Chapter Text
“Okay! Did everyone get their character sheets?”
“Yes!!”
Izuku looks around the dorm living room where most of class 1-A plus a few others they had invited are sprawled out over the couches and various pillows and blankets. When no one raises their hand to claim they didn’t get their sheet, he continues. “Make sure you’re comfortable. Nothing worse than leaving a mindscape to a sore body. Trust me, I know.”
As everyone shifts around, Izuku does the same, leaning back against a couch. Only to have Eri and Ochako lean on each of his sides. “Alright!” Ochako pulls his arm around her. “Comfy!”
Eri does the same. “Me too!”
It takes all of his willpower not to melt from their combined adorableness. That and signaling Denki to give him a tiny shock.
After another minute of letting everyone situate themselves, Izuku instructs them again, “Good. Now everyone, hold hands.”
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Yaomomo speaks up, grabbing Jiro and Todoroki’s hands respectively. “How does this mindscape work? You never told us.”
Izuku hums. “Think of it like my pocket dimension, but for the mind. Our consciousnesses will enter and I’ll create the initial world for you all. Then, as we adventure and learn more, the fabricated world will be fleshed out from our collective minds, with me leading the way of course. To make things easier, I’ll set it so the physics of our world applies to that one.”
“Does that mean any of us will be able to create or take things away from the world at any given time?” Yaomomo asks a good question.
But Izuku shakes his head. “Like I said. I’ll be leading the way. Since all our minds will be connected, any big changes you want to make will have to go through me first.”
“And is it safe?”
“Should be. Like my pocket dimension, there’s a size limit. If we go over it without my realization, we’ll be rejected from the world and ejected. The chance for brain damage is probably low.”
“Probably?!”
“I have a question!” Denki raises his hand but doesn’t wait to be called on. “What’s with the illusion of tables with cups of fruit punch around us?”
Izuku snickers. “While we’re in the mindscape, we’re all going to be left lying here in a pile. I thought a funny prank would be if someone came by and thought we were some cult that just committed a mass-“
“Pfffft,” Denki blows a raspberry, laughing with Tenko next to him. “Dude, that’s terrible… I love it!”
“Wait!” Yaomomo looks alarmed. “I didn’t approve-“
“Too late! The game is starting!” Izuku’s hands glow, causing everyone else’s to do the same and as one, they all faint.
The smell of salt water hits everyone’s nostrils first. Followed by the sound of the wind. And right after, the feeling of said wind and how cold it is. The teens blink and realize they’re on what looks like an old pirate ship. Complete with large sails above them and what looks like stairs on the other end leading to several decks below.
A few of them have to grab the railings on the side of the vessel as it crashes through waves to its location. The sky above them is gray with a steady fall of snow blown on their heads by the wind. Visibility is poor so they can’t make out much of what’s beyond the ship.
Izuku appears in his hero costume with his hands behind his back. “Take a minute to breathe and move around! Make sure your body feels right. If you feel nauseous, let me know! Once you’re sure you’re okay, everyone will find a coin in their back pocket. Flip it to bring up your character sheets and-“
“Midoriya!”
“Well, that didn’t take long- yes, Yaomomo?”
The heiress had already pulled up her character sheet. She wears a long maroon and white robes with a cloak behind her. Mostly. “My character sheet was quite detailed with my character design! Can you explain to me why I’m wearing a bikini top?!”
Izuku put up his hands in self-defense. “Hey, I wasn’t a fan either! But it’s not my fault! I was bribed!”
“Who-!” She narrows her eyes, whirling on Shoto and his dark blue light armor. He didn’t flinch. “Todoroki, you did this?”
He blinks. “Why would you think it was me?”
“Ever since our class went to the beach, you’ve constantly asked to go back!”
“Ah.” His eyes widen a little at the observation. “It seems I’m not as subtle as I thought. Still, I can promise you that I did not bribe Midoriya into putting you in a bikini top.”
“Well, thank you-“
“I attempted to bribe him for bikini bottoms. But I was outbid.”
“You- how-“ the dots connect in Yaomomo’s head and she spins around, pointing an accusatory finger at Jiro, who whistles innocently in her dark purple robes and hood. “Why?!”
“If it makes you feel better, we tried to get you in full bikini armor, but Midoriya said no.” Yaomomo pouts. “But we did it because we thought you’d look good,” the rocker girl shrugs nonchalantly, unashamed. “And we were right.” She saunters over to the other girl, leaning up against her. “But can you blame me? Afterall, I’m just a lowly bard seduced by an angelic wizard princess.” Yaomomo blushes almost as red as her robes.
“And I, a simple spell sword prince.” Todoroki kneels to Yaomomo. “Upon our betrothal, I saw how enamored this beloved bard was with you. And you her. So we took her as our consort.”
Yaomomo and Jiro stare. Izuku stares. Everyone stares. “What?”
