Chapter Two
Analyzing Potential
"Why are you chasing me!?" He screamed as he ran down the path that had been his main route home for as long as he could remember. He'd have to go under the pass and through the tunnel, but he'd get home this way.
At least he hoped he would.
"FUCKING DEKU! GET BACK HERE AND LET ME BLOW YOUR FUCKING SHIT UP!" One Katsuki Bakugo shouted as he chased after the other boy, mini explosions erupting from his hands as his blonde hair waved in the wind. His explosive quirk terrified everyone at their school and caused Izuku more than a few burns.
"Why would I stop when you say that!?" He shouts back as he entered into the tunnel that would be the halfway point home.
Only to come to a complete stop as a whole new horror ripped through his body.
"Oh, what's this? A new invisibility cloak?" The voice was gurgle like, as if constantly changing, but that was the least of Izuku's worries when the green slime slammed into him and proceeded to force itself into his mouth and down his throat. "Don't worry, this'll only hurt for a minute and then it'll all be over."
'No!' Izuku screamed in his head as he clawed at the green slime, trying to get it off and away from his mouth. He couldn't breath and he couldn't scream and he couldn't do anything but struggle weakly.
He had no quirk to fight back with. He was quirkless and unable to fully fight against the slime. HE was being suffocated to death because of that and also because this slime wanted to use him. He was going to die here. There'd be no help. He would die.
"THE FUCK YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO DEKU YOU FUCKING SEWER SCUM!" Kacchan! That was Kacchan! He'd help! He was strong! HE would save Izuku even though he hated the boy! He wanted to be a hero after all!
What Izuku wasn't expecting was for the explosion that Kacchan let loose to blow not only the slime creature off of him, but to decimate the right side of his face.
Excruciating pain consumed him as the fire and ate at his face and his shoulder and arm and chest. The blast had been huge. Much bigger than he could remember Kacchan ever making before. Now it was tearing into him and he screamed in pain even as the slime still somewhat lodged in his throat.
He doesn't remember a whole lot after that except pain. Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain. It all hurt and he wanted it to stop. But it wasn't and so he screamed, cried, sobbed, and writhed in pain.
He did remember two strong hands cradling his body against a warm one even as sirens blared somewhere in the distance.
A strong voice whispering to him even as cursing in the background caused him to cringe. The warmth of the arms and the chest he was held against helped a little but the burning sensation tore into more and more. Especially around his right eye and inwards. It was excruciating to the point of him wondering how he was awake.
"It'll be okay. Help is coming. Just stay awake and not sleep." Words filtered in and out, all saying the same thing. God how he wanted to just curl into that gentle and reassuring voice. He had no clue which hero, for it could be no one else as Kacchan would have been insulting him, had arrived to help them. He hoped it was one he knew, like Kamui Woods, Blood King, or best All Might. "Just keep awake. You'll be okay."
"Fucking Deku got in my way." He whimpered at that voice. He knew Kacchan was angry and that he'd take it out on him the moment he could. He didn't want to face the other teen though. God he'd been burned by the explosions before but not like this. It hurt beyond belief.
He cried, sobbed, whimpered, and clung to the warmth holding him all the way to the hospital. All until they had put him under so that they could try and save him and his face. God, he hoped it wouldn't hurt as much when he woke.
Analysis
They arrived at a coffee shop that was painted a bright blue with homey fixtures. The tables were small and round with some booths that held white cushions and bright yellow flowers painted on them. Then there was just an air of home and warmth that he enjoyed a great deal even as he had to wipe blood from his lips.
"Order anything you like. It'll be my treat." Izuku said as he sat down at the round table directly in front of the window that looked out onto the street. "Eri, two cake limit. You still have to eat dinner later." He ordered the girl as she looked over the menu.
The girl pouted before nodding her head as she returned to the menu. Toshinori sat down as well and already know he was going to order a plain black coffee. "Thank you very much young man, I appreciate this."
