move her ankle, young lady." the elderly woman asked the waterbender.

Katara moved her ankle effortlessly. "Oh wow! It's...It's better!" she said, truly amazed. However, she felt a pinch of fatigue in her system. "T-Thank you, ma'am!"

"Oh, it's no problem, dearie!" Recovery Girl assured her with a nod and a knowing smile. "Can I ask you your name, little lady?"

Once she let go of Tsuyu and Mina and began standing again, she looked at the old woman with a confused blink. "Uh, Yagi Katara?"

"Hm-hm. Alright then, Miss Yagi. Just be careful and don't hurt that ankle too much, alright?"

"Uh, sure." Katara nodded.

Wait...Recovery Girl...where did I-

Her eyes then widened in realization.

Recovery Girl chuckled as her smile became even more knowing. She then pulled out some gummies. "Here you go, Miss Yagi. Some gummy bears for your good deed."

"Uh…" Katara stuck her hand out as Recovery Girl handed them to her.

"You kids be good now, okay?" With one last sweet smile, the old woman went to the other kids who needed medical assistance.

Katara watched her go, curiosity running through her mind.

Does...she know about me staying with Toshi?

"Uh, hey, Katara…" said the voice of Mina, breaking out her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, uh, yes, Mina?" asked Katara.

Mina then grinned big. "Can I have a gummy bear?"

"..." Katara chuckled, "Sure, Mina." She gave one to her, causing her to grin even wider.

"Well, either way, I hope we passed this exam...it would suck if we didn't. Especially after that ordeal we went through." Tsuyu threw her two cents in.

"Heh...yeah." Katara agreed.

"It's funny you mention that," said Iida's voice. The three girls looked at the taller boy who was coming their way.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked with a concerned frown.

"Well, I was referring to that boy you called Midoriya...he said something a little...troubling I would say. He said…'Just one point'..." Iida relayed it to them.

"'Just one point'? What could he mean by that?" Mina as she was chewing the gummy bear.

"Hmm…" Tsuyu put a hand on her chin, "...Maybe he didn't get any points at all?"

"What?" Katara asked in surprise. "You mean...he had no points?"

"It would seem so from the way he said it," Iida confirmed, "...He basically saved us from the giant zero-pointer. I feel like that would at least give him some amount of points."

Katara then remembered something that Toshi said back then when explaining the practical to her.

"Hey! Th-" Katara then paused immediately.

Oh...I can't say that out loud, can I?

"Uh...what is it, Katara?" Tsuyu asked her curiously.

"...That could be something?" Katara said a little sheepishly. "I mean, he could earn some special points or something...right?"

"Hmm.." Iida hummed in thought, "...He probably could. Maybe he could gain...rescue points, or something?"

"Yeah!" Katara's eyes brighten up, "M-Maybe!"

"Well…" Mina put a finger to her chin. "We could probably ask if we can somehow give our points to him."

"I go with that, just in case," Tsuyu said with a nod.

"Well...we could try that," Katara said.

Although I'm pretty sure he could get in after that display of heroism...I hope. Katara thought.

Thirty Minutes Later...

Katara entered the Yagi household as she opened the front door.

"Oh! Katara! You're back!" Toshinori said as he fixed lunch at the stove.

Blinking at her guardian's presence, she asked, "You're already here?"

Toshi chuckled, "Well, the teachers stopped examining the students around fifteen minutes ago. I just came straight home and waited to tell you that you did great!"

Katara smiled at that. "Thanks, Toshi..." She stood there in thought

"Hm?" Toshi blinked at the girl as she still, "What's wrong, Katara?"

"Hm?" Katara looked at Toshi again. "Oh! Nothing! I just...well...you did see what happened to the zero-pointer in the screening room, right?"

Toshinori nodded. "That I did," He then smiled. "That kid who pulverized it was impressive,"

"So you think he's a good candidate?" Katara asked hopefully.

His smile became brighter. "We'll see in one week." He continued to grill the fish that was in the pan.

"Oh," Katara then stood in deflated silence.

The skinny man looked back at the girl upon hearing the uncertainty in her tone.

"...I can...uh, spoil the surprise if you want me to," Toshinori advised her.

"Hm?" Katara looked up at the man. "Oh! I mean...well...y-you don't have to. I mean...well…"

Chuckling at her hesitation, Toshi told her, "Don't worry, Katara. He passed."

Her face lit up as her eyes widened in surprise. "He passed!?"

"Of course! He obtained the most rescue points in the whole exam from saving you and your friends! By the way, you got rescue points as well." Toshi said with a wink.

Katara grinned big. "Oh Toshi, that's great!"

"Heh-heh. I guess you'll find it even better to know that you and those kids that helped you out have passed as well!"

Her mouth turned into a surprised 'o'. "Really!?"

"Yep! Congratulations, Katara! You're going to UA!" Toshi said with a big grin.

She couldn't believe it...she's going to UA! And if she's going to UA, then that means...she'll see Mina, Tsuyu, Iida, and Midoriya!

"That's...That's wonderful!" Katara rushed over to Toshi and gave him a big hug.

"Whoa!" Toshi chuckled, "Easy there, Katara! I'm cooking lunch here," He gave out a congratulated smile either way though, "But you did really well out there, Young Lady." He patted her on the back as she hugged him.

Katara let go of him to give him a big smile. "Thanks, Toshi!"

Toshinori's smile turned warm. "No problem. You and Midor-..." His smile then dropped, his expression looking like he realized something. "Uh, y-you should be proud of yourself." And then he continued cooking lunch.

Now the waterbender's smile went down. "What now?"

"I, uh, I said you should be proud of yourself," Toshi said, trying to cover his tracks.

"...But you said-"

"Hey, Katara! Why don't you, uh, get the pepper spice for me?"

Katara raised an eyebrow, but complied and said, "Uh...sure."

She then grabbed the pepper spice from the cabinet and was about to take it to Toshi...when she asked, "You know...the kid that saved us is named Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku."

"...Oh okay." Toshi turned his head to smile at her and turned his head back to grilling…

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Um…" Toshi turned his head again at Katara, "...C-Can you give me the pepper spice?"

"...Do you happen to know Midoriya?" Katara plainly asked.

...Toshinori just looked at her for a moment.

...Well...I think I did consider one time that I was gonna tell her about Young Midoriya after the Entrance Exam...

"...Hey, uh, Katara, um...how about I fix lunch first? And then...I'll tell you."

Katara looked at him a little suspiciously, but answered, "Okay…"

About Ten Minutes Later…

"Mmm! This fish is great, Toshi!" Katara complimented.

"Thanks! I always like it blackened a bit. It adds more flavor." Toshinori told her with a smile.

"Well this certainly is the best!" Katara said with a smile back at her caretaker and took another bite of her meal.

They sat there and ate(well, Toshi drank his supper, since he lost his stomach) in silence…

When Katara swallowed her food, she then began to say, "So...about what you tried to say earlier…"

Before Toshinori could have another bite, he froze, remembering the topic. "...Oh...yeah. Um...so, uh, Katara, um...did you want to know why I...said that I was proud of you and Midoriya?"

Katara nodded. "Yeah...I mean, I think I know how you knew about his name from the screenings and whatnot, but...you make it sound like you met him before..." She raised an eyebrow, "Have you?"

"...Katara, did you realize that...he has a Quirk?"

Blinking at that, Katara said a little hesitantly, "Um...yes?"

"...When...he didn't have one before?"

Now, Katara's eyes widened in shock. "Wait...how did you kno-"

"I gave it to him."

. . . . . . .

"...What?" Katara asked, flabbergasted.

...Toshi took a deep breath...and let it out by saying, "I...gave him a Quirk."

"...You're gonna have to explain that to me, Toshi."

"...And I will. Also, I...haven't really been honest with you...about Nana...as well as Nana's Quirk."

"...O...kay..."

"...This Quirk has been passed down to nine bearers throughout generations who once wielded it. Nana's original Quirk was...a Floating Quirk."

"...Oh…"

"...And now...the ninth bearer of this Quirk...is none other than Midoriya Izuku."

Katara's eyes widened at that info. "He's...wait, what?"

"...Katara...this Quirk, my Quirk...which was passed down to me by Nana, who has also passed this Quirk over to her by her own mentor...and now earlier on today, this Quirk has been passed down to Midoriya...by me...is known as…"

Katara looked at him in sheer wonder, anticipating what he's going to say next.

"...ONE FOR ALL."

- End of Chapter 9 -

Chapter Text

"...One for All?" Katara said in wonder and...confusion, basically.

"Yes…" Toshinori said with a nod.

"...Okay, I'm...kind of confused."

"Hm?" Toshinori blinked.

"So, what you're saying is...the Quirk that Nana gave you...isn't her Quirk?" Katara clarified to him.

"Oh, uh...yes," Toshinori nodded.

"...And her original Quirk is...a Floating Quirk?"

"Um...yes again."

"...So...that would mean that this...Quirk wasn't Nana's, but it was passed onto her by other Quirk users, who had Quirks, and...they had this Quirk, which is called One for All, but you yourself said you were Quirkless, and Nana gave you the One for All Quirk which was passed down to her and now passed down to you...and…" Katara shook her head and tried to absorb all of this, "Okay, I...think I got it."

"Um..." Toshinori rubbed the back of his head, "Y-Yeah, that's basically...the whole gist of it."

"Okay...but I have like...two, maybe three, questions to ask you, Toshi."

"...Alright. And what would those questions be?"

"Well...one: how did you and all these other users for this One for All Quirk actually get it passed down? And two: Why didn't you tell me this before? And...I guess, finally, three: ...What is One for All?"

"...For the first question: The past users…well, I mean...actually, I received my Quirk from Nana by..." Toshinori paused as he looked a little embarrassed.

"...By...what?" Katara asked with a raised eyebrow.

"...Well, by obtaining One for All, the user must...give a part of their DNA to them…"

"Oh...their DNA?" Katara learned something about that in school...but then she had a very...disturbing thought. "...Wait..." Her eyes widened in horror, "...Uh...Toshi?"

Noticing the look on Katara's face, he blinked again in confusion. "Um, yes, Katara?"

"...Please tell me you didn't like...uh...kissed Nana or anything like that...on the lips...did you?" Katara asked with a shiver and cringe.

...Now Toshinori's eyes widened in horror and shock, his mouth spurting out blood.

"BLAUGH! W-W-WHAT!? I-I, N-N-NO! NO! NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! WHA-WHAT GAVE YOU THAT IDEA!?" Toshinori hollered back in shock and mortification.

Katara, surprised at Toshinori's outburst(as well as the blood spewing out of his mouth), looked at Toshinori for a moment, until she replied rather sheepishly, "Well...you have a picture of her in a swimsuit inside your closet..."

"...Okay, look. Yes, at one time, I thought she was...well, I'll just say pretty. But really, it honestly just ends there, okay? I really saw her as a mom, alright?" Toshinori explained.

Katara blushed at the scolding, "Okay, okay...sorry..."

Now feeling bad about going hysterical at the girl, Toshinori frowned and sighed, "No...Katara, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that. It was just...quite shocking that you would assume that. I mean, honestly, and I have to admit, as much as I'm the Number One Hero in the Hero Charts, I am not really suave when it comes to women. And Nana will always be a parent figure to me," He then blushed as he scratched his cheek, "Although...if I ever find a woman, which...I feel like I highly doubt, considering my situation, then I want her to be just like Nana."

"...Okay," Katara gave out a small smile, a little relieved that she offended Toshi too bad, "Well...you're forgiven for one thing. But really, sorry for freaking you out. I was just making sure."

"Heh-heh...well, no worries, Katara. One thing to know about me, is that this Number One Hero has...well, no love life." Toshinori said with a sad smile.

Katara frowned at that, "Why can't you?"

"...Um, have you looked at me recently?"

The waterbender rolled her eyes, "Toshi, you don't look that bad. Besides, you're a sweetheart. A very nice, kind, and heroic sweetheart that protects everyone. Not to mention you brought me in to stay at your home."

Toshinori blushed a bit, muttering, "Aww, well..."

Katara giggled at his response. However, she still wanted to know, "So...how did you get Nana's DNA then?"

"Oh...uh, well…I ate a piece of her hair..."

"...Say what now?"

"Before you say anything, I know that sounds...questionable, but she said to do so!"

"...O...kay…"

"...Yeah...I mean, imagine my surprise..."

"...Oh...wait…" Katara realized something else, "...Did you...let Midoriya…" she cringed at the thought of it, "...eat a piece of your hair?"

"...Um, yes...that's...what I basically did."

"...Um...okay, first of all...ew. Second of all, did every user of One for All had to do that?"

"That...I don't know."

Katara just stared at him...and shook her head, "Okay, you know what? Never mind. How about we just go to the second question?"

"Oh, um, sure," Toshinori then rubbed the back of his head, "Well, on not telling you earlier...I basically thought you wouldn't understand it at first, and...I just couldn't risk telling you that, or else people will know about it. ...Heck, thinking about it now, I'm glad you didn't say anything about Nana passing down a Quirk was her Quirk."

"...Well, it was a secret," Katara muttered, "But…yeah, what you said makes sense," she looked at Toshinori as she said, "Okay, so...as for the third question..."

"...Let's finish our meal first, Katara. Cause I feel like this kind of information is...well, really important. Again, I only tell this secret to my closest friends and allies."

"Oh! By the way, there's this woman named...Recovery Girl? I met her in the Entrance Exams, and...well, do you happen to know her by chance?"

Toshinori smiled, "Ah, yes! I do! Her real name is Chiyo Shuzenji! She knows my secret as well..." he sweatdrops, "Just don't get on her bad side. She swings a mean cane."

Katara giggled once more, "Duly noted. Also, sure, you can tell me after we can finish our meal."

Toshinori nodded, "Alright then. Just to warn you though, Katara, this..." he lowered his head down a bit, "...This type of info relates to...that Villain I mentioned all those months ago."

The waterbender blinked, "Oh...okay..."

"...Well, this smoothie won't drink itself!" Toshinori said with a grin as he took another chug of his smoothie down.

Katara can't help but smile at the man. She then went back to eating her fish, and they quietly enjoyed the time they had together.

Once they were finished with dinner, Toshinori told her the whole story about One for All. How there was a time called the Advent of the Exceptional, and how there was one powerful Quirk user at that time that wants to change things...for his own needs. A man of a unique Quirk that would take Quirks and give them to other people with Quirks and the Quirkless. A man who is once called the First Demon. A man of True Evil…

All For One.

Toshinori even told her about how All For One had a younger brother and how the brother has a strong sense of justice. How All For One forced a stock-power Quirk onto him. How the brother already had a Quirk inside him, a Transferring Quirk, whether it was a useless Quirk or not. Either way, it fused with the stock-power Quirk and it became One for All. Thus, the brother gathered a resistance to his older brother, All For One, with his newfound fused Quirk passing down through a different person through generations...until it was passed down to Nana, Toshinori, and now, Izuku.

Finally, Toshinori told him about All For One's ever-growing power and his near-immortal status, never aging because of certain Quirks. How he lived throughout the years...until Toshinori brought him down...

Now, all was well...

That's what Toshinori thought…

He just hope he was gone for good.

Katara sat there at the same table, listening to Toshi, as well as processing all of this…

It was a lot to sink in, honestly...she couldn't believe a person would be as evil, insane, and as ambitious as the Fire Lord...but this...All For One would make Ozai look like a rookie tyrant. To force a Quirk on his own brother...

As Toshinori just said, it was ironic…

Justice is always born from evil.

"...Wow..." Katara muttered, in awe of this revelation.

"Yeah...kind of profound, isn't it?" Toshinori muttered as well, looking down at the table. He seemed to be deep in thought…

Katara sat there in silence for a moment also, "...Well, this...All For One is gone now, right?"

Toshinori looked up at Katara, "..."

...I can only hope so, Katara…

"...I would think so. I mean, I made sure of it..."

"...Well...either way, Midoriya now carries One for All, huh?" Katara asked him.

Toshinori nodded, "Yes...that he does."

Katara then raised an eyebrow, "Okay...so...how did you reach the decision of giving One for All to Midoriya?"

"..." Toshinori was going to tell her how they first met...

…No. I can't let her know that I...said that to Midoriya. That he couldn't be a Hero without a Quirk...I have to alter this story somehow.

"...Young Midoriya and I met when I was trying to catch that Sludge Villain, Dukunara's older brother. He was causing havoc, and…well, he was going to attack and take control of Midoriya...easily put, I contained the Sludge Villain. He then asked me if someone like him could become a hero, one that's Quirkless…"

...

"...I told him 'yes'."

Katara's eyes widened in realization.

Toshi...he was the one who told Midoriya that he could be a Hero...

"And then, I left him," Toshinori said, continuing, "I...then carelessly dropped the container that held the Sludge Villain. It landed on someone and attacked a boy Midoriya knows, almost taking control of him. I almost used up my limit at the time, and I was at a dilemma...but then, Midoriya came rushing in the scene, trying to save his friend..." he smiled, "Heh...he reacted without thinking that day...it was then...I decided to choose him."

Katara looked at Toshi in awe and wonder, her eyes wide as they sparkled in admiration.

"I then saved both he and his friend...limit be damned," Toshinori then finished the explaination by saying, "I then found Midoriya, asked him if he would like to inherit my Quirk and…well, the rest is history."

"...Wow, Toshi..." she smiled at the man sitting in front of her and across the table. "That's...amazing."

Toshinori half-smiled at her, "It certainly is."

I hate to lie like that, especially to Katara, but...really, it's kind of the truth...basically...

Katara also smiled, but hers was genuine, "Well, I can safely assure you that you picked the right person to inherit One for All, Toshi."

Now Toshinori smiled authentically at the girl, "I'm glad you think so, Katara."

They sat there for a while, enjoying the comforting silence…

"...Well. I am absolutely ready to get to UA now!" Katara said with a happy grin, "I get to not only see Midoriya, but Uraraka, Iida, Ashido, and Asui!"

Chuckling at that, Toshinori said, "Ah, yes. You seem to be having a lot of friends now from what I saw."

Katara giggled at Toshi's pip.

Soon, she put up her plate and decided to go ahead and practice a little bit of her waterbending today, while Toshinori said that he had to get back to UA in a little bit after lunch to review other certain attendees.

Once Katara had gone back to school, she met up with Ochako and got the news that she passed too! In fact, Katara shared her phone number with Iida, Ashido, and Asui so she can text her to make sure if they passed, which they did as well!

The days, weeks, and a month soon followed, and now...it's finally that day...

The day that Katara will be heading out into the Hero Academy known as UA...

April

First Day at UA

6:20 AM

As soon as Katara left Toshi's house(he left early to get to UA), she made her way through the route that she was told to go to UA. As she waited on the train, she had absolute excitement bubbling inside of her.

Man, I can't believe this! This will be my very first taste of going to an institution of higher learning! UA...wow. If Toshi described this place as elite as he said it was, then...I'm really lucky to even be there!

Katara smiled brightly as she stood there while holding onto the grip pole of the train. She looked down at herself to observe her UA uniform again. It was crisp, straightened out, and looked really professional. Although the skirt was still a little much for her, she decided to just go with it, as she knows it's academic standard wear. Plus she is wearing black stockings on her legs, so she's not exposing too much leg to everyone.

Looking back up, she looked out the window to see the city whizzing by as she got ready to depart from the train to where her stop is.

This will actually be...fun.

Katara smiled even brighter.

UA Academy

7:20 AM

"Wow..."

She was at the front gate of the academy.

It looked grand, just as its reputation said it would be.

This is it...

Katara then stepped onto the campus grounds after her tag was scanned by the gate. She climbed up the stairs admiring her surroundings as there were cherry blossoms around some places on the campus. As soon as she entered the facility, she went to look for her class.

Okay, Class 1...A. Okay then. Got to look for Class 1-A.

As soon as she went up one floor and followed the directions Toshi gave her, she found the door to Class 1-A.

"...Wow. That's a huge door," Katara muttered to herself.

Taking a deep breath, she readied herself to enter her classroom...

This was the start of a new journey to her...from here on in, she will learn what it is like to be a Hero in this world.

As soon as she collected herself, she reached for the handle of the huge sliding door and slid it open.

She could see that a few students were already here. She heard from Toshi that there were eighteen students in both two classes, those classes being Class 1-A and 1-B. The 'one' being the first years...

Her classmates were sitting in their desks as they waited for when their class will begin. Katara could see that these kids have different and unique Quirks, each of them being obvious just by looking at them, while others looked like ordinary-looking teenagers. However, she knows that they've earned the right to be here, so she wouldn't be the one to judge them on what they could do.

And then, she heard some familiar voices.

"Y-Yagi-sama!"

"Katara! Hey!"

"Oh! Katara! *ribbit*"

Katara turned to the voices and smiled big when she sees her friends getting up and rushing over to her.

"Iida! Mina! Tsuyu!" she said as she went over to them and closed the gap between them.

"Hey girl!" Mina said with a happy grin, "Wow! You're in our class? That's totally awesome!"

"Yeah. *ribbit* What are the odds?" Tsuyu said.

"Miss Yagi-sama! It is an honor to share the same class with you! This is truly fate that we were all meant to meet each other again like this right here at UA!" Iida said in a chopping hand motion, "And it is great to see you again! The texts didn't feel like we were actually communicating with each other at all!"

Katara giggled, "Yeah! I'm really glad to see you guys again!"

As they chatted among themselves, two classmates were sitting at their desks and looking on at the group. One, a two-toned colored short-haired(right side of hair was white, while the left side of hair was red) boy with a burn scar on the left side of his face and around his left eye, and a very short boy with multiple grape-ish ball-looking shaped-hair with wide eyes.

The grape-haired boy, who was Mineta, just looked at the girls with...lecherous intentions, but as soon he saw Katara, he froze.

...Oh shit! It's that girl who saved me!

...Then, for no reason, whatsoever, he looked down at her legs...

...Wow...dayum. She's got some great-looking pair of legs. They make up for her lack of boobs...hmm...I wonder what her butt looks like?

Meanwhile, the two-toned-haired boy looked up to see the commotion and saw...

...Oh...hey, it's...yeah, it is her. I remember her. I bumped into her a while back...I think?

...The boy, named Shouto Todoroki, just kept looking at Katara.

...

...Shaking his head at staring for too long, he decided to just sit there and looked down at his desk.

Back with Katara, she and Iida, Asui, and Ashido's conversation were interrupted by the classroom door sliding open. They looked over at the door to see...

Katara's eyes widened at the student in the doorframe.

Instantly, her whole demeanor changed when she saw him.

"You!?"

"Eh?" said the voice of Bakugou Katsuki. He turned his attention to Katara, and upon seeing her, his eyes widened slightly, "...Ah, fuck," he muttered, looking away with a sneer. "It's that loudmouth extra."

Katara blinked at the insult, "Ex-cuse me!?" she exclaimed with a glare.

"Eh, you heard me," Bakugou said flippantly as he walked to a desk and plopped his stuff down, thus putting a shoed foot on the desk's surface. "First Shitty Deku gets in, and now I have to deal with stupid loudmouth Water Girl bitch," he muttered.

Before Katara could even go all out on Bakugou, Iida suddenly exclaimed with a fierce glare, "First of all, that's no way to talk to a lady, and secondly, watch your language, you hooligan! This is a renowned school of higher learning, and you will treat it as such! You are also to apologize to Ka-I mean, M-Miss Yagi this instant! And get your feet off the desk, you're disrespecting the people who made it for UA and the people who came here before us!"

"Huh?" Bakugou looked at Iida with a glare himself, "...Tch, whatever. What middle school you came from, ya extra?"

Iida's glare intensifies, and he says, "Somei."

"Somei? Ha! A stuck-up elitist, then? I should just blow ya to bits," Katsuki smirked haughtily.

Apparently, Iida lost the glare and looked taken aback, "Blow me to bits!? That's awful! And you wish to be a Hero!?"

Meanwhile, a girl with short purple hair and with ear jacks hanging from her ears winced as she left her head up from her desk, "Man, why does it have to be so noisy now?"

Another student, a girl who was reading a book and has a pineapple ponytail in the back, looked down at her book and glowered at the scene that was being played out.

Then a young man with red spiked hair came into Iida's and Baukgou's conversation at hand, "Hey now man, I don't know what you said, but if you're talking to trash to a lady, then that's unmanly."

A kid with electric blonde hair with a black streak in it also said, "Yeah. That's no way to talk to a girl."

Bakugou growled at the two. "Ah, shove it ya extras."

Tsuyu frowned at Bakugou's behavior, "Sheesh, we have to share a class with that guy?"

"Yikes," Mina cringed, "Talk about super rude."

Even Mineta looked at Bakugou disapprovingly.

Whoa, even I know not to say that to a hot girl!

Katara, who decided to fire back, said to Bakugou, "So how did you get in? By being obnoxious to the point that they pitied you?"

Bakugou directed his attention to Katara with a glare so intense, that she almost flinched. Almost. "You shut your-"

The door opened again…

"...Oh. Um…h-hi everybody..." said the voice of the boy who was in the door frame, that being Midoriya Izuku.

Katara, glad that another familiar face showed up, turned to him and smiled big, "Midoriya! Hey! You're in our class!"

"Oh hey! It's that kid who punched the Zero Pointer!" Mina said with a grin.

"Ah. You look all better now. *ribbit*" Tsuyu said with a nod and smile.

"Ah! So you're Midoriya!" Iida went over to him shook his hand, leaving Izuku dumbfounded, "I want to say thank you for saving us from that Zero Pointer! Even though that was just a practical and it was all staged to look like we were in absolute real danger...um, I hope...either way, I just wanted to thank you for coming in and saving us all at the last second!"

"U-Uh...n-no problem?" Izuku said, but shook his head, "I-I mean, well...I-I just wanted to make sure you were all safe..." he perked up and looked at Katara, asking her, "Hey! W-Were you alright? That rock looked like it almost crushed foot!"

Katara smiled as she giggled, "Yeah, I'm alright, Midoriya. Recovery Girl healed it just fine."

"Ah! Y-Yeah, Recovery Girl! Right, that's…right. Heh-heh," Izuku rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

W-Well, Katara doesn't seem too mad about me lying, I suppose… Izuku thought in relief.

While they got acquainted, Bakugou looked at Izuku with a hateful glare and sneer.

Deku and Water Girl know each other? ...Then I was right.

"Oh hey! You're that ordinary-looking guy!" said a bubbly sweet girl's voice, that being Uraraka Ochako as she entered the classroom, "Huh?" she looked at Katara, "Oh! Hey, Kat! Wow! We're in the same class! That's so cool!" she looked at the other three students and said curiously, "Um...hi! My name is Uraraka Ochako! Please to meet you all!"

Mina and Tsuyu smiled back, while Iida saluted and said, "Salutations, Uraraka-san!"

"Uh, hi," Izuku said with a shy smile, until he realized, "Oh, I mean, we have met, I was just...I-I guess reintroducing myself, heh."

Ochako giggled, "That's okay! Reintroductions are good as well! So, how ya doing? I heard from Kat here that you pulverized a Zero Pointer! Wow, you must be really strong!"

"I-I-I-I don't know about that, heh..." Izuku blushed, feeling sheepish all of a sudden.

Katara smiled knowingly at Izuku.

Well, you did really good out there, Midoriya...you deserve to be here.

Bakugou meanwhile just looked on at the group in frustration and...confusion.

What the fuck do they mean Deku is strong? What the hell did he even do!? That weakling couldn't even punch a damn hole through cardboard!

"Oh boy! So we got our opening ceremony and guidance session, right?" Ochako asked each of them excitedly "I wonder what our teacher'll be like? Hehe! I'm kind of nervous!"

"If you're here to socialize, get out," said a monotone male's voice.

All the kids turned to the voice.

The voice...was outside of their classroom...on the floor...and in a sleeping bag.

Katara blinked at the person in the sleeping bag.

"It took you all eight seconds to be quiet," said the face that was showing out of the sleeping bag. He had a scraggly face, a stubbled goatee, and messy long black hair. He also looked...dead tired. The man then got out an energy food pouch from inside †he bag he's in and put the nozzle to his mouth, sucking and devouring the last bit of food in it.

Then, he stood up in his sleeping bag…and unzipping the zipper, making him look like a caterpillar that was coming out of his cocoon.

Katara stared at the man before them, blanching at how unkempt he looked.

"That's not good enough. Time is a precious resource that can't be wasted," The man told them.

The kids looked confused for a moment, until Izuku muttered, "So he's a Pro Hero too...?"

Katara glanced at Izuku and back at the man, A Pro Hero? This guy?

"Either way, I guess introductions are in order. I am Aizawa Shouta. I'll be your homeroom teacher. Please to meet you all." the man named Shouta said to his students.

…Homeroom teacher? Katara thought as she processed this bombshell of information.

Shouta then turned to look at Katara with bloodshot eyes…

...Okay then, Yagi Katara. Let's see what the niece of All MIght is all about. As well as these other kids...time to see their potential.

End of Chapter 10

Chapter Text

Katara just got into her class, and now, the next thing she knows, she's outside wearing a gym uniform.

In fact, the whole Class of 1-A was wearing the same gym uniforms as they all stood on a field track near a large school gym. They were still on the UA campus, but as of right now, their homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta, had dragged them all out here for...whatever reason. The other kids were just as confused as Katara, Izuku, Ochako, Tsuyu, Mina, and Iida were, standing around her and wondering what the deal was.

"Well...this is different," Mina said as she looked down at her attire.

"Yeah. I wonder what's up?" Tsuyu asked no one in particular.

"I thought we were going to the entrance ceremony?" Ochako wondered.

"Indeed. Or at least to the guidance sessions..." Iida murmured.

Katara looked around the area's large field and turned to Midoriya, who looked a little bit nervous. She frowned at the boy, his demeanor giving off uncertainty.

I wonder what Midoriya is all jittery about?

"Hey."

Katara jumped and turned around to see Shouto Todoroki coming up behind her.

"...Oh. Hey, are you...I mean, you're that guy," Katara said to him, "We, uh, bumped into each other like, months ago."

"Um, yeah, yeah, I remember you. Uh..." Shouto just stood there, trying to think what to say.

...I...got nothing to say...I just...did that impulsively…

Katara blinked at Shouto.

Shouto just looked at her with the same stare…although he shifted his eyes left and right, until getting his gaze back at her saying, "Name's...uh, Todoroki."

