Chapter 13: Love Thyself
[Chapter 13]
A lonely, defeated girl limped away while she watched her opponent get swarmed by a group of loving friends and classmates. Her chest tightened for a moment, a longing sapphire gaze fixed on them for a few seconds before she continued making her way to the infirmary.
Friends… how nice it would be to have that many. Although Yui felt that it had been a satisfying match there was that undeniable jealousy that overcame her when she thought of Ochaco. The gravity girl was cute, popular, and had a ton of friends. She on the other hand… well, she was used to people being afraid or wary of her. It was hard to open up even when all of the 1-B girls had accepted her; there still needed more time before they could be as close as Ochaco's circle.
A soft blue glow down the corridor caught her attention and she stopped. Yui tilted her head, like an owl trying to get a better look. It was a single point of light, floating towards her like a will-o-wisp. Somebody was headed her way, but what was that… a lantern?
"Impressive work, Kodai-chan."
Yui felt the blood in her veins ran cold, a familiar sense of wrongness permeating the air once more. Yanagi Reiko stepped out of the darkness, a demure smile plastered on her features. Her expression was warm, but her face—it looked like it was made of porcelain. She was an inverted shadow, an unnaturally pale shape that somehow blended in with the surroundings.
"Most impressive. The audience was positively stunned by your performances, I'm sure. As for me, I was delighted to see all that…" Reiko edged closer, her single eye reflecting the dim light of the corridor. "...Potential. From both you and Uraraka-chan. Ah, poor little Kodai-chan. All that effort and training just to lose to a girl whose Quirk coincidentally counters yours."
Leave her out of this. Yui thought, carefully watching the platinum blonde. She winced the next moment, feeling another jolt of pain running up her arm.
"Hmm. Let's fix that, shall we?"
Reiko blinked slowly and there was a sudden tug on her arm, Yui letting out a sharp gasp when she felt the dislocated joint shifting back into place. The stoic girl immediately took a step back in alarm, getting into a defensive stance even in her injured and exhausted state.
"Don't be such a baby, it didn't hurt that much. I do it all the time. There's no need to be so cautious, Kodai-chan." Reiko huffed. "Consider this one on the house."
Yui's mind raced despite the exhaustion she was in. Reiko had just displayed her ability to bypass the Telekinetic's Dilemma, the observation that most Quirks couldn't affect living things from the inside unless they were meant to like Recovery Girl's Quirk. The sheer precision and control she had over her Quirk… this person could kill someone from the inside out without even lifting a finger and make it look like an accident. She had been lying when she said she couldn't control it.
What's her goal? Why reveal all this to me? Why the sudden interest in Uraraka-san as well?
"You're an interesting person. That makes you an asset." Reiko continued smiling. "That makes you… valuable. I'm not one to squander my investments."
Yui's only response to those ominous words was a cold, permafrost look that could have frozen a raging river. The message to the other girl was clear, almost taunting her to try something if she dared.
I am not afraid of you.
The two girls faced off against each other; one with a sickeningly saccharine smile, the other with a stoic stare. Thundering footfalls soon interrupted them when Kendo rounded the corner, running towards her childhood friend with a concerned look.
"Yui-chan! Are you okay? Damn girl, you look like you've been through the wringer!" Kendo gasped, quickly looking over her friend's injuries before she noticed the third party. "Woah! Reiko-san? How did you get here so fast? I could have sworn you were still in your seat when I came rushing down here."
"Trade secret." Reiko said curtly, never once breaking eye contact with Yui until her phone buzzed. "Take care of yourself, Kodai-chan."
She left them without another word, turning down the corridor and answering a call. Kendo huffed as she gently slung Yui's good arm over her back, guiding them both to Recovery Girl.
"Sheesh, you'd think she could have at least offered to help." Kendo said. "What did you guys even talk about anyway?"
"Nn."
"You got that right, can hardly understand her sometimes. Between you and me, she kinda gives me the creeps."
[x]
"Ahhh! Say 'ahhhhh', shroom!"
"U-um, I don't think this is appropriate—ulp!"
Ochaco gulped down the spoonful of soup hesitantly despite its delicious flavor, a little embarrassed at how someone was feeding her. She hadn't been spoonfed since she was a child, after all. Then there were the looks that her friends gave her. Iida looked mildly amused, while Izuku sighed and gave her a tired smile.
"How is she?" Izuku asked.
"There were a few major fractures here and there but there's nothing we can't fix with some healing kisses and magic mushroom soup." Kinoko reported happily while she carelessly shoved another spoonful into Ochaco's mouth. "She'll be good as new in no time, shroom!"
"You hear that, Uraraka-kun? You're going to be alright!" Iida cheered.
"Whew. I'm glad you won, Uraraka-san." Izuku said. "Hope you didn't get too much of a lecture from Recovery Girl, I still remember my first one."
"Tell me about it. She was particularly upset about the reckless attacks I was using." Ochaco admitted bashfully. "In hindsight, she's probably right. Besides, it looks like I'm not the only one."
The trio looked across the room to see Recovery Girl lecturing someone else while banadging them, the recipient clearly not paying attention to the older woman's words until a sloppy kiss landed on her cheek. Yui looked extremely unamused while the healer's Quirk worked it's magic, her lips drawn into a thin line. Ochaco gave a nervous chuckle at that, still trying to process her own glorious victory.
An announcement from Midnight drawled over the intercom, signalling that it was time to prepare for the final match of the first round. Izuku and Iida nodded, glancing over at Ochaco one last time to make sure she was okay.
"Stay here until you get better, Uraraka-san." Izuku sent her a wobbly smile before they left, his nervous green eyes meeting hers. "I'll see you in the finals."
"Good luck, Deku-kun." Ochaco replied with a warm smile of her own. "I'll be waiting."
Just before he left Izuku gave Yui a quick look as well and she responded with a polite nod. He hesitated for a moment before returning the gesture.
Then he and Iida were gone, leaving Ochaco and Yui alone in the infirmary while Recovery Girl stepped outside for a quick snack break while Kinoko went to answer her phone. Ochaco looked at her counterpart from across the room and began playing with her fingers nervously.
"So, u-um…" Ochaco began in a painfully awkward stammer. "Do you have a favorite hero, Kodai-san? Mine's Thirteen."
"Nn." Yui said flatly before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
"A-ah. Cool."
In waiting room number one, Izuku was scouring over his notebook for the strategy he'd drafted up against Monoma. From what little information he'd managed to gather it was apparent that the other boy was some sort of power copier, able to replicate the Quirk of whomever he touched.
"Hmmm. In this case, he would be more inclined to use the Quirks that he's most familiar with in his match against me. The Quirks of his classmates, no doubt."
"How can you be so sure of that?" Iida asked.
"Because it's what I would do." Izuku drummed his fingers along the steel table. "I know what you're thinking; that he may try to copy and use my own Quirk against me. But there's little to no tactical advantage to that. For one, he knows I'm physically stronger than him in close combat; the battle on the platform is proof enough. The highlight reel earlier also showed how I broke my own finger with the backlash from my Quirk, he surely noticed that. It simply isn't worth it to copy a self-destructive Quirk that he knows little about and he knows I'll overpower him in close combat, so he'll probably stick to ranged Quirks. Well, or I could be wrong and he could be proficient in close range, which means I'll have to retreat…"
"Plans within plans, within plans." Iida smiled. "You've thought of everything, haven't you Midoriya-kun."
"Not everything." Izuku said quietly. The lesson with Koko echoed in his mind; expect the unexpected. "Anything could happen, especially with a Quirk like his. There's a multitude of factors that I simply don't have time to take into account. How many Quirks can he copy at once, how long can he hold them, can he copy heteromorphic types, is the activation parameter limited to just his hands, is it a lingering effect, who among our class has he touched, has he touched anyone in the crowd, pro heroes in particular… well. The list goes on and on."
A green light winked on above the door, signalling that it was time to go.
"I'm sure you find a way, Midoriya-kun." Iida said, patting him on the shoulder. "Now get out there, and show them what you've got!"
"I… yeah." Izuku stood from his chair. "T-thanks, Iida-kun."
"Anytime, my friend."
