4

Which looks better, Izuku?”

Sunday morning. Ready to head out to his long-awaited hero exhibit, Midoriya found himself confronted by a pair of skirt suits—one navy blue, one pale pink. His indecisive mother brought each one up to her body, back and forth.

“Going somewhere special?” he asked. The concern left Inko Midoriya’s face as she lit up.

“Not now—this is for Parents’ Day tomorrow. Well? Which one?”

Her expression grew deadly serious again, and Midoriya could only laugh, unsure how to respond. Nothing he’d learned at U.A. had prepared the high schooler to give fashion advice, but he couldn’t very well blow her off with an evasive “Whichever.” He thought for a moment and somehow settled on navy.

“That one…?”

“Navy? Isn’t it a little dark?”

“The other one, then?”

“But then people might think I’m not dressing my age? Are you sure?”

“It’ll be fine, probably. Anyway, I really gotta run…”

“Pink it is, then…” said his mother, moving towards the laundry room to check out the chosen skirt suit in the mirror. Midoriya seized his chance and made for the door.

“Wait. I think the pink makes me look fatter than I am…?”

His full-figured mother’s trip to the mirror must’ve triggered her insecurities, because she scampered over to Midoriya, who’d only made it as far as the entryway.

“If you’re that worried, navy works too,” he said, stuffing his feet into his oversized shoes. Inko kept glancing between the two options.

“Right. Besides, navy hides stains better.”

“Stains?” said Midoriya, and as he turned, he noticed his mother’s mouth gasp and clamp shut, as if she’d said too much. Puzzled, he tilted his head.

“Did the pink one get dirty or something?”

“Ah, that’s not it! I mean… We’re going to tour the facilities, right? Like that U.S.J. disaster dome? I’d better be prepared to pick up a little grime in hectic places like that,” she said with an awkward smile. “Anyhow, you’re taking off somewhere?”

“Oh. Yeah.”

“What about lunch?”

“I’ll pick up something while I’m out, but I’ll be home by dinner!”

“Be safe out there, Izuku.”

With his mother’s send-off, Midoriya stepped out the front door at a brisk pace and hurtled down the stairs leading from the top floor of their garden-variety apartment complex. His mother sure had been acting odd, but the nagging thought soon floated off, like the thin clouds in the fair skies above. Grinning all the while, he set out on his usual route to the train station through a neighborhood that countryfolk might view as urban but that city dwellers would think downright provincial.

Can’t wait to learn about the dawn of heroes!

The exhibit Midoriya set his sights on was all about those stalwart individuals who had taken a stand before there were any formal systems or regulations for heroes. The world might have turned out quite differently if not for them, which made this event worth turning down a day at a theme park. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

Sorry, Ida!

But for Midoriya, nothing trumped heroes—that is, people who took action to save others. It was that concept that had taken root in his heart at some point, to the extent that his drive to become a hero was as foregone a conclusion as breathing.

No one can ever top All Might, though!

As a child, Midoriya had watched All Might’s debut video clip over and over; sometimes with joy in his heart, at other times with tear-filled eyes as he shook the computer screen. He wished he could go back and tell his younger self that he would someday not only meet his idol but be granted his heart’s desire—a Quirk of his own. His good fortune seemed too good to be true, so the boy was more than willing to run himself ragged now, if that’s what it took. He still couldn’t control his inherited Quirk at 100 percent power, but he knew he’d get there eventually.

“Just gotta keep at it!”

“The hell?” came a thorny response to Midoriya’s self-directed pep talk.

“Whoa! Kacchan!”

“Dammit, Deku, who said you could run into me!” spat Katsuki Bakugo as he came around the corner. The teasing during their early years as playmates had grown as the boys had, eventually turning into outright contempt on Bakugo’s part. They kept out of each other’s way as much as possible nowadays, but the bully’s bad attitude towards Midoriya had deep roots.

“Sorry, I, um…”

His classmate ignored him and kept walking. With a small sigh, Midoriya left the tranquil residential area and realized he had a pit stop to make.

Right. Better hit up a convenience store for a drink before getting on the train. One of the ones with the All Might Mini-Mini collectible figures attached to the cap. Only need one more for the complete set…but the Silver Age version just won’t turn up…

“Come to think of it, I’ll pick up Heroes Monthly too. Can’t miss that special feature on All Might. There’s s’posed to be an interview and never-before-seen pics of him in action, so that should be cool! Also, the revised edition of Complete Hero Works that they said was coming out at the end of the month… Did I bring enough cash for all that? Hmm… Guess I could skip lunch today… But I do need to get my protein in.”

“Quit mumbling behind my back—it’s freaking weird!”

Midoriya’s inadvertent switch to external monologue pushed Bakugo’s buttons like nothing else.

“And stop following me, you damn stalker!” snapped the latter, grabbing the former by his collar.

“N-not following you! Just heading to the store for…”

“Well, I was headed there first, so you better wait till I’m done!” said Bakugo, releasing Midoriya with a shove and marching off again.

That’s just unreasonable!

Not that pointing this out had ever fazed Bakugo.

Midoriya let loose another sigh and decided to do his shopping at the store near the station instead. He kept walking, but his footsteps didn’t go unnoticed.

“What’d I just say…?!” raged Bakugo as he spun around once more.

“I’m going to the station, and this is the quickest route.”

“Like I care! Take the long way around, cuz I ain’t having you in front of me or behind me!”

Okay then… How about shoulder to shoulder?

Unimaginable. The very thought sent a chill down Midoriya’s spine.

Just gotta put up with him as far as the store…

But that was still a ways off, and Bakugo was promising to make the trip an awkward one. Midoriya stared as his classmate hurried ahead.

Watching him from behind, just like the old days, I guess.

Always filled with supreme confidence, Bakugo had led the other children around like a pint-sized general. Midoriya had enjoyed following him back when there was something reassuring about his cool childhood friend’s leadership.

When’d it all turn south…?

He stopped brooding with a shake of his head and turned to the other thing on his mind.

The letter. Right. Better write that once I get home. Gotta thank Mom for everything she does… I know I’m grateful, but how to put that in a letter? It’s like…writing about it’s just going to worry her more, probably.

