Chapter Text
“Log 001PS1. Sensei has procured a subject with a camouflage quirk of moderate strength. Perfect for a Support Nomu, but proper thought would be needed for other functions. Project Soldier should hopefully allow for those. It has been a while since I've worked with a fully human body, but I suspect the treatment will change that.”
“Log 003PS1. The subject is still comatose in the tank. As the infinity energy in the fluid modifies the body, it appears to be having the desired effect. Most of the readings are beyond what we have from the trainers now in the LOV. Enhanced durability, strength, processing power, temperature resistance, and more.”
“Log 006PS1. Sensei is still unable to extract the quirk from the subject. It appears that the infinity energy enhances the quirk factor. No Meta Quirks affect the user. This is promising for the prospect of adding more quirks to them without impairing higher brain functions.”
“Log 010PS1. All of the tests confirm what I had suspected. Infinity energy enhancing them has also made them more simple minded and battle focused. They can think tactically and plan for battle, they simply crave combat. I am unsure if this is from the effects on the brain or something with the excess of energy.”
“Log 012PS1. Despite Sensei’s worries, he was still able to transfer Dizzy Touch to the subject. The subject appears to use the quirk instinctually in combat, not seeming impaired from the addition. While some of the readings were off, more testing is needed to understand if it was a simple variation or an effect of the transfer.”
“Log 014PS1. The abilities gained from the infinity energy have sustained a marginal drop. I suspect it has something to do with the additional quirk, but the only way to decide for sure is to add more.”
“Log 016PS1. Healing Stare and Boosting Stare melded into their abilities flawlessly. I have hope for their combat prowess if this continues.”
“Log 020PS1. I can admit that I got overzealous. The subject is aging more rapidly than intended. Their mind is still stable, but I believe this is still the result of quirk overload. Hopefully the subject can recover and adapt, but I fear seven quirks may be too many.”
“Log 025PS1. Unfortunately, my fears were correct. Looking at the readings from the combat tests, it appears that adding more quirks forces the body to pull more infinity energy into the quirk factor, weakening the strengthened body. At this level of infinity energy, the limit would be three quirks before it starts to strain the body. I'm disappointed. A Support Nomu on the battlefield would be so interesting to view, and yet I was unable to achieve it. Hopefully I can use these quirks again once I've perfected the project.”
“Log 026PS1. Subject 1 had to be terminated. We did confirm that the quirks returned to Sensei, removing one possible complication with this process. An unfortunate outcome, but not unexpected for the first subject. Some mistakes are necessary to make the perfect children.”
…
As he wakes up, Izuku almost panics at the feeling of other bodies pressing against him. But when he looks down, he smiles instead.
Both he and Tokage- no, Setsuna, right- were the only ones who had stayed in relatively the same position, laying on their sides. Denki had his head nuzzled into Setsuna’s shoulder, one arm stretching out and holding onto Izuku’s shirt. Mina, meanwhile, was splayed out across all of them. Her head on Denki’s stomach, her arms spread out on Setsuna, and her legs right by Izuku's face.
He sighs happily before pushing Mina’s legs down and sitting up. Disarming Voice fills his throat. “Syl~”
They all groan, the noise managing to wake them up. Denki tries to pull Izuku back down, his eyes still closed. “Five more minutes…” He pushes his face further into Setsuna's shoulder.
Mina yawns before rolling off of them, sitting up on the edge of the bed. “That was probably the best sleep I've had in years! You all are some comfortable pillows.” She giggles.
“Ugh, what time is it?” Setsuna sits up, detaching a hand to pull up Denki with her even as he groans. She rubs her eyes, yawning loudly. Her triceratops shirt hangs off her shoulder, nearly falling off before she pulls it back up.
Izuku checks his clock. “6am. We've got plenty of time to eat breakfast. Though… What do we do now that our relationship is finalized? We spent most of yesterday cuddling.” He sighs.
“True.” Mina frowns. “Do we tell the rest of the class? Do we keep it under wraps?” She brings a hand to her chin.