Friend. The word lit a fire under his heart. The two boys exchanged a fistbump before Iida returned to the stands, leaving Izuku to walk down the corridor alone. He stepped into the light, the thunderous roar of countless voices reaching his ears. Present Mic's voice was reverberating all around from speakers circling the stadium and giving it a slight echo.
"Now, for our final match of the first round! Let's hear some appreciation for our two fighters, AMPPP IT UUPPP!"
Izuku clenched his fists, trying not to think of how many people were watching. Thousands of people in the stands. Millions watching their screens, all across the country. Cool, no pressure. He began climbing the steps into the arena.
"In the red corner! It's our fan favorite dark horse from the first event, from our esteemed Hero Department! Midoriya Izuku!"
'I want you to show the world that 'I am here!''
"In the blue corner! It's the crafty strategist and Class 1-B's last chance to get someone into the next round! Monoma Neito!"
Monona stepped into the arena, his eyes narrowed and calculating. Balled fists were clenched tight at his sides. The smug aura he had when talking to Bakugo was missing, instead replaced by a quiet, simmering anger. Izuku met his smoldering gaze with one of his own.
"It's a battle between two classes, a test of will and skill! A tale of rivalry and struggle folks, this is truly one for the records!"
"I'm going to make good what I said back then." Monoma said quietly, just loud enough for Izuku to hear.
"Are you ready?! It's time for a class versus class SHOWDOWN!"
"So am I." Izuku replied, readying himself.
"Match STAAARRRTTT!"
The ground beneath Izuku immediately softened. Green lightning crackled in his wake as Izuku tore himself out of the quicksand, distancing himself from the affected area. A high-pitched whistling cut through the air and the green-haired boy leapt backward just in time for a pair of floating horns to slash at where he'd been mere moments ago. Izuku analyzed the situation.
Horn. Soften. Two Quirks, both ranged. Maybe that's his limit in terms of number. He didn't use them in tandem—horns to control spacing, soften ground for a trap. He can't use both simultaneously? Or does he just want me to think that so he can catch me off guard?
Just as Izuku was probing at his opponent, so was Monoma. The blonde boy watched his movement carefully, the two fighters circling around in a wide arc. He kept his distance, having specifically selected the ranged Quirks to fight at a distance Izuku couldn't reach.
The green-haired boy didn't give him time to think. Izuku rocketed forward and Monoma's eyes widened just before he took a deep breath. He exhaled and there was suddenly a translucent wall of air between them, Izuku slamming into it unceremoniously. A third Quirk he had copied.
"Hah!" Monoma grinned.
Izuku wanted to say a cool, slightly cheesy one liner. 'A hero will never be stopped!' or perhaps 'Nothing stands in the way of justice!'. What came out of his mouth instead was—
"Do you really think this is going to stop me?"
A fist shrouded in emerald lightning smashed through the barrier like it was made of wet paper. Solidified shards of broken air spun into the air lazily, thrown up further from the shockwave Izuku caused when he smashed the ground where Monoma had stood into a thousand pieces. The ground melted and solidified around the brunette's lighting-clad fist but it didn't impede him one bit, Izuku ripping the earth apart with his bare hands and cutting a great gaping scar into the arena.
"Tch. Horns!" Monoma ordered.
The constructs obeyed, shooting forward. It was laughably easy for Izuku to smash them into smithereens with two light jabs. Monoma was inexperienced with the horns, making them go forward in a straight line instead of zig-zagging them through the air like Pony had. He didn't repeat his mistake as he sent a second volley, but it was already too late as Izuku had figured out their speed by then. The green-haired boy advanced, slipping and weaving under incoming attacks. All he had to do was close in, and it'd be all over for Monoma once he threw him out of bounds. That was the most efficient plan he had.
"You know, it's funny. Here I am fighting you, when I suspected you wouldn't even make it through the Cavalry Battle!" Monoma declared, backstepping while he made sure the horns kept Izuku occupied. "I thought you were all talk and no action!"
Taunting me. A psychological tactic. Is he trying to get me angry? It won't work. Either way it'd be best if I don't respond, I don't know if he has Shinso's mind-control Quirk. I need to watch the ground and the air; the softening Quirk's effects are lifted immediately, hardening the ground once he swaps Quirks. The aerokinetic Quirk's barriers still remain after swapping—
"I would have preferred fighting the blonde guy instead! You know the one, the spiky-haired guy with the explosions!"
Izuku paused. Bakugo?
That moment of hesitation was enough for Monoma to know he'd hit the jackpot. He made sure to capitalize on the opportunity he'd found, putting on his best shit-eating grin.
"At least he's an interesting one! You? No style, no substance! He's so much better than you that it's not even funny!" Monoma crowed, skillfully swapping from the horns to the softening Quirk as he laid out traps all across the arena. "Frankly, I'm disappointed. In fact, I think anyone would be disappointed when they're with you! How did a lame-looking loser like you even get into this school?! It seems that they're lowering the standards every year, but whew! Really scraping the bottom of the barrel this time!"
Izuku quickly realized what was happening to him the moment he felt it. Rage. It rose from a low simmer to a furious boil, dark green anger starting to bubble over the cauldron of his mind. He pulled at it, reining it in. Not now, he told himself. Calm down.
Memories flashed in his mind. His notebook, nibbled at by carp. His mother's face while treating his burns. All Might's skeletal back as he told him to give up. His old classmates from Aldera Junior High, laughing, laughing, laughing. Bakugo's taunting smile as he told him to—
No. Nonononono. Not now.
Monoma knew his words were working. Izuku was becoming distracted, slower. He just had to push him a little more.
"Why are you even here?! You're nothing compared to him, you know that?!" Monoma laughed. "Look around you! The people love a bombastic personality like his! He's great, but you?! You're so boring! Worthless! What was that he called you again? Ah, yes…"
The blonde twisted his lips into a mocking grin.
"A 'Deku', wasn't it. I suppose it means 'Useless'!" the blonde laughed. "How fitting."
Izuku crashed through three layers of solidified air like they weren't there. He felt his fury being pulled back in two distinct tugs, his sisters reining him in.
"My 'Deku' means 'you can do it'." Izuku said. "Nothing you say will ever change that."
"Is that so?" Monoma scoffed. "Why don't you—"
Monoma's real words went unheard as that hated sentence resurfaced in Izuku's mind. All of a sudden he was back in that classroom; helpless and worthless little Deku. The laughter of his bullies was echoing down the hallway as they left him standing there in his own misery and shame. Ten years of loneliness and humiliation were compressed and flashed within that infinitesimal split second where he heard those words again, stunning him momentarily.
The blonde made his move, softening the ground beneath and slamming Izuku downwards with both horns. He sank waist deep from the sudden impact, letting out a gasp of pain when the ground suddenly solidified around his lower body with the deactivation of the softening Quirk. Monoma didn't let up, sending layer after layer of solidified air over his exposed torso and enveloping him in an invisible cage.
Monoma raised his hands as the crowd cheered, reveling in their applause and whistles. He turned to Izuku, taunting him.
"These are some nice Quirks, aren't they?"
The world flashed and suddenly it wasn't Monoma standing there. They were in a different time, a different place. Stars dotted the blackness of space, the metal surface beneath him illuminated by the radiant sun at his back.
Standing before him was… it was…
'Yes, very nice. It's ironic, isn't it? The Quirks of your precious little guild will now be used to further my own goals.' the man in black smiled, his crisp suit undamaged by the vacuum of space nor the heat of atmospheric re-entry. A dense black fog shrouded his eyes and nose, obscuring his face. 'I'll be sure to treat them well, unlike your friends.'
Izuku roared, fury filling his heart. Star erupted to life, curling from his back and around his left arm to form a longsword. Stripe responded in kind, sliding over his right hand and taking the form of a kite shield.
All For One laughed.
Izuku charged.
He exploded out of the trap Monoma had created, sending chunks of rock skidding across the safety shields protecting the audience. Then it wasn't Monoma standing there anymore and it was All For One, and he had to kill him before he broke the world—
Green lightning carved snaking lines into the ground. Izuku smashed through the barriers Monoma had put up, lunging at him like a mad dog.
