MosesArk Reborn2000
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Chapter 46: Endeavour’s Agency
🕑 Added 2025-01-21 16:03:04 +0000 UTCThe hum of the city already in motion filled the air at Musutafu Station; the peak morning rush hour had ebbed, leaving behind stragglers-late salarymen leaving through the thinning crowds, Koharu' hearing how their shows tapped against the polished tiles while clerks manning the small stales and stores in the station peddled their wares, or stood lumped, already bored and dreading the rest of the work day.
On the central platform stood class 1-B of U.A. high, all nearly wearing their uniforms, alert, ready, and excited for what was to come for them as they each held their briefcases containing their hero gear. Midoriya was among the most eager of them, bouncing on his heels as he hummed, having been one of the first to arrive.
Vlad stood before them, the large man imposing as always, yet he was a man of principles and affection, something Midoriya knew their sister class didn't enjoy from their homeroom teacher as Tsu mentioned a good day with Aizawa was one where he wasn't overly critical, where for those in class B, Vlad was demanding, but just as freely handed compliments and encouragement for their efforts. Midoriya thought he was the best teacher he'd ever had, sans Ryukyu.
Koharu mentioned that the competition for that title was filled with terrible examples, but the point still stood.
"Good to see you're carrying your costumes. Ensure they don't leave your sight until you reach your destination and have a proper place to store them. You need to use the bathroom, so take it with you. We don't need stolen gear ending up sold on the street and take it from a pro; it's never a happy feeling to see the equipment designed to suit you being used to commit villainy." Vlad started, his words getting the students more protective of their cases. Tetsutetsu looked like he would fight a bear for his.
“However, I expect you all to have restraint. Your costumes aren't the type you were for Halloween; they carry a sacred promise to be worn for the service of the people and the community. So I don't want any stories about you wearing them just because understand?" Vlad warned them.
“You got it, teach!” Tsunotori replied for the group, to which the pro chuckled.
"Mind your manners, and take this week away from school to learn all you can; you only get 3 internships, including this one." He reminded them but added something. "That said, you can't properly function if all you do is work or train, so try to have some fun as well. Make some good memories."
They were dismissed, and the class immediately divided into smaller groups, which discussed their plans. Most were excited about the prospect of their internships, as outside Midoriya, who had Hado fill him in before he even got in, the rest had no idea that they would get to spend time with pros, never mind an entire week at their agencies. Who knew what they'd learn and do?
Midoriya stood between Monoma and Tokage, practically vibrating from the excitement as he hugged his case close to his chest, Koharu lazing around his shoulders. "You look like you just won the lottery." Monoma pointed out.
“Or a day with Ryukyu.” Tokage teased, and Midoriya was in such a good mood that he didn't mind.
“Don’t care much for money, and I already get to text Ryukyu whenever I want.” Well, when she would answer, it was up to debate; she was a busy woman, but he had her private number that counted for something. “Besides, aren’t you all excited about this? We’re going to be working with heroes, actual heroes!”
“Knowing how this works, my excitement is dampened by the fact that it won't let us do nearly as much as we want. We are only first years, after all." Monoma sighed. Sure, they faced actual villains, but they barely had a semester's study. As much as it pained him, he had to accept that those 'villains' must have been the equivalent of cheap plastic passed off as authentic diamonds.
“So what? This is still a massive thing!” Midoriya replied, getting laughs from his friends Kendo and Tetsutetsu. He wasn't as excited, but they were still looking forward to this.
"Somehow, I figure you could find the silver lining even if we were just glorified unpaid interns," Kendo noted before the intercoms went off to inform everyone of which trains were coming in and where they were going, including Kendo's, which was coming in just a couple minutes. "Well, I should get going; I don't want to wait for another train."
“Same as well. It would reflect poorly on class B if I was tardy.” Monoma said as he turned to walk off in the other direction. Tetsutetsu and Tokage stayed with him the longest as he walked towards his. Still, Tokage wanted to use the restroom before she left, and Tetsutetsu wanted to wait at his platform to ensure he wouldn't miss his ride.
