Sparks

Chapter Eight: Sparks and Secrets

The following morning, Izuku woke to the sunlight filtering through his dorm room window. His body still felt heavy from the encounter with the rogue robot, but his mind was restless. The events of last night replayed in his head, especially the strange glowing symbol etched into the robot's frame. It was unlike anything he had seen before—alien, almost celestial—and it sent a chill through him. The pendant around his neck hummed faintly, as if in acknowledgment.

But before he could dive too deeply into his thoughts, his phone buzzed on his desk. The screen lit up with a message from Mei.

**Hatsume Mei:** *Workshop. Now. Big ideas! Bring snacks!*

Izuku couldn't help but smile. Mei's energy was infectious, and he knew better than to keep her waiting when she was in one of her creative moods. Grabbing a protein bar from his desk, he quickly got dressed and made his way to the Support Course workshop.

---

The workshop was already loud when he arrived, the sound of welding tools and Mei's excited muttering filling the space. When he stepped in, Mei immediately turned to him, her goggles pulled down over her wild pink hair, and a wide grin plastered on her face.

"Midoriya! You're late!" she exclaimed, though she didn't sound annoyed in the slightest. "I've been running simulations all night based on the exhibition data, and—you won't believe this—the Harmony Suit could *theoretically* handle Momo Yaoyorozu's quirk, too! With the right adjustments, of course."

Izuku blinked, caught off guard. "Yaoyorozu-san's quirk? You mean her Creation ability?"

"Exactly!" Mei said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Imagine it: the suit could provide her with real-time material analysis and energy conversion efficiency. She'd be able to create things faster and with less strain on her body. It's genius, right?"

Izuku couldn't argue with that. Momo's quirk was incredible, but it required careful calculation and significant stamina. If the suit could help optimize her abilities, it would be a game-changer.

"That's… actually a great idea, Hatsume-san," Izuku said, his mind already racing with potential designs. "But why Momo specifically?"

"Well, duh," Mei said, adjusting her goggles. "She's one of the best hero students in the whole school, and she's got all those connections with the hero industry. Plus…" Mei paused, her grin turning sly. "She's been hovering around you a lot lately."

Izuku's face turned bright red. "W-what? Hovering? No, she hasn't! We're just—she's just been giving me advice on presentations for the Support Course! That's all!"

Mei smirked, clearly unconvinced. "Sure, Midoriya. Whatever you say."

Before he could stammer out a rebuttal, the door to the workshop slid open, and Momo herself stepped inside. She looked as elegant as ever, her black hair neatly tied back, and her posture confident yet approachable. She carried a tray of tea and snacks, which she placed on a nearby table.

"Good morning, Midoriya-san, Hatsume-san," she said warmly. "I thought you might appreciate some refreshments while you work."

"Yaoyorozu-san!" Izuku said, his voice a little too high-pitched. He quickly cleared his throat. "Thank you. That's really thoughtful of you."

Momo smiled, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before turning to Mei. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all!" Mei said, waving her hand dismissively. "In fact, you're just in time. We were *just* talking about you."

Momo raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Oh? What about me?"

Izuku shot Mei a panicked look, but she ignored him entirely, already diving into her explanation. "The Harmony Suit! I think it could be adapted to enhance your quirk. Midoriya and I were just brainstorming ideas."

Momo's eyes lit up with interest. "That's fascinating. I'd love to hear more about it."

As Mei launched into a detailed description of her ideas, Izuku found himself glancing between the two girls. Mei's boundless enthusiasm and Momo's poised curiosity created an oddly complementary dynamic, and he couldn't help but feel a warmth in his chest. Working alongside them felt… right, somehow.

---

Later that afternoon, the three of them sat around a cluttered table, sketching out potential designs and discussing the technical challenges of integrating the Harmony Suit with Momo's quirk. Mei was in her element, scribbling furiously on a tablet while Momo offered thoughtful insights.

"This could work," Momo said, pointing to one of Mei's diagrams. "But we'd need to account for the energy cost of converting raw materials into complex structures. If the suit can help streamline that process, it would be invaluable."

"That's the idea!" Mei said, her grin widening. "And with Midoriya's input, we can fine-tune the forge's energy output to match your quirk's requirements. Right, Midoriya?"

Izuku nodded, though his thoughts were partially elsewhere. The forge's power was still a mystery to him, and while he wanted to use it to help his friends, he couldn't shake the feeling that it came with strings attached. Could he really control it, or was it controlling him?

"Midoriya?" Momo's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. She was watching him with a concerned expression. "Are you all right? You've been a bit quiet."

"Ah, sorry," he said quickly. "I was just thinking about the best way to stabilize the energy flow. The forge can be unpredictable sometimes."

Momo tilted her head, clearly curious. "The forge? Is that what you call the core of your designs?"

"Something like that," Izuku said, avoiding her gaze. "It's… complicated."

Momo didn't press further, but her thoughtful expression lingered. Mei, meanwhile, was oblivious to the tension, already moving on to her next idea.

"Okay, so what if we added a modular component for emergency energy boosts?" she said, her voice rising with excitement. "That way, Yaoyorozu can push her quirk even further in critical situations!"

"That's a good idea," Momo said, smiling at Mei. "But we'd need to ensure it doesn't overtax the user. Safety first, after all."

Izuku watched the two of them, a small smile tugging at his lips. Despite his worries, he couldn't deny how much he enjoyed working with them. Mei's passion and Momo's precision were a perfect balance, and he felt lucky to be part of their team.

---

That evening, as the three of them wrapped up their work, Momo offered to walk with Izuku back to the dorms. Mei waved them off with a cheerful, "You two have fun! I've got more tinkering to do!"

The walk was quiet at first, the fading sunlight casting long shadows across the campus. Izuku felt his nerves prickling, unsure of what to say. Momo, as always, seemed perfectly composed.

"You're very talented, Midoriya-san," she said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Not just as a support specialist, but as a strategist. The way you analyze quirks and find solutions is truly remarkable."

Izuku's face flushed. "T-thank you, Yaoyorozu-san. That means a lot coming from you."

She smiled gently. "I'm serious. I think you have a gift for helping others reach their full potential. It's… inspiring."

Her words warmed him more than he expected, and for a moment, the weight of the forge and its mysteries felt lighter.

"Thank you," he said again, his voice softer. "I… I just want to do my best. For everyone."

Momo nodded, her gaze thoughtful. "I know you will."

As they reached the dorms, Izuku felt a spark of hope amidst the lingering shadows. Whatever challenges lay ahead, he knew he wasn't alone. With Mei's boundless creativity and Momo's steady support, he felt he could face whatever mysteries the forge—and the world—threw his way.

For now, that was enough.

---

To be continued.