Chapter Text
Three Months Later:
“For now, we’ll stick with private oversight, Adam,” Izuku said, shifting through his I-Island presentation notes. This was his last chance to make any big changes. After all, they were almost there.
Looking out the window of the luxury aircraft, Izuku saw only endless blue. Once upon a time, the sea was considered the final frontier of humanity. They always managed to find some new frontier to push.
“We’re forming a company for administration and logistics. We can’t let any one country have control over the Particle Weavers.”
“Well, technically if they’re in your control then only Japan has control of them,” Adam countered.
“Yeah, but you know my motives aren’t limited to Japan. If I give the finished Weavers to any country, what do you think will happen?”
Adam sighed. “Mass militarization and conflict.”
“Exactly. Everyones’ eyes are still aimed at Earth, when we should be preparing for the future out in the stars. We’ll make sure this is only about preserving humanity and ensuring our continued growth.”
“Okay, well the president still wants a permanent military base installation up there. Ya know, keep an eye on things.”
Izuku sighed. “We’ll allow anyone to go up once we confirm its mostly safe-”
“Mostly?”
“C’mon Adam, it’s space. There are no guarantees. There’s always a chance that something goes wrong.”
“Remind him that the Weavers might still eat people if they glitch. And we might not have enough time to send a kill code,” Momo chimed in from the couch perpendicular to him. She was going over her own notes for her part of the presentation. Her baby bump was beginning to show, but since neither of them wanted the world to know about the pregnancy yet, they had Loren make them an illusion ring that Momo could wear to hide it.
“Yaoyorozu said-”
“To remind me about killer robots, yeah I heard.”
Of course, the warning was a lie. They’d never unnecessarily risk lives for an experiment. They just wanted Adam to respect and fear the tech a bit more. He was a lost cause.
“We’ll allow anyone to go up once it’s mostly safe, and we’ll do our best to allow for a free society. They’ll be able to start businesses, buy land, maybe even influence policy for their own regions. But what we can’t have up there right now is an army of humans. The Shadows will be more than enough after all the ones I collected from Japan and Russia.”
“No one on the planet is going to be happy with that, Midoriya…”
“Wrong, the people in power aren’t going to be happy with it. The general population should get along just fine as long as we give them good incentives and conditions, which we plan to do. Give it time, and eventually it will become its own thing. It’ll get folded into different governing bodies and everything will even out. We’re letting the Artemis V hab be ground zero, meaning it all started at an American location. That’s the best we can do. Talk to you when the program starts up.”
“No wai-”
Izuku hung up, groaning and rolling his neck. “If I’d known how much work this Hero Thesis would end up being, I would’ve picked something else.”
“It’s just the politicians,” Rumi pointed out, emerging from a separate room. “If the world could function without governments and politicians, we would have reached Nirvana long ago.”
Also on the flight were Kaina, Setsuna, Inko, Kei, and the Todorokis. The aircraft was large enough to hold several tanks, it had more than enough room for a few families and privacy. Momo had Synthesized the prototype design from the Air Force, as they no longer needed it now that they were mass producing the finished model, and it would serve them well as a high-capacity high-altitude mode of transportation.
Dozens of Shadows, from both armies, flitted around outside the windows, escorting the plane. It was more of a precession than even Air Force One got, but Izuku had pretty much everyone he cared about on-board. It called for incredible defensive measures.
“Hey at least you guys have a good idea of what you’re doing,” Setsuna added. “Aizawa’s still chewing me out for having not picked a real thesis yet… so is my dad…”
“They still treating him okay?”
Setsuna scoffed. “Some of the people watching him are big fans. He’s got it better than he ever expected.”
Takashi Arata, against all odds, ended up with house arrest and a ban from all positions of power for life. He’d also be monitored by special agents for the rest of his life, but he didn’t mind. In light of the circumstance, and the lack of precedent for a case like his, the sentence was pretty lenient. Izuku thought he would end up with life in jail with how many people he indirectly killed. But given that it was a war with the Chaos Inhabitants, those people would’ve died anyways. It was a no-win situation for humanity.