Being born Quirkless had long been a source of angst for Midoriya. Fretting over it wouldn’t achieve anything, but he could never help himself.

Maybe Mom was actually more anxious about it than I was…

He recalled his mother’s tear-filled apology at the time.

Not like it was her fault, though.

With new vision for how he might approach the letter, Midoriya decided to consult Bakugo.

“Hey, Kacchan. You write that letter for Parents’ Day yet?”

“Why? You picturing me writing some schmaltzy crap?”

Schmaltzy? I wonder what he thinks I think he’d write.

“Wipe that grin off your stupid mug!” said Bakugo, his own face contorting to match his tone.

“D-didn’t mean it like that… What’s your approach though? It’s due tomorrow…”

“Just half-ass it! ‘Thanks for giving birth to me, blah blah blah.’”

“That sounds, uh, insincere…”

“Huhh?! Then don’t freaking ask me, dammit!” burst Bakugo at Midoriya’s chiding. A small explosion in his palm showed he meant it.

“Geez, never mind, sorry!”

While a flustered Midoriya was heading for the station, an eager Tenya Ida was putting on a headband with bunny ears.

“Perfect weather for a day at the theme park! Don’t you agree, Kaminari? Mineta? Tokoyami?” exclaimed Ida, gazing at the clear skies. Beside him, his three classmates wore bear ears, elephant ears, and monkey ears, respectively.

Courtesy of Native’s gift, the four boys found themselves at Zoo Dreamland—a theme park with a wildlife motif. With mock forest and savannah zones, among others, the park was popular with patrons of all ages. Sundays especially brought out the families, and like Ida and his classmates, most visitors were wearing animal ears.

When Midoriya and Todoroki had turned him down, Ida had been at a loss until he’d passed Mineta and Kaminari on his way home and extended the invite. They were on board, leaving one more ticket until Tokoyami had come along and, surprisingly, expressed interest.

“President, are these accessories really necessary?” asked Tokoyami, whose first-ever visit to a theme park had him questioning the animal ears.

“Not necessary, per se, but embracing the park’s theme is sure to make the experience all the more delightful! We became ‘wild’ inhabitants of Zoo Dreamland the moment we stepped through the gates! Besides, look! The families who’ve come today are also enjoying the headbands!”

There was no stopping Ida’s assuredness, though the sight of monkey ears on the bird-headed Tokoyami was more than a bit unsettling—a fact the latter seemed to be aware of as he fiddled with the accessory. Still, the ever-serious Ida took a regimented approach to fun, even in a place like this.

“If that’s how it is…” said Tokoyami with a nod, apparently convinced by Ida’s passion. Meanwhile, Kaminari grew excited as he watched a pair of girls wearing rabbit ears pass by.

“It’s just the gimmick here. And c’mon—girls with animal ears are cute as heck! Those bunnies, especially!”

“You want cute? Try a stuffed animal. Ears don’t matter when the girls’re missing what really counts!”

“Oh yeah? What really counts, then?” asked Kaminari, confused by Mineta’s outburst.

“No bunny girl is complete without the whole costume! Boobs practically spilling out, a leotard cut at a sweet angle down there, and fishnet stockings for days! You’d think this ‘Dreamland’ would do a better job making dudes’ dreams come true!” insisted Mineta with clenched fists, but Ida wasn’t having it.

“Think about what you’re implying, Mineta. What would rabbit women be doing in forest or savannah biomes?”

“It could happen! Maybe some of the working bunnies down in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho neighborhood got snatched up by traffickers and released onto the savannah. Anything’s possible… Just gotta apply that Plus Ultra attitude to your imagination!”

If all heroes needed was a dirty mind, Mineta would’ve already gone pro. However, Ida’s straight man persona was more than a match for his classmate.

“And why would they release said women onto the tropical grasslands of either Africa or South America? What would your traffickers possibly have to gain by doing that?”

“Just saying it’s possible! Maybe they’ve got a Kabukicho in Africa, too!”

“What? You mean to say there’s a region in Africa named for the art of Japanese dance drama?”

“No! I’m talking red-light districts, man!”

“Whoa, cool it, you two. There’re families around,” said Kaminari.

Sure enough, the boys’ argument had attracted unwanted attention—parents with children were staring from a cautious distance.

“P-pardon us! We’re so very sorry for disturbing you on your peaceful day off!”

At Ida’s frantic apology and bow, the onlookers gave a few strained smiles before moving on with their day. The class president raised his head with renewed resolve.

“That was inexcusable, friends! Now that we’re in Zoo Dreamland, we must put aside thoughts of the outside world and enjoy the park as we’re meant to! Where to start, though? By the day’s end, I hope to have conquered every last ride and attraction!”

Ida unfolded a map of the park to begin planning the itinerary, but behind him, Mineta and Kaminari locked eyes, paused, and gave each other subtle nods.

“Why don’t we start with the Jungle Zone and…”

“Yo, President! Me and Mineta, there’s a thing we wanna see.”

The first shot came from Kaminari, and Mineta provided him with cover fire.

“Yeah, there’s, uh, a hero event in the Savannah Zone! It’s gonna start any minute now!”

“A hero event, you say? Then we ought to begin there…” said Ida, instantly convinced. He returned to the map to chart a new route, but the other two shook their heads.

“D-don’t sweat it! We can just split up!”

“Kaminari and me, President Ida and Tokoyami!”

But Ida noted their unnaturally eager smiles and grew suspicious.

“After we decided to come here together…?”

“But you won’t get to ‘conquer’ every ride or whatever if you’re babysitting us! And they’ll probably sell out of that exclusive apple pie Tokoyami wanted!”

“That would be disappointing,” murmured Tokoyami. In fact, Zoo Dreamland’s limited-time apple pie was the reason he’d agreed to come in the first place.

“Hmm, you may have a point.”

“They’d better not sell out.”

Having planted the seed of doubt in Tokoyami, Mineta and Kaminari gave one final push.

“Great, so we’ll meet back up at lunch!”

“Later!”

With that, the pair ran off at top speed.

“They sure want to attend that hero event badly.”

“Which hero is coming, anyhow?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t even aware of the event.”

