Chapter Text
“You’re going to Kyushu? That’s the other way,” Kirishima directed.
Tokoyami nodded, picking up his things. “Thanks.”
Tokoyami had three-hundred and sixty offers from hero agencies across the country. Trying to narrow down the list to a hero that he believed he would get the most out of was difficult. There were some that were really strong or those that knew how to work the media. Just who could teach him how to get closer to number one?
Even though Todoroki and Bakugou both got thousands of offers, they made their decisions almost instantly. The former wanted to watch his father work up close while the latter just chose the one with the highest rank, number four hero, Best Jeanist. Others, like Koda decided to take advantage of the forty agencies and chose an office closer to home. Then there was Uraraka who decided on trying to cover her weaknesses by going to Gunhead.
In the end, Tokoyami settled on Morning Crow. There was an irony in choosing a hero whose name was a contradiction to his own. But perhaps that’s why Morning Crow sought out Tokoyami as well, someone of the light and someone of the dark. Or perhaps he’s thinking too deeply into it since Morning Crow was also on Todoroki’s list.
“I’ve never been outside Shizuoka before,” Tokoyami muttered as he navigated the station. “I hope I don’t get lost.”
Just then a large figure sauntered up to his side. “Are you heading to Kyushu?”
“Hm?” Tokoyami glanced up, surprised to see Shouji going in the same direction as he. “I am, I figured it would be a nice experience to leave my comfort zone.” A thought occurred to him then. “Oh that’s right, you’re from Fukuoka. Did you decide to work at an office close to home?”
“Mm, I haven’t been back since school started,” said Shouji.
U.A. wasn’t a boarding school but its reputation is so first-class that students from all over the nation competed in the entrance exam to get in. Those that lived outside the prefecture often had to move into an apartment complex just so that they could attend classes. In class A, Shouji lived the furthest away being the only one from Kyushu.
“Think I can stick by you?” asked Tokoyami. “I’ve never ridden a bullet train before.”
Shouji nodded. “Sure. If we have the time, I can even show you around Fukuoka.”
As they boarded, they noticed a lot of people looking and whispering about the students. No surprise there. Tokoyami was one of the more popular faces from the U.A. sports festival having taken third place among the sixteen competitors of the final event. People also recognized Shouji, referring to him as the one-man army from the cavalry battle though he was technically supporting Mineta and Asui.
They found a spot away from prying eyes, seating themselves across from one another so that they could talk more easily. It was clear that Tokoyami was trying to act cool, crossing his arms and shutting his eyes as he always does. But he kept finding some moment to look out the window as he minutely bounced in his seat like a little kid.
“Whose office are you going to anyway?” asked Shouji.
“Morning Crow,” Tokoyami replied. “The Lightspeed Hero.”
“I’ve seen him in action before,” said Shouji. “He works near my neighborhood.”
The train ride would take about five hours to get from Shizuoka to Fukuoka. So they had a lot of time to themselves.
Until they got there, they talked about everything they had gone through in the few short months since entering high school. It was still unbelievable that they had to face a real villain attack so soon. Shouji had been beside himself with worry, wondering about where the others had been warped to and how they were doing. The shadow mist alone was dangerous enough to nearly kill a pro hero.
“I was never close to my classmates before,” said Shouji, “but everyone in our class is really likable.”
“A little noisy sometimes,” Tokoyami remarked.
Shouji smiled a little. “True.”
The bird-man looked down at the morphed hand. His large classmate never seemed to speak with his actual mouth, preferring to use his Quirk in order to communicate and even eat. There were still some mysteries about one another that they had all yet to learn about.
“Why do you wear a mask?” asked Tokoyami. “If you’re not comfortable, you don’t have to tell me.”
“It’s not really a big deal,” Shouji shrugged.
Tokoyami took out a thermos filled with green tea, poured it into a cup and pushed it forward. “Go on.”
“You seem uncharacteristically enthused about hearing this,” said Shouji.
Tokoyami took a sip from his own cup. “Just tell me already.”
