A/N: Hello everyone! It's been forever, and I must apologize for that. I've since posted a new My Hero story called Viridian, so if you didn't know, go check it out. I've also created a groupchat for the My Hero readers on an app called Telegram. We share memes and have a countdown to my updates, so if you want, go check it out.

I actually scrapped a good 11 pages of this story (so the tail end of Chapter 9 and all of Chapter 10), so that's what took so long. I realized the story was going in a totally different direction. I kept the scraps, tho. I never truly delete chapters and stuff, just move them to a different document.

There's a revision of this story coming. I combed back through and added in stuff (mostly with Shinso) and I have no idea if this site will treat it like an update or not, so be prepared for that. I apologize in advance. But I'll try to get it out with Chapter 10 just in case.

I've had a ton of people tell me that certain Old Heroes may still be alive. I KNOW THIS. Izuku hasn't really thought about it, though. it hurts him to think too in-depthly about his time in the past because he knows Bruce isn't alive. Rest assured, I HAVE A PLAN. Just stick with me, and we'll get to the fluff... eventually. And possibly some familiar Villains. I don't know much about the other Robins so I've chosen to not mention them in this story. You may read it as if they don't exist, or just that they're there but not mentioned. I'm just unsure of their personalities and the like. Plus, Izuku would be really hurt if Bruce tried to 'replace' him and gave his title (a nickname from his dead mother) to some stranger he didn't even know.

Chapter 9: Training

Izuku had been training his ass off in preparation for the Sports Festival and his swiftly approaching Provisional License Exam. His teachers were giving him a lot more work (likely to cram in a few semesters' worth of information before the exam), but they also had started treating him like an equal. He found it refreshing, and was allowed to go into the staff room for coffee whenever he didn't have a class.

That first day of classes after his Big Reveal was… odd. The teachers would sneak awed glances at him when they thought nobody was looking, and whenever they passed him in the halls, they'd send him a secretive smile, or nod in respect.

Some of his classmates had noticed, too, and they didn't hesitate in asking him about what had happened during the USJ Incident.

"So the rumors say you took on that villain by yourself!" Ashido grinned as she leaned against Izuku's desk. "Is it true?!"

"Er…" Izuku wasn't sure how to answer this, and damnit, Aizawa was smirking behind his scarf as he pretended to sleep in the corner.

"Yeah! I saw you fighting him from the stairs! You were amazing, how did you do that?!" Sero grinned.

"That damn Deku couldn't fight if his life depended on it." Bakugo huffed, and Aizawa twitched from his spot on the floor.

"Though if you recall, I still nearly beat you during our little match on the first day." Izuku smirked, and Bakugo glared death at him.

"Izu." Asui stood up from her desk and made her way over to Izuku. Then, to the surprise of the room, she bowed. "You saved my life. You jumped in front of that villain and took a hit that would've killed me." She looked up at him with a smile. "I'll find a way to repay you some day."

"Really, there's no need." Izuku sent her a gentle smile. "You were in trouble. And what kind of person would I be if I let someone I cared about get hurt?"

"Wait! So you really fought that guy alone?" Ashido gasped.

"Should I tell them?" Izuku asked Eijiro with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean, they won't leave it alone either way, so…"

"Cool. So you know that vigilante Robin? Yeah, I'm him." The room stared at him in disbelief for a moment, before laughing. It brought back some memories of his middle school days that weren't too kind.

Luckily, it seemed that Aizawa did care enough to back him up on this. "Quiet down." His voice carried throughout the classroom, silencing the students instantly.

"As if Deku could ever be anything." Bakugo muttered just loud enough for Izuku to hear.

"And for the record, he's telling the truth." Aizawa continued, sending Bakugo and a few others pointed looks. "Midoriya is the vigilante Robin, and my apprentice. So he's legal, now. This is why I asked for his help in fighting the villains during the attack—because he's got the experience needed to not die. If something like that ever happens again, and I'm not around, you listen to him."

The classroom was silent for a long moment, and Izuku fidgeted in his chair as his classmates stared at him in awe. Geez, what would they think if they knew I was an Old Hero?

"Now, let's get homeroom over with so I can get back to my nap, which you lot so rudely interrupted."

Even All Might was treating him with more respect—which was much welcomed. Hero Classes were mostly Independent study, too, so everyone had time to train for the Sports Festival.

"All Might?" Izuku asked, walking up to the man during his Heroics class.

