A/N
Hello and welcome this is another challenge a friend asked me to write up. They just wanted a super hero fic, and I wanted to try doing better then last time I dipped into that genre. So I picked one of my favorite super hero series, "boku no hero academia", unlike last challenge I do have plans to make full series.
Disclaimer: As cool as that would be I don't own Boku no hero academia, or any of it's characters. I am simply borrowing them for my work of fiction.
Chapter 1: I know what I am!
15 Years Ago
There is one heart-breakingly brutal truth we all learn one day, and that is "life isn't fair". We all like to pretend like it's simple, that good things will happen to you if you just act good, and bad things will happen to evil people. But the reality is quite the opposite, in this world no one is born "equal", and just doing "good" won't make your life any less hard. Even these "heroes" of today are nothing, but another lie we use to pretend the world isn't a cruel place. Like it isn't a place where "good" people are tossed aside like trash, and get trampled over by strong. Yes, life isn't fair, why should today be any different?
"It's total chaos today citizens, we are reporting live from ground zero in Tokyo." An absolutely terrified news caster stated with fear hanging on his every word, live as the sounds of a loud conflict took place just out of sight. "Just little over two hours ago, after being gone for almost a whole year, for reasons we can only guess. A woman regarded as one of the most dangerously unstable villains in the world, "Spatial Quake" has resurfaced. Wreaking havoc and an untold amount of destruction in her wake. However, thanks to a swift response from several heroes confronting her as we speak, there has been little to no loss of life yet."
"Is this really all you "heroes" can muster up, I was expecting at least some fun before "he" showed up. I mean what does a gal got to do for a good time these days am I right?" A tall woman, with long flowing red hair, laughed as she blasted another "pro" hero across the street into a wall. The destructions flame around her shining off her eyes, as she lifted herself a few feet off the ground with an invisible force.
Even with their ears still ringing from Quake's last blast, the heroes managed to pull themselves up, and gaze at the inferno in front of them. Homes, stores, offices all lay in burning ruin, people's lively hoods destroyed and…and she was smiling!
"You think this is a game? How dare you treat such destruction so casually, these were all some people had in life you monster!" Another hero screamed at the top of their lungs, before activing their elemental quirk firing rocky spikes at her.
"Monster huh…eh I've been called worse. Why should I care about these people's lives, the world never cared about me? So what if I destroy a few homes, and their stupid little memories in them? You should be grateful I let you take all the "ants" out of here, less pests to get in my way now." The cold hearted woman laughed, as she watched the spikes fly at her, until being stopped midair by another invisible force.
"I have an idea; why don't I play hot potato with you all?" And without another word, the woman's eyes glowed a sinister purple hue. Then whatever was holding the spikes, slowly turned them, and fired them back at the heroes. Only they were much faster this time, and carried even more force.
With death blasting back at them, acting quickly to protect his comrades, the earth hero unleashed a row of rock wall in front of them. Layer after layer of solid stone in an instant, praying they'd be a suitable buffer…They were not. With a loud BOOM, and CRASH the now missile like spikes shredded through the walls, and exploding into a mass of razor sharp fragments on impact. When the dust cleared several of the heroes were very injured, and the rest barely pulling themselves back onto their feet.
"Oh that's just adorable, you still wanna fight like you ever had a chance?"
"This bitch is insane are we sure she's even human, and that quirk is serious we can't see it, and she can stop our long distance attacks. So anyone else regretting this taking her on…no just me something tells me your all lying?" said a hero in a lighting theme costume after pulling himself up.
"You kidding me we've got her on the ropes? Plus I have a plan, I'll distract her while you use your speed, and go get help." The earth hero barely standing said, to his comrade who took off running the moment, his partner wrapped her up in a giant stone fist.
However, despite being crushed, her sinister grin still remained followed by insane laughter. "Look at you two little broken toys', I didn't say you could leave. But first things first, "you". The villainess chuckled until she smashed herself free, lined up both her hands with the heroes from a distance, and in a flash warped them by the neck into her grip.
"Pretty cool huh, one of my favorite moves erasing the space between us three, and pulling you over to me. If the main events not going to show up, then I think I'm done with you two tools." She said, moments after throwing both men into the sky hundreds of feet up…and straight back down in free fall.
"Took you long enough, don't you know it's rude to keep a lady waiting…All Might!" she proudly yelled to the world with an excited wicked laughter, seconds after her "toys" were saved by a titan of a man, with a mighty blast of wind from his speed. Moving so fast in the air he looked like a red and gold comet.
"You all fought bravely today my friends, take heart in the fact you prevented any loss of innocents, and don't worry because…I AM HERE!" All Might, happily said with a hearty laugh, once he placed his comrades back down safely.
"It's going to be alright people, the savior is here to end this madness, "All Might" is here now!" The reporter from earlier gladly yelled into his mic with tears of joy from knowing, everything would be alright now. And just like clockwork all across the city, the people cheered for their savior to stop this sinister monster. Disgust and anger growing in Spatial Quake with each second she had to listen to this bullshit.
