Merlin wasn't thrilled when Ban had appeared unexpectedly at her little hideaway. She gave a signature look of disinterest at his arrival with Elaine and Izuku. The younger of which was being lowered to the floor from Ban's arms, thankfully not touching anything.
"Sup Merlin. Busy?" Ban jovially said more than asked as she stood with a potion in one hand and a stirring stick in the other. With a silent spell to prevent the potion from aging temporarily she placed it down and faced the three who entered her home. Her eyes glanced over the three coldly. It wasn't until her eyes landed on Izuku that she knew what they were there for.
The signs of magic were all too clear to her. Even Hawk could tell with the earring she had gifted him so long ago.
Her cold stare grew a slightly devious and a smirk came to her lips.
"So, Izuku has started to use magic now has he?" It was not a question. Ban and Elaine knew she could tell even if Izuku was still incredibly confused and mostly unaware of what he had done when they had been watching the sky fish. "Let's see it."
Izuku's face flushed and he looked towards the ground, averting his eyes entirely from Merlin. Her steely gaze went to Ban, her brow arched as the smirk fell to a disinterested frown.
"We only saw some magic near his hands when he was getting frustrated," Ban explained, "It stopped when we told him and he was more confused than frustrated."
Izuku's face grew more aggressively red at the statement. Embarrassed by his lack of knowing and apparently control. Merlin's expression didn't change.
"Sounds accurate."
Izuku's face shot up to stare at Merlin, the embarrassed tomato red blush he had quickly fading at her disinterested look and ready acceptance to the occurance.
"We'll have to keep a close eye on you," she spoke towards Izuku, "The first time can often come out from an emotion, but what magic you may gravitate towards naturally may not be emotionally based in usage."
"B-b-but I-I ha-have magic?" he stuttered. He was practically vibrating in Ban's arms at the confirmation that he wasn't a useless kid like he was back home. And if he had magic, then he could help people.
"You do. And if you work hard, you'll be able to use it well." Elaine was gentle in the approach, not that she needed to be with how excited Izuku was to be like the inhabitants of the island.
"How do I do that? I don't even know what it is."
"Something tells me that won't be too much of an issue eh Merlin?"
Merlin ignored Ban and grabbed a potion hidden away in her cabinets. While Merlin's home and workspace would never grow dusty, partially due to a spell she cast on the place long ago, it was clear that the potion she had grabbed was more than a few centuries old. The color was consistent with a dark ale, and near the top where liquid met gas, small crystals had formed which only occured over immense amounts of time.
Merlin placed the bottle on her table, letting Izuku see it clearly.
"Do you know what this is?"
Izuku shook his head. His wide eyes curious and eager to learn. Ban raised a brow, knowing that Merlin had concocted some dangerous potions and items. And while he had his doubts she would give such a young and innocent child something dangerous, he still had his concerns.
"This is a potion of my own creation. Whoever takes the potion will find it far easier to use their magic for approximately an hour. If you were to take it, there is a good chance we would be able to have idea of what you are capable of."
Izuku's eyes widened and grew a bit misty at the prospect of finding out what he could do. He wanted to grab the bottle, open it up and drink the brown liquid right then and there.
"Hold it Merlin. What's the catch?" Ban questioned as his hand grasped one of Izuku's shoulders to keep him from just grabbing the bottle. He recognized the spark of greed in his eyes. It was one for something just out of reach that made it so tempting. A certain twinkle came to Merlin's eyes.
"Only that while the potion is active, I am there."
Ban couldn't argue with the request. She did make the potion, and she did know Perfect Cube and Absolute cancel. But there was something she was hiding. Was it her own boredum from the monotonous life the island gave from isolation? Ban could only hope so.
"It's up to Izuku then. What do'yah say kid? Wanna try Merlin's potion?"