They watched their classmates dash away, and Ida suddenly remembered what really mattered.

“Oh no, your apple pie! The exclusive treat is available…here, at Forest Sweets.”

“Let’s go.”

After confirming the location on the map, they set off. Ida had the confidence of someone who’d walked the route before, and he led them straight to the apple-themed shop. Before long, both boys were at a table with pies and drinks in hand.

“Mm. Good.”

“Indeed. The cinnamon brings out the apples’ sweetness while preserving the refreshing acidity, and the pie crust meshes perfectly with the baked apples’ softened texture… Delicious.”

While chewing, Tokoyami nodded at Ida’s assessment. He then took another bite, adroitly navigating his beak into the pie. Seeing Tokoyami enjoy the treat only enhanced the experience for Ida.

“We ought to tell Kaminari and Mineta about this later. It’d be a shame if they missed out on something so good. But, Tokoyami—I have to say—I had no idea you loved apples so much.”

“They claim the nutrition found in a single apple, if eaten daily, is enough to eliminate visits to the doctor, you know. Plus, that perfect combination of sweet and tart. And they can be preserved for long periods of time… There’s no fruit more perfect than the apple.”

Ida took it all in and gave a curt nod as he continued to eat.

“But you prefer oranges, don’t you, President?” said Tokoyami, glancing at Ida’s orange juice.

“Not exactly. Rather, their juice is like gasoline for me, so I never pass up a chance to drink some.”

Ida’s Quirk was “Engine”—the engine-like structures bulging from his calves allowed him to move at high speeds. His optimal fuel? One hundred percent pure orange juice. It wasn’t that he was never in the mood for other drinks, but when the desire hit to buy canned coffee from a vending machine, say, Ida would nevertheless find himself pushing the button for orange juice. He never knew when he might need to spring into action, so it was better to be safe than sorry.

“Where to next? Any rides you’re interested in, Tokoyami?”

Tokoyami was on the verge of finishing his pie, so Ida spread the park map out on the table.

“Not especially. Up to you, President.”

“Very well… I know just the thing, then.”

The boys started toward the next destination and soon found themselves in a wooded area. An elaborate series of sculptures occupied the gaps between the trees, including a tire, a giant melon bread, a pyramid, and a red sphere.

“What a bizarre space.”

“I understand the park director is a patron of the arts, so for years now, there have been temporary installations around here. When I came as a child, I once spotted a troupe of performing gymnasts in this very spot, their bodies painted white from head to toe.”

Tokoyami much preferred the current sculptures to what Ida described.

The pair soon reached their goal—a massive saucer-shaped base, filled with teacups just the right size for a few riders each.

“What am I looking at?”

“Oasis Teatime, they call it. The first essential stop during any visit to the park! And look, no line! This is our chance, Tokoyami.”

Ida raced for a cup, and his friend followed, noting that the only other riders were parents with small children.

“What does this handle do, President?” asked Tokoyami, indicating a circular grip in the center of their chosen cup.

“The faster we spin this, the faster the entire teacup rotates.”

“Is that something we want?”

“Yes… Oh, it’s starting!”

A buzzer sounded, and a languid carnival tune soon followed. Ida saw the surrounding children’s faces break out in smiles, but his own face suddenly whipped sideways.

“T-Tokoyami…?!”

Tokoyami was spinning the central handle with every ounce of his strength, and Ida imagined he might be sent flying by the centripetal force.

“W-what are you doing…?” cried Ida, clinging on for dear life as his companion devoted himself to the assigned task.

“The goal of this ride is to spin the teacup, right…? I would say we’re winning!”

I-it doesn’t work that way!

That was what Ida meant to shout, anyway, but the words never made it out. The violent spinning sent the slurry of orange juice and pie in his stomach sloshing about.

A few minutes later, both boys slumped onto a bench, completely limp. Ida explained that spinning the teacups wasn’t a competition, to which Tokoyami shook his head and replied, “You should’ve spoken up sooner…”

“So this really is your first visit to a theme park?”

“Why would I lie…? And what’s next, President?”

“Recovered already, have you?”

“I’m not 100 percent, but you did say you wanted to conquer every attraction.”

“In that case…how about something a bit calmer?”

They staggered and stumbled over to a gaudy merry-go-round. Since this was Zoo Dreamland, the usual horses were joined by rhinoceroses, lions, elephants, and the like. Ida chose a horse, Tokoyami, a rhino. The ride’s slow spin came with leisurely music, and the boys noticed parents with video cameras surrounding the merry-go-round, hoping to capture memories of their delighted children.

“How exactly is this fun, President?”

“Why, you can’t tell, Tokoyami? These are animals one normally wouldn’t get to ride, but here, it’s perfectly safe. Look—the children seem to appreciate it.”

And so the merry-go-round spun on, lit up by gentle sunbeams and excited cries.

“Why do so many of these rides involve spinning?” came the second blunt question from Tokoyami.

“That’s not all there is. Some also move up and down while rotating.”

“So, more spinning.”

As Tokoyami was slightly regretting his decision to come, a pair of hunters sat on a bench elsewhere.

“Hey. Mineta. How about those two in the bunny ears, huh?”

“Don’t make the cut. Their faces are eights, but style? Only sixes. The angels we’re hunting need cute faces, great style, and killer personalities, and they gotta be naive enough to come hopping when we call!”

The girls in question were enjoying some ice cream just out of earshot as Kaminari and Mineta sized them up. The boys likely would’ve gotten an earful of “As if you’re such prizes” had they been overheard.

This was why the two Casanovas had really come to the theme park—to pick up girls. The instant Ida had extended the invitation, the park was doomed to become their hunting grounds. They had plotted in advance to ditch Ida, since they knew the all-too-serious class president would lay down the law if he were to discover their true intentions.

While judging passing women, Kaminari voiced a concern.

“Hang on. What do we say to the other two if this actually works?”

“‘Oh no, we seem to have come down with sudden stomachaches…’ Then we ditch Zoo Dreamland and head off to Dirty Dreamland!”

The concept of friendship with Ida and Tokoyami had long since taken a back seat in these hunters’ minds.

A pretty, fashionable woman appeared, glancing around anxiously.

