The dim lights of Nyxia's containment room brightened slowly as morning came or rather, the artificial cycle that mimicked it. Rising from his curled resting position, Nyxia stirred as the heavy door opened with a soft hiss.
Standing there, smiling politely, was Principal Nezu, clipboard in hand.
"Good morning, Mr. Nyxia. It's time to meet the students of Class 1-A and 2-A," he said cheerfully, tail swaying behind him.
Nyxia tilted his head, still waking up fully, then followed obediently. The journey took them once again to the large training dome, a place where he'd first met the Big Three. The familiar warmth of the simulated sunlight streamed down through the glass ceiling. Instinctively, he stepped into a sunbeam and let it bathe his monstrous form — a calming ritual.
But peace was short-lived.
Lined up before him were two full classes of students, their colorful uniforms and wildly diverse quirks forming a spectrum of power and personality. Most of them stood stiff, eyes wide with a mixture of awe, fear, and curiosity as they gazed upon the towering beast-like being.
Near the front, Aizawa (Eraserhead) stood with his arms crossed, a neutral if tired look on his face. His expression was unreadable, but one could sense a quiet cautious optimism in his gaze.
Beside him, Vlad King stood with a firmer posture, glancing constantly between Nyxia and the students. He looked tense, protective, like he was expecting something to go wrong at any moment.
Nyxia slowly swept his gaze across the crowd and then blinked in confusion.
There was something… off.
His golden eyes locked onto several individuals he recognized from files and observations Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, Fumikage Tokoyami, and Neito Monoma only… they weren't exactly as expected.
Midoriya, smaller than he imagined, had long, dark green curls and softer features.
Bakugo, too, was different still radiating explosive rage, but her voice and form were clearly feminine, and she stood with her hands jammed in her pockets, glaring defiantly.
Tokoyami retained the same avian features, but had a longer, more elegant cloak and a more refined stance. Monoma, always theatrical, looked the same but now in a more flamboyant and sharp-featured feminine form.
Names displayed on their school tags caught Nyxia's eye:
Kasumi Bakugo
Izuka Midoriya
Reika Tokoyami
Neira Monoma
Nyxia's mind stalled, a small puff of static crackling from his tail.
"…What?"
And then a voice echoed in his head calm, amused, and unmistakably Eon's.
"It's the multiverse, Nyxia. You've walked its infinite halls long enough to know this. Gender-swaps? Minor reality shifts? Variants with different quirks? This is just Tuesday."
Nyxia grumbled internally, mentally replying,"Still weird."
Eon chuckled."Weird is the new normal."
As the students began whispering nervously among themselves, Nezu clapped his paws together cheerfully.
"Alright everyone, this is Nyxia. He'll be interacting with both classes under close supervision. Please be respectful and safe. That goes for all of you."
There was a long silence.Then… a small hand went up.
It was Izuka.
"U-um… do we say hi or…?"
Nezu nodded."That would be a good start."
Nyxia, towering over them, blinked slowly then did his best to give a small, awkward wave with one massive, tendril-wrapped hand.
The room held its breath.
And then Nejire (who had snuck in again somehow) whispered,"Still fluffy."
As the tension lingered in the air, Principal Nezu looked up from his clipboard and addressed the classes.
"To ease the transition and help everyone get to know one another, we'll begin with small group interactions. A handful of students from each class will spend the day with Mr. Nyxia under staff supervision."
That announcement made a few students visibly tense. Even Kasumi Bakugo narrowed her eyes.
"What, like we're supposed to hang out with the thing that eats Void and leaves claw prints in concrete?" she muttered.
"Kasumi," Aizawa said flatly, not even looking at her. "He can hear you. And that 'thing' has already shown more emotional control than some of you."
Kasumi clicked her tongue and looked away, arms still crossed.
Nezu, unfazed, continued."The following students will participate today: Izuka Midoriya, Kasumi Bakugo, Shoto Todoroki, Reika Tokoyami, and Neira Monoma from Class 1-A. From Class 2-A: Itsuka Kendo, Juzo Honenuki, and Pony Tsunotori. You'll each be given time to speak and interact with Nyxia in different settings: conversation, lunch, and training observation."
Neira Monoma raised a hand, visibly smug."Is this because I'm one of the most mentally resilient students? Or because I'm the most charismatic?"
"You were chosen," Vlad King said sharply, "because you won't be in class during your regular lesson block. Don't overthink it."
