My Hero Academia: Limitless

I sprawled on our living room couch, trying to focus on the latest issue of Hero Weekly while my mom paced behind me. She'd been doing that for days now - walking the same path between the kitchen and the front door, checking the mail slot every few minutes as if staring at it would make my U.A. results appear faster.

"Mom, you're making me dizzy," I said, not looking up from an article about the rising trend of vigilantes.

"The results should have arrived by now," she muttered, mostly to herself. "Perhaps I should call-"

"You already called yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that." I flipped a page. "They said within two weeks. It's only been eight days."

She huffed but finally sat down in her favorite armchair, smoothing her already perfect dress. "I just don't understand why they can't use email like a normal institution."

"Because they're U.A. and they live for dramatic flair?" I suggested, earning a small smile from her.

The mail slot clicked.

Mom practically teleported to the door. I pretended to keep reading, but watched her over the top of my magazine as she sorted through the stack.

"Bills, advertisement, more bills, oh-" She froze, holding up a sleek envelope with the U.A. seal. "Yoichi."

I set down the magazine. "That's definitely not a rejection letter. Too thick."

She brought it over like she was carrying a bomb. "Open it."

I took the envelope, noting the holographic security features catching the light. A small projection disk fell into my palm as I tore it open.

The disk activated automatically, projecting a crisp image of... a white mouse? No - Principal Nezu, the legendary hero and current head of U.A. University. His beady eyes seemed to look right through me.

"Greetings, Young Nakamura!" His high-pitched voice filled our living room. "I hope this message finds you well. I'm personally delivering your exam results because, well..." He chuckled. "We've never seen anything quite like your performance."

Mom gripped the back of my chair.

"Your written exam score of 98% would be impressive enough on its own. But combined with your practical exam results..." Nezu pulled out a tablet, whistling. "87 villain points through direct combat. And 53 rescue points awarded by our judges. That's a total of 140 points - the highest score in U.A.'s history."

I heard Mom's sharp intake of breath.

"Young man, you've shattered every previous record we had. The next highest score was 124 points, set twenty-seven years ago." Nezu's whiskers twitched with what looked like excitement. "You're not just accepted into U.A. - you've earned the number one spot in your class before it even begins."

He leaned forward, his expression growing more serious. "We'll be watching your progress with great interest, Nakamura. Welcome to U.A. University's Hero Course."

The projection flickered out.

"Holy shit," I whispered.

"Language," Mom corrected automatically, but her voice was shaky. She came around to face me, her eyes shining. "Yoichi, I... I'm so proud of you."

"I broke the record?" It didn't feel real. "I actually broke the record?"

"Of course you did." She pulled me into a hug, something she rarely did anymore. "You're my son, after all."

I hugged her back, my mind trying to process everything. Number one. Highest score ever. U.A. University.

"We should celebrate," Mom declared, pulling back and already reaching for her phone. "I'll make reservations at-"

"Can we just order pizza?" I asked. "I kind of want to stay home tonight. Process everything."

She paused, studying my face. "Pizza it is. Your usual?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Mom."

She stepped into the kitchen to make the call, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I picked up the projection disk again, turning it over in my hands. This small piece of tech had just changed my entire life.

U.A. University. The best hero school in the world. And I wasn't just getting in - I was walking in as their top student.

I thought about my comrades from the exam. Wonder how many of them made it? Todo and Katsu… Kacc… whatever her name is definitely made it.

Mom returned, settling back in her chair. "Pizza will be here in thirty minutes. Now, we should discuss your preparation for the semester. You'll need new notebooks, proper training gear-"

"Mom." I cut her off gently. "Can we maybe save the planning for tomorrow? Tonight I just want to eat pizza and watch bad movies with you."

She blinked, then smiled - one of her real smiles, not the perfect social ones she usually wore. "Very well. But I get to pick the first movie."

"Deal." I grinned. "Just nothing with robots this time."

Mom's head snapped towards me so fast I thought she'd get whiplash. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees.

"This is a Gundam household, young man. Don't ever disrespect it again." Her voice carried the kind of authority that made pro villains wet themselves.

I raised my hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. I just meant no Atlantic Rim."

"Atlantic Rim?" She scoffed, already scrolling through our streaming service. "Amateur work. Now, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Venus - that's cinema."

"Mom, we've watched that series six times."

"And we'll watch it sixty more." She selected the first episode. "Besides, you could learn something from Suletta. Her dedication to-"

"If you start analyzing Gundam protagonists' hero qualities again, I'm ordering pineapple on the pizza."

She gasped. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." I grabbed my phone. "One call, and your perfect margherita gets defiled."

"Emotional manipulation? Using my hatred of fruit on pizza against me?" A proud smile crept across her face. "I've taught you well."

(March 28, 2225)

The movers had already started hauling boxes when Mom and I pulled up to Heights Alliance. March winds whipped cherry blossoms across the parking lot, coating our car in pale pink petals.

"Did you remember your toothbrush?" Mom asked for the fifth time that morning.

"It's in the blue bag." I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Along with my backup toothbrush, emergency toothbrush, and the special occasion toothbrush you insisted I pack."

"Don't mock my preparedness." She killed the engine but didn't move to get out. Her hands stayed locked on the steering wheel, knuckles white.

"Mom?"

"I'm fine." She wasn't. "Just... give me a moment."

I waited. Through the windshield, I watched other families arriving - parents hugging children goodbye, siblings helping carry boxes, tears and laughter mixing in the spring air.

"You know," Mom said quietly, "I always knew this day would come. I just didn't expect it to feel like this."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm losing something precious."

"Mom..." I reached over and put my hand over hers. "You're not losing me. I'm just moving twenty kilometers away."

"Twenty-two point three kilometers." She finally looked at me, her perfect composure cracking just slightly. "I measured."