"Y-Yes, Midoriya?" He seemed a little… scared? Intimidated? Was the name Robin really so well respected? He decided to chock it up to him being an actual Old Hero more than anything else.

"I was hoping that I could spend this class period working on some stuff in Power Loader's workshop?"

"Of course. Go right ahead." All Might smiled at him, as Izuku thanked him and went off to find the Support Course's classroom.

It was in a separate building (likely as a precaution, so if something happened, only one building would blow up, rather than the entire school). He was wondering around the hallways, somewhat lost, when he literally walked right into a pink-haired girl, nearly bowling her over. He caught her in the nick of time, preventing her from smacking her head off the floor. Izuku hadn't been Bruce's ward for nothing, and he'd picked up a few 'smooth' moves in his time with the billionaire playboy. Catching a girl as she's about to fall was one of them.

"Woah. You okay, there?" Izuku asked, a bright smile on his face. She stared for a moment as he helped her back to her feet, before smiling back at him.

"Yeah! So sorry about that! I just got too caught up thinking about my babies~!" She got this obsessive gleam in her eye that Izuku instantly recognized. Oh, she's an inventor.

"You wouldn't happen to know where I could find Power Loader, would you? This place is harder to navigate when you come in through the front door. Air shafts are a lot simpler."

"Of course I do! You're a Hero Course Student, right?" She eyed his costume. "Oh! You're the one who had the cape re-do! How's it working out? I'm the one who made your gear, though my classmates worked on your clothing. Are my babies doing okay?"

"Babies…? Oh, your inventions." Izuku realized. "Yeah! They're doing amazing! In fact, I'm here to make some babies of my own!" He grinned. She was a little eccentric, but he thought they'd get along just fine.

"Oh? Like what? Can I help?"

"Maaaaybe." Izuku smirked. "Depends. How do you feel about jetpacks?"

The girl's grin would've frightened anyone else, but Izuku shared it with one of his own.

They bounced ideas and concepts back and forth as she led him to wherever Power Loader was. They were in the middle of discussing the fine mechanics of a hoverboard when they arrived. Power Loader took one look at the two animated students and paled.

"No… Dear God… Nezu, if the school is gone by Monday, it is not my fault."

"Huh? Oh~! Hey, Power Loader! I was hoping to use my Hero Class time to work on a few things today. Would that be okay?"

"I'll help!" The girl chimed in.

"Just please don't blow anything up." He sighed, defeated.

Izuku was somewhat offended. "I'll have you know, that I only blow things up on accident when I'm making explosives. And I've gotten a lot better, too. I haven't blown anything up since the motorcycle incident!"

Power Loader shifted, uncomfortable. "I didn't mean you, Midoriya." His gaze shifted to the pink-haired girl whose name he'd forgotten to ask.

"Come on! I only blow up something twice a class period!" She huffed, and Izuku had to stifle his laugh.

"Maybe I can help? If we work together, we're sure to create some wonderful inventions without giving Power Loader grey hairs."

"If you can keep her from blowing up things until the Sports Festival, I'll give you your own workshop, Midoriya." Power Loader promised.

"Really?! Oh, and you can just call me Robin, if you want. Or Dick. Either work." Izuku shrugged.

"Dick?" He questioned, confused.

"It's an American nickname for Richard—no clue why. But I went by it when I was with my mentor."

"I like the name Robin! I'm Hatsume Mei!" The girl introduced herself with an excited grin.

"Midoriya Izuku, Hero Class 1–A. Hero Name: Robin." He grinned.

"Robin, you're free to use my workshop. Here's the key, don't bother giving it back. I know you'd find a way to pick the lock, anyhow." Power Loader smiled as he tossed Robin the key. "As long as you keep Hatsume under control, she can join you."

"YES!" Hatsume cheered.

Izuku grinned, ignoring the shiver that went down Power Loader's spine. He'd start with some of his more versatile Robin gear, before working on some of the other projects—like his bike. And possibly the Batmobile. After all, if he could build it, then he could finally drive it, right?

Maijima Higari wasn't sure what to think of Midoriya Izuku. For one, he was the Old Hero, Robin—one of the most well respected Heroes of all time (right alongside his mentor, The Dark Knight). Robin was famous for being one of the youngest heroes, and one of the notable ones without powers.

To think that that same Old Hero is actually a student of U.A…. And that same student wanted to use Higari's workshop? He was honored. This kid—for he was still technically a child—was one of Higari's favorite heroes, because of his rumored expert hacking and programming skills. Robin was said to be an incredible inventor that never got the chance to fully come into his skills.