“Well you see, a long time ago,” said Shouji, “my peers in kindergarten told me that my face is really scary. There was a serial killer that was on every TV screen with a similar mouth to mine so they started a rumor that I was his son. As an aspiring hero, I didn’t want people to associate me with such an awful villain so I started hiding my mouth.”
With such a dramatic opening, Tokoyami found himself leaning forward and clinging onto every word. “I didn’t realize you could be self-conscious.”
“Well, if anyone is curious,” Shouji replied, “I’ll show them.”
The scenery outside moved at several kilometers per hour. The city had vanished, slowly transitioning into the verdant green of trees and shrubbery. After the world continued to shift into new forms for another minute, Tokoyami realized that Shouji was waiting for the go-ahead.
“Could you show me?” asked Tokoyami.
Shouji nodded though he was hesitant, not quite reaching up to remove the mask until he took a few deep breaths. But his fingers twitched to a stop just a centimeter away. His head was running with possible scenarios as to how Tokoyami would react. The most common expression he had seen in his childhood was fear. When someone would call out to him and he’d turn around, they’d recoil in fright.
“I’m sorry,” said Shouji. “I know I said it wasn’t a big deal…”
Tokoyami raised a hand. “It’s fine. We all have our secrets.”
“Even you?”
“Of course.” Tokoyami tapped his fingers on the table in between them, thinking about everything that he could potentially reveal. His nightmares of Dark Shadow going berserk, his insomnia that came as a result of that, the fact that he sleeps with a nightlight, his habit of making late night impulse purchases online, and his other habit of eating raw pasta. “None of which I shall divulge at this moment. Or ever.”
Shouji chuckled a little. “That’s disappointing.”
“Did you just laugh?”
“I am capable of that.”
It was still the first time Tokoyami had ever heard it and it seemed to have come from behind the mask rather than from a morphed hand. He wouldn’t admit it out loud but there was something pleasant about hearing his classmate’s laughter. It made him feel at ease.
They decided to kill time with some movies. Tokoyami figured he’d be bored on the train so he packed some books, comics, and his laptop. Shouji admitted that he didn’t have anything other than the bare necessities at his own place. Oftentimes, on the train to and from home, he would just nap or study. So it was a nice change of pace to do something that his peers would do.
Tokoyami’s entire selection was comprised of horror movies. It seemed predictable for that to be the case but Shouji liked that. They settled on The Call of Cthulhu and likewise, Tokoyami felt that was predictable of Shouji to choose. As they were loading up the film, they took out their bento boxes and when they saw the contents of the other’s, they nearly burst out into fits of laughter.
“Octopus sausage and takoyaki,” Tokoyami grinned. “As expected of you.”
“I could say the same about you,” Shouji replied, “apple slices and chicken balls.”
They decided to sit on the same side of the booth so that they wouldn’t have to stretch out the earbuds. The real surprise came when they realized that neither of them had visible ears. Tokoyami managed to plug it into the side of his head and Shouji had to spend a solid ten seconds trying to figure out if that was just how bird heads worked. As for Shouji, his hair simply covered his ear.
“It’s a maddeningly dark movie,” said Tokoyami. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”
Shouji missed the opening seconds of the movie because of hearing that. “I’ve never heard anyone use the word maddening.”
Tokoyami bit his tongue. “Uh… It’s a… good… movie. I meant.”
“I liked what you said before more.”
They spent the remaining few hours like this. They talked about food, films, and what to expect in their on-the-field training. It was weird but in the classroom, they felt they had to maintain stoic expressions and quiet demeanors. They even preferred not to speak unless spoken to. Except when it came to Koda who was a great listening ear. But it was easy to lower their guards when it was just them. It showed just how quickly they’d come to trust one another.
Finally, the train pulled into Fukuoka station. The students grabbed their hero costumes and travel bags, quickly disembarking. As they stepped onto the platform, there was a flash of light and a muscular man in a white, feathered bird mask and a Japanese sword attached to his waist appeared in front of them.
“Welcome, Tsukuyomi!” the man boomed.
The entire platform stopped to look. A second of silence passed before the people erupted into excited chatter about seeing a pro hero.
