MHA: The Sentry

_____[POV: Ryuji]_____

The day after the day off, U.A. was finally open again. The morning started like any other day. Well… as normal as it could be for someone who basically obliterated the neighbor's roof and even caused a hole in the realm of the heavens. But hey, at least the immortals from the murim won't come hunting me.

After getting ready, I went downstairs to the kitchen, already prepared for another day of school. And there she was—my mom. The woman who could easily be mistaken for a saint.

She was finishing up my bento with almost surgical precision. On one side, perfectly molded rice; on the other, succulent pieces of meat and vegetables arranged in a way that would make any restaurant chef cry with envy.

"Good morning," I greeted, grabbing my bento and stuffing it into my bag without much ceremony.

"Good morning, dear."

Her voice had that sweet tone as always, but there was something different.

A weight.

A hesitation.

Before I could leave, I felt her hand gripping my wrist.

"Ryuji."

I paused.

"Take care of yourself, please." Her voice was firm but vulnerable. "Don't get into trouble again."

The U.S.J. incident was still fresh in her mind. Of course it would be. She almost died of worry when she saw on TV that her son was in the middle of a terrorist attack complete with lab monsters and villains with homicidal tendencies.

"You're still my son." Her voice trembled a little. "And I worry about you. A lot."

I understand that she doesn't want to lose me, like she lost my father.

And I know that behind all that strong posture and gentle smile, my mom was terrified by yesterday's incident.

I could tell her I'm fine. That I'm practically invincible. That I could split a planet in half if I wanted to.

But I still have to keep things hidden, like the invisible and indestructible barrier I placed around her in case someone tried to hurt her.

So instead, I smiled.

"Of course. I'll behave."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing a single word.

"What? I'm a model of discipline, I swear." I raised my hands in an innocent gesture.

She just sighed.

I picked up Rice Cake, who was there, finishing her damn kibble with an expression of absolute suffering.

"Why… why does it taste like sand…?" I read Rice Cake's mind, as she seemed on the verge of an existential breakdown.

I rolled my eyes and scooped her up.

"Come on, drama queen, we've got school to go to."

I turned to my mom and gave her one last wave.

"See you later."

She forced a smile.

"I love you, dear."

"Love you too, mom."

And with that, I left the house, carrying the traumatized furball, ready to face another day of unexpected surprises with me.

_____[POV: Third person]_____

As soon as Ryuji and Izuku entered the room, the class erupted in excitement.

"Dude, you were amazing at U.S.J.!" Kaminari exclaimed, throwing his arms up. "That mist villain? You tossed him into the fountain like he was a bag of trash!"

"And the guy who tried to jump us?" Kirishima laughed. "You just kicked him, and he vanished from my sight! I'm still wondering where he landed."

"Not to mention the roof..." Sero commented, crossing his arms. "Who was responsible for making it disappear again?"

The entire class turned their heads toward Ryuji.

He simply blinked, his expression unchanged. "No idea. Maybe he got tired of his own existence and decided to stop being a roof."

The class laughed, but before they could continue showering him with praise, Rice Cake, who was comfortably sitting on Ryuji's lap, became the new center of attention.

"And her?" Jiro pointed at the small white wolf. "How come she can just waltz into U.A. without any issues?"

"Director Nezu gave me a free pass to bring her," Ryuji replied casually.

"That means she's officially the class mascot!" Ashido announced excitedly.

The girls gathered around the little Rice Cake, trying to pet her and offer treats. However, in the blink of an eye, the small wolf disappeared from Ryuji's arms and reappeared on Aizawa's desk, looking down at everyone with the superiority of a canine deity.

"...She just vanished," Sato muttered, blinking in confusion.

"You guys never learn, do you?" Ryuji sighed. "Try to touch her without proper respect, and she'll evaporate faster than an adult's paycheck in Brazil."

The group accepted their momentary defeat, but soon Mina noticed another opportunity for fun.

"Speaking of concerns... Hagakure was the one who panicked the most during the attack!" Mina said with a mischievous smile.

"Mina!" Hagakure protested, her voice clearly flustered.

"Seriously, she was so nervous it looked like she was going to faint when Ryuji faced those villains!" Mina continued, laughing.

