Chapter 43

As things wound down from the weekend, Izuku was looking forward to a bit of time off. Going to see some friends, build some stronger relations with his confidants, and perhaps relax a bit.

"Come on now, Midoriya-kun! Just a bit more!"

Of course, relaxing wasn't exactly on the schedule when it came to hanging out with Kasumi. When she texted him about working on their calisthenics, he honestly felt a minor urge to tell her maybe another day. That moment passed quickly as guilt took over for possibly dodging her after they hadn't spent time together in so long. And now here he was in Inokashira Park, track suit on and sweat beading down his face.

He was no stranger to basic calisthenic exercises, especially stuff like pull ups and crunches. But Kasumi was on another level. It didn't help that when he told her he did basics like those that her eyes lit up and started listing some advanced workouts instead.

Currently Izuku was doing swinging pull ups, going from one bar to the next. While his time in the Cognitive World made this much easier than it would be months ago, he was still getting a good sweat going.

"One… More!" Izuku swung to the bar in front of him and performed one last pull up before letting himself fall to the ground, taking a bated breath as he hunched over on his knees.

"Great job, Midoriya-kun!" Kasumi clapped her hands together, smiling as she used her forearm to wipe some sweat off her head. "I can definitely tell you've got some good flexibility!"

"Thanks… still, it could be better…" Izuku breathed out, pushing off his knees to stand straight.

"Well, we'll get you there! Your muscles almost have it, that fine tuning of synergy between them!"Kasumi pumped her fist in excitement. "Once your internal and external oblique muscles reach harmony, these workouts will be a light warm up!"

"A light warm up?! Is that what they are for you?!" Izuku blurted in shock, earning a giggle from Kasumi.

"They're great for getting me loose and ready for my coach's workouts. She has me working ten times harder!" Kasumi explained.

"Your coach really pushes you, huh?" Izuku let out a breathless laugh before smiling. "Still, I appreciate you taking the time to do this, even though you've got your own workouts to worry about."

"Oh, not at all Midoriya-kun! It's my pleasure!" Kasumi smiled brightly, enough to make a dash of red to dust Izuku's cheeks. "Besides, I… I needed to talk anyway. Now that we're done, um… do you think you have time to listen?"

Izuku could hear her disheartened tone, frowning. "Of course, Yoshizawa-chan. It's part of our deal."

Kasumi smiled, waving for him to follow. They soon reached a nearby park bench and had a seat, Kasumi breathing out to dispel some nervous energy. "So, the truth is… I haven't been doing great lately with my gymnastics."

"Really? But you've still performed so well from what I have seen." Izuku said, admittedly confused as she shook her head.

"It's still not up to snuff. I keep training hard but I don't get any better. I'm honestly in a slump," Kasumi continued, eyes drifting to the side. "I went to my coach about it, but… she told me to take some time off. Take time to figure out who I really am. She doesn't want me to quit, just… slow down, I guess."

"I see…" Izuku wasn't sure what else to say to that, lips thinning into a line. "I.. I wish I could offer something helpful, Yoshizawa-chan… but slumps are difficult to overcome. I've hit a few…"

"I know. And I wouldn't expect you to have the answer, don't worry." Kasumi reassured him, offering a small smile. "But being able to talk about it with someone… It's nice. And it does make me feel better. That's why, um… even if it's not gymnastics, I was hoping you'd still go out with me sometime?"

"Go out…?" Izuku felt his face heat up when he heard that but quickly shook the thought off as his brain processed her actual meaning. "Y-Yes of course! I'm happy to help and talk like we have!"

"Thank you, Midoriya-kun!" Kasumi smiled, her eyes drifting to the water. "My coach used to praise me for my boldness. I was fearless and ready to try anything. But… since starting high school, it's been downhill."

"Why is that?"

"Well, for one I got taller. So my flexibility started to lessen. Then I started second guessing myself a lot more. I… fell into depression the more I realized that I wasn't as capable, as brave as I was before."

"Yoshizawa-chan…" Izuku's voice became soft, unsure what to say. Despite her venting, she looked at Izuku with hope in her eyes.

"But then you helped me at the tracks! Even when you were uncomfortable, you were still brave and stood up for me!" Yoshizawa exclaimed, looking at him with mirth. "I admired that so much. I wanted to be brave like that again… and I knew you were the person who could help me most. I think the more we work together, the more I'm sure my confidence will come back!"

Izuku's jaw slacked a bit, touched to hear she viewed him in such a light. It motivated him to return the favor, offering a confident smile. "I don't know how much I can do… but I'll do my best to help you get it back then!"

"That'd be great, Midoriya-kun. Thank you!" She said with another dazzling smile. "You're so odd though. I didn't think you'd accept just like that." She finished with a giggle, immediately making Izuku blush and stutter. Still, he could feel that they had gotten closer with this heart to heart.

*SMASH*

FAITH CONFIDANT: RANK TWO

"Well, we should get going. Hope you're rested enough now!" Kasumi stood up, smiling at Izuku.

"Yeah, I'm good to go!" Izuku hopped to his feet… only to suddenly get noodle legs. Kasumi quickly caught him.

"Whoa there! Don't rush it too much if you're still not ready!" Izuku blushed as her hands grabbed his arms to help him steady.

"I-I'M OKAY!" Izuku blurted out as his face reddened. He mentally smacked himself, realizing that even after getting closer with Ann and Makoto he was still a mess around girls.

"Don't be afraid to let me help a bit, Midoriya-kun!" Kasumi giggled, thankfully unfazed by his outburst.