Name: Asahi Hatori
Hero Name: Morning Crow
Quirk: Lightspeed; he’s able to move at incredible speeds, leaving streaks of white light in his wake. His bones are also lightweight so it’s easy for him to maneuver his body through tight turns and spaces though he wears a special suit that sends a buzz whenever he’s getting too close to another physical object so as to not crash into them.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” said Crow, grabbing Tokoyami’s free hand in both of his, shaking it firmly. “I’m Morning Crow!.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” Tokoyami replied, eyes still bugging out by the abruptness of the entire situation. “But, um, I thought I was going to meet you at your office. I didn’t know you were going to come see me here.”
“I got impatient,” Crow replied before looking up at Shouji. “Ah, you were in the sports festival too, weren’t you?” He laughed boisterously as he shook the other boy’s hand as well. “That’s why you looked so familiar! You’re a Fukuoka local!”
Shouji was just as shocked as his classmate. “You recognized me?”
“Of course! Not many kids have your stature and face,” Crow chuckled.
The students realized what was bothering them. The pro hero wasn’t completely there, it was like he was a hologram. But the truth was, they were speaking to an aftershadow of the real Morning Crow. He was taking selfies and giving autographs to the others at the same time as welcoming the students. So they decided to move to a more private area.
Shouji was allowed to follow along and he was curious since this was the first time he’d ever spoken to Morning Crow before. The impression that the Lightspeed Hero gave was serious and noble, someone who made quick work of villains with his never-dull blade. But the man that stood before them, laughing as much as he was, didn’t fit that image whatsoever. He also had time before his scheduled meeting.
They found a quaint cat cafe where they could talk. Purring felines rested on the seats, booths, and the bar, curling up beside the few customers there. Not many people frequented that neighborhood and those that did, were there for the peace and quiet so no one bothered the trio that got three coffees and sat in a corner booth.
“Let me start,” said Crow, “by telling you why I nominated you.”
Dark Shadow appeared from his host’s back. “There’s a reason other than impressing you?”
Crow nodded, tearing open a little bag of sugar cubes and dumping all of it into his chai latte. The very opposite of Tokoyami’s pitch black mug. “You see, watching you in the sports festival, I could tell that you’re a very reserved and serious kid. In other words, I chose you because you’re boring.”
“What!” Tokoyami actually squacked.
Shouji snorted, covering his mouth as his shoulders convulsed, trying to stifle his laughter. It was the first time he had to do such a thing.
“What I mean is, you’ve replaced having fun with your goals of becoming a hero,” Crow clarified. “Being serious about hero work and striving for number one is great. But if that’s all you ever think about, you’ll lose sight of other important things in your life.”
Tokoyami remembered that Morning Crow had also scouted Todoroki. That must meant that they were chosen for the same reason.
“What about Bakugou Katsuki?” asked Tokoyami. “I feel like he’s even more narrow-minded than we are.”
“No, it’s clear that he gets joy out of combat and victory,” Crow replied. He knocked back his cup of coffee as though he was chugging it. But it only made contact with his lips for five seconds before it was drained completely. The cup was empty when he slammed it back down. “So he’s having fun… not the kind of fun I’m into, but fun.”
Neither student could deny that.
“Plus, I can only nominate two students max.”
Shouji had to leave then but he wished Tokoyami luck. After the telltale jingle signalling that he had gone, Crow pulled out a map of the prefecture. Every hot tourist destination was marked, circled in red marker. They also had post-it notes explaining what each location had to offer.
“Okay, so where do you want go first?” asked Crow. “Some places are popular date spots too so you can invite your boyfriend.”
“B—Boyfriend?!” Tokoyami blushed.
Underneath the bird costume, Crow’s pupils darted towards the window, watching the receding form of Shouji’s broad back. “Wait, am I wrong? You two seemed so comfortable in each other’s presence that I thought for sure…”
“Sh—Shouji and I are just friends,” stammered Tokoyami, “I—I can assure you of that.”
Dark Shadow made another appearance. “But would they make a good couple?”