"Test you guys later. Be safe!" Midoriya waved them off as he jogged over to his train, which pulled up into the station. He watched it slow to a halt. When its doors opened, and those inside got off, he looked towards his first friend. "Are you ready to go, Koharu?"
Koharu nuzzled into his cheek, which got a laugh out of him as he quickly boarded the train, but as he looked for a spot to sit, he noticed something. "Stange, I thought more of us would be heading towards Tokyo."
Tokyo was a massive city, and as far as he knew, this was the only train heading in that direction for another 2 hours. Was there another? He knew class A was also present, but they met up at a different part of the station; maybe there was a train there, but still-
Koharu asked if that was really important? Dragging him out of his ever-spiralling thoughts. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s not that big a deal.” Midoriya replied with a smile. He hummed a tune and approached a free seat close to an older woman.
“Excuse, mam,” She looked up from her newspaper to see his smiling face and the large snake wrapped around his shoulders. “Is that seat taken?”
“Um, no-knock yourself out.” She replied, a little nervous about the kid, but that uniform was worth trusting…right?
“Thank you!” Midoriya sat down, kicking his feet about before he got his excitement under control; he didn't want to kick someone or set fire to the train, as electronics didn't do so well when hot. He learned that years ago with the microwave.
In his defense, he was 7 and thought that since it could get hot inside, it could also get hot outside. His mother…and the fire chief weren't so happy about it or his reasoning.
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As the train traveled to the heart of Tokyo, Midoriya took the chance to think about things. When it came to options, to say he was spoiled for choice would be a massive understatement. Still, he gave it a lot of thought to ensure that he picked the best one, having weighed the pros and cons with Hado-sempai’s advice.
She had even brought along Amajiki-sempai, and while talking to him was…a challenge, two introverts didn't make good conversation starters. Hado-sempai's presence started things and kept them going long enough for them to discuss ways he could improve himself and which heroes could aid in what way. Which, safe to say, lends to one name, what must have seemed like the obvious pick.
And standing outside the massive skyscraper, Midoriya felt a little nervous…well, a lot nervous. How could he not when he looked at the building that served as Endeavour’s headquarters. The number 2’s hero agency was a luxurious skyscraper, sleek in all the ways one would expect the headquarters of a significant multi-national business to be, lacking most of the finishings or built-in accessories that one would expect from a hero agency.
There was an exception, the front entrance was decorated with a stylized flaming 'E,' so there is " no question what it stood for. The place is Japan's second-largest hero agency when considering just the building, second only to Might Towers. Ryukyu’s place was nothing to scoff at, but when compared to what Endeavour had.
'She might as well have a 2-story family-run store.' He thought as Koharu was floored by the place. She had spent a lot of time trying, and at times failing, to understand human society and behavior. Still, for her life, she couldn't imagine a reason why one person needed a lair this big. Why wouldn't their prey, villains, see this and avoid it?
That…was a good question. While Tokyo was massive and had plenty of crime, when one looked at the data, it had statically lower crime rates than areas that didn't have as high a concentration of hero agencies, especially top agencies, as Might Tower wasn't far from here. Still, when the top 2 heroes made it clear they were there, you would think crime would be non-existent in the area.
'Well, most of it is petty stuff, the sort of crime that doesn't take much to do.' It wasn't like people were robbing banks; it was more like muggers getting wallets and phones and vanishing into alleys. It wasn't ideal, but it wasn't nearly as bad as other villainous actions…like those guys with the League and their little bio-weapon.
'If I ever see one of those again…I won't hold back and incinerate it.' Midoriya promised himself, his hand going to his mid-section where he had been ripped in two and, for the first time in his life, came close to death. It wasn't an experience he wished to repeat, and that went doubly so for others.