He wanted to change that. If he could help nurture that inner inventor somehow, then by god, he would—even if it cost him a few labs.

But when he saw Robin walk in with Hatsume of all people—his own 'Problem Child', as Aizawa would say—he felt true fear. The girl was brilliant—one of the brightest inventive minds he'd seen in years—but she was also fearless. She had little regard for her own safety, and often blew up his lab. He'd quickly learned, even by the end of the first day, that she was one to keep a very close eye on.

Maybe he'd give her a lab of her own next semester just to keep her from blowing up the shared one.

But if Midoriya could curb that nasty habit of hers…

Either way, he was honestly excited to see what the two could come up with when they put their heads together. An Old Hero working with what could very possibly be the brightest Support Student he'd ever had. He could practically hear Nezu cackling—oh, wait. That was Midoriya. Never mind.

He watched the two work with the same attentiveness as an overprotective mother. By the end of the first hour, he'd lost track of how many explosions Robin had averted. He supposed he should start building that lab for the kid soon.

By the end of the second hour, the two hardly needed to speak anymore. Their teamwork was phenomenal, and Higari had never quite seen anything like it before. The two practically read one another's minds. If he hadn't known any better, he'd think that they'd been working together for years.

The end of the third hour had Higari convinced—he'd build them both a lab to share. These two would be regulars down here, for sure. With the way they worked together… They didn't need to talk to communicate at all anymore, and whenever they did talk, it was almost gibberish to Higari. Plus, Robin had managed to keep Hatsume from blowing up a single thing. Three hours, and not one explosion. That was more than enough to convince him.

Higari was certain—these two could easily take over the world, if they wanted to. He was just glad that they wanted to be (or work for, in Hatsume's case) heroes. Well, Robin had a key, now, so he was sure he'd be seeing a lot more of the two.

Maybe Aizawa would let him steal some of that headache medication he kept in the staff room.

Thirteen shifted from foot to foot. They were excited. Thirteen had grown up idolizing the Old Heroes, and the way they'd rescue people. It wasn't about publicity or fame or anything of the sort back then—just helping people. Every hero was pretty much a Rescue Hero in those days, and that's what inspired Thirteen to become one in the first place, despite having such a destructive Quirk.

To think that they would be able to not only meet an Old Hero, but teach him?! If someone had told Thirteen that at the beginning of the school year, they would've called that person insane. But here they were.

All the staff members had agreed to use the three hour long Hero Class period to teach Midoriya Izuku privately in preparation for the upcoming Provisional License Exam.

Normally, Hero Students wouldn't really start learning the ins and outs of things like Rescue Work until at least second semester (the USJ trip is more of a way to start familiarizing them with the different types of disasters and how to initially respond, rather than actual hands-on rescuing). But for Midoriya, since he was taking the exam in just a few weeks, he needed as much hands-on Rescue training as he could get—along with a crash course of how much the laws regarding Rescue work have changed in the last three and a half centuries.

Thirteen felt like they should be stressed, what with everything they needed to teach this student in such a short period of time, but they were more excited than anything.

After all, how often did one get to train one of their favorite heroes?!

Aizawa-senpai insisted on coming along—likely because of the USJ incident not too long ago. While Midoriya had finally been able to remove his bandages, Aizawa would probably still look like a mummy for the Sports Festival.

Midoriya's shoulder could pose an issue, though, but they'd address that when it actually became a problem.

Thirteen and Aizawa both found themselves impressed with just how good the kid was at rescue work already. He knew several different techniques for different kinds of terrain and disasters, and was able to think on his feet every time Thirteen threw him a curveball. Whenever they ran a scenario, he always remained calm and comforting, exuding confidence that would undoubtedly put a frightened civilian at ease, and maybe even make a few children laugh.

His knowledge of Field Treatment was astounding, and Thirteen wondered if he learned it through firsthand experience. Although the way the kid casually mentioned that it was easier to do stitches on another person than it was on oneself actually made the hero worry. Hero or not, a kid shouldn't have to have ever given himself stitches—especially without anything for the pain.

"So what kinds of injures can you treat?" Aizawa asked, eyes narrowing a little as he looked at Midoriya—Robin, as he insisted they call him in costume.