Tenko, in a red and yellow tunic that covers his armor, as well as not looking too dissimilar to his armor in real life, scoots closer to Izuku. “I think Todoroki might be one of those guys that takes the whole role-playing thing a little too seriously.”
Izuku is horrified. “Oh no, he’s one of them.”
Yaomomo crosses her arms, shivering. “While I appreciate the compliments, I believe there is one very obvious flaw in your plan!” She points to the cold sky above them.
Izuku lifts his hand and tilts his head at Jiro, who sighs in defeat. “Yeah, go ahead. I’d rather she not be cold.”
He smiles, snapping his fingers and properly covering up Yaomomo with the rest of her robes. She hugs herself in warmth and relief. “If there aren’t any more problems-“ he starts.
“Where the fuck is my dragon?!!”
Izuku should’ve known.
Bakugo marches up to him, getting right in his face. With Yaomomo clothes, he’s one of the few left without a shirt, with various patches of fur throughout. “Oi! Don’t play dumb! I’m a Barbarian Warlord who rides a dragon! And I don’t see my dragon!”
Izuku points behind him. “But I did give you a dragon to ride! Look!”
Bakugo cranes his head behind him- only for his furious look to drop immediately when he sees Kirishima, a Dragonborn, looking over the side of the ship. When he notices Bakugo staring, he waves happily at him.
The demigod smirks behind him. “Unless… that’s a problem?” Bakugo growls, turning around and grabbing Izuku by the front of his costume. There’s a faint dust of red on his cheeks. “Any complaints?”
“… I don’t see my war ax.”
Izuku taps a pouch at his side. “I’m keeping everyone's weapons until we start. Then you all have to carry them.”
“You jerk!” Izuku yelps when Mina yanks him away. Her demonic wings flap furiously. “I said cute and sexy on my sheet! Not slut! How could you make me a succubus?!”
“I didn’t! I swear!” Izuku clarifies as Mina’s pointed tail threatens him. “You’re a succubi descendent! You don’t get power from doing that with people! You get power from people around you being in love!”
“Oh…” Mina thinks it over, dropping her nervous DM. Ochako and Eri pick him up. She brightens. “That’s amazing! It’s like what gives me energy in real life! Oh, that’s so smart! And now it’s like I have my own actual love detector! This is amazing! Quick question though. Does my own-“
“Yes, your relationship works too.”
“Great!” She drags Shinso up against her with her tail. He looks annoyed but doesn’t exactly protest either.
“Izuku?” Ochako taps him. “I love being a mystic fist monk,” she throws a few mock punches, “so I’m good, but why is Eri a ranger? I thought she’d want to be a Rogue, like you?”
“Better stats for animal taming anything she sees.”
Ochako nods in understanding.
“Oooh! My love detector’s going off!” Mina coos at them. The couple blushes having not exactly used that word with each other yet.
Izuku shakes his head, trying to let his naturally cold body cool him down. “Anything else?”
“Nope! Couldn’t be happier!” Dark Shadow gives him a thumbs up at having her own body to play in the mindscape.
Tokoyami nods. “It will be interesting for us to play this game as our own characters, instead of sharing.”
“You say that now, but just wait until my Druid is smoking your Warlock butt!” Dark Shadow challenges.
“This again?” Tokoyami drawls.
“I agree, there is no discussion to be had,” Yanagi nods solemnly. “The Druid is clearly superior.”
“See?!” Dark Shadow motions to the 1-B student. “Even your dark princess agrees!”
Tokoyami blushes under his feathers. “She’s not my princess!”
“I agree once again,” Yanagi repeats. “He hasn’t asked me out yet.”
“Yes, I-“ Tokoyami does a double take. “What?!”
“It’s time to start!” Izuku stands above everyone by the ship’s helm. What seems to be an NPC steers the ship. Everyone turns their attention to him. “Heroes! You’ve been gathered together for one simple mission. Save the world.”
“Been there, done that!” Denki calls out, laughing. There’s the sound of a knife whizzing through the air followed by the blond yelling, “Ow!” He looks to the Tiefling, Tokage, next to him for comfort but she just giggles at him.
Izuku clears his throat. “To save the world! But if only it were that simple! You’re not just here to save a world. But several worlds!” He creates an illusion of a giant tree connecting several planets by rainbows in the middle of the deck. “For unknown reasons, the Bifrost, the bridge that connects all nine realms of the world tree Yggdrasil, has started to decay and crumble.”
The rainbow connecting the planets starts to lose its color, as do the planets. “Without its light, the realms have begun to fall into chaos and war. You heroes are Yggdrasil’s last hope. It’ll be up to you to travel to all nine realms, from Jotunheim to Niflheim, restore peace, find out why the Bridge is decaying, and save it! Think you’re up for the task?!”
“Yeah!” The group cheers.
Eri raises her hand and jumps up and down. She actually waits for Izuku to call on her. “We’re in a place with a lot of snow, right?” Izuku nods. “And polar bears live in places with a lot of snow too?” Izuku grins, nodding excitedly. “Does that mean I can tame a polar bear?!”