Denki shrugs, barely opening his eyes. “I dunno, but it's too early in the morning to decide.”
Setsuna nods, gently lifting Denki off of her shoulder. She reattaches her hand. “Yeah, I need my breakfast before I can make decisions like that.” She detaches herself at the waist, floating off the bed before reattaching the parts once she's standing.
Mina giggles, standing up. “I still find it funny that your breakfast is animal crackers and dino nuggies.” She wipes some drool off her face, blushing when she sees some on Denki’s shirt.
“Hey, don't disrespect the dino breakfast!” Setsuna points a finger at Mina. “I eat healthy for my other meals, breakfast is my indulgence meal.” She grins.
Denki wipes Mina’s drool off his shirt as he gets off the bed. “How about we discuss this stuff later today? Lunch?” He tilts his head.
“No, then we'd be around our other friends.” Izuku gets off the bed. As he thinks, he glances around his room. Luckily, his Pokemon had decided to sleep in their balls to avoid the room feeling crowded. “How about dinner? I'll find us a secure room.” He looks at them.
Mina nods. “Sounds good, it's a date!” She grins, giggling as Izuku’s face turns bright red.
…
Izuku slips out of class, heading towards the cafeteria. While his friends (and his partners, which feels weird but good) talk amongst themselves, he thinks back to Aizawa’s announcement.
Everyone would be going to the training camp. Good and bad. On the one hand, that meant that all his classmates were going to be there. On the other hand… Iida. Now he trusts that Iida has changed for the better, he does. That still doesn't make him any less wary about being around him.
At least he had a date to think about instead. His first ever date. They won't be able to go out anywhere, but he'll make sure it's still enjoyable for them.
They have a lot to talk about. How they'll handle their relationship, boundaries, secrets, all that stuff. Shouldn't be too- wait.
Secrets.
Shit.
“Guys, I just remembered, I need to go talk to All Might about something. I'll talk to you all after lunch!” Izuku Teleports away in a blink, appearing in Toshinori’s office.
The man himself jumps, turning to him. “Ah, I wasn't expecting you. What do you need, my boy?” He closes his laptop, turning to him.
Izuku puts his hands together, even as one switches to a Rowlet's talons. “So I'm in a poly relationship as of last night, Denki, Setsuna, Mina, and I, so I just realized that since relationships require honesty, I should probably tell them about One For All.” The words flow out of him like water through a leak in a dam.
Toshinori blinks for a moment. “Well first off, congratulations on your relationship! You should tell your mother, I'm sure she'd be happy to know.” He smiles.
“Yeah, I'll do that after classes end.” Izuku nods. The hug he's going to get will be back breaking.
He reaches a hand over, placing it on Izuku's shoulder gently. “My boy, One For All is yours now. You decide who to tell about it. If you wish to tell them about it, you can.” He smiles softly. Despite the dried blood in the corner of his mouth, it's still so very genuine.
Izuku smiles back, filling his sharp teeth slot together into a grin just as genuine. “Thanks, Dad. I just wanted to make sure you were okay with it.”
“Don't worry, I am.” Toshinori leans back, coughing into a handkerchief. “So, want to eat lunch with me? I was about to order some American food from Lunch Rush! I can easily ask for just a bit more.” He opens up the laptop again.
While he almost denies it, he doesn't. “Sure! I'll take some more burgers.” Izuku chuckles. He won't turn down the chance to spend more time with him.
…
Izuku looks at his partners as they follow behind him. “So, remember the Pokemon Nomu that I've purified?” Ace sits on his shoulder, curled up.
Setsuna nods. “Yep, hard to forget those.” She shivers a little. Puffer walks beside her, Chip riding on top of her. The two Pokemon are idly talking as they walk, probably about shiny things, knowing Chip.
A pink leaf lands on his nose. “Well Nedzu took care of them for me. He's given me permission to go down where they were while we eat.” He wipes off the leaf.