"I just... I was just worried because he's our class president! It's my duty as a student to want him to be okay!" Hagakure retorted, trying to explain herself.

"S-sure, sure..." Mina teased, laughing even harder.

Meanwhile, Ryuji, completely oblivious to any romantic subtext, raised a hand to call for order. "Alright, enough chatter. Everyone, to your seats. I'm the president of this mess, remember."

Momo, the vice president, quickly joined him. "Yes, please, everyone, settle down. We need to start the day properly."

Little by little, the students returned to their seats. It didn't take long for Aizawa to arrive, his usual tired look present.

"It seems all of you handled the U.S.J. incident well," he commented, looking around. "That's good. It shows you're strong."

The class fell silent, paying attention.

"But the battle isn't over yet."

A nervous murmur spread through the room.

"What does he mean by that...?" Kaminari whispered to Kirishima.

Aizawa paused for a few seconds, just to build suspense, and then dropped the bomb:

"The Sports Festival is approaching."

An explosion of voices echoed through the room.

"NO WAY!" Ashido practically shouted.

"The Sports Festival?!" Uraraka's eyes widened. "Does that mean we'll have to fight against other classes?!"

"It's our chance to shine!" Kirishima declared, excited.

As the class reacted, Rice Cake, who had been on Aizawa's desk, jumped onto Ryuji's desk and lay down, completely ignoring the chaos around her. Ryuji just looked at her and then at the agitated class.

"I wonder if I've already caught the attention of those three..."

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After the end of the fourth class, the break arrived, and the classroom descended into chaos due to the approaching Sports Festival. Ryuji, however, couldn't care less. He wanted to escape before getting stuck in one of those unskippable NPC dialogues from Genshin Impact.

Without a second thought, he picked up Rice Cake in his arms and left the classroom with Izuku, who also didn't want to stay in the middle of the commotion. The goal was simple: the cafeteria. But of course, fate always has other plans.

As soon as they entered the crowded hallway, something unexpected (yet predictable) happened. The crowd noticed the ball of white fluff in Ryuji's arms. In an instant, he was surrounded by a swarm of girls with eyes shining with adoration.

"OH MY GOD, SHE'S SO CUTE!"

"IS SHE REAL?!"

"CAN I HOLD HER? CAN I HOLD HER???"

Izuku, who had been beside him just a second ago, was simply swallowed by the crowd.

"Ryuji... HELP!" Izuku's muffled voice emerged from the middle of the chaos, but no one seemed to notice.

Rice Cake, on the other hand, was torn between enjoying the compliments and fleeing to a safe place.

"She looks so soft! How did you manage to bring her to school?!"

"Can I hold her?!"

"Does she like treats? I have one here!"

Rice Cake, who didn't like being touched by strangers, simply jumped out of Ryuji's arms and climbed onto his head, staring at the crowd with an expression that clearly said: Insignificant mortals, your hands are not worthy of touching me.

Meanwhile, Ryuji dealt with the questions. "Yes, yes. Rice Cake has a free pass from the principal. Yes, she's the unofficial mascot of our class. No, you can't hold her. Next question!" he said quickly, trying to fend off the invasive hands attempting to pet his wolf.

Some boys in the back looked at him with envy.

"That's not fair!"

"That should be a crime!"

"I just want to be a dog now..."

"Alright, screw this," Ryuji muttered before simply taking off into the air with Rice Cake in his arms. He wrapped Izuku in telekinesis and pulled him along, leaving the crowd behind, who stood there gaping as he calmly floated away.

"That was... humiliating yet convenient," Izuku commented, now floating beside Ryuji.

"I think I've discovered a new escape method for when social situations become unbearable," Ryuji replied, quickly distancing himself from the crowd.

After a smooth flight (for Ryuji, because Izuku was feeling a bit dizzy), they landed in a quieter hallway. That's when Ryuji noticed All Might, standing in a corner, discreetly waving at them.

"Young Fugimoto and Midoriya!" he said, smiling. "If it's not too much trouble, would you like to have lunch with me in my office?"

Izuku's eyes widened. "R-Really? Yes, of course!" He looked surprised and excited, as he always did around All Might.