“What about a thesis on Anti-Heroes?” Izuku asked, referring to human villains. “How the law might affect them differently and unique arrangements that have to be made for them?” He’d already offered her a co-author spot on his paper with Momo, since Setsuna’s Apex Skill made her a unique target of study for the Soul. All of their work could have overlapped, but Setsuna refused. She wanted her thesis to be something she thought up, something that she could feel like she deserved to claim for herself.
“Don’t you guys have until you graduate to turn this in?” Rumi asked.
“Don’t encourage her to procrastinate,” Momo warned.
“Yeah, it’s something you’re supposed to work on over the years. But the discoveries Momo and I made have kind of pushed us to work overtime on it. We still plan on refining it over the years, we just have a lot of the basic research and information in hand. Which is why we’re told to start as soon as possible.”
Even though Izuku and Momo were presenting papers in front of the top scientific minds in the world, both of their thesis projects were maybe 35 percent completed. It was only because their break-throughs were so important that they were speaking at all. They still had lots of data to gather and lots of writing to do. So despite their productivity, they weren’t all that close to being finished with the assignment. And that stressed out Setsuna like nothing else. If she waited too long, it would actually be impossible for her to finish on time and graduate with her classmates.
She didn’t have the same passion for learning as Izuku or Momo, nor did she really need the diploma. Izuku could form his own Hero Agency and keep her on the payroll with her own powerful Apex Skill. However, she felt very strongly about earning that diploma all the same. Takashi had always encouraged her to aim high. She wanted to make him, and maybe her peers, proud. She would’ve felt a little ashamed to be around Izuku and Momo if she failed while they passed with flying colors.
“Sit down with Deep Blue,” Momo suggested. “He’s always got things he wants to study, but never enough time for all of it. He might have something interesting for you.”
“Yeah…” She muttered to herself.
A small ring sounded in the cabin. “I-Island within visible range, beginning descent and VTOL protocol. Landing estimated within 15 minutes. Recommended that all passengers fasten their seatbelts for safety.”
Izuku admired the technological marvel growing bigger outside his window as the Synthetic Shadow announced it. An entirely independent, self-sustaining, self-propelled moving island. At that time, it was humanity’s one and only Ark.
Because Gates couldn’t appear on its surface, a surface that was constantly changing directions, it was considered the most viable option for preventing human extinction if the mainland ever got overrun.
Obviously NASA, SpaceX, and any other Space Agencies were preparing for the end days as well, but creating a colony spaceship that could survive and travel lightyears was a much taller order.
I-Island possessed four entire cities, each with housing, industrial, and commercial districts. There were parks and lakes, schools, large swathes of farmland (both above and underground), even a theme park, and all of it was kept behind a cylindrical wall that stretched high into the sky, reminiscent of a rather popular Japanese Manga.
It had only ever suffered 10 total Villain attacks. 5 from escaped Villains that could fly, and 5 from undersea Villains. None of the attacks resulted in anything more than some light structural damage. It was the safest place in the world. Even Noah and God would be jealous of an Ark like it.
It was the love child of National-Ranker Siddarth Bacchan and David Shield, who Izuku and Momo were planning to visit with the Eternal Slumber cure. They’d need all the great minds they could get, especially when it came to new habitations.
The large jet engines on the plane’s wings began to tilt upwards, slowing the plane into a hover just above a landing pad, where well over 100 people were waiting. Some were journalists and reporters, others were politicians, and some had an actual purpose there. Either technicians, airfield workers, or their I-Island ambassador, who would be guiding them around the cities during their stay.
“Have you been practicing with Aizawa?” Momo teased.
“I have been, but that doesn’t mean I’m prepared to deal with them,” Izuku muttered, his palms clammy.
“You’ll be fine, we’re all here for you,” Kaina assured him, preparing to exit the plane.
Izuku and his partners would go out first to take care of all the people, then the Todorokis, Inko, and Kei would follow.
He donned his suit, tie, and elegant shadow cloak. He was here as a scientific representative and Heroic Advisor, after all. He’d only wear his armor for more serious circumstances like military affairs.