"Just the typical stuff, really. I can set most broken bones, relocate stuff, remove foreign objects, pack wounds, stitches, some very basic emergency surgery, wrap wounds, stop bleeding, you know. The basics." He shrugged. "I can also whip up antidotes fairly quickly for poisons and toxins so long as I've got my gear and a sample of whatever they came in contact with." He thought for a moment. "I should rebuild my portable toxin lab so I can do that in the field. Never know when you're gonna run into a villain with a toxic or poisonous Quirk."

"How is that basic?" Thirteen echoed, and Aizawa seemed to be of a similar mindset.

"Kid, I don't think you realize just what 'basic' medical treatment is for heroes these days." Aizawa sighed. "Wrapping wounds, making splints, don't let people with concussions fall asleep, stem bleeding, don't take the object out of someone who's been impaled, and how to use things like liquid glue and butterfly closures. That's pretty much what the fully trained hero needs to know. Everything else is what a doctor or a Medical Hero would take care of."

"That's it?" Robin blinked in disbelief. "I guess it makes sense, though. You can actually go to hospitals, here. Back in my time, you usually couldn't go to a hospital as a hero. We weren't exactly legal, especially those like myself and Batman, who had to protect our identities. That meant that we needed to treat our injuries ourselves—no matter how bad they were. And I couldn't always count on being able to get back to the Bat Cave for treatment. Plus, we couldn't always rely on medical personnel being able to reach the injured civilians first."

Thirteen noticed this early on—Robin had the tendency to refer to his time in the pre-Quirk Era as 'his time', as if that was where he actually belonged, rather than here. Not that Thirteen could blame him, what with the bullying that the child had undoubtedly suffered through. Society wasn't nice to Quirkless people, so Thirteen imagined that the Pre-Quirk Era was something like a dream world to him; a place where he could finally be normal.

"I expect that if you get hurt at any point, you will come to a teacher or Recovery Girl." Aizawa crossed his arms.

"Hai, Aizawa-sensei." Robin sighed.

"Good." Thirteen nodded. "Now in the case of a massive villain attack…"

And the lesson continued. Yes, Midoriya Izuku was an exceptional student, but Thirteen couldn't help but think that he needed some kind of rescuing himself. They'd be there for him, though. All the teachers would be. Because whether the others admitted it or not, this child was growing on all of them. He was becoming more than a student—he was becoming their friend. A part of their family. And they would do anything to protect him.

Kan Sekijiro hadn't known what to expect when he first met Midoriya Izuku. The little detail of him being an Old Hero—while exciting—wasn't really that big of a deal. He didn't know why everyone was tripping over themselves. Yeah, it was cool and all, but in the end it just meant that their student had more experience than they thought. That he was an equal.

It really wasn't fair that they thrust this mantle of practical god-level worship on a kid. At least Aizawa had the right idea. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't fascinated by the stories the kid held, though.

He, Snipe and Ectoplasm were training the kid in combat. Aizawa tagged along because he was really good in hand-to-hand.

He'd known that the kid was good. He had to be to not only be a successful Old Hero, but to be a successful modern vigilante. But that didn't mean that any of them were expecting Robin to pin Aizawa facedown in the dirt in five minutes flat. Even if the man hadn't been using his Capture Weapon, this kid was damn good.

He shared an impressed look with Ectoplasm and Snipe, while Aizawa grinned.

After two hours of hard training—Ectoplasm had used his Quirk to test Robin's ability to fight multiple enemies at once, to which the kid had excelled, while Snipe tested the kid's reaction time to a long-distance foe—Sekijiro called for a well-earned break.

"Damn, kid. You're better than I expected. We may not have much to teach you, here." Sekijiro grinned as he sat down to enjoy his bento alongside the others. Snipe laughed.

"I'd like to see how well you can shoot, too!"

"I've never actually shot a gun before." Robin admitted, and Snipe drew back in surprise. He paused for a moment before pulling out his gun and cautiously handing it over.

"You know Gun Safety?"

"Yeah." Robin grinned, holding the weapon carefully. Sekijiro could tell that this kid was very familiar with what guns could do. They may not be common like they were in the Pre-Quirk Era, but they were still just as dangerous.

He watched with interest as Snipe set up a few things for Robin to shoot at. "Okay, kid. Fire away. Don't worry too much about the sound—I've got mufflers on the end."

"All right." Robin took a deep breath before holding up the gun. He aimed, and then fired six shots in rapid succession.