Ryuji, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes at the hero. "You know this approach makes it seem like you're a rom-com protagonist trying to call the two problem kids of the school for a heartfelt talk, right?"

Izuku almost burst out laughing and had to cover his mouth to keep from guffawing right then and there.

All Might coughed, a little embarrassed. "That wasn't my intention, young Ryuji..."

"Alright, alright, let's go before Midoriya explodes from laughing," Ryuji shrugged and started walking, still holding Rice Cake, who yawned lazily. "I hope there's decent food there."

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The teachers' lounge was quiet, with only the sound of the kettle on the electric stove filling the space. All Might, now in his skeletal form, was preparing tea for his two students while Rice Cake searched for a comfortable corner to lie down and rest.

Izuku watched attentively, still trying to process everything that had happened so far. Ryuji, on the other hand, picked up a cup of tea with the expression of someone who had seen this kind of scene a thousand times before. He blew on the hot drink calmly as he waited for the real reason they had been called.

All Might sat down in front of them, assuming a serious posture.

"My real name is Toshinori Yagi," he began, his voice deeper than usual. "I believe it's time for you to learn about the true burden I carry."

Izuku immediately perked up, while Ryuji merely raised an eyebrow.

"The name of my Quirk is One For All, a power that can be passed from person to person. It is a flame that carries the accumulated strength of its predecessors, and with it, we have the duty to face the great evil of this world: All For One."

Izuku's eyes widened. "So this Quirk is... hereditary?"

"Yes, and that's why I need to seek a successor," concluded All Might.

Ryuji took a sip of his tea, setting the cup down on the table with a long sigh.

"This is all very shocking and all, but are you going to get to the point, or do I need to unlock 20 lines of dialogue first? Because if so, I'm going to need more tea."

Izuku coughed, trying to reprimand me, while All Might sighed, already accustomed to Ryuji's sarcastic demeanor.

"Alright," he continued. "You've seen my scar, but you don't know the story behind it."

Silence fell over the room as All Might clenched his fists. "My mentor, Nana Shimura, was a great hero. She fought bravely against All For One but ended up in critical condition. Against all odds, she survived but has remained in a coma and vegetative state ever since."

Izuku seemed to have lost his breath. "She... is still alive?"

All Might nodded slowly. "Yes. But her condition has never changed. I've carried this pain and responsibility with me all these years. I myself faced All For One, trying to avenge my mentor... and it was in that battle that I suffered this injury."

He pulled up his shirt, revealing again the massive scar on his abdomen. Izuku looked away, feeling the weight of the story. Ryuji, on the other hand, simply took another sip of tea.

All Might's voice trembled slightly as he spoke again: "But now... now there is hope. Ryuji, you have the power to do things I could never imagine. That's why... I beg you..."

He bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the table. His hands trembled, the weight of years of guilt and despair overflowing in that gesture. "Please... save my mentor."

Izuku was speechless. He had never seen All Might so vulnerable before.

Ryuji, for his part, remained silent for a long moment. He observed the scene, seemingly emotionless, before setting his teacup down on the coffee table. Then, he sighed.

"You really are just like they say. The guy who cares more about others than himself."

All Might raised his head, his eyes wide.

Ryuji crossed his arms and stared at him. "Fine. I'll heal her."

The silence that followed was almost deafening. All Might blinked, stunned. "What...?"

"You heard me. I'll heal her. Stop looking at me like that; you look like a dog abandoned in the rain."

All Might felt a lump in his throat. For years, he had carried that pain without hope. Now, a real possibility stood before him. He bowed again, this time holding back tears.

"Young Fugimoto... thank you so much..."

Izuku smiled, feeling the weight of the moment. Rice Cake, sensing the tense atmosphere, approached Ryuji and climbed onto his lap before snuggling, clearly wanting to comfort his owner.

Ryuji simply picked up his cup again, taking another sip of tea. "Now, if we can wrap up this Mexican soap opera, I'd like to eat my lunch before it gets cold."

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After classes ended, a crowd gathered in front of the classroom door, blocking the path of Class 1-A. Ryuji sighed, feeling an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu. The sports festival was approaching, and as expected, students from other courses had come to analyze their potential opponents. But to his dismay, most of the people there were there for another reason.