The young man waved his hands as if it was of little matter, his eyes on the menu as well. "Order something to eat as well Toshinori-san, you need to have some fuel for later."
"Oh no, I'm fine. I'm not hungry at all." He assured quickly. He was actually a little but it wouldn't be worth it since he couldn't really eat a whole lot in one sitting.
"Do not think to fool me. You need to start eating small meals multiple times a day to stay healthy. That's why you have become this malnourished in the first place, trying to eat large meals like a normal person when you should be eating several small meals a day." Izuku lectured as he continued to gaze over the menu. He was not about to let this man wither away just because he's too stupid to change his life style to accommodate his health. Heroes could really be idiots sometimes.
Toshinori sat there stunned once more at this young man. You would not think he knew much due to his age but he did. He knew so much and could put it to use in so many different ways.
"Either way, I'll order you something small and you will eat it. And then you will go and talk to Recovery Girl and see about a new eating schedule and plan after we finish our meeting." Izuku continued as he nodded to himself and settled the menu down before standing. "Do you know what you want to eat Eri?"
"Yes Nii-sama! A slice of the cherry supreme cheesecake and a slice of the triple decker white chocolate cake! With a White Elephant!" She ordered with a smile on her face.
"Got it. I'll be right back then." He said as he took off for the counter where a pretty blonde stood behind it waiting to take his order.
"Nii-sama will order you something really good! I promise!" She gushed as she got his attention. "He knows exactly what people can and can't eat even if they don't. So you'll be fine."
"I see. That's good to know." He nodded to her before looking at her a little more closely, taking in the scars that covered her arms after she had removed her jacket. There were also some on her neck and face but had faded so they weren't as obvious. Whoever this girl was, she had been through a lot in her young life. He just hoped it wasn't because of this young man. "So, how do you know Midoriya? You don't look like you're related to him."
She tilted her head at him before smiling brightly. "I'm not. Nii-sama actually rescued me three years ago from my old home. He hasn't allowed me to be taken away from him ever since." She explained as her eyes wondered over to the young man, watching him pay for the orders. "He's been so nice to me and he's invited Mirio over too! I don't think I'd be here if either hadn't tried to save me so viciously."
The hero frowned at the information, knowing exactly who Mirio was. The Young man had lost his quirk and refused One for All without a second thought. "I see. So you were there when Overhaul was arrested." He murmured to himself, chin resting between his thumb and finger in thought. "I knew they had said a girl had disappeared from the scene but no one could find her."
"That was Eri." Izuku said as he reappeared. He sat a big pink mug with whip cream and a cherry on top in front of the girl before settling two pieces of sweets in front of her. Obviously it was the cheesecake covered in cherries and sauce while the white chocolate cake was swamped in frosting. Toshinori received a yellow mug with what seemed to be green tea and a plate of small sandwiches that looked to be made up of tomatoes and cheese. Izuku sat down after he settled a green mug with steaming coffee in it and a lemon pound cake.
"You got me tea." The hero stated as he looked down at the liquid with distain. He normally didn't mind tea but he really wanted coffee at the moment. Not to mention the sandwiches were rather dainty looking, like for a woman.
"Your stomach can't handle the caffeine in coffee. That's one of the reasons why you cough up so much blood. You're overtaxing your stomach." He explained calmly as he sipped at his own coffee calmly. "So drink the tea. It has honey in it as well to help keep it calm and help heal any damage you might have done to it. Then the sandwiches don't have anything heavy but will give you the nutrition you need."
Toshinori grunted but sipped at the tea anyways. It was definitely the normal green tea with honey in it, so it wasn't bad. Then he took a bite from one of the sandwiches, enjoying the freshness of the tomatoes and lettuce. The cheese was sharp and gave a bite where the veggies didn't. "Not bad." He muttered as he took another small bite.