“Look, our angel! The ideal prey!”

They couldn’t have known anything about her personality or naivete, but Mineta’s and Kaminari’s eyes lit up at the sight of a potential prize. She was almost too good, though, and the hunters grew timid.

“W-what do we even say…?” asked Mineta. His partner in crime paused before answering.

“W-well, how about… ‘Can we have a moment of your time?’”

“Too stiff, man! What, are you asking her to take a survey?”

“You do it, then!”

“Idiot! Compared to me, you’re a teeny-tiny bit cooler, like by a nanometer! You gotta be the one!”

“If you put it that way… Say no more.”

“Remember—nano’s even smaller than milli, okay?”

“What is this, math class? Just sit back and watch me work!”

“No, dummy! A girl’s gonna be on guard against a cool dude like you! You need a nonthreatening cutie-pie like me to come along! But still, you gotta talk to her.”

“I’m on it!”

With the nanometer compliment boosting his confidence, Kaminari stepped towards the woman, and Mineta followed.

“Hi there. Nice weather we’re having, yeah?”

“Eh? Um, sure…” she replied, puzzled.

“You, uh, wanna hang out with us? We two dudes could use some company.”

“Ah… No, I’m good…”

“Hey there! The name’s Mineta! Don’t worry—we seriously just wanna hang out, that’s all!”

“No thanks, really…”

But the boys’ flames were fanned by the woman’s frustration, which somehow only made her more charming to them.

“Y-you hungry, maybe? We could go get that limited-time apple pie?”

“Yeah, it’ll be our treat! But they’ll sell out if we don’t get there fast! C’mon… Ooh, such soft hands.”

Just as the moonstruck Mineta gripped her hand to lead her away, a firm voice said, “Hey, mitts off my girl!”

“There you are, Ken!”

The apparent boyfriend came over carrying a paper bag, and one intimidating glare from him was enough to petrify Mineta and Kaminari.

“You got some stones, trying to pick up another guy’s girl…”

Threatened by this man-eating bear, the hunters turned into a pair of trembling baby bunnies.

“Whaaat? ‘Pick up’? No way! We were just asking directions!”

“We’re just simple folk from the countryside, y’see—wouldn’t know a roller coaster if it bit us!”

“I ain’t buying it…”

The woman turned to her enraged boyfriend with tears in her eyes.

“It’s all your fault for walking off, Ken! Leaving me alone, and on my birthday date, no less…”

“Sorry, babe… I was just getting you this…”

Her eyes lit up as she removed the contents of the paper bag.

“Aww! The kangaroo plushie I wanted so bad…”

“Check inside the pouch…”

“Eh. A ring… Are you…?”

“Be mine, forever…?”

“Oh, Ken!”

Watching the live proposal, the two scared rabbits muttered “C-congratulations” and scampered off.

“We just saw an actual, off-line love story,” said a weary Kaminari. Going from girl hunting to bearing witness to a marriage proposal had given them whiplash as good as any roller coaster might have.

“Makes me mad just thinking about it! Why do couples gotta come out in public at all? Let ’em have their lovey-dovey lives at home, outta my sight!”

“For real, though—aren’t most of the cute, stylish girls gonna have boyfriends already?”

“That’s…probably true.”

“So maybe we’ll have better luck going after plainer ones with fashion sense that’s only so-so?”

Mineta crinkled his face at Kaminari’s suggestion, giving it careful consideration.

“Skip the smoking hotties and go for more average girls, huh? Truth is, I do get nervous around real beauties, and it sucks. But I know I can bring my A game if we’re talking plain Janes… Yeah, good point. Let’s lower our standards.”

Thus did Mineta make his declaration, with all the gravitas of a presidential speech.

However…

“Excuse you.”

“This is a prank show, right?”

“Buzz off!”

A series of rejections from women Mineta and Kaminari deemed “average,” likely put off by Mineta’s overwhelming creep aura.

“But why? Even the plain ones!”

“Mineta, maybe we didn’t lower our standards enough…”

“Yeah. Anything goes now, long as they’ve got a rack! Doesn’t need to be Yaoyorozu class! Even flat as Jiro is fine at this point!”

Once hunters, then rabbits, and now a pair of starved hounds, they started catcalling every passing woman of reasonable age.

Still, though…

“No thanks.”

“Yeah, no.”

“Um, bye.”

“I’m here with my boyfriend.”

“I’m gonna call the police, ’kay?”

Stripped of even the energy to remain standing after this series of defeats, the hounds slumped onto a bench and decried the harsh truths of the natural world.

“Even the buckshot approach failed…and I’m all outta ammo…”

“Why, God, why?!”

As Kaminari grumbled and Mineta questioned the Almighty, the former’s phone buzzed with a text from Ida. They’d whiled away the hours, and it was already past noon. The weary hounds reluctantly agreed to meet back up with the other two and left the bench.

“Guess it’ll just be us four guys at the theme park… This day’s seriously lacking boobs. Well, no other choice… Kaminari—stick two of my Pop Off balls on your chest.”

Mineta’s Quirk, “Pop Off,” gave him a clump of bumpy protuberances covering his head. The soft, squishy balls could be plucked away and stuck onto nearly anything.

“Gah! What I wouldn’t give for a good reverse pickup! Y’know? Girls hitting on guys!”

“Impossible. That’s just an urban legend, man.”

But contrary to Mineta’s belief, the Lord had not abandoned these two.

“Umm, hello…”

A reverse pickup, really…?!

Upon hearing the cute, young-sounding voice behind them, the boys started breathing heavily and spun around.

“Yo! We’re just a couple of guys looking to pass the time and… Huh? Nobody there?”

Kaminari was speaking to empty air.

“Kaminari… Down here,” said Mineta, clearly flustered.

“Down…? Eh?”

At Kaminari’s feet stood a little girl wearing a headband with giraffe horns and ears.

“So, you discovered a lost child named Yuka.”

“I’m not lost! Big girls in kindergarten don’t get lost!”

Kaminari and Mineta had brought Yuka to the rendezvous with the other two, and through pursed lips, she clearly took issue with Ida’s assessment of her situation. As she told it, she’d come to the park with her mother, but when her mother went to buy lunch, Yuka had spotted her favorite costumed character, followed it, and then couldn’t find her way back.