"Ahhh, so cute!" a girl shouted, holding up her phone to take a picture.

"Her fur is so white! She looks like a living stuffed animal!"

"Hey, can I hold her?" another girl asked, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Rice Cake.

Ryuji rolled his eyes while Rice Cake slightly shrank in his arms. The little wolf tried to ignore the unfamiliar hands trying to touch her, her snout trembling in discomfort.

"Looks like our mascot is already famous, Ryuji," Izuku commented with an amused smile.

Ryuji shot him a sideways glance.

"Don't start, Izuku."

Izuku just laughed before continuing:

"But, if we ignore that, the rest are here to analyze the class."

"That was already pretty obvious," Ryuji replied, sighing. "After all, we faced a villain attack... Well, at least some of us did."

The crowd chattered about Class A, but most of the compliments were still directed at the ball of fur in his arms. Ryuji decided it was a good time to provoke them.

"Listen up, you're wasting your time trying to analyze us when the outcome is inevitable. So, get out of my way—I have a coffee jelly to buy on my way home." His voice echoed through the hallway.

Izuku's eyes widened, while Class A turned to stare at Ryuji. Some people in the crowd were indignant, while others just laughed at his boldness.

"Wow... He really said that. Well... kind of..." Uraraka murmured, surprised.

"What a reckless statement!" Iida exclaimed, adjusting his glasses.

It was at that moment that a voice emerged from the crowd.

"I didn't expect hero course students to be so arrogant."

The crowd parted to reveal Hitoshi Shinso. He looked at Ryuji with a sharp gaze, his purple eyes carrying an unusual seriousness.

"Did you know that those who couldn't get into the hero course were relocated to other courses at the school?" He paused before continuing. "Depending on the results of the sports festival, some of us might be transferred to the hero course."

He paused again before staring directly at Class 1-A.

"Now that the hero course has one less student, our chances of transferring are even higher. But that also means one of you could be replaced if you perform worse than us, even with the vacancy. There's still a chance one of you from the hero course could end up getting kicked out."

Shinso's expression grew darker as he looked at Ryuji.

"I'm going to take down kids like you and your white horses."

The air grew tense. Some Class A students seemed bothered by the statement, but Ryuji just smirked.

"Kid?" Ryuji said, his gaze meeting Shinso's. "You're brave and bold... So, I'll promise you something..."

A golden aura began to radiate from Ryuji, enveloping his body with an overwhelming presence. A mocking smile spread across his face as his eyes shifted from blue to gold, glowing intensely.

"I'll show you just how inferior you are compared to the hero course."

Izuku laughed, while Rice Cake let out an excited bark. The other Class A students also felt the impact of the declaration and were fired up to prove their worth.

But Shinso felt something else—Ryuji's gaze carried a weight he hadn't expected. This wasn't just a provocation; it felt like Ryuji could crush him right then and there.

Before Shinso could speak, a new voice erupted:

"Hey, hey! Don't forget about Class B!"

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu emerged from the crowd, pounding his chest with determination.

"We're coming for Class A with everything we've got!"

An awkward silence fell. No one responded. Tetsutetsu blinked a few times, realizing he had been completely ignored.

Ryuji just sighed and dispersed his golden aura.

"Well, that was fun, but I've got places to be."

He held Rice Cake tightly and, without warning, took off above the crowd.

"Ryuji!" Izuku called, realizing his friend was leaving. "Take me with you!"

Ryuji looked at him.

"I already helped you once. Now you're on your own."

Izuku let out an exasperated sigh as he watched Ryuji fly down the hallway with Rice Cake in his arms.

Among the crowd, a girl with short black hair and cat ears watched the scene with a curious smile on her lips. Her eyes sparkled with interest as she followed the golden figure of Ryuji disappearing into the horizon.

"How fun..." she murmured, her lips curling into a feline smile.

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(A/N: It took longer to finish this chapter than I expected, mainly because I had to revisit the anime and manga. I made a small appearance of our dear cat girl; she will have more screen time during the festival. The next chapter will be out either tomorrow or the day after. I'll see you until then, I don't have much to say now. See you in the next update.)