“So will it be like a small petting zoo or something?” Denki tilts his head. Zipzap walks behind them, occasionally pausing to bite into the large battery hanging off her neck. Before she was so tiny, and now she's the size of a golden retriever.
Izuku shakes his head. “No, no.” His arm shifts to that of a Garbodor, shooting out to grab some litter and dissolve it. “It'll be hard to explain until we get there. I haven't even seen it myself.” He presses his hand against a sensor, opening up a large elevator for them all to step into.
Mina holds Dusk in her arms as she leans against the wall. “Well what about the food? I didn't bring a picnic basket or anything.”
He quickly changes his arm to normal so the smell doesn't fill the elevator. “Nedzu said he had that handled. I don't question Nedzu.” Izuku shrugs, turning to the elevator door as it opens.
They all consecutively gasp, stepping out onto cold stone. Crystals shine through the darkness, revealing the stalactites hanging far above them. Some Pokemon are expected, like the Machamp punching into a wall of stone or the Ninjask flying through the air.
Others are new. A Swoobat running into the previous Ninjask, falling out of the air and landing on a Parasect. An Arboliva rooted into the stone, vines slowly breaking down the rock. Even a Gyarados flying out of a large lake, firing a Hydro Pump at a Milotic.
Denki steps forward, looking around. “Whoa… this is amazing.” He grins.
Setsuna nods. “Yeah! I never thought I'd see so many Pokemon in one place. Like there's a Slugma!” Both Mina and Denki open their mouths to respond, but her hands immediately cover them.
Izuku chuckles, stepping forward. “Thank you, I didn't need another Slugma Balls joke.” He looks around before spotting what he had hoped for. “There's our food!”
There's a small pause before Mina starts sliding forward on acid. “Whoever gets there last is a rotten egg!” She giggles.
“No fair!” Denki lights up, electricity glowing off his body as he starts speeding forwards. He nearly trips on the uneven terrain, holding out his arms to stabilize himself.
Setsuna hops on Puffer, speeding forward on her back. “Cheaters!”
Izuku just Teleports, sitting down on a green bean bag. “Don't try to race someone who can Teleport.” He watches them run. Denki tries to trip Mina, only to get tripped in return. Puffer leaps over Denki, a flying hand reaching out to flick Mina. In the end, they all just tumble forward in a pile. “So… are you all rotten eggs?”
Mina pouts, crawling out of the pile and sitting on a pink bean bag. “No, you are! Teleporting is cheating. I don't make the rules, I just make the rules.” She grins.
“Aw man.” He pouts before chuckling, opening up the bag on the table to reveal several bowls of Katsudon.
Zipzap has to use some silk to pull Denki out from underneath Puffer and Chip. “Man, that smells good.” He crawls up onto the yellow bean bag, starting to eat.
Setsuna splits apart, reforming on the dark green bean bag. “So, should we start talking about the stuff?” She pulls her bowl closer.
Ace flies off his shoulder to go mess with the other Pokemon. Izuku sighs. “Yeah, we should. First off, any specific boundaries we want to make clear?” Before, he would've brought up touch, but now he can actually be comfortable with physical contact.
Denki looks down at his bowl. “Well… Could we avoid jokes about my intelligence? The more I hear them, the more I start to believe them.” He sighs before stuffing his mouth with food.
Setsuna nods. “Yeah, definitely! I know I hate jokes about me being a training dummy.” She scowls at the thought.
“For me, could we avoid touching my horns too much?” Mina points up at her horns. “They're really sensitive. That's a bit too much to happen around the others. In the bedroom, I might be able to be swayed.” She giggles as they blush.
Now's probably the best chance he'll have to bring this up. Izuku sighs. “Speaking of things in public… I have something to tell you three. It might affect whether we go public or not.”
Denki tilts his head, petting Zipzap before she runs off. “What is it?” He leans forward.
“It starts with a tale of two brothers…”
…
“And that's all. I'm just worried that you all being with me will make you targets for All For One.” Izuku leans back, giving them a moment to process all that information.