Momo was wearing a similar outfit, business attire with a shadowy, sheer veil trailing from her waist.
Everyone else just stuck with casual business attire. Even though Kaina was practically his second wife already, and Setsuna and Rumi were close, they didn’t really have an identifiable theme to commit to like Izuku and Momo. At least not for the press at an event like this.
“So when we go on our vacation, you’re gonna pick someplace private right?” Rumi asked. She didn’t struggle with the public like Izuku, but she still found them annoying.
“Don’t worry, it’s pretty secluded,” He promised. He’d yet to take the other three girls on their big vacations like he had with Kaina. Things had been way too busy, but as soon as the I-Island Inter-National Summit concluded, they’d have a lot more free time.
Just as he was about to step out onto the landing pad, Izuku felt his phone vibrate. It was Iida. He knew where they were, and what they would be doing at that time, he wouldn’t call for something trivial.
“Well… Iida wouldn’t do anything unless it mattered anyways.”
Izuku answered. “Hey Iida, is everything okay?”
“Oh, Midoriya thank god…” The line went silent for a moment. His voice was quiet. “I’m in a warehouse in the Kanagawa Prefecture, I tracked my-”
“Stop talking,” Izuku immediately realized what was happening and pulled out the special sat phone that Adam White had given him. As it turned out, it had plenty of special features, like encrypting calls not even made on it. “Okay we’re good,” He said, watching the display update.
“They have human prisoners, Midoriya. It’s a human trafficking operation. I can’t believe…”
“Call All Might, give him your location and try to be vague about what’s happening. Can’t be sure it’s safe. I’m sending Null and Rasaka to your shadow. It’s a Gorgon with great defense. And a basilisk with some pretty decent offense. They’re both around S-Rank, so it’s unlikely you’ll run into something they can’t handle.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you need me back there?”
“No,” Iida emphasized as powerfully as he could without getting too loud. “I-Island is far too important. You and I both know that.”
“Okay… but I’m gonna have Yaoyorozu station one of the Ravagers we took from the Russians by the port as well. That way we can track the shipment. Stay safe.”
“You too.”
Izuku hung up the phone. He didn’t even need to look over at Momo, the submarine Shadow was already on its way. He took a deep breath. “Ugh… let’s do this.”
Putting on the gentlest smile he could, he had the Shadows pull open the cabin door from the outside of the plane, giving the reporters a show. Not only that, but he was flanked by Beru, Igris, and four of the most powerful and beautiful women on the planet. As far as displays of power went, it was pretty hard to match.
The cameras flashed like gatling guns, taking hundreds of pictures a second between all of the reporters. “Quantity over quality, huh?”
He walked down the steps of the landing pad, finding a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes waiting for him. She kind of looked like she could be related to Brandon of all people, who was still missing after months of looking for him.
“Is that racist? Because I know some Americans say all Asians look alike… Maybe I just don’t know enough people.”
He reached his hand out to her and she was taken aback. Her posture suggested she was ready to bow to him, not shake his hand. Normally, he would accept, but I-Island was almost a different nation, his own culture didn’t take precedence.
She took his hand, squeezing it as hard as she could, but Izuku barely noticed. “Melissa Shield, I will be your guide and assistant during your stay on I-Island. It’s our sincere honor to welcome you.”
“Izuku Midoriya,” He introduced, taking note of her name. “Shield? I didn’t know he had a daughter.”
Melissa returned his smile. “In the scientific world, we’re not as reported on as some other celebrities. But I am working on Electronic-Magical compatibility. You and Miss Yaoyorozu have greatly aided the work.” They held the handshake and looked at the reporters.
“I don’t mean to be pushy,” She said as soon as they let go of each other, ushering Izuku away. “But in light of our hospitality-”
“Don’t worry,” Izuku lightly interrupted. “We’ve brought enough of the mineral to cure whatever Eternal Slumber patients I-Island has. Though I’m not in the habit of putting a hierarchical value on human life, your father is at the top of our list.”