Izuku took a moment to steady himself and slowly walk forward, nodding his head. "Alright, I'm ready now."

"Okay! We'll take it slow." Kasumi walked at his side, Izuku now steadier on his feet. "Oh, right! I had a question for you! And maybe this will sound silly, but I have to ask for my friend."

"What is it?" Izuku asked, looking at her in confusion.

"Would you happen to have one of those… calling cards I think they were called?" Izuku's eyes widened at the request. "You know, those ones from way back at the beginning of the year when that Kamoshida guy was targeted by the Phantom Thieves?"

"O-Oh, that…" Izuku thought for a second she might have found something out, but quickly realized she was looking for a souvenir. "Um… I'm not sure. I'll look around though and see if I had one…" It wouldn't be hard to replicate the calling card they made for Kamoshida. It lacked the flair of the current ones that Yusuke gave them now anyways.

"Oh, I'd really appreciate it, Midoriya-kun! I really want to surprise my friend with it. I don't care for the Thieves myself, but he's kind of a fan." She smiled, though her words did stir a small bit of defensiveness in Izuku.

"Ah, I see…" He recalled her saying such a thing the first time they met. It had been almost a throwaway statement, but it had still bothered him. Both then and now. "So… why don't you like the Phantom Thieves?"

"Hm?" Kasumi looked at Izuku as she registered his question, putting a finger to her chin. "Well… I just think that maybe they're going a bit far, you know? After all, we do have Heroes for such things. Shouldn't handling Villains like that be left to them?"

Izuku used to agree with her line of thinking. He couldn't blame her for such a mindset. But his newfound experience had changed that perspective. "Maybe… but there's a lot of things the Heroes don't see. Things hidden from them."

Kasumi frowned in surprise, looking at Izuku curiously. "That… sounds like an experience. Did something happen to you, Midoriya-kun?"

Izuku looked at her, Kasumi's eyes worried but intent to hear him. "I… had friends that were more personally involved in the Kamoshida incident. They dealt with a lot of issues in silence… Kamoshida's influence in the school made sure of that. The staff and the police that should have helped them turned a blind eye… and it wasn't until the Phantom Thieves changed his heart that people were finally free of his oppression."

"Midoriya-kun…" Kasumi muttered, guilt coloring her voice. "I-I'm sorry, I-"

"It's okay, Yoshizawa-chan." Izuku shook his head, offering a small smile in reassurance. "I would have felt the same way had I not seen it up close. I love Heroes. I admire and look up to so many, especially All Might. But… they can't see everything."

Kasumi lowered her head in thought, not saying anything as they continued to walk.

"Always bringin' a weird haul, kid…"

Izuku let out a sheepish laugh as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He had once again made sure to collect the scraps and trinkets collected from the Palace and bring them to Iwai again. He could always see the lingering question in the ex-yakuza's eye, but the words never came out. Something Izuku was eternally grateful for.

"Still, this bag o' junk goes for good money. You're lucky I know how to get rid of this stuff.:" Iwai pulled out a stack of yen and put it on the table. "Here. That should about cover it all."

"Thank you, Iwai-san." Izuku smiled, looking over the amount. It certainly was a lot more yen than one would expect. But if Iwai was willing to part with so much, then Izuku had no doubt his connection was ready and willing to buy every little piece.

"You gonna be comin' in sometime soon for work?" Iwai asked after putting the bag away behind the counter. "Could use some help soon."

"Sure! Will it be another… "work" night or a regular one?" Izuku asked, feeling odd about his phrasing. Iwai chuckled but hummed.

"Maybe… there's been some big things happening lately. And I'd wager life's about to get a little… annoying soon." Iwai grunted.

"What happened?" Izuku blinked, though after saying it he soon realized what he was referring to:

"There's been a big shake up in the underworld. A certain yakuza group that was keepin' things real quiet suddenly fell apart. I'm sure you saw it in the news." Iwai pointed out, crossing his arms. "You asked about 'em a while back, the Eight Precepts… funny coincidence, huh?"

"A-Ah, yeah I did see that…" Izuku nodded, hoping his tone wasn't too suspicious. Iwai eyed him a bit as if checking his reaction before continuing.

"Well, if a punk like you suddenly heard about 'em, then maybe the Eight Precepts were gettin' careless. Probably got a little too greedy and finally brought the heat from the Heroes on 'em." Iwai guessed, his index finger tapping his forearm.

"So… what does that mean for you?" Izuku asked carefully.

"Not sure yet. I broke ties with my clan a long time ago… but with what just happened, a lot of families that weren't caught up in the raid are gonna be vyin' for power. Of course, it'll be a bit of time before anyone starts. Gotta let things blow over. But once they do… I have a feeling I might be seeing certain people soon…"

"Will… you be okay?" Izuku asked, unable to hide his concern. Iwai gave him a small look, his eyes barely concealing a mite of his worry. But he quickly hid it away with a chuckle.

"We'll see soon enough I suppose. For now, we-"

*BANG*

Izuku and Iwai jumped, the door to the shop suddenly swinging open with a loud crash. Izuku blinked as a foot hung in the air for a moment… an armored foot.

"Yo~ Mune-san. Didja think I'd forgotten about you?"

"Oh, brother…" Izuku looked up at Iwai, only to see him tugging on the brim of his cap over his eyes, a frown forming on his lips.

"Haven't ya heard? Yakuza are bein' locked up right now." Izuku's eyes shot wide open as he saw who walked through the door. A short but muscular woman with dark skin and white hair. Replacing human ears were long white rabbit ears. She wore white and purple spandex and purple stockings that barely contained her large, toned legs.