"I recognize that uniform," Midoriya turned to see a man whose entire face was covered in bandages as well as parts of his hands and arms; Midoriya couldn't be sure if his whole body was covered as the man wore a flak jacket and a short-sleeved shirt. “You must be here for the internship. Well, what are you doing out here?”
“Oh-oh! Sorry about that, I was just…well, it doesn’t matter. Midoriya Izuku, I’m in your care.” Midoriya bowed to the man who could only be a sidekick employed here.
"Name's Kido, and I get what you mean. I was like that when I first started working here. But you should save the bowing for the boss. I'll show you around here and get you to his office." Kido offered, which Midoriya was more than happy to take him up on as he led him inside, through the reception area deeper into the building where they found the fall packed with heroes.
Inside, Midoriya found that the space where most of the actual work was done was a wide, open floor plan with no walls or obstacles aside from several desks, all of which were manned by people in office attire or pro-hero get-ups. Midoriya could only watch in awe as pros and other workers worked like ants, quickly, effectively, and with minimal conversations.
It seemed like just about everyone knew what they needed to do, when they needed to do it, and how. If not, he could see some having wordless conversations to correct or specify, and that sort of communication skills didn't come out of nowhere; they would have needed to have worked with one another for years.
'Or maybe someone has a telepathic quirk; they would be a hero, so they'll be allowed to, and if it led to efficiency like this,' He thought, watching how fast things were done. Sidekicks marched out, ready to save lives and stop villains. 'More agencies should try it.'
"The boss would usually be the one who greets new interns, so he can get a read on them, but he's been busier than normal lately," Kido explained as he led Midoriya through the organized chaos with practiced ease. Midoriya needed to keep his head on a swivel to keep track of all the foot traffic around him. The last thing he wanted was to get in the way or knock something over.
"Oh, that's fine; being the number 2 hero must come with much responsibility." Midoriya eventually responded as he somehow managed to keep up with Kido. The pro was moving slower than usual to give the kid a chance.
"Don't I know it? Not to scare you off, but if you ever get a job offer here, be prepared to work and be proactive. The boss hates people that wait around or need direction." Kido warned him, as he might be in his first year, but his performance during the festival was impressive. But one performance wouldn't carry much favor with the boss.
"I'll keep that in mind," Midoriya replied, as Endeavour didn't strike him as the type that would hold your hand or give second chances.
"Oh, I forgot to ask, but are you in the same class as Todoroki? He should be by now." Kido's question went unanswered because Midoriya didn't want to touch that subject, and the boy had terrible luck. “Oh, there he is now. Todoroki, I'll also take you up to meet the boss.”
Up ahead was one of the people Midoriya had been avoiding since the Sports festival, Todoroki. To put it bluntly, someone Midoriya had made an effort not to see since the festival as…things were tense.
Todoroki turned when he heard his name called and saw the two immediately, his eyes widening just a little before they returned to their typical dispassionate state. “Midoriya. You got an offer from my father.”
Todoroki didn't need to sneer, yell, or do anything to imply that he wasn't pleased with the development. Midoriya could only speculate on why, as he knew Endeavour wasn't the warm sort, despite his quirk, and Todoroki did not like his father. But then…why was he here? If Todoroki disliked his father so much, he wouldn't use his fire; why come to Endeavour's agency, the top fire hero in Japan?
No, that wasn't something he could think about, never mind asking. "I did; it was the best pick."
Todoroki was silent, Midoriya having no clue what was happening in his head. Todoroki rarely emoted from what Tsu told him, and Midoriya saw that for himself. Their match is an exception to that rule. “Okay then.”
'Jeez, I figured Endeavour's kid wouldn't be any more social than he was, but that was just painful to watch.' Kido thought to himself, holding back the urge to wince as he silently directed Midoriya to continue following him. Maybe the two boys could talk later, as that was just…bad.
