All For One's brow twitched - well, whatever passes for a brow on that scarred-up mug - clearly not thrilled with my dodge, but he didn't push or force the issue.
"Fine. Think it over carefully. I'll give you time, and we'll revisit this later."
He dipped a slight bow, then strolled out of the hospital room, his steady footsteps echoing behind him.
The door clicked shut, and the room's vibe slowed to a crawl - like I could hear my own damn heartbeat. I stayed glued to the bed, still rattled, but my brain sparked with new moves and possibilities.
No hesitation - I grabbed my phone with shaky hands and dialed All Might.
"Moshi moshi, what's up, Onodera?" All Might picked up, sounding thrown by me calling him out of the blue.
I opened my mouth to spill, but a gut punch of dread hit me - like this could be my last move ever. Letting me walk might've been All For One's test. That tap on my forehead? Could've slipped something in - some bullshit but dangerous Quirks - as a tracker. If I blabbed too much, if he sniffed out my real thoughts, I'd be done right here.
So instead of unloading my panic, I clamped down on my voice. "All Might, when's U.A.'s final exam?"
A pause crackled on his end, then he answered, suspicion lacing his tone. "Hmm? You called just for that, kid?"
"Yeah."
I tried to sound normal, but no clue if I pulled it off. Seconds ago, I was ready to rat out All For One's visit, but now? No dice. Whatever he did when he touched me, I couldn't risk it.
"Finals are next week after. You forgot it or something?" All Might said, still probing.
"Oh… right. Thanks, Sensei."
I cut the call before he could dig deeper.
Heart still hammering, I gripped the phone tight, staring at the ceiling like it'd cough up answers.
Then it clicked - new plans flared up. All For One's offer wasn't just a recruitment pitch; it cracked open a door to Garaki Kyudai, the doc I needed for my "special project." Meeting him legit could let me rewrite the original story any damn way I wanted, all while keeping All For One off my scent.
Double-edged as hell, though. Playing both sides - hero or villain - could bite me hard if I slipped. And Toga? This mess just got way trickier if she got tangled in it.
No way I can let this leak.
---
Meanwhile, All Might stared at his phone post-call, gears turning.
Since when does Onodera Ryuga ring me up for something this small? No - bigger red flag: his voice. A kid usually cool, even cold as ice, letting it tremble?
All Might's eyes narrowed, unease creeping in. But duty yanked him back - chaos blared around him; he was mid-mission.
"All Might! Need backup over here!"
He clenched his fist, pocketing the phone. "Got it, I'm on it!"
But he'd made up his mind. Next chance he got, he'd corner Onodera Ryuga and figure out what the hell was up. Kid doesn't do pointless shit.
---
Fresh off signing discharge papers and bolting that hospital, I tested my body's limits. Still sore, but I'd eaten enough damage by now that it barely fazed me.
Himiko propped me up as we walked - my legs weren't 100% yet - and she wasn't thrilled. I'd barely been admitted three days.
"You really wanna head back to U.A. now?" she griped.
"No choice," I shrugged. "Plus, I've gotta prep for finals and cram a semester's worth of stuff for you. Semester two, you're with me, remember?"
"Ugh… that damn rat didn't leave me any wiggle room…"
Stepping onto U.A.'s grounds, the vibe shifted - quieter than usual. Most of 1-A was out interning, and classes were done; it was past period six by half an hour. Still, I felt eyes on me - teachers, security, whatever. After that stunt, no shock they're tracking my every move.
Principal Nezu waited in the hall, Aizawa-sensei beside him.
"Welcome back, Onodera, and greetings, Toga," Nezu grinned, like he'd clocked our arrival. "I've set up a special catch-up program. Finals are a hurdle you can't skip, no matter what."
I nodded, masking any tells. Nezu's a wildcard - always watching close.
"Follow me," Aizawa said, turning toward a classroom.
Me and Himiko swapped a quick "something's off" glance, then trailed him to find out what.
…
After sorting Toga's enrollment paperwork, we got ushered to a private classroom for a crash-course review. I'd braced myself, but walking in? Still a jolt - U.A.'s heavy hitters were all here.
Nezu perched at the podium, that sly grin plastered on. Flanking him: Aizawa, All Might, Midnight, Present Mic, Cementoss, Ectoplasm. Full damn house - classes were over, so why not?
Toga clearly wasn't vibing with Nezu; she hadn't forgotten him strong-arming her into this gig.