"Struck a nerve, did I? What's the matter, can't handle that Bakugo-san is better than you—urk!"
The blonde's sentence was cut short when Izuku launched a side kick into his stomach, sending him skipping across the arena. Monoma rolled aside just in time to avoid Izuku's hammerfist, the attack rupturing the ground upwards and sending him into the air.
"Tch! Don't be such a sore loser!" Monoma yelled, creating a platform of air to gain the high ground. It lingered after he swapped to another Quirk. "Horns!"
Izuku jumped, One For All screaming with power. He grabbed and launched himself off one of the horns, uppercutting the solidified air platform into pieces and snatching the blonde boy out of the air. They fell together, Izuku's fist cutting across Monoma's face with a heavy swing and barely restraining himself from wrapping his hands around the other boy's throat. Monoma twisted and created a 'slide'; a tilted panel of air to send them tumbling back down onto the battlefield instead of resulting in a crushing fall.
In the present; another air panel manifested out of nowhere but Izuku slid under it, shooting up to grab the back of Monoma's head and slamming his face through the solid air. The air shattered like a windowpane, the sound of breaking glass accompanying the blonde's pained cry. Izuku snarled and grabbed Monoma's shirt collar, this time throwing his opponent's entire body through the barrier. Broken air crunched beneath Izuku shoes while he advanced.
In the past; his shrieking sword cleaves through a series of eel-like tendrils, each new Quirk displayed by All For One only making him angrier and angrier. The bastard was using the stolen Quirks of his friends. He closes in to grab the back of the villain's head and slams it through a solar panel, sending reflective shards spinning into the blackness of space. All for One somehow laughs in the airless vacuum even as he is picked up and thrown through a wall of glittering circuitry. Solid titanium groans beneath Izuku's boots while he advances.
He knew what was happening, felt it in his head but couldn't stop it. The rage pulsed over him in waves, each one stronger than the last. He was a green speck in a sea of red memories, amplified emotions washing over him and trapping him in a whirlpool of his own anger.
It is not now.
He is not here.
It is three years ago and Izuku is twelve years old. He throws up as Bakugo sends a fist into his stomach. It is not child versus child. Bakugo has grown bigger sooner than his peers and is dishing out the kind of damage a man can do to a boy. The students surrounding them simply watch. Some of them like seeing Izuku, the loser nobody nerd, get hurt. They laugh. Some are mesmerized by Bakugo's strength. They stare. Some are scared of what's happening. They look away.
Izuku's face shatters and no one does a single thing.
No one.
Izuku blinked back into reality, struggling to regain his senses. No, this wasn't his middle school courtyard. No, he wasn't fighting All For One aboard a crashing space station. He was fighting Monoma Neito, they were in a friendly U.A tournament—
Ravager screeches, his inhuman form blurring with speed. Izuku dodges sideways, drawing his sidearm and firing six clean shots into the monster's torso. The bullets didn't even scratch the monster's skin. Rainwater slides off its pale, sickly hide while three poisonous green eyes stare with murderous intent.
'Kill… you…' the proto-nomu gurgles. 'Help… me…"
In the waking world, Izuku cocked a finger back and snarled.
"Delaware Smash!"
The blast scattered Monoma's incoming horns like leaves in the wind, the blonde flying backwards from the impact and barely saving himself from a ring-out by a well timed air barrier. Izuku clutched at his head, not sure what was real and what wasn't. Dream and day were mixing as one, a turbulent maelstrom of thoughts and feelings that left him staggering.
"What the… are you—"
Monoma was interrupted when Izuku's fists and kicks lanced forward, his sheer power tearing the land to pieces. But he was attacking in the wrong direction, facing away from Monoma. Almost like he was fighting an invisible enemy that only he could see. In the stands Ochaco and Iida watched with worried eyes, knowing that something was wrong. A few meters away Kendo nearly stood up, recognizing the traditional style he used.
Zabanya's robot army advances like a mechanical tide, a wave of silver bodies that crash down on him in a blur of shifting gears and plasma fire. The machine-god himself was there on the front lines, an eerie pink glow radiating from his terrified Z-shaped eyes. The metal man screams, his voice oscillating in an uneven pitch.
Izuku's vision flickered between the past and the present. Attacks from three different directions thunder towards him. Zabanya's dagger-shaped drones descend from the skies like falling stalactites and spat pink lightning. Ravager's fists split the ground and open a chasm in the wet asphalt. All For One's black flames incinerate space itself.
Dreams of war, dreams of liars. Dreams of dragon's fire.
Izuku howled, Detroit Smash cratering the earth which he stood with an ear splitting roar. The ground beneath his feet cracked and ruptured, old memories amplified by a decade of bottled emotions that he'd kept to himself spilling out uncontrollably. The threshold had been reached, and a boundary had been crossed. His frustration lashed out in the form of kicks and punches. Burning rage blinded him in a haze of red and green, pushing, pushing, pushing—
Stop stop stop
There was that distinct tugging again and Izuku snapped back into reality, dragged out of the memories. His siblings were helping out; he could feel their presence dragging him back and helping to focus. The disjointed memories lingered but it wasn't as bad as before, now they were only being seen by his left eye and overlapping in his vision. One For All's lightning slowed to a low hum and the rage melted away.
"Kiri. Mimi." Izuku gasped between ragged breaths. "T-thanks."
Monoma was getting up now, the expression on his face somewhere mixed between caution and fury. Izuku tried to bring up both fists but realized he couldn't; his left arm had been pulverized by Detroit Smash, jagged shards of broken bone pressing on the insides. Pain ran up the limb like it was on fire. He then winced at the old memories that were still replaying on his left eye, warped together into a blurry mess. There was a very real possibility that he would lose if he wasn't careful.
But he wouldn't give up. Not when he'd already told Ochaco not to earlier. The boy steadied himself, legs bracing. He brought up his good arm and closed the afflicted eye.
Izuku would have to fight with one eye and one arm.
Monoma growled, taking up his own combat stance. Twin horns orbited his head, poised to strike like a pair of drawn arrows.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?!" Monoma spat.
"I guess I don't." Izuku smiled bitterly.
They moved at the same time. One For All surged into Izuku's right leg and dug into the earth before the boy leapt forward, sending his knee through a trifecta of solidified air panels. His opponent backed away in a panic while Izuku darted from left to right with inhuman speed, his broken arm flopping around like a doll's. With only one eye the boy's depth perception was wrecked, causing him to miss an easy swipe at Monoma while he retreated to create some distance.
Focus. Feel. Grip the ground and push off it.
This was something Koko's taught him; movement from point-to-point in an instant by temporarily surging a higher percentage One For All into his legs for a sort of 'blink'. It was nothing compared to All Might's speed but Izuku needed something that he could realistically reach. The dog-girl had used every part of herself to fight, even her tail had been used to help balance and shift her weight for near-instantaneous directional changes. Izuku mimicked her movements to the best of his abilities, avoiding the pools of softened ground that had opened up in his path.
Monoma sent the horns forward and swapped Quirks with a loud exhale, but Izuku was already moving and feeling it all. The crunch of dirt beneath his feet. The crackle of lightning around his arm. There was a roar of howling wind as every air molecule in Izuku's general vicinity got the hell out of his way. His hand pierced through a half-dozen air shields, finding its way around Monoma's neck and slamming him into the ground. A cloud of dust and broken ground was left in his wake from the sharp, sudden movement. If anyone in the audience blinked, they would have missed it the entire thing.
"Yield." Izuku coughed, his fingers trembling on Monoma's neck. "It's over."
"No…" Monoma spat. "It's not over until I say it's over!"
The blonde grabbed his arm and twisted, throwing Izuku over him in a classic Judo throw while they both got up. However, what really caught Izuku's attention was the triumphant look on the other boy's face.
"Hah! Now I've copied your Quirk!" Monoma declared victoriously. "Let's see how you like a taste of your own—"
Monoma froze on the spot, his entire body stiffening. His eyes went wide, skin paling as the blood suddenly drained from his face. Frightened blue eyes met confused green ones.