“See? We can’t argue there,” said Kaminari with a weak smile. “She doesn’t want us bringing her to the lost-child center.”

“That’s cuz I’m not a lost child, mister. I just dunno where I’m s’posed to meet my mommy.”

“Right. You are literally a lost child.”

Yuka shrank at Tokoyami’s reasonable point and scurried behind Kaminari, surprising everyone.

“You’ve kinda been giving our Tokoyami the cold shoulder,” pointed out Mineta. In hushed tones, the frightened girl explained.

“B-birds are scary… One time one ate my bread and bit me.”

Kaminari and Mineta burst out laughing.

“Is that all? Tokoyami’s no bird. He just looks that way cuz of his Quirk.”

“His Quirk…?” asked the girl, still scared, but now glancing at Tokoyami curiously.

“Sorry for laughing—I get that it must’ve been scary. I got pecked by a crow once, too.”

“Yuka, Tokoyami here is an absolute gentleman. You have nothing to fear.”

“But…”

Tokoyami sighed.

“Psychological scars don’t heal that easily. Anyhow, her mother is probably worried about her.”

“Indeed. We ought to bring her to her designated meeting spot at once, as that might resolve everything,” said Ida, nodding at Tokoyami. “Now, where were you supposed to meet in case you got lost, Yuka?”

“In front of the apple!” shouted the girl, implying that this was all she could remember.

“The apple? Near where they were selling apple pies, maybe? Was there an actual apple there?”

“Yes, there were most assuredly apple decorations near Forest Sweets. We should head back there.”

So the four boys and the girl started towards the sweets shop. Yuka was glued to Kaminari—hand in hand—as he was the one farthest from Tokoyami. Glancing around, an awkward expression arose on Kaminari’s face.

“Sure hope nobody thinks we’re kidnappers or something…”

“Why would they, Kaminari?”

“Four guys with one little girl? We make for a weird group.”

“If they catch you, I’ll just tell the truth, so don’t worry, okay?”

“Cool. Thanks, Yuka.”

“Sheesh. Finally a reverse pickup, but it had to be a pip-squeak?”

“Reverse pickup? What are you talking about?”

Mineta and Kaminari panicked at Ida’s question.

“Nothing! Forget it!”

“‘Reverse pickup’? Who said that? Nobody!”

But Yuka spoke up.

“Umm, yeah, they said it before too. ‘I want a good reverse pickup.’ ‘Just an ur-bann legend.’ So what’s a reverse pickup, anyway?”

“Seriously not important, right, Kaminari?”

“Y-yeah, I mean, y’know, kids these days say some shocking things, ha ha ha!”

Despite their attempt to dodge, Ida wasn’t having it.

“Kaminari. Mineta. As teenagers, it’s your duty to answer the child’s innocent question. I’m ashamed to admit I don’t understand the phrase either, so why don’t you educate both Yuka and myself?”

Locking eyes with Ida, Kaminari and Mineta were at a loss for words. They had the answer, of course, but telling the truth wasn’t a viable option here. The stares from the deadly serious class president and purehearted girl forced Kaminari to say something.

“A reverse pickup is when, like, uh… You pick up…in…reverse, and…”

He short-circuited, and it had nothing to do with his Quirk, “Electrification.” Realizing he had to act, Mineta desperately latched on to a lie and rolled with it.

“Reverse pickup… Right! Like when you call and order takeout but then go and pick it up!”

Ida still wasn’t biting.

“I see… Except that’s a perfectly ordinary thing to do, no? I fail to see where the ‘reverse’ part comes into the equation. And you ‘want a good reverse pickup’? Were you thinking of ordering food while at the theme park?”

“Sometimes you’re just in the mood for it, yeah…?”

“No, I can’t say I’ve ever had the urge to call and place an order for takeout while out and about. What on earth would put you in that mood, Mineta?”

“When I’m feeling lonely?”

“Ah, so lonely that you’re desperate to place the call, speak to the restaurant employee, and then see them in person for the all-important pickup? Nonsense, Mineta! Why not just go out to eat or have it delivered and make small talk with the courier?”

“You just wouldn’t get it…”

“And how exactly is this reverse pickup an urban legend…?”

“Uh… Cuz, like…”

Seeing Mineta stumbling, Tokoyami muttered, “Backed into a corner, then,” prompting Yuka to gasp and hide behind Kaminari. Another sigh from Tokoyami. It was a shame that his appearance scared her like this, but there was nothing he could do about how he was born.

“Explain, Mineta.”

Forced by Ida to concoct a story about getting lonely and ordering food, Mineta wanted to fire back with “An urban legend’s just that! Up to you to believe it or not!” but he didn’t have the guts.

“I see. You’re not sure either, Mineta. We’ll have to do some research later.”

Mineta and Kaminari breathed subtle sighs of relief, glad that their classmate had decided to drop the issue, but Yuka stared at Mineta in awe.

“Mister Bumpy Head knows a lot about a lot of stuff, huh.”

“Hey, is that the best nickname I can get?”

“Ha ha. ‘Bumpy Head.’ What does that make me, Yuka?”

“You’re Mister Blond.”

Ida observed the exchange and smiled.

“You two are wonderful with children, it seems. Perhaps because you’re so approachable? That’s an essential quality for any good hero.”

“Y’think?”

“That’s cuz kids can tell what a great big heart I’ve got! I mean, not saying yours is small or anything, Tokoyami! No offense.”

“Absolutely none taken.”

Kaminari blushed, Mineta soaked up the praise, and Tokoyami couldn’t care less. Seeing her saviors looking so upbeat, Yuka beamed and spoke.

“You guys were talking with all those ladies before, right? You told them, ‘We got nothing to do, so let’s hang out’—which’s why I thought you could tell me where to go!”

Gaaah!

The rotten truth, laid bare by a child’s innocence.

“I was under the impression that you two attended a hero event of some sort…?”

Under the bunny ears, Ida’s expression turned grim.

“After splitting up with us, you went to pick up girls, right?” asked Tokoyami, long since fed up with the entire situation.