"Good. Now that we are out of my office and hopefully away from anymore interruptions." Izuku said as he pulled out a folder from his jacket and settled it on the table. "I've been looking for a suitable successor for you for some time now. Unfortunately, I came up with only one." He explained, taking a bite of his own cake while Eri tore into her own.
"Unfortunately? How is that bad? It sounds like you might have found someone I could use." He tilted his head to the side in thought. There weren't many that could handle his power and he had always been picky about it. He wanted to be able to connect to his successor and not just be like, 'Here, have this quirk and use it wisely.' It could end disastrously. It didn't matter what Gran Torino or Recovery Girl or anyone else thought, he needed to make sure there was that connection with his successor so that it would all work out for everyone.
"Because, the only person I can find that fits the requirements for One for All…has already refused it." He flipped open the file to reveal Lemillion's picture.
And at that moment, Toshinori despaired at ever finding a successor. Someone to take his power and use it to help other people like he had been doing for years now. What was he going to do? "There's no one else?" He questioned.
Izuku's grim face told him all he needed to know. Though it didn't stop the young man from reaching over and laying a hand on the blonde's forearm as his hand still held a sandwich. "I know this is disappointing, but people like Mirio are only born every decade or century. You've been All Might for over half a century and no one else has appeared yet. It could be a few more or it could be another century." Izuku smiled at him then, that soft and warm smile that sent warmth into Toshinori's chest and calmed him. "But don't give up hope yet. I'll keep an eye on all the new registrations and those appearing in schools all over the world. When I find someone that fits your requirements, I'll let you know immediately."
That was a relief that Toshinori couldn't even explain. Though it helped that this young man was willing to help him out no matter what. It was refreshing and made his heart calm and stop beating harshly against his chest. "Thank you. I can't even imagine a way I could ever pay you back. How much will this cost?" He questioned as he quickly pulled out his checkbook to pay at least a little for all this young man had done so far.
"Nothing." That caused a pause and the hero could only stare in astonishment at the young man. Izuku sipped at his coffee before looking at the man with a smile. "I remember that day you know. When I was attacked by the slime guy in that tunnel with Kacchan." He explained.
Toshinori remembered too. He had been too late to safely save the young man. His friend had decimated his face and body trying to save him with his explosions. The burns had been bad and the boy had lost his eye. He still regretted not being there for him. "I am sorry for arriving too late."
"No, you showed up just in time. I was gonna die if you hadn't showed up either way. Even if Kacchan hadn't been there, I would have died." Izuku mumbled slightly as he rubbed the back of his head. "So you saved me that day and so anything you could ever need is on the house. I'll never turn you away and I'll do all I can to help you." He explained with that smile again.
Toshinori could only stare in amazement once more. This kid who had suffered at his friend's hands and because he had been too late to save him…didn't blame him. If anything this kid admired him. Which sent more warmth through him. "I can't always have you do things for free though." He stated sternly as he looked just as stern. "At least allow me to help fix your office with more….durable furniture and windows. You don't need to be replacing things all the time."
Izuku stared at the smirk that now laid on his all-time favorite hero's face before returning that smirk. "You have to make sure that it'll endure Endeavor's flames and Kacchan's explosions. Otherwise it'll be pointless to replace things with anything super expensive. It'll just be destroyed the next day."
"I know a guy." Toshinori sipped at his tea with a hum as he realized his stomach wasn't constricting as painfully as it normally did. Maybe changing his diet did have some benefit to it after all.
"All right then, I'll have to recheck some things at the office, but as soon as I find someone, I'll let you know and you can go and meet them." Izuku sighed as he pulled out his phone to check the time and see any messages he might have gotten.
An explosion blasted the window they were sitting in inwards, sending all three flying away with such force that it stunned them.
Izuku gasped as he quickly sat up from the floor, looking for the familiar pale hair of Eri, only sighing in relief when he saw her kneeling next to a coughing Toshinori. Blood pooled beneath the hero but Izuku knew he would be fine for the moment and quickly turned towards the window where he could see a confrontation happening outside.
