Chapter Four: Workshop Bonds
The Support Course workshop had become Izuku's second home. Scattered blueprints covered his workbench, each one representing a fusion of conventional engineering and subtle forge enhancement. The familiar sounds of tinkering, welding, and occasional explosions (mostly from Mei's corner) filled the air with a symphony of creation.
"Midoriya!" Mei's voice cut through his concentration. She bounded over, goggles askew and hair wild with static electricity. "You have to see this baby I just made!" In her hands was what looked like a cross between a grappling hook and a Swiss army knife.
He couldn't help but smile. Mei's enthusiasm was infectious, and over the past few months, they'd developed an unusual but effective partnership. She pushed the boundaries of what was possible with pure technology, while he quietly incorporated the forge's subtle enhancements into their collaborative projects.
"What does it do?" he asked, already reaching for his notebook. Working with Mei had taught him to expect the unexpected.
"Everything!" she exclaimed, then paused. "Well, theoretically. The power supply keeps overloading. I was hoping you could look at it with those analytical eyes of yours."
Izuku took the device, feeling the pendant warm slightly against his chest. Through their connection, he could sense the potential in Mei's creation—it just needed balance. "The issue isn't the power supply," he said, sketching quickly. "It's the distribution. See here? If we reroute the main circuit and add a stabilizing component..."
Their heads bent together over the workbench, they lost track of time. Other students drifted over occasionally, adding suggestions or asking questions. That was another change Izuku had noticed—he wasn't just the quiet kid anymore. His classmates sought out his advice, respected his insight.
"You two are like mad scientists," commented Koji, another support course student who specialized in defensive equipment. "But somehow your stuff actually works."
"That's because Midoriya keeps me from going too overboard," Mei laughed, not looking up from where she was soldering a connection. "He's got this weird sixth sense for what will work and what won't."
Izuku felt his face flush, but before he could respond, Power Loader called for everyone's attention. "Listen up! The Sports Festival is coming up, and this year, we're doing something different. Support Course students will be allowed to showcase their creations in a dedicated exhibition match."
The workshop erupted in excited chatter. The Sports Festival was U.A.'s biggest event, but Support Course students usually participated with severe restrictions on their equipment. A dedicated exhibition was unprecedented.
"Partners will be randomly assigned," Power Loader continued, "and you'll have two weeks to create something that demonstrates both innovation and practical application."
Izuku's heart raced as names were called out. When he heard "Midoriya and Hatsume," he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or terrified. Mei's grin was almost maniacal.
"We're going to make something amazing," she declared, already pulling out fresh blueprints. "Something that will make every support company in Japan want to hire us!"
Over the next two weeks, their project consumed every free moment. During the day, they worked on the technical aspects—a suit of support equipment that could adapt to different quirks and fighting styles. At night, when everyone else had gone home, Izuku would return to add subtle enhancements through the forge.
"The material feels different," Mei noted one morning, running her fingers over a section he'd worked on the night before. "Stronger, but more flexible. How did you do that?"
Izuku's hand instinctively went to the pendant. "Just... a special treatment I've been experimenting with," he said carefully. To his relief, Mei was already distracted by a new idea for the helmet design.
Their classmates' projects were impressive too. Koji had created an advanced shield system, while another student, Yumi, developed communication devices that could work even in quirk-dampening fields. The workshop buzzed with creative energy, everyone pushing themselves to new heights.
But it wasn't all smooth sailing. One evening, as Izuku worked late adding forge enhancements to their project, he felt the familiar chill that signaled danger. The shadows in the workshop seemed to deepen, and the pendant grew warm in warning.
"Your skills have grown," came a whispered voice—the same one from before. "But you still hide your true potential."
Izuku stood slowly, positioning himself between the voice and their project. "I'm not hiding," he said firmly. "I'm choosing how to use my abilities."
The shadow seemed to pause, considering. "The exhibition will be... interesting," it said finally, before fading away. "Many eyes will be watching."
The encounter left Izuku shaken but more determined. The next day, he threw himself into adding protective elements to their creation, weaving in defenses against both physical and mystical threats. Mei noticed his intensity but misinterpreted it as festival anxiety.
"Don't worry so much," she said, bumping his shoulder companionably. "We make an awesome team. Whatever happens at the festival, we'll handle it together."
Izuku looked at his partner—brilliant, chaotic, utterly fearless Mei—and felt a surge of protectiveness. She had no idea about the forge or the shadows that hunted it, but she'd become one of his closest friends. He would find a way to keep both his worlds safe.
As the festival approached, their creation neared completion. It was beautiful in its complexity—a masterpiece of engineering enhanced by subtle magic. Looking at it, Izuku felt pride not just in what they'd built, but in how far he'd come. He wasn't just learning to use the forge anymore; he was learning to integrate it with the normal world, to enhance rather than overshadow.
"We should call it the Harmony Suit," he suggested to Mei. "Because it brings different elements together."
She tilted her head, considering. "I like it! Though I was thinking more like 'Baby Number 256: The Ultimate Support System.'" She grinned at his expression. "But Harmony Suit works too."
The night before the festival, Izuku stayed late again, adding final touches to their creation. The pendant glowed softly as he worked, and he could feel Aelios's approving presence in the back of his mind.
"Remember," their voice whispered, "true mastery isn't about power—it's about balance."
Looking at the Harmony Suit, Izuku understood. He'd created something that was neither purely technological nor purely magical, but a perfect blend of both. Just like he himself was becoming neither purely a support student nor purely a forge wielder, but something unique—something new.
Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, but for now, he was exactly where he needed to be.