"R-R-R-RABBIT HERO MIRKO?!" Izuku found himself stuttering as the woman walked in, his eyes sparkling in awe.

"Huh? You a customer for this guy?" Mirko raised a brow at Izuku as he scrambled for his bag, looking for something she could sign.

"He's an employee. And mind not kickin' my door like that?" Iwai huffed, eyes narrowed at Mirko.

"You takin' in employees now? That's new." Mirko laughed, a cocky, toothy grin on her face as she focused back on Iwai. "You gettin' too old to do your own work, Mune-san?"

"We all get old, Mirko. But I'm not too old to take lip from you." Iwai moved out from behind the counter and moved Izuku to the side. Suddenly Izuku felt the tension in the room override his awe, eyes popping out of his head as Iwai suddenly squared up with Mirko. "Stand back, Mumbles."

"W-Wait, Iwai-san, you really shouldn't…" Izuku's voice trailed off as he watched them, suddenly feeling like he was witnessing a western cowboy standoff. Mirko was significantly smaller than Iwai, but Izuku knew that meant nothing. Her kicks could smash through metal and concrete like cardboard.

And Iwai somehow was her target.

"Ho~, stridin' up to me now huh? Find yer guts behind that counter?"

"I don't need a rowdy runt like you wreckin' the place.

How did Iwai-san get involved with someone like Mirko?! This could be bad! Izuku really felt powerless here, backing away as he felt their clashing wills become palpable. They both stood silent for a long moment, building up to the moment when one would lash out. Izuku became increasingly worried and bit his bottom lip anxiously.

And finally Mirko made her move, Throwing a lightning quick roundhouse kick at his neck. Izuku flinched away and closed his eyes, worried that when he'd next look up, Iwai was gonna be a crater in the store. But when he cracked open an eye, he suddenly felt awe take over again as he saw Iwai still standing somehow, his forearm raised and blocking the kick.

"You put a little too much into that one, don'tcha think?" Iwai huffed in annoyance, eyes narrowed.

"Gotta make sure you're not gettin' too rusty, now! Looks like yer just fine though!" Mirko laughed, slowly lowering her leg. Her cocky smile shifted a bit to a more friendly one, placing her hands on her hips. "Considerin' it's been a while, I thought we were due a check up!"

"You're such a pain." Iwai sighed but much to Izuku's shock, he had a smirk on his face. "Just when I was enjoyin' some time not seein' yer mug around here, you come and break the dryspell."

"Yeah right! You'd be bored outta yer mind if I stopped comin' by!" Mirko laughed before looking at Izuku and giving him a small wave. "Sorry about the disturbance, kid! Just checkin' in with this old lizard!"

"I'd appreciate it if you would wait 'til after I close up shop so you don't wreck the place." Iwai crossed his arms.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be more careful next time. Send the bill for the door to my agency like usual." Mirko waved it off casually.

Like usual?! How often does this happen?! How have I not seen her here before?!

"Still, I am a little shocked you picked up an employee. Didn't Koharu wanna work here?" Izuku blinked, a little shocked just how much she seemed to know about Iwai.

"I told you I don't want him comin' around here. He's got enough to worry about in school. And you better not be sneakin' around my back and tellin' him stuff too." Iwai gave her a suspicious look, but she simply crossed her hands behind her head and rolled her eyes.

"I said I wouldn't, didn't I? Even if the kid does deserve to know more."

"Just… can it. That's between me and him." He sighed again, putting his hands in his pockets. "So you payin' for dinner then?"

"What? But we didn't even fight!" Mirko narrowed her eyes. "You gotta earn that!"

"I feel like I have, with the door and you doin' this in front of the kid." Iwai jerked a thumb back at Izuku, the green haired teen waving his arms frantically at being mentioned.

"Tch… Fine. I guess I can pay this time. But I expect more than a little scuffle next time!" Mirko turned around, walking toward the door. "I'm gonna go finish my patrol then get changed. Hurry up and close up shop already." With that, Mirko walked out, Izuku watching as she leapt high into the air and out of sight.

Izuku stared at the door for a long time as he processed everything that happened before he looked at Iwai, his words coming out garbled. "TH-THAT WAS-YOU AND-WHAT?!"

"... Yeah, I guess I owe an explanation for that one." Iwai grunted, walking over to the door and closing it, giving it a small inspection. "So, a little over eight years ago, I was still dealing with some… residual fallout from my yakuza days. While most of us had been scattered to the wind, some of my old clan members were pretty… resentful."

"Resentful?" Izuku parroted, brow raising.

"Yeah. Some of 'em were lookin' for someone to blame when things fell apart… so when I ran into 'em on the street, they decided to pick me." Iwai sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter. "Tried picking a fight with me in broad daylight, seven to one. But then rolls in little rabbit…" He chuckled, a smirk forming. "She was kickin' 'em around before they had time to register who she was. But then of course… she sees me and assumes that I was one of them."

"She did?!" Izuku's jaw dropped but then giving it a second thought, as well as a quick look at Iwai, the shock left his face. "Ah…"

"Yeah. Can't say I didn't particularly get why. But regardless, it turned into a fight with them to a fight with me. It was pretty close and we ended up tradin' blows. But eventually one of the nearby witnesses finally spoke up and talked her down… You would think that would be the end of it but instead, she ends up following me home one day."

"Why would she do that?" Izuku tilted his head, not getting it.

"Her excuse was that she was 'keepin' an eye on someone who was clearly trouble'. But really it's because before we stopped fighting, I landed the last blow. She at least admitted it a bit later." Iwai chuckled as he looked up at the roof, seemingly nostalgic.

