an ODST among Heroes.

7

Izuku sat at a table across from Hana, the sterile, dimly lit room emphasizing the gravity of the situation. Moments later, a detective entered, his calm demeanor contrasting with the tension in the air.

"Greetings, Mr. Halsey. I'm Tsukauchi Naomasa," he introduced himself, taking a seat opposite Izuku. "I understand only those directly associated with U.A. would know that All Might is joining the faculty. How did you come across that information?"

Izuku held Tsukauchi's gaze, responding calmly. "I know someone who was aware of it, and he told me," he said simply.

Hana, sitting beside him, raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You're getting more mysterious by the day, Halsey," she teased.

Izuku gave a slight smile. "You don't know half of it."

Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before leaning forward. "Can you tell me a bit more about yourself, Mr. Halsey?"

"Certainly. My name's Izuku Halsey. My mother is Katherine Halsey. I'm currently a student at Alderia Middle School. And... that's all I can really say."

Tsukauchi nodded, though his eyes showed a hint of intrigue. Izuku's brief responses seemed calculated, and each word rang with confidence. The truth had come through clearly enough, and after a moment's pause, Tsukauchi finally relented.

"Well, it all checks out," he said, standing up. "You both may leave."

"Thank you, sir," Izuku replied politely, rising from his seat as he and Hana made their way out of the room. The moment the door closed behind them, Hana nudged him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Okay, Mr. Mystery," she whispered, "we're going to talk about this later."

Izuku just gave her a knowing smile. "If only you knew, Hana," he thought, as they stepped back into the bustle of the city streets.

----

"No results," read the screen as Tsukauchi stared at the search results. Not a single entry came up under "Izuku Halsey." He tried again, this time with "Katherine Halsey." Still nothing. Leaning back in his chair, Tsukauchi's brow furrowed. Who exactly was this kid?

Izuku had been unnervingly calm under questioning, with a choice of words that hinted he knew exactly how Tsukauchi's Quirk worked. He'd sat there like he'd been through interrogations before, his posture almost military-a trait rarely seen in civilians, let alone a middle school student. And yet, here he was, as if a ghost, without a single record to his name.

The detective picked up his phone, dialing a familiar number. After a few rings, a voice answered on the other end. "This is Monika Kaniyashiki."

"Monika," Tsukauchi replied, "I've come across someone I'd like you to investigate. Name's Izuku Halsey. Seems like he came out of nowhere, and he's... different. If there's anything at all on him or his mother, Katherine Halsey, I need to know."

There was a pause on the other end. "Understood, Tsukauchi. I'll dig in and let you know what I find."

Hanging up, Tsukauchi looked back at the empty search results. A chill ran through him as he thought back on the strange, knowing look in Izuku's eyes.

----

A few weeks later, Monika Kaniyashiki arrived in Alderia, taking on the role of a teacher's aide at the local middle school. From the moment she spotted Izuku Halsey, alarms went off in her head. He wore the standard student uniform, carried his books, and sat among his classmates, but everything about him felt out of place. The way he carried himself, the way his eyes scanned his surroundings-it all screamed anything but civilian. There was a depth to his gaze, an unwavering vigilance that didn't belong in a middle school classroom.

During her first conversation with him, Monika found him to be exceptionally polite-polite to the point of professionalism. He wasn't acting like a kid trying to prove himself, nor was he drawn to the usual distractions of youth. There was a distinct lack of the typical adolescent posturing or attention-seeking behavior. No side glances toward the girls in the room, no attempts to impress his peers. His actions were precise, deliberate, and devoid of any adolescent impulsiveness.

And then there was the way he looked at her. It wasn't the usual, awkward gaze she often received from teenage boys. Instead, Izuku's eyes met hers in a way that felt calculating, as if he was making a quick but thorough assessment. It was almost unsettling.

Monika realized she would have to play this carefully. If Izuku was truly hiding something, the standard approaches weren't going to work. She would need to take a subtler approach, perhaps tapping into the nurturing role that would encourage him to lower his guard. She was going to have to get close to him, relying on patience and empathy to uncover what he truly was hiding beneath that polite, disciplined exterior.

----

Monika made an attempt to get close to Izuku by subtly suggesting they go out together after school, framing it as something casual. But Izuku's reaction was immediate and unyielding. "Sorry, but we cannot do such a thing due to our current relationship," he said, his tone calm but final. There wasn't a trace of hesitation in his voice-just the professional detachment of someone who saw clear boundaries and respected them. Monika realized this boy wasn't playing any ordinary game.

Later that evening, on the phone with Tsukauchi, Monika felt a wave of frustration and bit back a scream. "He shut me down, Detective," she said, keeping her voice as steady as possible. "Not even a flicker of interest. He knew exactly what I was doing."

On the other end of the line, Tsukauchi absorbed her report in silence before finally speaking. "This kid is even more of a mystery than I thought. He's disciplined-maybe trained, but it doesn't make sense. Keep watching him, Monika. Whatever's going on here, I need to know more."

Monika sighed, nodding to herself. She'd need to try another approach. This boy wasn't the typical teen, and something told her he was more than just act. She'd seen it. This young man was trained.

But where?

----

Tsukauchi sat across from the headmaster, his expression serious. "I need you to arrange a mandatory event," he began. "Something like a 'Bring Your Parent to School' day."

The headmaster raised an eyebrow, intrigued but skeptical. "A bit unusual for middle school students, don't you think? May I ask the reason?"

"One student in particular: Izuku Halsey," Tsukauchi replied, his voice heavy with implication.

The headmaster tilted his head thoughtfully. "Halsey? He's our top student. Exceptionally well-mannered, hard-working... I haven't had any trouble with him. In fact, he's a model pupil."

"That's exactly the problem," Tsukauchi said. "Izuku Halsey is not what he seems. He's composed beyond his years, and there's a... disconnect between his behavior and that of a typical teenager. Meeting his mother might help me get some answers."

The headmaster considered the detective's words, then nodded. "Very well. I'll set it up as a mandatory school-wide event. But I hope you're not expecting too much from this. It might just be a strict parent raising an exceptional child."

Tsukauchi offered a small, knowing smile. "Perhaps. But something tells me there's more to their story than meets the eye.