**Chapter Ten: Whispers of the Forge
The following day, Izuku found himself in the library, his notebook sprawled open across the table and his pencil moving furiously. The warmth of yesterday's dinner still lingered in his chest, but the momentary peace had given way to his ever-present need to prepare, to analyze, to make sense of the forces around him. The forge's power, the rogue machine, the glowing symbol—they were all threads in a tangled web he couldn't yet untangle.
But he needed to. He *had* to. If the forge's power was growing, and if someone—or *something*—was taking an interest in it, he couldn't afford to be unprepared.
"Midoriya-san?" A familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Momo standing nearby, holding a few neatly stacked books. Her expression was gentle, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes.
"Yaoyorozu-san!" Izuku said, sitting up quickly. "H-hi! What brings you here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," she replied lightly, taking the seat across from him. "I didn't expect to see you here so early. You look… focused."
Izuku scratched the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Oh, I was just… jotting down some ideas. For the project."
Momo's gaze flicked to his notebook, her sharp eyes catching the intricate diagrams and hastily scribbled notes. "You've been thinking about the energy output system, haven't you?"
"Y-yeah," he admitted. "I want to make sure it's stable enough to handle quirks like yours. The energy fluctuations could be dangerous if they're not controlled properly."
She smiled softly, her admiration for his dedication clear. "You're always so thorough, Midoriya-san. It's inspiring."
Izuku's face reddened further, and he quickly looked back down at his notebook. "I just… want to make sure everyone is safe. That's all."
Momo tilted her head, studying him for a moment. "You carry a lot of weight on your shoulders, don't you?"
Her words caught him off guard, and he glanced up at her, unsure how to respond. There was something in her tone—a quiet understanding—that made him feel like she could see right through him.
"I guess… I just feel like it's my responsibility," he said finally, his voice soft. "If I can help, then I have to. That's part of what it means to be a hero, right?"
Momo's expression softened further, and she reached out to place a reassuring hand on his arm. "You're not alone, you know. You have people who care about you, who want to help you succeed. You don't have to carry everything by yourself."
Izuku stared at her, her words sinking in deeper than he expected. She was right, of course, but it was still hard for him to fully accept. The forge, its power, the dangers it brought—those were things he couldn't share with anyone. Not yet.
"I'll try to remember that," he said quietly, offering her a small, grateful smile.
---
Later that afternoon, Izuku and Mei met in the workshop to continue testing the Harmony Suit's modifications. Mei was her usual whirlwind of energy, bouncing between different pieces of equipment and spouting off ideas faster than Izuku could keep up.
"Okay, so I've been thinking," she said, pushing her goggles up onto her forehead. "What if we added a secondary energy reservoir? It could act as a backup in case the primary system gets overloaded. Plus, it might let us push the limits of the suit even further!"
"That's… actually a great idea," Izuku said, already jotting down notes. "But we'd have to make sure it doesn't interfere with the main energy flow. Otherwise, it could destabilize the whole system."
"Pfft, details," Mei said with a wave of her hand. "We'll figure it out. That's what makes this fun!"
Izuku couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, even as his mind remained half-focused on the forge. The pendant's subtle hum had grown more persistent over the past few days, as though it were responding to his thoughts. It wasn't unpleasant, exactly, but it was a constant reminder of the mysterious power he carried.
"Midoriya," Mei said suddenly, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You're zoning out again. What's up?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing! I'm fine!" he said quickly, though his tone wasn't particularly convincing.
Mei narrowed her eyes at him, her expression unusually serious. "You've been weird lately. Like, *extra* weird. Is this about the rogue robot from the festival?"
Izuku froze, his heart skipping a beat. "W-why would you think that?"
"Because you keep looking like you're about to explode every time someone brings it up," Mei said matter-of-factly. "Come on, Midoriya. Spill it. Did you find something out?"
Izuku hesitated, his mind racing. He trusted Mei—of course he did—but how could he possibly explain the forge, the pendant, and the strange energy that seemed to follow him everywhere? It was too much, too complicated.
Before he could respond, the workshop door opened, and Momo stepped inside. She carried a small tablet and a folder of documents, her presence immediately grounding the chaotic energy of the room.
"Yaoyorozu-san!" Mei said, her grin returning. "Perfect timing! Midoriya here was just about to tell us all his secrets."
Momo raised an eyebrow, glancing between them. "Secrets? What do you mean?"
Izuku groaned inwardly, his face turning bright red. "It's nothing! Hatsume-san's just exaggerating."
"Am I?" Mei said with a teasing smirk. "You're hiding something, Midoriya. I can tell."
Momo's gaze lingered on him, her eyes thoughtful but not unkind. "Midoriya-san, if there's something bothering you, you can tell us. We're your friends."
Her words hit him harder than he expected, and he felt a lump form in his throat. They were his friends—kind, brilliant, supportive. And yet, the forge's power felt like a burden he couldn't share, no matter how much he wanted to.
"I…" He hesitated, his hand unconsciously brushing against the pendant beneath his shirt. "It's nothing. Really. I've just been… overthinking things, that's all."
Momo and Mei exchanged a glance, but neither of them pushed further. Instead, Mei clapped her hands together and said, "Fine, fine. Keep your secrets. But if you blow something up, I want to be the first to know."
Her playful tone lightened the mood, and Izuku managed a small laugh. "Deal."
---
That evening, as Izuku walked back to the dorms, the pendant's hum grew stronger. He stopped in his tracks, glancing around the quiet campus. The air felt heavier, charged with something he couldn't quite identify.
And then, for the briefest moment, he heard it—a whisper. Faint and fleeting, like the rustle of leaves in the wind. It sent a shiver down his spine, and he clutched the pendant tightly, its warmth steadying him.
The forge was trying to tell him something.
But what?
---
To be continued.