“No, we, uh…”

“Pick…up…?”

Ida gasped.

“Could the pickup of your ‘reverse pickup’ be the ‘pick’ and ‘up’ of ‘picking up girls’? Why did you say it meant ordering food?!”

“Just stop saying ‘pickup’ already,” said Kaminari, unable to help himself despite the predicament.

“It’s because of you two that we’re saying any of this! Outrageous, that you would misinform a child as you have! Listen, Yuka. ‘Reverse pickup’ has nothing to do with ordering takeout. It must be the opposite of ‘picking up women,’ which means that these two were hoping that women might pick them up.”

Ida crouched as he passionately explained everything to Yuka, but Tokoyami had other thoughts.

“Maybe she doesn’t need to know all this.”

“No, even children must be taught these things. It won’t do her any good to grow up misinformed,” said Ida, shaking his head at an unnatural angle and causing the bunny ears to flop around. Yuka responded to his earnestness in kind.

“Okay, Mister Glasses. I’ll remember! But what’s ‘picking up,’ anyway?”

“It’s a colloquialism that refers to the practice of men approaching women they’ve never met, on the street, and asking them to be friends. When women approach men, they apparently call it a ‘reverse pickup.’”

“So I did a reverse pickup!”

“No, Yuka. We’re talking about requests to, erm, enjoy each other’s company. You, on the other hand, were lost and needed directions.”

“Oh, too bad.”

“Nothing bad about it, Yuka! Because to start with, Mineta and Kaminari were pestering women at a place of wholesome family fun. Scoundrels, aren’t they? True romance comes from knowing one another, slowly taking the time to forge real bonds, and going on to start a family, even…”

Upon hearing Ida’s sober ethical viewpoint, amateur admirer of the female form Mineta couldn’t hold back.

“You can shove your true romance! I just wanna be the biggest scoundrel I can while I’m still young!”

“Mister Blond, what’s a scown-drul?”

“Don’t look at me, kid.”

“Hey. We’re at Forest Sweets,” interrupted Tokoyami, prompting Ida and Mineta to call a temporary cease-fire on their moral debate. Just as Ida had remembered, there were plenty of apple-themed decorations promoting the exclusive pie.

“Is this where your mother told you to find her, Yuka?”

“No, not here. A way bigger apple, like…thiiis big,” replied a troubled Yuka, stretching her arms as far as she could.

“You know any bigger apples around here, President?”

“I frequented Zoo Dreamland as a child, but no, I don’t recall any giant apples… And nothing on the map hints at anything like that.”

“I’m never gonna see my mommy again…?”

Seeing tears well up in the girl’s eyes, the boys panicked. As hero hopefuls, the thought of making a child weep tears of anything but gratitude was outrageous.

“I-I know! Maybe we can spot this apple from somewhere up high?”

“Excellent idea! Where can we find such a vantage point…?”

“I got it—the Ferris wheel!” cried Mineta, pointing at the tallest structure in all of Zoo Dreamland.

“Another one that spins…” grumbled Tokoyami.

They were aboard the ride within minutes.

“Yuka, take a good look and try to find your meeting spot.”

“Okay!”

Their pod rose higher and higher, and all five were glued to the windows, scanning the park.

“Some sort of eyesight Quirk would come in real handy right about now. Too bad my Electrification is basically useless.”

“My Quirk isn’t suited to searching, either,” said Ida, nodding at Kaminari.

“What’s your Quirk, Mister Glasses…?”

“It’s Engine, and it allows me to run quickly.”

“Ohh, cool. I don’t have my Quirk yet,” said the girl, looking dejected.

“This’s my Quirk. Here, have one.”

“Don’t want it,” she said with a shake of her head, turning down one of Mineta’s head balls.

“Seriously? But they’re super sticky! Check it out!”

Dissatisfied with the blunt rejection, Mineta stuck the ball to the wall. Tokoyami shot him a dark look.

“Stop that—you’re rocking the boat.”

“This is hardly the time for that, Mineta! We need to locate the giant apple!”

In the end, though, they came up with nothing. Even the park employees they asked didn’t have a clue.

“Let’s just try the lost-child center, yeah?” suggested Kaminari, but the girl shook her head dramatically.

“There was no uh-nouns-ment though, so that means Mommy didn’t go there yet.”

“Maybe she went home already?” offered Mineta, but his clumsy suggestion only made Yuka bawl.

“Dammit, Mineta!”

“Just kidding! Of course she didn’t leave without you!”

“Show some tact.”

“Why joke about that with a little kid?”

“Tch, I’m pretty little myself! Lay off me… Wait a sec!”

Mineta ran off and returned a moment later with a red balloon.

“Look! A big, red apple!” he shouted, but Yuka cut him off.

“Too small! A way, way bigger apple than that one!”

“‘That one’?”

“Uh-huh,” said Yuka, nodding.

“Silly Yuka. That’s a balloon. Apples are fruits,” laughed Kaminari.

“No, if it’s round and red, then it’s an apple!”

The four boys froze and looked at each other.

“So we may simply be looking for a round red object!”

“Big? Round? Red…? Have we seen anything like that?”

Kaminari’s question triggered Tokoyami’s memory of the red spherical sculpture in the forest zone.

“We have. This way.”

“Eh?”

Yuka looked up at Tokoyami as he raced off.

“Slow down, Tokoyami! Come now, Yuka. Let’s follow him!”

They arrived at the red sphere and, sure enough, found the anxious mother waiting.

“Mommy!”

“Oh, Yuka! Where were you? Mommy was worried half to death…”

They embraced, and after a brief explanation from the boys, the mother showered them with apologies and appreciation.

“We only did what was right, ma’am. No need to thank us.”

“No getting lost again, okay, Yuka?”

“Feel free to try that reverse pickup once you’re, like, twenty.”

“Uh…”

“Say thank you to the nice young men, Yuka.”

“Thanks, misters!”

The boys waved goodbye and started to walk off, but Yuka chased after Tokoyami.

“M-Mister Bird!”

“What is it?”

“Um… Sorry for getting scared of you… You’re way bigger than that other bitey bird, so I thought you were gonna eat me up with that big beak.”

