Another clatter. The man pressed himself deeper into the corner of the dark room. His heart rate was elevated to the point his chest felt like bursting any second. Shallow gasps escaped his thin lips.
Another clank.
He pressed his hands to the sides of his head as if he tried to squeeze the brain out of his skull. He whimpered, staring at the broken cups in front of him. Not a single fragment of the expensive chinaware littered the floor. Instead, a deformed clump of white porcelain, sharp edges giving off a soft shine in the moonlight, lay in front of his feet.
"So, it's you."
The man froze. His eyes met a strange figure crouching on the window ledge.
"Breathe. Don't die on me yet. I still have use for you." The man hadn't realized how he held his breath until the figure pointed it out. It sounded like a man, his silhouette reminded of a person, yet at the same time it didn't.
The frightened man wanted to scream but something found its way to his face. Whatever it was, it forced itself into his mouth, down his throat.
"Now listen to me," the figure didn't flinch at the sight of his victim, voice soft and steady, too kind for someone almost joking an innocent man. "Your quirk is out of control and you know it. It's only a matter of time until find out it's you. There is no hope left, unless…"
The figure completely ignored how the petrified man tried to rip whatever was choking him out of his mouth.
"There is something I want you to do. I want you to hit something special to me. That's all I ask for. If you do so, I will grant you your wish. I'm sure your brother would be happy to see you."
Whatever blocked the man's respiratory system was gone in an instant. Gagging and coughing hard he fell face down to the floor. It took an insufferable moment for the man's senses to return. The figure was gone.
He was left with a name whispered into his ear.
Midoriya Izuku knew it existed. Not too long ago, the nicer people told him it was where he belonged. Where those twenty percent of the population he was part of – had been part of – went if they were either lucky or a genius. An unpleasant feeling grew inside of his stomach.
In front of him, an open gate revealed a neatly cobbled path lined with shortly mown grass. Big shiny letters hung from a metal frame above the gate, glistening in the light of the slowly rising sun.
Seishin Academy. A school exclusively for quirkless people. A school with one hell of a reputation to keep up which was exactly the reason they were here. Not any quirkless kid was given the opportunity to attend this institution. Many of the most influential and powerful people in the country graduated from this place. It represented a beacon of hope to those unfortunate enough to not be blessed with a quirk. Graduates were promised a bright future if they were skilful enough to pass the horrendous exams.
One more reason even his mother had suggested he'd apply in case it wouldn't work out with U. A. That was before he had met All Might and inherited One for All though.
Izuku swallowed hard. There was something about this place that made him uncomfortable. He turned to his companions, quietly observing their faces. They looked rather content. Maybe a little excited on Yaoyorozu's part. Izuku was glad they had sent a collected student like her and not a ticking, literal time bomb like Bakugou. One nervous wreck like him meant enough trouble as it was.
"Alright, let's move! No time to lose!" A young man to Izuku's left gave both 1-A students a strong but reassuring tap on their backs. He towered high over their heads, a Pro-Hero named Succult. He came from overseas, South America as far as the boy knew. According to Izuku's research he could pop spikes from under his skin and save fluids inside his body for several weeks. Very much like a succulent, hence the name.
Midoriya Izuku and Yaoyorozu Momo quietly followed their leader onto the campus. Peace filled the area, the silence only broken by birds chirping in the trees lining the cobbled path. It was early enough that no student except for an eager jogger crossed their way. He stared at them as if they were alien. To him, they probably were.
Both students wore everyday clothing, not allowed to have anything on them that would indicate allegiance with U.A. or any kind of hero business. Yaoyorozu wore her hair down, and unusual look for her. Izuku was lucky to look plain enough to not be worried about being recognized. After all, it was an "undercover mission" as Succult had stated, offering a sting covered thumbs up.
"I assume you have been briefed what we're about to do here?"
The students exchanged a quick glance before confirming, "Yes, sir!" Which earned them a soft chuckle.
"No need to be so formal. I may be guardian of this place and you may turn to me with whatever questions you have, but Succult is fine. You can add that -san if you want, that's at least what the other people do. I'm trying to be as open as possible to your Japanese customs."