He takes the moment to observe the Pokemon around them. Chip sprints away from an Alcremie, holding something in her claws. A familiar looking Metagross sits on a cliff, speaking with Ace. Zipzap stands in front of a sparking web, showing it off to some Ariados.
Some wild Pokemon watch from afar, like a Cladol glaring down at them, a Gigalith hanging off a crystal, or a pack of Rockruff peeking out of a tunnel. A Krookodile and a Cacturne try to sneak closer, mischief in their eyes, but a Golurk drops down, glaring at them. When they don't back away, a Machamp steps forward, cracking their knuckles.
Denki’s voice brings his attention back to the conversation. “It's hard to even believe. A transferable quirk? Sounds like fiction. But then again, so are Pokemon, so I guess quirks can do anything.” He chuckles.
Mina nods. “Yeah. All For One sounds… terrifying. Taking Pokemon and quirks like they belong to him.” She hugs Dusk, exhaling. “But we won't leave you to face him alone.”
“Yeah, and we aren't gonna hide from an old relic!” Setsuna pets Puffer, giving a determined grin. “So I say we should go public about our relationship. No big announcement, but no need to hide it. Do you all agree?” She looks at them.
The other two nod, so Izuku does too. “I was worried you all were going to leave me over that…” He smiles.
Mina shakes her head, reaching out a hand to grab her bowl. “We aren't that dumb. Now I think we need to dig in, I'm hungry!” She giggles, starting to eat.
Izuku chuckles, grabbing his bowl. “Alright, alright.” He starts eating, wiping away a tear. If he let the Midoriya Waterworks go now, the whole cave would end up flooding.
…
Izuku sighs. “Really Mom, I'll be fine. I've got my Pokemon and my partners. Trust me.” He smiles at her, reaching down to pet Springy.
She wipes her eyes, letting out a shaky sigh. “I know, I know. But I can't help but worry. Promise you'll be safe? Well, as safe as you can be?” She holds her hands together.
“I promise, Mom. I love you!” Izuku chuckles as Springy hops up onto her shoulders.
She almost stumbles, but she adjusts to the weight after a few seconds. “I love you too, Izuku! I hope it goes well!”
Izuku walks back to his class, watching the buses pull in. He turns to Aizawa. “So why couldn't I Teleport us all there, or even use the Hoopa rings? Could make this trip a lot faster.” He brushes some fur off his pants.
Aizawa looks down at him. “Using a student’s quirk for easier travel wouldn't be very ethical, now would it?” Stalker pops out of his scarf, nodding.
He pouts. “It still would've made it go faster.” He walks over to his partners. Instead of two separate groups, people like Tokoyami, Kuroiro, Komori, Hagakure, Monoma, Momo, and Jirou mingle.
Mina looks at Setsuna. “You sure you'll be okay? I can't help but feel bad about us all being separated like this now that we're together.” She frowns, biting onto her necklace.
She nods, waving her off with a grin. “Nah, I'll be fine!” She gestures at them. “I'll just brag about having the hottest partners!”
Denki blushes. “I mean they might be hot, but-”
Setsuna's hand pops off, quickly covering his mouth. “And you're hot too. Now let's get on our buses before our teachers start yelling.” She gestures at Aizawa's scowl.
“Mpfh-” Denki pulls her hand off his mouth. “He's normally like that, but fine, we'll get on.” They all climb onto their buses.
He lets Mina and Denki sit together, taking a window seat behind them. Todoroki sits beside him. “Do you want to talk, or do you want quiet?” His voice is still as monotone as ever, but that's to be expected.
Izuku smiles at him. “I'd like some quiet, I couldn't sleep last night.” He gets a nod in response, letting him lean his head on the window as the bus starts moving.
…
“Log 030PS2. Now that the autopsy on the terminated experiment is done, I can begin with my second subject. Projectile Manipulation is a simple quirk when alone, but adding others should make for a powerful sniper.”