Tokoyami chuckled at the timid girl.

“You’ve no cause to worry about that, because my favorite food is apples.”

At Tokoyami’s smile, the girl’s cheeks blushed, red and round.

After a late lunch, the four boys trekked back to Forest Sweets for dessert. The plan was for Kaminari and Mineta to get pies, since they hadn’t earlier, but Tokoyami went for seconds (it was as if he had a second stomach for anything apple) and Ida followed suit.

“Still just as delicious.”

At Tokoyami’s side, Ida suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, have you all written your letters yet?”

“Oh yeah. That. I jotted down some stuff… But do we really gotta read them in front of our parents? What, they couldn’t think of something more embarrassing for us?”

“Ugh, and tomorrow’s the big day. What a drag.”

Ida’s eyes sprang wide at the groaning Mineta.

“It’s hardly a drag, Mineta! Think of it as a golden opportunity to tell your family how much you appreciate them! Why, I’ve already penned over forty pages’ worth of gratitude.”

“The hell? I only wrote two.”

“I’ve got one.”

“You managed to say all you needed with that little?” chided Ida.

“You basically represent the whole class, President,

so we’d all love to hear yours. In fact, you should be the only one to read out loud, I say.”

Kaminari’s suggestion was one part genuine, one part desperate, but Ida shook his head solemnly.

“That would never do… I suppose, though, that my forty pages would eat into everyone else’s time… Hmm. I’ll need to make my thoughts more concise!”

While Ida pondered, Tokoyami stared affectionately at his final bite of pie before it disappeared into his beak. Just then, security personnel raced past the boys.

“Wonder what’s going on?”

They looked towards the scene and heard a series of crashes and screams. Sensing that something out of the ordinary was afoot, the U.A. students got up and started running.

The source of the commotion was the haunted house, now surrounded by rubberneckers.

“Get back, get back, people!”

“I think my baby’s still in there… Yuka didn’t make it out!”

“Hey, that’s Yuka’s mother!” said Ida, recognizing the woman pleading with security. The high schoolers weaved through the crowd and made it over to her.

“Oh, it’s you boys…”

“What on earth is happening? Is Yuka okay…?”

The woman looked ready to burst into tears.

“The two of us were walking through the haunted house, but then Yuka disappeared…and the monster puppets, they…”

She was cut off by another crash from inside the attraction.

“Oh no, Yuka!”

No answer. Again, she begged the security guard to let her in.

“Just wait here, ma’am. We’re trying to… Huhh?”

More noise from the haunted house, and the security guard’s face twisted in terror. One of the puppets seemed to peer out from the entrance, floating and bobbing like a real-life ghost.

“Gaaah!”

“What the hell’s going on…?”

Security was doing all it could to keep the crowd back.

“D-do not approach the attraction, people! And, ma’am—we’ve called in a hero to deal with the situation, so please just be patient.”

“But my daughter…”

Torn somewhere between fight and flight, Yuka’s mother stared at the haunted house.

Zoo Dreamland was quite a distance from town, and with no nearby hero agencies, help wouldn’t arrive for some time. Ida knew what he had to do.

“I will find your daughter, ma’am. Don’t you worry.”

“Eh?”

He smiled wide to reassure the frazzled mother, spun on his heel, and dove into the crowd. His three classmates followed.

“Not so fast, President. How’re you planning on finding her?”

“By venturing inside, naturally,” said Ida as they arrived at the rear of the haunted house.

“My brother once discovered a hidden passage. It was right around… Yes, here we are.”

He crouched near a small window at the base of the black wall.

“By my brother’s honor, I swear that I never once exploited this secret! I only came upon it by accident once, when I tripped and fell inside. If ever there were a time that such a thing could prove useful, though… There, it’s open. I’ll need to ask you three to stay here and keep wa—”

“Keep watch? What’s the point? I’m coming in too.”

“Seriously, Kaminari?”

“If that little girl’s really still in there, then it’s a race against time. And depending on what exactly is happening, the president might need all the help he can get.”

“Kaminari, Tokoyami… You’re absolutely right. Time spent wavering is time we cannot get back. Let’s go.”

With Ida taking point, the three boys crept through the opening.

“Dammit! Fine, I’ll come along for the ride! We’re still s’posed to be in training, though! We ain’t real heroes just yet!” said a reluctant Mineta.

“Whoa. Sure is dark.”

Once their eyes adjusted to the darkness, the destruction became apparent. Broken equipment and decorations lay strewn about as if a tornado had been taking a tour. In the dimly lit space, they heard something shuffling about. Several somethings.

“Y’think the guys who wear the monster costumes got fed up working in this dump and this is their idea of a labor strike…?” whimpered Mineta, trying to act tough but unable to hide his terror. Ida grimaced at this, on high alert.

“No. This particular haunted house is meant for children, so the ghosts and monsters are all animatronic… Still, we did see that one, at the entrance.”

“Yeah, how was that thing moving around on its own…?”

“That mystery comes later. First, we find the girl.”

“I’m with you there, but… Gwaah?!”

Mineta didn’t get to answer Tokoyami, because at that moment, an animatronic kappa attacked from above. The charming rendition of the mythical creature was meant to delight children, but in the poor lighting, there was something grotesque and otherworldly about it.

“Mineta!”

Kaminari screamed, and Tokoyami followed suit.

“Dark Shadow!”

With that, a shadow shaped like a mynah bird sprang from Tokoyami’s body. It was his Quirk.

“Shaaaah!”

The familiar’s shrill roar pierced the dim space, like that of a ferocious beast set loose from its cage. It tore into the kappa with aplomb, destroying the puppet in an instant.

“Eek!”

Mineta fell back, paralyzed, as Dark Shadow kept mauling the broken kappa.

“More… Need more prey!”

It swelled up, feeding itself on the surrounding darkness and sweeping from left to right, seeking out targets to attack. As a rule of thumb, Dark Shadow would become stronger in darker places, eventually forgetting Tokoyami altogether and transforming into an uncontrollable monster.

“Stop that, Dark Shadow!”

It ignored the command. The jet-black demon prowled the immediate area and continued the massacre until each and every puppet was in pieces.