Sekijiro breathed in shock, as Ectoplasm and Aizawa choked on their rice. Snipe looked like Christmas came early.

Robin hit all six targets dead in the center. "I thought you said you'd never shot one before?" Sekijiro managed to get out.

"I… I haven't. I just went with my instinct. I suppose it isn't too different than aiming with my grappling gun…" He mused, carefully handing the weapon back to an excited Snipe. "You've got to think about wind resistance, distance, force… all of it, and calculate everything in a moment. Because if you get it wrong, and the hook doesn't catch, then there really isn't much to save you from a ten-story fall, you know?"

"I'm mighty impressed, Sharpshooter." Snipe laughed as he whacked Robin on the back in a friendly manner. The kid stumbled and stiffened for a moment before grinning.

"Come on, Problem Child. You need food." Aizawa herded his student over to their eating area.

"You hating our guts, yet?" Sekijiro asked, a teasing smile on his face. They were working him hard, after all.

"You kidding?" Robin grinned up at him. "I'm having a blast! I love fighting new people—it gives me the chance to try out new techniques. You can't just spar against the same old enemies, you know?"

"You say that like you didn't take out Aizawa in five minutes." Ectoplasm chuckled, as said hero flushed.

"Nah, that's just because we were fighting in an open area. In an urban setting, where he can use his Capture Weapon to move about freely, I would've had a much harder time of it." Robin argued. "I'm good at adapting, but I'm still just a kid—even if I'm about seven years or so older than I look." He smirked.

"Don't sell yourself short, Problem Child." Aizawa argued. "You're almost too fast to see, sometimes."

"Eh, that's because I had to try to keep up with Wally." He had a fond smile as he looked up at the sky.

"That's Kid Flash, right?" Ectoplasm tilted his head as he thought. "Sometimes I forget you actually knew the Old Heroes."

"Sometimes you forget I was one of them." Robin shook his head as he came out of his thoughts. "Yeah… I knew the League pretty well. At one point, us younger sidekicks established a League of our own, but that's a little bit of a different story… I wonder how everyone took my disappearance?"

The question was probably heavier than the kid intended, but it was a hard reminder that he'd lost everyone he'd held dear.

"The old stories say that Robin disappeared one night. Nobody knew where to, or if he died or not. Many rumors sprung up, but he wasn't seen again. A lot of the heroes went out to look for him, but to no avail." Aizawa spoke quietly.

"Gotham is still around, you know." Sekijiro added, and Robin's head whipped up in shock.

"It is?!" He blinked in shock. "I wonder if the Manor… No, it's been three centuries… there's no way it'd still be standing after all this time." He shook his head.

"I looked up a few things after you told us…" Ectoplasm added. "Wayne Manor is still there—preserved, as far as I know. The mansion and the land it sits on was donated to someone by Bruce Wayne, upon his death. Technically, the land and all his possessions are still private, though nobody knows who owns it, now."

"It is?" Robin got a faraway wistful look to him. "Maybe I should visit someday…"

"Hm… You know, a class field trip to Gotham isn't such a bad idea." Aizawa mused, and Robin's head whipped up in shock. "It wouldn't be until much later in the year, though. And Nezu would have to approve it."

"If you can get me to Gotham… even for a day…" His bangs shadowed his eyes for a long moment before he swiped away a stray tear. "I just want to say goodbye."

They ate in silence after that, leaving the child to his thoughts. The kid was strong, in more ways than one. But he was still a kid. A kid who'd lost a lot. He felt a wave of protectiveness for the boy. He was alone and probably—to some degree—scared. He may not be able to help much, but he'd be there if the kid ever needed him. Because he was more than his student… This kid… Midoriya Izuku felt like family, to him.

And Sekijiro would always protect family. He shared a look with Snipe, Aizawa, and Ectoplasm. They would always protect him.

Nezu grinned as he watched Midoriya work. This kid was brilliant. It'd been a long time since Nezu had had a private student like this, but looking at the full extent of his analysis had the animal bouncing in his chair like a child.

This was going to be fun, he decided, as he gave Midoriya several puzzles and tests to see where he stood. Definitely fun.

This boy had a certain… animalistic aspect that Nezu loved. This instinct within him that he wasn't sure the boy himself even knew about. And for whatever reason, his inner… bear? Yes, he decided that the bear side of him was the one that was protective of this cub.

Because, as he got to know more about the student, he started thinking of him as his little cub. A small cub that needed to be protected—no matter how well he could use his claws and fangs.