Melissa’s lips quivered at the mere mention of the cure. Izuku could tell she was trying not to break down that very second. “Ahem… well, I’ll take you and your family to your accommodations for the duration of your visit.”
“Right. Before that, I’m gonna take some questions from the reporters.” Melissa almost looked disappointed until Izuku added, “Just to soften them up so I can push them out of the way for my family.”
Momo shook hands with Melissa before joining Izuku.
“With the current upheaval in Brazil, what are your thoughts on their National-Ranks involvement?”
“I know very little about Jonas,” Izuku responded. “I know very little about Brazil and their politics. It’s not my place to make a definitive statement on the current struggle for power.” The reporters thought they’d get a tame evasion, and nothing else, but they were delighted to hear him continue. “However, what I can say is that Awakened Humans are… unfairly balanced in comparison to the average human. Governments don’t always work for the people… actually, they very rarely work for the people. The point is that no government could ever stop someone like Jonas, or me for that matter. I get that sometimes violence is needed to fix something, but it sets a bad precedent. National-Ranks should not be involved in coups. We tip the scales too greatly in our own interest. Good or bad, we already have plenty of power.”
“I’m sure when I meet the man he’s not gonna be happy with that,” Izuku had committed to the statement, but he knew he would catch some flak for it.
“How do you feel about Takashi Arata’s sentencing?”
“He went behind the backs of pretty much every government on the planet,” Momo answered simply. “He deserves some punishment and he needs to be overseen. But he also acted when no one else would. I don’t like him, but I also can’t blame him.”
“Rumors are circulating that you’ve got something big planned for your presentations during the summit. That you’ve been heavily collaborating with the governments of the world for.”
“On that, you’ll have to wait and see like everyone else,” Izuku answered cryptically.
“Being your first time at an Inter-National Summit, are you at all concerned by the interaction between you and the other National Ranks given your strength? The strongest in the world used to be All Might, and he received no shortage of animosity from the other Heroes.”
Izuku scoffed. “What is this? High school? I’m young, I’m powerful, and I’m getting a lot of media attention. But what I don’t intend to be is an enemy, an opponent. I’m all for healthy competition, some banter here and there. We are adults, and we are here to ensure the continued survival of the human race. They are my colleagues, men and women who kept the world safe while I was a mere E-Rank. They have wisdom, experience, and established titles amongst their people.” He smiled. “It would be naive to think we’d all be friends, but I genuinely believe we can all act cordially in the name of progress and safety.”
“But with Japan bringing out what seems to be four new National-Ranks, there’s a large imbalance of power that’s sprung up.” A reporter began, referring to Izuku, Kaina, Rumi, and Momo. Setsuna still hadn’t really been marked down as a National-Rank. “Can you really say that other nations won’t be greatly annoyed? Not just the governments, but the people. Some might call this unfair!”
Izuku inwardly cringed. “America has three National-Ranks and the greatest collection of S and XS-Ranks outside of the Vatican. Japan has four National-Ranks and are still recovering their S and XS-Rankings from the Jeju Island incident. Not to mention that those National-Ranks are helping out around the world.” He decided to be a bit more firm. “If any country in the world has a problem with that,” He smiled at the cameras. “They can tell me and Yaoyorozu personally.” The entire crowd shuddered in sync, seeing the cold calculations behind Izuku’s happy facade.
He continued to fend off stupid questions with Yaoyorozu and the girls for a few more minutes. Rumi and Kaina got plenty of attention, asking about children, which Izuku shut down quickly. They asked all the details of their relationship, so it was time for Izuku to call it quits.
“Alright everyone! Questions are over, I’m going to off-load my plane and I want space!” Not a single person backed off, they just continued to take pictures and shout questions.
“Okay then.” He began channeling Gravity Magic, using it like Telekinesis to create a dome that slowly expanded, pushing away the reporters whether they liked it or not.
“Did uh… you really think that would work?” Melissa asked, noticing his sigh.
“Not in the slightest. They’re reporters, basically one step removed from prison interrogators. They’ll use the thumb screws if they have to. But if I don’t give them the chance to back down on their own then what’s the point in expecting respect anyways?”
