Flea

Chapter Seven

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Maeve groaned, as Midoriya was wheeled yet again into her office. A familiar skeletal blonde in a costume far too big for him followed behind sheepishly.

"The year's only just started and this is his third time in here, All Might. Why didn't you prevent this?" She snapped, finally losing her temper. 

"Healing isn't a walk in the park for me or the patient, as you well fucking know. If Midoriya continues at this rate I'm not going to have the energy to heal him, and he'll need to leave UA regardless of my opinion of him. This isn't fair on him or myself. You need to stop indulging him and start thinking clearly for once." 

Toshinori hung his head and said, "I apologise, you're right. I was sympathising with him too much and hesitated at the key moment in basic heroics training. I've failed him as a teacher, don't let this influence your choice regarding whether he can stay, it was my fault."  

"He gets to choose how he uses One for All, Mr 'Symbol of Peace.' He's inherited from you but that doesn't mean you're responsible for his actions. I'll place judgement however I want and your scrawny hide can stay out of it." 

Toshinori really couldn't get a break from this girl. Did she have some kind of personal vendetta or did she just enjoy making people's lives difficult? 

"Can you please keep your voice down? This is top secret information you're practically screaming from the rooftops-"

"I don't suppose that's just you resting on your laurels, then? Is remaining 'natural born hero' and 'symbol of peace' really that important to you?" She questioned from her desk, raising an eyebrow. 

"If not for me, this superhuman society would succumb to evil," All Might growled,

"You're too young to understand how important having a symbol is for people. This is the responsibility that those who wield this power must bear."

Her mouth twisted with an expression All Might found difficult to place. 

"Then I suppose it's all the more important he be given proper guidance, if I decide he can stay. When is his next practical class?" She asked.  

"Thursday afternoon in the USJ building for rescue training." 

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. 

"All right, I'll need to rearrange my schedule a bit, but I'll be there. To make sure he doesn't break himself like a piñata. I don't think his insides would be as pleasant, so let's keep them on the inside from now on." 

All Might bowed respectfully, feeling slightly guilty at having snapped at the girl. He moved to leave, and was almost out the door with his cape trailing sadly after, when she called out to him. 

"I've always been suspicious of people with power. That's why I find it hard to like you, All Might. You hold supreme monopoly on that resource. I'd hoped that after your injury, you'd learn how dangerous it is to bank society's safety on one person. That doesn't seem to be the case. Just remember you don't have much time, okay?"

He sighed, running a hand through his scruffy hair. 

"I know. But I have faith, in people and especially in Midoriya." 

She smiled, quite sadly.

"Faith is quite a fickle business. But I suppose you've got to have something. I have caffeine, personally."

***

"Hey Iida," Maeve said, smiling. She'd thought the guy had been a bit of a dud when they first met if she was being perfectly honest. But after watching the footage of him in combat training acting as a batshit crazy villain, the nurse had been forced to reconsider. The guy had dramatic flare oozing out of his very pores and she couldn't get enough.