"Oh...uh, well, I'm Ka-I mean, Yagi," Katara told him.

Todoroki nodded, "Hm...um...it's, uh, nice to meet you..."

Katara gave out a small smile, "Thank you. You too."

"Alright everyone, listen up."

Upon hearing their teacher's voice, Katara turned around to fix her gaze upon Aizawa. Everyone else had turned to their teacher as well.

Aizawa continued, "Since you've all been accepted here, whatever middle schools you came from, know that UA will not be like your typical school. While some high schools have Heroics, ours will give you the utmost attention on how to become a proper Hero. First and foremost, here at UA, we have a 'freestyle' educational system. Meaning, that every teacher here will have the will to do whatever he or she well pleases to teach each student the ropes on how to be a Hero. That also goes for the students as well."

The students all raised both of their eyebrows at this info.

"You mean...?" Ochako asked, wondering if he was saying what she thought he was saying.

"You remember these standard no-Quirks gym tests from your middle schools, right? Softball throwing, the standing long jump, endurance running, grip strength and all the other ones? You all even know that our country still prohibits our usage of Quirks out in public. I still find it irrational, and I feel as if the department of education is just procrastinating at this point in regards to a change in rules."

Katara just stood there as she took all that in.

Softball throwing? Endurance running? Grip strength? I...think I did some of those back at Ochako's middle school? I mean, it was standard and I didn't use my bending, so...yeah, it was hard to not try and use it. I kind of agree with Mr. Aizawa, the whole thing with not using one's Quirk in public is kind of dumb, even though what I have isn't technically a Quirk...

"Bakugou," Aizawa called out to the blonde boy.

"Eh?" Bakugou uttered.

Katara frowned at the name called.

"How far could you throw a softball in middle school?" Aizawa asked him.

"Sixty-seven meters," Bakugou said without hesitation.

"Great. Now try it with your Quirk. Do whatever you need to do with it. Just get in the circle and don't leave it." Aizawa instructed as he tossed the softball at Bakugou.

Bakugou caught it with a smug smirk. "Heh. Awesome."

Going over to the circle and entering it, Bakugou reared back his arm to throw the ball with all his might, yelling out one word.

"DIE!"

KA-FOOOOOM!

The ball exploded and shot out of Bakugou's hand as he threw it across the sky, using his Quirk to massively increase its speed.

Katara looked on at the display of power going into the air as it sailed high up...and eventually fell in the far distance where it couldn't be seen, away from the yardage scale on the field. Her eyes widened, mouth dropped slightly in amazement at the force of Bakugou's throw.

Whoa...

...She has to admit, this jerk Bakugou's Quirk is actually something...

But that's all I'll give him...

As Katara looked at her classmates, it seemed they as well were impressed by Bakugou's Quirk-induced throw...except for Midoriya, who didn't look that fazed. Sure, he looked surprised, but...it didn't look like he was surprised by Bakugou and the usage of his Quirk.

Aizawa recorded the throw on his phone and showed it to the class. It read 705.2 meters!

"Whoa! Seven hundred and five meters!? Seriously!?" the electric blonde male exclaimed.

"Dude, awesome!" said the spiky red-haired guy with a grin.

"So we can use our Quirks for real!?" said a young male with short straight black hair and a wide grin on his face, "Man, this is epic! The Hero Course is gonna be great!"

"Awesome? Epic? You're hoping to become Heroes in the course of three years...and all you can think about is how awesome and epic it will be? This won't be fun and games, you know." Aizawa droned, unimpressed with their reactions.

The kids went quiet after hearing their sensei having said that.

Aizawa looked at each of his students with a deadpan stare, "Okay then. How about we add some higher stakes? The one with the lowest score across all eight events will be judged as hopeless...and will be expelled."

"WHAAAAT!?" exclaimed some of the students.

Katara, however, just blinked in shock.

"S-...Seriously?" Katara said.

It appeared Aizawa had heard her, as he looked at her with the same deadpan stare. "Yes."

Katara flinched.

"B-But, that's not fair! This is only the first day!" Ochako retorted.

"Life isn't fair for any Hero," Aizawa told her and everyone else, "Natural disasters, highway pileups, rampaging Villains, the list goes on and on. Calamity is always around every corner, so I'd say Japan is full of unfair things. But Heroes are the ones who correct all that unfairness."

Katara as well as the other kids listened attentively to their teacher.

"If you were all hoping to spend your evenings hanging out at a McDonalds', then I'm sorry to disappoint either one of you, but in the next three years, this school will likely run you all through the wringer," Aizawa then pointed a finger upward to emphasize his point, "That's Plus Ultra. So use your strength to overcome it all. With all of that said, bring it."

Some of the kids looked a bit nervous about this whole demonstration of Quirks, Katara being one of them. She glanced at Izuku, the young man looking a little frantic and shaky.

Uh oh...well, I would think some of my classmates can persevere. But as for me and Midoriya...I think I can handle it. But Midoriya...I mean, he can too, right? So, why does he look so nervous?

"We will now begin the test. Starting now,your future is on the line," Aizawa stated.

"Huh? N-Now?" Katara asked Aizawa.

"Yes, that is what I said," Aizawa droned.

"H-Hold on! I-I don't have any water with me! That's, uh, that's part of my Quirk!" Katara said to her teacher.

"...Hm..." Aizawa then turned his attention to the kids, "Someone get Miss Yagi some water then."

Todoroki stared at Katara curiously, Water, huh? I wonder what she'll do with it?

"Never fret! I will do the deed!" exclaimed Iida with a salute, "Do not worry, Miss Yagi! I will get you the source of your Quirk and bring it to you! Right now!"

ZOOOOOM!

...Iida went zooming off into the main building.

Aizawa just stood there...

"...He could have just waited until I told him the water fountain was in the gym," their teacher monotonically stated.

The other kids also just stood there baffled while Katara's face flushed a bit.

A few of the kids were thinking certain things...

He's not very subtle, is he? Tsuyu.

Wow, Iida has it baaaad. Mina.

That Iida guy really is super formal...but I can't deny he looks cute. Ochako turned her attention to the blushing Katara, ...You're one lucky gal, Katara.

Wow, that Iida guy runs really fast...was that a Jet Engine Quirk, or something like it? Or was it just Engine? Izuku.

Tch. Why does that loud-mouth girl need water for her lame Quirk? She's only attracting attention to herself. Dumbass bitch. Bakugou.

So, that speedy guy is Yagi's...boyfriend? Todoroki.

The rest of the kids waited for Iida to come back.

Katara just stood there, feeling eyes trained on her as she stood there embarrassed.

"I-I'm really sorry for this, everyone, I-I really didn't know this was gonna happen," Katara apologized.

"Hey, no worries," said the shorter girl with the long ear jacks, "We all didn't know this was gonna happen either. But while we're waiting, what is your Quirk, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Uh, well, it's-"

ZOOOOOM!

"I am back! With a thermos filled with water!" Iida called out as he was holding a thermos triumphantly in his right hand.

"..." Katara blinked, "Wh-...Where did you get the thermos from?"

"...I...may have actually taken someone's thermos from the UA staff...it was the closest thing I could find...and I might have entered the teacher's lounge while I wasn't looking...I also dumped out the contents of it out of pure panic and refilled it with water from the nearby water fountain..." Iida then turned his attention to Aizawa, his demeanor looking shameful and sheepish, "I, uh, I'm sorry, Aizawa-Sensei! While I know taking someone's belongings without permission is rude and even considered Villainous, I rushed in without thinking! I...I was only doing the selfless heroic thing, but I, in turn, broke probably a lot of rules...I...I understand if I would be...be k-kicked out of UA...but please don't, seriously, I'm really sorry."

Aizawa just stared at him with the most deadpan 'I don't get paid enough for this' look on his face.

...This is gonna be a long day.

Sighing, Aizawa just rubbed the bridge of his nose and muttered to him, "Just...get back in line."

"...R-Right!" Iida then gave Katara the thermos and proceeded to stand there, waiting to be instructed.

"...Um, t-thanks, Iida," Katara said, just looking confused and stupefied.

"It's no problem!" Iida said with a blush.

The male with the spiky red hair went up to Iida and patted his back, "That was manly, bro."

".Uh, thank you!" Iida just stood there...

...I may have done a little too much to try and help Katara...

Meanwhile, Katara just glanced at the thermos...

...Wait, why does this thermos look familiar?

"Hmm...Aizawa Shota will be a tough teacher for both-...what the...? Hey! Where did my lunch go!? I just put it here after I went out!" Toshinori asked out loud, looking around the teacher's lounge.

"Okay...now we begin," Aizawa declared.

50 Meter Dash

Katara was at the starting line. Next to her was a blonde boy with a monstrous-looking tail behind him. Looking to her right at the male, Katara could only sheepishly say, "Um, may the best...uh..." she looked away and blushed, "Sorry, never-mind."

The male chuckled, "Hey, no prob. Hope you do good with whatever Quirk you have. Name's Ojiro Mashirao, by the way."

"Oh! Um, Yagi Katara," she said with a nod and a smile.

"Cool. Nice to meet you, Yagi," Ojiro said with a nod and smile as well.

The starter pistol soon went off, both of them going back to the task at hand as they ran off in a sprint. While Ojiro was using his tail to speed up his movements, Katara got some water out and bent the water to let it unscrew the top of the thermos. Controlling it with a swift swipe of her hand, she froze the water, only to jump onto it to slide and skate on towards the end. She skated on the frozen streak and slid quickly over the finish line.

Meanwhile, the kids looked on at Katara's bending in amazement.

"Wow..." said the awestruck ear-jack girl, "So that's her Quirk, huh?"

"Whoa, that's awesome!" exclaimed the red spiky-haired male teen.

"Wow, that's sick, dude!" yelled the electric blonde teenage boy.

"Hmm...very interesting," muttered the taller girl with a pineapple ponytail.

"...Okay, that's kind of hot," Mineta mumbled to himself.

"...Feh," Bakugou sneered.

Todoroki looked on in slight shock as he watched Katara slide over the iced pathway she made.

Whoa...so she can freeze water? Is that her Quirk? ...I need to ask her.

As soon as Katara crossed the finish line, the timer stopped.

It read 4 seconds on the chronometer.

Ojiro's time was 5 seconds as he crossed the finish line.

Katara then gathered all the water that she bent, turning the ice back into liquid, as she put it inside the thermos, which caused another reaction from the students.

"Whoa! She can make the ice into water again!? That's so cool!" said an invisible girl that looked like a floating pair of gym clothes.

"Hm...that's quite impressive," said a young man with a raven's head.

"There is a certain pizazz to her," said another blonde male who looked like he was sparkling.

Bakugou looked on at Katara, scowling.

...Tch, whatever. She's still an extra.

Todoroki stared at Katara, a little amazed himself at how she commanded the water to do her bidding.

...Yeah, I really need to ask her about her Quirk.

Meanwhile, Aizawa looked at his two students, Katara more specifically.

...Hmm...a water-based Quirk...interesting lineage there, All Might.

"All right then, next test," he announced to his students.

Standing Long Jump

Katara and Todoroki stood next to each other in front of two sandboxes.

Okay, so I need to use my bending to jump over this sandbox...should be simple enough.

"Hey."

Katara looked at Todoroki.

"You got a good Quirk. What's it called?" he asked.

"Oh, uh...W-Water Manipulation?"

"Hm..." Todoroki nodded, "Fitting name."

"Um, thanks," Katara nodded, "Yours is pretty neat too. Is it, like, um, an Ice Quirk?"

"...Yeah," Todoroki said with another nod.

"Awesome!" Katara said with a small smile.

Todoroki seems pretty nice. ...You know, I just can't help but seem to think that he looks a little bit like-

BANG!

The starter pistol sounded, and Katara went back to concentrating on the task at hand. While Todoroki slammed his right hand and used his ice Quirk to propel himself over the sandbox, Katara used the water in her thermos to propel herself off the ground, making the freezing water push her upward and send her flying over the sandbox. They both landed gracefully.

Todoroki looked at Katara once she landed, once again impressed.

"Wow...nice job," Todoroki complimented.

Katara gathered her water and put it back inside the thermos, looking away as her face heated up a bit. "Thanks, you too."

...Well, maybe it's just the scar on the left side of his face...

Ball Throw

It was now time for the ball throw.

The students had their turns, and the only ones left were Katara and Midoriya.

"Good luck, Katara!" Ochako said as she came back from throwing her ball into space by letting it float further and further into the air, marking her score as infinity.

Katara sweatdropped, "Heh, thanks. I don't think I'll do as good as you though."

"I'm certain you will do splendidly, Yagi-san!" Iida said with a confident nod, "You've excelled in everything so far!"

"But you were the fastest in the fifty-meter dash, and Katara didn't do really well with the grip strength test," Tsuyu commented, "No offense, Kat. *ribbit*"

Chuckling at that, Katara said, "None taken. But yeah, Iida, you did a really good job with the fifty-meter dash. Better than all of us combined."

Iida just couldn't hide the red blush on his face as he was complimented by Katara, "I-I-I-I-I-I-uh-ahem! T-Thank you, Yagi-san! I-I appreciate the compliment!"

Katara giggled, making Iida blush an even darker shade of red. "Well, here I go!"

Before she went off, she glanced at Midoriya, who still looked nervous for some reason...

Frowning at this sudden demeanor from the boy, she thought about all the tests so far and realized that...Midoriya didn't really do well in some of them...

Huh...I wonder why he's holding back?

She was going to ask him if he was alright, when Aizawa spoke up, "Yagi. Hurry up."

"Oh, uh, yessir!"

Katara got the ball and went up to the circle. As soon as she was in the center of it, she took a deep breath, and let it slowly out through her mouth.

Okay...try to concentrate...do what you need to do. Don't screw it up…

She emptied her mind and tossed the ball upward.

Then, with a spin, she gathered her water and spun a water whip around herself, then made the tip of the whip as hard as ice, and smacked the descending ball as hard and fast as she could. The ball soared through the air, as if hit by a supercharged baseball bat, and flew off into the horizon until it landed far off in the distance.

While the kids looked on in awe, Aizawa looked down at his phone to see the results.

"Hmm...six hundred and eighty-five meters. Not bad," he complimented.

Katara puffed out her chest in pride.

"Woohoo! Go Katara!" Ochako.

"Yeah, girl! Way to go!" Mina.

"Awesome job! *ribbit*" Tsuyu.

"Excellent work, Yagi-san!" Iida congratulated her with a salute.

"Thanks, guys!" Katara said as she came up to the group. Once she looked over at Midoriya, she saw that he was getting even more anxious than he already was. Frowning at that, she decided to ask him, "Midoriya? Are you okay?"

"Huh!?" Midoriya snapped his head up to look at Katara, "Wha-uh, I, um-"

"Midoriya. You're up," Aizawa called out.

"Oh, uh, s-sorry, I...uh, I got to go..." And so, Midoriya went off to the circle.

A little confused, Katara wondered what the deal with Midoriya was.

As Midoriya got a ball and was in the center of the circle, he just stood there...

...Then, he looked down at the ball in his hand, almost as if he was thinking on how he should throw it.

After a couple of seconds, Midoriya readied himself to throw the ball. As he reared his hand back, he began to throw it...

Only for it to land hopelessly on the ground.

Katara blinked, as well as Ochako, Tsuyu, Mina, and Iida.

Even Midoriya looked confused as he looked at the ball in surprise.

"A Quirk isn't useful if it can only incapacitate you," said the voice of Aizawa.

Looking at their teacher, Katara could see that Aizawa was narrowing his eyes… and then his scarf suddenly started floating upward!

Katara gasped in shock.

What the...?

"Wh-What? But I was...I was really using it," Midoriya said in shock.

"I erased your Quirk," Aizawa told him as the wrappings floated around his head, "I got to say, that entrance exam was completely irrational if they consider someone like you to get in."

As Aizawa was walking towards Midoriya, Katara looked on at the scene in growing dread. She didn't like the aura coming from their teacher, and after hearing what he said, she almost thought he figured out Midoriya's secret.

That is until Aizawa said, "I saw it...how you couldn't handle your Quirk. You'd just be incapacitated again if you even tried to use it."

Katara's eyes widened in surprise.

Wait...what does he mean? Midoriya could control it before...right?

Midoriya suddenly has a look of realization on his face. "Y-You're Eraserhead, the Erasure Hero!"

The kids all look at each other in confusion, basically to the interruption and the name of their teacher.

"Eraserhead? I've never heard of him before?" said the black-haired student with large knobs on his elbows.

"Me neither," said an octopus-winged-looking young male.

"Is he the angular-type Hero?" said a big teenage guy with black hair.

Eraserhead? Katara thought in curiosity, I heard him saying that he erased Midoriya's Quirk. Is that true?

Aizawa continued, "Were you hoping someone would jump in to help you after using your Quirk?"

"N-No, it's not like tha-" Midoriya tried to say, but was soon wrapped around by Aizawa's bandages, making him stop in place as they bound his whole body. "Ack!"

"Whatever you were planning, it would inconvenience you..."

Aizawa was now too far away from Katara to hear him speak to Midoirya.

Katara tried to strain her hearing so she can listen in on the conversation. She would've gotten closer, but she didn't want to bring attention to herself.

"I wonder what they're talking about? *ribbit* " Tsuyu asked anyone in particular.

"Don't know. Must be something important though," Mina said with a shrug.

"I hope everything is okay with him," Ochako said with a concerned mumble.

"It seems our teacher might be giving him some special instructions," Iida mumbled as he observed them from where he stood.

Katara can only hope so. She frowned at the possibility that Midoriya could be in trouble, or worse, even found out!

"Tch, yeah, special instructions to leave the school," muttered Bakugou.

Katara whipped her head at Bakugou, her hair swishing and her eyes glaring at the blonde.

Bakugou noticed her gaze and sneered at her. "What?"

"I think those instructions are meant for you if you keep that up," Katara stated.

"Oooh, burn," Mina snickered.

Scowling at the tanned girl, Bakugou gritted his teeth and growled, "You wanna go,

Water Girl?"

"Pfft. Please, and make myself look bad in front of the teacher? You wish," Katara haughtily said.

"...What do you know about Deku?" Bakugou asked her bluntly.

"Huh?" Katara looked at him oddly, "Deku? What are you-?"

KA-FOOOOOM!

Both teens were interrupted when a noise that broke the sound barrier itself came through.

Katara looked at Midoriya, who looked like he threw the ball by using his Quirk! Aizawa looked on in wonder, shock, and awe as he recorded the throw. Looking down he sees the results.

"...705.3 meters...well, I'll be damned," Aizawa muttered.

The rest of the kids looked on at Midoriya's throw in shock and awe also, but Katara could only feel relief. She smiled at the boy in front of her, the feeling of worry suddenly going away as she sees him smiling as well...although, he looked to be a little bit in pain, his expression strained.

That confused and concerned her slightly.

What? Why is he making that face? Did...Did that hurt him?

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

Katara turned her head to Bakugou, who looked more shocked than all the other kids. But then that shock turned into pure rage, as all of a sudden, he burst forward using his hands to make a propelling blast toward Midoriya.

"EXPLAIN YOURSELF, DEKUUUU!"

Now she was completely confused, but upon seeing that he was heading toward Midoriya, she acted fast, and without thinking, she threw her hands up in front of her...

...And Bakugou stopped, almost abruptly, making himself look stiff and letting his feet touch the ground. He descended to the ground in an awkward fashion, his posture still stiff, but was still standing as he looked like he was being pulled away from Midoriya(who looked scared out of his mind). Trying to fight this unknown force and failing, Bakugou felt his whole skin…moving. Like, whatever was pulling him back, it felt like strings were being tugged all over him.

What the...What the fuck!?

Realizing what she was doing, Katara stopped bending...

She stopped bending Bakugou's blood.

And with that, Bakugou landed on the hard pavement, face planted on the ground.

"HRRK!" grunted Bakugou on the ground.

Then, Aizawa, who suddenly now decided to step in, wrap his capture scarf around Bakugou.

"HEY!" Bakugou exclaimed.

"Don't move. I erased your Quirk," Aizawa told him, "Ugh...geez, you're making me have dry eye here."

As Aizawa was reprimanding Bakugou, Katara and the others looked on at the scene.

"Whoa! What was that Explody Guy gonna do!?" Mina asked anyone.

"Wow, I don't really know. *ribbit* Maybe they go way back or something?"

"Hmm...he also called him Deku," Iida muttered, "That wasn't a very flattering name."

"Still, what made that guy stop? It looked a little...unnatural for him to go down like that?" Ochako asked.

Katara, meanwhile, just stood there, her mind going a hundred miles per hour as she processed everything that happened so far.

Wait...s-so...that Bakugou jerk...knows Midoriya? And...Mr. Aizawa erases Quirks just by looking at them? Also, what did Bakugou mean when he called Midoriya Deku? And...did...did I just...

Katara looked down at her own hands.

...Did I just blood-bend again?

Katara has so many questions...and soon, she'll have her answers in due time.

"Uh, hey, Y-Yagi?" said the voice of Midoriya.

She looked up at the boy in question, who still looked like he was straining from...pain?

"I-I, uh, I don't know what you did, but, um...I saw that you were putting your arms out. So, uh, wh-whatever you did, I just um, what to thank you? Uh...what did you do if you don't mind me asking?" Midoriya asked her.

"...I...I..."

"Huh? Katara? You okay?" Ochako asked her friend who went up next to her.

"Is something the matter, Yagi-san?" Iida asked her.

"Hey, wait a minute, did you do something to that Bakugou guy, Katara?" Tsuyu asked her curiously.

"Hey, wait, yeah! Midoriya did say you raised your arms up for something! What did you do, Kat?" Mina wondered.

Katara stood there as she was bombarded with questions, and it looked like more were gonna come as the other students looked at her in intrigue and curiosity at her. Todoroki was even blinking at what happened.

"Uh...I...I was...I just, uh...I-"

"Enough," said the stern voice of Aizawa as he let go of Bakugou, who stood there in a trance, probably in shock from everything, "Talking amongst yourselves is a waste of time. We're done with this one. It's time we do the next tests."

The students all hesitantly filed in order as they prepared for the next test.

Although, not one, not two, but four people were thinking their own thoughts about what just happened.

Katara was silent as she walked to the next part of the field. She lifted up her left hand and stared at it for a moment.

I...I can't believe I did that again...but it wasn't around a full moon! It wasn't even nighttime! Just what...what happened?

She looked up at the sky to see if she sees the moon up there...

...It was just a clear blue sky day. The sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky...

...Although, when looking harder at the sky, she can see a faint image of this world's moon, albeit half of it was illuminated.

But...it's not at its fullest...so...what could-

"Hey, Katara?" Ochako called out to her as she and the rest of the class were walking ahead of her.

"Oh, uh, s-sorry!" Katara then caught up with them...but still thinking...

I-I mean...well, either way, despite doing that, everything worked out well at the end back there, right? I helped Midoriya from being attacked, so...that counted as something good coming out of what just happened...right?

Bakugou walked in a stiff and rigid posture, giving off a scowl as he thought about what just transpired.

Deku...he had a Quirk this whole fucking damn time? Was he just holding it back all those years, just so he could show it off, making me look like a fool!? Just...what the hell is happening!? He was supposed to be nothing but a pebble in my path! And...when I was trying to get to that bastard, I couldn't move an inch of my body! Who did that!? It felt...weird...I was...I was helple-...no. I am not some weak fuck who couldn't fight for himself. Just...who was the bastard who did that? It couldn't be our teacher, I don't think his Quirk would be able to just stop me instantly...what the fuck is going on here!?

Meanwhile, Aizawa was thinking about something else...

...That's...really strange. I was gonna use my Quirk on that loudmouth Bakugou, but he already stopped halfway before he could get to Midoriya. I saw that All Might's niece was doing something with her arms and hands, so I tried to use my Quirk on her...but...she just kept going. Her Quirk was still affecting Bakugou. Meaning...my Quirk didn't stop her own Quirk...but that's impossible. Her Quirk has to have been nullified when I looked at her. That's how my Quirk works…

Aizawa frowned as he thought more and more about this anomaly.

...I need to talk to All Might...but either way, that Midoriya kid did impress me...there might be hope for him yet.

The last person that was in their thoughts, was a yellow-suited All Might who was around the school's corner hidden from view. He saw everything, from Midoriya using a small fraction of his power, to Bakugou almost attacking him, to Aizawa trying to use his Quirk on Katara, and to Katara using her bending on Bakugou...

It was a lot to process.

My goodness...a lot has happened. While I'm happy that Midoriya got a grasp of One For All, I don't know the relationship between him and this Bakugou kid. As for Katara...my word, did she...bent the...the blood of that Bakugou kid? ...I need to talk to her about that. Also...I have a feeling Aizawa will want to have a talk with me as well...

All Might sighed pitifully.

"...My first day here, and already I got some work cut out for me..."

Hoo boy...yep. It's gonna be a looooong day…

End of Chapter 11

Chapter Text

The rest of the tests went by without a hitch.

Now it's time for the results.

While they waited, Katara was still somewhat in a trance as she went back to thinking about what she did to Bakugou. Sure, she stopped him from harming Midoriya, but still...she blood-bended.

As she tried to figure out how this odd occurrence even happened, Aizawa got his phone out and showed everyone the results through a hologram coming out of his phone.

"Alright, here are the results," he said to his students.

Once he showed them their stats, each student tried to find their name on the hologram. Now out of her thoughts, Katara looked up to see if she could find her name as well.

She found it!

She was...No. 3 on the chart!?

"Wow, Katara! Look! You're number 3!" Ochako exclaimed with a grin, "And...oh! Well, I guess number 10 is a pretty good spot for me!" she said with a sheepish smile.

"Whoa, nice Katara! *ribbit* " Tsuyu complimented, "I'm not so lucky though...quite literally figuratively. I'm number 13 on the chart!"

"I have no doubt in my mind that you did really well, Yagi-san!" Iida said with a chopping motion with his arm. "...It also looks like I did pretty well too...although I'm fifth place."

"Hey, number 9 isn't so bad!" Mina said with a grin.

Katara stood there in awe for a bit at her placement in the chart. She was below Todoroki, who was number 2! The number one spot was...Yaoyorozu Momo?

Momo? Wow...that's that tall girl, right?

But one thing she saw that she couldn't help but put a smirk on her face, was that below her in the chart was...

"WHAT THE HELL!? Why am I in fourth place!?" Bakugou hollered.

The girl with long ear jacks gave him a deadpan stare. "Why are you mad? You're in the higher spots."

"Yeah, dude, you did a really good job also," said the electric blonde young man.

"Shut up! It's not good enough!" Bakugou gritted his teeth in distaste.

The blonde boy and the purple-haired girl blinked. The latter frowned and crossed her arms as she muttered, "Sheesh, talk about being a perfectionist."

"Yeah...the guy needs to chill..." the blonde shifts his eyes to the purple-haired girl next to him, "Uh...the name's Kaminari Denki, by the way."

"Huh? Oh, uh...Jirou Kyoka. Sup?" she asked.

"Nothin' much," Kaminari shrugged.

Todoroki meanwhile looked at the score.

...That's good. Not great, but good...and I did it without my dad's fire...

He glanced at Katara, who has third place in the chart.

...She's stronger than I thought... Todoroki thought.

Back with Katara, she tried to find Midoriya's place in the rankings...

...She found it.

Katara's eyes widened in shock.

19!? And the last one is-

"NOOOOO!" yelled out Mineta in despair, "I'm last! I'm last! I'm last! I'll never score a hot babe! I'll never become a sex symbol! I'll never get to have a harem filled with women!"

...

All the students, plus Aizawa, just stared at Mineta...

Katara couldn't help but look at the tiny boy in...cringing disgust.

"...Also, I was lying about expelling someone...apparently," Aizawa said as he turned off the hologram on his phone.

"...WHAAAAAAA!?" said the majority of the class.

"It was all a rational deception," Aizawa said, "It was to get the best out of all of you."

The tall girl, Momo, shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Well, yeah. Of course it was a test to get us all to do our best. It wasn't that hard to figure out."

Katara blinked.

Ochako had her mouth dropped down.

Iida froze in bafflement.

Mina looked floored.

Tsuyu...looked indifferent. But she did say, "Huh. Yeah, that makes sense."

And Izuku...his mouth dropped down with a shocked look on his face.

"Anyway...we're done here. Your documents about the curriculum and such are back in the classroom. Give them a look..." Aizawa glanced at Midoriya, "Midoriya."

Izuku jumped at the mention of his name.

Aizawa then pulled out a medical slip and gave it to him. "Take this to Recovery Girl. She'll fix you up," he looked at the other students, "Just know that tomorrow's trials aren't gonna be easy, everyone. Until then, I'll see you all in class." he turned around and walked off...however, he stopped, "Oh. And Mineta?"

...Mineta froze in fear.

"...A word with you after class."

"...Yes sir," Mineta feebly said.

And with that, Aizawa walked off...

...The students all were silent...

...Then Katara remembered something that Aizawa said.

Take this to Recovery Girl. She'll fix you up.

...Wait...so...Midoriya was hurt!?

Katara turned to Midoriya...who looked dumbfounded while holding his medical slip and clutching onto his finger.

Then...it seems the pieces were starting to connect as she thought of why Aizawa stopped his Quirk...

Was it...dangerous for him?

She also realized...

...Oh...wait...did...Aizawa tried to...erase my...I mean...was he trying to cancel out my bending?

As a lot of things started coming at her all at once, a male voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey."

Katara jumped and turned around to see Todoroki.

"Oh, uh...T-Todoroki, right?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Um...good job on the ranking back there."

"...Yeah...I'm going to be blunt."

"Huh?" Katara blinked.

"...We might be rivals from here on, so..." Todoroki glanced at the ground for a second and looked back at Katara, "...Don't hold back."

And with that, Todoroki walked off and back into class.

...What?

As Katara blinked some more, another voice came up to her.

"Hey, pretty awesome back there!" said Jirou, who was followed by Kaminari.

"Huh? Oh! Uh, thanks, um..." Katara tried to remember her name.

"Just Jirou is fine!" the girl smirked.

"Hey! Name's Kaminari!" Kaminari introduced himself with a smile.

"Hey there! My name is...um, Yagi!" Katara said with a smile from herself.