Words seemed locked in Izuku's throat so he just nodded his head vigorously. Elaine grabbed the potion, giving Merlin a look, and tried to open the aged bottle. Her face grew progressively more red as she struggled to open it. Ban did his best not to laugh at the comical moment. Izuku just watched with doe eyed innocence. After a minute or two of struggling, she handed the bottle to Ban. Ban smirked and used a slight amount of his magic to pull the stopper from the bottle so it was almost out. Then he handed the bottle to Izuku.
"It's on pretty tight, but I think you can open it kid."
Izuku's brows furrowed as he studied Ban.
"But you're stronger than me. You got all those muscles and you're strong enough to carry me. Why should I be able to open it if you can't?"
"Call it hunch. If you can't I'll try again alright?"
Izuku looked skeptical as he placed his small hands on the stopper. He pulled with all his might to remove it and gasped when it came off with a loud pop. His eyes were huge as he stared at the stopper in his hand, then the bottle in the other. His face split into a large grin, full of teeth and exuding innocence. Nothing like the monster smile Elaine had yet to see Izuku called the "All Might" smile.
"I did it!"
"Yeah you did!" Ban responded equally enthusiastic to the young boy. Merlin was hardly amused but let the sin of Greed have his moment with the little boy. They would endulge her with the potion and Izuku's magic manifesting. Surely his magic would give her something new to study. Centuries without new magic in the world and the first drop of new magic appearing as just a little seed of a boy, well she wasn't going to miss this. Izuku raised the bottle to his lips only to have Ban keep him from tilting the liquid back to drink.
"This is to drink right Merlin?"
"Of course. I would have said otherwise."
Ban gave her a look, then locked eyes with Izuku.
"You ready?" Izuku nodded his head excitedly. Ban let go of the bottle and Izuku drank the mysterious liquid. His face contorted in disgust but swallowed the liquid effortlessly. He placed the bottle on the counter.
"Captain's cooking tastes worse."
A hyena like laugh escaped Ban's mouth while Elaine tried to hide her snort with her hand. Merlin just watched with her hawk like eyes. Izuku covered his mouth in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that your potion tasted so bad. I-It just slipped out. I disn't want to say it but I couldn't help it. it tasted gross but not-quite-as-gross-as-Captain-Melililo's-cooking-"
His voice grew quieter and faster as he entered a mutter storm to the likes none of them had ever witnessed. Merlin watched in fascination as Ban and Elaine looked progressively more uncomfortable.
"Smart boy. I didn't know he was this talkative," Merlin commented as Izuku continued with his word vomit.
"This is new to us. What did you put in that potion Merlin?" Ban asked in good humor.
"That's not important."
Elaine lowered her hand and glared at the powerful Boar Sin of Gluttony.
"There wasn't anything harmful in that potion was there?" she questioned in a dark tone. An ominous aura surrounded her body as she glared down the lady sin. A familiar stance and tone if Merlin's indifference was any indicator.
"Nothing I haven't had in successful potions before. I know the ingredients well."
"Then why is he doing this?" Elaine hissed as she gestured at the young boy. His muttering hadn't slowed down.
"Just a side effect I assure you."
"Why didn't you mention it before he took the potion? Is there anything else we should know?"
"We'll see." Merlin remained vague as she turned her gaze back to the mutteing child.
"Merlin... has this potion been tested?" Ban asked looking away from Mutter Storm Izuku and onto Merlin. Merlin looked back at the two adults leaving no eyes on Izuku.
"It is now."
There was no warning as Elaine rapidly grew plants to try and grab Merlin in a heated anger. Merlin teleported out of the way as her window was smashed, the vines entering quickly.
"Why would you offer something potentially dangerous to such a young child?!" she cried out. Ban grunted and realized that there would be a potentially devestating fight if he didn't stop it.
Izuku's muttering stopped as something glass broke. His head shot up to see fighting among the adults. There was chaos in tight quarters making Izuku feel a horror he had never felt before. The violence between three people he trusted so much scared him. With fear in his body telling him to run, he did.
He ran straight in the middle of the chaos screaming at the top of his lungs, "STOP!"