As the selected students slowly approached Nyxia, he lowered himself onto his hind legs, trying to make himself look smaller and less threatening. His golden eyes blinked slowly, tail coiled neatly, antlers brushing the overhead lighting.
Izuka took the lead, walking up with her notebook in hand, the same awe-filled curiosity sparking in her eyes as when she first saw All Might.
"U-um, hello again. I'm Izuka Midoriya. I uh I mean… it's really cool to meet you, and thank you for letting us talk to you. You… you're amazing."
Nyxia blinked, then slowly extended a single tendril and wrote in clean letters in the dirt:
"Hello. I'm Nyxia."
Reika Tokoyami stepped forward quietly next, her voice calm."You carry a deep shadow in your eyes. It's familiar."
Neira Monoma laughed nervously, stepping beside her."Well, this is just a regular day now, huh? Standing next to a void beast who writes better calligraphy than me."
Todoroki gave a respectful nod. "You seem to be trying. That's enough for me."
Pony waved from behind Juzo, still visibly nervous, her ears twitching.
And as the group formed a loose circle around Nyxia, Nejire again floated by upside down from above and whispered to Izuka:
"I told you he's fluffy."
Training Field – Quirk Demonstration Session
The students were led to Ground Gamma, a safer open area reinforced for combat training. Aizawa stood near the observation tower with Vlad King, both watching with sharp eyes. Nezu sipped tea on the sidelines, entirely relaxed.
"Alright," Aizawa said. "You'll each give a brief demonstration of your Quirk. Show him what you're capable of but more importantly, show him how you control it."
Nyxia sat a fair distance away, his massive form curled low like a waiting beast but with calm, blinking golden eyes. His antlers twitched occasionally, and his tendrils lay still beside him.
Izuka Midoriya (Full Cowl – 25%)She activated her power, green lightning arcing softly around her limbs as she dashed across the training field in a blur before doing a few aerial flips and landing with precision."I call it Full Cowl! It's a controlled form of my strength. I try not to break my bones anymore."
Nyxia tilted his head and gently scratched into the ground:"Fast. Controlled. Strong."She blushed.
Kasumi BakugoExplosions cracked the air as she launched herself up with a concentrated burst of sweat-powered detonations."If this thing ever goes wild, just point me at it."Aizawa: "No."
Shoto TodorokiWith a wave of his left hand, ice shot forward in a wide sheet. He followed with a sudden jet of flame from his right. "Balance is the key," he said quietly.
Reika TokoyamiShe summoned Dark Shadow: a sleeker, more serpentine creature with elegant motion and sharp movements.Nyxia's golden eyes widened at it, intrigued.
Neira MonomaHe copied Todoroki's Quirk and did a clumsy half-ice, half-flame split."I'm more of a strategic type!"
Itsuka KendoHer fists grew to massive proportions as she smashed through a training dummy."Big Fist. Simple. Works."
Juzo HonenukiThe ground near Nyxia liquified slightly."I can soften anything. It's great for mobility or traps."
Izuka's Request
Once the others had finished, Izuka stepped forward, her notebook already flipping to a blank page.
"Um, Mr. Nyxia? I was wondering if it's not too much could we see your Quirk? You know… the shadow soldiers you mentioned in the interview logs? I read your tendrils write, but you also manifest entities, right?"
Nyxia hesitated.
Inside his mindspace, Eon materialized beside a digital fireplace, sipping imaginary coffee."You don't have to show them. But… they're curious. And it might help."
Nyxia gave a slow nod.
The air grew colder.
The writhing tendrils along Nyxia's back curled upward and shimmered with a faint, unnatural light. As his antlers pulsed, the shadows at his feet stretched unnaturally across the ground.
From them emerged a dozen figures, each rising like mist solidifying into armor.
Humanoid in shape, but with monstrous, featureless obsidian masks.
Their bodies crackled with echoes of forgotten voices.
They knelt before Nyxia with perfect synchrony utterly silent.
The students stood frozen, unsure if they should be impressed or worried.
Neira Monoma stepped behind Todoroki."Okay so, he has a void army. Neat. Terrifying. But neat."
Izuka's hand was scribbling furiously.
"Their formation is militaristic tight. Maybe even pre-programmed behavior based on commands. Oh! Maybe he thinks and they act without direct verbal cues!"
Reika Tokoyami, gazing at one of the soldiers, whispered,"They feel like they're... remembering something."