"... You don't seem particularly bothered by it." Izuku pointed out, earning a laugh from Iwai.

"Yeah, well… Guess I got used to seeing her around. She comes by now and then for a spar. I can't always accommodate her but she's surprisingly reasonable for someone so aggressive. She's met Kaoru and well… she's kinda his hero now. Not the greatest role model, but… she's always been good to him." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Besides, she's still a million times better a role model than a former yakuza."

"... It sounds like you… care a lot about her, Iwai-san." Izuku pointed out, a small smile on his face.

And his words seemed to snap Iwai back to reality, a somewhat flustered frown forming on his lips as he grabbed the brim of his hat and pulled it down over his eyes. "Tch… 'care' is a strong word… but I at least don't hate her. It's complicated, so don't worry about it."

Izuku could hear the affection in his voice. As odd as their relationship seemed to be, Iwai obviously rolled with it well. He didn't press the issue and just smiled, feeling as if he'd seen a new side to Iwai that day.

*SMASH*

Hanged Man Confidant: RANK FOUR

"Thank you again, my lovely fans! This has been another great day for the Pop Step live concert~!"

Izuku sighed in relief as the show ended without incident, the fans cheering and preparing to leave the scene. No police had made an appearance thankfully, and the barricades they had set up had been respected. All that was left now was to clean up-

"Ahem!" Izuku looked over at Koichi, the college student clearing his throat rather obviously. Pop Step looked at him in wonder before seeing his eyes shoot back and forth between her and Izuku.

Pop Step met Izuku's eyes and it seemed to hit them both at once: their deal. Pop Step let out a quiet groan before clearing her throat and going back into idol mode:

"Before you lovely fans go, I've got a special message to share with you all~!" The crowd stopped and looked back to the makeshift stage. "At the request of a special fan, it's come to my attention that there's more than a few vigilantes out in the world! So I wanna make this special shout out to the Phantom Thieves of Heart~! Be sure to support 'em out there, and send them your troubles! Just don't let them steal your hearts from me, okay~?"

There were cheers and murmurs from the crowd, the reception to her words quite vocal and appreciative. Izuku smiled upon seeing their cheers and praise, feeling a bit more proud of his team's work and the support that was actually out there for them.

Maybe I should invite everyone to one of Pop Step's concerts? Izuku thought, thinking they might enjoy seeing people cheer like this for them as well as her music.

It didn't take him and Koichi long to pack things up and get going. Just in time as the police started to show up once things were already done They quickly reconvened in one of the alleys nearby, Pop Step dropping from above with a fun bounce.

"Ah, what a great show! Plenty of people, no incidents! We need more like those ones!" She said with a giddy grin, hands on her hips. "Good job boys as usual!"

"I hope we get more like those ones too. A lot less trouble to deal with." Koichi agreed before looking at Izuku. "I'd say your location pick and block spots were spot on. Good job, team organizer."

"A-Ah, I don't think my work did too much today. It was just a good concert!" Izuku smiled a bit bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked at Pop Step with appreciation. "But your announcement for the Phantom Thieves was great! I appreciate you saying that. Seeing how much support they got was really cool!"

"Well, I did promise I would… So long as they're not stealing my limelight, I don't mind too much." Pop Step gave a kinder smile than she had before. "Besides… I know I've made things a bit difficult up 'til now. So being able to return the favor does feel nice. Thanks again for how much you've helped."

Izuku felt the appreciation behind her words, offering a kind smile in return.

*SMASH*

Devil Confidant: RANK TWO

"Let's head back before we get caught up in the crowds." Koichi suggested, the two nodding and following him back to his apartment. It wasn't far off, thankfully, from their concert location. Once back, they were met with the grizzled and drinking Knuckleduster, the older vigilante sitting on the ground with a can of beer in hand.

"Yo." the old man greeted, eyes focused on a paper in hand.

"Heya Master! It's been a bit since you've popped in!" Koichi greeted kindly.

"Yet again coming after the concert's done." Pop Step complained, moving to the curtain she had set up to change.

"Good day, sir!" Izuku greeted with a bow, grabbing his bag and stuff that he had left here while they worked. "I'll be heading out, okay?"

"Oh yeah, be safe on your way back, Midoiya-kun!" Koichi smiled. "So, Master. Dig up more info about who took the yakuza gang down?"

Izuku stopped for a moment, curious to see what the old man's answer was.

"I got it confirmed from a few people. The cops might be takin' credit, but it's who most people suspect that made it possible: The Phantom Thieves." Knuckleduster seemed rather casual in saying so, almost as if it was yesterdays' news.

"Phantom Thieves strike again. You must be happy to hear about that," Pop Step chuckled as she spared a look at Izuku who let out a sheepish chuckle and smile. "Still, surprised that it hasn't hit the news yet. Cops really cover it up that well?"

"Well, from what I understand is that he hasn't confessed yet, and the cops scooped him up before he could do so." Knuckleduster shrugged, turning a page over in his paper. "Was smart on their part. Last thing the cops want is a public confession of a crime boss that's been eludin' them to go public and make 'em look worse."

"How do people know it was the Phantom Thieves, though?" Koichi asked curiously.

"The cops mighta cleaned the street up quick, but a few of 'em were picked up ahead of time." The old man fished into one of his pockets and placed a familiar Calling Card on the table.

"Whoa… a calling card…" Koichi's eyes were shining as he looked down at it. "Can I have it?"

"Go nuts."

