~Story inspired by the Nasuverse~
Aspect about Forked Road:
-This story portrays characters in a more ambiguous and faulty manner intentionally, in order to humanize them when making a choice. The events will bare long term consequences and results, conforming to the made choices along its path.
-As the story will progress, you, the reader, will be too presented with choices ( these choices will be announced and clarified from others at the beginning and end of a chapter ) that will shape the result with the outcome of this narrative line.
-More specifically: these selections will hinge on ethics; and resolving dilemmas.
***Select your desired choice by typing in a review: a presented key word, or an elaboration by you (whichever works best for you). This way, I will be able to gather your selection.***
With these facts addressed, please enjoy the story!
Should you have an opinion or question(s), then I fully encourage you to send them my way!
~Chapter zero~
Izuku Midoriya...existed...different from the usual mundane way perceived day by day.
He didn't sleep.
He didn't meditate.
He wasn't an inch close to death as once in the summer either.
He purely wondered within his remembrances. Thinking and mulling over his progress and lived through events.
Having a session of...revision, described better this moment.
Revision:….is to look upon the past, and reevaluate choices which carved you're path.
Somewhat uncomfortable to go through, as the immortal human thought of betterment eats at the conscious, claiming 'things could have been done better'. A self inflicted wound born from knowledge, that arrives hand in hand with progression inevitably.
The law of nature defined by physics dictates it so….'for each +, there's a –'.
Yet 'here?'….'here?' it was manageable, deep within the recess of the mind. When we break from reality how little momentarily, especially for those who seek clearance.
In this hamartia, we find the unnatural person that serves as the lenses through which we gaze upon this world: Izuku, another being who's perspective will culminate in contribution to…. a yet unrefined goal. Sure, sure number 1 hero, 'but for what'? Was the question that haunts the mind of Midoriya .
As such, he must retrace his steps to find an answer.
…
Some time ago, he gained the right to attend to his ambitions.
Some time ago he helped a teen with identity issues; an uptight and good friend who came to close to death, and assisted a muse of motivation on a vacation with his mentor.
Recently he saved? 2 traumatized children...'it could've been done better', he thought.
Well a few more here and there, but these ate a bit at his being ever so little, constantly. And all of these events replayed again and again -by his choice of course- to find something, to discover something, to satiate his knowledge thirsty nature for an answer.
Now, throughout time of this repeated exercise, his mind would occasionally drift in other questions, sidetracked by the idea of recalling the past. He'd inevitably stumble and fall in rabbit holes of his thoughts. A good majority where unrelated to the hero career, as they where personal, from a time in which he was the simple, easily scared, wimpy kid that cowered at the threat of any bully in middle school. That time that held embarrassments….still, he did find solace and comfort, along his hero admiration as a general view, he was nose deep in old history and literary books depicting his favorite writings: myths!
Myths where intriguing in many ways, as they stood the test of time and will continue to, they inspired more than any other texts -at least in his opinion- and above all, they where universal. As every human being can communicate, pass on, and understand the universal language that was myth. From Greek heroes, to Egyptian deities, passing through European beast slaying knights, and epics of great leaders. All of wich suffered and sacrificed, whom faced horrors to disturbing to imagine….all of it to finally be crowned by the absolute cold, and back braking ultimatum of reality, that led to catharsis. That accursed yet beautifully meaningful choice ,of divine-like importance.
….
…
And so, as he skimmed through this analysis of values and meanings, in his walk through the intangible library of memories, knowledge and experiences; seeking for answers yet out of reach, he felt oddly empty and uneasy….dreadfully uneasy of reasons past his understanding. Because of that remained a question from this session: ' What is the difference between dream and reality?'. Such a question was only natural to draw upon when spending extensive time in not only vivid, seemingly endless, dreams of wondering for answers as well as effort spent in appreciating the ramification of one's own choices through the means of plausible science.
The reason that would spur such a question…ah! 'Nonsense' he concluded, for now Izuku wasn't helping himself by diving in deeper questions that led to no resolution.
That meant, he'd have to wake up then.
The first thing that his surprisingly clear vision, awakened from slumber, was met with warm and bright rays, that signaled the sun approaching the horizon, closing in on dusk.