"Oh how the people love you it must be great being No.1, and always getting praised everywhere you go? Just shows the difference between us, they sing your name and trample over mine." A furious Spatial Quake, communicated too All might with a slow sarcastic clap, as he made his way over to her.
"Maybe if you chose to use your space manipulation quirk for good, and actually thought of someone besides yourself they'd cheer for you as well? Now tell me what this is about Hanako Ryota, you've never been this flashy before?" The god like symbol of hope and righteousness said, to the crimson haired woman once he began walking towards her slowly. A look of shock and hate sparking across her face at the mention of her old name.
With the rage boiling in her voice, Spatial Quake twisted and distorted the space around All Might.
"Don't you dare call me by that, if the world didn't want to call me that, then neither should you. I buried that person years ago, she's dead now I'm just, "Spatial Quake". You self-righteous asshole!" A wave of pure concentrated hate poured out of her straight at All Might, carving death and destruction with it.
"No that isn't your name Hanako, and I won't let you dehumanize yourself with that name others forced on you. You're a person, not some uncontrollable disaster waiting to happen. Regardless of how you feel about others, never think so little of yourself." The proud warrior proclaimed with a voice booming full of compassion, as he walked through the energy wave like it wasn't there at all.
"Don't act like you know me, you little lap dog! I know who, and what I am! So help me god, I will tear this city apart, and I don't care how many fucking die!" she roared creating a huge spatial blast, and firing it directly at All Might, whom without missing a beat shattered it with a mighty blow.
"Your right it was rude to assume I understood you Hanako, but don't continue to make such empty threats. If you wanted people dead there'd be a whole graveyard by now." All Might with as kind a smile as possible, proclaimed to the stunned Hanako who was at a loss for words after he put a compassionate hand on her shoulder…
"Not here…follow me…" being her only reply before she gestured at a nearby building, and floated over into it totally silent. All Might with great curiosity right behind her the whole time. The two eventually coming to a stop, deep in the center of the building at one of its back rooms.
"So are you ready to speak with me now, to explain why you'd come out of whatever hole you were under. All the while causing just enough attention to get me here, without actually hurting anyone?" All Might asked very interested, before being cut off by Hanako throwing him a flash drive.
"I want to make a deal Mr. Hero; we both have something the other wants. What I just gave you is every little lead you'll need, too find a certain killer maniac you've been after." The look of pure shock on All Might's face at the revelation of this…priceless.
"…Even if you're telling the truth, and this will help me find "him" I know it comes at some steep cost. What is it?" he asked with a gaze as cold as ice.
"Nothing too bad, I just want the one thing only you have the pull to give me…freedom." She said with a big playful grin.
"…No as much as I want "him" defeated, that isn't worth the cost of justice. You have to answer for the people you've hurt, and for your crimes." Quickly refusing immediately
"Fine then it's a gift then, a gesture of good will. I have something else to trade any way." Hanako said with a shoulder shrug, before vanishing around a corner.
"Wait hold on; this makes no sense why are you acting so drastically different? Why pull yourself out of hiding just to speak with me…No it can't be?" All Might said, before a single cry echoed out across the quiet buildings halls…a child's cry. Sure enough the villainess returned with a small child wrapped in cloth in her arms
"I know I can't just start over, to many demons in my past to run away from…but that doesn't mean he has to run from them to?" She said in a strict tone, while All Might watched the child reach up at her and giggle.
"This is why you worked so hard to vanish without a trace for a year, I truly can't believe it...What's the child's name, surely you've given him one?" The great hero said, still keeping his eyes in disbelief at the smiling child.
"His name is, "Michio", and I want you to take him from me now." All Might's gaze rapidly shifting back to hers at the mention of such a bizarre request from a mother.
"I…I don't understand what are you trying to do here? Why ask me to rip a child from its mother's arms?" the stunned champion of justice asked Hanako, before she fell silent.
"I caused horrible problems when I was younger, my power wasn't under control, and I hurt people. I tried being "good" make things right, but no one ever saw me as anything different. And no one cared when I was poked, and prodded like a rat either. I never had a choice in what I became." She said clinging to her child tightly as All Might remained silent out of shame.
He'd heard stories from his master, how utterly horrible it had been for certain misunderstood people with powerful quirks in the earlier days. Treated like things simply, because they couldn't control they're powers, and worse yet being experimented on…God dammit how could she not end up having hated the world?
"It doesn't justify taking your pain out on others, but I can least understand what made you into this now…I'm sorry."
"I don't need or want your understanding, I just want your word. That if I turn myself in, and answer for what I've done no one will touch him…He's the one good thing, I've done with my life, and I won't let the world take that away."