"Hey there, Kat!" Ochako went over to the group, "Man, who would have thought that Aizawa-sensei would lie about expelling someone if they didn't do well on the test!"

"Yeah! That was a dirty trick!" Mina said with a pout as she came up to them.

"Well, it makes sense once you think about it. *ribbit*" Tsuyu said as she was now part of the group.

"I completely was almost fooled by that! UA must certainly be a harsh and well-thought-out institution to let us be tricked into doing our absolute best!" Iida said as he came up to the group.

"Oh, hey, you're that speedy guy, right? Nice job on the...well, speed, I guess," Jirou complimented.

"Oh...uh, th-thank you! I, um, well, I-I try!" Iida said with a salute...and maybe with a little bit of a blush.

"Yeah, all of your Quirks are pretty awesome!" Kaminari said with a grin.

As they continued to talk amongst each other, Katara looked back at Midoriya as he was walking off to Recovery Girl's office.

...I got to talk to Toshi about what kind of Quirk he gave him...

And soon, they all went back to class to wait on the next subject…

Meanwhile...

"Aizawa! You big fat liar!" All Might semi-exclaimed at the Class 1-A teacher.

"Hm?" Aizawa turned his head to the No. 1 Hero after he rounded a corner of the building, "Ah, All Might. Good to know that you were wasting time spying on me and my students."

"Nevermind that! A 'rational' deception!? April Fools was last week! You expelled last year's class because you said in your report that you didn't see any potential in all of them! You mercilessly discard those with zero prospects! Now, you go back on your word? What changed your mind?" All Might asked Eraserhead seriously.

"I saw that they have potential. Not much to it," Aizawa shrugged.

"Even that Midoriya kid?" All Might asked curiously.

"...He has the drive. However, if he didn't have the prospects, I would've cut him loose long ago...to me, at first glance, he doesn't stand a chance. But...his drive certainly is something to pay attention to. That's all I can say," Aizawa muttered, "Other than that, I don't want to be the person to tell a kid to chase their half-baked dreams. There's nothing crueler than lying to a kid."

...Ah. I see. So this is your way of being kind then. All Might thought in understanding.

"Besides, I bumped him up from last place. If anything, he should take that as a mercy act," Aizawa says.

"Ah, yes...it would seem Young Midoriya did not suffer from last place! You put that Mineta boy in that last spot! ...That kid seems to be a little too...pervy, I guess I should say." All Might nodded.

"Hmph. He'll be dealt with..." Aizawa turned his whole body at the No. 1 Hero, "By the way, your niece actually did really well...a little too well."

"...Oh! Um, thank you! She is, um...she is rather talented!" All Might said, almost a little uneasily.

"Hm...she certainly is. Talented enough to not be affected by my Quirk Erasing stare...do you have any idea what that's all about, All Might?" Aizawa raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"...Oh...um...yes, that was...uh, that was strange...w-well...u-uh...I mean, did you recently have cataract surgery, or...?"

"...No."

"Ah, okay...uh...gee, I...I don't...particularly know...?"

"...I want to talk to you after the school day ends."

"...Right...uh...s-sure..."

"Hm. In the meantime, I also want to meet up with Nedzu about your niece. He might want to hear about how she wasn't affected by my Quirk."

Oh, you don't need to worry about that...although, he'll be quite intrigued by it.

"R-Right."

"Hmm..." Aizawa walked on ahead to his class, "Don't try to use your buff form for too long, All Might. That would be wasting your time."

"...Sure thing," All Might muttered.

And with that, Aizawa left with All Might/Toshinori standing there...

...Yeaaah, this is gonna be difficult to explain to someone like Aizawa.

Around Noon...

While changing back into her school uniform in the girls' locker room, she has her tie applied around her neck and was about to put her blazer on, when someone came up to her.

"Hey there! That's a really awesome Quirk you got!" said a girl's voice next to her.

Jumping at the voice, Katara turned to her right.

...To see a pair of underwear and a bra floating.

"...Uh…" Katara blinked.

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to startle ya! But hey, I guess I succeeded in being a stealth Hero for that! Hehe!" said the...voice? Floating underwear?

"...Oh! You're...one of my classmates, right?" Katara asked sheepishly.

"Hehe! Yep! Name's Tooru! Hagakure Tooru! I guess it's obvious what my Quirk is, huh?"

Katara chuckled awkwardly, "Um...well, I'm guessing it's invisibility?"

"Haha! You're right!" Tooru said as she made a stance, probably winking and putting out a peace sign to her. "I mean, it's not as cool as yours, what with the water manipulation!"

"Oh, it's not that special...but thanks," Katara said as she smiled, "And hey, don't sell yourself out! Your Quirk is really useful in a lot of things! Like you said, you can do stealth missions and you can sneak up on someone to knock them out! Maybe you can even fight someone even while you're invisible!"

"Heh, aww, now you're being too kind. For me, I really have to find some kind of special suit to really clothe myself. I mean, I can't really be stealthy in the nude, you know?"

"...Oh...um...well, it's still pretty cool either way!" Katara shrugged with a sheepish smile.

"Heh, I appreciate that!" Tooru said with a…smile? Katara hope she was smiling. "But man, I'm just lucky to be in UA!"

"Tell me about it!" said Mina as she approached the two girls, buttoning her shirt up, "Although, I really hope we don't have tests like that as often!"

"Yeah," Jirou said as she also buttoned up her shirt, "I heard UA is supposed to be brutal, but I didn't think we would get a test on the first day."

"Well, at least we passed...even though that test was just somewhat of a sham," Tsuyu tied the tie around her neck.

"I don't know why all of you were shocked about that," said Momo who was sitting on a bench and putting her shoes on, "It's only reasonable that our teacher would use the art of deception like that...although, I am a recommended student, so..." blinking at that, she realized what she said, "...Oh! I mean, well...I'm not saying..." she looked up at the girls and waved her hands anxiously, "W-Well, I'm not saying that just cause I'm a recommended student, I wouldn't be cut out so easy and that I wouldn't know about it! I just figured that...well...I mean, I'm not saying I would get a pass or anything like that, but...I-I mean, I would've gone to the Entrance Exam just like everyone else, believe it or not! It's just...my parents are protective and they wanted me to do the Recommended Entrance Exam! W-Which is why I studied really hard and excelled! I mean...oh dear, it sounds like I'm really boasting at this point...n-nevermind!" Momo got up and started bowing in apology. "I-I'm sorry for making you all uncomfortable! I just wanted to be part of the conversation!"

...The girls looked at Momo, dumbly staring at her...and blinking.

Katara, though, after Momo's rambling, couldn't help but giggle. "Your name is Momo, right?"

Momo stood straight up and looked at the waterbender in surprise. "Oh! Um, yes! Yaoyorozu Momo!"

"Hehe!" Katara giggled, "Okay then! Well, I want to ask, what's your Quirk?"

"M-My Quirk?" Momo blinked, "Well, it's, um, it's Creation. I can create anything out of myself, as long as I know the components. I also would waste away lipids if I create anything out of myself, so I have to be careful. With that, I have to eat constantly."

"Oh. Huh...wow. So you created that cannon out of you at the test?" Katara asked her.

"Oh yes! Hence...why I look...well, why I look thinner..." Momo explained.

"Oh...well, that is a pretty nifty Quirk!" Katara smiled.

"Oh! Why thank you! Yours is actually pretty good as well!" Momo said also with a smile.

"Well, hey, since we're talking about Quirks, mine is Earjacks, if you can believe it," said Jirou in good humor as she swung one of her long ear jacks around. "Didn't do too much with my Quirk, but I can hear frequencies, such as the heartbeats of other people, and use my own heartbeat to make soundwaves. Also, I'm good at hearing conversations and picking up if people are nervous when they talk."

"Oh really? Wow, you almost sound like a friend of mine. She can tell people are lying just by hearing their voices and heartbeats" Katara grinned.

"Really? Well good for her! What's her Quirk if I may ask?" Jirou asked.

"Oh, well...it's kind of-"

Then, as if God was on Katara's side, a strange gurgling sound came from...Momo...

...Momo blushed, "Sorry, I'm...really hungry right now," she patted her stomach.

"Well hey, let's get something to eat then! Lunch is almost starting!" Ochako said as she put on her blazer.

"Yeah! I'm starving!" Mina exclaimed.

"Not as much as Yaomomo though!" Tooru giggled.

"...Yaomomo?" Momo blinked.

"Hey, that's a good nickname for Momo!" Ochako said with a grin.

"Haha! Yeah, I give out some pretty good nicknames once in a while!" Tooru giggled.

"It has a nice ring to it," Tsuyu nodded.

"Yaomomo, huh?" Mina grinned as she looked at Momo and pointed at her, "Then we'll call you that from now on!"

"Hold on, we got to know if she's okay with it, at least," Jirou frowned.

"Oh! Um...a-actually, that sounds...quite pleasant, really," Momo nodded with a smile. "Yaomomo...huh. That's kind of creative."

"What do I tell ya!?" Tooru said as she laughed.

The girls joined in on the laughter, with Katara joining in as well.

Wow...I never had any gal-friend moments with anyone other than Toph...this is nice.

As their laughter died down, Ochako then said, "Oh! Hey, speaking of nicknames, that Bakugou guy called that Midoriya guy 'Deku'! I wonder why he said that? Do they know each other?"

Katar stood there as she thought about that.

...Do they happen to know each other? What does that jerk have to do with Midoriya?

"Well, I'll tell ya one thing about Bakugou, he has a personality of a brick," Jirou mumbled.

Katara smirked at that.

I'm gonna like this gal.

"Yeah, he was really loudmouthed!" Mina said with a frown, "I wonder what he and Midoirya's deal is?"

"Well, I can say that his temper is certainly unheroic at best," Momo threw her two cents in.

"Yeah. Not the most attractive personality," Tooru said with a nod.

I think I'm gonna like all of these girls. Katara grinned.

"He's the type of guy who won't get popular for long," Tsuyu said with a nod of her head.

"You know what? I think we can all agree on that!" Katara said jovially.

"Well...I kind of thought he meant like Dekiru, like 'You can do it'!" Ochako said.

Katara turned to her with a raised brow, "'Chako, we met him firsthand. I don't think he has that type of personality."

"If anything, I think he meant 'worthless'," Tsuyu added.

"What?" Katara turned to Tsuyu in surprise.

"Well, yeah. 'Deku' is pretty much a derogatory name," Tsuyu explained.

"Oh, well...yeah, I guess. But...that Bakugou guy has to be a Hero for a reason, right?" Ochako reasoned, "No Hero-in-training would call anyone worthless."

...That's...troubling... Katara thought in concern, but only for Midoriya.

"Well, hey, how about we hit the cafeteria right now? We'll talk about stuff when we get a table!" Mina suggested.

"Oh yes! I really need the nutrition right now," Momo said, nodding.

And with that, they all got dressed and left the girls' locker room to hang out in the cafeteria. All in all, Katara was really grateful that her first day at UA was pretty successful. She has some new friends, learned the ends and outs of Heroism and their teacher, and some of her classmates' Quirks!

After School...

So far, everything went by fast on her first school day. The first couple of subjects after lunch weren't that bad to learn, except maybe English...she didn't really know why she had to study that one. But she did enjoy her teachers...well, sometimes with Aizawa. Katara can't help but feel his eyes trained on her, either judging her or in suspicion...and she saw him firsthand looking at her like he was trying to figure something out...

That was...a little worrisome.

Either way, she ignored it(or at least tried to) for now, and the last school bell rang. It was time to go on home...

As Katara said bye to her girl classmates and went with Ochako out of the campus, both girls saw Iida over at Midoriya as he was talking to him.

Katara didn't have time to check if Midoriya was okay, as he sped out rather quickly. He was also quiet the whole entire time in the classroom...

As they got closer, Ochako was the one who called out, "Hey! Midoriya and Iida! Hey!"

Both boys turned their attention to the girls. Iida reacted first.

"Oh! Y-Yagi-san and...uh, Uraraka-san?" Iida asked to make sure.

"Yep! Bingo! Haha!" Ochako said happily.

"Oh, u-uh, hey Ka-...wait, Yagi-san?" Izuku blinked.

Huh...she has the same last name as All Might's real name... Izuku thought.

Katara mildly winced, "Uh, yeah! Hey, guys!"

However, Iida apparently caught Izuku's blunder.

"Wait a minute! You were going to say Yagi-san's first name?" Iida asked Izuku, "Wha...What is your relationship with Yagi-san?"

"Huh? Uh...w-well, I, uh, u-um, I-"

"Oh, she said she prefers to be called by her first name!" Ochako said as they went up to them.

"Huh?" Iida turned his surprised gaze at Katara, "Really?"

"I-I mean, yeah, I, uh, well, it's just...a name...y-you know?" Katara tried to nonchalantly smile, but it came out a little forced.

"...Oh…" Iida blinked. He turned her head to Izuku and then back at Katara, "...C-...Can I call you Katara?"

"...Um...sure?" Katara shrugged.

"...O-Okay then…" Iida then stood straight up and a blush emerged on his face, "W-W-Well, I will call you Katara then!"

...Awkward silence...

Katara blinked.

Ochako blinked.

...Izuku was confused.

Iida...just stood there a frigid as a statue...

...Maybe I was too bold? Iida thought.

"...Well, anyway!" Ochako broke the silence, "Your Quirk was really cool, Midoriya! You sent that ball flying!"

"Uh-heh, well, your Quirk was...infinitely more awesome! Uh...sorry, no pun attended!" Midoriya nervously said.

Uraraka and Katara giggled.

"Uh-heh, yeah...oh! And Katara, your Quirk was really outstanding too!" Midoriya complemented her.

"Aww, thanks, Midoriya!" Katara smiled appreciatively at him.

"I have to agree with Midoriya on both of your Quirks, Uraraka-san and...K-Katara-san!" Iida said with a slight blush. "Ahem! Anyway, I was checking up on Midoriya-san on his injury on his finger after doing that throw!"

"Oh! Yeah, how is your finger, Midoriya?" Ochako asked him.

"Oh, uh, it-it's really okay! Recovery Girl healed it!" Midoriya smiled nervously.

Katara looked at his hand which had bandages around it.

Oh yeah, that's right. I got to ask Toshi about that.

"Oh okay! Well, hey, we're all headed to the station! Are you guys heading that way?" Ochako asked them.

"Um, yeah, we are," Midoriya said, his eyes blinking.

"Well, we probably should be going!" Iida advised, "The next train ride will take us fifteen minutes, so we need to make haste!"

"Well, let's head on over there then!" Katara said.

As they walk to their route to the station, they chatted amongst themselves, which let Ochako bring up something in the conversation.

"Hey, Midoriya! Why did that Bakugou guy call you 'Deku'?"

"Huh? Oh...uh, w-well, that's Kacchan's way of...acknowledging me, I guess," Midoriya answered awkwardly.

Kacchan? Katara thought inquisitively.

"Acknowledging you? Do you happen to know him?" Katara asked Izuku.

"Um...i-in a way...yeah..." Izuku mumbled.

Katara frowned. "Well, he shouldn't call you that. That's not a very nice thing to say."

"Ah...w-well, I-..."

"Hey...I mean it," Katara told him sincerely, "Whatever history you have with that guy, he shouldn't call you that. You're way more than a 'Deku'. You're a Hero to me, Tsuyu, Mina, and Iida as well."

Izuku turned his head at Katara and looked at her for a second...and looked back down, a smile on his face a bit, "...T-Thanks."

Katara nodded with a smile. "No problem."

No one should feel worthless, Midoriya, because you're not. In fact, All Might saw great potential in you...and I see it too.

And with that, they kept walking to the station as they conversed.

Back in UA...

A deflated Toshinori and Aizawa are all in Principal Nedzu's office...

They sat across from each other on couches...

Each of them stared at the other...

One was sweating...

The other wanted answers...

...

...It was then the door opened.

"Ah! Thank you for waiting!" said Principal Nedzu as he walked in with a cup of piping hot tea in his hand, closing the door behind him. The furry chimera walked around the two couches and went up to his absurdly-large-for-his-size desk, and sat in his raised-up seat. "Now...what seems to be the problem?"

"Nedzu. The girl known as Yagi Katara, All Might's niece, used her Quirk on a student...while I was looking at her. Meaning my Quirk didn't affect her," Aizawa started.

"Oh, really?" Nedzu took a sip of his tea, "Hmmm...did you have cataract surgery, Eraserhead?"

"..." He turned his head to Nedzu, "Nedzu, I'm being serious."

"And so was I."

"..." Eraserhead sighed, "...No. But that's not the point. The point is...I feel like All Might here isn't...believe it or not, being truthful about his family tree."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Nedzu asked.

"Honestly, I was hoping All Might would give me the answers," Aizawa said as he turned his attention to Toshinori.

"...Right," Toshi nodded, "Um...I...well, you see...she...I mean, Katara...I mean...she's very...special...special in the terms of-...well, she's...uh...y-you see-she...well, as you can see, I...don't have a shade of tan on me, so...I...I mean, I think I did one time, but...well, that was long ago, and the fight against...well, you-know-who, and-"

"Look," Aizawa said with his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, "Just answer me this: is she, or is she not your niece?"

"..."

"...Answer truthfully." Aizawa narrowed his eyes.

"...No..."

"...Hm...I kind of figured much...now, the question is...who is she?" Aizawa asked.

"...A...girl that manipulates water," Toshinori answers with a mutter.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...You're gonna have to be more specific, All Might."

"...Well-"

"Oh, let's just cut to the chase, shall we?" Nedzu said as he set his teacup down, "Aizawa, Katara is from another world."

...

"...What?" Now Aizawa turned to Nedzu, dumbfounded.

Toshinori's eyes went wide as his mouth dropped open, turning his head at Nedzu in surprise.

"I said, Katara is from another world. Meaning, her 'Quirk'...isn't a Quirk," Nedzu explained.

"..." Aizawa blinked.

...

...

...

"..." Aizawa turned back at Toshinori...and back at Nedzu, "...You're really serious, aren't you?"

Nedzu kept his smile on his furry face, "I wouldn't joke. I'm all business. You know that, Eraserhead."

"...What the…" he turned back to All Might, "She's...really...from another world?"

...Toshinori turned his attention back to Aizawa, mouth closed but eyes still wide.

"...Yes..." Toshinori answered truthfully.

"...Oh…"

...Awkward silence...

"...So...I have an alien in my classroom?" Aizawa asked.

"...You could say that," Toshinori said, "Although...it's...kind of complicated..."

"...Uhhh-huh…"

Nedzu sipped his tea and placed the teacup down as he said, "Well, I think we all need some kind of explanation. I only know that she's from another world thanks to All Might telling me. How she got here, is something that wasn't explored until right now. So All Might, why don't you start from the beginning, hm?"

"Umm...right...well...I didn't really find her originally..." Toshinori began.

Hoo-boy...I'm glad I texted Katara that I was gonna come home a little later in the evening. This is gonna take a while...

- End of Chapter 12 -

Chapter Text

Katara was sitting on the couch, watching television while she waited for Toshinori to come on home. She received his text before going to the train about coming home much later, and that she had to cook her own meal, which she had no trouble doing. Although, when asking him what it was about, he discretely told her that it was something important.

Now already done with her homework, she just now started to watch an anime about a supernatural ninja show that had a blonde boy in an orange jumpsuit as their main character. It was interesting series, but she didn't get why the ninjas in this world just do…ninja stuff. That, and the main character's outfit is atrociously loud enough to be noticed instead of stealthy.

Hm. Show's not bad...I think One Piece did it better with character development though.

She sat there for a good while...

...Wondering what time it was now, she picked up her phone beside her and looked at the screen.

6:45 PM

6:45 PM? It's almost close to seven...I wonder what's taking Toshi so long back at UA?

Setting the phone aside next to her, she continued to watch the show...

...Nah, I shouldn't worry...I mean, Toshi's All Might! He can take care of himself. And he's over at UA, so it's not like he's in any real danger! ...Right?

...

...Well...there's also that time limit on him being All Might all the time...b-but he's smart enough to not use it!

...

...Right?

Shaking her head to clear out any doubt, she once again continued to watch the show...

He's fine...he's totally fine...

...

...

...

...But then again, what was the important thing?

...

...And it has been...three hours...

...

...Oh come on, you're overexaggerating! I mean, Toshi can handle himself! So what are you worried about? I mean, I can cook my own meals, it's not like I need Toshi to make them...especially since he doesn't have a stomach...

Katara frowned at that thought...

...Man...poor Toshi...whoever this All for One is, I'm glad he's gone...who would do that to a person? Ripping their stomach off...

Shivering at the thought, Katara shook her head to clear away the faint nausea of remembering the way Toshinori lifted his shirt to see that...ugly scar...

...I feel like I should help him with that somehow...but how can I? I may have some healing abilities, but nothing that advanced...or that extreme. I mean, not in the way to heal or even replace a lost stomach.

...She sat there for a few more minutes...watching the anime absent-mindedly...

...Once the episode ended, she reached for her phone again and looked at the time.

7:00 PM

...Okay, maybe...after 7:30, I...um, either text him or...call him...maaaaybe text him instead of calling him...yeah...

...

...

...

...Spirits, I really shouldn't worry. I mean, what is there to worry about? I mean, nothing, that's what! ...Although...my teacher, Mr. Aizawa...I think he tried to stop my bending with his Quirk? And...well, my bending wasn't a Quirk, so...

...Nah. She isn't worried one bit…

...I should probably eat something.

And with that, she got off the couch and went to the kitchen to scrounge up something.

Thinking she might want some ramen, thanks to that show's main character's obsession with it, she heated up an instant ramen noodle bowl.

Once her meal was done, the door to Toshinori's home opened, and in came the man himself, deflated in his true form and all. He was still wearing the yellow suit that looked too big on him.

"Oh! Toshi! You're back!" Katara said as she saw the No. 1 Hero come inside. Her ramen was also ready during that time.

"Uh, yeah! Hey, Katara! Uh...are you, um...making your dinner?" Toshi asked her.

"Yep! I'm just heating up some ramen!" Katara said with a smile as she got the meal out of the microwave. "Have you gotten anything?"

"Oh yeah! Bought me a smoothie at the cafeteria and everything!" Toshinori said with a smile as well as he raised up his smoothie bottle.

Katara winced as she smiled.

Oh, that's good. Man, I really have to make it up to Toshi after Iida stole his thermos...

"Nice! Okay!" Katara said as she placed the ramen bowl on their table.

"Yep!" Toshinori closed the door and made his way to the kitchen, "Uh, sorry that...it took so long..."

"Oh, it's no problem! I've already done my homework while you were in UA!" advised Katara as she went to get her kitchen utensils.

"Ah, well, that's good! Really good, Katara, really good," Toshinori nodded in approval with a grin. "I bet you aced those problems!"

"Heh, well, question 5 was almost a doozy, but I think I got the answer right," said Katara as she sat on her chair near the table to eat her meal.

"Well, I'm pretty certain you've got them all figured out, little lady!" Toshinori complimented her with a thumbs-up and with another grin.

"Aww, thanks Toshi!" Katara smiled happily. And soon, she began to eat her ramen along with her chopsticks.

Toshinori couldn't help but smile too...

...He stood there in the entryway of his kitchen as he looked down to think about what he had to say to the girl...what to tell her...

I mean...I don't know if I should bother her with that right now. She's eating and I don't want to somehow make her anxious about it...

But then, Katara asked, "So, Toshi, what was it you were doing back at UA that took a long while?

"Hm?" Toshinori looked up at Katara and blinked as she looked back at him slurping her ramen noodles. "...Well..."

...I guess now is a better time than never...

"...Um, Katara..."

Katara slurped her noodles again," Mm! Oh, sorry, Toshi! I know that's rude, but I thought since we're at your home, I kind of...well, I'm not saying that I'm practicing it in your home or anything, but these are just some really good ramen noodles!" she said as she picked up some and quietly slurped some more.

...Toshinori just smiled softly...

...He sighed, and told her, "Katara, they all know."

About to take another slurp of the ramen noodles, Katara froze in her seat. "Huh?" she looked up at Toshi in confusion, "Uh...who all knows?"

"...Well...your teacher, the principal, and probably soon the other faculty members tomorrow that don't know, but will know," Toshi explained.

...

...Katara blinked, "Uh...what...do they know?" she asked, feeling a little uneasy at how Toshi worded that.

"..." Toshinori sighed again, "Can I sit down?"

"Uh, sure..."

Toshi pulled a chair and sat on it, sitting across from Katara as he clasped his hands together in front of him on the table. Katara looked at him, not liking how his demeanor turned serious.

"...I...I will confess that I was watching you, Midoriya, and the rest of the students do your teacher's Quirk Apprehension Test."

"...Oh. Uh, okay..."

"...And...I saw that you did something to that Bakugou kid when he was about to charge at Young Midoriya."

Katara's eyes widened in slight shock.

"Oh...uh, y-yeah," she was starting to get a little uncomfortable about this subject now.

"Hm...now, while I do have questions on that, this is not the point of the whole conversation," Toshi assured.

Oh thank goodness, I wasn't really ready to talk about that.

Toshi continued, "You see, when you did that, your teacher, Mr. Aizawa, basically used...his Quirk on you. That being...Quirk Erasure."

"...Oh," Katara is not liking where this is going...

"Yeah...he erases Quirks by just looking at the person with a Quirk. Well, except for Mutant-type Quirks, those aren't affected as much."

"...Oh, uh...okay..." Katara nodded, her expression showing a little concern.

"...Yeah. So...Aizawa spotted me, and told me about that little...occurrence...he then asked me to meet up with him and the principal after school..."

"...Oh..." Then Katara realized... "...Oh," her eyes widened again in pure surprise this time. "Wait...d-did you...?"

"...Well, first of all, I told the principal you're from another world during the Entrance Exams."

Katara's mouth dropped in shock.

"I mean, the principal got me into a corner! And he's also really the most intelligent guy that I know, so lying to him wouldn't even work! Once I told him, he...uh...basically accepted it."

"...Just like that?" Katara asked inquisitively.

"Yeah, I mean, imagine my surprise...but back to what I was telling you, Aizawa and I all met in the principal's office, and...well, I tried to explain the relationship I have with you to Aizawa, and...well, the principal basically up and said you were from another world to your teacher."

"...O...kay..." Katara honestly couldn't believe this was happening right now.

"...Yeeeah...and that was why I was...there for three hours...I was explaining to them how you came here...to our world..." Toshinori finished as he rubbed the back of his head tentatively.

"...Okay then..."

...Silence...

...

...Katara then began to say, "Sooo...they now know...which means everyone else in UA will know?"

"...Well, to be fair, you know Recovery Girl, right?"

"Uh...yeah, I mentioned her in the Entrance Exams...wait," Katara then paused and thought of something, "Did...she like, know that I'm from another world? I get the feeling she knows that I lived with you, but does also know that?

"...Well, I actually already told her that you're from another world before UA started."

"...Wha-" Katara blinked in bafflement, "Toshi, how many people did you tell?!"

"I mean, I told Chiyo 'cause I really trusted her!" Toshinori defended himself, "I mean, sure, she was skeptical at first, but she believed me after I adamantly told her that you were from another world! And I didn't tell anyone else, honest to goodness! Just her, and Nedzu!"

"Nedzu!?"

"Oh, uh, that's the Principal of UA."

"...Oh...well, still," Katara pouted as she crossed her arms, giving Toshi a glowering look.

"...Well, hey, at least you don't have to worry about fitting in! ...Uh...I mean...w-well, uh," ahem! "-as for your initial question...um, mostly everyone in the staff will know soon...we were going to have a meeting before classes start tomorrow."

"..." Katara sighed, "Okay. Well, that's good, I suppose."

Toshinori also blew out a sigh, "Yeah..."

But then Katara thought of something, "Wait, if the staff will soon know, then does that mean my...classmates will also know?"

"Oh, uh...well, I wouldn't think so..." Toshinori rubbed his head as he mused that one over.

Katara just looked at him, expecting more out of that as she blinked.

"...Uh, d-don't worry! I don't think they'll know anything about the truth about where you're from anytime soon or...or anything! I mean, everyone on the faculty will probably talk about what to do with this information at the meeting! So, uh, y-you're, well, I-I would think you're safe for now!"

...She just gave him a deadpan stare.

"...Um, a-anyways! There's one last thing that...well, that I might want to ask you that involves that Bakugou kid..." Toshinori began.

Eyes widening at that claim, Katara froze as her demeanor changed, "Oh, uh...okay..."

Toshinori nodded, "Right...um...now...did you, uh, bent...his blood?"

"...I..." she glanced down, not looking at Toshinori, instant shame filling her, "...Yes..."

"...Oh...um...w-well, that's...that's really something."

"No, it isn't."

Toshinori blinked. "It isn't?"

"I mean...it's complicated..." Katara muttered, wringing her hands together in anxiety.

"...Well, you can tell me if you want. I mean, if you feel comfortable."

"..."

"...Did you, uh...did you bend blood before?"

"...I didn't tell you this part of my story, but...after we went into hiding from the Fire Nation after Ba Sing Se fell, later on in our quest, I met an older waterbending woman named Hama from my tribe. She lived in my village long ago. When the Fire Nation raided the Southern Water Tribe, she escaped and traveled to the Northern Water Tribe. On the way, she learned bloodbending...she...she taught me how to bloodbend when we met her...to control one's body like a...like a puppet."

"...Oh..." Toshinori felt a little uncomfortable thinking about that.

"Yeah...she used it on some villagers as she was maintaining an inn in a Fire Nation village. We stopped her from trying to torture the villagers out of revenge for what the Fire Nation has done to her...I don't want to use it because...it always reminds me of what she did...of what it represents...of what she was trying to let me be..." Katara shivered, "I...I also need to confess...I...I actually used bloodbending on Yoh Rha...when Zuko and I were trying to find him."

"...Well...why did you use it then?" Toshinori asked her.

"...I don't know. I felt...angry, I guess. Like...I wanted to punish him."

"...But...you didn't?"

"...No...I didn't...not because I forgive him or anything like that, but...he just...he wasn't worth it...he just looked so sad-looking...I didn't want to be a killer like him...so I didn't do it."

"...I think you made the right decision, Katara."

"...Maybe..." Katara blew out a sigh, "...Zuko was there to help me through it. He let me decide what I should do...what I wanted to do. It was my decision and mine alone...Aang was saying something about forgiveness, but...it's hard...it's really hard to forgive someone that took one of your loved ones away. I don't think he really processed that...in fact, I don't think he knows about his parents. He only has Appa and maybe Momo to cling onto..."