“That’s one scary pet you’ve got, Tokoyami!”

Mineta’s cry caught Dark Shadow’s attention. It stopped and swiveled slowly.

“Did you say ‘pet’…?”

Hearing the note of rage in the question, Mineta shook his head violently.

“J-just kidding! You’re actually the master, aren’tcha?”

“We are equals!” came the response from both Dark Shadow and Tokoyami in unison. The furious shade rushed at Mineta like a gale, dodging past Tokoyami. Ida shouted.

“Some light, Kaminari!”

“R-right!”

An instant before Dark Shadow reached Mineta, Kaminari’s entire body lit up in a burst of electrified light.

“Kyaah!”

Bathed in Kaminari’s glow, Dark Shadow shrunk back like a docile puppy.

“I was almost a goner.”

“Well done, Kaminari! Keep that up, for now, as your light will make our search for Yuka all the easier.”

“Gotcha!”

“Too bright…” yelped Dark Shadow at Tokoyami.

“Endure it, you.”

“Where are you, Yuka? If you’re there, give us a sign!”

But there was no response to Ida’s plea. With all the animatronic puppets reduced to motionless scraps, the haunted house fell completely silent.

“Guess she just ain’t in here? Maybe she ran out in the confusion and got lost again.”

“She’s here,” objected the pacified Dark Shadow.

“You sure, Dark Shadow?”

“She’s scared. Hiding in the dark.”

“Guess a shadowy bird monster has its uses, huh.”

“Can you sense where she is?”

“This way,” said the familiar, floating towards a prop well in the corner. In front of the well was a headband with giraffe ears.

“Wasn’t Yuka wearing that earlier?”

“She’s in the well.”

The four boys peered inside but found no one.

“You messing with us?”

“No!”

Tokoyami paused to think.

“Maybe her Quirk manifested?”

“Yuka’s, you mean?”

“Yeah. Maybe she can meld with the dark and control objects in that same darkness. That would explain her disappearance, the destruction in here, everything.”

“That’d make sense, if it happened to her all at once.”

“Hey, Yuka! You’ll be just fine! Come on out now!” shouted Ida into the well, but only the darkness stared back.

“Why won’t she emerge?”

“She’s panicking, probably. Everyone gets a little freaked out when their Quirk manifests, right? When it first happened to me, I shocked myself silly and couldn’t think straight for a whole day. Yayyy.”

Right on cue, Kaminari was reaching his limit.

“Same here. I panicked so much I plucked off balls till I bled.”

“Maybe she can’t figure out how to reverse the effects?”

“Allow me to try,” said Tokoyami, turning towards the well’s inky blackness.

“Calm yourself. Pacify your soul and become aware of your own consciousness. Then emerge from the darkness.”

Kaminari took issue with Tokoyami’s approach.

“Yayyy, Tokoyami. You’re talking to a little kid, remember?

“Explain it in a more digestible way, Tokoyami! You’re entirely too stiff! Too formal!”

“You know it’s bad when President here is telling you to loosen up.”

“What is that supposed to mean, Mineta?”

“Kettle, meet pot!”

Tokoyami paused again before reaching his hand into the well.

“Yuka. Take my hand.”

A faded ghostly hand appeared out of the darkness and groped around before finding Tokoyami’s. He gripped hard and pulled, and the rest of the girl popped out.

“Mister Bird…”

“You’ll be okay now.”

The boys rejoiced, and Ida said, “Your mother is worried sick about you! We must show her that you’re all right.”

But Yuka gave a small shake of her head.

“And why not?”

“Mommy got so scared… I got scared too… I hate the dark when I’m all alone…”

Watching the tears well up in Yuka’s eyes, Tokoyami spoke.

“The darkness of this place revealed your true nature. That is neither something to fear, nor to feel ashamed about.”

“Too wordy, man!” said Kaminari

“What I mean to say is…”

Words failed Tokoyami, but Dark Shadow crept around from behind him, ready to assist.

“The dark is your friend!”

“Dark Shadow!”

“Who’s…that…?”

“This guy happens to be my Quirk.”

Yuka flinched at the sight of the shadow bird but then approached.

“You’re not scared of it, Yuka?”

“Not if it’s your friend. I’m not scared of you either anymore, Mister Bird.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Friends, friends! I made friends!” said Yuka, smiling wide and prompting sighs of relief from the boys.

“Shall we be off, then?”

The five of them exited the haunted house just as the responding hero arrived, and after Ida’s efficient play-by-play to the authorities, the scene calmed down. Apparently, the park’s Quirk insurance would cover the cost of the damage to the attraction.

“I don’t know what to say… This makes it twice now you boys have rescued my little Yuka.”

The mother wanted a proper way to thank them, but Ida wasn’t having it.

“No thanks necessary.”

“I can think of one or two ways you could thank me, lady…”

“Mineta! Not in front of her kid, dammit!” cried Kaminari, disgusted by Mineta’s desperate approach.

“As students at U.A. High School and aspiring heroes, we did what we had to do. Think nothing of it, ma’am!”

The grateful mother stared at the boys and placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders.

“These wonderful young men are your future heroes, Yuka.”

“Thanks again, misters,” said Yuka with a small bow, before running up to Tokoyami.

“Um… I, uh…”

“What’s the matter?”

Blushing something fierce, Yuka stared up at Tokoyami awkwardly.

“You’re a Prince Charming, Mister Bird I love you!”

Tokoyami’s lower beak dropped, Yuka’s mother said “Oh my,” and Kaminari and Mineta scowled.

“Forget a reverse pickup—this guy just got a crush to confess!”

“What, we’re s’posed to be jealous? She’s a little kid, not a lady… But once she grows up… Damn! Why, God, why…?”

As Mineta cursed the heavens, Ida lectured the girl.

“Is that how you feel, Yuka…? It’s a bit early for romance, though. Once you’re all grown-up, you’ll first need permission from your parents to date. Of course, you might want to ask Tokoyami’s parents as well!”

“Okay, I’m gonna remember all that. Bye-bye, Mister Bird.”

At Yuka’s sparkling smile, Tokoyami’s face gave every indication that he was blushing.

“The future is surely shrouded in darkness.”