"W-what is this? I… I don't…"
The blonde stiffened again, this time going down on his knees. A sense of alarm came over Izuku. One For All? His body isn't strong enough to handle the recoil! He rushed towards Monoma in and effort to aid him and—
It wasn't One For All. He wished it was, because nearly anything would have been better than what happened next.
Monoma began to scream.
He trashed and howled, his fingers digging into the dirt while making sounds that no human should have been able to make. The blonde boy's body was shaking unnaturally; shivering and shuddering on the spot.
A long, writhing tentacle emerged from Monoma's back, glowing with a dim light. The tip split off into five points to form fingers, then a hand.
"Oh." Izuku's blood turned to ice. "Oh my god."
Monoma screamed again and so did the wind, the sound like a horsehair bow drawn across a damaged violin in a single, ugly swipe. The bow was his lungs, the violin his vocal cords; a piercing shriek echoing through the arena and sending most of the audience scrambling to cover their ears. The sound stabbed into Izuku's eardrums and wrenched at his brain, an inhuman frequency that couldn't have been produced by Monoma's voice alone. Izuku surged forward, wanting to do something, anything to stop the other boy's pain but a whirling dome of air stopped him.
He smashed into it with Full Cowl but it was nothing like the flimsy shields from before, withstanding his blows like some sort of protective cocoon. He could still see Monoma within, now shaking on all fours like he was having a seizure. Izuku kept beating on the dome shield relentlessly, ignoring how the razor-sharp air cut his skin every time he tried. He was bleeding now, all thoughts of winning thrown out the window. Monoma's eyes had rolled up to the back of his head. Izuku feared that Monoma wouldn't survive the process—he suspected the blonde only copied Quirks, but not the inherent mechanisms that prevented them from hurting him.
The glowing hand turned into an arm, and the entity within Monoma started pulling itself out.
"Stop the match." Izuku started, his voice shaking. "I said, STOP THE MATCH!"
It was useless. The arena was surrounded by a second sphere of solid, whirling air, drowning out all incoming and outgoing sound. Midnight couldn't hear him, her gas Quirk dispelled by the spinning wind. He could see her yelling orders to the security bots while Cementoss pounded on the outer dome shield with his Quirk. Why didn't he just control the concrete on the inside?
Because he couldn't, Izuku realized. The arena itself was liquefying, the amplified softening Quirk ripping away Cementoss' control. Shearing wind swept and tossed the liquid ground, creating a whirlpool around the two boys. Izuku turned to the jumbotron and saw only him and Monoma. The cameras couldn't see what was happening… and judging by the confused looks on the teacher's faces, neither could they. They must have assumed Monoma's Quirk was going out of control, not aware of the entity that was being born. Eraserhead could stop it! Then he looked at the dust swirling around them, obscuring them from the teacher's line of sight. It wasn't going to work.
The horns on Monoma's head elongated to become monstrously long, curving and branching outward in an ornate pattern reminiscent of a Stag's. His right eye glowed with an unearthly yellow light, the completed visage making the shaking boy look like something out of a pagan myth. Horns. Wind. Earth. Light. A nature spirit from myths of old brought to life in the age of heroes. The Valkyrie on Monoma's back was emerging, pulling herself upward like a dragonfly nymph escaping from its shell. Flowing, illuminated hair bloomed from her head like an opening flower.
The first thing Izuku noticed about her was the eyes. Green and grey, one from each parent. It was female, featureless and incomplete. Unlike Kiri, she had freckles…
[x]
Panic was in the stands as the audience could do nothing but watch with horror. To them, it looked as if Monoma had lost control of his Quirk. None of them could see what was actually happening except for a few specific individuals.
"NO!" Dark Shadow screamed, clawing at himself while he watched Midnight's security bots and Cementoss attempted to breach the dome of solidified air. "NO, DON'T HURT!"
"Dark Shadow, what's wrong?!"
"DON'T HURT NEWBORN!"
A few rows away Mei pulled a pair of tech-goggles over her eyes for a scan and gasped.
"Warning, warning. Psionic wavelength detected." Zenith reported. "Unknown Class 9 cognitiohazard identified. Recommend reinforcing audience safety shields."
"Do it!" Mei snapped. "Get me an analysis on that thing! I want thermal, infrared, psychovision, everything!"
Amongst the panic and confusion in the audience a platinum blonde frowned. She raised a hand to her shoulder and tapped on a tiny device no larger than her fingernail, all discretion temporarily tossed aside.
"All units, code blue in progress. Repeat, code blue. Brace for Ascension."
[x]
Mismatched heterochromatic eyes stared into Izuku's. The Newborn's torso was fully formed now, her pale, glowing top half sticking out of Monoma's back. The blonde boy started making wet, wretched sounds, choking and gasping.
"Ahh… Agh…"
"Monoma-kun!" Izuku cried, his hand slamming against the shield. He had to get him out of there, stop the process before—
Izuku turned to the Newborn, his gaze pleading.
"You need to stop! You're hurting him!"
The projection's only reaction was to stare at him blankly, looking around in confusion. Of course she didn't understand him, having only been born only moments ago. Izuku's mind raced, a plethora of options spinning into his brain in the span of a second and doing absolutely nothing as each and every solution he came up with evaporated into nothingness. He didn't know anything about this situation. His sisters couldn't advise him either. In his panic, he wrenched his good arm back and prepared One For All.
"Hang on!"
Detroit Smash hit the shield of air with a thunderous boom, sending cracks running in every direction of the impact. Monoma stirred when Izuku's arm managed to punch through it, the green-haired boy extending a helping hand. The blonde and his construct were in the eye of the hurricane, violent winds sweeping around them.
"I'm gonna get you out of there, Monoma-kun!" Izuku shouted, only to let out a howl of pain when several long gashes appeared on his broken right arm.
The air within the dome swirled, cutting across his skin like a thousand knives. Most of the cuts were tiny, barely even breaking the epidermis. Others carved into his flesh and sent spurts of his blood whirling around Monoma. The simulacrum within let out a silent scream of dismay, understanding that she was hurting her creators. Izuku realized it almost immediately; she couldn't control what was happening either. At this distance, he couldn't reach Monoma… He angled his arm towards the Newborn instead and reached for her, hoping that the haywire effects of Copy would stop once the two were separated.
"TAKE MY HAND!"
U.A security robots were pounding on the shield with no effect. Vlad King had leapt down from the stands to aid the breaching effort, his blood solidified into massive gauntlets that slammed into the barrier. There was a flash of yellow in the air above, preparing to come down like a missile. All Might?
The Newborn reached for him with a trembling hand, her light fingers almost touching Izuku's blood-soaked ones until another low groan from Monoma caused her to stop. She looked down and saw her creator's face wracked with pain, her expression twisting with sorrow at the sight. Time seemed to slow while Izuku watched her looking between him and Monoma. She was making a choice.
Those lovely eyes came up to meet Izuku's, looking infinitely sad as she decided what she was going to do. A crack ran down her face, the sound of breaking glass accompanying the horrifying sight. Her lips mouthed a single word before she started flaking away, her body beginning to scatter into countless pale yellow particles.
Izuku.
He reached for her hand in desperation but it was too late. The Newborn disintegrated and shattered into a million pieces, her form fading away in the violent wind. The spherical dome shield that separated them from the outside world popped like a soap bubble, All Might abruptly cancelling California Smash and landing beside the two boys. He hurried to their side, the worry clear in his voice.
"Young Midoriya! Your arm!"
Izuku couldn't hear him, his mind numb with shock. He understood. She had given up her chance to be born to stop Monoma's pain… and his. Izuku's trembling, broken arms wrapped around the unconscious blonde, the last reminder that the girl had once existed in this world. Though a part of him was relieved that Monoma was alright, there was a terrible wave of grief that washed over him like an incoming tsunami. He knew that he shouldn't have been sad, he didn't even know what was happening, he didn't know a thing about that poor child.
And yet, Izuku couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his face.
[x]
When Izuku awoke he found himself in the infirmary. No soup this time, just the blank ceiling with a spinning fan. He felt numb and empty despite the two distinct tugs he felt in his mind. His sisters were still eating away at his negativity.
"Hey. You're awake."