"...Well, if you ask me, if someone...took...well, my mother away...I would never forgive them...but I would know what is right and give him mercy to realize what he did..."

Katara looked up at Toshinori in question, "Really?"

Even when that someone is...All for One?

Almost as if he read her mind, Toshinori frowned, "Well...he was different...he will never learn."

"..." Katara lowered her head to look at the table's surface, "...I can't believe you had to face someone like that, Toshi..." she looked up at him once more, "I can only hope he's gone."

…Believe me, me too… Toshinori thought.

A silence came over them...

"...But yeah, I just...I couldn't go back to using bloodbending, after what happened with me and Hama."

"...Hm...I can understand that," Toshinori nodded at that.

"...Although, I thought bloodbending works best when it's at a full moon?" Katara wondered.

Blinking at that, Toshinori put a hand to his chin and thought about that. "Hmm...well, blood is like 90% water, from what I heard. Maybe you could have bended blood anytime? And maybe the moon just makes it stronger?"

Katara thought about that...her eyes widened. "Wait...maybe...it does. Maybe I could have bloodbended anytime...the full moon is just there to amplify it."

Toshinori nodded at that. "I would like to think that would be the case."

"...Still, I just...I can't use it. It just opens up old wounds, per se..."

Wounds...

Toshinori perked up as he thought of something else, "...Hey...actually...Katara, you can control blood, right?"

"Huh?" Katara blinked. "Uh, yeah, Toshi, we were just talking about it."

"Yeah, but...well, say that I have an injury that's a little...well, basically all I'm saying, or maybe asking, is that you could heal some of my internal injuries, like where my stomach used to be?"

Katara's eyes widened at that, "What? Wait...are you saying that...you want me to heal the wound on your, uh, stomach?"

"I mean, I know you're not comfortable with the bloodbending, but hey, it could be worth a shot! I mean, I know your bending doesn't regenerate body parts or anything like that...I mean, right?"

"Well, no, but...I don't know," Katara looked a little unsure, "I mean, that does sound...well, that does sound possible. But, I'm afraid I'll mess up the process and hurt you."

"Katara, you seem to know more about the water than anyone else I know. You're like a prodigy, right?"

"Well, I, heh, well, you know..." Katara blushed a bit as she rubbed the back of her head bashfully.

"Yeah, I do know," Toshinori teased, "I know you're the best waterbending gal there is! And hey, I don't think what you did can be considered evil. The bloodbending, I meant. I mean, everything has its purpose, right?"

"...Well...yeah..." Katara really thought long and hard about that, "...I mean, I do want to help you out, Toshi. And really, maybe that would make me feel a lot more comfortable in using bloodbending, but..."

"...But what?"

"..." Katara sighed, "I'll think about it, Toshi. I just don't want to hurt you accidentally or anything like that."

"Hey, no worries. I'll...uh, yeah, I'll still be here. And maybe that would be the first step in using bloodbending for something good. Like medical practices or something, ya know?"

"...Yeah," Katara said with a smile directed at Toshinori, "You know what? I like that. That's some good thinking there, Toshi."

"Heh, thanks!" Toshinori said with a grin, "Don't worry about it, Katara! Take it one at a time...but I have to say, you really did save Young Midoriya that day from a potential fight with that Bakugou kid."

Katara frowned at that memory, "Yeah...what was that jerk's deal, anyway?"

"Hm...that I think would be more of Hound Dog's specialty at UA," Toshinori commented, "Until then, I guess I don't have anything else to say, so...I guess if you have anything else you would like to discuss with me, Katara, then I'm all ears."

"...Well..." Katara thought about anything that she could bring up, "...actually, there is one more thing I want to ask."

"Oh? What could that be, little lady?"

"Well, it's about Midoriya...he used the Quirk you gave him, as you probably saw, and...well...it hurt him, I think?"

"...Oh..."

"...Why is that, Toshi?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Toshi?"

"Uh...well...um..." Toshinori's foot began to tap on the ground anxiously. "...That is...complicated to explain..."

Katara blinked at that answer.

"...Just...please don't get upset when I tell ya," Toshinori pleaded.

"...Okay..."

Katara...didn't like the sound of that...

7:45 PM

"...So, let me get this straight," Katara began.

Toshinori just sat there as he waited for the possible inevitable.

"...Midoriya could only use a small portion of One for All, which using it to its full percentage in the form he is right now would most likely...pop his limbs off?"

"...Well...not really. I trained him to get his body in perfect condition to fully obtain One for All. The worse that could come with him now is just...broken...limbs..."

"...Okay...and you basically just gave One for All to Midoriya without...considering that!?" Katara slightly exclaimed at him, baffled.

"...I...well, I really was impressed with the kid..."

"..."

...Katara just sighed in exhaustion.

"Good grief...and here I thought my brother was the careless one!" Katara groaned.

"Hey now, Young Midoriya certainly came a long way! And you saw that he busted up that Zero Pointer and saved you and your friends! You got to admit, that was pretty admirable! I-I like to think I made the right decision! B-Besides, he's in UA! His dream school!"

"Still! You basically gave a teenager an unstabled power! And here I thought he injured himself because he hit that thing hard!"

"I mean, okay, yeah, but-"

"How is he even going to get far with it in UA if he's going to keep breaking his bones while he uses it?!"

"W-Well, uh-"

"I mean, since Recovery Girl knows, she can heal him, but even then, you said it would take a lot out of him if she keep healing his injuries! And even then, how is he going to explain this to Ochako, Iida, Tsuyu, and Mina!? Or the rest of his classmates!? Or his teachers!? Or..." Katara paused for a moment, "...Wait, do his parents even know!?"

Toshinori blinked, "Uuuh...I...well, I-I didn't exactly tell Young Midoriya to reveal all of this information to his...to his parents..."

"..."

...Katara just looked at him in the most shocked 'ARE YOU INSANE?' look she can muster.

"Hey, look, it-it's-it's-it's-u-uh, it's all gonna be alright, okay!?" Toshinori nervously says, feeling the pressure on him. "Young Midoriya is a very smart kid! I mean, he studies Quirks like no tomorrow and has a good heroic spirit! Call me optimistic, but I think he will do exceedingly well!"

"..." Katara smacked a hand on her forehead as she breathed through her nose and exhaled through her mouth, "Uuugh..." she looked up at Toshinori with a tired look, "Well, now I feel like I really need to look out for Midoriya at this point on."

Toshinori cringed, but then he thought of something when she mentioned that. "Hey, wait...maybe you can!"

Katara looked at Toshi with a blink, "Say what now?"

"Well, maybe you can watch over the boy and give him some friendly pushes to the right direction! Give him some confidence, boost his motivation, you know, encourage him! You're known as the optimistic one of your group, right?"

"...Well, yeah, but...I mean, I don't want any of my other classmates and friends to think I'm into him or anything," Katara said, rubbing her neck sheepishly.

Now Toshi looked confused, "Huh? What do you mean? Just give him a pat on the back or something. You guys are friends, right?"

"Oh, well, yeah, but..." Katara sighed, "Okay, Toshi, I'll try," she looked at him with a serious look, "But seriously, think about these things and the repercussions that could happen before you actually promise on giving someone something this powerful."

Toshinori just sat there...and gave out a smile. "I feel like I already did, Katara...and...I know he can do it. I wouldn't give him One for All if I thought he would be ready to take it."

"...Hm," Katara hummed as she glanced down. She then gave out a small smile herself, "He really is Hero material, isn't he?"

"Yeah. He certainly is," Toshinori nodded with a warm smile.

"..." Katara looked up with a bright smile, "Okay then. Well, I'll still be supporting Midoriya for all that he does and wherever he goes, so you don't need to worry about that!"

Chuckling, Toshinori then said, "I won't," he took a sigh of relief, "Well, I would say we got this all off our chests then."

Also chuckling, Katara said, "Yeah, it looks like it," she then picked up her ramen cup and went over to the microwave, saying, "I'm gonna heat and finish this up, okay? After that, I'm gonna head for bed."

Nodding to that, Toshinori says with a thumbs up and a smile, "Sounds good! Early to bed, makes a girl smart, pretty, and great!"

Katara snickered, "Oh Toshi, you're so corny."

"Heh-heh. Well, you better prepare for more of my corniness, because I'll be teaching tomorrow!"

"Oh! Yeah!" Katara said as she put the ramen in the microwave, "That'll be awesome! Actually, are you nervous about that?"

"Nervous? I once beat a man with chainsaws for hands and arms! I can handle teaching academics to you and a bunch of teens!"

Once she got the warm ramen out of the microwave, Katara said to him, "Well, I'll be silently rooting for you, Toshi!"

Toshinori smiled at that, "Thanks, Katara."

"No problem!" Katara smiled sweetly.

End of Chapter 13

Chapter Text

Class 1-A - UA

The next day, Katara went to UA to go on her first official day in her classroom.

She kind of feared what today would bring since Toshinori said that everyone in the faculty of UA will know where she was from now...she really didn't know how they will act. As she walked inside the building, she seemed to notice that the students haven't really been paying attention to her, which was somewhat of a good sign. However, they could be avoiding her...

No. Don't be paranoid. The school wouldn't inform the rest of the students about where I came from...that would be unprofessional, right?

As she stomped that troubling thought in her mind, she walked over to her classroom, where she and just about everyone was either standing or in their seats.

"Oh hey, Katara!" Ochako called out to her. She went over to where her friend stood, "Wow! Second day at UA! I wonder what's gonna wait for us!"

Katara smiled, "Don't know, but we can only wait and see! How was your day after school?"

"Ah, just normal. Done some homework, watched a romcom, and ate dinner at my apartment. You know, just basically nothing."

"Oh, okay. Have you talked to your parents at all?" Katata wondered.

"Oh! Yeah! Haha! Sorry, forgot about that! I mean, yeah, I talked to them a little bit...maybe a lot until I went to bed..." Ochako sighed, "I really miss them sometimes..."

Katara frowned in sympathy, "It must be hard to live by yourself in an apartment all by yourself."

"Aww, it's not that hard. My parents basically have enough money to support me and my needs, so basically, the money is something from my parents, hence, I'm not...well, lonely...? ...Sorry, that's kind of complicated," Ochako said in a mumble, feeling embarrassed.

"Oh, no, you're fine, Ochako! I get what you're saying though! Your parents give you money out of love and support for your dream of becoming a Hero!" Katara explained.

Ochako looked at Katara with a smile and nodded, "Yeah! It just feels like the money they give to me is...well, them, I guess, 'cause they want what's best for me! So I'm never alone! ...Man, I sound like those American cartoon characters that love money. I hope I don't sound like that!" she felt a little awkward as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Oh. Well, no, I get what you're saying, really, 'Chako!" Katara reassured her.

Ochako smiled at her friend, "Thanks. I hope I don't sound like a ditz when I say this stuff."

"Hey, you don't. Don't worry. Although, we could hang out every once in a while. Maybe even invite Mina and Tsu."

"Oh! Hey, you're right! That would be fun! Maybe we can make even more friends today, like Tooru, Kyoka, and Momo!"

"Yeah, that would be great!" Katara said with a nod and a smile.

"Morning, ladies!" Iida came up to them, while behind him were Midoriya, Tsuyu, and Mina.

"Oh, hey guys!" Katara greeted them.

"Hey!" Ochako waved to them with a smile.

"H-Hey!" Midoriya greeted them back with a smile back at them, "Man, homework on the first day of school yesterday, huh?"

"It would appear so. Although it appeared to just be a practice homework assignment on what to do as a Hero." Iida relayed as he stood there rigidly,

"Yeah, well, I'll tell ya one thing, question 5 was a real doozy!" Mina commented.

"You too?" Katara asked.

"Oh yeah! I just hope I got the right answer!" Mina said as she looked sheepish and rubbed the back of her head.

"Really?" Midoriya asked, "I thought it was kind of easy."

"*ribbit* Well, that must mean you're incredibly heroic and know what's what then, Midoriya," complimented Tsuyu.

"Huh!? Wha-Wha-wait-I-I-I mean-" Midoriya started to stutter up a storm.

"I agree with Tsu," Katara said with a smile directed at him, "You seem to have gotten your priorities straight, Midoriya."

"Oh, u-uh, w-well, I-I mean, I-well, I was just-"

"Outta my way, ya damn nerd," said the aggravated voice of Bakugou.

Midoriya yelped as he got out of the explosive boy's way. The blonde was walking in with a hunched-over posture as he carried his book bag. He looked rather annoyed this morning.

Katara glared at the boy. Glancing at Midoriya, she sees that he looked a little...bothered...

Oh no...okay, maybe I should cheer him up and encourage him. I mean, the guy needs it! ...Although, what is his and that Bakugou jerk's relationship?

Almost as if she heard that last thought, Mina asked Midoriya, "Hey, Midori, why did Bakugou attack you yesterday?"

Midoriya jolted up, "U-Uh, well, w-w-we-"

"Okay, class, settle down," said the droned-out voice of Eraserhead as he entered the classroom.

Katara froze.

Well, I might have to ask him about that later. But right now...

She glanced at her teacher. He gave her a glance...it was short, but it seemed to get the point across that he knew.

...Hoo boy. Tui and La, please let only the staff know and not the whole school. I can't bear to have any more awkward talks and questions aimed at me.

Aizawa then went to his desk, "Everyone, take a seat."

Katara and the rest of the kids took their seats.

From that point on, everything went...smoothly...

Throughout the morning, everything went by just like any other normal school day thus far. They had their classes in Math and English (Katara tries to understand what this one had to entail for her future here), and after that, they got lunch...

However, when Aizawa was now in control of homeroom, and when Katara was about to go to the cafeteria, Aizawa stopped her by saying, "Miss Yagi."

Katara froze...and turned around to view him, "Um, yes, Aizawa-sensei?"

"...I want to speak to you for just a moment before you go to the cafeteria," Aizawa told her.

"...Okay," Katara nodded. She turned around to see that her friends were waiting for her, but wondered what their teacher wanted with her. She then told them, "Hey, don't worry. I'll catch up."

"Um...alright then, Katara," Midoriya said.

"Wait! She's not in trouble, is she!?" Iida asked their teacher. "If anything, place the blame on me!"

...Tsuyu, Mina, Ochako, and Midoriya sweatdropped. Katara and Aizawa blinked.

"...No. She's not in trouble. I just want to talk to her for a second about her homework," Aizawa told Iida.

"...Oh, uh...yes! Right! ...Okay then!" Iida said as he stood there...a little embarrassed...

Katara just smiled and told them, "Really, I'll be with you guys, okay?"

"Well...okay..." Ochako said with a worried expression.

Tsuyu then said, "We'll save a seat for you!"

"Thanks!" Katara said with a smile and a nod.

As they left the classroom, with Mina in the distance saying to Iida, "Man, you got it bad, boi!", Katara turned to Aizawa and said, "Uh...okay, sooo...what's the problem, sensei?"

"...So you're from another world, huh?" Aizawa asked, getting right down to it.

"...Um..."

Wow, straightforward, huh?

"You might as well come clean with it. Your uncle basically told me and the principal everything."

"...Yeah, he told me that," Katara said, a little sheepish.

"Hm...well, while I don't know much about world traveling, I do know that you're a student here. So basically, while this is all out of my realm, I will treat you as such."

Katara looked at Aizawa in surprise, "You mean, you're not like...dumbfounded or anything?"

"I've already passed that reaction. Again, this is all out of my realm, but at the end of the day, you're my student, and everyone else and I will surely keep all of this a secret from your classmates and from the students at the academy."

"...Oh...okay, so...I'm still going to be treated like a student here and such?" Katara asked.

"Yep. Which means I will grade your papers fairly and not give you special treatment."

"Oh...well, that's good."

"Hm...I do want to ask though before I let you go...your...power is to control water, right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Hm...you controlled Bakugou's blood, did you?"

"...Yeah...I did."

"...I would usually say to let the staff members take action, me being part of the staff, but I'll let that moment slide."

Katara looked at him in confusion, "What? Wait, you're actually giving me a pass? I thought you weren't going to treat me differently than the other students?"

"I'm not, after this. But, that Bakugou kid that I've learned yesterday and a little bit from today, has quite a temper. If he does anything to attack his classmates again, he will be reprimanded. I apparently didn't know what I was getting myself into with that kid, but he seems a little pompous with his Quirk. So, in other words, you did the right thing in containing Bakugou from attacking one of your classmates, Midoriya."

"Oh...uh, thanks," Katara gave out a small smile.

Aizawa nodded, "Hm. Well, I kept you long enough. Go get some lunch."

"Sure thing!" Katara nodded also and turned around to leave the classroom.

Aizawa just watched her go as he thought...

Well, this year at UA is gonna be a pain...I guess I have my work cut out for me.

A Little While After Lunch

As soon as everyone got back to their homeroom, they all chatted amongst themselves while they waited for the next class to start.

Everyone remained oblivious as to what was waiting for them...all except for two teenagers.

Midoriya looked on at the clock, as he tried to hide his excitement, ready for what was about to come.

Katara also looked on at the clock, waiting for when the next class will start. She looked a little nervous, but excited at the same time.

And then, when the short hand and long hand of the clock came together to touch the hour-

"I AM HERE! GOING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!" exclaimed the loud booming voice of...

"ALL MIGHT!?" the students all exclaimed in shock.

Midoriya smiled big as he saw his idol coming through the door...like a normal person!

Katara also smiled and tried to contain a snicker.

"Whoa! It's really him!"

"It's All Might!"

"Wow! All Might is going to teach us!?"

"That's his Silver Age costume! Awesome!"

"Wow, he's drawn so differently than the rest of us. Gives me goosebumps..."

"Good afternoon, students!" All Might came in, boldly marching into the classroom, "Today we are about to start our Hero Basic Training class! The class that'll put you through all sorts of special training to mold you into fine Heroes! So no time to dally! As of this moment, today's activity is...BATTLE TRAINING!" he announced in grandeur as he show a card in his hand that says "BATTLE".

"Battle training!?" the students all exclaimed again.

"That's right! And for that, you will all need these!" All Might told them.

Then, the left side of the classroom wall shot out four tall compartments that each contained five square suitcase-looking apparatuses with numbers on them that were stacked on top of each other.

Katara looked at the spectacle in slight awe, as well as the other students.

"In accordance with the 'Quirk Registry' and the special requests forms you filled out before being admitted..." All Might said, letting the sentence die out to let them get the picture.

"OUR COSTUMES!" half of the students yelled out in cheer.

"Yes! You get to wear your costumes for this class!" All Might informed them.

Costumes? Katara thought in surprise. Oh! That's right! Toshi said I can describe my costume for my Hero outfit after I was accepted! Wow, does that mean I'm going to wear it now?

"Get your designated costumes out of the racks, students! After you change in the lockers, come out in ranking order to Ground Beta! Looking good is very important ladies and gentlemen! Now, look alive, everyone! Because from this point onward, you will now soon become HEROES!"

Okay! I hope I look alright! Katara thought as she ran forward to this Ground Beta.

As soon as she got out, she sees her classmates' costumes, each one of them different in their own way. Some were pretty creative, while some flashy. Others though, were...a little questionable, especially in the girls' department.

...Wow. Okay, and here I thought mine was...revealing...

The girls' outfits, such as Ochako's, Tsuyu's, Mina's, and Momo's(especially hers) were almost a little provocative...but if they ask those specific designs, then who is she to judge?

Although I think I heard from Toshi that the support team would also modify our suits at their own discretion...

...Katara looked at her own costume.

She was basically wearing her Painted Lady attire as her Hero attire. She decided to choose this design for her costume because she felt like it was suitable enough to be a Hero costume. That and she did help a town from water poisoning. That was a Heroic thing she did back on her homeworld.

Although, her costume was showing a little bit more...legs...and it was tight from the back where her posterior is...

...I'm...not gonna think about this anymore.

So with that, Katara joined her classmates.

She came up to Ochako, who was wearing a skintight outfit and holding a helmet with a visor.

"Oh wow, Katara!" Ochako exclaimed in awe, "That's your costume!? It looks so cool!"

"Wow, girl, you lookin' pretty badass!" Mina said as she and Tsuyu came up to them.

"Yeah. Makes you look mature-looking. *ribbit*" Tsuyu complimented.

Katara smiled as she blushed, "Aww, it's just something simple."

"Still, you look so mysterious, like you're an Underground Hero! Maybe even almost like a Vigilante!" Ochako commented.

"Whoa, careful on that talk, 'Chako. Vigilantism is considered to be frowned upon. *ribbit*" Tsuyu told her.

"Indeed!" said a voice suddenly coming up to them. It was none other than Iida in his Hero suit. "Vigilantes don't allow themselves to follow the rules and procedures, giving out their own form of justice. And while I do see where some are coming from, as most of these Vigilantes are Quirkless, and which I have to admire their ambition to become actual Heroes themselves, they are still only getting themselves in danger! You have to be a licensed Hero with a Quirk to do that!"

Katara frowned at that, "Well...I think some Quirkless people can get by."

"Huh?" Iida looked at Katara.

"I mean, yeah, sure, not being a licensed Hero is illegal, but anyone who wants to be a Hero and help people out can still be that. Even if they don't have a Quirk they can use, I bet they could do extraordinary things to help people out, whether it be saving people or helping them by doing the smallest things for them every day!" Katara informed.

Iida, Ochako, Tsuyu, and Mina looked at Katara with stunned blinking eyes.

"Um...I'm not discounting the Quirkless, Katara," Iida said, "I was just...well...I mean, I was just saying the facts about earning a license and having a Quirk to be a Hero."

"Well, yeah, but who says a Quirkless person can't be a Hero?" she challenged him.

"Uh...w-well, I..." Iida lowered his head to look at the ground, probably looking a little shamefaced behind his helmet.

"Whoa, Katara, Iida didn't mean anything like that," Mina said to her.

"Yeah. *ribbit* I mean, I agree with that, but, we can't just change the laws and let everyone try to be a Hero for the heck of it," Tsuyu says.

Katara realized that she had said a little too much, and now felt a little ashamed for getting onto Iida like that. "Oh. Well, I mean..." she sighed, "Iida, I'm sorry. I wasn't mad at you, I was only trying to stand up to people who would only want to do some good, even without a Quirk."

"No, I'm sorry, Katara. You're right," Iida said, feeling regrettable, "Perhaps I was a little harsh on those who want to be a Hero even without a Quirk. In fact...I always did admire the Quirkless."

"Huh? Really?" Katara asked in surprise.

"Yes. The Quirkless are a mirror of what people once were before Quirks. The thing is, those without Quirks don't have to have anything hinder them. Whether it be some part of their body that has an appendage or a growth, or if they have something that could handicap them, the Quirkless, I feel like, can just go on with their life. People with Quirks don't always have it easy...in fact, I would just love to be normal sometimes."

Now the girls looked at Iida with blinking eyes.

"Really?" Ochako asked.

"Why yes. I mean...it would be a nice change of pace. It would be a lot different, I can tell you that much. I can try to actually run normally instead of using my jet-engined legs to do so. Like, I can really have the challenge to actually race someone at my old school and try to do my best," Iida explained, "I always win the track team back at Somei Private Academy, and most of the time, they would get annoyed...I didn't really make many friends there either..."

Katara now felt a little bad for even assuming Iida wrongly, and said, "Uh, hey, Iida, r-really, I'm...I'm sorry. I mean, I didn't really mean to make you feel all awkward."

"Oh no, don't be sorry, Katara," Iida said, "I mean, I like my engine legs, but...well, you know, it's a 'what if' scenario. And I...I like to think I already have friends," he said with an unseen smile behind his helmet. "Thank you all for that."

The waterbender and the other girls gave him a kind smile, as they all nodded.

Iida hummed and nodded, "But either way, we are here to train ourselves to be Heroes! And I will do so in the Igenium name!"

Katara giggled, "Well, you look really dashing in your Hero costume there yourself, Iida."

"...O-Oh!?" Iida froze as he felt his face getting hot under the helmet, "W-Well, thank you, Katara! I-uh-I think your...y-your costume is quite ideal! I-I mean, it's great! I-I mean, it's fantastic! No, I mean, it's fetching! I mean NO! NO! I mean, it-it's REALLY GOOD! I-I MEAN, I'M GOING TO SHUT UP NOW!" And with that, Iida turned around and hid his shameful expression.

...The girls just looked at Iida's back with deadpan expressions.

Mina leaned over to Tsuyu and whispered, "Not very slick, is he?"

"My Quirk is Frog, so yes, definitely not slick. *ribbit*" Tsuyu nodded.

"Uh...um, hey, don't worry, Iida, I-" Katara began to say but was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"H-Hey guys!" called out Midoriya.

They turned to the voice to see that Midoriya was rushing up to them, wearing his costume...which looked a little odd.

"Midoriya?" Katara said, eyes blinking at the attire he was in.

"Wow, that's an interesting costume there, Midori!" Mina said with a jovial smirk.

"H-Huh? W-Well, I just feel like it's...well, like it's the right choice for me," Midoriya replied as he rubbed the back of his head. It was then he finally registered on seeing the girls' costumes, and suddenly he felt to be in shock, frozen by how good they looked in them. "W-Wow! I-I-I mean! U-U-Uh, you girls' got great costumes! No, wait, I meant-...I mean, yeah, t-they're great costumes, b-but I meant...y-you all look great...i-in them? ...U-Uh..."

Katara smirked and felt a little cheeky, "Why, thank you, Midoriya. That's certainly a flattering thing to tell us."

Mina joined in, snickering, "Yeah, thanks for the compliments, Midori~!"

Even Ochako giggled, "Wow, Midoriya, thanks! I felt kind of uneasy in wearing my suit, but you made me feel all better about it!"

"Um...y-yeah, thanks," Tsuyu says as she rubs her forefingers together in a nervous way, looking a little shy.

"Midoriya! Do not flirt with the girls! This is a very serious lesson on Heroics and you must not be over-confident in your savviness!" Iida said in a chopping arm motion.

"Huh!? What-n-n-no, I was just-" But before Midoriya could say anything else to defend himself, All Might began to announce to the kids.

"Alright, students! Is everyone here? If so, then gather around and follow me!" All Might instructed the kids.

With their conversation forgotten, Midoriya, Katara, and the rest of their group, as well as the other students, all paid attention to All Might as they followed him to the mock cityscape area where they had their Entrance Exams.

"Alrighty! We shall do our lesson here!" All Might announced.

"Excuse me, All Might-Sensei! This appears to be the same field used in the Entrance Exams! Will we once again perform cityscape maneuvers?" Iida asked with his hand raised.

"Nope! You'll be moving to step two!" All Might said, "Indoor anti-personnel battle training! Villain battles are most commonly outside, but statistically, the craftier and more heinous Villains are more likely to appear indoors! So, between confinement, house arrest, and black market deals, in this Hero-filled society of ours, the cleverest Villains out there will always lurk indoors!"

Katara nodded. That makes sense. Usually, they plan their next phase of an attack.

"So you'll now be split into Villain teams and Hero teams to face off in two-on-two battles!" All Might told them.

"So, we're not gonna do basic training?" Tsuyu asked.

"Nope again! Practical experience teaches you the basics! The difference here is you won't be fighting robots this time around!"

"What determines victory?" Momo asked.

"Um, are you threatening to expel someone like Aizawa-sensei did?" Ochako asked, a little nervous.

"How do we proceed to divide ourselves into teams?" Iida asked as he raised his hand.

"Can I just blow everyone away?" Bakugou asked in a mutter.

Katara heard that and turned her head at Bakugou with an irritated glare.

"One at a time, students! My Quirk isn't super-hearing!" All Might said, "Well, to all those questions, um, except for Young Bakugou's and Young Uraraka's, which I will answer in order, no, you can't blow anyone away-"

"Damn."

"-and no, I will never expel anyone in this school, unless the board tells me to."

"Oh, okay! whew!"

"But anyways! The Villains will be hiding in a building, alongside a fake nuclear weapon in their hideout. And the Heroes will have to go in and take care of the problem!" All Might said as he...reads a piece of paper while telling them the rules.

Katara blinked.

Hoo boy. I think the pressure is coming to Toshi.

"The Heroes have a limited amount of time to either capture the Villains or to secure the weapon in time. The Villains must either capture the Heroes or protect the weapon until the time is up."

Then, All Might got a box out from...somewhere, a box that says 'LOTS', and held it out to them.

"Now, your battle partners will be decided by drawing lots!"

"Drawing lots? Is that really the best way?" Iida asked, almost a little stupified.

"I think it makes sense! It's like with Pros who often have to team up with Heroes from other agencies on the spot during emergencies!" Midoriya informed with a nod.

"...Ah. Yes, that does make sense!" Iida commented with a nod also. "I apologize, All Might-sensei, for getting ahead of myself! My mistake!"

"No worries! Now, let's all get to it! Draw your lots!"

As everyone did so, Katara looked at the letter that she drew out.

"A...okay, I guess I should find who's 'A' then."

"Did you say 'A'?" asked...Midoriya!

"Huh?" Katara turned around to see that Midoriya was carrying his lot.

"Mine says 'A' too," Midoriya told her.

"Really?" Katara's eyes widened.

"Yeah. I, uh...I-I, uh, I guess we're battle partners then!" Midoriya said nervously.

Smiling at that, Katara said, "Hey, yeah, I guess we are! That's great!"

"Huh? I-I mean, uh, yeah! G-G-Great!" Midoriya stuttered as he shakily smiled. However in his thoughts...

O-O-Okay, this isn't bad! Not one bit! I mean, she's your friend, so no worries! Sure, you're communicating with a pretty girl, but your whole class has pretty girls! ...Wait, where am I leading with this? Oh! Right! Your battle partner is a pretty girl! And Katara is your friend, so that'll be easy to do, right? I mean, even though I haven't really communicated with a girl besides my mom, I'm really certain I can do very well on talking to her during the lesson and at this very moment...yeah...

...

...You know, Katara does look pretty attractive with all that red makeup on...n-nope, this won't be a problem! Nah-ah! NOT ONE BIT! NOOOOO SIREE!

Meanwhile with Katara...