Midoriya moved to follow him, but nothing else was said between him and Todoroki, the duel-haired colored boy going back to brooding as he waited for…whatever he was waiting for. Still, Midoriya felt a nagging feeling in his gut that grew stronger as he walked away. Before, it had grown too much to ignore.
“Todoroki!” He called out to him, the ice and fire user turning to see Midoriya shaking like a leaf, quivering now that he had his and the attention of several other workers and pros. Still, even though it looked like a scared rabbit about to hop away, he stood his ground as he bowed to Todoroki. “I’m sorry about how our match went. I…I took things too far.”
Todoroki blinked, showing the first signs of emotion that day, that being a surprise before it faded into a sense of bashfulness. "No, if anything, I didn't take things far enough. I've had time to think…about what I want and how to achieve it. My issues are mine to bear, but…thanks for clarifying."
Midoriya wasn't one who just gave up on things, however. Maybe it was personal, but he still remembered that look Todoroki had. “If you ever need someone to just listen, I’m always ready to step up,” He offered, with his serpent friend raising her head as well. “Koharu, too, though she’ll listen if you have some fresh meat for her.”
"I'll take that into consideration. We shouldn't keep the old man waiting; he's unpleasant enough." Todoroki reminded him, pointing towards the amused Kido. Midoriya, realizing he had been dragging his feet, yelped and turned to chase after the man who turned to take him the rest of the way, apologizing when Endeavour must have been expecting.
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Taking the elevator nearly all the way to the top of the building, Midoriya found that the floor fit the earlier description of a skyscraper built for a powerful and wealthy business. Wood finishings, paintings, vases, and clean, dark red and brown carpets were all over.
One would assume all of these would be fire hazards, especially when the man who frequently walked through these halls wore flames across his face and body. Still, Midoriya detected a familiar scent in the air. His nose picked up a soapy scent as he walked by them, boric acid, a flame retardant. His mother had everything made of food at home treated with the same stuff.
Eventually, they reached the end of the path, where a large, heavy set of double doors stood. To the side sat a desk and a secretary who, upon seeing them, alerted Endeavour to their presence. The man granted them entry before they could ever knock.
Walking in, Midoriya found that the number 2's office was similar to the office space of his employees, being an expansive, open room, but that was where the similarities ended. This office was designed to suit a man of Endeavour's position, with large wall-to-wall windows that gave a clear, unbroken view of the city. A large crystal chandelier hangs above a set of couches and a coffee table in the middle of the room. A white, black, and brown rag ran down the center of the room, from wall to wall.
In the end was Endeavour, sitting at his small-looking desk; at least, it looked small when compared to the sheer size of the office, as the space was large enough that Midoriya was sure he could fit his and his next two neighbors' apartments into it with room to spare.
“You’re late.” Endeavour didn't greet them, though Midoriya expected as much from him, and it seemed that Todoroki did as well, as he hardly seemed to care or was just good at hiding his emotions.
“Sorry about that, boss. I had to handle something before I took the kid up here.” Kida covered for them, which Midoriya was highly grateful for as he didn't want to start his internship with Endeavour by revealing he chatted up his son.
"Don't make a habit out of it now. You have work to do while I speak with these two.” Endeavour replied, Kido bowing and leaving briskly, waving at them for good luck before the door closed behind him. His absence left the space feeling…tense, to put it mildly. Just like before, there was just…something in Endeavour's flames that just… no, they repulsed him. Almost as much as ice did. The same was valid with Todoroki at his side, as Midoriya stood to his right, his ice-side. It felt like the boy was letting out cold air to try and spite his father, a walking furnace.
Neither father nor son spoke to one other, just staring at the other like they wished to be somewhere else or hoped that the other would just do as they wanted. Midoriya was grateful they couldn't understand Koharu when she quipped that the young buck should challenge his father and be done with it because their 'chest beating' wasn't even that interesting to watch.