Ban noticed him first and used his magic to pull Izuku into his arms, his body shielding Izuku from the flurry of blows from the two magically powered ladies. Ban hissed and ran out of the building.
"Sorry kid. But you do not need to be in the middle of a fight between the two of them."
There was a loud bang inside the building and Ban rolled his eyes.
"Wait here while I go get them to stop fighting," he assured with a goofy grin. Izuku flinched as another loud noise occured within the building. Ban turned, letting Izuku see his torn coat on his back having two gaping holes. Izuku stared at the towering man as he ran back into the currently contained fray. He felt a whimper escape his throat.
Why were they fighting? Didn't they come here to find out his magic? Weren't they friends?
Izuku felt his eyes water up as his fear mixed with sadness. People were fighting in front of him and he couldn't help stop it. He was alone and felt scared. He didn't want to be alone. But if he reentered Miss Merlin's home, he'd only distract Ban cause he'd proabably pull him out again. His arms wrapped around his torso as he fell to his knees, curling in on himself. Tears spilled from his eyes in torrents. His hands began to spark around him, unnoticed and unseen by him. The energy built up and flared out to two nearby trees and into the soil below.
Bark broke off from the trees and began to bind itself together with vines and sap forming a distinct but small shape. The ground below formed similarly with pebbles and loose soil and mud. Izuku's continued to cry as stiff forms jilted towards Izuku. Bark and soil wrapped around Izuku's shoulders. Izuku sniffled and tried to stop the tears upon feeling the out of place objects on his body. It took a minute and a rough feeling on his cheek wiping away tears to get him to see what was touching him. He looked to his left to see a small wooden, human built thing with a face made of leafs. It was smaller than Izuku and it's face seemed stuck in an angry yet comfortingly familiar face. He turned his head the other way to see a soft mud made face, round and comforting, far more feminine than the wooden being. It reminded him more of Elaine or Diane, but there was something different about it. He didn't know what it was, but it was soothing.
He closed his eyes feeling tired from his emotions and something deep inside feeling stretched.
"What is with all the noise?" a familiar voice interrupted. Izuku tilted his head back to see a sleepy eyed King floating not to far above him.
"I-I don't know. Miss Merlin and Elaine just started fighting."
King closed his eyes in slight annoyance.
"Every time."
"Huh?"
"Merlin is a bit of a know it all and it irritates Elaine. Elaine is likely to start a fight over simple percieved slights when it comes to Merlin. It's been decades since they last fought like this."
King opened his eyes then and gave a cursory glance to Izuku. His eyes drifted to the two figures that had embraced Izuku and then back to Izuku's worn out face. His eyes drifted back and forth a few more times when suddenly, pure epiphany exploded in his features.
"Oh my gosh! You're using magic!"
Izuku stared at King in confusion. the stress of the day and all his crying made him feel incredibly sleepy. The constructs holding him began to wall apart as he slumped forward. King appeared in front of Izuku before he fell face first into the ground, his body no longer conscious.
"Ah, little human? Child? C'mon wake up!" King began to panic. He checked over the unconscious boy and tried to wake him, slightly worried about his state of being. "Oh man, you've got to wake up. Ban's going to be furious if you're not okay. And if Ban's mad Elaine will be too."
King looked back at Merlin's work building and hears the commotion still going strong. Without hesitation he whistled for Oslo. The shrill two fingered whistle cut through the air calling the green fuzzy Black Hound to King.
"Oslo, I need you to take this Child somewhere safe until he wakes up. Alright?"
Oslo barked an affirmative. Using his unique magic of the Black Hound, he grew in size and easily swallowed Izuku, teleporting him to a safe albiet mostly hidden location on the island of the Fairy King's forest. Once the job was complete, he shrunk down to his usual and far more playful size.