Then, at a thought from Nyxia, the soldiers dissolved back into shadow, leaving only stillness.
Nyxia slowly etched in the dirt:"They are fragments. Of me. I only call them when needed."
Kasumi finally muttered, "Okay. Maybe he's not just a walking cryptid."
Aizawa turned to Nezu."That went better than expected."
Nyxia gave a slow, deliberate gesture, and the shadow soldiers dissolved instantly back into the swirling darkness around his feet. The field felt warmer again as the unnatural chill lifted.
Then, with a deep breath, Nyxia's tendrils coiled tightly, and from the shifting shadows a greatsword began to materialize. The blade was massive far too large for any human to wield but as it formed, it subtly morphed and adjusted to accommodate Nyxia's colossal size and unique limbs.
Nyxia slowly rose to his hind legs, towering over the training field. His muscular arms wrapped around the oversized hilt, gripping it firmly.
But his hind legs built more for power and stability than upright posture wobbled precariously, struggling to balance the weight.
A low rumble echoed from his throat, half frustration, half amusement.
The students' eyes widened as Nyxia teetered back and forth like a gigantic, awkward creature trying to stand on stilts.
Kasumi Bakugo couldn't hold back a snort."He looks like a baby deer learning to walk."
Mirio, grinning broadly, called out:"Yo, don't worry, big guy! You got this! Just don't fall on us!"
Nyxia, trying to maintain dignity, gave a slight nod, then steadied himself with a lumbering shuffle forward, greatsword dragging slightly on the ground.
Eraserhead's voice crackled through the comms, deadpan:"Maybe work on your balance before the next fight."
Despite the awkwardness, Nyxia's eyes gleamed with fierce determination.
Nyxia carefully lowered himself back onto all fours, the greatsword still gripped loosely in one hand. The students gathered around, some still chuckling quietly, others watching with curious, cautious eyes.
Izuka Midoriya stepped forward first, her gaze intense but friendly."Your shadow soldiers… and that sword your abilities are incredible. How did you learn to control them?"
Nyxia hesitated, then slowly explained in simple words, using hand gestures and shadowy wisps from his form to demonstrate parts of his power. His voice was low and rough, but earnest.
Kasumi Bakugo crossed her arms, smirking."Don't get cocky. Looks like you've got raw power, but you'll need training if you want to keep up with us."
Neira Monoma gave a skeptical look but nodded."Yeah, plus, you gotta learn to work with a team. Shadows and swords won't help if you don't know how to cooperate."
Reika Amajiki, who'd been quiet, finally spoke up in her calm, serious tone."Your control over shadows is impressive… but have you thought about how to use your powers creatively? Sometimes subtlety beats brute force."
Nyxia's eyes flickered, taking it in.
Izuka smiled gently."We all have something to teach you. And maybe you have something to teach us, too."
A warm silence fell for a moment, the tension easing.
Mirio, ever the optimist, clapped Nyxia on the shoulder carefully, given Nyxia's size."We'll help you figure it out. Welcome to 1-A and 2-A."
Nyxia's monstrous features softened slightly, the hint of a small, grateful nod.
Eraserhead's voice came over the comms again,"Good. Remember, it's not just about power it's about control, teamwork, and heart. Don't lose sight of that."
Nyxia looked around at the students a strange, new family forming before him.
As the sun dipped low, casting a warm amber glow over the training grounds, more students trickled in, their laughter and chatter filling the air. They eagerly joined the impromptu game, chasing shadow soldiers and playfully teasing Nyxia, who seemed more relaxed than ever.
Izuka handed Nyxia a piece of fruit, his eyes bright with encouragement. "You did really well today. Everyone's impressed."
Kasumi smirked, elbowing one of her friends. "I didn't think a 'monster' could keep up with us."
Nyxia gave a small, shy nod in response, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
As the last rays of sunlight faded, the students settled on the grass, pulling out lunchboxes and sharing snacks. The warmth of camaraderie wrapped around them like a blanket.
Nyxia reclined nearby, exhaustion settling in his limbs but contentment filling his heart. For the first time in a long while, he felt a part of something a place he could call home.
Nezu watched quietly from a distance, a small smile beneath his whiskered face, knowing this was just the beginning.
After the students left and the grounds grew quiet, Nyxia was escorted back to his holding cell. The dim steel walls closed in once more, but this time, Nyxia's thoughts swirled with the day's fleeting warmth.