Okay then, so I'm gonna partner up with Midoriya. That's good. Maybe I can give him a pep talk or something to boost his confidence...actually, why don't I just tell him that I know all about All Might's identity? I mean, the truth will come out sooner or later if Midoriya sees Toshi and me in the same spot...I think I need to ask Toshi about that. I don't know if I should tell him I'm from another world though, that would complicate things...maybe? I don't know, everyone is so understanding here, I feel like I could tell my whole class at this point since the school staff now knows...well, there's Bakugou, and I don't want him to have the pleasure of knowing that I'm from somewhere different...man, I really need to talk to Toshi about this.

"Alright then! Moving on, first up are...these teams!" All Might said as he stuck his hands on two boxes that each said 'VILLAIN' and 'HERO'. Once he got his hands out of them, he read the balls on each hand. "Here, for the Hero Team, we have...Team A!"

Katara and Midoriya's eyes widened at the sheer luck of their selection.

"And as for the Villain Team...Team D!"

And Team D was none other than Iida and...Bakugou.

Two thoughts came to Midoriya and Katara.

OH SHIT!

Aw, shit.

Bakugou glanced at his two opponents for a moment and 'humphed'..

Iida, though, thought one thing.

I'm a Villain!? And I have to fight Katara!? ...And Midoriya!?

"The Villain team goes first! The timer will start around five minutes whenever the Hero team sneaks into the hideout! The rest of us will watch via CCTV!" All Might told everyone. He then directs his attention to Iida and Bakugou, "You two boys will need to adopt a Villain mindset! This is all practical experience, so go all out and don't hold back! Although, I will stop either one of you if you take things too far."

Katara glanced at Bakugou and glared at him, while Midoriya glanced at him anxiously. Bakugou glanced at her and Midoirya as well and only sneered.

"Alright, everyone! Places! It's time to get ready!"

Man, I'm glad the support team filled some water into my canteen before I went out here for this lesson. Katara thought as she and Midoriya walked.

Katara and Midoriya were out in the open, trying to find the hideout as they got the building blueprints given to them by All Might.

"Okay..." Katara muttered, "So, right now, we need to find this hideout and try to sneak in."

"Y-Yeah..." Midoriya was looking a little nervous as he looked at his building blueprints, "We need to memorize these as well, so we can maneuver around the building easily."

"Yeah..." Katara turned to Midoriya and sees that he was shaking, obviously apprehensive. Katara blinked and asked, "Hey, are you okay, Midoriya?"

"Huh!? Oh, uh, yeah, I-I'm...w-well, it's just...we'll be facing against Kacchan...a-and Iida!"

Raising an eyebrow, Katara asked him, "Why do you call him Kacchan?"

"Uh...w-well..."

"...You said yesterday that you knew him. How do you know him?" Katara asked a little curious.

"Uh...we...w-well, we went to the same...s-school together..." Midoriya admitted.

Katara then pieced all the parts together...

"Wait...he bullied you, didn't he?" Katara said with a frown.

"U-Uh...w-well..."

"...That does it then," Katara scowled at the thought of Bakugou, "He's nothing but an absolute jerk. He shouldn't even be a Hero in the first place!"

"No!" Midoriya exclaimed, startling Katara, "I mean...yeah, he can be a jerk, but he really wants to be Hero!"

Katara just looked at him oddly, "Well, he's not acting like one."

"Well, yeah, but...he just...he really inspired me back then on wanting to become a Hero."

"What!? Bakugou inspired you on wanting to become a Hero!?" Katara asked with a horrified surprised look on her face.

"I mean, not in the way he acts! I meant his goals...his confidence...his strength...his Quirk...he really motivated me to become the Hero I want to be."

"...But, that doesn't make sense," Katara said, "If anything, you would want to be a Hero because you want to prove it to him. And...from what I know about you, you're definitely heroic in many ways. You talk about All Might all the time and how you want to be just like him. So where does Bakugou fit in this picture?"

"...Um...w-well, first of all, I'm not trying to be a Hero to prove it to him. I have my goals and determination for that. I just...really want to show him I can do it..."

"...How far back have you known him?" Katara had to ask.

"...U-Um, sorry, I don't think we need to waste any more time. Everyone has to have their turns, you know?"

Katara frowned, "...Midoriya, just know that I'm your friend, okay? Whatever your relationship with Bakugou is, just know that I, Iida, Tsuyu, Ochako, and Mina are your true friends. And whatever Bakugou is to you, just know that he doesn't deserve what you bring him."

"I-..." Midoriya sighed as he slumped, "...Okay..."

Katara nodded, "Alright then. Well, we should probably get going."

"Right..."

Meanwhile, with Iida and Bakugou...

"Hm...whether this is training or not, the concept of being a Villain disheartens me..." Iida looked up at the life-sized paper mache bomb, "So we merely have to guard this thing?"

Bakugou didn't answer as he was on another tangent in his mind.

Tch...that Deku thinks he can just hide that Quirk of his and make me into some kind of fool? He's been punking me this whole time! That damned nerd...

"Also, we have to face Katara as well," Iida murmured, "I don't want to cause any harm to her, even if it calls it...and there's also Midoriya. I'm facing my own friends...hmm...this will be a difficult task to do when I'm training to be a Hero."

"Hey. Deku has a Quirk, right? And the Water Girl controls water?" Bakugou gruffly asked Iida.

Iida turned his head to Bakugou and blinked, "First of all, that girl's name is Katara. Secondly, yes, you saw that he had the monstrous strength he displayed in the Quirk Apprehension Test. Which, by the way, I will ask you not to charge straight at him. He could pose a bigger threat."

"Tch! You don't have to worry about that, Four-Eyes. Just leave him to me," Bakugou said as he gritted his teeth.

And if that Water Brat tries to stop me, then I won't hold back either...

...

...Wait...water...blood has water in it...like a lot...

Bakugou's eyes widened as he realized something.

Wait a minute...yesterday...did she really do that!? Did she control me by manipulating my blood!?

...

...Oh...it's on now. No one is gonna make me look like a fucking fool! And if that's the case, then why did she stop me that day!? Does she happen to know Deku!? ...Feh! Alright then. I won't be able to try to take down that Water Brat if she can control my blood as well. I need to get them separated...first and foremost, I'll take care of Deku. Maybe that little bastard could tell me what she knows about me since they're so fucking close! I'll let Four-Eyes distract Water Girl. He seems like he can get some type of job done. Hell, taking down Deku would probably still be easy, so I can probably go back up to face that Water Bitch! Either way, they won't beat me. So let's go, Deku!

Iida looked at Bakugou as he stood there rigidly, feeling a little...uneasy about how the blond boy radiated such fierce and resentful energy.

...It seems Bakugou is certainly taking his Villain persona into account...should I worry for Katara and Midoriya?

End of Chapter 14

Chapter Text

It was almost time...

Every student in 1-A was in the monitor room basement while the selected teams were on the ground floor in the mock city of Ground Beta.

Mina and Tsuyu were looking at the monitor screens showing every street, alley, and room inside the designated building the teams were assigned to go into.

"Wow! This will be so cool! Seeing Midoriya and Katara fight off against Iida and that Bakugou guy! We can see how well they both handle Villainous activity!" Mina giggled, "I also like to see how Iida would fair against fighting Katara!"

"Yeah, that'll be interesting. *kero*" Tsuyu nodded, "He surely likes her from what I can analyze."

"Hehe! Oh come on, Tsu, what's there to analyze? He might as well put a big billboard sign above him that says, 'I like Katara!'."

Tsuyu thought about that, "...Yeah, you're right. He's about as obvious as Bakugou having a temper."

As Mina cackled, Ochako looked at one of the screens and can see Midoriya and Katara are both about to approach the building the fake bomb is in. She then looked over to where Iida and Bakugou are…

"Hey, 'Chako?" Tsuyu said to her.

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah, Tsu?" Ochako turned her attention to the frog girl.

Tsuyu then looked at her for a moment, blinking once...until saying, "You're kind of worried, aren't you?"

"Eh!?" Ochako flinched back, "W-What do you mean!?"

"Worried?" Mina asked as she went up to Ochako, "About what?"

"W-Wait, I-wha-I wasn't worried about anything!" Ochako tried to assure.

"You sure? You seem to be looking at the monitors very intently," Tsuyu explained.

"I mean..." Ochako lowered her head with a sigh, "Okay...I guess I kind of am a little worried."

"Really? Well, I'll ask again, about what? This is all just a training exercise!" Mina reassured.

"Well, yeah, I know that, but...while I was in the physical part of the entrance exam, I had to share the exam with a lot of students. And they all got some points out of how they used their Quirks...Bakugou was one of them."

Mina and Tsuyu blinked.

"Oh...you mean Bakugou was in one of the areas you were in?" Tsuyu asked.

"Yeah..." Ochako puffed her cheeks out cutely, "He was blasting robots all over the place. He wasn't even concerned about the people that were around him when he was using his Quirk. It was like he was trying to get points by destroying just the robots."

"Wow. That sounds a little...jerkwad-ish," Mina said with her hands on her hips, an eyebrow raised.

"Huh. It seems Bakugou has the personality of a Pomeranian. He's very loud and unendearing," Tsuyu affirmed.

"Yeah. And...well, Katara and him butted heads before, and I don't know what his deal is with Midoriya, but that's what kind of gets me a little worried," Ochako admitted, "I just hope no one gets super hurt or anything."

"I wouldn't worry as much, 'Chako!" Mina said with a smile, "If anything, that Bakugou guy better watch out for Katara!"

"Yeah...in fact, I think I know how Katara stopped Bakugou from attacking Midoriya that day when we were doing our Quirk Apprehension Test. *kero*" Tsuyu theorized.

"Really?" Ochako asked in curiosity, while Mina turned her attention to Tsuyu in interest.

"Yeah. I think Katara controlled Bakugou's blood," Tsuyu explained.

"Wha!?" Ochako and Mina exclaimed in shock.

Then a clearing of a throat from All Might, "Excuse me, students, but now is the time to start this session. If you all can look at the screens and monitor your classmates on how they'll perform, then you might learn some things and get extra bonus points if you pay attention!"

All of the students are now focusing on the screens, Ochako, Tsuyu, and Mina having forgotten their conversation to see their friends in action.

All Might was also looking at the monitor screens intently...

Okay. Midoriya, Katara, this is it. No favoritism when it comes to grading! Use your wits and knowledge to outwit your faux enemies!

With that said, All Might started the session through the speaker.

"Antipersonnel Battle Training. Begin!"

...Now it was time.

Midoriya and Katara

"Begin!"

The two teens both flinched at All Might's voice through the speakers as they were in front of the building they were supposed to infiltrate.

"O-Okay, well...let's go!" Midoriya nodded to Katara.

"Right," Katara nodded as well.

Midoriya and Katara rushed to the building to approach the double doors, but Midoriya stopped in front of them abruptly, letting Katara also stop just behind him.

"Wait..." Midoriya muttered, "They could be expecting us to enter through these doors."

"Oh...yeah, you're right," Katara nodded, "Should we try to go through a window?"

"I think that would be wise," Midoriya agreed.

They went around the building to get over to a far window, which luckily, since this was a mock city, they didn't need to bust any of them as the windows didn't have any coverings on them.

"Well, glad they made this easy for us," Katara muttered.

"Heh, yeah," Midoriya then turned to Katara, "Let me go first. Just in case Kacchan comes blasting through."

Katara blinked and smirked, "I can take care of whatever Bakugou throws at me, so you don't have to worry about my safety."

"U-Uh, I-I-I mean, I wasn't trying to say you weren't capable of fighting anyone! I was just, w-well, I was just, I was just trying to be nice!" Midoriya stuttered in a panic.

Now feeling bad for letting him misunderstand what she meant, Katara said, "Whoa, hey, Midoriya, I was just kidding around. I mean, I can take care of him, but I was just making a comment. It wasn't anything malicious," she then smiled, "But I do thank you for the kind gesture."

"Oh, uh...o-okay!" Midoriya felt relieved, "...But, do you want to go first, or...?"

Katara snickered, "Hey, you can go first. No worries."

"Oh, uh, okay..." Midoriya then turned to the window and climbed up through it.

As soon as Katara went inside the building through the window as well, they were both inside, the interior being bland and generic, which is fitting of a mock building.

They walked up the hall, looking around their surroundings for anyone who could come around the corner.

"There's a lot of blind corners," Midoriya muttered to Katara.

"Yeah..." Katara muttered.

...They kept walking, both quiet as they trekked through the halls. They cautiously turned around a corner, and seeing that no one was there or coming to them, they proceeded to keep going...

...The silence was getting to Midoriya and Katara.

I still can't regulate One for All. So I can't use it directly against anyone. One hundred percent would probably...well, no, it could kill them, as well as me, I would think. All I got is my natural strength and Katara's water manipulation Quirk...we'll have to make due wit-...wait...water...yesterday, Kacchan was stopped by some force...and Katara's arms were up in the air...

Midoriya paused in his steps, near an intersecting hallway.

Wait a second...blood has...ninety percent water in it...could...could Katara have...

"Uh, Midoriya? You okay?" Katara wondered, a little concerned.

"...Katara, did you...control Bakugou's blood yesterday?" Midoriya asked her, not facing her.

Eyes widening on that, Katara went silent for a second...and answered, "Yeah...I can also control water in the blood...and he was going to attack you, so I had to stop him somehow."

Midoriya turned to face Katara, his expression neutral.

"You...probably shouldn't have done that to him," he told her.

Katara looked at him oddly. "What? You're telling me that you didn't want me to save you from Bakuogu's temper tantrum?"

"Oh, uh, no, I-I meant...well, first of all, our teacher could've done something to prevent that from happening I would think, but as for Bakugou...it would...well, it would hurt his confidence," Midoriya said awkwardly with a sheepish sweatdrop.

The waterbender blinked at him. "...You got to stop caring about what this guy thinks, Midoriya."

"I mean, well, it's more like...he might think you'll pose a threat to him or something."

"A threat?" Katara raised an eyebrow. She frowned, "He better think that."

"N-No! I mean, it's just, he, well, he-"

"Look, Midoriya, I don't care if I'm going to upset him. He needs to grow up. And if he messes with any of my friends, then I will freeze him solid!" Katara said determinedly.

"I'll hold you to that!" said a in brash voice.

Katara's eyes widened, while Midoriya quickly looked behind him.

Bakugou jumped around the right corner and was about to swing his left hook at Midoriya!

"Get down!" Midoriya said as he leaped at Katara, bringing her down with him. Bakugou's swipe at Midoriya missed, but it caused an explosion as his Quirk hit and damaged the wall next to them.

BOOOM!

"A sneak attack!" Mineta exclaimed.

"Whoa! That's a pretty low move, Bakugou! Sneak attacks are unmanly!" Kirishima also exclaimed.

"Wow! Midori dodged that one!" Mina said in excitement.

"Yeah. He also brought down Katara so she won't be hit as well," Tsuyu nodded.

"Oh wow! That was close!" Ochako said in relief.

"It's all part of a valid strategy! This is a practical experience!" All Might told the students. However, he was a little concerned for Katara and Midoriya...

I hope this won't end badly...I don't know too much about Young Midoriya and Young Bakugou's relationship, but from what I see from Bakugou, he has a huge ego. And from what Katara did to him at the Quirk Apprehension Test, his ego might be bruised a bit...I hope he doesn't go after her in a rage...in Young Kirishima's words, that would be unmanly. I can only hear what they're saying though...I hope Katara won't do anything drastic, like beat him senselessly, or whip him into submission. Maybe even using her bloodbending to...egad, don't go down that road!

After the explosion, Midoriya stood back up, with half of his mask blown off as he was helping Katara up as well.

"Are you okay?" Midoriya asked Katara.

"Yeah..." Katara shook the shock off of her and glared at Bakugou, "Hey! You could've hurt us, ya know!?"

"So, you'll freeze me solid, huh?" Bakugou stood there in the dust of the debris that he created. His back was facing her, and soon he turned around to face them. "Tell me this: did Deku say anything about me?"

Katara scowled at him for a moment, but Midoriya answered for him, "I didn't say anything, Kacchan! I really didn't say anything!"

Bakugou sneered at Midoriya, "Tch! Okay, if that's true, then you lied to her about your fuckin' hidden Quirk!"

Midoriya froze, unsure how to answer that.

But Katara answered him as she exclaimed, "He didn't lie! It was dormant and it came to him in due time!"

I really do need to talk to Midoriya about my knowledge of One for All.

Bakugou just glared at them, "Dormant, huh?" he directed his glare at Katara, "Well, I get the feeling you know a lot more. Also, you're the one that controlled my whole body that day, weren't you!?"

Katara glared back. "That I did."

The blonde gritted his teeth, the anger boiling in him. "I knew it. In that case, I'm taking you down first!"

He burst forward and reared back his right arm to try and strike Katara. Katara gathered some water quickly to try and freeze him, but then...

Midoriya jumped in and grabbed Bakugou's right arm as he was about to strike her!

"What!?" Bakugou's eyes widened.

Katara's eyes also widened.

Midoriya then used his strength to maneuver and flip Bakugou on his back, slamming him onto the ground!

WHAM!

Letting go of the stunned Bakugou, Midoriya got into a battle stance and faced him with a fierce glare. "Kacchan! You better not use your Quirk to actually hurt anyone! That will get you disqualified!"

Bakugou got back up and looked at Midoriya in shock...but soon it went back into anger, "You..."

"I always know you go for a right hook when you attack! It's part of my analysis notebook! The one you blew up and tossed out the window!" Midoriya exclaimed.

Katara looked on at Midoriya in awe but also heard about the notebook.

Analysis notebook? And...Bakugou blew it up and threw it out the window?

"I'm not going to be your punching bag anymore, Kacchan! I am going to be a Hero!" Midoriya declared.

Hearing that, Katara had a lot of thoughts going through her mind.

Punching bag? What!? Just what is their relationship?! How far back do they know each other?!

Bakugou gritted his teeth in frustration, "You sprout that shit coming out of your mouth...you can't even stop shaking! You're too scared to face me!"

Indeed, Midoriya was shaking, but he stood firm as he could, not afraid.

"I may be scared, but I'm not going to let you bully anyone else! You call me Deku all the time, well, I'm gonna be the Deku who always does his best!" Midoriya yelled out to him.

Katara briefly thought back to the conversation that she and Ochako had yesterday.

Well, I kind of thought he meant Dekiru, like "You can do it!".

...Dekiru...

Bakugou sneered, "You know what? First you got a Quirk, then you're friends with this bitch, and NOW you're standing up to me!?" he snarled, "You really PISS ME OFF!"

Before Katara could get her water out, there was a sound coming through. The transceiver that Bakugou has in his ear rang out.

"Hey, Bakugou! Update me on the situation! What's happening over there!?"

Bakugou tapped his transceiver and barked at him, "Shut up and keep watch on the bomb! I'm going to wreak some Heroes!"

"What!? Bakugou, please refrain from whatever emotions you have! And I advise you not to hurt Katara! ...U-Um, and Midoriya as well! I-I mean, w-...wait, am I being in character as a Villain!?"

"Bah!" Bakugou cut off the transceiver. "I'll just deal with you first, Deku, and then the Water Brat!"

Midoriya and Katara both took battle stances, each of them thinking different thoughts.

I hope Midoriya can use One for All without hurting himself...damn it, just don't do anything risky, Midoriya! Katara.

Oh crap! Okay, I pissed off Bakugou, and I can't use my Quirk at all...maybe. I don't know! I just need to think about how Katara and I are supposed to ace this exercise! I can only hope Katara can fare well against Bakugou! Midoriya.

Bakugou then swung his hands back and propelled forward, straight toward Midoriya. Then, swinging his right arm, he stopped his motion and swung a rearing left kick straight at his head. However, Midoriya then got the capture tape and swung it around his leg, ducking and as he swings the tape to his left in a circle, twisting him around as he threw Bakugou to his left at the wall.

WHAM!

Slamming against the wall, Bakugou fell to the ground.

"Katara! Run! I'll take care of him! You need to get to Iida and the fake bomb!" Midoriya exclaimed to her.

Katara looked at Midoriya in shock.

What!? He's going to fight him on his own!?

"...No!" Katara told him, "I'm gonna help you fight him!"

Shit! How can I get it through her!? Midoriya thought frantically.

"You need to get to the bomb! If you can secure the bomb, then we can automatically win this exercise!" Midoriya reasoned with her.

Katara stood rigid, trying to decide what she should do.

I can't just leave him here with this jerkwad! Who knows what he'll do!?

"You two will NOT BEAT ME!" Bakugou yelled out to them, letting them avert their attention back to him.

Bakugou jumped and reared both of his arms and threw them at the two. Midoriya and Katara jumped out of the way, letting Bakugou hit and blow up the wall in front of him.

BOOOOOM!

The force of the explosion blew both of the teens away in separate directions, letting them skid and roll on the ground.

"Oh no!" Ochako exclaimed in concern.

"Whoa!" Mina also exclaimed, "That Bakugou guy is not messing around!"

"Wow..." Tsuyu then looked over at All Might, "Hey, All Mights-sensei? Maybe you should step in?"

Kirishima also added, "Yeah! I think Bakugou is too serious in his Villain role!"

All Might looked at the screens, debating if he should...

"...No. They have to see what's it like on the battlefield when facing Villains. Even if this a mock test, it would be unfair if I came in to stop the situation when they can try and stop it."

The rest of the kids fell silent after hearing that.

However, All Might was thinking...

Come on, Midoriya and Katara...

Katara staggered as she got up, looking at their enemy at the moment. Bakugou was looking at Midoriya, his back turned against Katara.

Midoriya was on the other side of the hall on the ground, his back against the wall as he got up sluggishly. He kept his glare at Bakugou, while Bakugou just glared at him.

The blonde sneered at him, "Must've been pretty funny, huh? Hiding your so-called flashy Quirk all this time and tricking me!? HUH!?"

What is this jerk's deal? Katara thought as she kept quiet. I might have an advantage...should I use…

Katara looked down at her hands briefly.

...Maybe I could bloodbend him just enough to toss him around.

She didn't want to use her bloodbending, not just yet. Only when it's for dire emergencies, but this seemed like an emergency enough as it is, if Bakugou is going through with harming Midoriya.

I have to use it. This calls for it!

Katara shot her arms at Bakugou, letting her chi concentrate through her bending to activate her bloodbending...

...When nothing was happening. Bakugou was starting to walk menacingly towards Midoriya, her bloodbending not affecting him.

Katara's eyes widened in shock.

What!? It's...wait, then...it does work on a full moon!? But wait, it was daytime! Is it...because I'm inside a building or...?

"Well!? What do you have to say about that, Deku!?" Bakugou snarled at Midoriya as he advanced toward him.

Midoriya retorted back, "I wouldn't hide it from you, Kacchan! But as of right now, what I said back at Aldera, I take it all back!"

Bakugou paused.

"What?" the blonde's eyes widened in shock a little bit, tone dangerously low.

"You heard me! I take it all back! I am going to compete with you and be even better than you!" Midoriya exclaimed at him boldly.

...Bakugou's eye twitched, his face expressing pure silent rage.

It was then Midoriya thought he should've probably waited on saying that part.

It doesn't matter! I'm ready! I'm pumped up! Bring it on, Kacchan! Fuck, I am SO DEAD!

"Deku...I will CRUSH you." Bakugou growled.

Midoriya, even as he was still shaking, stood his ground.

"...You know what?" Bakugou said as he raised his right arm up, "I think I stored enough sweat in my gauntlet to do this attack."

Confused, Midoriya left his guard down just a little.

"You know my palms secrete something like nitroglycerin, right? That's how I make my explosions. Assuming they honored my design requests, the gauntlet that's been storing up that fluid..." Bakugou flipped the pointy tip of the trigger of his grenade-looking gauntlet, exposing a pull switch.

"Huh? Is Katara trying to use her Quirk on Bakugou?" Tsuyu wondered.

"What?" Kaminari turned to Tsuyu, "Isn't her Quirk like, Water Manipulation or something?"

"Well, I think Tsuyu was saying that Katara was going to use her Quirk to manipulate Bakugou's blood, I think," Mina explained.

"What? Whoa," Jirou blinked, "For real?"

"Blood manipulation?" Yaoyorozu asked in shock, "That...sounds very uncomfortable from the way it sounds."

Todoroki blinked at that news and looked on at the screen at Katara.

...Hm. She's a lot stronger than I thought.

"Wow...uh, yikes," Kaminari shivered, "That sounds kind of gross."

"Yeah, but it looks like Katara hasn't used it yet on Bakugou!" Ochako noticed, "I wonder why she can't do it now?"

All Might looked on at the scene on one of the monitors...

Huh...I wonder why Katara's bloodbending isn't working? She used it on Young Bakugou yesterday, but it seems she can't now. I think she says something about how it works fully when there's a full moon, but...

Then, All Might remembered...

...Wait a minute. The moon was actually out yesterday. It was a clear and cloudless sunny day...huh...maybe since today Katara is in a building, the moon isn't helping her bloodbend...I mean, that's how it works...right?

"Uh, hey, All Might-sensei?" Kirishima interrupted All Might's thoughts, "Bakugou doesn't look like he's gonna cool down anytime soon."

"Huh?" All Might looked at the screen.

Hearing Bakugou's explanation made him freeze.

Wait, that kid is not gonna...?

"Bakugou!" All Might exclaimed into the speaker, "Stop it now, kid!"

Katara's shock was disrupted, as she heard All Might's voice through the speakers.

What? What is Bakugou going to do?

"Are you trying to kill him!?" said All Might's voice through the speakers.

That was enough for Katara to keep moving.

Katara rushed over to Bakugou and summoned her water from her canteen, making it into a whip and swinging it at him.

However, Bakugou ducked!

He then spun on his left heel and faced her, springing forward with his left hand propelling him at Katara as he swung his right hand at her to fire an explosion at her.

The waterbender, though, quickly gathered her water and created an ice wall to block the explosion.

BOOOOOM!

The blast sent Katara back, making her land on her back as she rolled away from the explosion. Upon getting her bearings quickly, she shook her head and got up, the ringing still in her ears. She focused her glare on Bakugou, who was running up to her.

"STAY OUTTA THIS!" Bakugou yelled out as he charged at her.

Katara then gathered her remaining water, which the ice particles were behind Bakugou, and pulled the ice, which she turned into partially freezing water, and splashed the water from Bakugou's back, freezing his entire body.

"GACK!" Bakugou exclaimed, feeling his entire skin go cold as he froze in place in mid-run. His palm was almost near Katara's face as he was frozen on the spot.

The waterbender smirked haughtily, "Hmph! How do you like me now?"

"CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-!" Bakugou shivered in his frozen spot.

"And just to make sure you stay there," Katara moved her hands around to make the whole front side of his body freeze up, thanks to her bending the ice to spread around him.

"F-F-F-F-F-F-F-FUCK!" Bakugou cursed loudly as he shivered from the cold.

"Whoa! Katara!" Midoriya came up to her and stood in front of Bakugou. "You totally froze him!"

"Yep! It's part of my Quirk!" Katara smiled big, proud of herself.

"Wow...that's awesome!" Midoriya turned to Katara, "In fact, I think we have enough time to get to the bomb!"

"Oh! Yeah, you're right!" Katara almost forgot about that! "Let's go!"

"Uh, r-right!" Midoriya then turned to Bakugou, "Um, sorry about this, Kacchan. Hopefully, Katara will get you out."

"Pfft! No way," Katara said with her eyes rolling.

"Well, um...I said 'hopefully'."

"I'll think about it after we win."

"Uh, o-okay," Midoirya sweatdropped.

"Come on! We need to face Iida!" Katara told Midoriya as she ran ahead of him.

"U-Uh, right! Sorry again, Kacchan!" Midoriya said to Bakugou as he followed Katara, leaving Bakugou in his frozen spot.

Bakugou...could only seethe.

They...She...SHE BEAT ME!? SHE FUCKIN' BEAT ME!? NO! No, no, no! She hasn't beaten me, she hasn't! SHE FUCKING HASN'T! I'm stronger than her! I'm stronger! I'M STRONGER! I'M FUCKING-DAMN STRONG, NOT HER! NO! I...WILL NOT...LOSE!

...The ice was chipping away...

"Whoa!" Ochako gasped, "Katara completely froze Bakugou!"

"Wow!" Mina exclaimed as she smiled, "Katara rocks!"

"Yeah. *kero* She's certainly full of surprises." Tsuyu nodded in agreement.

"Whoa! Totally manly! I-I mean, uh, womanly?" Kirishima corrected himself as he thought about what he said.

"Yeah. That Katara gal really put that loudmouth Bakugou in his place," Jirou said, impressed.

"Yeah! I mean, that Bakugou kid was the highest scorer in the Entrance Exam, right?" Sero asked anyone.

"Wow! If that's the case, then Katara must be really strong!" Tooru said.

"I wonder, though, when is that Midoriya boy going to use his Quirk?" Yaoyorozu asked anyone.

"I don't know, but he's faring pretty well without his Quirk," Kaminari said, "I got to admit, that's really brave to go forth without using it for so long."

"...That Katara gal was hot doing that," Mineta shamefully said.

Todoroki looked at the screen where Katara used her waterbending on Bakugou to freeze him...

"...Huh. She is a lot stronger than I thought," Todoroki muttered.

Meanwhile, All Might looked on at the screen where the action occurred.

Wow...way to go Katara! And Midoriya didn't have to use One for All! Huh...this could actually be a walk in the park here!

"I can't believe Bakugou cut off the transceiver!" Iida mumbled, "That scoundrel...I really hope Katara and Midoriya are alright...Bakugou seems like a bomb that will go off if any fuse is lit...hm. I'm guarding a fake bomb and I made a bomb analogy...fitting...still, I can only hope Midoriya and Katara will fare well against him."

Iida stood there as he guard the bomb, back facing away from the entrance as he crossed his arms and looked up at the fake bomb.

"...Well, in the meantime, I guess I could fix up my evil persona. Though it would bring shame to the Iida family name, this training will help me become a better Hero! I must commit!" Iida declared.

Then, as Katara and Midoriya quietly went up the stairs and entered the highest-leveled room, they spotted Iida, making them hide behind some support columns. They observe Iida as he's taking his role as a Villain into account.

"To become a Hero, I must be cloaked in darkness! I must become..." Iida then said in a corny over-the-top evil accent, "...the ultimate evil! Mwahahahahahaha!"

...Midoriya blinked, while Katara just looked at Iida...and couldn't help but snickered.