Ground Zero stood in the middle of the street facing a familiar slimy figure. "Fuck." Izuku groaned as he quickly crawled over to the two and proceeded to drag them behind the counter. Luckily they had been the only ones in the café at the time and so were able to move quickly. "Stay here." He ordered Eri with a stern glare before looking at the old male and taking in the pool of blood coming out of him. He grimaced already knowing he needed to get the other to Recovery Girl but would be unable to at the moment.
He glanced over at the workers in the back of the Café, making sure they were all okay before turning and looking over the counter to the fight outside.
Kacchan was strong, he knew that, but he wasn't always coherent in battle as his rage and adrenaline took over. He was as much a danger as the villain, though he would pay attention to civilians as much as he could. Still dangerous though.
"That fucker came back." He hissed to himself as he watched Kacchan send a blast at the villain, though the other just reformed and sent a giant fist at the hero, who dodged out of the way. A crater was left behind as the villain continued his attack. "I'm not sure he can keep himself steady and calm enough to beat him. He completely lost it the last time we faced him and that's when I lost my eye and was burnt completely." He mumbled under his breath, trying to figure out what to do.
"That villain…you're talking about…the slime one?" Toshinori questioned in between coughs and sputters of blood. "The one that I…saved you from….years ago?"
"Yeah, that's the one." He nodded as he crouched back down to take in the hero trying to stand up. "Don't. You don't have the strength right now, not to mention there's others watching you." He flicked a look at the workers of the café that had them in full sight. "Ground Zero will handle this, don't worry."
A scream caught Izuku's attention and he shot up to look over the counter. In time to see a teenage girl around the age of fourteen, cowering as the slime monster swarmed towards her just outside of the café. Kacchan was too far away and if he tried an explosion, he would just hurt the girl.
Izuku didn't even remember his body moving.
All he knew was that he was soon consumed by slime that was swarming into his mouth and down his throat.
He couldn't breathe.
He couldn't scream.
It was all too familiar as he clawed at the slime, trying desperately to get it out of his mouth and out of his body. He wanted nothing of this thing in him or on him or near him. He didn't want it.
Fuck, he was losing air.
His vision was going grey and he knew it would go black soon. With no air getting into his lungs to go to his brain, his body was shutting down. He wouldn't last more than a minute or so at this rate.
Burning pain on his left side.
Kacchan must've tried exploding the thing again. He could feel the pain there. That bastard never learned. Explosions couldn't save everyone when used but it could always hurt someone. God how he hated Kacchan sometimes.
"Do not fear!" Wait…that couldn't be! That idiot was hurt! He was just going to make it worse! "For I am here!"
A great gush of air and soon Izuku was laying on the ground, gasping for air and sucking it in as much as he could. His limbs shook from the adrenaline running through him and the fear of dying.
He hadn't been that close to death in a while, but boy did he not miss it at all.
"Deku! Fucking useless piece of shit! Tell me you're alive!" Kacchan was standing over him now, glaring down at his face even as worry flickered through his eyes.
"I…knew you…cared." He got out with a weak smile, gasping as the other growled and hauled him up on his feet before grabbing his left arm and looking at it.
"Fuck. I got you, damn it. Piece of shit, what were you thinking you assmunching bug?" He questioned as he stared at his childhood friend. His crimson eyes glared fiercely through his black domino mask that was ragged along the edges.
"Don't…know…my body just…moved." He said as he rubbed at his throat tiredly before looking around. "All Might…showed up?"
"Yeah, he's getting that fucking sewer scum gathered in another plastic bottle. Fuck it all. Make sure you get that healed you useless trash." Kacchan growled at him just as Eri appeared at the quirkless man's side with a glare of her own.
"He wouldn't be hurt if you hadn't of tried to blow him up." She stuck her tongue at the blonde as she grabbed a hold of Izuku's hand in both of hers. "You're so mean and reckless! How are you a hero?"