"Yes!" Koichi picked it up, looking it over. "Wow, it's real professional looking too… whoever drew this up must be an amazing artist."

He certainly is. Izuku quietly chuckled to himself.

"OH, right! Midoriya-kun's the real Phantom Thief fan here!" Koichi slapped a hand to his face, frowning. "Uh, do you… want it?"

Izuku quickly shook his head, smiling. "It's okay, really! You can have it! I have a couple from their past jobs! Really!"

"Sweet! Wait, do you have any extras of those?!" Koichi asked, eyes bulging.

"Uh-"

"Okay, that's enough about the Phantom Thieves! I'm sure Midoriya's got a train to catch!" Pop step sighed, stepping out from behind the curtain in a hoodie.

"Ah-Right! I gotta go!" Izuku waved to them one last time. "I'll see you guys later!"

"Ah, thank you so much for coming today Midoriya-kun! You don't know how important it is that we do some testing today!"

Izuku swallowed the lump in his throat as Hatsume Mei's eager grin stared back at him. "Happy to help, Hatsume-san…" He said, mentally preparing for what was likely to be a painful day. While it wasn't something he looked forward to, he couldn't deny that Mei's inventions had been quite helpful to him and his team up to this point. He wanted to repay her how he could.

Even if it meant quite a bit of soreness in the days to come.

"Today we won't be testing anything new, it'll be a rerun through all of my previous projects!" Izuku was mildly surprised to hear that, Mei typically having a gaggle of new equipment at the ready. "Next week is the Sports Festival, and I need to make sure that any equipment I take in is ready to go!"

"Oh, right! You're participating in the festival!" Izuku's eyes sparkled with interest upon hearing that.

"That's right! It's important that everything is perfect, too!" Hatsume placed a familiar pack on the bench next to them, tinkering with several buttons on the back. "The Sports Festival is the perfect place to show off my babies to the world! There'll be companies, sponsors and agencies watching! I've got to make sure I put on a good show for them!"

Izuku knew the importance of gaining sponsor attention for UA students was important to their futures. It meant job opportunities and a secured future for many of them. Though he had only really looked at it from a potential young hero's point of view. It made sense that this was a big opportunity for someone like Mei.

"I see. Then I'll do my best to make sure it's all ready to go!" Izuku said, excited to provide what help he could knowing the importance of their testing for today.

"That's great! Because we're going to put multiple items to the test at once!"

"... Eh?" Izuku felt sweat trail down his face as Mei slapped the pack onto his back, her crosshair eyes glistening with opportunity.

"I have to be able to use these items on the fly Midoriya-kun, so that means being ready to use each one back to back!" Mei grinned, standing in front of him with her pearly whites showing. "Today's testing will be a combination of testing input lag as well as estimating proper reaction speed needed to activate the next baby!" Mei placed a pair of her hover boots on the ground for him, motioning to them. "So be sure to use each of them in quick succession of one another, alright?"

"G-Got it…"

"That was terrific data, Midoriya-kun! That'll be it for today!"

Izuku slouched over, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. While it might have been a workout (a panic inducing one), the tests had gone relatively well. Mei had worked out many of the previous kinks to her tech that had caused him some pretty painful moments before, and aside from a couple of slow inputs that caused a small crash (he was getting too used to this) things were relatively painless.

"Yeah… happy to help…" Izuku breathed out, raising his head and offering a shaking smile.

"I feel a bit guilty as I don't have anything to offer you today Midoriya-kun, but I'll be sure to make a baby for you next time that'll blow you away!" Mei said as she began to pack her things up.

"It's okay. I know you're focused on the Sports Festival." Izuku nodded in understanding before offering a kind smile. "I'll be cheering for you!"

Mei stopped packing for a moment, looking back at him silently. Her energy was gone from her gaze as if genuinely surprised by his words. Izuku wasn't sure what that look had been, even as her cheeks dusted a bit red.

"Thank you, Midoriya-kun. It's… been nice having your help." A wide smile spread across her lips, her affection shining through this time. "It's nice having someone in my corner!"

Izuku returned the smile, though he did linger on her words a bit. "I'm sure you have more than just me…"

"I have a few friends and Power Loader-sensei who support me, but most leave me to my devices." Mei turned back to her equipment, calibrating the pack once again. "My parents let me do as I please, but it wasn't so much as support and moreso to keep me from bothering them."

Izuku frowned, but remained silent. Mei said such a thing rather casually, but her lips had straightened into a line as she spoke. "I wanted to show my babies off to them and hoped they would like them. But they…"

Mei shook her head, sweat trickling down her cheek as she awkwardly scratched her cheek with her index. "I'm sorry, Midoriya-kun! I went and brought things down!"

"N-No no, it's okay…" Izuku waved his hands, not wanting to make her feel unable to talk. "I don't mind, really."

"... Thank you." Mei slowly smiled again, turning to the pack and picking it up. "Anyways, all that was to say that I definitely value our work together! You've been a wonderful guinea pig and I hope you know that!"

There goes that term again! Izuku thought to himself but let out a chuckle. He could feel her genuine kindness in saying so, even if she didn't mince her words too much.

*SMASH*

Fortune Confidant: RANK FIVE

"It feels like it's been a dog's age since we kinda did this, huh?" Ann grinned at Izuku as they walked through Inohashira Park.

"Yeah, it has been! Sorry that we haven't had time to hang out lately, Ann-senpai." Izuku smiled back at her, the two soon arriving at their familiar spot to relax.