He slowly turned his head to the side and saw a shock of bright orange hair, the girl it belonged to leaning back in her chair tiredly. Kendo Itsuka sighed, unfolding her arms. Beside her was Monoma, still unconscious but serenely asleep. Izuku's cheeks felt wet.
"Whoa, whoa, hey!" Kendo said quickly, flustered. "There's no need to cry, dude! Everything turned out alright in the end. Before you ask, there were no permanent injuries to the doofus here. Both of you are gonna be okay."
"I'm sorry." Izuku choked. "I didn't mean to…"
"Relax." Kendo shrugged. "Don't worry about it. What really matters is that both of you are safe and sound. Well, um, relatively."
Her eyes flicked down to Izuku's arm and looked away. Izuku pulled the blanket back and soon understood the reason for her discretion.
"Oh." he whispered.
There were several stitches across his right forearm, closing up the long, gruesome cuts that had been inflicted from when he'd punched through the shield Monoma was in. Kendo raised her hands hurriedly in an effort to cheer him up.
"U-um, it's alright, Recovery Girl told me that there's no permanent damage and probably minimal scarring 'cuz the cuts were so clean! Even if there were scars, some girls find that cool, um, well, er—"
"It's okay." Izuku said softly. "I deserve it."
"Wha—no you don't! Dude, what happened was an accident!" Kendo huffed, going into big-sister mode. "That's all it was, a freak accident caused by an unforeseen side effect of two Quirks interacting—"
"Don't call her an accident."
Those words had been said with such venom that Izuku hadn't realized they'd come from him at first. A nearby windowpane cracked, a long line snaking across its formerly pristine surface. Izuku held his head in his hands, quickly stifling a sniff. Kendo looked bewildered, not sure how and if she should respond. The tomboyish girl didn't actually know what he was talking about but opted to hold her tongue.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't, I…" Izuku's words were muffled by his hands. "I just… I just can't handle that word."
Kendo stayed quiet, knowing she had to let the other boy vent or he'd keep it bottled up within him forever. Izuku sniffed, feeling his nails raking into his scalp.
"It's my fault. I was so stupid, I should have considered something like this would happen." he spat. One hand closed around the blanket on his legs. "I should have tried warning him, o-or something but I…"
Izuku brought his knees up into his chest.
"It's all my fault. I'm pathetic. People were hurt because of my arrogance and hubris."
"No, it's not. Nobody could have expected anything like this."
Izuku turned to her, eyes bloodshot. "I could."
"It was an out-of-control Quirk effect caused by an unknown factor. Not even you could have predicted that." Kendo began, sighing and flicking on a TV that hung on a wall. "Just… get some rest, okay? I'll go tell Recovery Girl you woke up. Here, just calm down and watch the rest of the matches."
Calm down? How can I be fucking calm when I just watched someone die—
Izuku took a deep breath, letting the anger fade away. Inhale. Exhale. When he opened his eyes again Kendo was staring at him inquisitively, so he gave her a light bow.
"Right. I'm… sorry you had to see that. T-thank you, Kendo-san."
"It's alright. Could you do me a favor and keep an eye on Monoma-kun 'till Recovery Girl comes back?" Kendo said tiredly. "He's an idiot, but he's our idiot."
"I will."
The very fact that she'd left him alone with Monoma was a sign of her trust. She exited the room and Izuku was left with the sounds of the blonde's light breathing and the quiet hum of the fans above. The green-haired boy clenched his hands together, fingers shaking. Those scars still remained and Monoma had successfully taunted him with them. Even now, all the things that hurt him still left marks on his heart, carving themselves into his psyche. Ten years of humiliation, of physical and mental abuse, of being ignored, of being friendless, of dream-crushing, of everything. He ignored those feelings in the past, but this time they'd been amplified tenfold.
If only he'd been strong enough to stop him, smart enough to predict that something like this would happen. If only he wasn't blinded by selfish ambition. If he could change just by wishing to, he would have done so already. People had gotten hurt because he let those things anchor him down, let the bad times of his youth poison his mind with anger.
He hated it, all of it. He hated how he was so incompetent, how those words spoken so long ago still cut into him like knives. He hated how he hadn't realized what a toxic situation he'd been in. He hated how he still wasn't able to get over what happened and move on with his life.
But most of all, he hated himself.
Izuku let out a gasp, quickly realizing that his emotions were being amplified again. Taking a quick look at his bedside he found his schoolbag, reasoning that either Iida or Ochaco must have gotten permission and brought it over for him. He reached into it, fishing out his phone after a few seconds of searching. There were a dozen missed calls; half from his mother, the other half from his sisters' shared phone. He dialed the first one and selected the video-call function.
"Izuku?! Izuku, my baby! Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine, mom. (It's all my fault.)" Izuku said softly, putting on a brave facade. "Don't worry, it was just a few light scratches. (Why am I so stupid?)"
"Scratches? Izuku, it was like I was watching your arm get flayed on live TV! There was the blood and the wind and—a-and I was so scared!" Inko wailed.
"The arm's fine as well, no biggie. (I'm sorry, little one.)" He sent her a thin smile. "Sorry you had to see that, I'll try not to let it happen again. Must have given you quite the scare, huh? (You didn't even get the chance to be born.)"
"I'm alright, Izuku… are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm… (I'm so sorry, Newborn.) Izuku let out a soft breath. "I'm okay. (I'm not okay.)"
"I-if you say so. Ah, the twins want to speak with you."
Unlike Inko, his sisters weren't as easily fooled. Kiri had a sad look on her face while Mimi wore a grim expression on hers. He gave them a weak smile, mustering it up from the bottom of his heart. A big brother had to be strong and set a good example for his younger siblings.
"Hey, you two." Izuku began, his voice trembling slightly. "I wish I could just reach through the screen and give you both a big hug right about now."
"It's not your fault, nii-chan." Kiri whispered.
"Yeah." Mimi nodded.
"Y-you two know what happened?"
"We got the basic gist of it." his blonde little sister said sympathetically. "For what it's worth, she's not dead."
Izuku's heart skipped a beat, a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. "W-what?"
"The Newborn. That's what you called her, right?" Kiri piped up. "Don't worry nii-chan, baa-chan went to get some water so she isn't listening now."
"O-oh. But what do you mean? I… I saw her disintegrate…"
"Papa, you see us go poof all the time when we return to your mind. I suspect the same thing has happened with the girl. She's not dead, she's just—" Mimi grimaced and made a few wavy hand motions. "—in a stasis, of sorts. Something similar to our hibernation, maybe."
"She's still alive." Izuku whispered, looking over at Monoma's unconscious form.
"In a way. Though I'm not certain if—" Mimi bit her lip. "—if she'll ever be able to 'wake up' again. B-but that could be fixed if the dude decides to copy your power again! Nothing's for certain, after all!"
"Oh. I… I see." Izuku said. "But my emotional outburst… Why was I so attached to her? I was… grieving."
"That just means you're a good onii-chan." Kiri said. "What onii-chan wouldn't be sad that their sister disappeared?"
"I s-suppose so." Izuku whispered, holding back a cough. "That… makes me feel a little better."
There was a gentle squeak as the infirmary door opened, revealing none other than All Might in his hero form. The giant man cleared his throat.
"I AM—"
"Shhh!" Kinoko huffed from behind the number one hero, putting a finger to her lips. "I'll be back in five minutes."
"—coming through the door like a normal person!" All Might whispered, announcing his arrival.
"Gotta go. Love you, Kiri, Mimi." Izuku said quickly. "Tell Mom I love her."
"Okay~!" his sisters said together before he hung up.
"Young Midoriya!" All Might's massive frame looked comically out of place when he sat on the tiny chair that was beside Izuku's bed. "What a shocking turn of events that was. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, sensei. (No.)" Izuku said glumly. "What happened?"
"You don't remember?" All Might replied. "Young Monoma lost control of his Quirk when he tried to copy yours. There was this big dome of air that prevented anyone else from getting though…"
So his suspicions were correct, after all. Nobody else had managed to see what was really happening and his secret was still safe for the moment. Still, that didn't stop the pang of bitter guilt that wrapped around his heart. Newborn. He'd accidentally given her life, only to have it ripped away from her the very next moment. Now she would slumber forever within Monoma's heart, never to awaken again. She wasn't just a construct; if Dark Shadow and Kiri were anything to go by, they were people. He just caused someone to fall into a coma.