“Absolutely not!” Iida chops. “You should begin practicing on much smaller animals before-“
“I’m gonna name him Fluffy!”
“Great!” The illusion of the tree snaps away with a clap of Izuku’s hands. “So, to make it simple, you heroes will begin on Midgard. It’s the world most like Earth. Good luck!”
The ship slows as it nears the dock and the party disembarks into a port city that had seen better days. Izuku hands them their weapons as they do. A fresh blanket of snow covers the ground and cracks beneath their feet as they walk. NPCs give them distrustful looks, picking their pace to scamper away as they near.
“I’ve never played one of these games before.” Artificer Melissa tries to wave at one of the NPCs in a friendly manner. The character gasps, and turns away, waddling away while grumbling to herself. “How do we start?”
“We should probably find a nicer area to talk to someone.” Monk Kendo cups her chin. “I don’t think anyone around here will.”
“There’s a tavern ahead,” Tenko motions with his head. “That’s usually the place to get information and jobs in these types of games.”
The warm air blasts the kids as soon as they push open the door. It’s such a relief that several of them just stand in the doorway, enjoying a break from the cold. That is, until-
“Oi! Shut the damn door! You’re letting the frost in!” The players who had been blocking the way jumped, allowing the doors to slam behind them. The Tavern is large, with an open area for tables and a bar on the far side to order food and drinks. Not a single patron makes eye contact with them. Stairs off to the side lead upstairs.
The big burly man who had yelled at them, the bartender, crosses his arms. “This ain’t a free break from the cold. You wanna stay here? Each of you’s gotta buy somethin’.”
“We would be glad too.” Yaomomo is the first to walk up to the bar. “If you could provide us with some information.”
The bartender scoffs, throwing a rag over his shoulder. “I don’t know nothin’ and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell ya strangers.”
Todoroki is next. “Prithee sir, we art but humble h’roes h’re to holp thy landeth.”
The bartender cocks his head to the side. “Huh?”
Tokage slides in next to them. “Hold up. How about I speak a language I think everyone understands.” She looks at the menu nailed on the wall before reaching into one of her pouches and slamming a few gold pieces on the table. “Some mead for each of my friends here. There’s a little extra in there for your troubles.”
The bartender watches her suspiciously but slides the gold into his hands anyway. “I still don’t know nothin’. But if you wanna know what befallen the land, I’d talk to the fighter from the Underwater Kingdom.” He points to someone sitting in a shadowy corner of the bar before grabbing mugs for everyone.
“Nice work!” Ochako gives her a thumbs up.
Denki bumps her. “What’s mead?” Tokage shrugs.
Yaomomo again, leads the talk with the person sitting alone in the corner of the tavern, a hood obscuring their face. “Hello,” She greets kindly. “Are you a fighter of the Underwater Kingdom?”
“I am. Ribbit.” Everyone sighs in relief and laughs when an amphibious lizard folk Tsu removes her hood.
Yaomomo puts a hand on her chest, sitting with her friend. “That’s a relief. I had been wondering why we weren’t all together on the ship but I figured Midoriya had done so for story purposes. So, you can help us?”
Tsu nods, taking a sip of her drink. “Yes, I can take you to the Princess of the Underwater Kingdom… but she won’t see you until you prove yourselves first.”
Denki groans. “These games always have these kinds of side quests…”
“Ribbit,” Tsu agrees. “If you want to see the princess, you’ll have to save her fairy warrior friend who’s trapped in a dungeon.”
Yaomomo hums. “I understand. And how did her friend become trapped? Did she become lost in a maze? Is a monster keeping her trapped?”
“Not exactly. Ribbit…”
“What’s in this chest?” Nejire flies over, opening it up. “More weapons! Ugh! I don’t need any more! Maybe I should think about leaving- oh look! Another room I haven’t explored yet!” She flies through the door. “Even better! This one wasn’t booby-trapped!”
Yaomomo faceplams. “I see…”
While the rest of the party claims their mead, readying themselves to leave on their first quest, Tenko leans on a wall away from everyone and pulls up his character sheet. He stares at the extra tasks he had gone over with the DM.
Because Tenko isn’t on this trip to help save some worlds. He is an Assassin Sellsword with a job a client had paid him to do. To kill the princess of the Underwater Kingdom. And soon, this party would lead him right to her.
“This is working out perfectly for the both of us, huh?” His partner Sellsword joins him.
“It is. I got the princess. Who were you hired to kill?”
Hana pulls up her character sheet and shows him. “The fairy warrior. So we use her to get to the Princess and then take them both off at the same time.” She shakes in excitement. “It’s like we’re in a mob movie or something!”
Tenko matches his sister’s excitement. “I know! Playing the bad guy is so much fun! I can see why you like it so much.” He holds his fist out. “Ready to help me do terrible things for money?”
Hana fistbumps him. “Oh, yeah. Let’s cause some trouble.”