Crow’s entire training regiment involved helping Tokoyami become more comfortable with who he was so that he wouldn’t be so closed-off around others. The best way to do that was to have someone they’re already really close to as a framework. Usually, people that close would certainly make good romantic partners. But Crow didn’t want to start things off by making things awkward.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed,” said Crow. He folded up the map, sliding it into his suit. “Why don’t I show you around town?”
Tokoyami was told to change into his hero costume in the bathroom. After he suited up in his black cloak, he and Morning Crow stepped back out onto the street. It was then that Crow explained that his sidekick, Aquila, was his eyes in the sky. When a villain attack happened, he would be contacted and then immediately take off to fight.
“So I usually don’t do ordinary patrols,” Crow explained.
Tokoyami had done some research in class. A quick Google search on the pro hero resulted in a bunch of social media results of people posting about seeing or meeting Morning Crow at the mall, amusement parks, or in restaurants. He was never seen in his civilian clothes because no one knew how he looked like. Did that mean patrols were replaced with hanging out with fans and having the “fun” he spoke of?
“Hero work really is diverse,” Tokoyami commented.
Morning Crow threw his head back in laughter. “You got that right!”
“What if,” said Tokoyami, “I don’t want to be a hero like you?”
Crow rubbed at his chin in thought, knowing that this was a genuine question and not an attack on how he worked. “Well, it’ll be up to you in the end. But you have a week to learn what you can from me. So either way, this will be an experience that will guide you in your hero career. In what direction, even I don’t know.”
For that day, they would do a regular patrol. It was a fundamental for most heroes so it was important for Tokoyami to get the experience of. But with such a well-known and friendly hero by his side, they got a lot of attention, getting stopped multiple times. Before long, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in streaks of bright orange and red, so Crow decided to take his charge to the hotel he had arranged for the student to stay at for the week.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow at eight,” said Crow, returning from the front desk.
Tokoyami took the room key from his mentor. “Thank you.”
It was a slow day. There weren’t any villain attacks but it was clear that the civilians were happy upon seeing their local savior walking around. Perhaps going around and having fun yielded the same effect in town. Well, Tokoyami would find out the next day when they followed the schedule to go to Fukuoka castle.
“By the way,” Crow continued, “you’ll get to meet my sidekick tomorrow as well so be sure to give a good impression. Although I don’t doubt you’ll get along. Aquila’s also a pretty serious fellow no matter how much I try to get him to loosen up.”
“But he still works with you?”
“He says it’s to keep me in line.”
That didn’t surprise Tokoyami whatsoever. During their entire patrol, Morning Crow was doing more flirting and picture taking than protecting. He even decided that the first lesson to teach the teenager was to establish a signature for autographs.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Tokoyami bowed. “Have a good night, Morning Crow, sir.”
Crow returned the gesture with a broad smile. “You too, Tsukuyomi!”
Tokoyami was wondering if he had chosen the right agency to work for. He still hadn’t even seen the hero’s office yet. But the decision was already made so he was going to take the most from this work experience. If there was going to be anything to take from it.
The hotel room was high-class. Windows on the far wall, overlooking the city. A soft, freshly made bed against the center of the wall with nightstands to either side. A lamp in the corner, a television set on the opposite end, and a small shower next to the front door. Before he could even remove his shoes to walk on the scarlet carpeted floors, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
* BUZZ *
[Shouji]: I was let off early. Where are you staying?
Tokoyami stared at the screen for the longest time. All he could think about was what Crow had said earlier that day. So as soon as he dropped his things and closed the curtains to darken the room, he face-planted right into the bed. Anything to avoid responding for the moment.
“He’ll worry if you don’t reply soon,” Dark Shadow remarked.
“I will turn on the lights,” Tokoyami threatened.
Tokoyami had to get it out of his head. So he sat up, threw his legs over the side, took a few deep breaths, and then picked up his phone once more. It shouldn’t be such a big deal. It was just an offhanded assumption from someone who had been a stranger just a day ago. Nothing changed between him and his classmate.
[Tokoyami]: An inn on main street. You?
[Shouji]: I’m staying at home. You’re actually really close to my house.