"Of course you did." I squeezed her hand. "Come on. Let's make sure these movers don't scratch anything."

I stepped out of the car, stretching my arms overhead as Mom fretted over the movers handling my boxes. The spring breeze carried scattered cherry blossoms across the parking lot, along with the sounds of other families saying their goodbyes.

"That goes to room 504," Mom instructed a mover carrying my computer setup. "And please be careful with the monitor, it's-"

"BESTO FRIENDO!"

I turned just in time to see Todo barreling toward me at full speed, arms spread wide for what looked like an incoming bear hug. My Limitless snapped on instinctively, halting him mid-stride like he'd hit an invisible wall.

Todo blinked, frozen in his enthusiastic pose. "Eh?"

"Sorry," I said, willing my barrier down. "Reflex."

Todo straightened up, rubbing his nose where it had smacked into my defense. "As expected of my destined rival! Your quirk responds to protect you even without conscious thought!"

"Or maybe I just don't want your sweaty hands on me," I deadpanned.

"Yoichi," Mom warned.

"Oi, Todo!" A sharp voice cut through the parking lot. "Stop harassing people and help with these boxes!"

A tall blonde woman in a worn leather jacket strode over, carrying what looked like training equipment under each arm. Her wild hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and a long scar ran down her left cheek.

"Ah, Sensei!" Todo called back. "I was just greeting my destined rival!"

The woman - Todo's guardian I assumed - rolled her eyes. "Yeah? Well your 'destined rival's' stuff isn't going to move itself." She turned to Mom and me, her stern expression softening slightly. "You must be the Nakamuras. I'm Yuki Tsukumo. Sorry about my idiot student."

"Asami Nakamura," Mom replied with a polite bow. "And this is Yoichi."

"The famous record-breaker, huh?" Yuki looked me up and down. "Todo wouldn't shut up about your practical exam performance."

"It was magnificent!" Todo jumped in. "The way he calculated the optimal rescue routes while simultaneously taking down villains! Truly the mark of a refined soul!"

"Lower your voice," Yuki growled, smacking him upside the head.

"Need help with those?" I gestured to the equipment she was carrying.

"Nah, I got it. Though if you could point Todo toward something heavy to lift, it might keep him occupied for five minutes."

"There are some boxes in our car," Mom offered. "If you wouldn't mind, Todo-kun?"

"Of course!" Todo bounded over to our car. "It would be my honor to assist my rival's family!"

Mom leaned closer to Yuki. "Is he always this... energetic?"

"You have no idea," Yuki sighed. "Try living with it for seven years."

We spent the next hour directing movers and carrying boxes, Todo enthusiastically providing commentary on everything from the dorm's architecture to the "refined aesthetic" of my gaming chair. Mom hovered nearby, double-checking every box placement while pretending she wasn't stalling.

Finally, the last box was in place. Todo and Yuki headed down the hall to his room, his booming voice echoing about proper feng shui or something.

Mom stood in my doorway, her perfect posture slightly wilted. "Well, I suppose that's everything."

"Yeah." I shoved my hands in my pockets, not sure what to say.

"You'll call if you need anything? And text me when you wake up? And-"

"Mom." I cut her off gently. "I'll be fine."

She nodded, blinking rapidly. "Of course you will. You're my son, after all." She straightened her jacket, composure sliding back into place. She hesitated, then pulled me into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, Yoichi."

I hugged her back, pretending not to notice the dampness on my shoulder. "Thanks, Mom."

She pulled away, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "Right. Well. I should go. Traffic will be terrible if I wait much longer."

"Yeah."

She turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and Yoichi?"

"Hmm?"

"If any girls try to enter your room, I'll know." Her smile was terrifyingly sweet. "I always know."

I groaned. "Goodbye, Mom."

Her laughter followed her down the hall, leaving me alone in my new room. I flopped onto my bare mattress, staring at the ceiling.

"BESTO FRIENDO!" Todo's voice boomed through the wall. "WHICH DIRECTION SHOULD MY DESK FACE FOR OPTIMAL STUDYING ENERGY?"

I grabbed my pillow and pressed it over my face.

This was going to be an interesting year.

==========

[Next time on "My Hero Academia: Limitless"]

"Yo! I'm Yoichi Nakamura, your protagonist," I said, giving a lazy wave to the camera. "And this is-"

"BESTO FRIENDO!" Todo boomed, nearly knocking over his chair as he jumped up. "Aoi Todo, the deuteragonist who will push our hero to new heights through the power of friendship and martial arts!"

I pulled him back down by his shirt. "Dude, indoor voice. We talked about this."

"Ah, my apologies." Todo cleared his throat. "As you can see, dear viewers, we've spent the first few chapters establishing this world. But next time-"

"Next time we finally meet the rest of Class 1-A," I cut in. "Twenty students, each with their own unique quirks, personalities, and-"

"And several fine ladies who match my besto friendo's type!" Todo wiggled his eyebrows at me.

I threw a cushion at his face. "We are not discussing my 'type' on air."

"But the readers must know! How else will they properly ship-"

"Moving on!" I turned back to the camera. "Next chapter: 'Class 1-A: Gotta Catch 'Em All!' Wait, who wrote this title?"

Todo raised his hand proudly.

"Of course." I sighed. "Anyway, don't forget to drop those power stones and add us to your library. The more support we get, the faster chapters come out. It's basic economics."

"And the more chances for romance!" Todo dodged another cushion. "Will Yoichi find true love? Will I finally perfect my signature move? Will his mother actually let any girls within ten meters of him?"

"Find out next time on 'My Hero Academia: Limitless!'" I said quickly before Todo could embarrass me further. "Now get out of my studio."

"But it's the network's stu-"

"Out!"