Nezu clapped lightly, voice calm but dripping mischief. "Welcome to this special class. It's sudden, I know, but knowledge is never wasted, right?"
I nodded silently; Himiko crossed her arms, reluctant.
Aizawa shot us a look, deadpan. "Don't think this is some casual catch-up. Finals won't be easy, and I'm not waiting for you to get up to speed. High intensity - or get out."
Toga raised a brow, but I just pulled a chair and sat. Intensity's fine. Time and my goals? That's the real grind.
…
First Period: Basic Hero Studies - All Might
All Might took the podium, arms crossed, still radiating that commanding aura - though I knew One For All's scraps gave him maybe an hour tops in that form.
"Alright, Onodera-kun, Toga-chan! Time to learn what makes a true hero!"
I glanced at Himiko. She propped her chin, eyeing All Might with zero enthusiasm.
"Do we really need this crap?" she muttered. "Overpower and outplay the enemy - why the theory?"
All Might's tone sharpened. "Strength isn't everything! A real hero doesn't just lean on their Quirk or brawn - they grasp their duty!"
He slammed the board - BOOM - making Toga jump.
"Take a brutal, high-stakes fight! A hero analyzes, gauges the enemy, shields civilians, and never lets emotions override reason!"
He's not wrong, but reality's messier.
"First question! You're up against a stronger foe, and some civilians are nearby. What would you do?"
"All-in, end it fast," Toga fired off.
Fair - she'd picked that up from me, our sparring and training. Works for me, not her. All Might stared like she'd said "I eat babies," so I jumped in to douse the fire.
"Evacuate civilians first. If that's not an option, use the environment to minimize collateral."
All Might nodded, pleased. "Exactly! A hero doesn't always win with raw power! Victory's when no one - teammate or civilian - gets hurt!"
I jotted it down, slipping a Morse code string onto the page - a League hideout address - mixed with the homework. Hope he catches it.
…
Next Period: English - Present Mic
All Might bolted - form running dry - and Present Mic swaggered up, voice piercing. "YOOO! HEY, YOU TWO!"
Me and Himiko winced at the volume. The other teachers, prepped, rocked earplugs. Speechless.
"LET'S LEARN SOME ENGLISH, BABY!"
Himiko, scowling, leaned over. "He always scream like that?"
"Yup. No one can turn him down right now..."
She huffed, scooting her chair back. I cracked my book, resigned.
Class flew - vocab and real-world convo drills. Mic rapid-fired English questions, demanding instant answers.
"HEY! Villain's hitting a bank - how do you tell civilians to evac?"
My bad habit kicked in - blurting loud and loose. "Oy, get the fuck out or those motherfuckers'll kill ya! Move your ass!"
Mic and every teacher froze, gaping like I'd lost my mind.
"That… works, but watch the phrasing," Mic said, deflated. "We're heroes, not thugs…"
Himiko, wide-eyed, perked up - my outburst shut Mic down, and she got every word. More into it than the stiff script stuff.
Post-assignment, I scribbled another Morse code - Shigaraki Tomura's real name.
…
Modern Hero Art History - Midnight
Midnight sashayed in after Mic, her skimpy hero getup and sultry smile screaming trouble to anyone clueless.
"Welcome to Modern Hero Art History! No dull timelines here~"
I sat; Toga fiddled with her pen, more into it than I'd figured.
Midnight pressed on. "Let's start: What's a hero, really? How's their art shown in society? Give me something."
I sighed. "A hero upholds justice, helps the needy. Their art's in how they shape the community."
"Spot on!" Midnight beamed. "Anything else, Toga?"
Toga tilted her head, unsure. "Uh…an image?"
Midnight laughed. "Yes! A hero needs power and a fitting persona. Costumes, poses, words - they sway the public."
"But…" Himiko eyed her up and down, skeptical. "Your outfit's kinda…too much?"
Midnight grinned, unbothered. "Oh? Curious about my style?" She posed - hand on hip, glasses nudged up. "A hero's look is art too, Toga-chan. Want to stand out? Get a costume that pops!"
I frowned. "Does it have to be that extra?"
"Tactics!" she declared, arms flailing dramatically. "It's not just eye candy - it maxes my Quirk. Distract the enemy, then strike!"
Class wrapped with Midnight asking Toga's hero name.
She blanked - harder than she'd thought - then glanced at me for a lifeline. Suddenly, she lit up with one I couldn't help but dig.
"Thousand-Faced Hero: Doppelgänger."