"Eri, not now." Izuku sighed as he pulled the girl into his side and gave her a quick hug, though she refused to let go a moment later. "Thanks for the save either way. I'm…" He paused as he cringed at the memory. It was just as horrible as the first time if not worse. He wasn't sure he was going to get any sleep that night.
Actually, he wasn't even going to try to sleep that night.
"Fucking stay out of the way and you wouldn't need rescuing." The hero huffed before he turned and stomped away to where Police Officers were now showing up and taking statements.
Izuku knew that he would have to stick around and make sure he and Eri gave their statements as well. They wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. "That was rather brave of you." A voice said from behind the two, startling them.
Izuku whipped around with Eri pushed behind him, but calmed when he saw Toshinori in his malnourished form. "Gave the Police the slime guy already?" He questioned, grimacing at the pain in his throat and how hoarse he suddenly sounded. Guess his injuries were starting to make themselves known.
"Yes. Then I left before they could say anything else. I can't hold my hero form for very long anymore and have to save it as much as possible for emergencies." He explained as he leaned against the café building they still stood in front of. There was blood leaking out the side of his mouth that he wiped off but otherwise he looked unharmed. "You're body moved on its own?"
Izuku frowned in confusion but nodded in agreement. "Yeah." He coughed as his throat flared in pain, wondering why it hurt as much as it did. Though to be fair, it wasn't as bad as before the first time he had that run in.
"You saved this girl at the risk of your health and took her in. You gave her a home and kept her safe despite the fact she could bring danger to you." Toshinori continued on with a smile forming on his face as he took in the continuing confusion of both Izuku and Eri. The girl still had her arms wrapped around the older boy's waist, but her face was no longer buried in his side but her eyes now settled on him. Those golden eyes were slightly unsettling but otherwise he enjoyed the confusion.
"What…what bout it?" Izuku could already tell there was something going on in this man's head. He wasn't sure what it was but it had him on edge in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. Not since before high school and before the incident with the slime creep the first time around. This man had a plan and he was going to be damned if it wasn't going to happen. That was the feeling he was getting from Toshinori at the moment.
"Let's return to your building before I say anything more. I'm sure this is a conversation that will need privacy." He explains with that continuing growing grin.
Izuku wasn't scared or worried from the grin, no, it was an anticipation that he had never felt in his life.
He couldn't wait to return to his building to find out what All Might wanted to talk about now.
Too bad they weren't returning to his building. He moved with intent in his eyes.
Analysis.
This kid…this kid was exactly what he was looking for. He had the balls to stand up for what he believed for, even if he was at a disadvantage. He was kind and patient with those around him, no matter how rude they may be. And then he had the instinct to protect no matter that cast to himself.
Though he'll say that the kid did have a sense of preservation when acting against heroes that came into his office.
The ability to predict and use their weaknesses against them was valuable and would continue to be so when going up against villains.
'Yes. The boy would do nicely.' He thought just before everything turned black.
"Alright Eri, let's get him to U.A. and looked at before anything in him goes worse." Izuku said as he maneuvered the much taller man's body onto his back so that he was carrying him piggyback style. The last thing they needed was for this guy to keel over on them while trying to find him a successor.
"Ok!" The little girl agreed as she bounced forward with excitement. She had seen the school before, who hadn't with how close they lived to the school. "You think they'll let us in?" The security systems was just as legendary as the heroes that worked at the school after all.
"If Toshinori-san has his ID on him, then we should be able to slip in without too much of a problem." He said next as he dodged around people that were heading towards the scene of where the attack had been. The news that All Might had shown up must've been spread faster than normal but that didn't matter since the other man was completely asleep at this point. "Stay close Eri, I don't want to lose you."
The girl stuck close and kept a hand on his jacket as they trailed away from the scene and moved ever closer to the school. It took a little bit but they were able to get to the school easily enough, but now the real test came when they had to cross the gate and onto the school grounds.