"Hm?" Iida turned around, "Who goes there!?" he said in his 'evil' accent.

The two hid behind the columns, but Katara was trying not to giggle and give away her position.

"...Hmm..." Iida then dashed in between the columns where Katara and Midoriya were, startling them.

"AH!" Katara yelped.

"ACK!" Midoriya also yelped out.

Iida sped past them and turned around to face them, skidding backward to a stop.

"Aha! It seems I found you two in hiding! You must've escaped my comrade's clutches! Well, now I shall finish the job of capturing you two! Prepare to be duped by me, your worst enemy!" Iida said with grandeur, his arms wide and dramatic.

Midoriya was wondering what to do in this situation, but Katara couldn't contain the giggles and laughed.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!" Katara guffawed, "Oh, Iida, that's just too cute!"

"...O-Oh?" Iida blushed underneath his mask as he blinked, "Y-You think I'm-wait a minute! Pure evil is not cute, Heroine!"

Katara let out another laugh, "Pfft! Hahahahahahaaaa! I-I'm sorry, Iida, but, it's just, it's too adorable! Like you sound so funny doing it!"

"..." Iida now blushed tenfold, "Oh...w-well, I...uh, I-I-I was just-wha-wa-wait a second! I mean, s-stop insulting-uh or flattering the enemy!"

Midoriya just looked on, eyes blinking wide with confusion as he wondered what the heck was going on...

Katara, though, giggled and smirked as she put her hands on her hips, "Well, I guess I should be serious then, huh? I mean, you are the enemy, while we are the Heroes, so I need to act like it, right?"

"U-Uh, um, yes!" Iida went back into character, "You must submit to my evil deeds as a Villain, as you a Hero shall try to defeat my devious pla-"

"Sorry, Iida!" Katara said as she summoned water from her open canteen and threw some water at Iida, freezing it and encasing him into frozen ice.

"ACK!" Iida tried to shield himself, but it was futile as he stay frozen in place.

"Aaand, done!" Katara said as she lowered her arms when the water was completely frozen on Iida, especially as it spread in the engine of his legs.

Midoriya just looked at the display of bending in awe, stunned that it took just a second.

"Uh...okay then," Midoriya then blinked as he realized, "Wait...then that means...w-we won!"

"Huh?" Katara looked at Midoriya with a questionable look.

"We captured Iida and Kacchan, so we win!" Midoriya explained.

"Oh..." Katara grinned, "Hey, yeah, we did!"

"Whoa! Just like that, huh?" Mina blinked in amazement.

"Wow. Poor Iida. *kero* " Tsuyu said.

"Wow! Woohoo! Go Katara and Midoriya!" Ochako cheered.

"Actually, the Midoriya guy didn't do too much..." Kaminari said.

"Indeed," Yaoyorozu nodded, "It would seem Katara is the more capable fighter."

"I mean, the Midoriya guy held his own a little bit," Kirishima added, "Still, yeah, he didn't do much."

All Might looked on at the scene, proud of Katara, but also feeling pity for Midoriya.

Katara, you did great! Excellent work! However...while Midoriya did do well in evading Bakugou, he still needs to learn how to use One for All...I don't want to do this to the boy, and while he did well overall in the exercise and hasn't been harmed too much, I need to grade him...probably a C-...or...a C+...maybe?

Jirou looked at the screen where Bakugou was frozen in place...except...

Her eyes went wide, "Whoa! Hey, where did that Bakugou guy go?"

"Huh!?" the kids looked at the screen.

"What?" All Might looked at the screen as well.

"Hey, wait!" Mina said, "I see him rushing through the other cameras!"

"What!?" the teens then can see Bakugou going through the halls in a rush as he was going up...up the very top floor...

The Pro Hero could only think of one thing as his eyes widened while his grin was shaking in worry.

...Oh no...

"We won!" Midoriya cheered.

"Yahoo!" Katara also cheered.

But then, All Might's voice came into the speakers.

"A-Actually, um...Bakugou escaped."

Katara looked up at wherever the speakers were in shock. "What!?"

"W-What?" Midoriya exclaimed in shock as well.

"Uh...yeah...he's coming up right about-"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOOM!

Bakugou propelled himself up and over the frozen Iida, shooting himself forward and heading to his intended target...

He reared his right hand back to strike that person...

That person being Katara.

Katara froze in place, not literally, but Bakugou was coming in fast and she couldn't conjure up some water in time (that, and she may have used all of it at this point), making her stand there in shock.

When Bakugou was about to land the blow on Katara...

...Midoriya jumped in front of her!

Shielding his face with his arms in an 'x' position, Midoriya jumped in front of Katara to shield the explosion that was coming from Bakugou.

BOOOOOM!

Bakugou made the impact.

Katara and Midoriya were flung back, the former hit by the latter as she landed on the floor, her whole body rolling on it as her hat for her costume came off, letting her hair swish around as she was blown back. She got up, leaning on the floor as she shook her head to get her bearings.

"KATARA! MIDORIYA!" Iida yelled out, "I know I should be acting like a Villain, but that looked really painful!"

As for Midoriya, he was on the floor, his arms burnt while on his back, gritting his teeth as he tried to get back up from the blow.

Bakugou, however, after that attack, made his way slowly toward Katara, passing Midoirya, not even paying him any attention.

When Midoriya sat up, he saw Bakugou's expression.

His eyes widened.

Bakugou...looked pissed.

His eyes were crazed and determined at the same time, his scowl as hard as the concrete they are on. His fists were clenched tightly, enough to make his knuckles white if he wasn't wearing his gloves. And the way he walked looked like he was on a mission...

Oh no! Midoriya thought. Kacchan is...really upset!

As Katara looked up to see Bakugou coming up to him, she tried to stand, but the shock made her struggle for a bit until she finally found balance. She gritted her teeth in resolve as she got into a waterbending stance.

Bakugou then stopped in front of Katara, his expression in a fierce scowl.

"You...will not...beat me." Bakugou seethed.

"This isn't a competition you know!" Katara exclaimed at him, "This is all for us to learn how to be good Heroes!"

"Exactly. Heroes win. So I don't lose."

Appalled by that, Katara lashed out, "You think this is some sort of competition!? What are you even here for in the first place!?"

"What do you think? To be the BEST. Heroes don't lose, and I will NOT lose to you."

Katara scowled at him herself, "You want to know what you are!? You're just a punk who has the fattest ego in the world! You're nowhere near a Hero and you never will be if you keep acting like this!"

"Shut up! Shut your damn mouth! I will not lose to you, and I will DEFINITELY NOT lose to that little punk Deku!"

"His name is Midoriya! What do you have against him!? He wants to be a Hero, like everyone else here! And for some illogical reason, he says you inspire him! Are you that conceited into thinking you're better than everyone else because of whatever reason you have!? What, is it your Quirk!? Is that all it ever is!? While it may be powerful, you need to humble yourself and know that there are people out there that teach you a lesson on manners and on how to behave! You think you can beat All Might with that kind of view!? Well then, you're dead wrong! In fact, All Might is still a better Hero than you will ever be! And you know what!? Midoriya is an even WAY better Hero than you ever will be!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Bakugou yelled at her as he reared his hand back.

"KACCHAN!"

Both Bakugou and Katara paused, turning their attention to Midoriya.

The verdant-haired teen was standing as he positioned himself, looking like he was ready to fight. His expression was hard as he glared at Bakugou.

"Don't...you...hurt her!" Midoriya seethed.

Bakugou just stares at him...until he turns to face him and began to walk up to him, leaving Katara behind him.

Midoriya stood his ground.

Bakugou sneered at him, "Just what the fuck can you do, Deku? Huh? You haven't shown your stupid damn fancy Quirk yet. In fact, don't think I'm still pissed at you for keeping that a secret for all those years. You were mocking me this whole time, hiding it from me. Ever since we were kids, you were always making fun of me! You've always had!"

"You're wrong, Kacchan!"

"YOU WERE LOOKING DOWN ON ME!"

"NO! It's because you're so awesome, that I wanna beat you! I wanna win! I wanna beat YOU!"

"SHUT UP!" Bakugou yelled out, stopping in front of Midoriya, his fists clenching in anger.

"IT'S TRUE! I WANNA SHOW YOU THAT I CAN!"

Bakugou stared at him...he then said, "Then use, your, fucking, QUIRK!" Bakugou then took a right-arm swing at Midoriya...

BOOOOM!

...But Midoriya ducked it!

He swiped his leg to hit Bakugou's legs, making him go off balance and trip his own feet.

"GUH!" Bakugou exclaimed.

He landed on the floor on his stomach, stunned.

And then, Midoriya got on him from behind and quickly wrapped his arms around Bakugou's arms, securing him and trapping him.

"WHAT THE-!? DAMN IT, DEKU! GET OFF ME!" Bakugou exclaimed.

"Katara! Secure the bomb!" Midoriya called out to her.

Katara, who was watching the whole thing, jumped in surprise.

The bomb!

"Oh! Uh, right!" Katara went over to the bomb.

"NO! GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME, DEKU!" Bakugou hollered.

Katara was near the bomb, and then, using the last bit of water in her canteen, she soaked it in ice.

...The teens looked on in awe and were a bit dumbfounded as they stared at the screen at what was happening.

"...They...I mean, I think they won this time!" Ochako exclaimed.

"Uh, y-yeah...I, uh, I think they did!" Mina also exclaimed with a grin.

"Wow. *kero* That was almost kind of climatic, not gonna lie," Tsuyu threw her two cents.

"Whoa! Midoriya did a suplex on Bakugou! That's really manly, bro!" Kirishima cheered.

"Huh. Yeah, that Midoriya guy knew what to do," Kaminari observed, "Even without his Quirk. That is pretty hardcore."

"Hmm..." Yaoyorozu hummed as she looked on at the screen where Midoriya was holding onto Bakugou, "...I don't know why he wouldn't use his Quirk, but...he did get the job done."

Todoroki looked at the screen where Midoriya, Bakugou, and Katara were. His gaze was on Katara...

...I have a challenge on my hands.

"Wow! Awesome!" Mineta exclaimed...he then muttered, "I want one of the girls to do a suplex on me."

All Might looked on and couldn't help but actually smile.

Well done, you two. And Midoriya, kid...you get an A+.

He spoke into the mike.

"HERO TEAM WINS!"

End of Chapter 15

Chapter Text

Midoriya, Katara, Iida, and Bakugou

As soon as All Might said those words, their practical training battle was over.

Midoriya got off Bakugou, backing away from the blonde's limp form. Bakugou meanwhile, after hearing All Might's words just...lay there, in shock, not believing what he just heard...

HERO TEAM WINS!

...Hero team...wins?

Bakugou was on the ground, the loss now registering to him...he lay there, just...still.

I...I lost...I-I actually...lost...and I lost to  Deku...he didn't even...he didn't even use his  damn  Quirk...

Midoriya looked at Bakugou...he looked at him with pity.

I'm sorry, Kacchan...but Katara and I had to win.

Speaking of Katara...

"Midoriya! We did it!" Katara exclaimed as she rushed over to him.

"Oh, uh, yeah, w-we did!" Midoriya stuttered, his smile a little shakily.

As Katara was near Midoriya, she took a glance at Bakugou, who was still lying on the ground not moving.

Rolling her eyes, she just ridiculed him by saying, "Oh get up already, Bakugou. Are you just gonna lay there and act like a big baby all because you lost one training session?"

"...Shut up..." Bakugou quietly said as his face was on the ground.

Scowling at him, Katara just says, "Well, I for one don't feel any sympathy for you. Take it like a man and move on."

...Bakugou didn't say anything back...although he did give out a growl of indignance. He slowly got up from the ground on his hands and knees and picked himself up, standing on his feet while gazing at the ground...without looking at any of his classmates, he just walked his way miserably out of the room.

Katara and Midoriya just looked on at Bakugou's sad departure, the former glaring at him, while the latter just felt pity for him...

Turning to Midoriya, Katara said to him with a smile, "Well, Midoriya, you did really well! You actually stood up to that jerk! Multiple times, in fact! Way to go!"

"Uh, th-thanks, K-Katara...although, I-w-well, I didn't use my Quirk though...I-I hope that doesn't like, take away any points for me or anything," Midoriya said, a little worried as he rubbed the top of his head.

Katara frowned at that, "Well, I wouldn't think it mattered if you hadn't used your Quirk, you still saved the day...well, per se," she smiled, "Either way, I think All Might would be impressed that you held your own without a Quirk."

"Huh?" Midoriya looked at Katara, the hope in his eyes, "Y-You really think so?"

"I know so, Midoriya," Katara nodded, the same encouraging smile on her face.

Midoriya stared at her, wondering if she meant it. But when he saw her eyes, he saw that the meaning behind her words rang true.

"...Wow. Thanks, Katara," he smiled back at her.

Katara beamed, "Anytime. Besides, you didn't get yourself hurt using it, so that's a relief."

Midoriya blinked and looked surprised, "Wh-What? Y-You know my Qu-Quirk's drawback?"

...The waterbender froze.

...Oh...Oh crap...well, uh...that slipped...

"Um...well, I just fig-" Katara began to say, but was interrupted by the voice of Iida.

"Uh, I-I'm s-sorry to i-interrupt, but, I-I-I really am c-c-cold here," he said shivering, still in his frozen spot as he was starting to feel uncomfortable as the ice was getting to him, "S-So, um, K-K-Katara? W-W-Would it be o-o-okay if y-you unf-f-freeze me? P-P-Please?"

Snapping out of their conversation, Katara gasped, "Oh Iida! I'm so sorry, hold on!"

As she went over to Iida, Midoriya stood there dumbfounded as he began to think:

...That was...odd...does she know how my Quirk works...?

Back at the screening room where All Might and the entirety of Class 1-A are, all four of the trainees, Midoriya, Katara, Iida (who was slightly shivering), and Bakugou stand there to listen to the feedback and criticism from the man himself.

"Alrighty then! It seems Hero Team A is the clear winner here! Villain Team D also did a good job of playing their roles! But at the end of the day, I feel as if the V.I.P, or should I say V.I.P.'s of this exercise, are none other than..." All Might paused for dramatic effect, "...Midoriya and Ka-uh, Y-Yagi!"

Both waterbender and One for All user looked surprised as they blinked at the claim. But they soon felt the overwhelming excitement come in them, smiling widely as they glanced at each other, Midoriya giving out a big grin, while Katara smiled and nodded back at him, telling him 'I told you so!'. Midoriya nodded back and looked back at All Might...until he realized something.

...Wait...Yagi? But...isn't that All Might's surname?

"Yes! They both deserve the V.I.P.! But I wonder why? Can anyone tell me?"

Everyone stood there for a moment to think of what to say...until Yaoyorozu raised her hand, "I will, All Might-sensei."

"Oh? Well, do tell us, Young Yaoyorozu!"

Yaoyorozu nodded, "Both Midoriya and Yagi earned the title of V.I.P. because they worked together as a valuable team. Both of them worked side-by-side to fight the problem, which the problem itself was Bakugou, who in turn has some kind of personal grudge against Midoriya for how he reacted at the Quirk Apprehension Test. If this was an actual real situation where a nuclear bomb was present inside the building, destroying anything indoors with it inside would be outright foolish, which Bakugou was not fully aware of. Bakugou seemed to also have an ego when encountering and fighting Yagi, almost to the point where he was about to lash out at her if Midoriya didn't intervene. Speaking of Midoriya, while he didn't unleash his Quirk, he surprisingly held his own as he fought Bakugou, using certain fighting tactics to hold him off. From the suplex he did on Bakugou, Midoriya safely apprehended him while Yagi secured the fake nuclear bomb, making Midoriya the absolute most valuable player of the Hero Team at this point. The Hero Team certainly did their very best to try not to damage the faux building as well as the fake bomb, making their efforts be successful and not in total vain. All in all, they succeeded and made a naturally good team. As for Iida's part, his was cut off short when he was flattered by Yagi's compliments, which didn't align with a Villainous character."

...Everyone was silent...

"...E-Either way, Iida tried to contribute to the exercise, but he didn't get the chance to," Yaoyorozu nodded confidently, now officially finished...

...Was there more for me to say? Why is everyone so quiet? Yaoyorozu thought, almost feeling a little anxious.

All Might, Midoriya, Katara, Iida, and Bakugou as well as the rest of Class 1-A all just looked at Yaoyorozu…

...Wow. That Yaoyorozu girl has some really good observation skills...puts mine to shame...also she said I was the most valuable player...should I...be flattered by that? I mean, she didn't have to say that...does she, uh...I mean, does she like me? ...Okay, now you're reaching pretty high there, Izuku-buddy. There's no way a pretty girl like her would be into me...she was just being nice is all. Izuku thought.

...

...However, Izuku also thought:

That Yaoyorozu girl said Yagi as well...am I...missing something here?

Meanwhile, with Katara...

...Dang, I just found myself a new best friend here. I also loved how she kind of trashed on Bakugou's errors. Katara smiled slightly.

With Iida...

...Why did my classmate tell everyone that I was flattered by Katara's comments? Uuugh! I have never been so embarrassed in my life! Iida thought as he blushed in despair. I also failed the Ingenium name! ...Wait, actually, I was just only acting out as a Villain in this exercise, so...maybe I didn't fail the Ingenium name?

Bakugou just stood there, in shock at how Yaoyorozu gave out such an analysis.

With All Might...

...Wow. She basically said everything that I...well, everything that I was probably going to say! Huh...very smart girl. Still, I'm the teacher! I'm suppos-...well, I mean...actually, I guess this makes it easy for me. I don't have to necessarily say anything. All Might thought with a sweatdrop.

"...Uh, correct!" All Might gave Yaoyorozu a thumbs up.

Yaoyorozu, relieved that the awkward silence dissipated, sighed slightly in relief.

Oh, thank goodness! I thought I was saying something completely wrong due to all of the silence!

"Well...I guess it's now time for the next teams to do their exercises!" All Might announced, "Hero Team B, Villain Team I, prepare for your battle training!"

Todoroki and Shoji glanced at each other for a moment and turned their attention back to All Might with a nod. Ojiro and Hagakure looked excited and absolutely pumped, Ojiro rearing his fists back with a smile, and Hagakure giving out a 'yay!'. Katara glanced at Todoroki as he waited for Ojiro and Hagakure to exit the screening room. Then, as if he sensed her gaze, he glanced back at Katara

The waterbender blinked, while Todoroki looked at her for a moment...and nodded. He then followed Shoji as they were now signaled to go to their designated positions.

Katara thought about what Todoroki said yesterday.

We might be rivals from here on, so...don't hold back.

...I wonder why he said that? I wasn't hostile toward him, was I? I mean...I thought Todoroki wanted to be my friend or...something...

"Katara! Midoriya! Iida!" Ochako called out to her.

The girl being called turned to Ochako, as well as her other friends, Mina, and Tsuyu as they walked over to her and Midoriya and Iida. Bakugou just walked away from them to stand with the rest of the class in front of the viewing screens for the next exercise.

"Hey! Wow, you guys did really great!" Ochako congratulated them.

"Yeah! Way to go!" Mina also congratulated them, "You guys held your own against Bakugou!"

Tsuyu nodded, "Yeah, even getting extra credit!"

"Aww, w-well, all in a Hero's days' work!" Midoriya said with a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

Iida felt a little crestfallen as the praises were all about Katara and Midoriya, but he understood and accepted it.

However, Ochako noticed Iida's slouch, and tried to cheer him up, "Oh, hey, Iida, don't worry about it! If anything, being a Villain isn't in your nature, and, well, this exercise proved that!"

...That made Iida perk up a bit, "Yeah..." Iida stood straight as he nodded, "That's right..." he turned to Ochako and said, "Thank you, Uraraka, for comforting me! I am now officially renewed! I appreciate your words!"

Uraraka smiled, "No problem, Iida!"

Mina giggled, "Yeah, Iida! Although, you need to not let your, well, I'll just say emotions get in the way!"

Iida jumped and turned to Mina with a blush, shushing her, "Shhh! Please, no more embarrassment!"

"Somehow, I think there'll be more in the future, *kero*" Tsuyu muttered.

Katara smiled at Iida and said, "Don't worry, Iida. You'll have your time to shine!"

Tenya turned his attention to Katara and couldn't help but blush a bit more, "U-Uh...th-thank you, Katara! I-I will surely not disappoint yo-uh, a-a-anyone else during my time here!"

Giggling at Iida's slip-ups, Katara said, "We're certain you won't, Iida!"

The young man couldn't help but just stand proudly...the blush still on his face, as he looked up with a determined fist held up to his chest.

Katara then turned to Ochako, Mina, and Tsuyu, "But thanks, girls! Although, I don't know why my, uh...blood manipulation didn't work on Bakugou a while back."

Was it because the moon wasn't out and it was hidden while I was in the building?

Then, as if she sensed Katara's confusion, Tsuyu said, "Well, maybe that part of your Quirk works when the sun is out and shining?"

Katara turned her attention to Tsuyu and blinked at that theory, "Huh?"

"I mean, I don't know how it would work when it's nighttime, but...maybe the sun warms up and lowers your blood pressure, thus it dilates your arteries to control the blood-controlling side of your Quirk? And maybe when you're inside a building, it does nothing? Just something science-y to think about," Tsuyu shrugged.

Midoriya blinked at that theory, "Hey...that actually makes sense," he then went to one of his pocket pouches on his Hero Suit and opened it, getting out...a small notebook. He turned to Katara, "Would you say that the blood manipulation part of your Quirk actually depends on something like natural light exposure instead of artificial light?"

Katara, looking at Midoriya a little dumbfounded, just said, "I, uh...I always thought my blood manipulation worked well when it's a full moon out."

"Huh?" Midoriya uttered in interest.

"When the moon is out?" Tsuyu asked, "Hmm...there could be something scientific about that as well."

"Excuse me, young Heroes, but now is the time to observe the next teams! Please turn your attention to the screens!" All Might advised them.

"Oh! Right, All Might-sensei!" Midoriya nodded.

"Oh, uh, yeah, right!" Katara said as well.

They all went to the crowd and watched as the next teams were getting ready to begin. They'll be seeing how well Todoroki and Shoji will handle the whole exercise as well as Hagakure and Ojiro...

After Hero Team B Wins...

...Katara looked on in extreme shock and awe at how Todoroki basically froze the entire faux building to freeze Ojiro and Hagakure inside of it with just his right hand!

...Whoa...

Not only that, but he basically melted the ice with his left hand...

...He's...like an actual force of nature...he could almost be like a master waterbender...or an icebender, or...something.

The kids all looked on in awe as well, Uraraka's and Iida's expressions both being of surprise, Ashido and Asui both blinking at the sheer power that Todoroki possessed, and Midoriya...was writing down Todoroki's Quirk in his notepad.

Bakugou, though, looked on at the power Todoroki unleashed and felt...

...inadequate, so to speak.

Midoriya still wrote in the notepad, studying the Quirks on screen as he mumbled to himself.

"Uh...dude? You okay?" asked the voice of Kaminari.

Katara snapped out of her daze and looked over to where Midoriya was, seeing that Jirou and Kaminari were coming up to him. She stood a little closer to the three, in hearing distance where she was.

Stopping his mumbles and pausing in his writings, Midoriya jumped and turned to see Kaminari and Jirou coming to him, "O-Oh, uh, y-yeah! I-I was just, um...just writing down some stuff about, uh...about Quirks."

"From our classmates?" Jirou raised an eyebrow and looked at the screen where Todoroki and Shoji were finishing up.

"Um, y-yeah! I like to analyze Quirks and what they do! ...T-That's not weird, is it?" Midoriya said with wide fearful eyes, thinking he said too much.

"Huh? Uh, nah, man, that ain't weird. I mean, if you like to analyze people's Quirks, then that's cool. Power to you, dude," Jirou said with a shrug and a small smile.

"Yeah! I mean, hey, if you want to study my Quirk, then go nuts! It's of course electricity if you can tell! I like to think it's pretty strong in itself!" Kaminari smirked, feeling self-confident in himself.

Jirou rolled her eyes, and muttered, "Aren't we confident?"

"Well...I mean, I say it's cool, but...I'm still trying to figure out how to use it without frying my brain too much..." Kaminari said with a sheepish look as he scratched the side of his face, "I guess this is why I'm here in UA in the first place, heh."

"...Well, at least you're honest," Jirou muttered.

"Uh, heh, thanks. But hey, your Quirk is pretty cool too, Jirou! Like you can listen to faraway areas, listen to people in the next room, and hear people whispering and all that! That's like really good to use for stealth purposes and whatnot!" Kaminari complimented.

"Oh yeah!" Midoriya said, "Your Quirk can really be used in fantastic ways also! Like your costume? You have speakers planted onto your boots, right?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah, I do," Jirou said with a surprised blink.

"Yeah! Just wondering, but can you create powerful sonic waves if you speak into the other ear-jack?" Midoriya theorized.

"...Uh...yeah, I...I can," Jirou answered, a little amazed.

Seeing that he might've freaked out Jirou a bit, Midoriya apologized, "Oh, s-sorry! I just, uh, I just like Quirks and I-I-I, uh, I...I'll stop now, sorry."

"Whoa, hey, no, it's totally cool, man!" Jirou assured him, "Just didn't think mine was that special!"

"Uh, well, I, um, I thought it was pretty cool," Kaminari told her a little awkwardly.

Jirou for some reason blushed at all this praise, "C-Come on, man, my Quirk is just ear-jacks, they're not that special."

"On the contrary!" Midoriya interjected, "Every Quirk is special! It's how you use the Quirk that matters!"

"Uh, y-yeah, exactly!" Kaminari also said, "I mean, honestly, while people say my Quirk is cool, I sometimes feel like it can be a little bit of a drawback, as I don't want to overuse it to make me act all, um...dumb, to put it lightly. Like I said, I'm here to control my Quirk a lot better! And hey, I mean, at least you got a more useful Quirk than mine that helps you immensely and doesn't deter you!"

Jirou looked at Kaminari...and at Midoriya...and back at Kaminari...

"...Wow...um...thanks, guys...I mean, gosh, you guys want my phone number or something?" Jirou joked in good humor.

Midoriya and Kaminari took that seriously and blushed immensely, the former sputtering out words as he shook, while the latter froze, his eyes wide as his face went red.

"U-Uh, um, I, uh, w-w-well, I-I-I was, u-u-u-uh..." Midoriya stuttered, his whole thought process broken.

Katara couldn't help but giggle at Midoriya's reaction.

Kaminari just stood there for a second and muttered as he blushed, "I mean, uh, if you...you know, if you want to hang-"

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt, but, uh...Midoriya, is it?" said the voice of Yaoyorozu.

"Huh?" Midoriya turned to the taller girl and blinked, "Oh, um, y-yeah! Uh, Yaoyorozu, right?"

Yaoyorozu nodded, "Yes. I just want to congratulate you on the win in the last exercise."

"Oh! U-Uh, thanks! A-Although, I, uh...well, I didn't really use my Quirk too much, which was...kind of the reason for that whole exercise, honestly," Midoriya says a little sheepishly.

"Still, you fought pretty well without it against someone like Bakugou. It was very impressive how you held your own," Yaoyorozu praised Midoriya.

"Oh! Uh, th-thank you! I mean, if anything, I think the real praise should be directed at Katara!"

"Katara? You mean Yagi?" Yaoyorozu said with a blink.

Katara froze at that.

Oh...yeah, the whole...surname thing...

...Katara really had to explain that to Midoriya if Toshi already revealed his identity.

"Wha...uh...y-yes?" Midoriya was a little confused...and that's when he thought:

...Oh wait...yeah...All Might's surname is Yagi. Does All Might have some kind of relation to Katara? But...I mean, he would've told me...right?

However, upon hearing the conversation between Midoriya and Yaoyorozu, Jirou asked him in a teasing way, "Oh, so you call her by her first name? What, you two together or something?"

Izuku tried all his willpower to not yell out in shock and embarrassment. So he just resorted to a questioning yelp.

Meanwhile, Katara blushed and tried to calm her heartbeat. If Jirou's Quirk was anything to go by, she might hear her heartbeat as well!

"E-EH!? What-n-no! She-She told me to call her by her name! Even Iida, Uraraka, Ashido, and Asui call her by her first name!"

"Really?" chimed in Kaminari with a blink, "Huh...wow, um...okay."

"Um...well, either way, while Kat-, uh, Yagi did use her Quirk most of the time, you did really well with watching over your teammate," Yaoyorozu added.

"I mean..." Midoriya turned back to Yaoyorozu with a sheepish look as he rubbed his head, "I feel like I could've used my Quirk at least..."

"Hmm...well, why didn't you?" Yaoyorozu asked him.

Katara froze once more.

...He wouldn't...really tell them why he couldn't...would he?

"Huh? I...well..." Midoriya glanced at the ground with a solemn frown, "I...I guess I should say that..." he looked at Bakugou, who was still looking at the screens in despair, "...Mine came in a little late."

Yaoyorozu, Jirou, and Kaminari all looked at Midoriya with wide surprised eyes.

Katara let out a slight breath of relief, not knowing she held one in the first place.

"Yours came in late?" Yaoyorozu repeated Midoriya.

"Yeah...I mean, I'm...I'm scared to use it, because...it might...well, it might mess me up if I even do use it at its maximum," Midoriya admitted.

"..." Yaoyorozu put a hand on her chin, "Hmm...that's...very interesting..."

Then another voice came to Katara, interrupting her eavesdropping, "Hey Katara?"

"Huh?" Katara turned to see that it was Ochako, "Oh! Uh, yeah, 'Chako?"

"Um, just wondering, but what did you think of Todoroki's whole freezing thing he did at the exercise?" Ochako asked her, a little worried.

"Oh, um...it was...actually pretty something, honestly," Katara threw her two cents in.

"Yeah...almost a little overpowered, if you ask me," Ochako said as she nodded.

Katara thought about the Quirk Todoroki had...and noticed that he melted the ice he created with his left hand...

"...Does he have some kind of...heat power going through his left hand?" she asked Ochako.

"Huh? I mean...I heard his Quirk is something like Temperature or...Hot and Cold, so...maybe?"

Thinking about that, Katara lowered her head to think about this little tidbit about Todoroki.

So...he controls...ice? And...heat? Hmm...if that's the case, then why didn't he say so when we were doing the standing long jump test yesterday?