And Nezu's inner rat was also curious about this human cub that had a keen intellect far beyond his peers.

Nezu didn't often get protective of humans, but this boy was an exception to a lot of things, apparently. Not that the principal minded, of course. It'd just been a long while since he'd come across someone that his animal side liked so much.

His grin widened. Nezu didn't play favorites.

But, it seemed, Midoriya Izuku was always an exception.

Ishiyama Ken, better known as Cementoss, watched as Midoriya Izuku leapt around the Urban Training Field like it was a playground. He looked so at home, as he swung from skyscraper to skyscraper without a shred of fear.

He was somewhat jealous. Ken, himself, was actually a little scared of heights (not as afraid as he was of water, because his Quirk made him sink like a literal rock). For the first time, he really understood why the kid was called Robin—he certainly looked like one at the moment.

He smiled as the kid let out a whoop of excitement as he performed some complex aerial flip-like maneuver that had Aizawa, who was standing next to him, pale with worry. He hid his chuckle. Looked like the kid was growing on everyone in the staff.

"Yeah! Keep going, kid!" Kayama Nemuri cheered, as she clicked a few more buttons. Obstacles suddenly jutted out of the walls of the buildings, forcing the boy to pull off some very risky—yet impressive—looking moves.

The point of this training was to hone reflexes, and Ken's Quirk was ideal for this sort of thing. He would make platforms and buildings shift and crumble to see how the kid would adapt, while Midnight would control the automatic obstacles that the training grounds came with.

Aizawa was there to catch the kid if anything happened, but from the looks of it, he wouldn't need to. Cementoss had never seen anyone look so at home at such heights—not even people with Quirks that allowed them to fly.

He briefly wondered if the boy would get along well with Hawks.

Once their snack break came around, Ken couldn't help but question the boy on the past. He wasn't even asking about heroes—though it was a fascinating topic—he wanted to know about the actual history of the time.

"So what are some of the main differences in culture and practices that you've noticed?" He asked as he took another bite of his food.

"Hm… Well, I was in America, so I'm not sure how much things have changed over there. But in general, I think a lot has stayed the same. Technology was advancing really fast—did you know? The cell phone went from this big old clunky thing to the smartphones we've got today in just a few decades!" He grinned, and the teachers blinked in surprise.

"Wait, really? I mean I know people say that technology was advancing really fast, but…" Kayama looked down at her iPhone.

"Yeah. And some independent inventors were coming up with some crazy awesome stuff! Like actual Virtual Reality, self-driving cars, smart homes… Some new phones could unlock by facial recognition, too! It was kind of scary, really."

"Honestly, Quirks have pushed humankind backwards." Aizawa sighed as he, too, ate his meal.

"Yeah, no joke." Midoriya shook his head. "I mean, the League had teleportation technology and everything! They could teleport to their home base—which was actually in space, floating around Earth's orbit, just so you know. I've been there a few times."

"You went to space?" Ken blinked in shock. Mankind hadn't been to space since Quirks came about. Everyone had been more interested in genetics than exploring the universe.

"Yep. I even know a few aliens. Like Martian Manhunter. He's pretty cool. His niece, Megan, is a good friend of mine."

"… Martians?" Aizawa blinked, and Ken was afraid that the kid may have broken him for a moment. The use of present tense saddened him, though.

"Er… yes? Actually, forget I said anything. I don't know how much you can really handle right now." Midoriya quickly changed topics, saving the undercaffeinated teacher from a new migraine. "So, you wanted to know about some history stuff, right? It was one of my worst subjects, but I'll answer what I can."

"Not a lot of information on the wars of that time period remain. You managed to write a detailed report of World War Two… Were those wars taught to you in school?" He was curious. These days, kids were taught about the Quirk Wars and how that affected the world as they now knew it. The World Wars were talked about briefly, but only Historians really researched them enough to know much anymore.

"Yeah. We were taught pretty in-depth about them." Midoriya nodded. "Pictures, videos, interviews… Bruce even took me to one of the camps, once, so I could see…" A somewhat haunted look entered his eyes as a shiver ran down the boy's spine. "I could still feel the echoes of the lives lost, there. What happened was terrible… a lot of the evil that was done has been erased from history. It was more than just killing; there was so much torture that went on… dehumanization… experimentation… I may not have seen it firsthand, but even the echoes were enough to give me nightmares… It reminded me why I need to protect as many people as I can. How simple words can change the course of an entire future."