"If this is really what you think is best as his mother, you have my word as "the savior" this child will never see the inside of a lab...but I need you to understand the full scope of this, most likely you will spend the rest of your life in a cell. You'll never see this boy again; can you live with that choice after going to such lengths for him?" All Might asked her, silence fell once more over her while she gazed into Michio's blue eyes...her eyes.
"I meant what I said…he doesn't have a future with me, and if I'm being honest I'm too broken inside to give him what he needs. That's why I staged an attack in public, to show him in the future what I am. I brought him into this world, and gave him a name…that's enough for me there isn't anything else I can give him…I'll never understand how you do it, just caring about one other person ruined me, and you do it for everyone?" Hanako…no Spatial Quake said, to All Might as she placed the infant in the hero's arms.
"Alright we have to make it look good...I'm ready do it." The broken woman told All Might bracing herself to be struck by him, and with one blow he launched her back outside. Darkness and pain quickly taking her, in her last few minutes of freedom, she was done running, done being angry, now she just wanted to fade away like a forgotten memory…This was for the best, that's what she had to believe now.
All Might stood frozen in place after, Spatial Quake took herself out for capture completely dumbfounded. "Why…why couldn't someone like Master have found her, before this happened? I'm supposed to be the "savior", yet I couldn't save her from the darkness in her heart, just like everyone else I failed you Hanako…Don't cry child, I know it hurts now, but take pride in the fact you brought out what little good was left in your mother, for however brief it was. I promise you I'll find you a place in this world little one." All Might thought before he regained his composure…
Five years later
It had been a long five and a half years for young Michio Ryota, once his mother was behind bars. All Might had done his best to hide Michio's origin from the world, but secrets have a way of always coming out. At first there was a panic over what to do with the child, so fresh off his mother's rampage no one was willing to trust him. So he bounced from foster home, to foster home, always ending in the same story getting kicked out. Eventually people stopped seeing him as a threat, and more of a waste of space to pick, and look down on. And when Michio started pushing back it only served to label him as a "problem child". With nowhere left to turn, All Might sought out an old acquaintance, from his earlier days. She had been in retirement since she'd gotten married, and was just a stay at home mom now. But he knew he could trust her, because she had the same drive to heal the emptiness in people's hearts. And sure enough after meeting with him a few times, Yoko Yuudai adopted little Michio into her family
"This is the third time in a month that Michio, has caused trouble for the other children in his class, Mrs. Yuudai. We understand the circumstances aren't "ideal" for your family in this matter, however as his legal guardian, we must inform you these outbursts won't be tolerated for much longer." The stern and strict principal of Michio's elementary school, said to his foster mother Yoko Yuudai.
"Of course principal, you have my word Michio won't cause any more trouble for the school." The hazel brown haired woman said, as she held Michio's head down in an apology stance the whole time. Then after a couple additional minutes of apologizing they left, and the moment they passed the door Michio saw a smug grin on the principals face.
"Oh Michi what was the fight about this time, I told you ask the teacher for help if they pick on you." Yoko said, with a deep sigh, as she helped clean Michio up.
"It wasn't my fault this time they were picking on another kid, I just stepped in to help him. Then they told me I was just an accident, and nobody wanted me. Besides I already told you everyone hates me at this school, and no one ever helps me...It's not fair." The small red headed boy said, with great annoyance to his foster mother, while being on the verge of tears.
It truly pained Yoko to see Michio like this, and he was right it wasn't fair how the others treated him. Rumors always spread about him before anyone ever got the chance to know him, but she knew this anger he had deep down was never going to fix any of that.
"Michi I told you before don't engage them; you're just proving every bad thing they think about you when you do. I know kids can be mean, but you can't just beat up every person who doesn't like you. That isn't how you make friends, and get people in your corner. I get that you think you don't need anyone, but trust me life can get really lonely by yourself…Oh just look what you did to your poor hand this time?" Yoko said, with a kind gentle tone to Michio as she rinsed the blood from his knuckle skinned hand. If nothing else she could tell just from his hand, he was going to grow up to be strong, she only hoped when that time came he'd find people who saw what she did in him.
The next day in class Michio had to bow his head and apologize all over again, and of course the principal was there with his smug grin. It wasn't fair that he was the only one who had to get up and do this. Especially when he knew they let Bakugou, get away with everything just because he's the golden boy at the school. He also heard them giggling at him while he humiliated himself…" Fine I don't need any of you guys" One day he swore Bakugou what get what was coming to him.
However just when he was about to eat lunch alone again, a shaking black haired boy walked right up to his desk. He looked kind of familiar to?
"A….ah h…hi m…my name i…is I…Izuku Midoriya, and i…I just wanted to say thank you for standing up for me. A…and I WOULD REALLY LIKE IT IF WE COULD BE FRIENDS!" Midoriya shouted, with all the courage he could muster while bowing his head to Michio. Neither of them knew it yet, but this was the moment an unbreakable bond was formed that would stand the test of time. The day Michio would one day look back on, and call Deku his hero.