Izuku wanted to vomit, self-hatred and guilt surging through him. Why did he ruin everything he touched? First his friendship with Bakugo, now this.
"You won, my boy." All Might said softly, snapping him out of his trance.
"By default." Izuku replied. He glanced at Monoma's unconscious form again. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."
"I know you didn't."
They were silent for a while before Izuku spoke up again, not daring to look up at his mentor. Shame flooded through his heart and into his shaking hands.
"Sensei? Could I ask you a question?"
"Of course, young Midoriya. I am here."
"Have you ever gotten, really really angry before?"
The number one hero was quiet for a moment, and when Izuku glanced up he could see the man looking into the past.
"Once. It was a long time ago."
"How did you deal with it?"
"I didn't."
"Oh."
All Might paused, letting the tension seep out of his shoulders. Izuku remained tense.
"Do you… want to talk about it, my boy? I find that the talking helps."
"..."
The green-haired boy stared down at his hand. His hand, which could have saved poor Newborn. The very same one he'd offered to his best friend that fateful day on the riverbank.
"Some bad things happened to me when I was young." Izuku began, pushing down the humiliation he felt. "I never gave them any thought, but now… it's all coming back to me. I'm scared. Angry."
Izuku looked up at his mentor.
"I don't know how to move on."
All Might look sympathetic for once, his usual smile now replaced with the thin line of his lips. The large man looked behind him to make sure Monoma was still unconscious and sighed before he returned to his true form. The gaunt, skeletal appearance of Yagi Toshinori met Izuku's eyes.
"The all-encompassing rage. Is that what happened? I lost myself to it, too. That's how I got this." He raised his dress shirt and showed Izuku the mass of scar tissue in his side. "At moments like these, you have to remember what you're really fighting for. Remember your origin."
"My… Origin?"
"Remember why you wanted to be a hero."
Izuku sniffed. A hero was… someone like All Might. A hero always wins. Always saves. Win and save—
Then the thoughts of Bakugo rushed into his head and bile climbed its way up Izuku's throat. Look where winning got him. Winning the match had hurt Monoma, forcefully splitting his soul into two. Condemning Newborn to an eternal sleep after giving her a taste of life, imprisoning her forevermore. Izuku held back the sobs. He wasn't angry at Bakugo at the moment. But whenever he thought of the other boy a decade of humiliation seemed to rush into his mind, and that was when he realized.
He was angry at himself.
He used to look up to the other boy as a symbol of sorts. Of Winning. But that 'win and save' rhetoric was garbage that infected their youth, and would continue doing so to the new generation. It poisoned Bakugo's mind, clouding it with pride and snatching his best friend away from him. Izuku thought back to heroes of old. Back then they had been called vigilantes. History looked down on them and called them losers just because they weren't known for winning their battles—but they didn't need to. The original vigilantes were never focused on winning but rather saving lives; unsung heroes that fought and died unremembered. All they wanted to do was help.
What kind of hero do I want to be?
He wanted to save others, no matter what. Inspire them to be better, just like All Might. Izuku looked down at his hand once more. This hand had reached for Bakugo during the sludge villain's attack. The very same hand that had sent a Delaware Smash into the water to save Tsuyu and Mineta back at USJ.
A hero was someone who saved others, inspired them. A memory of his four-year old self surfaced in his mind.
"I…" Izuku looked up at All Might. "I want to save people and show them a brighter future."
All Might… just Toshinori now, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know you do."
He pulled Izuku into a gentle hug, the boy stiffening at his touch. It'd been a long, long time since he'd been held by an older male figure. Truth be told, Izuku didn't feel very reassured at all.
"Get some rest, Young Midoriya." Toshinori said, parting the hug. "And if you don't feel up to competing in the rest of the tournament, that's fine too."
"B-but what about…"
"Telling them 'I am here'?" Toshinori chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Take things one step at a time. Remember, your safety's the most important thing here. What kind of teacher would I be if I let you put yourself in constant danger?"
"Yeah." Izuku declined to tell him about the altercation at USJ and the forest battle with Aftermath. "I guess."
"A phone call, is here! A phone call, is here!"
"Pardon me, I'll have to take this." Toshinori said sheepishly as he made his way to the exit. "See you later, my boy. Hello, s-sensei…"
"See you." Izuku waved weakly, then stared at his hands.
These hands could be used to hurt, or to help.
Win and save.
But if winning meant hurting others, was it really worth it? He thought of Momo's retreating back, her form slumped in sad disappointment. Yui struggling to stand and collapsing into a broken heap, knowing that she would only destroy herself if she continued to pursue victory. Monoma's screaming ringing in his head, the boy's prone form now lying beside him.
Izuku didn't know what he wanted to be.
[x]
"—yes sensei, I'll keep that in mind. Good—"
The line was cut before Toshinori could finish his sentence. A tired exhale escaped from his lips, the blonde letting his shoulders fall. Gran Torino was still the grumpy old man from his youth. Perhaps some things never changed.
His thoughts drifted back to his young apprentice. Young Midoriya had improved by great leaps and bounds, excelling in both the first and second events. Toshinori felt a pang of guilt in his heart but dismissed it just as easily as it came, rather proud that the boy managed to come this far even without his guidance.
But now… well. It seemed like he needed it more than ever. That look in his eyes when he was up against Monoma was familiar, painfully so. All Might had felt it once, in that fateful battle where he'd punched All For One's face off and thought him dead. The fury. The rage. What could have possibly happened to his student in the past to trigger that sort of response?
Toshinori continued walking, hands clasped behind his back. In all honesty he knew very little about his young ward; there simply wasn't enough time for them to know each other more. The job of number one hero was a constant demand that kept him busy throughout his days. His very presence as All Might lowered the crime rate to single digits. As much as he regretted it, he felt like he didn't have time to spend with the boy.
'Idiot. He's your apprentice. You should spend more time with him, train him. Leave the hero work to the others from time to time. You don't have to do everything yourself.'
Gran Torino was right. The old man was actually rather pissed off when he realized All Might hadn't actually taught Izuku those moves, yelling at him through the phone lines at how a teacher had to be there for his student. When Toshinori tried to explain his status as the number one Gran Torino simply shot him down, reminding him of how long he had left.
Three hours of hero work. The rest were spent on paperwork, write-ups, analysis, advisory roles, his duties as a teacher, so on and so forth. Couldn't he even spare an hour for young Midoriya?
Toshinori sighed. Some teacher he was. Still, he didn't want to give the boy the harsh training that Gran Torino had given him; it was a different time of desperation and pain back then.
Nana. The man closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. What would you have done?
Strolling out into the light he found himself in the midst of the howling audience once again, Present Mic's trademark voice hyping them up. Vendors were strolling up and down the stands, trays of food and drink in their hands and stacked upon their backs.
"Hot dogs, get yer hot dogs here, relish with ketchup and mustard!"
"Takoyaki here, fresh off the grill! Come and get it!"
"Try some bubble tea! Now in six different flavors!"
Toshinori smiled, watching a parent buy some Takoyaki for their child. Just as he was about to return to the teachers' stands a cold, familiar voice caught his ears.
"We'll take one."
"Certainly, um… ma'am? Sir?"
"How much?"
"O-oh. That'll be—"
The blonde turned to see an androgynous rail-thin man in an immaculate suit, his salmon-pink hair cascading down to reach his shoulders. Blue eyes met a pair of heterochromatic ones, one pupil a beautiful rose-pink, the other murky white. The man was clearly blind in one eye; the zigzag scar carved into the right side of his pretty face being more than enough evidence to support the theory.
Representative Zenkichi from the Hero Public Safety Commission stared at the deflated form of All Might, a large cup of bubble tea in his hand.
"Can we help you, Yagi-san?"
"I, um, no." Toshinori said quickly once he noted the other man had caught him staring. "Wait, you know me?"