"Aw, look at the little duckies! They must be a family!" Ann said pointing to the lake, seeing a mother duck leading her ducklings around. "Gosh, it's just such a nice day out. I could stay here for a while…"

"It is nice. We finally get to relax a bit now that the Palace is handled." Izuku sighed in relief, taking a seat on the wood railing and hunching over.

"No kidding. Plus, it's nice to get away from all that hustle and bustle of Shibuya, ya know? Though it's honestly not even that far from here." Ann giggled, taking a seat next to him. "Honestly this place still kinda confuses me. It's so congested half the time with people, stores and buildings. But we still have a nice park like this nearby. It's almost a little scary to think about."

"Really? I guess I hadn't thought of it like that." Izuku admitted. "It wasn't that different where I lived. Though it's definitely a lot busier."

"Oh right, you're new to Tokyo too! I almost forgot." Ann crossed a leg over the other, looking at him inquisitively. "So not that different, huh? Are you already pretty adjusted then?"

"For the most part. It does feel odd to take the train as much as I have lately, though." Izuku admitted, laughing a bit sheepishly. He had to do a lot of public transit for his rather large number of confidants.

"That's good. It took me a good while to get used to things after moving to Tokyo, to be honest. Even though most people seem adjusted to all sorts of different looks nowadays, apparently being a foreigner still throws kids off." Ann admitted, pursing her lips as she thought about it.

"It does feel odd that you have to deal with that kind of thing nowadays… Though…" Izuku thought back to his own experiences in elementary and middle school, sighing. "I can relate."

"Really? .. Oh right!" Ann's eyes shot wide in realization. "Was it because you were Quirkless?"

"Yup. Most other kids were really mean about it. I guess if it's not one thing, people will find another reason to be cruel." Izuku sighed before shaking his head. "A-Ah, sorry! I didn't mean to bring down the mood!"

"Oh, no you're perfectly fine! In fact, that makes me feel a bit closer to you if I'm honest!" Ann smiled, surprising Izuku. "You probably had to deal with a lot more than I did, if I'm honest. I was mostly just left alone or kind of treated like a "unicorn". I guess that just continues the trend of us being the odd ones out, right?"

Ann's giggle was infectious, Izuku's cheeks turning red as he shared her mirth. "Yeah, I suppose it does."

"Thankfully I had Shiho to make things easier on me. She was the first person to approach me without that same look most people kept giving me." Ann sat up, eyes nostalgic. "The first time we met, it was during art class. We had shared the class for a while and of course we all had some projects to work on. I made a piece for the class and you know what she said? … "Wow, Takamaki. That piece really sucks'."

"Eh?!" Izuku was completely taken off guard.

"Right?! It was so mean!" Ann laughed and smiled. "But that's how we started talking. And from then on, we were best friends."

"I see. I'm glad she reached out to you Ann-senpai. She's a great friend." Izuku said, hoping that things were still the same for them lately.

"She is. We're back to talking like we used to finally, though there's still…" Ann shook her head. "Oh, darn it. That's not why we're here! I actually had some really cool news to share!"

Izuku had to recoil a bit when Ann drew a bit closer, face heating up. "Wh-What is it?!"

"Oh, sorry. Got a little excited." Ann giggled, backing up and grinning. "So~, you know how I've been modeling quite a bit on the side, right? Well, I actually just recently got a call from a really big agency! I thought you might be interested quite a bit in who…"

"Eh? Really?" Izuku asked, not really familiar with any models. However… "Did a celebrity hero agency call you?!"

"That's right! And not just any agency, I got it from Uwabami's agency!" Ann grinned, happy to see Izuku's eyes sparkling in awe.

"No way, Snake Hero Uwabami wants you to model for her?! That's amazing!" Izuku had at some point drawn out his hero notebook, flipping through its pages. "She's a surprisingly hot figure when it comes to heroes having side jobs and being in the spotlight! This is a big deal!"

"I thought you'd like that! I'm pretty excited myself!" Ann smiled, pumping her fist. "It'll be the second pro-hero I'll get to meet, and this time a celebrity! I can't wait! Plus~ I'll get to rub it in Ryuji's face after, so don't tell him!"

"I'm really happy for you, Ann-senpai! That's a big opportunity!"

"Thanks! But that's not the only thing I wanted to say. Would you like to come with?" Izuku's jaw slacked, eyes sparkling.

"A-Are you sure?!"

"Yeah! They said I can bring a friend as long as you don't interrupt the set! Knowing you, we'll be just fine." Ann giggled. "Honestly I'd offer to bring Ryuji too but I feel like he would get in the way."

Izuku laughed sheepishly, not able to completely deny the accusation. "I'd be honored to go! When is it?!"

"It'll actually be right after the Sports Festival! The agent said they're waiting to see some of the students from UA as well before calling us together for some work!" Ann explained.

"I see… Yes, I'm definitely up to go!" Izuku nodded, looking forward to the chance of meeting a pro-hero.

"Awesome! Honestly, I'm happy to have you come. I'm pretty nervous about it, so it'll be easier to know I'm not alone there." Ann admitted, a kind smile spreading across her lips. "You're a good friend, Izuku. And I think you really help me feel more courageous at times."

Izuku blinked, cheeks going a bit red upon hearing that and having a hard time responding. "T-Thanks, s-senpai… You do the same for me though."

"I do?" Ann tilted her head, Izuku giving a small smile as he nodded.

"Yeah. Your confidence always makes me feel better. Makes me want to be more open at times. Easier said than done though, right?" He laughed shyly, scratching his cheek.

"Wow… Thanks, Izuku. That makes me feel good to know too." Ann giggled with a bit of shyness as well. "We'll keep supporting each other for confidence and courage then!"