"Uh, you can ask Todoroki, since he and Shoji are back in now," Ochako said as she pointed behind her.

"Wha?" Katara looked behind her and indeed Todoroki and Shoji came back into the screening room. "Uh..." she made a thoughtful expression, "You know what? Yeah, I'll ask him."

She decided to do so as she walked over to Todoroki, the boy seeing Katara come up to him.

Yagi...she's coming up to me...I wonder what she's going to say?

As Katara came up to him, she asked him, "Hey, uh, Todoroki? I want to ask you something."

Todoroki just gazed at her for a second, "...Okay. What is it?"

"Well, you said your Quirk was like...Ice, but...you warmed it up with your left hand...what exactly is your Quirk?"

"..." Todoroki stood there, looking to his right, almost as if he was...considering what to say, but his posture emitted some kind of...anxiety, "...Sorry. I guess I kind of lied...it's basically-"

"Alright, students! Time to review who the V.I.P. is! Heroes and Villains assemble!"

Turning their attention to All Might, both Katara and Todoroki glanced at each other.

"Um..." Todoroki, not wanting to keep All Might waiting, decided to just walk away from the conversation they were having.

Katara blinked.

...Not very social, is he?

"And I advise all of you young Heroes to pay attention! You get extra points for observing your classmates and telling me what they did right and wrong!"

Shaking her head, Katara walked over to her classmates and decided to watch the screens and wait on the whole confrontation with Todoroki another time.

After the Battle Training Exercises

The kids and All Might were all back outside after their exercises and were near Ground Beta's exit.

"Well done everyone! You all did splendidly with these exercises the first time around! It also seems like no one was seriously injured at all in the process! That's great teamwork all around! You should all give yourselves pats on the back!"

Katara smiled at All Might and felt proud of her contribution to her exercise. Midoriya also smiled and was glad to make All Might proud.

However, Midoriya and Katara all wondered how much time All Might had to keep his Hero form...

I hope he can still hold onto his form...it's basically almost an hour. Katara.

Oh man...I hope All Might can keep it together... Midoriya.

All Might continued, "It almost pains me to leave you kids back to your no-nonsense classes. My class seems to be straight-forward. It's almost a letdown, as I would certainly love to teach you kids the basics of real Heroics! But alas, I must go now! Change out of your costumes and head back to your classroom for your next class! I'll be off!"

And with that, All Might sped off.

...The kids all stood there...glancing at each other, they just shrugged and walked out of Ground Beta.

As Katara, Midoriya, Iida, Uraraka, Asui, and Ashido, along with Kaminari, Jirou, and Yaoyorozu who joined in, all walked with each other as a group, Midoriya started to tell Uraraka and Asui, "Wow, I have to say, you girls did really great in the exercise! You used your Quirks to your fullest!"

"Thanks, Midoriya! *kero*" Tsuyu said, "Ochako and I actually fought well against Mineta and Sato!"

"Yeah!" Ochako agreed, "...Although, all Mineta did was stare at us in a creepy way."

"Ugh, I swear, that guy gives me the absolute heebie-jeebies," Jirou commented.

"Yeah, the guy is a bit of an oddball," Kaminari agreed with a nod, "But yeah, you and I make a good team back there, Jirou!"

"Oh, um, yeah...you weren't half bad yourself, Kaminari," Jirou said to Kaminari with a smile.

"Heh, thanks! I try not to ante up my electric attacks with too much voltage, cause...well, you already heard that I become a total nitwit after that."

"Well, hey, I can safely say you didn't act like a nitwit back there at the exercise, so I say we were both successful," Jirou complimented with an assuring smile.

Kaminari chuckled, "Thanks for that compliment!"

Jirou snickered, "No prob, Kamy!"

"Oh, I got a nickname now?" Kaminari said with a sly look.

"Yep. You sure do," Jirou smiled confidently.

"Well, can I give ya one?"

"...No."

"Eh, fair enough."

"Well, I got to say, my partner Yaoyorozu was a blast to work with!" Mina said with a grin, "She was very smart and strategized on how to take our faux enemies down!"

Yaoyorozu blushed a bit at the praise, "Well, you were great at confusing Kirishima and Sero skating on acid like that."

"Haha! Well, I knew Kirishima back at our old school, so he might've known my attacks a lot better, but you basically came up with new ways to disorient him!"

Midoriya turned to Yaoyorozu as he walked, "Oh yeah! I heard your Quirk is Creation, right, Yaoyorozu? You came up with some small resources, but they really worked well in your favor in the end!"

Now feeling embarrassed, Yaoyorozu rubbed the back of her head in a blush, "I mean, I can only create different objects without using too much of my lipids."

"Still, you and Ashido did absolutely well! You used your Quirk at a smaller dosage...I mean, I wish I could use my Quirk in a smaller dose...I have yet to figure mine out," Midoriya said, a little crestfallen.

Upon hearing that, Katara was about to encourage him, until Yaoyorozu beat her to it.

"Well, I think that's why we're here. Still, I have to say, even though you didn't use your Quirk in the exercise, I really meant it; you were the most valuable player on the Hero Team," Yaoyorozu then realized that she didn't give Katara any credit, her eyes widened as she tried to defend herself, "I mean, n-no offense, Yagi! You did really well also!"

Katara blinked but smiled reassuringly, while Midoriya blinked and blushed at Yaoyorozu's compliment.

...Maybe she does like me? Midoriya thought in question.

"Oh, no worries! I actually agree with your statement, Yaoyorozu!" Katara said with a smile.

"W-Well, I, uh, I think you acted valiantly and with such valor also, Katara!" Iida told her, "You certainly stopped me in my tracks! ...I-I meant that metaphorically, not...literally...I-I wasn't using that as a pun also."

Katara turned to Iida and giggled, "Well thank you, Iida."

Iida gave out a shaky yet happy smile. "D-Don't mention it!"

YES! SCORE! YOU GAVE OUT A COMPLIMENT WITHOUT SCREWING UP! GREAT JOB, TENYA! YOU HONORED THE IGENIUM NAME! ...S-SOMEHOW!

Midoriya then said to Yaoyorozu, "Uh...t-thank you, Yaoyorozu. I, uh...y-yeah, um, you know, thanks!"

Yaoyorozu nodded with a smile, "It's always the job of our classmates to lift each other up and help each other to succeed!"

"Y-Yeah! R-Right!" Midoriya nodded back with a smile.

Katara looked back at Midoriya and Yaoyorozu and couldn't help but think one thing with a smile:

Aww...they kind of look cute together back there.

"Speaking of lifting our classmates up and helping them to succeed, what are all your thoughts on Bakugou?" Tsuyu asked everyone.

...They thought about it for a second...

Katara, however, could only say this about Bakugou:

"I think he's a conceited jerk," she said plainly.

All eyes looked at her...and Jirou and Ashido couldn't help but snicker, while Yaoyorozu, Iida, and Kaminari nodded in agreement. Uraraka could only giggle, while Asui chuckled. Midoriya however...

"Well...he may be a jerk, but...he's actually really serious about being a Hero," Midoriya muttered.

Katara glanced at him for a second...and just sighed, walking ahead in the group.

Well...at least he admitted he was a jerk...

They all went to their changing rooms and went back to their classes…

As Katara got out of her costume and cleaned up, she exited the changing room and prepared to go back to class.

However, someone stopped her.

"K-Katar-I mean, uh...Y-Yagi?" said the voice...of Midoriya.

"Huh?" Katara looked behind her to see the verdant-green-haired boy coming up to her. "Oh! Midoriya! Uh, why did you, um...call me by my, uh, surname? I told you you can call me Katara."

"Uh, yeah, about that..." Midoriya looked nervous all of a sudden, "Um...this is gonna sound like a really weird question here, so bear with me, but, uh...I mean...are you..." he sighed, just coming out with it, "Are you somehow related to a...Yagi Toshinori?"

Eyes widened at that, Katara stood there for a moment in silence.

Oh boy...well, you know, I think now would be a good time if any to fess up...I just wonder how this will go.

"Um...yes...?" Katara answered almost a little hesitantly.

Midoriya nodded, "Okay...um..." he then looked around to see if anyone was around here, "Uh, actually...maybe, um...maybe we can talk about this later. I mean, I...yeah, we'll talk later. I got your phone number and everything..." blinking at how that sound, Midoriya blushed a little bit, "U-Uh, anyways! I just...wanted to know that about...you know, about you being related to...to Yagi Toshinori..." seeing there's nothing to say, Midoriya bowed and said, "Uh, o-okay then! S-See you in class!"

And with that, he rushed past Katara, heading towards his classroom.

Katara stood there, a little bit in a daze as she thought:

...I think I need to talk to Toshi about this. Maybe he can come up with something to say to Midoriya...and maybe we don't have to keep things a secret anymore.

With Midoriya, he was also in thought as he rushed to class...

I need to ask All Might about Katara...is she related to him? And...does she know about All Might and his condition in general? Also, does Katara know about...hmm...I really got to ask him.

Then there's Bakugou...

...I wonder how he's faring? Is he really upset about the whole loss? ...I feel like I should at least talk to him...no, that wouldn't be wise. But still...should I...tell him about my Quirk? The real reason that I have a Quirk?

Midoriya arrived at the classroom and opened the sliding door. Some of his classmates were inside, but he also saw Bakugou sitting at his desk. He was gazing down at it with an empty stare...

...Man...Katara and I may have won, but I think I broke Bakugou's spirit...maybe I should tell him...I don't know...

The class resumed as usual...

End of Chapter 16

Chapter Text

Once Aizawa-sensei dismissed the class, everyone gathered their things and wrote down homework assignments. Katara was putting her things in her backpack when Mina, Ochako, and Tsuyu approached her.

"Hey, Kat!" said Mina cheerfully, "Me and the girls were thinking of hanging out at a McDonald's to get some ice cream so we can talk a little bit about each other! You know, a little bonding time! Want to go?"

"Hopefully the ice cream machine will be 'fixed' until then," Tsuyu said with quotation fingers on 'fixed'.

Katara smiled at that. "Sure!"

McDonald's was recently becoming a guilty pleasure for Katara in this world, ever since she first tasted that burger. When she realized they had more besides that, like ice cream, other sandwiches like fried chicken (which was an interesting, but delightful change) and fried fish sandwiches, they also had something that they called a frappuccino and a milkshake, which she tried with Toshi one time at their McDonald's.

They were all delicious.

But Toshi told her not to eat this stuff too much, as some (or all) could be bad for her health. Something about it being too fattening. They usually come to their McDonald's once a week, which was fine with her.

"Alright!" Ochako cheered. "Oh! Hold on! Let me invite Jirou, Yaoyorozu, and Hagakure if they want to come with us!" she dashed over to where Jirou and Yaoyorozu were at their desks.

"Oh yeah! The more the merrier!" Mina said with a grin.

Katara giggled. Once she stood up and got her backpack wrapped around her back, she turned her attention to Midoriya.

He seemed to be looking at something...or someone in thought.

She looked at where his attention lies...it was on Bakugou.

Bakugou just got up from his seat, silent as he could be, letting his backpack hang off one of his shoulders as he held onto the strap. He looked...lost...

Katara could only scowl at him.

Oh grow up, you big baby.

Bakugou then took a glance at her.

Katara didn't even flinch, still scowling at him.

...He just looked away, his expression still blank as he still kept walking out of the classroom.

...Hmph. At least he didn't react to my expression.

She turned her attention back to Midoriya...who sat there in deep thought.

"Hey, girls!" Ochako's voice interrupted Katara's own thoughts. The waterbender turned to her friend as Jirou, Yaoyorozu, and Hagakure were with her. "Jirou, Yaoyorozu, and Hagakure said they want to come too!"

"Yeah, why not?" Jirou said with a shrug and a smile, "I could go for a frappuccino."

"Me too," Yaoyorozu nodded, "Or a milkshake, either one. Just something cold and sugary to get me perked up while I do my studies."

"Ooh! I would love a nice cold iced coffee!" Hagakure said in glee.

Then all of a sudden, Iida and Kaminari got up from their seats, each saying:

"You might need protection!" Iida.

"Uh, c-can I come too!?" Kaminari.

The girls looked at the two boys and blinked.

Jirou, who was looking at Kaminari suspiciously, asked, "Really? You want to join us girls?"

"Uh...l-like Iida said, y-you girls might need protection!" Kaminari said.

"Yes! That is right!" Iida nodded, "It is the duty of a Hero, in some regards, to escort and watch over women who...uh, not that I'm saying you all couldn't, you know...fight back or anything. I mean, really, y-you are all outstanding! Especially you Katara!" Iida's eyes widened wide, "I mean, you all are outstanding as well, Uraraka, Tsuyu, Ashido, Jirou, Yaoyorozu, and Hagakure!"

"Oh, why thank you, Iida!" Hagakure said with a noticeable blush on her invisible face. "I mean, I really didn't do anything, but I appreciate the compliment."

"...Uh, yes! Um..." Iida was starting to sweat right now.

Oh darn...this isn't exactly going as I thought it would!

"Uh…" Kaminari stood there, thinking of something, anything to break this awkward tension, "...Well hey, at least Mineta isn't coming with you gals!"

Mineta, who was watching the whole exchange, had his mouth dropped in shock.

I...I've been blocked...

Jirou raised a brow at Kaminari and glanced at the purple pervert. "...Hm. You actually got a point."

"Yeah, he's kind of...um, creepy," Ochako said with a nod.

Yaoyorozu shivered, "Yeah...I don't like the way he looks at us."

...Mineta feels dead inside...gloom and despair surround him.

Katara almost feels sorry for Mineta...almost.

He is kind of a creep, isn't he?

"Yo, man, this is so manly!" Kirishima got up from his desk and raised a fist up to his face as he looked...proud? "You guys are willing to watch over the girls like real men! Not at all once thinking of taking advantage of them! That's righteous!"

...The girls and two boys looked at Kirishima, blinking.

"I can't help but be inspired! I'll go with you guys to watch over the gals! It's the most heroic thing to do, and the most selfless thing I can imagine! Thank you, Iida and Kaminari-Bro, for inspiring me!" Kirishima nodded at them, getting some small manly tears from his eyes.

...Iida and Kaminari just both blinked at him. The former first said, "Um..." he stood straight and saluted, "Th-thank you, Kirishima! It's...great...to hear that from you..."

...I mean, I was trying to be close to Katara, but...I mean, it's kind of true that I was going to protect the girls, but...

Kaminari was also thinking...

Oh, man...this kind of sucks. I like that Jirou girl. She's cool, and I only wanted to spend time with her...and maybe the other girls...but still, now I got competition! Man, Iida and Kirishima are totally what girls would fall for...

Mina just looked at Kirishima and just smirked, "Well, that is pretty manly of ya, Kirishima!"

Kirishima jolted as he heard Mina's voice as he nervously said, "U-Uh, well, yeah, Ashido! I mean, I was only trying to do what a Hero would do!"

"Suuure," Mina snickered.

"Aww, come on, Ashido, I'm not like that. That would be unmanly," Kirishima pouted.

Katara giggled at everything that was happening so far. She looked over where Midoriya was and wondered if he like to come with them as well...until she saw him getting up and heading toward the classroom's exit.

What's odd about this, was that...he left his backpack behind.

Blinking at that, Katara wondered where he was going.

...Should I...follow him?

"...Uh, hold on, guys, I'll be, uh...I'll be right back," Katara said as she got her backpack around her arms and onto her back as she began to rush out of her classroom.

Ochako and the girls watched as Katara exited the classroom. The boys also blinked at Katara's retreating figure, Iida especially.

...Oh dear. I hope including myself didn't make things a lot more awkward for her, Iida thought, ...I mean, maybe I'm just trying too hard? How does my brother usually handle this stuff?

Outside of the UA School Building

Katara tried not to be spotted by Midoriya as she followed him. Once Midoriya exited the school through the large double doors, she hid behind one of the doors once she heard him call out for Bakugou.

"Kacchan!" Midoriya called out.

Katara listened to their conversation through an opened crack of the doors.

Meanwhile, Midoriya was standing a little ways in front of Bakugou, the blonde turning around to face the green-haired boy.

"Wha?" said Bakugou.

Midoriya stood there in silence for a second, until taking a deep breath and saying, "Kacchan...I got to tell you something."

Katara, hiding behind the door, did not like where this was going...

Wait...Midoriya, you're not thinking of doing what I think you're doing, are you!?

Eyes widened in dread, Katara couldn't do anything but hear the conversation that was unfolding.

"Katara? What are you doing?" said a quiet, but bold familiar voice startling her.

The waterbender jumped and turned around to see...All Might?

"Wha-Tosh-I mean, All Might?" Katara said in a quiet tone just so Midoriya couldn't hear her.

All Might, in his all-bulk form, rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Sorry, Little Lady, I just spotted you and I was curious where you were going. You seemed to be in a hurry."

But as Katara was about to explain really quickly...

"Someone gave me this Quirk." said the voice outside of the building...belonging to Midoriya.

...Katara froze.

...All Might seemed to have heard it too because he also froze in place.

Katara turned around back to the door and tried to peek around the door to hear as much as she could.

All Might joined in on Katara, wondering just what the heck Midoriya had gotten himself into.

"I…" Midoriya sighed as he glanced down, "I was given this Quirk by...someone. And the reason why I couldn't use it earlier is because if I use it now, it'll break my bones and mangle me up if I do..." he looked up at Bakugou, "I can't tell you who gave it to me, but...I will try to let it be my own power...and surpass you with this power! I just...want you to know that, Kacchan...I didn't lie to you all those years."

Katara's mind was reeling about all that was said. Dumbfounded by why Midoriya would even tell this absolute jerk anything about his secret.

Midoriya...what in the world are you even doing!?

Even then, she wondered what the heck their relationship even was if Midoriya was trying to apologize to Bakugou of all things.

...It was all silent on their end...

...Then Bakugou spoke.

"What the hell? Someone...gave you your power? That...sounds..."

...It got quiet again...

"...Uh, Kacchan?"

"...Feh. Now you're fuckin' mocking me."

Katara and All Might both blinked.

"...Wh-What?" Midoriya said in shock, "Wha-no, I-"

"If it wasn't enough you and Water Girl had to beat me, but you beat me without your fuckin' fancy Quirk! Now you're just putting salt in the wounds!" Bakugou said in anger, "And if that wasn't even enough, everyone used their Quirks effectively, like that Icy guy, Round Face, Pinkie, Frog Face, and all of the others! And that pineapple ponytail girl even said you along with Water Girl were the M.V.P.s! You get to be an M.V.P.! How the FUCK is that even possible!"

"...Uh..." Midoriya blinked at the blonde.

Katara and All Might sweatdropped at all that was being said.

"Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!" Bakugou exclaimed in aggravation. "Why!? Just...WHY!? Errg...mark my words...mark my words, Deku...you and everyone else...from here on in...FROM HERE ON IN, I'LL BEAT YOU ALL! I"M GONNA BEAT ALL OF YOU TO BECOME THE GREATEST HERO THERE IS!"

...Katara is rightfully appalled.

All MIght...with his new work as a teacher, feels like he had to say something to the poor conceited young boy.

"Enjoy your win, Deku! Cause it ain't go happen again! It won't, damn it!" Bakugou then away from Midoriya and walked off...definitely not wiping his eyes with his sleeves because he has tears in his eyes...nope.

"...That's...really pathetic..." Katara murmured with a cringe, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I almost feel pity for the jerk..."

"...Excuse me, Katara," All Might said.

"Huh?" Katara said to All Might, which he then DASHED, opening the door to reveal Katara out in the open.

Midoriya jumped at the sound and definitely yelped as he saw a speeding person past him and going up to Bakugou.

All Might, rushing over to the blonde, stopped Bakugou by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Hold it right there, Young Bakugou!" All Might told him, "I noticed that you've been feeling a little lost! Your self-respect is very important! Just know, you got the makings of a Pro Hero and that you can reach through these tough challenges! I suggest you should-"

"Get off me, All Might. I can't walk."

"...Uh..."

All Might did as he was told.

"...I will be the greatest Hero ever...even surpassing you, All Might." Bakugou turned his head to the Pro Hero, definitely not rubbing his eyes as he wipes away tears with his hands and glares at him.

"...Um...okay then..."

Bakugou (didn't) sniffled and walked off out of school grounds...

...All Might stood there, with Midoriya behind him, and Katara behind Midoriya...

"...Man. Being a teacher is tough." All Might muttered.

Midoriya looked on at Bakugou's leaving form and can't help by sigh...

He turned around...

...to see Katara, at the entrance of the school.

"...Huh!?" Midoriya jumped as he now registered that it was his classmate who was standing there, "Y-Yagi!?"

"Huh? Uh, yes-W-WAIT! I mean, uh, wh-who? I mean, what now? I-wh-wait! I, uh...OH! Uh, h-hi there, Young...Y-Yagi! How are...you...?"

...Midoriya turned to All Might in confusion...

...Katara just stared at All Might, baffled as she blinked.

...Midoriya turned back to Katara...

...The boy felt like something was going on here...

"...Uh...All Might?" Midoriya said to the Pro, "Um...just...uh...what is...umm..."

"..." All Might looked around the area to see if no kids or anyone else was around. He then dashed over to Midoriya at a super fast speed, which startled the boy.

"ACK!"

"Young Midoriya. I'm sorry to not tell you this, but..." All Might whispered to him, "...Yagi...Yagi Katara is my...niece..."

"...Oh, uh...I-I already found that out. Katara told me," Midoriya told him.

"Huh!? She did!?" All Might exclaimed.

Katara, snapping out of her stupor, ran over to Midoriya and said, "M-Midoriya! I-I know your secret!"

"...Huh!?" Midoriya turned his head back at Katara in shock.

"HUH!? WH-WHA-WHA-WHAT!? KATAR-I MEAN-UH-YAG-I-I MEAN, YOUNG LADY, YOU SHOULDN'T JUST…" All Might paused, "...Oooh, forget it," he mumbled.

"Wha-What!?" Midoriya turned his head back at All Might, completely floored.

"...Kid, Katara knows my secret. As well as yours."

"...WHAT!?"

Katara winced, "Uh...yeah..."

"..." Midoriya blinked at Katara...and turned his head to blink at All Might. "...What...What is happening right now?"

"...Perhaps I should explain this another time, like in private?"

Midoriya just stared at the Pro Hero, "...Uh...okay..."

Before Katara could say anything else, she heard another familiar voice behind her.

"Oh hey Katara, there you-oh wow! It's All Might again!" said Ochako.

"Huh? Oh yeah! It is All Might! Oh and look, there's Midori!" Mina's voice also came through.

Katara turned around to face her friends and the kids that they once were chatting with inside their classroom.

"Hey, Katara, you bolted out there for a moment," said Tsuyu with a raised brow, "What happened?"

"Whoa! It's All Might again! Awesome!" Kirishima exclaimed in excitement.

"Hmm...All Might and Midoriya seem to be close...do they happen to know each other?" Yaoyorozu mumbled to herself, a hand on her chin.

"I heard some talking, but I couldn't get it in time," Jirou said with a thoughtful frown, "Although I heard something about a 'secret' and something 'private'?"

"UH, WELL, I see you kids are going off and doing your youthly teenage things! I, um, look forward to teaching you bright young students tomorrow! For that, I must...go back to UA's offices and grade your papers! Good day to you all!"

And with that, All Might dashed inside the building, leaving a strong gust of wind, that made the girls' skirts flap around as they tried to contain them with their hands.

"Whoops! Uh, sorry about that! Pardon me, everyone!" All Might said as he kept dashing inside the building and to most likely the teachers' offices.

Once the wind went away, everyone just stood there...

...That was until Iida spoke up, "Um...were you somehow trying to reach Midoriya, Katara?"

Katara blinked and turned to Midoriya, who looked at her in bafflement.

"...Um...yes. I was...wondering if he would like to join us on our McDonalds trip?" Katara asked him, wondering if he would somehow take that as a symbol of trust between them.

...Midoriya blinked. "Um...yes?"

Katara smiled at the green-haired boy, "Great!" Katara got close to Midoriya and whispered to him, "Really, um, we'll talk later. I won't reveal anything, I promise."

"...Wh-What?" Midoriya uttered, utterly confused.

Katara just smiled back at him. She turned to the other kids, "Come on, everyone, let's go!"

The students all stared and blinked at the two.

"...Uh, okay then," Ochako said with a smile of her own. "Come on, guys, let's get going!"

"Uh...right..." Tsuyu blinked and just shrugged and followed Ochako.

"...Yeah..." Jirou looked at Katara and Midoriya a little suspiciously but she just began walking with the group.

Iida walked with them and looked a little stiff, thinking to himself as his eyes displayed some kind of jealousy as he stared at Katara and Midoriya.

...I wonder what Katara said to Midoriya? Are they...are they a...an item? Iida felt gloomy all of a sudden, ...I should've known...wait, no, you don't know that yet! ...But Midoriya went off and Katara was trying to catch up to him in a hurry...no, no...no, that's just...friendship stuff...yeah...

"Yo, Iida-Bro, you alright?" Kirishima asked him.

"Huh? Oh! Uh, yes, I'm...um...actually, can I ask you for some advice on...something?"

The rest were also curious about what happened between the waterbender and the green-haired boy, but they just continued on walking into the group as they talked to each other, with Hagakure and Ashido talking cheerfully, Yaoyorozu and Midoriya chatting for a bit, Kaminari trying his best to flirt with Jirou, Ochako and Tsuyu also chatting it up, and Kirishima and Iida talking about the proper 'manly' thing to do when approaching a girl...

Katara was taking the lead and couldn't help but smile broadly.

Wow...I actually got a nice group of friends...

All Might, now deflated to Toshinori Yagi, looked out the office window and saw Katara, Midoriya, and the other kids walking off the campus. He couldn't help but smile at the students down there, especially Katara and Midoriya.

Hmm...yeah...I think it was time I told Young Midoriya about Katara's knowledge about my condition and One For All. Of course, I don't know if I can say that she's from another world, that would be too out there and outlandish for the boy...maybe...I mean, Nedzu and Aizawa took it well...I don't know about the other teachers. Midnight had a hard time processing that, and Present Mic basically was speechless...which was saying something, knowing that he's a talker to other people. Cementoss seemed to believe it, but he's more of an understanding guy...Power Loader just flat out left. And also-

"Hey, All Might," said the voice of Aizawa.

"Grrk!" Toshinori jumped and squirted out blood from his mouth, "HACK! Oh gosh, that's embarrassing!"

"...Yeah," Aizawa droned, "Just want to ask how Katara did with the Battle Traning exercise today?"

"Oh! " Toshinori turned around while wiping his blood off with a napkin that appeared out of nowhere. "Um, she actually did really well! Young Midoriya also did really well! I gave them A+'s and gave them both the M.V.P. treatment!"

"...Hm...they got those grades because they earned it, right?"

"Huh? Well, of course, I...wha-oh, come on, Eraserhead! I'm not giving them special privileges or anything like that!" Toshinori said, a little offended, "I actually gave some of the kids good grades as well...although, that Mineta kid is lacking."

"...Alright then." Aizawa nodded, "Just know that this is a school. Which means no favoritism or anything of the such. Treat your students equally."

Toshinori frowned, "Hey, I know that. Come on, give me some credit here, Aizawa. I like to think I did pretty well today with the students gradings."

"I'm just looking out for my students in general, All Might. Basically, these kids don't know the real world when it comes to Villains...although, I might have to make an exception when it comes to Katara. She looks like she'd been into a lot of battles before and saw the ugly side of the world...well, her world, I would say."

"...She faced a lot of terrible things from what I heard. I mean, the kid was in a war..."

"Hm..." Aizawa took a sip of his coffee, "...Well, let's hope ours isn't too...extreme for her."

"..." Toshinori sighed, "...Yeah...I hope so too."

Meanwhile, at a McDonalds

Ahh, a good ol' frappuccino! Katara thought as she sipped her beverage.

She was with Mina, Tsuyu, Ochako, Jirou, Yaoyorozu, and Hagakure at a table in the restaurant, while Midoriya, Iida, Kirishima, and Kaminari sat in a booth. The two groups were having certain discussions and conversations, with both the girl group and the boy group just chatting about idle things.

"Man, it's so cool to have All Might as our teacher for Heroics stuff!" Hagakure said in glee as she had an iced coffee with lots of cream and sugar in it.

"Yeah. He seems like a really nice guy," Tsuyu added her two cents as she also sipped her milkshake.

"Yeah!" Mina smiled as she nodded as she held an ice cream cone, "He gives off goofy dad vibes!"

"It would also seem that he's trying really hard to perform his duty as a teacher," Yaoyorozu noted as she had a milkshake in her hand, "It kind of was funny to see him read through a script, per se. Other than that, I think he did a good job."

"Haha! Yeah, I would think he was trying, but he certainly got the job done teaching all of us! Wouldn't you say, Tsuyu?" Ochako asked her, also having a milkshake in her hand.

"Oh yeah," Tsuyu nodded, "I think he was trying to improvise on certain things to sound cool or something, but I think he's getting there on being a good teacher, kero."

"He's definitely a lot bigger in person," Jirou mumbled as she sipped her frappuccino.

Katara smiled at all the nice compliments they were saying about Toshinori.

"Hey, Katara!" Ochako said to her, "What do you think of All Might?"

"Well..." Katara feigned a thoughtful look, "...He really is charismatic and funny when he wants to be, and he displays a good warmth for his students. I think he'll be a great teacher!"

"Oh yeah!" Mina agreed, "But you know...I wonder what he was saying to Midori a while back?"

Katara froze in her seat, her heart skipping a beat.

Oh boy. Okay, calm down, just let them talk, and don't add anything.

"Yeah. Hey, Katara, you were close to them, what were they saying?" Tsuyu asked her.

...Damn it.

"Uh...I...couldn't really hear...everything?" Katara said hesitantly with a shrug.

"Hmm," Ochako hummed in thought as she sipped her milkshake, "I wonder, does Midoriya and All Might happen to know each other in some way?"

Yaoyorozu also looked thoughtful, "Hmm...that was also on my mind a while back."

Jirou, who was a little silent throughout the whole thing, couldn't help but stare at Katara for a moment...the waterbender didn't seem to notice her gaze on her, but something bothered the ear jack girl...

"Hmm...maybe we should ask Midoriya about that?" Hagakure suggested.