"Stay close, I don't want you getting caught by the doors if something goes wrong." Izuku said as he glanced down at the girl before looking forward. "Let's hope he brought his ID with him today."
With that they stepped across the imaginary line of the outside world and the school.
He paused for just a second, just in case he needed to jump back, but sighed when he realized nothing was going to happen and so moved forward. "Alright, keep close, I don't know what heroes are here or if they'll see us as threats."
Eri held tight to his jacket as they moved into the building and then through the halls. Izuku was incredibly happy that they hadn't run into any heroes that would attack first and ask questions never. He knew how horribly impatient some heroes were and wasn't looking forward to dealing with anymore that day. Endeavor and Kacchan were more than enough.
Then he had to be thankful that it was just after lunch so all the students should be in their classes. This would make it easier to get the stubborn idiot where he needed to be without any students asking pesky questions and the chance of losing Eri decreased as well.
All of which disappeared when a feeling of utter and complete darkness descended upon his shoulders and almost knocked him to his knees. Eri had come to a complete stop and was sat on her butt due to the pressure exerting on her little body.
It only got worse when Izuku felt a dribble of liquid cover his shoulder where Toshinori-san's chin was resting. He knew the other man felt the pressure and most likely was leaking blood again. There was nothing to be done about it though at the moment as he finally gave in and allowed his body to sink to one knee.
He gasped for air and clenched his eyes shut, trying to keep his body from keeling over. 'Damn it, there's only one person who could exert this type of killing intent.' He thought and forced an eye open to stare straight at the person that was causing him to struggle to stay standing. He wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to last either.
"Now then, can you explain to me why a stranger, unauthorized and with a child, is on the premises of my school with one of my teachers on his back?" The Principal of U.A. High School questioned calmly, hands behind his back with his tail stuck high into the air. It was obvious he was on both the defensive and offensive.
But it wasn't just the principal Izuku had to worry about now, no, it was much worse.
Pro Heroes Midnight, Eraserhead, Present Mic, Blood King, Snipe, and Ectoplasm were surrounding him and his charges. There was no way for Izuku to run away even if he wanted to and then add onto the fact that if they thought him a danger, he would be down and out before he could blink.
He gulped and went to speak, but stopped when a familiar and unwelcomed feeling snapped awake next to him. His head whipped to look at a curled up Eri, the child sobbing as the little horn on her forehead grew out into a spiral. "Eri…" He gasped out in horror before his eyes snapped to the one hero who could stop the oncoming disaster. "Quirk!" He gasped out at the yellow goggle wearing hero. "Use your quirk!" He coughed as the pain in his throat reared its head again. God how he wished he hadn't had to swallow that stupid slime again. "Stop her now!"
Eraserhead either got what he wanted or he was going to stop the use of the quirk anyways as his hair raised in the air and Eri's energy disappeared as she collapsed in exhaustion. "Now, there'll be no such foolishness." Eraserhead said with a sigh as he kept his quirk activated a little bit longer before releasing it. "Just come along quietly."
Izuku scowled at them before looking directly at Nezu, the strange little principal that held the High Spec quirk. "You…call off…your guard…dogs." He coughed afterwards, he was sure his throat was starting to swell and close with the trouble he had breathing now. The pressure wasn't letting up either. HE wouldn't last much longer.
"Tell me why you're here first and I might." Nezu said politely but didn't not move an inch.
Izuku coughed as his vision blackened and his body gave up. Too much happened too close together, it just couldn't handle it.
Just as his body slumped forward and the weight on his back pressed into him fully as he fell to the floor, he could see the heroes move forward.
'Damn it all.' He thought as he felt his face connect with the floor and All Might's weight disappeared from his back. 'I just wanted to get him to Recovery Girl.'
With that he fell into darkness.
Analysis
A.N. Karma came and bit you in the ass Izuku! That's what you get for knocking Toshi-chan unconscious! Mwuhahahaha! Oh well! Review and tell me what you all thought about this! I can't wait to hear from you guys! Until next time!