“Not sure I follow,” Melissa replied. “But you can follow me to your rooms,” She politely gestured towards a large tunnel that led into I-Island’s main structure. “The Inter-National Summit is held at I-Island’s best hotel.”
“Uhh… isn’t this like a military meeting between the strongest in the world?” Rumi asked. “Shouldn’t it be a bit grander than a hotel conference room?”
Melissa smiled. “Underneath I-Island’s best hotel is a military complex, built entirely with Magical Materials and completely isolated from the world. Top-notch security and top notch accommodations. It's the sort of stuff world leaders get treated to.”
“Sweet!” Kei responded.
Melissa tried to hide her laugh. “Sorry, but they don’t just allow anyone into that complex, not even the sister of the Shadow Monarch. But you’re more than welcome at the Axa Conference where your brother will give his presentation.”
“Well… I’m definitely going to that,” Kei assured. “But I wanted to see Izuku meeting the National-Ranks for the first time. It should be quite entertaining.”
“It feels like you’re positioning a knife above my back,” Izuku dryly remarked.
“I know you’re stronger than them-”
“We don’t actually know that,” Setsuna countered. “National-Rank powers aren’t usually as broadcasted as the Shadows. For all we know they could have Apex Skills and their governments are just lying.”
“Okay, I’ll amend that. I believe you’re stronger than them, so I’m not worried about them hurting you. I just wanted to see if my brother was capable of being cool around other legends.”
Izuku levied a disapproving stare. “I’ve met All Might. I’ve met The Reaper… both the Korean Hero and the actual reaper.” Inko shuddered. “Sorry mom. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
“She’s right,” Melissa said, sticking up for the younger Midoriya. “The National-Ranks, if you can keep yourself from peeing your pants around them, are all characters. Their personalities range from, ‘I’m going to single-handedly save the world’ to ‘How would you feel if I told you I was a serial killer?’ to ‘You have any drugs?’” She raised her eyebrows, yet she was still smiling. “They’re all crazy, but they do have a common interest in preserving humanity.”
“Cause they enjoy the fruits of their power,” Kaina wisely deduced.
“You’ll get to see your brother interact with Top Heroes from around the world during the Olympus Celebration,” Melissa attempted to cushion Kei’s disappointment. “And since National-Ranks are consistently at the top of their Rankings, they’ll be there, where you’re also permitted.”
“Yes!” Kei pumped her fist in excitement.
“Oh great,” Izuku deadpanned. “She can spend time around a bunch of psychos.”
“Come on! It’s not like anyone is gonna try anything while you’re there!”
“Your brother is right,” Inko countered. “Most of these people do not have healthy minds. They’re soldiers, and soldiers have a tendency to be disturbed in one way or another.”
“Dad was a ‘soldier.’”
“And he never once let his guard down around his fellow Heroes.”
Kei sighed. “And everyone here isn’t a soldier?” She gestured at Izuku and the girls.
“They are, and they’re the exceptions to the rule.”
“And we’re not perfectly healthy either,” Rumi pointed out. “It’s just that our trauma doesn’t manifest in ways that could harm others. On the other hand, if you stood in front of Thomas Andre, he’d probably try to grope you.”
“Well you guys and the Shadows will be there too!” She protested.
Izuku looked at his mother questioningly. He may have been Kei’s caretaker for the last several years, but as the saying went, “mother knows best.”
“If you really think you can’t protect her, then keep her in the hotel,” She answered. “It’s up to you, Izuku. I don’t know just how strong you really are.”
Izuku sighed, his plan of deferring responsibility to his mother a failure. “Fine, but Beru will be in your Shadow at all times.”
“I don’t mind!” Kei responded. “He’s funny!”
“He frequently talks about eating people alive,” Setsuna deadpanned.
“Well… he is an orphan if you think about it. That’ll lead to some moral conflicts growing up.”
“I guess he needs therapy,” Izuku joked.
“Not necessary, my Liege!” Beru chimed in. “Eating someone removes the evidence of their existence! If no one knows about a problem, the problem can be ignored!”
