**Chapter Twelve: Bonds and Shadows**
The weekend arrived faster than Izuku had anticipated, and with it came a rare lull in U.A.'s packed schedule. Students were scattered across campus, taking advantage of the break to study, train, or simply relax. For Izuku, though, the downtime only amplified the quiet hum of the forge's power. It was always there, lingering beneath his skin, a reminder of the responsibilities—and mysteries—he carried.
Still, there was something else on his mind that morning, something far less ominous but no less important: the Harmony Suit. After days of progress with Mei and Momo, they were finally ready to test the stabilizer module in a mock field scenario. It was a small victory, but one that filled Izuku with excitement. Every step forward felt like proof that they were creating something truly meaningful.
---
The three of them met in the training grounds later that morning, Mei hauling a cart loaded with equipment while Momo carried a neatly folded prototype of the Harmony Suit's latest iteration. Izuku was already waiting for them, his notebook in hand as he double-checked their design specs.
"Alright!" Mei said as she parked the cart with a dramatic flourish. "Today's the day, team! We're gonna push this baby to its limits and see what she can do!"
Momo smiled as she set the suit down carefully. "Let's just make sure we don't push too far, Hatsume-san. Safety first, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah," Mei said with a wave of her hand. "Safety, blah blah blah. But we *are* gonna push it a little, right, Midoriya?"
Izuku chuckled nervously. "We'll push it… responsibly."
Mei groaned, but her grin never wavered. "Fine, fine. You two are no fun."
As they worked to set up the test scenario—a simulated rescue mission involving obstacles and hazards—Izuku couldn't help but appreciate how well they worked together. Mei's boundless energy kept the momentum going, while Momo's calm precision ensured everything stayed on track. And for his part, Izuku found himself acting as the bridge between them, balancing their contrasting approaches in a way that felt natural.
It was… nice. Comforting, even. And though he didn't fully understand the growing connection he felt to both of them, he couldn't deny how much he valued their presence in his life.
---
The test began with Mei donning the Harmony Suit, which had been modified to incorporate the new stabilizer module. As she navigated the simulated obstacles, the suit's systems adjusted seamlessly to her movements, its enhancements allowing her to maneuver with surprising agility.
"This is AWESOME!" Mei shouted as she vaulted over a collapsed beam, her voice crackling through the comms. "The feedback loop's working perfectly! I feel like I could take on a whole army of robots!"
"Don't get too carried away!" Momo replied, her tone firm but amused. She stood beside Izuku, monitoring the suit's performance on a tablet. "We still need to test the stabilizer under high-energy conditions."
"Got it!" Mei said. "Alright, Midoriya, hit me with the big guns!"
Izuku hesitated, his finger hovering over the control panel. "Are you sure? We haven't fully calibrated—"
"Just do it!" Mei interrupted, her grin audible even through the comms. "I can handle it!"
With a deep breath, Izuku activated the high-energy simulation. The training grounds shifted around them, holographic flames erupting as the obstacles became more complex. Mei charged forward without hesitation, the Harmony Suit adapting to the simulated chaos with remarkable efficiency.
But then, something changed.
The pendant against Izuku's chest began to hum, louder and warmer than ever before. He froze, his hand instinctively clutching at it as a strange sensation washed over him. It wasn't just warmth—it was… awareness. The forge was reacting, but to what?
"Izuku?" Momo's voice broke through his thoughts, her brow furrowing as she noticed his sudden stillness. "Is something wrong?"
"I…" He struggled to find the words, his gaze snapping to Mei as she continued her run. The suit's performance was flawless, but the forge's reaction felt… off. As though it were tethered to the suit, amplifying its power in ways even he couldn't predict.
Before he could respond, the simulation abruptly glitched. The holographic flames flickered and warped, and a low, ominous hum filled the air. Mei skidded to a halt, her hands raised as she looked around in confusion.
"Uh, guys?" she said, her voice unusually cautious. "Pretty sure that's not normal."
Izuku's heart raced. The forge's hum grew louder, and he felt a surge of energy pulsing through him, wild and unrelenting. Something was interfering with the simulation—something connected to the forge.
"Shut it down!" Momo said urgently, her fingers flying across her tablet. "Midoriya, we need to stop it before—"
Before she could finish, the entire simulation collapsed. The holograms dissolved into static, and the training grounds were plunged into silence. Mei stood frozen in the center of the chaos, the Harmony Suit's lights flickering as though struggling to stabilize.
"Mei!" Izuku shouted, rushing toward her. Momo followed close behind, her expression tight with worry.
"I'm fine!" Mei called back, though her voice was shaky. "The suit's systems are holding, but… that was weird, right? Like, *really* weird?"
Izuku nodded, his hands moving instinctively to check the suit's stabilizer. It was intact, but faint traces of energy lingered around it—energy that felt eerily familiar.
The forge.
"What happened?" Momo asked, her gaze sharp as she knelt beside them. "The simulation shouldn't have failed like that."
"I… I don't know," Izuku admitted, though the weight of the pendant against his chest told him otherwise. He could feel the forge's presence, its power rippling beneath the surface like an unspoken truth.
Mei frowned, her usual grin replaced by a rare look of uncertainty. "Whatever it was, it felt… big. Like something was watching us."
Izuku's stomach churned. He'd felt it too—the same oppressive presence he'd sensed during the Sports Festival, and again when the rogue robot attacked. Whoever—or *whatever*—was behind it, they were getting closer.
"Momo," he said quietly, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions racing through him. "Can you run an analysis on the simulation logs? Look for anything unusual—energy spikes, system anomalies, anything."
She nodded, her expression resolute. "Of course. I'll start immediately."
"And you?" Mei said, turning to Izuku with a raised eyebrow. "What are you gonna do?"
He hesitated, his hand brushing against the pendant beneath his shirt. "I need to… look into something."
Mei and Momo exchanged glances, their concern evident, but neither of them pressed him further. Instead, they both nodded, their unspoken support giving him the strength he needed.
As they packed up their equipment and left the training grounds, Izuku couldn't shake the feeling that the forge was trying to tell him something—something important. The shadows were closing in, but he wasn't alone anymore.
With Mei's unrelenting creativity and Momo's steady wisdom by his side, he felt a spark of hope amidst the uncertainty. Together, they would face whatever lay ahead.
The forge hummed softly, as if in agreement.
---
To be continued.