“Log 034PS2. While I plan to be more careful with the quirks I add, I have another thing that may help. This subject has already surpassed the time the previous one was in the tank for. More infinity energy in their body has the potential to be harmful, but experimentation is necessary. I plan to go for double the time of the previous subject.”
“Log 037PS2. Explosive Saliva and Spit Shot worked as we hoped. The subject can spit at speeds that make the saliva detonate on impact, and Projectile Manipulation helps with aiming. Even while alone, the subject is constantly testing out their quirks.”
“Log 039PS2. While their performance in the combat trials is exceptional, something isn't right. Despite the perfect sniper nest, as well as the implanted instincts related to hiding, they will not sit still. They were constantly bouncing above the trees, firing through the leaves. The shots that did hit were fatal, but they often moved so fast they couldn't see their own projectile to help aim.”
“Log 045PS2. Saliva Stockpile and Enhanced Vision were added, but they barely made a dent in the infinity energy levels. These levels made it easier to confirm my hypothesis. Combat drains their infinity energy some, though not enough to be truly harmful. In fact, it seems that expelling that energy is needed to survive. The subject keeps talking about a burning feeling whenever they wake up.”
“Log 047PS2. Even three combat trials a day isn't enough to expel it faster than it refills. Their saliva has turned so volatile that even dripping out of their mouth makes it explode. Their teeth have formed into massive fangs, and claws have sprouted from their fingers and toes. Even their mind is being affected, as they switch from howling like a beast to speaking like a prophet.”
“Log 049PS2. The subject has perished. An autopsy is needed to properly identify the cause of death. My first thought is that the explosion that took out our cameras killed them, but their skin had mutated to somehow resist the explosion. Unfortunately, that is also keeping me from dissecting the body.”
“Log 050PS2. Sensei had to use a quirk to help cut open the enhanced body, but looking inside was enough. More organs had tried to grow, a second heart fused with the left lung, another stomach melding into the large intestine, and far more. The inside had become so cramped that the organs slowly failed. An unfortunate end to this subject, but I have no patience for hyper children anyways. I prefer them to be obedient.”
…
Izuku sits up as the bus comes to a stop. Out of instinct, he glances down, seeing his Pokeballs on his belt and his necklace still hanging off his neck.
Aizawa stands up, turning to the class. “We'll be getting off for a moment. Leave your items here, though you can bring your Pokemon so they can stretch their legs.” He picks up Stalker, carrying him off the bus.
They all slowly get off the bus, though Izuku just Teleports outside. Looking around, it's only their class stopping, the other bus heading forward.
Hagakure steps forward. “Whoa, look at this forest! I've never seen anything like this.” She holds her hand above her eyes, only visible thanks to her gloves.
“This is nothing, Cloaker.” Kacchan rolls his eyes. “Last year, Scorch, the hag, and I all went hiking through a more badass forest on our way to a mountain.” He crosses his arms, Scorch coming out of her ball and resting her chin on the top of his head.
Uraraka raises an eyebrow. “I didn't take you for the hiking type. I would've gone if I had the money for supplies.” She smiles.
A black car pulls up, the doors opening. A brown haired woman steps out, striking a pose. “Rock on with these sparkling gazes!” It only takes him a second to recognize her as Mandalay.
Pixie-Bob steps out next, striking a pose beside her. “Stingingly cute and catlike!” She grins.
“We're the Wild, Wild Pussycats!” As they both speak in unison, a small boy steps out of the car, rolling his eyes. He makes eye contact with Toga, and they stick their tongues out at each other before he huffs and turns around.
He covers his mouth, mumbling to himself. Hard not to appreciate one of the few popular hero teams, especially with their rescue expertise.
Aizawa leans against the bus. “They’ll be assisting in your training here at the camp. Treat them with the proper respect.” He looks at them both, giving them a nod.
Mandalay points over the railing into the distance. “The main camp is at the foot of that mountain over there, though this whole forest is our territory.” Some students try to go back to the bus, but Aizawa and Stalker glare at them. “It's around 9am right now. I'd say for an optimistic time… three hours. Kitties who don't make it by noon won't get lunch.” A predatory grin forms on her face.
