Beacon of Hope

43. Agreements

"So work-studies huh?" Bakugo brought up the topic once more as the three were heading through the heavily packed street. Just about half an hour was enough to make a difference as the evening crowd was already out. "Well, at least I get Miruko."

"You don't say. Seems like you two are gonna get along just fine." Izuku gladly added, even if he had to sit through the majority of the time, it was some time well spent in his opinion. Even then, there was something his mentor said that specifically caught his attention.
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A While Prior

"What are the chances I get to switch?" Todoroki meagerly asked, still with his hand raised after already being questioned about Endeavor three times by his to-be mentor.

"Come on, buddy. Don't be cruel...." Hawks insisted, feeling a bit wounded as Miruko struggled to hold back a fit of laughter.

"Sadly, you don't get to choose." Edgeshot explained, taking his fair share of enjoyment from the statement before continuing, "....and neither do we."
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"What did he mean by that. I thought we were supposed to be able to freely choose who we went with." The greenet kept thinking to himself, absent mindedly walking with the other two managing not to bump into anyone.

"There's one thing I don't understand though...." Todoroki muttered as they kept moving along. "When we were leaving, all three of their bowls were empty right?"

"Yeah, what about it." Izuku asked having realized that Shoto was talking about the three Pro heros. Even Bakugo was listening in.

"Did any of you see Edgeshot take his mask off?" Izuku and Katsuki shared the realization for a second, now cursed with this conundrum; how and when did the man finish his food. That too without any of them even noticing it. After throwing the seemingly senseless occurrence back and fourth for a while, the three headed their separate ways.

"Well, see you two tomorrow then!" The greenet bid farewell as Todoroki quietly replied. And although Bakugo simply waved his had without even turning back, in the very least he replied. Maybe befriending Bakugo wasn't so much of a challenge after all.
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The Next Day
Central Hospital Rehabilitation Ward

"I serious owe you one Izuku." The former Pro hero sat upright, trying his best to lower his head as an improvised bow with his compromised back.

"Please, you don't have to!" The greenet rushed to make the young man lie back, careful not to exert too much force. "And besides, I'd rather you don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Nonsense, I'm as healthy as a horse!" Tensei remarked jokingly as he went with one of his favorite phrases. "In fact, I might even be able to use my quirk again, albeit not in full throttle." The man's words left a hopeful expression on both Izuku and Tenya's faces.

"Does that mean-" The younger Iida's excitement got the best of him, getting up from his chair in a fit of thrill. But the boy's hopes were met with a somber face from his elder brother.

"I hate to disappoint you Tenya, but I won't be taking up the face of Ingenium again."

Tensei sighed heavily as he pushed himself back into the pillow behind him. Izuku silently observed as his classmate slowly lowered his arms, proceeding to sit back down. Tenya was undoubtedly disheartened but he respected his brothers wishes.

"I managed to escape alive. Stinger didn't....."

Izuku and Tenya almost froze up in their seats, unably to do anything but quietly listen on. The man continued with his eyes glued to the ceiling. Although Tensei wouldn't let it show, the incident still lingered in the back of his mind like a sore wound.

"Two seconds worth of intel... That's all my team needed. Team Idaten's internal comms has always been the key to Ingenium's effeciency, from great gramps all the way to me. Ever since I've been stuck in a hospital gown, I've been wondering if things might have been different if Stinger's agency had a means of communication like ours. Maybe it could've changed the outcome."

Izuku and Tenya both knew that Tensei wasn't the kind of person to sulk over losses, but the demise of an ally couldn't be brushed off so easily.

"Idaten agency excels in communication. So that's what I'll be focusing on." The man sat back up. "All agencies might have their own networks, imagine if they were all interconnected."

"But what about the agency? You put so much effort into raising your stature as a hero." Tenya vehemently brought up. Even with as little as he did see with his own eyes, he knew how much effort Tensei put into the name of Ingenium. Which was partly the reason he was hesitant to take over his title.

"The agency doesn't necessarily need me to function as it does. Plus, you're more than capable of taking my place." Tensei reassured his brother. The man's attention shifted elsewhere as his eye went to the table beside him. "And besides, I got a bit carried away in all that glory. I could use some time to make amends..."

Neither Izuku or Tenya understood what he'd just said. It didn't seem that much out of place. But Tensei knew what he'd lost sight of the last few years. Even if all of his old classmates came to visit, one person's absence in particular would still keep bothering him.

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