[Shouji]: Have you eaten dinner yet? My mom says you can come over if you’d like.
Dark Shadow creeped in close to his host’s ears, hovering right over the bright phone screen. Like a serial killer that had just found their next victim hiding in the closet, he whispered, “You’re already going to meet his parents?”
Tokoyami turned on the flashlight and turned the phone around, blinding both himself and his vocal Quirk. But it was worth it to get Dark Shadow to shut up and retract into his body. Once he blinked the bright flashes out of his eyes, he typed back a response.
[Tokoyami]: Sure. That sounds fun.
Shouji said he’d meet him down at the lobby. It was hard to miss a six-foot tall teenager with six arms so they were able to connect quickly. As they were heading out into the warm late spring night, they talked about how the on-the-field training was going so far. Apparently, the Iron Hero, Metalhead, went on a whole spiel about the basics of being a hero and that filled up most of the day.
“I found out he doesn’t like Morning Crow very much apparently,” said Shouji.
“I can’t blame him,” Tokoyami sighed. “Crow wants to take me sightseeing.”
“And here I was hoping to show you around,” Shouji chuckled.
It sounded like Metalhead had a strict regimen laid out for the U.A. student involving scheduled patrols and one-hour conditioning periods. So there wouldn’t be much time for breaks. But that was something to be expected. It was Morning Crow’s loose ideology and overly casual disposition that was unusual in this case.
They soon arrived at Shouji’s house. Like any other suburban household, everyone removed their shoes at the entrance before crossing the threshold and onto the hardwood floors. Passing through the hallway and following the aroma of home cooking, was the kitchen. A four-armed woman in a plain white apron stood at the stove doing several things at once.
“Mom, I’m home,” Shouji called.
Tokoyami bowed when the woman turned around. “Thank you for having me.”
The woman before them stood at twenty centimeters taller than Tokoyami. Unlike her son, her face was completely exposed with her black hair combed all the way back and thin pink lips free to speak. Though it was clear that Shouji had inherited his Quirk from her.
“Welcome home, Mezo,” she smiled before directing her attention on their guest. “And you must be Tokoyami-kun. Oh, you were absolutely wonderful during the sports festival. Taking third place is certainly something to be proud of.”
“Oh, thank you,” Tokoyami replied, feeling rather timid all of a sudden.
“You can just call me Mimi,” the woman continued. “Mezo, honey, can you help me set up the table?”
Tokoyami watched the pair get to work, getting things done quickly and efficiently, functioning together like a well-oiled machine. As soon as Mimi finished cooking a dish, she would hand it off to Shouji who could reach both the pantry and the table at the same time. Another set of hands even got to work spooning rice into porcelain bowls. Before long, the sashimi, shrimp tempura, tonkatsu, miso soup, and soy sauce were laid out without spilling a drop onto the rectangular mahogany table.
“Do you want to sit next to me?” asked Shouji.
Everything happened so fast that Tokoyami was caught off guard by the question. “Oh, uh, sure.”
“Does your Quirk have to eat?” inquired Mimi, seating herself across from the boys.
“No,” Tokoyami replied. “But thank you for considering Dark Shadow.”
Shouji didn’t remove his mask at home. Mimi didn’t say a word about it either. So maybe he had asked her not to mention anything while Tokoyami was over or Shouji just genuinely didn’t take off his mask ever. Of course, Tokoyami didn’t say anything about that.
“Thanks for the food!”
Tokoyami also couldn’t help noticing that there were only two people and a table that seat four. Back home, it was a similar situation, being only the boy and his father. But unlike there, Tokoyami didn’t know the circumstances surrounding the absence of a second parent. Tokoyami decided not to bring it up for the night. It was too pleasant to ruin by accidentally bringing up possible bad memories.
“Mimi-san, your food is delicious!”
“I’m so happy you like it! It’s nice to hear compliments once in a while.”
“Mom… You make it sound like I don’t appreciate you.”
Well, even if the work experience wasn’t all that it was made out to be, at least Tokoyami would be able to get closer to one of his friends. In the past, he always kept his peers at an arm’s length. But it was nice to let down his guard for once.