"If you're comfortable with it, could you possibly write down some of what history has forgotten?" Ken spoke back up. He was horrified, but curious. All they really knew about World War II, now a days, was who participated, and that it was bad. The specifics on what happened to the people who had been carted off to the Camps were lost to time, unfortunately.

"Yeah! There are a bunch of things that I can remember that I can't find documentation on anymore. Unfortunately, it'll be mostly from America's side of things, but it's better than nothing, right?" Midoriya grinned, and Ken found himself smiling back. This kid was so happy—it was nice. He greatly enjoyed his company.

He couldn't stop the happy grin on his face as Midoriya went off on an excited tangent about history that had the three captivated—even if he knew Aizawa hated the subject.

Izuku was a very busy boy. While his classmates spent their free-study Hero Class sparing with each other and practicing their Quirks (or just lazing off in the case of some), Izuku was hard at work, training with the teachers.

He was allowed to call most of them by their civilian names in private—though a few remained stubbornly silent on theirs. Not that Izuku minded, though. Everyone was entitled to their privacy, and Robin of all people knew how important a civilian name could be.

Today, Izuku was eating his bento with the staff again. His classmates were still in Hero Class, but Izuku had finished up his Friday training with Nezu early, so he decided to drop in and spend some time with his new friends (even if they were a lot older than him).

"Heya, Sharpshooter. How's your day been?" Snipe asked with a casual smile—not that Izuku could see it, but he could tell.

"Same as ever." He smiled back. "Just thought I'd drop in for a late lunch. Do you mind?"

"Nah, not at all! Make yourself comfortable." Snipe went back to grading papers, as Izuku settled himself down.

"How's the Little Listener doin' today?" Yamada asked as he took a seat next to Izuku with a grin. Izuku laughed as the blond ruffled his hair playfully, and Izuku had half a mind to mess up the hero's cockatoo-like hairstyle in retaliation.

"I'm good. Nezu-sensei let me out of lessons early." He grinned. "So I decided to stop by and eat a late lunch."

"You'd better be eating at lunch, too." Thirteen warned from their seat.

"Don't worry—Aizawa's got that one covered." Izuku laughed. "He always keeps an eye on me and makes sure I eat enough at lunch. Should've seen the looks on Eijiro, Hitoshi, and Iida's faces when he stopped by our table to shovel more food onto my plate before walking away like nothing happened." Izuku laughed.

"Damn! I would've paid to see that!" Hizashi laughed, too. Snipe and Thirteen chuckled, as Kan just smirked.

"Sounds like he's taken quite the liking to you." Kan scratched at his white hair with a grin.

"I know! That's so unlike Shouta! He must really care about you, Little Listener!" Hizashi's grin was nearly blinding, so Izuku decided to go back to eating.

"Stop talking about me when I'm not here." Aizawa glared at Hizashi as he walked into the room.

"Oh, so we can talk about you now that you are here, right?" Izuku smirked, ducking under the warning swat from his dark-haired sensei. "Woah. Someone's not feeling the Aster today."

"Aster?" Hizashi raised an eyebrow.

"It's a word I made up. Opposite of Disaster, you know?"

"Kids." Hizashi shook his head.

"Oh, don't you start. You are a kid." Aizawa huffed, taking his seat on Izuku's other side.

Izuku had quickly gotten used to the way the two bantered, and enjoyed joining in. He was getting close to the staff rather quickly. He wondered how long it would take Nezu to offer him a teaching position once he graduated?

Over the last week or so, the student body had found out that Izuku was Quirkless. Many of them—gen ed especially—didn't take kindly to him 'stealing' a Hero Course spot.

Unfortunately, kids in U.A. were a lot more careful about how they bullied Izuku. Nothing physical, nothing substantial. It was quiet—the looks, the mutters, the way that kids would cut him off in line or block him from entering the library… mostly just acting like he didn't exist.

Others would glare, but they didn't dare do anything more, for fear of a teacher finding out—heroes had a knack for showing up wherever there was trouble, after all.

So in short, it really wasn't as bad as Izuku was used to. There was nothing physical, and at most there were death threats and 'go kill yourself' notes along with people messing up his things if he left them unattended for too long.

He did notice that nothing happened when he left his stuff with his classmates, so he was pretty sure that nobody in his homeroom was out to get him, which was a nice change. Even Mineta seemed to warm up to him after the USJ incident.