To their left, a grove nestled between two smaller building complexes. In contrast to the other buildings small balconies lined almost every floor, some decorated with various plants. They looked homey. Izuku could see a group of students enjoying the first rays of sunshine, one wearing a short blue red rimmed sleepshirt, that reminded him of something. Wasn't that… It was subtle, yet… Wasn't that an exclusive All Might…?
"Midoriya, you still with us?" Izuku jerked up. He hadn't realized they had stopped.
"Ugh… Ah, I'm sorry, I-I-"
"It's alright," Succult gave him another pat on the back, "this place can be quite breath-taking. But you'll get used to it." Izuku just rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. His trademarked red shoes looked quite interesting in these new surroundings.
"As I've said, it remains of utmost importance that you do not, regardless the situation, make any use of your quirks. If anyone finds out that you two have quirks, this mission is over. Done. Do you understand?"
They both nodded. "Yes, Succult-san!"
"I do have a question, though." Yaoyorozu raised her hand as if in class.
"Yes?"
"If this school ground is strictly quirkless, then how are you…?"
"Ah, that question, " Succult clapped his hands before sneaking glances left and right making sure no one was eavesdropping, "quirks maybe not allowed here, but the administration is not ignorant of the world outside. It's easy to assume that this place is more vulnerable to any kind of attack since the kids and teachers don't have any special abilities. Under the pressure of the government and the public the administration has placed several Pro-Heroes on guard duty."
Yaoyorozu dropped her hand and gave an understanding nod. Succult turned his attention from her to both students again. "Now, let us proceed. You will receive your uniforms at the secretariat, you'll be shown your rooms before attending class. You have been sorted in two different classes to cover more ground."
The mission was easy, really. Strange activities had been sighted on school grounds, most likely linked to unauthorized quirk activity. Their task consisted of pretending to be transfer students going through a trial episode of a few days while getting to the bottom of the strange activities. Their work would count as part of their internships.
Over at the secretariat, a stern looking woman in her forties handed each of them a box with whatever they needed for their classes before sending them off to find the dorms with as much as a "good luck" and directions. Succult had long gone back to patrolling the slowly crowding school grounds.
"So, what do you think?" Yaoyorozu asked after a slightly awkward silence.
"Uh- a-about the m-mission?" Really smooth, Deku. Always so smooth with the girls. Yaoyorozu bit her lower lip, visibly uncomfortable with what she was about to say.
"Yes, and no. You know I… I haven't really met any quirkless people. I always knew they were there, but they usually don't openly admit it, so I'm not really sure what to say," she confessed.
"Oh." If only she knew. Having been born quirkless, it never occurred to him to see quirkless people any different. But Yaoyorozu… She must have been surrounded by quirks all her life. Never being confronted with this way of thinking Izuku didn't even know what kind of advice to give.
"Just uh… Be yourself. Act natural. They're not that different," was all he managed. Yaoyorozu looked determined. "You're right. We got this."
Yeah. We got this.
"Alright class, let's welcome our new transfer student." Izuku had never seen a man wearing his moustache more proudly. He tried to ignore the anxiety nibbling on his nerves, wiping the sweat from his palms before making his entrance. Before him he found the most plain looking class one could think of. No horns, no doubled ore unusual body parts, no brightly coloured hair, no random objects levitating, just plain, ordinary faces. Yep, he would fit right in.
"Introduce yourself!" the teacher barked. Even more anxious than before, the boy stuttered, "He-hello everyone, m-my name is Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku! I'm from a High School in the Shizuoka Prefecture. N-N-Nice to meet you…?"
He didn't know what he expected. But certainly two people yawning at the same time while everyone else looked as bored as Kaminari during math lectures.
"Now go to your seat. Tomomo, you're the class president, show the boy around." The teacher pointed to a boy with the most blank expression he had ever seen, one to rival Todoroki's face at the beginning of the school year. With a bored expression lifted his hand to greet Izuku as the boy rushed to the free seat in the second last row.
Izuku desperately hoped for Yaoyorozu to have a better start than him. He would check up on her at lunch. Maybe even write a text during the first break.
Little did he know it would not take them this long to see each other again. They barely made it through half the lesson when the ground started shaking violently and scream echoed through the hallways.