Izuku bites onto the back of Denki's shirt, his arm turning into a Tangrowth arm so the vines can grab Mina. He tries to Teleport-
Erasure cuts it off. “I don't think so.” The ground below them lifts up, sweeping them all off their feet. “The training starts now.” A quirk-based landslide throws them all over the railing, tumbling down into the forest below.
“This is private property, so you can use your quirks freely!” Mandalay’s shout reaches them as they all hit the ground.
Izuku stands up, turning his arm to a Hoopa arm. “Well if you say so.” He takes a moment to focus on where they said the camp was. A Hoopa ring comes off him, growing in front of the group.
Dirt slams down, crushing the ring. Looking up, he realizes that it's just the foot of a massive earth monster. It roars at them, slapping Kirishima aside as he rushes towards it. “No cheating, kittens! Fight your way through fairly. That means no teleporting!” Pixie-Bob’s voice carries over the cliff.
“Could've just told me nicely.” Izuku sighs, gently placing down his partners. A branch grows out of his palm as he dashes forward, using Branch Poke on the beast. That, along with some ice from Touyumi and Todoroki, manage to take it out quickly enough.
Dark Shadow pops out of Tokoyami, throwing out Daisy. “Come on girl, let's kick their asses! They won't know what happened.” She grins, Daisy nervously nodding.
Tokoyami throws out his Moon Ball, Arthur flying into the air. “Watch us from above my squire, keep watch for these foul beasts.”
Everyone else starts to throw out their Pokemon, Izuku throwing out his. “Come on guys, let's all kick some ass.” His classmates and his team all nod as they rush into the forest.
…
Mewko waves at the guy staring at him. “Hiya! I'm guessing you came from another world like the others did, right? My name's Mewko.” He grips the edge of the roof, leaning forward.
The man nods, pointing at himself. “Red.” He gestures for Mewko to come down to him.
“Red, huh? Pretty on the nose.” Instead of jumping down, he just Teleports straight to the ground. “So, wanna talk here or should I warp us back to my base.” He stands up, stretching.
Red narrows his eyes. “Here.” He takes a step back, lowering his arms. “Need to know what I'm getting into.” His hands hover over his Pokeballs.
Mewko hops up, floating off the ground. “Sure! Have you already started to understand this world’s stuff? The quirks and all that?”
He gets a nod in response, Red silently pointing at a book on the ground.
It’s pulled into his hand in an instant as he glances at it. “Oh yeah, history books can definitely teach a lot.” Mewko wraps his tail around it so he doesn't have to use his hands. “So basically a lot of people from universes like yours got brought here through Ultra Wormholes. I'm gathering some to try and help do something about it. I don't have an exact goal yet though.” He chuckles sheepishly.
Red sighs. “Childish.” He crosses his arms. “This world is in poor condition, but I prefer it to Kanto. I don't wish to return.” Now that he's closer, some scars are more obvious. Lots of small ones, but also a large burn scar covering his forearm.
Mewko sits on the air. “That's fair, but we can try to help this world and the others!” He puts a hand to his chin. “How is Kanto worse? And why didn't you leave?”
“There was no leaving.” Red scoffs, his hands balling up into fists before he sighs, relaxing. “Criminals are bad enough. Groups are worse. Team Rocket took over the region.” He coughs, mumbling something about a dry throat.
He holds his hand out, letting water gather into his palm. “Here you go!” Mewko floats a large ball of water towards Red. “Also criminal groups are so annoying, but how did they take over that much? Wouldn't they be resisted?” Sue him, he's curious.
Red pulls out a straw, sticking it into the water. “Thanks. Saves Captain some energy.” He sips from the water. “They had Mewtwo. A clone of Mew. It wreaked havoc. They picked up the pieces of the region and hoarded them.” He grips his fist tightly.
Mewko stops mid-flip. “Mew? I'm pretty sure I'm a human Mew hybrid.” He stands up straight in the air, pointing at his ears and tail.