Expected of the warm days brought by the beginning segment of the second year. As he rose out of bed, he contemplated the first time in which he interacted with the former bearers of One For All, a situation spurred by a peaceful and simplistic mindset and emotions, all from a tireless day of working his physique. From then on in a day, he once more achieved that interaction through one single intense and tunel visoned perspective and decision. But now…not once more, and because of that, it led him to conclude using his earlier discoveries, that his more convoluted and restless mind led to such a result. However it was from this unorthodox means of interaction and observation, that while it didn't further his potential armory of supposedly accessible quirks, that he gained insight and information to 'manufacture' a patchy and flawed passageway to relive his memories.
As he documented the phenomenon brought by One For All, he understood more of it's function. 'One For All is more of a memory bank than anything, a great library that stores information and can be called upon through the natural cellular mechanisms to adapt and integrate genes, as well as retaining the chemical encryption carried by neurons that make up the memory. In short, the memories, or what was left, of the predecessors where stored and capable to be watched.'
From this resulted the reverse engineered function he forced to work, in order to relive his own, more vivid memories in full detail. Of course, he tried to view the ones that did not belong to him or contact the vestiges this way, yet it proved futile. Indeed he worked out a way to use only a function of the quirk –and it seemed a function would remain- but it seemed that the already pre-established info-bank was hard wired to be accessed one way obligatory. And trying to 'calm yourself' and 'meditate' didn't do the job, therefore it changed to something else, a single path which eluded him.
'I could consult All Might on this problem…but it would lead to nowhere'. Thought Izuku, as he walked in the bathroom of his room to take a shower. After all, he still had work to do before he could call it in for this Friday. 'I can't rely on him constantly. It's my own problem at that too, and above all…after the hole ordeal of Bakugo finding out of One For All…I can't constantly annoy him with unimportant side effects. It's as if I'm incompetent on my own'. A regretful grimace found it's way on his face as he recalled the ruined promise he made to his mentor; he held some spite towards that event. 'That one, really, could have gone better'.
As he weighed the matter he let himself enveloped by the cool rushing water of the shower to refresh himself. 'Moreover, it just doesn't feel write towards myself by continuing to ask. Now that I think of it, how did All Might's mentor took care of herself with this problem –however slight it seemed back then- even before me…that just proves I must walk on my own. Aaaah! But how?'.
Walking out of the shower, the now 17 years old took a moment to peer at the person he led himself to be, that reflected in the foggy mirror. With a quick wipe, he was gazing at the same green that nurtured him throughout childhood. A common trait shared with his mother, who wore the same almost living and recognizable green eyes as himself. There where some differences since the battle exercise between class A and B, but nowhere near to be unnatural, as he stood at 1.74m height a more developed physique, that of course was followed by the forevermore present scars that marred his right hand, forearm and bicep, those being in particular the most ugly out of all.
''Still no overbearing silhouette'' was the voiced complaint of Izuku. From his standpoint he wouldn't deny that he felt somewhat dejected at his still not imposing appearance, yet life moves on. So he quickly abandoned the mirror to clothe himself and finish his self appointed revision of the last class event.
''At least that one went pretty good.'' Was his general impression.
Earlier today at 10:30
''This will be a simulation of priority and information.'' Was the clear statement made by the tired and haggard teacher that was none other than Aizawa.
''In this exercise, unlike the others, no one will be allowed to observe the situation in which you'll be placed in, as you will attend in groups of 3. When the practice starts, and only then, you'll be informed of your objective. Any other questions about the exercise won't be answered. You will all be graded as well for this, as the partial for the upcoming test. Approach this simulation as pragmatic as possible you can manage'', a moment comprised of a full minute went by without a word or cough, as the message was conveyed to everyone, that being that the importance of this exercise was seemingly critical. ''Good.'' Was the response of the homeroom teacher, that scrutinized each student with a final warning look to leave behind any distraction or easygoing predispozition before he decided it would be time to start.
Each student seemed unnerved, not by their teacher or the new challenge – …well, almost everyone, as Mineta was extra terrified as of the moment – as by now repetition made them used to such situations, comparable with the accommodation in a hot shower, as gradually by exposure one would acclimate to it. So where the now second year students used to the difficulty brought before them…Yet. The air was a bit to tense.
After all, Aizawa, stressed to much the conditions of the exercise, something that rang alarm bells throughout the students, knowing well that …..well, Aizawa, usually can't be bothered to sometimes enumerate all the conditions and rules, much less to repeat the importance of them.
This experience would prove most fruitful towards the developing youth, as well as most entertaining to an alembicated story.
For in this preparation class, even the smallest choices would start building enough momentum to impact in the future with bone chilling implications.