"Yeah!" Izuku and Ann soon bumped fists, Izuku glad to have spent this time getting closer with Ann again.

*SMASH*

Lovers Confidant: RANK FOUR

"WAIT!" Izuku felt like he had just been slapped by a thought.

"W-WHAT?!" Ann recoiled, shocked by his outburst.

"I totally forgot to tell you! I-I met Rabbit Hero Mirko a few days ago!" Ann's jaw slacked in shock.

"You did?! And you didn't tell me?! I'm so jealous! How did you meet her?! Was she fighting a villain?!"

"N-No! She was… actually fighting a friend."

"Huh?!"

"It's a little complicated…"

"Well still, I'm jealous! Did you get an autograph at least?!"

"N-No… I was so caught up in what happened I completely forgot…" Izuku slouched over, clearly disappointed in himself for the mistake.

"Darn it… Well if your friend meets her again, you've gotta let me know! I want her autograph more than anything!" Ann said, putting her hands together.

"Damn… my stamina's pretty shit now…" Ryuji huffed, hunched over on his knees.

"Really? You seem to hold up in the Palaces well…" Izuku mentioned, taking a moment to catch his breath. The two had met up at a gym in Shibuya, Ryuji wanting to give them another place to work out now that they'd lost his spot at the school.

"Yeah but most of the time, we have long bits of rest in-between fights. Gives me plenty of chances to catch my breath." Ryuji explained, straightening up. "When it comes to my Quirk, I gotta have better stamina. It makes it way easier to keep my speed up for longer. Still got a while to go before I get to where I was."

"I see. How long could you maintain your speed for?" Izuku asked, genuinely curious about the difference.

"Up to four or five seconds I think? Might not seem like much but you've seen what I can do with just one or two seconds."

"No, that's incredible! At the speed you can go, maintaining that speed is an achievement." Izuku's eyes dazzled as he thought of the possibilities.

"Heh, thanks. I guess it was pretty impressive." Ryuji grinned bashfully, only to quickly drop it. "But still, I'm a long way off from where I was. Even with the knee brace your friend gave me, it still doesn't help me maintain it like I used to. Sad to say, it's a stamina problem."

"Sakamoto?" Izuku and Ryuji turned to see someone approach, a relatively normal looking young man, likely a year or two older than them.

"Ikeda-senpai? Wow, it's been a while." Ryuji greeted him, stuffing his hands in his pockets before looking over at Izuku. "Hey, this is my former senior from the track team last year, Ikeda-senpai."

"Ah, I'm Izuku Midoriya! A friend of Ryuji-senpai's." Izuku bowed politely.

"Taking in a junior to look after? I'll be damned." Ikeda chuckled, smiling at Ryuji. "Good to see that you seem to be doing better now. I was afraid you might not be too popular after last year."

"O-Oh. Right, about that senpai… I'm real sorry how things turned out." Ryuji frowned in apology, Izuku soon realizing he had been there for what Kamoshida had done.

"Ah, you've got nothing to apologize for Sakamoto. In fact, I should be apologizing to you." Ryuji and Izuku's brow raised, Ikeda lowering his head. "I failed you guys by keeping quiet the way I did. You deserved better than what Kamoshida did to us."

"N-no, you got nothin' to apologize for! You were doin' it because Kamoshida was gonna give you a college rec, right?"

"Meh, having thought about it, I doubt he was ever going to actually do that. He was just using it to keep me and the other seniors in line. In the end, he just avoided anything like that by making you take the fall for the track team."

"O-Oh… still…" Ryuji could see his point, something Izuku was glad someone else was able to say, but seemed hesitant to fully accept it.

"Seriously, you shouldn't have to be holding that burden. It wasn't your fault. If anything I should be thanking you for that. I'm actually attending a really good university for track still, even with what happened last year." Ikeda tried to reassure him. "Besides, I heard the track team is getting reinstated. So all's well that ends well, right?"

"Huh?" Izuku and Ryuji blinked, sharing a look together. "Forreal?!"

"Oh, you haven't heard? I don't even go to Shujin and I heard about it." Ikeda said, genuinely surprised. "I heard Yamauchi's the one trying to get it done."

"Wait… Yamauchi? That Yamauchi?!"

"Who's that?" Izuku asked, confused.

"Yamauchi was Kamoshida's assistant coach to us at the time." Ikeda explained first.

"Basically his lapdog." Ryuji clicked his tongue.

"Yup, the very one. Still, he volunteered to help get it going again. Since Kamoshida confessed to all the crap he did to us, I think the school's probably more than happy to let it get going again."

"I see…" Ryuji still sounded reserved.

"I know the others might have a tough time letting go, but you should see if you can talk to the others about it. No reason for you guys to keep bad blood, right?"

"Well, that's up to them I guess…" Izuku frowned, knowing full well that was a very unlikely possibility.

"I hope you guys can work it out. And if you see them, tell them I say hi. It was good to see you, Sakamoto and I hope you guys work things out." Ikeda gave a small nod of his head to them both before taking his leave.

"Yamauchi, huh?" Ryuji almost spat at the name.

"Was he that bad?" Izuku asked, raising a brow.

"He was basically a mini-Kamoshida. He just couldn't get away with shit like Kamoshida did, so he'd be a real kiss-ass in front of the parents and then be a complete ass when it was just him." Ryuij explained, crossing his arms. "I'm real happy for Nakoaka and them, really… but Yamauchi…"

"If he's anything like Kamoshida, I can see why you're concerned." Izuku nodded, brow furrowing in concern.