"Uh, I don't, I-I mean, I don't really think we should ask him that, honestly," Katara blurted out.

The girls all looked at Katara, Tsuyu, Ochako, Hagakure, and Yaoyorozu blinking, Mina raising her eyebrow, and Jirou...just looking at Katara a little suspiciously.

"...I mean...it's his privacy, and maybe it's nothing but Midoriya just...uh, 'fanboying' about All Might. You know, telling him how much he admires the guy," Katara explained, "I mean, I think that's what he was actually saying! Yeah, come to think of it, he could be saying that!"

...Tsuyu, Ochako, Hagakure, and Yaoyorozu all looked at each other and shrugged, with Tsuyu saying, "Midoriya does seem to be a Hero fan, so you could be right on that."

"Yeah! He likes All Might a lot, last I heard," Ochako said.

"Hmm...I guess we don't have to really know," Yaoyorozu said, "But...question, are you somehow...close to Midoriya?"

Katara blinked and blushed a little, "Oh, uh...I mean, I'm his friend..."

Mina, apparently, took this opportunity to tease Katara, "Soooo, you're not like, going out or dating or anything like that~?" she smirked.

"Wha-no!" Katara said, her blush reddening tenfold.

"I mean, if someone saved me from a Zero Pointer robot, then I would be a little infatuated," Mina giggled.

"A Zero Pointer?" Yaoyorozu blinked, "What did Midoriya do?"

Tsuyu explained, "Oh, Midoriya punched a Zero Pointer while Katara was under debris, and Iida and I were going to help her out. Midoriya came flying in and landed a big one on the robot's nose, destroying it."

"Oh my..." Yaoyorozu put a hand to her mouth in shock.

"Wow...pretty noble," Jirou said, impressed.

"Wow! That's pretty heroic indeed!" Hagakure said amazed.

"Yeah! Maybe a little admirable, don't ya think, Kat?" Mina snickered.

Katara frowned at Mina's teasing, "Mina, although I'm grateful he came in just in time to save us, I really don't think the...uh, Zero Pointer was going to crush us. I mean, that would be unprofessional!"

"I would agree," Yaoyorozu nodded, "It would be most unprofessional to actually let any harm come to the applicants that were going to UA."

"Well, still, you were grateful, right Kat?" Mina smirked.

"Mina, we're just friends," Katara said tiredly.

"That's what they all say~!" Mina teased.

"Ugh..." Katara pouted as she sipped her beverage.

Speaking of boys, meanwhile, with Midoriya and the boys at their table...

"So what did you all think of All Might?" Kirishima asked them, with a McFlurry in his hand. "I think he was totally the real deal!"

"Yeah, All Might was pretty cool," Kaminari nodded, also having a McFlurry in his hands as he took a bite of his treat.

"I think he was a great teacher today!" said Midoriya with a milkshake in his hand, "I mean...even though he had to read a script on his first day, I still think he'll do really well in the future!"

"Yes, All Might will surely be an inspiration to us all," Iida nodded, having a glass of orange juice by his side.

...They all sat there...

...Until Kaminari broke the silence, "Um...do you guys want to talk...about girls, or...?"

Midoriya, Iida, and Kirishima looked at Kaminari and blinked.

"Talk about girls?" Kirishima said, "Uh...I guess so. Just nothing too unmanly sounding, though."

"Um...yes. If it would be most unfitting for a Hero to gossip or make crude comments about young women," Iida nodded.

"U-U-Uh, I-I mean...well, yeah, we don't want to say anything too...you know, Mineta-y." Midoriya said.

"Oh, whoa, hey, no, don't worry!" Kaminari waved his hands around in defense, "I mean, I was just wondering what you all think of the girls in our class and whatnot. Like are you and Mina close or something, Kirishima?"

"Huh? Me and Mina?" Kirishima said in surprise, "Well, I mean, we're just friends, really! I know her from my old school, though! But that's all we ever are, just friends...really!"

"Hey, okay, bro, I get ya!" Kaminari said with a 'calm down' hand gesture, "Just wondering! I, uh...well, I don't know, I kind of have a thing for that Jirou girl."

"Oh, you mean the purple-short-haired girl?" Kirishima said as he glanced at the girl in question at their table. "Huh...yeah, she is a pretty cool gal."

"Huh? Wh-What, you like her or something?" Kaminari asked him, a little jealous and a little deflated.

"Huh? Whoa, bro, no," Kirishima shook his head, "I'm just saying she's cool," he gave him an assuring smile, "Hey, so you do like her, don't you?"

"U-Uh...well, I...I kind of do..." Kaminari then glanced down at the table and blushed, "I mean...well...y-yeah, I do."

Midoriya chimed in, "Oh, wow, Kaminari! You like Jirou?"

"Shh!" Kaminari shushed Midoriya, which made the green-haired boy clapped his hands on his mouth. "Come on, man, not so loud!" Kaminari said quietly, "I mean, I don't even know if she feels that way about me! I'm probably like a...like a goober to her, I would think."

"...A goober?" Midoriya lowered his hands to ask that question.

"Yeah, you know, a...a dork," Kaminari mumbled, feeling embarrassed.

"What? Hey, bro, you're not a dork," Kirishima told him, "If anything, it's manly that you confessed that you like Jirou!"

"Manly?" Kaminari blinked at Kirishima, "I...I don't think I've been called that before."

"Well, you are, man! The fires of youthful love and attraction to a girl you like is definitely manly!"

"...Wow. Uh...thanks, dude."

"Yeah! I mean, you can try talking to her and ask what her interests are," Midoriya threw his two cents in, "I mean, did you ask what she likes at the Battle Traning session?"

"Um...well, I was kind of focused on the lesson back there, and so was Jirou, so...oh! I mean, she called me Kamy after it! She even said I did great!"

"Well, that's a start!" Midoriya said with a smile and a nod. He turned to Iida who was sitting next to him, "What kind of advice would you give Kaminari, Iida?"

"Oh, uh...well, I would say to listen to every word she says and...um..." Iida scratched the side of his head, "Sorry, I'm...not exactly the right person for love advice."

"Really? Well, you have a crush on Katara, right? What do you do to get her attention?" Midoriya asked him.

"Huh!? Wh-What do you mean!?" Iida looked appalled, "Why are you asking me that!? A-Are you and Katara a thing!?" he said almost a little loudly.

"Huh!? What!?" Midoriya blinked in shock. "N-No! What gave you that idea!?"

"...Wait...you and Katara aren't a...an item?" Iida also blinked.

"No! I mean, she's just a friend, and I don't know her that well! ...Although, she did pep up my spirits one time, but I don't have romantic feelings for her or anything like that!" Midoriya told him.

"...Oh...um..." Iida looked forward and was thinking about something. "...Then, what was she doing back at the campus? She was close to you and looked like she whispered something to you. What was it?"

"...Uh, it was..." Midoriya thought quickly about anything, anything that would sound almost like a believable lie. "...She knows my secret All Might movie stash."

"...Uh...oh..." Iida looked thoughtful for a moment. "...I see...okay then," he nodded at that.

Mentally sighing to himself, Midoriya just went back to drinking his milkshake...however, his thoughts were back to Katara...

Huh...All Might said that Katara knows mine and his secret...she did say something about my drawback hurting me, so...she must know that as well...you know, I wonder...is Katara really related to All Might? They don't look like each other, and...I mean, from what I can tell, All Might doesn't have any siblings, at least from my knowledge...and she can't possibly be a secret love child, that wouldn't be like All Might...

Midoriya glanced at Katara, who was sitting there with the girls as she sipped her frappuccino.

...Hmm...I think I really do need to ask Toshinori about Katara and what she knows...

In the meantime, everyone chatted away and once they were done they all bid each other goodbye for now and went home.

Midoriya Residence

Izuku put his slippers on in his and his mother's apartment and yawned a little bit.

"Oh hello, Izuku-Dear! How was your time with your friends?" Inko asked him with a smile. She was sitting on the couch reading a magazine.

"Oh, it was great! Made a lot of new friends today!"

"Oh well, that's wonderful, Dear!" Inko said with a warm smile.

"Yeah...well, I need to do some homework right now. I'll be in my room, okay, Mom?" Izuku told his mother.

"Oh, sure thing! I'm so glad you had a wonderful day at school, Dear!" Inko said, her smile full of happiness.

Izuku smiled back at his mother in equal warmth, "Yeah...I did."

He walked over to his room, closed the door behind him, got his homework out on his desk, and went to work.

...That is until a text rang in on his phone.

"Huh?" He checked his phone to see who it was.

Toshinori: Um, hey there, Young Midoriya! How would you, uh...like to put this in a group chat?

...Izuku blinked dumbly at that text. He texted back All Might.

Izuku: Um...with who?

Toshinori: Why, with Katara of, course! You remember that she basically admitted that she knows about our secrets right?

...Oh...yeah...so I guess that was all true then...I mean...um...

...Izuku texted him back.

Izuku: Does...Katara really know?

Toshinori: ...How about we just get her on here? She'll tell you what she already knows.

Izuku: Uh...okay...

...Izuku waited for seven seconds, until a new person came into the chat text.

Katara: Uh, hey, Midoriya. It's...it's true. I know about...well, One For All.

...Oh shit, so she DOES know!

Blinking at this sudden turn of events, Izuku texted back to Katara.

Izuku: Um, okay, I got a lot of questions. Are you related to All Might?

...Silence for a moment...

Then one simple word, not from Katara, but from All Might.

Toshinori: No.

...Okay then...

Izuku texted Toshinori back.

Izuku: Okay, All Might, you might have to start from the beginning here.

...More silence on the other end...

...Until his phone started ringing.

I-I-I-I-I-I-I AM HERE! I-I-I-I-I-I-I AM HERE!

"ACK!" Izuku yelped and looked at the caller ID.

...It was Katara.

"...Um...okay..."

He pushed the 'answer call' button and spoke into the receiver.

"Uh, hello?"

"Um, hey, Midoriya...I decided to just...well, tell you what I know."

"...Uh...alright..." Midoriya said a little hesitantly.

"Yeah...also, what I'm about to tell you is a long...long explanation of how I came here...in this world."

"...What?"

"It's true." a new voice said into the phone, which Izuku suddenly recognized.

"...Wait, All Might!?"

"Hey there, Kid. Um...so, yeah, Katara is staying at my place right now and-"

"Wait, WHAT!?"

"...Um, actually, why don't you take it away, Katara?"

"Uh...right...um, Midoirya, I think you might need to get a little comfortable. We're on speakerphone."

"...Alright..."

"Yeah...so...I'm...not from this world...and I really mean that."

"...Uh...okay...I-I mean, that sounds...um...yeah...o-o-okay then."

"Right. So...here's how it began...how I got in this world."

...Izuku then decided that he wasn't going to do any homework anytime soon.

Something tells me that this will be a lot more bizarre than eating a hair, will it?

End of Chapter 17

Chapter Text

In Izuku Midoriya’s Room

6:00 PM

“...So...let me get this straight,” Izuku said slowly, “... Katara ...is...not from here...on Earth..."

“Um...yes,” said Toshinori's voice from Izuku’s phone. 

“Uh, yeah, that’s...correct,” Katara’s voice also came through a little sheepishly.

“...Okay...and Katara is from...a planet that can bend all four elements, water, earth, fire, and air?”

“...Yep,” Katara answered on the other line.

“...Alright...and...Katara is here because...the moon spirit in her world, whom she knows, which controls...her waterbending , which isn’t a Quirk, but it is something that she was born with, gave her another life here in...our world, while her other version of herself is in a comatose state after saving her friend from a lightning strike to her heart...is...that what I’m getting at?”

“...Y-Yeah..." Katara’s voice sounded a little embarrassed at the moment.

“...” Izuku sat there stunned, trying to process all this. 

“...Now, Y-Young Midoriya,” Toshinori began to say, “I know this sounds a little... bizarre , but-”

“I don’t think bizarre takes the cake, All Might,” Izuku said in monotonous hyperbole.

“Either way! Someone I know, who knows my secret, has found her near the beach where you trained yourself at! You know, Takoba Beach?” 

“...Yes..." Izuku just sounded tired.

“Look, Midoriya, All Might is telling the truth,” Katara told him through the phone, “I know this all sounds really... really out there, and I would agree, it’s just...well, All Might said you ate his hair, and you got his Quirk, that in itself is bizarre, wouldn’t you agree?” 

“...” Izuku sighed, “...I’m just...trying to process all of this.”

“Okay, that’s fine! Just...take your time..." Toshinori told him, “...Th-This really happened, by the way!” 

“Toshi, just give him some room to think.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.” 

Taking a deep breath, Izuku just sat there for a moment to let everything settle in...he then said, “So...you’re housing an alien, All Might?”

“...Kind of?”

“Wait, so...you believe us, right?” Katara asked him hopefully.

“...Honestly, I ate a hair that lets All Might’s Quirk DNA inside of me, I beat Kacchan today, I’m in UA, and most of all, I would think this isn’t the weirdest thing I ever heard, since all of humankind here are born with strange powers..."

“...Wait, so...you believe us?” Toshinori asked him.

“...I kind of do...I mean, maybe?” Izuku rubbed his head with his hand through his green locks, “I mean, you’re not really one to make up stories, All Might, and Katara seems like a nice girl to make something up like this.”

“Oh, um...thanks Midoriya,” Katara said gratefully. 

“Um, yeah, I...I mean, if my performance as a teacher at school was anything to go by, I’m not that good of an actor,” Toshinori said.

“Oh come on, Toshi, you did really well!” 

“I appreciate the praise, Katara, but I just felt a little...stiff while I was teaching.” 

“Um, anyways,” Midoriya said to get back on topic, “Okay, so...Katara is from a different world, you’re keeping her until then, All Might, and...I have to keep all of this a secret?” 

“Well...yeah, if you...you know, if you can,” Toshinori said, “Like you keeping my secret as well! I mean, same thing, right?”

“Please, Midoriya? I know this all seems really outlandish, but...well, Toshinori wouldn’t be telling me that he was All Might for a reason! Really, just keep calling me by the name Yagi from now on if you can! I’m related to Yagi Toshinori, even though I’m not...I mean, I just...y-you know, just try to lie! I know that sounds bad, but try to lie!” 

“..." Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose, “...First of all, I’m a little jealous that you’re staying with All Might of all people.”

“Um...I-I’m sorry?” Katara said in slight confusion.

Sighing, Izuku continued, “It’s no problem. Secondly, I’ll try to lie about the situation you’re in, Kat-...uh, Yagi . I’m not the best liar in the world, so keeping two secrets is going to be hard.” 

“Well...just try as best as you can, Midoriya. I think the rest of the UA staff knows, right Toshi?”

“Wait, say what now?” Izuku blinked at that.

“Uh, w-well, yeah, but...some were a little skeptical. But most of them went along with it, like Aizawa!” Toshinori confirmed.

“Yeah, that I found out.” 

“W-Wait! Even Aizawa-sensei knows!?” Izuku asked in shock.

“Um, well, yes,” Toshinori answered, “They also know the whole, um…’me being in a bad shape’ deal. Thus they know my real form.” 

“...O-Okay..." Izuku blinked again.

“Uh, yeah, so...I mean, you might need to not let our teacher Aizawa and the staff know about you...knowing that I’m not from here, and knowing about Toshi’s condition...w-we don’t want to make things too complicated, right?” Katara told Izuku.

“...As if this isn’t complicated enough?”

“Oh come on, you know what I mean!” 

“Um, look, Young Midoriya, simply put, we just got to play along with all of this secrecy! You don’t talk about my damaged state, my identity, and One For All, and you also don’t talk about Katara’s situation, where she’s from, and don’t make her the center of attention to any Villains and the classmates out there!”

“Wait, what’s that last part?” Katara asked Toshinori.

“Uh...not gathering any attention from your classmates?”

“...No, Toshi, you know what I mean. The part before that.”

“...Where you’re from?”

“Toshi!”

“Uhhh...I...um-”

“Wait, that’s right, All Might! You might put Katara in danger if word got out you’re All Might and you’re letting her stay there with you!” Izuku said suddenly, the realization hitting him.

“H-Hey! Now, hold on! It won’t come to that, believe me!”

“Huh? Wait a moment, I can take care of myself!” Katara countered.

“Wha? I mean, well...these Villains that will try to go for me are pretty ruthless, Katara.”

“What Villains? You can handle them, and so can I if it comes to that. Besides, I thought All For On-”

“ANYWAYS!”

“Ack!” 

“Uh...just...try to act normal tomorrow at UA, okay, Young Midoriya?”

“...Uh..." Izuku blinked a third time. “...Okay.”

“Good! Okay then, well, we’ll see ya tomorrow!” 

“Wha, Tosh-”

And then All Might hung up.

...Izuku looked at his phone for a moment after All Might hung up on the other line. 

“...Definitely a lot more bizarre than eating a hair.” 

Back at Toshinori’s Place

“Toshi! What was that all about!?” Katara exclaimed.

“Uh, s-sorry, Katara, I just...well...I-I don’t want Young Midoriya to know about... him , as of...yet.” 

Katara blinked, “Really? But why? He’s gone right?” 

“Uh, yeah, but...I mean..." Toshinori’s brows furrowed, his face turning serious, “...Honestly, Katara, I don’t know if he’ll ever be gone. Some cases he haunts a lot of Heroes' dreams, including mine...I just don’t want Young Midoriya to know a man like him even exists, as well as knowing the truth behind One For All just yet.” 

Katara frowned, looking at Toshinori in concern and pity, “Oh...I’m...I’m sorry, Toshi.”

“...Nah. Don’t worry about it, Katara,” Toshinori said, lifting his hand to pat the top of Katara’s head, “I, as well as any other Hero, can only move on and let people know that we as Heroes can keep the public safe from anyone that wants to do harm to others.”

Katara smiled and added, “To let them know that you and any other Hero are there for them. Like you’re saying ‘I am here’ .”

Toshinori smiled back. “Yes...Yes, indeed.” Letting go the top of Katara’s head, he also added, “Well, Little Lady, we told Young Midoriya about your situation and whatnot. I just only hope Midoriya will follow through with our pleas and commands.” 

Katara giggled, “Honestly? I think he’ll do fine. He may have sounded a little skeptical, but I think he was slowly beginning to believe us.” 

“Heh. I can only hope so,” Toshinori claimed with a smile, “Until then, Katara, I think I’ll let you do your homework now. Unless you want me to help you with some of the problems?”

“Ah, nah, I got this in the bag,” Katara waved him off, “Thanks either way!”

Toshinori chuckled, “No problem, Little Lady.”

Katara’s Room

8:00 PM

After finishing her homework (she was getting good at answering the questions), Katara decided to get to bed early to start another day at UA tomorrow. Bidding Toshinori goodnight, she went up to her room, changed into her night clothes, and got into her bed. As she lay there in her bed, she recalled her second day at UA, meeting and exchanging conversations with the students. To Midoriya, to Ochako and the girls, to Iida, to that jerk Bakugou even...

And then to Todoroki...

...That Todoroki guy sure is an odd one...

...

...

...He actually reminds me of...

...Katara frowns at remembering who she left behind, as well as the others...

...I can only hope he’s doing okay...along with everyone else...

...She then went to sleep...

...Katara was floating...

Floating in the vast darkness... 

Glancing around the empty space, Katara wondered what this dream would entail...if she is dreaming, that is.

“Um...hello?” she called out.

Then, an image materialized, a large, stark white, and round entity that was in front of Katara. She instantly recognized what, or better yet, who it was. 

“Yue!?” 

“Yes, Katara. It’s me.”

Yue’s image began to materialize in front of the moon, but this time, she looked to be the size of the moon, dwarfing Katara. She smiled down at the waterbender and announced, “Hello, Katara. It’s been a while.” 

“Yue? Then...wait, does that mean..." Katara’s eyes went wide, “A-...Am I...Am I going back to my-”

“No, not yet.” Yue told her.

“Oh...o-okay," For some odd reason, Katara felt...relieved?

“As of right now, though, I just wanted to tell you a slight difference in your bending. You must’ve realized how your bloodbending worked without the moon and how it didn’t work while you and your friend were facing that Bakugou character.” 

“Oh, uh...you saw all that? You know their names?” Katara asked her in surprise.

Yue giggled, “Being a Spirit has its...well, I guess I should say ‘Quirk’ depending on the situation you’re in.”

Katara couldn’t help but laugh at that pun. 

“Haha!” Katara laughed, “Wow, Yue, that was a good one.” 

“Thank you! But yes, I see your time with the inhabitants of this world...you must really enjoy being around them.” Yue said with a tender tone.

“Oh, well, I...yeah! I mean, I go to school for once, I got friends, real gal friends, and the people here are actually really friendly, including Toshi! Oh, do you happen to know about Toshi? He’s like a big superhero called All Might!”

Yue chuckled, “Yes, I saw All Might. It seems you’re getting along with him and everyone else just fine.”

“Yeah..." Katara then quickly added, “But, yeah! Can I ask how Zuko, Sokka, Aang, and everyone else are doing?” 

Smiling at her mentioning her friends and family, Yue answered, “Believe it or not, as your eleventh month has passed in this world, it has only been eleven days that passed by back in our world. The passage of time works as months from this world would be the equivalent of days.”

“Really?” Katara blinked, “Wow...so...time goes faster here in this world?”

“It’s...a cosmos thing. It’s kind of hard to explain,” Yue said a little sheepishly.

“...Um...okay,” Katara raised an eyebrow at that.

“Either way, your friends and family are setting things straight back at our world. Aang and Toph are searching for more airbenders-”

“Wait, what!?” Katara shouted in shock. “Looking for more airbenders!? You mean...some have survived!?”

Chuckling, Yue said, “Yes. But only their descendants. There are more that are in hiding because of the war.”

“That’s...That’s great!” Katara exclaimed with a smile, “Then, that means Aang won’t be alone anymore! He has his people back! Oh that’s wonderful news, Yue!”

“Yes, indeed it is.” Yue nodded with a smile, “And also, Sokka and Suki, along with your father, members of the White Lotus, and Iroh are helping out with rebuilding efforts to the Earth Kingdom and soon the Water Tribes if things are in working order. Lastly, Zuko is crowned as the new Fire Lord.”

Katara smiled at that last part. “Oh that’s great...is...is Zuko doing alright?”

“He is doing fine...although, he feels guilty at times for your circumstances.”

Frowning, Katara told Yue, “He shouldn’t...like I said, I’d do it again if I had to.”

Yue smiled warmly, “That’s what I said to him. Although, he still blames himself...he waits for your return.”

Blushing a little, Katara glanced down to hide her features, “I...I will...I will return...just...not now.”

“Yes...not now.” Yue nodded, “But back to the subject at hand, your bloodbending.”

Katara looked back up at Yue and straightened, listening to her friend. 

“The reason why your bloodbending didn’t work against Bakugou while you were in that building was because...well, first of all, you were not outside for the moon and sun to fuel your bloodbending.”

“Wait...the moon and the sun?” Katara asked her curiously. “But...I understand the moon gives my bloodbending a boost in power, but...why the sun?”

“Simply put, the moon and sun here in this world are different from ours. While I am the moon, and you get your power from me only, the moon here is different, much like the sun in this world. And since I am not present in this world, as I’m only present in your dreams, the moon and the sun here substitute for our moon. However, since you are not limited to the moon in our world, you can bloodbend whenever you can. So the moon and the sun here is your power to bloodbend.”

“Oh...so, I can bloodbend anytime?” Katara asked, a little wary.

“Yes. But there is a difference between the sun and moon here with the moon back in our world. While our moon controls bloodbending, the sun here can control bloodbending as well. However, the moon here amplifies that power to an extreme, whereas the sun here is the same as our moon. So you can freely bend blood at any time...almost.”

“Almost?”

“Yes. Which leads to the second thing: Like I said, you were not outside of the building to use your bloodbending. In other words, you can’t use your bloodbending when natural light and moonlight doesn’t shine on you.” 

“Oh...so...that was why I couldn’t control Bakugou’s blood that time? I was just in a building where no natural light was on me?”

“Correct.”

“...Wow. Tsuyu was right.” 

Yue giggled, “You certainly made some smart new friends.”  

“Heh...yeah,” Katara smiled, “Wow. Okay then...so, I need to have natural sun and moonlight on me to bend blood...got it.”

Giving her a sympathetic look, Yue asked, “You’re still a little wary of using bloodbending, aren’t you Katara?”

“...I’m not gonna lie, I kind of am. But...I could use my bloodbending for good, I think..." Katara looked down at her hands, “...I don’t want whatever form of waterbending to be evil..."

“Katara...bloodbending can be a good tool as well. You could use it for medical procedures and cleansing toxins from blood.” 

Katara looked up at Yue in surprise. “What?”

“Yes. There is no bad or evil form of bending. That’s just not true. Bending is bending . You could either use it to fight or help. And you helped that Midoriya boy from almost being attacked by Bakugou by controlling Bakugou’s blood. And you even used your waterbending to help others, so why would bloodbending be any different?” 

“...I...” Katara thought about that. “...Wow...you...make a good point, Yue.” 

Yue smiled, “Don’t be afraid to use bloodbending whenever you can. However, you need to fully adapt to it and control it fully so you can grasp it. I understand it can be foreign and scary concept, but...you may need to use it in this world at times.”

“...I..." Katara sighed, “...I understand. I’ll...try.” 

“And that’s all I ask from you. To try.” Yue nodded. “Now, I think our time is up.”

“Really?” Katara blinked, “But...you just got here?”

Chuckling, Yue said, “Don’t worry, Katara, there will be times when we will talk again. We will meet again in the realm of dreams.”

Katara looked a little crestfallen, but understood, “Okay...just...tell them all I said ‘hi’, okay?”

“I will...do good out there, Katara...we will meet again.”

7:00 AM

Katara’s eyes opened casually...and soon realized that it was morning outside of her window. Glancing at the sunlight that was emitting through the window, she mumbled, “Huh...wow...that was quick.”

She got up and out of her bed to get dressed for school. Once she did, she made her way downstairs and saw that Toshinori left a note on the counter with breakfast for her. Thankful for Toshi’s thoughtfulness, she ate up and made her way to the train to get to UA.

Once she was at the train station and waiting for it, she started to wonder what she and her classmates were going to do today...

...Glancing to her left, she glanced in that direction to see...

...A young man with a hetero red and white two-toned colored hair standing a little ways next to Katara. 

Blinking at this sudden and odd turn of events, Katara muttered, “Todoroki?”

Todoroki glanced to his right at Katara, his expression turning a little surprised for a second, but went right back to being stoic. “Oh...uh, hey, Yagi.” 

“Uh...hey.”

...The train arrived just in time.

Once the doors opened, Katara went in, followed by Todoroki. Once inside, she turned to Todoroki and asked him, “Um...didn’t know you lived around here.” 

“Hm?” Todoroki blinked, “Oh...um...yeah. My place is...uh, little ways...back there.” he awkwardly said as he pointed his thumb with his left hand to his left. 

“Ah. Okay then..." Katara then sat on one of the seats on the train and held onto one of the bars to steady herself when the train moved. 

Todoroki just stood in place and grabbed a loop handle to steady himself as well. He was standing a little ways from Katara...

Soon, the train moved and went toward their destination.

...Katara sat there, while Todoroki stood there... 

“...So...what do you think we’ll learn at school today?” Katara asked Todoroki.

Todoroki glanced at Katara, “Hm? Um...I don’t know. Maybe more Hero training?”

“Oh...well, I was hoping I could touch up more on my English! English is a fascinating language..."

“Hm...yeah, it kind of is..."

...They remained silent as the train kept going...

“...Hey,” said Todoroki.

“Huh?” Katara looked up at him.

“...I...I didn’t finish what I said back at UA yesterday. It was about...my Quirk..."

“Oh! Uh, yeah..." Katara remembered.

“...It’s...Ice and Hot...or Hot and Cold...either one describes what my Quirk is,” Todoroki explained.

“Oh...so...your quirk is a mixture of...Ice and...wait, can you do Fire?”

“...” Todoroki looked to the other side, his right, glancing out the window of the train. 

Blinking at his inability to answer, Katara asked him, “Um...can you do...warm...stuff?”

“...Yeah,” Todoroki mumbled.

“...Okay..." Wondering why Todoroki was acting the way he was, Katara decided to just let it go and wait for the train to reach their destination.

...The ride was silent once again...

...Todoroki then spoke out, “I’m not really here at UA to make friends, alright?”

Katara looked up at Todoroki, “Huh?” 

“...I’m at UA for one thing...to be the Number One Hero in the Hero Charts..." then, a faint and distant mumble, “without his fire.”

She couldn’t quite hear that last part, but she did want to ask him, “To be...the Number One Hero? You mean, like...All Might?”

“...Yeah. Exactly,” Todoroki mumbled. 

...Katara sat there quietly, letting the words ring in her head...until she decided to ask him, “That...can’t be all that you’re shooting for...is it?”

“..." Todoroki shifted his eyes at Katara, “Of course not. I want to help people..."

She looked up at Todoroki to see if he somehow meant that...

...Seeing his face, his gaze at her, his eyes , a mixture of cold and...pain?

Pain?

Then there was the scar on the left side of his face...

...Zuko...

Todoroki fully turned his attention to Katara, “Zu...ko?”

Eyes widened in shock, Katara froze. 

Oh crap. Did I say that out loud!?

“Um...y-you reminded me of someone I know!” Katara made the (true) excuse. 

Todoroki stared at Katara...

“...Oh..." shifting awkwardly in his stance, Todoroki just stood there, his gaze not on Katara anymore.

Katara sat there in silence...

...Great. Way to creep out a classmate of yours, Katara...but...his eyes did carry some sort of... pain in them. They were almost like...like Zuko’s...back at Ba Sing Se...

They waited for about five minutes until they reached UA... 

Once the train stopped, Katara got up from her seat and waited for the doors to open...

...Todoroki then spoke, “Hey, um..."

“Hm?” Katara looked at him.

“...I do want to help people,” Todoroki said without looking at her. With that, he walked out of the train.

Blinking at his statement, Katara stood there confused...until she realized that she was on a train, and snapped out of it. She rushed out of the train before the doors closed. Relieved that she hadn’t made that mistake, she looked on at the retreating form of Todoroki, walking off down the stairs out of the train station.

...Todoroki is...sort of a mystery…

Either way, Katara followed suit, going on her route to UA...

End of Chapter 18