"Thank you Oslo. You're free to go now. This mit get a bit messy," King tried to say with confidence. Sadly there was a waver in his voice. He never liked the idea of fighting his sister under any circumstance. Ban he could deal with but Merlin? She was difficult and dangerous in a way that made King fearful. She was almost an inverse of Escanor where he had immense physical strength agmented by magic, her magic alone was enough to destroy empires.
Oslo yipped and twisted in the air as he proceeded to vanish from sight. King looked at the building just as the door flew off its' hinges with Ban along for the ride. King ducted out of the way, letting Ban harshly land on the ground a good forty feet from the building, about five feet from where King was floating.
"Hello Ban."
"King? The hell are you doing here?"
"I heard a lot of noise. Merlin and my sister are fighting again?"
"Yep."
"Do I want to know?"
"Will it change your mind to help stop them?"
"Probably not. "
"Stalling then?"
"Dammit Ban! Just answer the question!" King whined.
"Merlin gave Izuku a potion to coax his magic out."
King stared blankly at Ban. "You know, for as long as I've known Merlin, I can't find it in myself to actually be surprised."
"Ye-up."
Ban began the short trek back to the fray with King calling forth his sacred treasure to at least restrain the two rather volitile women. King winced slightly as Ban casually walked over the pile of bark stacked oddly. A loud crunch breaking the bark under foot. Pity, he was sure the child would have wanted a souvenir of his first bout of magic.
"Let's go King. They won't stop on their own."
"Yeah alright."
"Happy birthday Izuku... Happy birthday... Izuku... Happy birthday Izuku... Happy birthday to you," Inko sang softly. A small cupcake was on the table with a lit candle shaped like the number five sat innocently before a picture of her missing son. The picture of Hizashi was hidden away in her closet as the Bakugo family was there to remember her baby with her. Masaro wouldn't comment on the picture despite his dislike of the man who was her husband for what he had done. Mitsuki would say some rather unpleasant things like how she should get rid of the picture. Katsuki had the worst reaction seeing him though. With his explosive quirk, he would likely end up destroying it, along with the glass and frame and part of the house no doubt.
And despite the pain and longing the picture brought, she couldn't bring herself to throw it out. He was her husband, til death do they part.
So I appriciate the numbers game and seeing what at random was popular. Sadly, none went over three requests. So I went with the magic I found myself coming back to again and again. So yeah, what it's limits are and what the extent of the magic will come with age and training.
Now, for a little fun.
Omake: Path of Scraps
Izuku drank the potion quickly. Eager to discover his magic. The three watched Izuku carefully when his stomach rumbled.
"I'm hungry."
"Don't you want to find out what your magic is?" Ban asked, noticing Merlin did not look amused. Izuku didn't answer. Instead, his eyes wandered over to an ingredient Merlin had out on her counter for a brew she had been in the middle of. Without thought or hesitation, Izuku grabbed the ingredient and shoved it into his mouth.
"Hey wait! Izuku spit that out, it could be harmful!" Elaine cried out. Izuku just swallowed. A poof of smoke enveloped his body revealing scales, a small set of wings and a pair of horns. The three stared at Izuku, then Ban and Elaine stared at Merlin.
"What did he just eat?"
"Dragon wing."
"Huh. Oh MY GOD! HE'S LIKE MASTER!" Ban gave an exagerated bow to Izuku who stood looking confused. Ban pulled himself out of his bow and grabbed Izuku. "I will take you to Master for your training!"
"Huh?" Izuku was confused. What did Hawk the Pig have to do with his magic? There was no answer as Ban lept out of the room and ran straight towards the Boar's hat to deliver the boy to Master.
"He's going to be trained by a pig," Elaine deadpanned.
"Looks like it."
"I thought you wanted to see what his magic was?"
"That was before I knew what it was."
"Ah."
This idea was omake only material. Izuku having Hawk's unique and sometimes terrifying consumption magic. Almost like Nieto Monomo and Tamaki Amajiki fused to make a Izuku minded power stealer. Eat, obtain power, pop, start again! Only in the omake could they ever be the power grabbing bros.