He wasn't all too bothered by any of it, having gotten used to much worse in middle school. He threw away the notes without a second thought, and he'd long ago stocked up on his school supplies—and always brought extras, which he hid in various locations around the classroom. He learned young to keep anything of importance on his person or at home, so nothing was really stolen, either.

That in mind, the thought of reporting the behavior to his teachers never once crossed his train of thought. To Izuku, it was manageable and tame. Nothing worth mentioning in the least.

Izuku stayed another hour after the bell rung to hang out with his teachers, before making his way home with a spring in his step. Halfway home, his phone buzzed.

Mom: Izuku! How was school? I'm going to be staying the weekend with Mitsuki. ;) Guess who's home early? I hope you and your father have a wonderful time together! Love you honey!

Izuku froze mid-step. It wasn't that he was particularly afraid of his father (he'd seen scarier shit as Robin, after all), but he was afraid of what his father could do. Specifically to his mother.

When Izuku was little, before he'd been sent to the past, his father had regularly beaten and abused him whenever he had the chance. His mother never knew, and Hisashi made sure that Izuku knew…

Accidental slips to other people were met with 'accidental' drunken rages on his mother, after which he'd apologize profusely for and she'd forgive (because she's far too nice). He promised that if Izuku ever went and told someone purposefully, or slipped to a hero, that Inko would quickly meet a very painful end.

After he'd returned from the past, he'd gained a lot more self-confidence. He'd put up a fight, only for him to pull out the old threat again. Of course, as Robin, he'd collected a ton of evidence against this man, and was fully intending to send the files to the police and heroes.

Until he namedropped the rumored 'God of the Underworld'.

"Listen here, you little shit." Hisashi growled. His mother was out shopping so it was just the two of them home. Dick glared right back at the man he'd once called father.

"I don't have to listen to you anymore. I've got more than enough evidence. You touch me or my mother again, and I'll make sure it's all sent to every hero and police agency in Japan."

"You make a single move against me, Boy, and I'll not only make sure Inko ends up dead, but that you end up in a state worse than death. I've got connections."

"Connections, huh? That makes two of us." Dick grinned. His little ten-year-old body was incredibly short, and he couldn't fight as well as he was used to (because he was still getting used to shorter limbs), but he'd be damned if he let himself be manipulated like this.

"That Quirk really changed you, brat. Fine. You wanna go against me? Then listen here. I'm not your father."

Dick blinked in surprise. "Well, that's a relief."

"But I work for him. He gave me orders a decade ago to watch over his son and steer him away from the wrong path."

Dick snorted. "Yeah, you've done a swell job of that."

"Your father is a villain, Boy, and he expects you to follow in his footsteps. Perhaps you've heard mention of his name?" Hisashi grinned a sickening grin. "All For One."

Dick went stiff and pale. He'd heard that name before. All For One was something like the villain equivalent to All Might. He was the rumored God of the Criminal Underworld, and was definitely someone that you didn't want to cross. The man had connections, and Dick was fairly certain that he'd made several hundred heroes disappear and look like accidents.

He'd need to do more in-depth research, but… Right now, as he was, he didn't have the connections to take on a villain like this. He clenched his fist in frustration.

"So you do know, then. If I disappear, you go to his custody. And Inko will die. I've made sure of it. So, boy, you won't be sending in those files. Things will stay exactly as they are, now. And the day you graduate high school, or the day I end up dead or arrested, you will become a villain under his careful tutelage. Do I make myself clear?"

Dick clenched his fist. There were so many uncontrollable variables right now. He didn't have much of a choice, here. If he made his move and arrested Hisashi, his real biological father would kidnap him and kill his mother. And Midoriya Izuku was just a Quirkless kid, right now. Nobody would search for him. He didn't have enough connections, yet.

"Yes sir."

"Good." Hisashi grinned. "Now… you've been bad. Time for your punishment."

He just needed to hold out until he made it to U.A.. The school was notoriously protective of their students—even the Gen Ed ones. And if he got into the Hero Course, then they'd surely notice a kid going missing. He'd stay put for now, but when the time was right, he'd strike.

He was Robin, after all. And a Bat had a lot of patience.

Izuku clenched his phone in his hand as he stood before his apartment door. It looked like today would finally be the day. By this time tomorrow, it was highly likely he'd be in villain custody. I just have to hold on. He took a deep breath to steel himself. Surely, All For One has nothing on Joker, anyways… right?