He looks him up and down. “Looks like it.” Red drinks the rest of the water before putting the straw away. “My team and I have fought Team Rocket since I was ten. I saw Man’s Wrath live. I couldn't trust how they reported on it afterwards, so I learned.”
“What is your team?” Mewko looks down at the Pokeballs on his waist. “Couldn't see them well there.” He sits back down in the air, his tail still wrapped around the history book.
A green beast pops out, vines coming off of the plant on his back. “Eden the Venusaur. He provides food and purifies the air.” A vine hands Red a berry before tapping the ball to return.
The yellow blur pops out, sitting on Red’s shoulder. “Storm the Pikachu. Perfect scout.” He returns to his ball.
An orange dragon stands strong in the alley. “Phoenix the Charizard. She helps burn evidence.” She grins proudly before she’s pulled back into the ball.
The muscular, four armed creature lands in a hero pose. “Judge the Machamp. Solos criminals easily.” He grins proudly despite the large claw scar going from his shoulder to his waist. He falls backwards as he's pulled into his ball.
A brown shell lands on the ground before the blue turtle inside stands up, an eye patch covering her eye. “Captain the Blastoise. Impenetrable shield. Plus perfect water travel.” She huffs at Mewko before returning to her ball.
“And finally.” Instead of tapping it, he throws out the last ball. The majestic avian has to perch on a rooftop, looking down at them as the temperature drops in the alley. “Snap the Articuno. The only legendary bird I kept from Team Rocket. A last resort.” He recalls her.
Mewko just takes a second to think about that. A full team, with a legendary? “Oh wow… Now I really want you to join me! You have the firepower for sure!” He grins.
Red sighs. “Alright. Teleport me.” He holds out a hand, using his other to pull down his hat.
“Got it!” Mewko dashes forward, grabbing his hand. In an instant, the two of them were gone, leaving the alley empty, excluding the unconscious pile of thugs.
…
Izuku and his class stumble out of the woods, subdued cheers filling the air. His arm hangs limp by his side, looking like dripping goop rather than an actual limb. He spits out a mix of blood and dirt.
“How did you expect us to do that in three hours?” Ojiro wipes sweat off his forehead, pulling his bandages tail to his chest.
Mandalay smirks. “Sorry, that's how long it would've taken us.” The entire rest of the Wild Wild Pussycats stands around her. Tiger, Ragdoll, Mandalay, and Pixie-Bob look at them.
Toga glares at Tiger, though it doesn't seem to have any real heat to us. “I was looking forward to hugging you, Dad, but then you let them pull this? That's it, you won't get to give Wraith any pets!” She pouts, Wraith copying her.
Mina whips around. “Wait, Tiger is SoftApex?!” Her jaw drops.
Tiger nods before focusing on Toga. “Oh come on, kit! We do it every year, I couldn't stop them.” He pouts as his teammates laugh.
Izuku looks at Tiger. “Wait, if you're SoftApex…” His face turns bright red. “You little- You knew I was going to the WWPC signing event, that's how you pulled that early trick!”
Pixie-Bob giggles, putting a paw over her mouth. “Oh, I remember you, kitten! The look on your face when we handed you that exclusive poster was priceless! I mean if you liked how I looked in it, I could use some youthful vigour-” A scarf covers her mouth.
Aizawa raises an eyebrow. “Is she going to be a problem?” Stalker narrows his eyes at her, shadows forming into a scarf around him.
Mandalay sighs but shakes her head. “No, she's just teasing to distract herself from a recent breakup.” Izuku tunes them out.
As the adults talk and his friends bicker, he notices something. The small boy from earlier stands off to the side, glaring at everyone. His aura flares with hatred, anger, and sadness, all flowing together into a mess no kid should be experiencing.
Izuku walks over to him, crouching down. “Hi, I'm Midoriya. What's your name-”
Mighty catches the kid’s fist with a paw, narrowing his eyes. ”This child seems troubled. No excuse to aim for the crotch, though.” He lets go of his hand.