"Yagi Toshinori. Ex-employee of Might Tower. Age—" Zenkichi recited mechanically.
"Right, right, forget I asked." Toshinori held up a hand. "Err, Zenkichi-san, right? You're the Commission's Representative. Pleasure to meet you, I've heard, um, many great things."
Crap. Now he had no choice but to make conversation since he technically had opened with an introduction. Even so, he couldn't exactly forget that meeting the other day. Zenkichi himself stood out quite a bit as well, just because of his general appearance. If it was the first time he'd met this person he would have assumed they were a woman in a suit from the way they looked. He was clearly of bi-racial descent; his soft features a pleasing mix of European and Asian aesthetics.
"The pleasure is all ours, Yagi-san." the thin man said coolly, turning his attention to the crowd. "Quite the turnout this year. U.A has truly raised the bar again and we have you teachers to thank for that."
Toshinori's eyes narrowed. Zenkichi knew something that he shouldn't have known yet again, about how he, Toshinori Yagi, was now working as a teacher at U.A. The same school All Might had started working as a teacher in. Back then he had already implied that he knew about All Might's hero form time limit. Was the timing too suspicious, did he already know? Even U.A and its autonomy guaranteed by Nezu wasn't completely safe from the Commission's eyes and ears.
"Indeed." Toshinori said slowly, playing along in an effort to see how much the other man knew. "Are you enjoying the festival?"
"We are. Immensely so." Zenkichi sipped at his bubble tea loudly. Like an asshole. "Plenty of promising young heroes, don't you agree? Especially the ones from Class 1-A. We find them to be simply fascinating."
Who in this day and age still used the royal 'we'? Annoyance prickled at the edge of Toshinori's mind. Then there was what he said about Class 1-A. Having the Commission's attention was never a good thing, and the number one hero felt his hands clenching. What was their Representative even here for, recruitment? God, he hoped not.
"Pardon me but you don't strike me as the type of person to attend these kinds of events, Zenkichi-san." Toshinori said carefully. "What is the HPSC's very own representative doing here?."
"Security. A delicate task that we have taken into our own hands."
Toshinori eyed the surroundings. No other black suited spooks with the exception of the prick before him. No plainclothes agents either, to the best that he could recognize. Just Zenkichi himself for security detail?
"I see. Usually the Commission would have sent a bunch of low-level agents for muscle." Toshinori responded, probing for more information. "You must have quite the strong Quirk for such an important assignment, huh?
"Quite the contrary, actually." Zenkichi looked him right in the eye, leaning against a nearby railing while continuing to slurp at his beverage noisily between sentences. "Well, we suppose you wouldn't have known. We don't act like it, do we?"
Toshinori raised an eyebrow.
"We are Quirkless." Zenkichi explained nonchalantly, ignoring the blonde's stunned expression. "Born without a Quirk. Never had one, and never will."
"I… oh." Toshinori managed to say. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. But what about—"
"Security? Do not worry, we have our ways." Zenkichi's face remained in that bored, unchanging expression. "We know what you're thinking; how did someone like us make it as a representative? How… discriminatory. That's a story for another time, Symbol of Peace."
A wave of cold rush over Toshinori's mind alongside the realization. Time seemed to stop around them, the thin man's voice still echoing in his head with that unnatural, robotic cadence. Toshinori failed to keep the shock from showing on his features while Zenkichi continued to drink his bubble tea.
He knows. He knew since the meeting.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"No need to play the fool. If it makes you feel better the Commission is not aware of the fact."
Toshinroi's gaunt eyes narrowed. "Then how—"
"Personal analysis, a hobby of ours. Statistics. Take all the males in Japan and isolate those aged twenty to fifty-five. Reduce the number in that group by analyzing their income returns, their jobs, criminal records. Find out which ones among them are graduates of U.A or any of the elite hero schools. Sieve through the names by doing a background check on their residential and flight data, specifically looking out for any who have spent a significant time in North America." Zenkichi took another sip of his beverage, chewing the tapioca pearls slowly. "Finally, identify Shimura Nana's and Gran Torino's associates and investigate further. All publicly available data, before you ask. The answer was obvious if one knows where to look."
"Huh. You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Toshinori scoffed, his voice shifting to the number one's for a split second.
"Well." Zenkichi's glassy stare didn't falter. "They do call us the Demon Lord."
They simply stood there for a moment, with Toshinori not sure what to do in the face of a threat like this. Was this even a threat? He could break the man in two with a single finger. So why was he so wary of him?
"Imagine our surprise when we saw your records. Listed Quirkless until the age of fourteen. Right before you entered U.A. Strange. Here's a question. Aside from a few relief funds and charities, we don't recall you ever standing up for the Quirkless. We'd thought someone like you would understand and be an advocate for Quirkless rights. For your own people. And yet, nothing has changed under you. Where were you when they did this?"
The thin man's fingers traced the jagged scar over his eye. Toshinori stiffened.
"We were born in Sokovia, but even there people like us were treated no different. Our Quirkless status was only seen as an unfortunate disability, nothing more, nothing less. We only received this when we were living in Japan. Z for zero. A painful reminder that the Quirkless are nothing. Did you forget about them, too?"
Was this what it was all about, was that why Zenkichi had revealed he knew about the symbol of peace's secret? Revenge, some sort of karmic retribution? Even with the roaring crowd at his back and Present Mic's voice echoing through the air the world was quiet for Toshinori, and in that world that was only him and the other man. What would the world think if they knew the Symbol of Peace was once Quirkless? What would the Quirkless think? This was a problem that he couldn't just punch away. His fists clenched while Zenkichi shrugged.
"Either way, it matters not. All that matters is your role as the Symbol of Peace." He turned back to the arena, watching the match below. "Keep up the good work."
Toshinori's frustration was reaching a boiling point. If he knew about his true identity as All Might, could this man know about One For All as well? What about young Midoriya? The thousand questions that were spinning about in his head were interrupted by a single statement from Zenkichi.
"Do you believe in fate, Yagi-san?"
"I do." Toshinori said, teeth grit. "Does this have anything to do with why you're here?"
"In part. At first we had no intention of calling you out, but you of all people appeared before us by pure chance. We had a question we desired to have answered. Now an answer we are left unsatisfied with. Forgive us for the transgression, but we simply had to see your reaction." Zenkichi sipped at his bubble tea again. "At the very least, it would be most entertaining to see this supposed 'fate' at work if and when our young wards clash later."
"Our wards?" Toshinori's chest tightened. Young Midoriya?!
Zenkichi titled his head down at the arena where two girls were locked in combat.
"Like I said before, we are here for security. After all, that's our niece down there."
Toshinori moved forward to look and there she was. A girl with distinct pink hair was fighting against one of his students, the crowd cheering as they dueled.
"Be seeing you, All Might."
The Symbol of Peace turned back but the Representative was gone, having melted into the crowd in a matter of seconds. All that remained was a strange feeling of unease in Toshinori's heart.
[x]
Iida Tenya watched as his friend Ochaco struggled against her new opponent. Hatsume Mei was floating from Zero Gravity's effect but negated it using vernier thrusters all over her body, her beam weaponry cutting a swathe of destruction into the arena. Ochaco dodged and weaved through the incoming fire, desperately trying to close in.
Ever since Izuku's match both he and Ochaco had been worried, off their game from the deep concern they felt for their meek friend. The brunette was noticeably slower than before; too distracted by a combination of her worry, prior injuries, and new wounds to notice Mei shouldering a giant cylindrical device.
"Proton Cannon!"
A pillar of pink light erupted from Mei's weapon, rushing downwards at her opponent. Ochaco shielded herself with a barrier of floating debris but it wasn't enough, her frail body flying backwards from the impact. She let out a cry as she crashed-landed, struggling to rise with trembling legs.
"Come on, Uraraka-san. When I said I wasn't gonna use you to market my devices I meant it." Mei said, the giant weapon folding itself into her backpack while she hovered a few feet above Ochaco. "I respect you too much for that. I saw how serious you were during your match with Kodai-san, but now… you're off. Distracted. Still healing, perhaps? What a shame."
Ochaco said nothing, bringing her fingertips together.