“Your logic is astounding,” Igris said, shaking his head in disappointment. “3 months around some of the kindest people you could meet, and you still want to eat people?”
“Of course! But I only want to eat people to protect my hive!”
“That’s… oddly comforting,” Inko remarked.
“Oh, I worry about the future of this family…” Izuku gave Melissa a look of apology, but she was smiling from ear-to-ear.
“Familial troubles are always the most volatile!” A voice called from further down the tunnel, leaning against the wall as if waiting for them.
“What the hell…?” Izuku immediately knew who it was, which was why he was in such disbelief.
“Although, I suppose I’m biased,” Brandon added, strolling towards the group. His gaze brushed over everyone. “Some new faces. You’re just as popular as ever. You do realize there’s enough for all of us to go around, right? You don’t need to hog all the beautiful women to yourself.”
“Where the hell have you been?” Setsuna asked.
“A little of this, a little of that,” He answered cryptically.
“The Americans have been looking for you for 3 months! I’ve been looking for you for 3 months!”
“Dude, I was trained for black ops. By some of the most secretive and paranoid people on the planet. I know how to disappear. I thought you’d figure out that I didn’t want to be found.” He sounded bitter about it.
“At what age did he start training?”
“Well… why did you disappear in the first place?”
Brandon looked over at Melissa, examining her up and down for a moment. “Can’t trust you, bear with us.” He waved his hand and a soundproof bubble appeared around Izuku, Momo, Kaina, and Setsuna. The rest of Izuku’s family, even Rumi, was left out. A barrier kept them from getting in. Rumi definitely could’ve broken it, but she didn’t sense any hostility, so she let it go for now.
“What’s that about?”
“She’s a loudmouth,” Brandon responded. “And I don’t know either your mother or sister. Better to keep them out of it. Even if the blonde is an I-Island resident more than an American resident, she is American.”
“What the hell is going on?”
“Typical government bullshit. About a week after you guys left Catalina, I got a call from Maigo, asking me to help the old team with a human trafficking situation. A week after that, Star and Stripe tried to kill me.
“What?!” Izuku and Setsuna were shocked by the news, while Kaina and Momo didn’t seem all that surprised.
“At first it was just a simple case. We were just trying to help some people, but this goes way deeper. There’s no logical reason one of the strongest National-Ranks in the world would need to protect a trafficking operation unless it was involved with the government.”
“If Star came after you… how are you alive?” Momo asked.
Brandon feigned offense. “No need to sound so incredulous. Most of my genetics are German and Polish. Weaseling my way out of danger is pretty much in my blood. Although… Star definitely had my balls in my throat. It was a close call.”
“So… You need our help, you’re warning us… what’s the situation?”
“I can handle my own country. I’ve been dealing with these chucklefucks without issue for years. I’m only here for three things,” He reached into his back pocket, withdrawing a strange looking flash drive. “Raia asked me to give this to you. I tried taking a look at it, but I’m an English Major, not a Mathematics Major. This stuff is way above my paygrade.”
“Raia? As in the Synthetic Lord?”
“No, Raia the hobo from LA,” Brandon said with a straight face. “Of course I mean the weird terminator guy from literal space!”
Setsuna rolled her eyes, ignoring the sarcasm. “Why’d he give it to you? He could’ve just handed it to us since he can use Gates.”
Brandon shrugged. “Something about redundancies and avoiding risk.”
“Do you know what it’s for?”
“Raia said, and I’m quoting here, ‘This should help buy humanity some time.’”
Momo accepted the drive. She was definitely the most mathematically minded out of all of them. “And what are the other two reasons?”
“Well it is the Inter-National Summit. I got bumped down a few spots on the Top Ten, but the Catalina incident kept me at number 10. Even though I tried to tell everyone I didn’t help much, the media treated me as the Hero. You know how nations are about relying on others. So here I am.”
“Yeah,” Setsuna began, “but you don’t give a rat’s ass about the Top Ten or gatherings like these.”
“True. However, it did give me a free invite, and I knew you guys would be here. Which let me hand off the flash drive, and ask for Yui’s number.”