“I hate stupid heroes like you! Stay away from me!” He storms away.
Mandalay sighs. “That's Kota. He doesn't like heroes very much, I'm sorry.” She looks at where he walked off to, frowning.
Todoroki’s stomach audibly growls. “We missed lunch. Do we still get dinner? Touyumi needs food.” He holds Touyumi in his arms. She looks up at him with a disbelieving look before shaking her head.
Ragdoll points at a table, covered in food. “There it is! Eat up, kittens.” She steps back as everyone rushes past her to get the food. “Just know that this is the only time we'll fix it for you. You'll have to fix it yourselves for the rest of camp!” Groans fill the air, but they're quickly stopped as people eat the food.
Izuku heads towards the table, but he glances at Kota, watching his aura weaving deeper into the forest. Something about him feels familiar.
He sighs as his stomach grumbles, sitting down and digging into curry. While most of his Pokemon eat from their provided bowls, Rec heads over to a trashcan, picking it up and pouring it down his throat.
The table is silent, minus the sounds of eating, of course. All their auras are dulled, probably just exhausted from all the fighting like he is. If all of camp is going to be like this, it'll be hell. A useful experience that'll teach him a lot, but still hell.
…
“Log 056PS3. Science waits for no one, so I've started on a new subject. Burning Wall is a simple elemental quirk. Could work well for a more varied Nomu, setting traps throughout a battlefield. Perfect for a test Sensei requested.”
“Log 058PS3. The previous subjects gave enough information for me to determine a perfect middle ground. If my calculations are correct, this subject should be able to hold a maximum of seven quirks, though five will be preferred. Seven would remove all the enhancements of infinity energy, while five leaves them enough to still be stronger than the average human.”
“Log 063PS3. Toxic Bubbles slotted in without issue. The acid can be formed in the pores before coming out as small but very acidic bubbles. It was strong enough to melt through the door of their cell, but it did not harm them.”
“Log 065PS3. I was worried that having more than two elemental energies in one body would be harmful, but Crystal Manipulation went in fine, allowing them to control crystals with their mind. Though this doesn't produce the element like the others, only manipulates it, so the test Sensei requested has not been filled.”
“Log 071PS3. Not only is the immune system attacking the new throat glans from Chilling Breath, but it has also started to break down the pores and the soles of the feet, the sources of Toxic Bubbles and Burning Wall respectively. While the healing quirks from other Nomu do seem to be fighting it off, it isn't enough. Super Regeneration may be enough.”
“Log 073PS3. Super Regeneration backfired. Instead of regenerating the attacked parts, it seems to be trying to regenerate the body according to whatever template the immune system seems to be working off of. The subject keeps shedding layers of skin, along with vomiting up blood. The quirk factor itself keeps getting damaged with each regeneration.”
“Log 075PS3. Sensei had to terminate the subject. He used Vital Signs with Future Branch to see what the state of the subject would be if nothing changed. The quirk factor would have been completely destroyed in just a week, along with the quirks in it. Interestingly, most of the infinity energy would have radiated off the body from the process, leaving them with the same level of infinity energy as those from Pokemon universes. Still, termination was necessary to avoid losing those quirks. I think I've learned enough to start on the most interesting subjects.”
…
A pure white egg floats in the volcanic area of the Hatchery. Blazing heat emanates off of it, flames of truth scorching the rock beneath it.
It may not be truly alive yet, but something stirs inside the shell. The bond to its rightful trainer stretches out far, the burning righteousness shining bright.
Looking through it, what it sees fills it with rage. Such a lack of Truth, cords of greed and desire tangled around the cold core of their being, hidden behind blazing power. Something else, a twisting power, wraps around the heat, stoking the flames higher and reaching in to orchestrate the cords to a tune of its creation.
Heat burns within the egg, the urge to burn away the lies and expose the beauty of Truth. No matter how twisted it may be.
A crack starts to form on the top of the shell.