“Midoriya, I see that you accepted my offer. It was the smart choice.” Endeavour turned his gaze to the second of the two U.A. students.
“It was the best choice. And in Japan, you're the best person to seek help from when it comes to quirks like ours." Midoriya bowed to him in thanks for the offer.
"That is obvious. However, I've come to expect certain rebellious impulses from teens." Endeavour grunted, turning an irritated glare towards his youngest, who didn’t seem to care for the dig.
“Like he said, you’re the best, old man. But I have no intention of walking down the path you made. It sucks, and I would rather not, but you’re also the best person to teach me.” Wow, Midoriya wondered if Todoroki was like Tsu, bold and blunt, or if he was just that disrespectful towards his father to respond like that when Midoriya was right there.
“I don’t care what you say, but what you can do. Go get ready,” Endeavour smirked in the face of that lack of respect.
“For what, Endeavour-sir?” Midoriya asked as he would have thought they would get a tour of the building and some non-dangerous, low-level tasks to further familiarise themselves with things. That was how it worked for Hado-sempai.
“Call me Endeavour.” Endeavor corrected with his typical bite. "As for what, I already know what Shoto can do and a good idea of what you can do from your performance at the Sports Festival. So, for now, we'll skip demonstrations and have you two join me and be the best sidekick on patrol."
“…What?” Midoriya asked.
Endeavour didn't slow for him as he got up from his desk, his frame towering over both students. Midoriya was reminded why villains were intimidated by him; the flames only made them worse. "Shoto will spend the day with Burnin, who will arrive shortly. You, Midoriya, will be with me, so get ready to keep up as I slow down. I won't coddle with you, understand? If you can't keep up, I will leave you behind."
“Great teaching method.” Todoroki rolled his eyes at this, speaking from experience. Even in his younger years, his father treated 'slowing down' like a cardinal sin. Forming one of the many reasons he hated him.
‘For once, I agree. What sort of sink-or-swim mindset is this?’ Midoriya cried in the privacy of his mind. “I mean…I am here.”
"First lesson, be more assertive, boy. A hero who acts unsure and nervous is no hero. You hold the world on your shoulders and will fight villains anytime. You can't afford to falter, is that understood?" Endeavor approached, looking down his nose at him, his eyes challenging him to answer and to answer right.
Midoriya, at that moment, felt his nerves calm and his fear fade. Endeavour's words brought him back to when he saved Bakugo and the town from those villains. But especially to the USJ. He understood what it meant to confront evil and not buckle or break.
“Yes, sir.”
Once more, something flashed in Endeavour’s gaze, but it was too fast for either Midoriya or Koharu to make out. “Good, there’s that backbone from your match.” He turned to the door right as it opened, and the secretary entered, bowing to her boss. “She’ll show you to the changing rooms, be downstairs in 5 minutes. Don’t be late, Shoto.”
Todoroki didn't bother to respond to the warning, which was so clearly aimed at him. Endeavor would need to yell it to be more obvious. Midoriya didn't doubt that Todoroki would take more than 5 minutes to get dressed, but he wouldn't put it past him to sit in their changing room to irritate his father.
Again, Koharu bemoaned that they should fight already, as it was clear that the young bunk wanted to test and secure dominance. However, Midoriya didn't see it like that; he could tell that relations in the Todoroki family, at least between father and son, were frigid.
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We're back and ready for another chapter! I have to admit that the last one ran long. Still, considering its emotional weight and the expected and unexpected consequences of Midoriya's actions, it was probably the best play to limit things and expand on what was there.
This one was fun to write as well. As I've said in the past, part of the inspiration for Midoriya's mannerism is Chika from Kaguya-sama, so I tried to incorporate more of that lovable pink-haired chaos engine into this, the beginning of the internship arc, which had some changes made to it.
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I think this would be a good place to stop things, though it is a shorter chapter. The last chapter did run long, so it balances out 😊. But for real, I'm a little pressed for time and need to get started on something else soon.