A rain of stone fell from the sky but Mei simply sighed, pulling out another device from her backpack and aiming up. Ochaco rushed towards her, one hand outstretched while the other tossed more weightless rocks at her opponent.
Rippling shockwaves erupted from the large handheld weapon and sent a crackling multicolored fireball into the air, branches of pink lightning surging from the burning sphere and vaporizing every falling rock while it travelled upwards. By the time the energy blast dissipated not a single trace of Ochaco's Meteor Shower was left, leaving the air clear and devoid of dust.
"H-how?" Ochaco whispered, stunned and knocked onto her back from the blast. "Not even Kodai-san could have…"
"Bio-Force Gun." Mei gestured to the smoking device, letting it hang loosely at her side. "Enough firepower to kill an elephant. Could kill a small herd of them, really."
"And Power Loader-sensei just let you bring that onto the field?" Ochaco coughed bitterly.
"If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission. Besides, I made it non-lethal just for you." Mei smiled, angling her wrist at Ochaco. A blade of pink light sprang from her gauntlet. "Yield."
The brunette eyed the humming energy blade nervously, its tip only inches away from her throat.
"I know what you're thinking. You'll try to float yourself backwards, or perhaps that rock you're standing on. You're fast, I'll give you that." The pink-haired girl tilted her head, and two Funnels hovered behind her with their barrels glowing. "But I've got two little friends, and they're both faster than you."
Ochaco gulped, brows pinched together while she considered her options. Ultimately she sighed after a moment.
Then she moved, surging at Mei with a battlecry while floating herself with her other hand. She kicked off the ground, air resistance and gravitational force negated so she could launch herself forward like a rocket and dodging the blade.
Mei's Funnels fired. Twin beams lanced into Ochaco and she crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut, falling where she stood. It was over just like that, an inglorious end to an underdog's tale.
The girls of Class 1-A let out a collective cry of defeat. Half the audience did the same, the other half cheered. Iida groaned before he joined the round of applause. He watched as the support student retracted her blade and lifted Ochaco in a bridal carry, gently placing her on a stretcher carried by two U.A support bots.
Between the worry she had for Izuku and the still-healing injuries she had suffered in her previous match, things hadn't been looking good for the brunette at all. Ochaco had done a wonderful job despite how Mei countered her at every avenue but it wasn't nearly enough. The Tinker would be one he had to watch out for.
With the completion of Ochaco's match, the arena was being prepped once again. Iida took the opportunity to go see his friends, only to be turned away from the primary infirmary room where Izuku and Monoma were being held by a pouting Kinoko.
They needed rest and were not to be disturbed, she had said. Under orders from Recovery Girl herself.
Was his green-haired friend and his opponent really hurt that badly in their fight? Iida felt worry clench around his heart like a tangle of weeds. It dissipated slightly when Ochaco came into view from the secondary infirmary, rubbing at her eyes gently. He pretended not to notice the slight redness.
"Hey, Iida-kun!" Ochaco said with false cheer. "What a match, huh? Darn, I was so close, too!"
"You were, Uraraka-kun. Good work."
It was the least he could do.
"So how is Deku-kun?" Ochaco said curiously, edging towards the door. "Has he woken up?"
"Well, um…"
"Sorry, but the patients are not to be disturbed, shroom! Recovery Girl herself requested it." Kinoko folded her arms, head shaking. "Midoriya-kun has woken and is recovering fine, but Monoma-kun is still under surveillance and has yet to recover from his ordeal. Please try again later."
"You let us and Kendo-san in earlier." Ochaco pointed out.
"That was then, this is now. You know how it is, shroom."
"Under surveillance? And you're putting them in the same room together in close proximity despite how the interaction of their Quirks might have triggered what happened earlier?" Iida said suspiciously, eyes narrowed.
"Hey I don't make the orders, I just follow them." Kinoko huffed. "Isn't that right, Archimedes?"
"Right, right!" A white basketball-sized Haro announced from beside the short girl, a red cross symbol painted onto both of its flapping 'ears'. "No visitors, visitors. Thank you for your kind understanding."
Both Iida and Ochaco eyed the assistant nurse and her little robot helper before they exchanged a look, shrugging. If Recovery Girl gave the instruction, there was nothing they could do about it. Besides, the old healer probably knew what was best for them. The two friends simply decided to depart for now, walking back to the arena in a quiet silence. Iida could practically feel Ochaco's worry for Izuku radiating off her. He'd be lying if he didn't feel the same way.
Back at the stadium, the next match was already in progress. Loud clanging filled the air as ethereal claws struck hardened skin, sparks skittering in their wake. Dark Shadow was dueling with Kirishima, their fists blurring in a merciless exchange of blows. It seemed that the projection had taken a page out of Shiozaki's book and was shouting the word 'useless' over and over again while bearing down on the redhead.
"Hey, Iida-kun." Ochaco began. "Can I ask you about something?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"Did Deku-kun seem… different, during his match with Monoma-kun?" The brunette fiddled with her fingers. "I don't know how to describe it, but it felt like he was so… angry. Then he attacked in the wrong direction, but the look on his face…"
Iida suppressed a shudder. Izuku's expression had been downright murderous, looking as if Monoma had shot his dog or something. Those attacks of his had been ruthless, fueled by an unseen rage. He held back a sigh, not knowing whether he should tell Ochaco what she wanted to hear or what he truly felt. In the end, he decided to go with the latter. She was strong enough to handle it.
"I know. I felt that way, too. There was something off about him, but I don't know what. He did have that confrontation with Monoma-kun the other day, remember? Perhaps there's some bad blood between them." Iida said quietly.
"Mmm. It was kinda scary. I've never seen him so upset before." Ochaco looked into her lap, ignoring the battle below. "It was almost as if he was a different person."
She was right. Izuku had been a berserker on the field in his match, seemingly unstoppable no matter how many barriers, horns, or softened ground traps Monoma had sent his way. Watching him in action had been beautiful, but terrifying.
"Everyone has their reasons, Uraraka-kun. I, for one, made the mistake of judging Midoriya-kun by his appearance when we first met." Iida nodded, thinking back to the day of the U.A entrance exam. "I thought him a coward, but I was wrong. He alone ventured back into the chaos to save you."
He watched Ochaco clench her fists, allowing the girl a moment to remember.
"The trouble he faces may be his alone, but the least we can do as his friends is offer a helping hand if and when he needs it." Iida leaned back in his chair and echoed his brother's words. "A hero would save everyone, as fast as he can."
"That's… that's right! He's our friend, so we have to help him!" Ochaco said, a renewed fire in her eyes. "No matter how scary it might be, friends have to stick together!"
"I suppose that's one way of putting it." Iida nodded.
One of Present Mic's signature screams drew their attention to the battle below. Kirishima stood strong and did not fall, his body a barricade that halted Dark Shadow's advance. Tokoyami simply stood behind his projection some distance away, playing it safe while his partner worked his magic. There was a change in his stance as the crow-boy brought a hand to his face.
"Oh? You're approaching me, Kirishima-kun?" Tokoyami said. "Even in that condition you're coming right to me instead of running away?"
"I can't beat the crap out of you without coming closer." Kirishima replied, breathing heavily.
"Good grief. Dark Shadow, let's end this charade."
Dark Shadow complied, rising up into the air and leaving Tokoyami wide open. Kirishima fell for the bait and shot forward, his fist drawn back. The projection dived down from above, a warcry on his lips.
"I'M GONNA ROLL ALL OVER YOU!"
The ground shook as Dark Shadow impacted, his fists a pair of shadowy bludgeons that pummeled Kirishima from all sides. A cloud of dust was thrown up from the punishing assault, tremors shaking the audience in their seats.
Then it was over. Kirishima lay in a shallow crater, rendered unconscious by the shadow-person's attacks. Dark Shadow roared to the skies in victory, the audience doing the same.
"The winner is Tokoyami Fumikage! Great work, both of you! Let's give a round of applause to both our brave fighters!"
Iida rose from his seat. It was time.
"A-ah! Good luck, Iida-kun! Fight!" Ochaco cheered.
"Thanks." Iida said quietly. I'll need it.