"Exactly. I can't stand the idea of him bein' the advisor to it, that dick. He doesn't even teach PE!" Ryuji kicked the ground with his heel in frustration. "I'm gonna do some research. Hear what's goin' on with that jerk and the rest of the track team.I don't trust that he's not up to somethin'."

"Ok. Let me know if you hear anything. We can take care of it together." Izuku said, brow furrowed.

"Heh, thanks man. Always know I can count on ya to help me out." Ryuji grinned, bumping his knuckles into Izuku's shoulder. Izuku nodded, happy to have Ryuji's full trust and to return it when needed.

*SMASH*

Chariot Confidant: RANK FIVE

"Damn, I'm tired. Still, helluva workout. Glad we went for a bit longer too." Ryuji stretched his arms above his head as he and Izuku walked through Shibuya now, heading home.

"You two must have been working hard because I can smell you both." Morgana chuckled, having rejoined them soon after their workout.

"It was pretty hot inside the gym, so we definitely worked up an extra bit of sweat." Izuku chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well then the first thing on the agenda when we get back to Yongen is to hit the public bath."

"I think Izuku's got that handled on his own, cat." Ryuji rolled his eyes. Before Morgana and him could fall into their typical back and forth, several of the jumbo screens above echoed with the familiar news jingle.

"Breaking News: We're coming to you with a leaked video released to our media outlet by an anonymous source. A couple weeks ago, one of the last bastions of the nearly extinct yakuza groups, the Eight Precepts of Death, were cracked down on by the Nighteye Agency."

The three came to a sudden stop, looking up at the monitors with curious eyes.

"-But as this leaked video will reveal, it seems that the downfall of the Eight Precepts may have been brought about by a third party. Play the tape."

Izuku, Ryuji and Morgana felt their eyes nearly pop out of their heads when they saw Chisaki on the screen, a police officer standing behind him and Sir Nighteye across the table from him.

"No effin' way…" Ryuji mumbled, sharing a glance with Izuku.

"You're finally ready to confess?"

"Yes… I need to confess… for the terrible things I did." Chisaki's voice sounded drained of will and energy, his bare face and sorrowful eyes a far cry from the heartless monster they fought in the Palace weeks back. "I did… horrible things to that girl Eri. All in the name of a… a false future. A pipe dream for criminals. I tortured and… twisted her body to suit my needs…"

Izuku and Ryuji heard their phones going off, quickly drawing them out to see that the group chat was being blown up by everyone.

Ann: Are you guys seeing the news right now?!

Makoto: Someone leaked his confession?! Who?! How?

Yusuke: Am I missing something? What confession?

Bakugou: What the fuck?!

I killed countless men in the name of keeping ourselves veiled in shadow… And only now do I… I realize what a monster I was. I thought this world was sick, but… but it was me… I was the one who was sick. Sick of losing. Of being a nobody. Of seeing my old man be considered a nobody. So much so I… I put him into a coma. So I'd have no one to stop me from putting his own granddaughter through my experiments. I… I have to beg his forgiveness. I'll be begging for it until the day I die…"

Chisaki crumbled onto the interview table in the last moments of his confession, the feed cutting back to the news anchor.

"That was Kai Chisaki, former Eight Precepts clan leader of the now defunct yakuza clan. His confession is very reminiscent of the confessions of both the disgraced gold medalist Suguro Kamoshida and the plagiarizer Ichiriyusai Madarame. Both confessions were the results of a 'change of heart' by the infamous Phantom Thieves of Heart. If that wasn't enough, the video was sent in with what appears to be a Calling Card, one addressed to Kai Chisaki."

"No way… the Heroes took credit for stopping them from the Phantom Thieves?!"

"Are we really letting these Vigilantes run amok like this?! It's embarrassing!"

"Even the Heroes are getting their job done for them! What a joke!"

Izuku looked around at the suddenly amassed crowd of people, many gawking at the news and what was shown. He felt a swirl of emotions well up inside him, conflicted by what he saw and what he was hearing.

The Phantom Thieves of Heart could no longer be ignored. Not by the Public… nor the Heroes that might oppose them.

To be continued…

Thank you again as always chidoriprime for your hard work editing!

Hey everyone! I make no excuses on the wait except for that I just haven't been able to write much lately. Been kinda focusing on a few other things irl. But am happy to at least bring another chapter to the story.

I'm actually glad that I spent the majority of this chapter doing confidants. After what was a pretty Palace focused arc, it was nice to just spend time writing Izuku and his interactions with many of the cast of both stories.

I will say though, it's incredibly easy to lose track of just where I am with certain confidants. So because of that, I'm going to start posting all confidants and their current ranks at the end of chapters.

Izuku's current Confidant Link List and their levels:

Ryuji Sakamoto(Chariot): Level 5

Makoto Nijima(Priestess): Level 4

Morgana(Magician): Level 4

Igor(Fool): Level 5

Ann Takamaki(Lovers): Level 4

Tae Takemi(Death): Level 4

Sojiro Sakura(Hierophant): Level 4

Mei Hatsume(Fortune): Level 5

Mishima and Shiho(Moon): Level 3

Munehisa Iwai(Hanged Man): Level 4

The Twins(Strength): Level 2

Takuto Maruki(Consultant): Level 2

Kasumi Yoshizawa(Faith): Level 2

Kazuha Haneyama(Devil): Level 2

Yusuke Kitagawa(Emperor): Level 2

Sadayo Kawakami(Temperance): Level 1

That aside, that's it for this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed! I can't promise a quick turnover but I hope you're still happy with what we do have at the moment! Thank you and have a good one!