Not long after, Hound Dog returned, tablet in hand, and resumed his thorough questioning. His voice was calm and steady, probing gently into Nyxia's psyche, unraveling the complex trauma buried beneath the monstrous exterior. Hours passed, and exhaustion claimed Nyxia once again, sending him drifting into the familiar refuge of his mindspace.
The next morning, the school was rocked by a sudden leak.
News had spread fast: U.A. was attempting to integrate Nyxia the monster who had killed heroes into the school.
Within minutes, social media exploded. Parents demanded explanations. Alumni voiced concern. The hero community was divided, but the uproar was undeniable.
Protests gathered outside the gates, signs waving with slogans like "Safety First" and "No Monsters at U.A."
The Hero Public Safety Commission (HPSC) quickly issued a statement, criticizing U.A.'s decision as reckless and endangering the student body.
Inside U.A., Principal Nezu gathered with Eraserhead, Vlad King, and the rest of the faculty.
Nezu's whiskered face was grave but determined.
"We knew this wouldn't be easy," he said quietly. "But turning our backs on him won't make anyone safer."
Eraserhead nodded, adjusting his scarf. "We must prepare for Nyxia, for the school, and for the public."
Vlad King's jaw tightened. "The protests won't die down unless we have something concrete to show progress, control, results."
Nezu looked around. "Then we double down on transparency. Mental evaluations, close monitoring, and clear communication."
He glanced toward the door. "Hound Dog's reports will be key. And the students' interactions those who've met him can help shift perspectives."
The path ahead was uncertain. But for the first time, Nyxia had a chance not just to exist, but to belong.
The conference hall was packed. Cameras lined the walls, reporters and media crews buzzing with anticipation. Outside, crowds gathered, hoping to catch glimpses of the proceedings on large screens.
Principal Nezu took the stage first, his calm, confident voice cutting through the murmur.
"Good afternoon. Thank you all for joining us today. We understand the concerns surrounding Nyxia's integration into U.A., and we are here to provide full transparency on the steps we have taken and what we've learned."
A large screen behind him flickered to life, displaying a series of carefully compiled clips and data.
"First, we would like to address Nyxia's psychological state," Nezu continued. "Thanks to extensive evaluation by our mental health specialist, Hound Dog, we have determined that Nyxia exhibits symptoms consistent with severe PTSD. His actions were not born from malice, but trauma."
The screen showed parts of the interview, Nyxia's subdued expressions, the tears, the remorse.
Eraserhead stepped forward next. His voice was steady and earnest.
"We have also studied Nyxia's physiology and dietary needs. He requires unique care, but our facilities are adapting to meet those needs. Most importantly, Nyxia has demonstrated a willingness to learn and to control his abilities."
Images flashed of Nyxia interacting with students playing with Nejire and Amajiki, practicing shadow soldier summoning, even awkwardly wielding his greatsword.
Nezu smiled slightly.
"Our students have welcomed him cautiously, and his presence has not caused any incidents."
The room shifted, some skeptical faces softened.
Finally, Hound Dog took the podium.
"Mental health and behavior are our highest priorities. Nyxia is receiving continuous evaluation, therapy, and close observation. Our goal is not simply containment, but rehabilitation and integration."
He paused and looked directly into the cameras.
"We ask for your patience and support as we work together to provide safety and hope for all."
As the conference concluded, the questions began. Reporters challenged, parents worried, but a seed of understanding had been planted.
Outside, the protests quieted for now.
At the League of Villains' hideout, tension crackled in the air. Tomura Shigaraki paced furiously, his crimson eyes ablaze with frustration.
"U.A. thinks they can tame that beast?" he spat, slamming a fist into the wall, leaving a spiderweb of cracks. "They're playing with fire, trying to control something they don't understand."
All For One, seated calmly in the shadows, observed Shigaraki's outburst with a measured gaze. His voice, when it came, was smooth and deliberate.
"Patience, Tomura. Let them believe they hold the leash. The more they think they can mold Nyxia, the more disillusioned he will become when they inevitably falter."
Shigaraki sneered, crossing his arms. "And when that happens?"
A faint smile curled on All For One's lips. "Then we offer him the truth. That society will never accept him. That only we understand his pain, his power."
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "In time, Nyxia will see where he truly belongs."
The room fell silent, the weight of their plans settling like a shroud. Outside, the world remained unaware of the storm brewing in the shadows.