“So you did take that knife for her on purpose!” Setsuna shouted with a stupid grin on her face.
“I may be a miserable misanthrope, but I’m still a man,” He responded. “The final reason is my sister. She’s not on the Top Ten anymore, but she still got invited to I-Island for a fashion show. Pretty big gig.”
“You don’t seem like the type to show up for that.”
“She’s got pretty bad anxiety. Until we leave, I’m her ‘support animal,’” He joked.
Izuku ignored the fashion show and him asking for Yui’s number. “Is it even safe for you to be here? What if Star, or one of the other National-Ranks tried something?”
“As far as the public is concerned, I’m a lonely man who lives on a relatively secluded island. They know about me, but it’s not like they keep track of my whereabouts. They don’t know I’m ‘missing.’ Which means that, in the public eye, America is highly unlikely to take any action against me, unless they want the public to see them execute me.”
“And if they decide to sneak into your room while you’re asleep?”
Brandon rolled his eyes. “I told you already, I’ve got plans for stuff like that. I may be suicidal every now and then, and I may be an idiot at times, but I’m not dumb enough to rely on the public to keep me safe.”
“What about your sister?”
Brandon snorted. “You mean like using her as a hostage? First of all, I’m not stupid enough to fall for that. Second of all, if they kidnap her and she figures out it’s her own government, then they have to kill her when the dust settles, ensuring that I kill them. It would only end one way. They’re dumbshits, but they know that my family isn’t a path to me. Since all of my friends are either super-strong or other black operatives, there’s nothing to exploit.”
Izuku was not at all convinced by that logic, so he offered to put a Shadow on his sister. He knew that offering the same for his parents would be met with scorn.
“I don’t see any harm in it as long as you’re not a voyeur.”
“Do I seem like one?”
Brandon shrugged. “People are usually pretty good at hiding their sexual tendencies. But no, I was just kidding.” Setsuna handed Brandon a slip of paper. “Did you ask her first?”
“About what? Giving you her number?”
“Well yeah, I’m a weirdo. Most girls don’t like their numbers being handed to weirdos without permission.”
“She’s my friend and you took a stab wound for her. I think that’s enough. I trust her to make smart decisions about who she talks to.”
Brandon narrowed his eyes. “Or I could be the stalker type who’s obsessive enough to take that knife.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of it?”
“Nope!” He tucked the slip of paper into his pocket. “It’s just me being a weirdo.”
“Just don’t drag her into this stuff with America.”
“Oh I don’t even plan on putting the number into my phone for a while. Need all this to level out before then.”
“Why didn’t you ask for her number on the island?” Izuku asked, getting off track.
“Hey, you can’t blame a guy who’s never had a partner for being awkward around a girl he likes. Romantically speaking, I’m still in like… middle school.”
“That bodes well…”
He chuckled. “Well, that’s all folks! I’ll see you guys later!” And without another word, space warped around him. He vanished into thin air, along with the barrier and soundproofing.
“Did he just…?”
“Yep.”
“Did you know he could…?”
“Nope.”
“What a jerk!” Rumi exclaimed. “I thought I had a chance to at least punch his shoulder! If I knew he could teleport I would’ve hit him sooner!”
“Don’t worry, we’ll catch you up to speed later,” Izuku assured her. Brandon didn’t trust her, but Izuku definitely did. “And you might get a chance to hit him later.” It was just the beginning of their stay on I-Island after all. If Brandon was sticking around, he’d have to be careful, otherwise he’d get kicked in the groin when he least expected it.
After they got back on track, Melissa leading them along, Izuku asked Setsuna, “What are the odds?”
“What? Of him and Yui?” Setsuna thought for a moment about her friend. “Like 70 percent chance in favor of them getting together. At least initially, I can't say it’ll last. Blonde hair and blue eyes are like natural aphrodisiacs at home. I know Yui likes it at least. But he’s right about one thing… he’s definitely weird. There’s a good chance the first text he sends her is so awkward she just blocks him. But, as Kei would say, it's good entertainment value.”