Justice in My Heart
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia. If I did I'd never get anything done because of critics.
Kei: The hell is this? *reads script* Oh, it's a series of short stories. But why?
Yusei: Lightz just has an issue that certain stories don't do when they begin theirs that he wants to do. So, enjoy this short story where Izuku gains magic powers to become a hero to do the right thing.
The Sorcerer Hero - Duke: Page 1
April 5th, a bright day in a world where everyone around has these abilities called Quirks, but anyone reading this would already know this setting. Down in the Musutafu section of Tokyo, Japan, a sole boy can be seen at the top of a building nearing a fence.
'He's Quirkless, so he should give up.'
The dreaded lack of life ever-present in his eyes, he stares at the top of the fence. His uncombed, olive hair blows in the spring wind to reveal his equally green eyes that slowly accept what is to come next.
'I'm sorry Izuku! I'm so sorry!'
With nothing left to do, the boy reaches over and grabs hold of the openings in the fence before he makes a steady climb up to the top.
'Goodbye, Inko…'
Eventually, the boy reaches the top. He almost falls backward but ends up correcting himself to prevent a mistake. His eyes stare down at the street below, multiple cars going by without a care or notice to his well being.
'If you want to be a hero that badly, then here's a suggestion; take a swan dive off the roof and hope you get one in the next life!'
What would they do if they did? They would probably talk him out of it or at least try to. No one would be able to; no one he knows would be here or be able to save him, especially after yesterday. Any attempt to rescue him would be pointless.
'I'm sorry, young Midoriya. It's not wrong to dream, but I can't condone someone becoming a hero without power.'
"Besides, I have nothing to live for." He closes his eyes and inhales deeply. "At least, I tried to be a hero...' Leaning forward, he dives headfirst over the fence to embrace the cold touch of death.
THUD.
Sadly, the impact hits sooner than expected. Almost straight out of one of those parody films where someone falls onto something, the boy has hit something while still airborne. Opening his eyes he groans while holding his nose, rising from where he fell. His eyes refocus back onto the floor below, and it's completely see-through. He is standing on top of the air.
"Hello, little one." He turns around to face whoever called out to him and spots someone else out on whatever platform he's on. He can't fully depict who he or she is what with the cloaked appearance that looks like a wizard from a role-playing game, but it's most likely a hero coming to stop his suicide.
"Yes…" he mutters, before getting struck in the head by a karate chop. Wasn't he a couple of feet away a second ago?
"Do you have any idea what you just tried to do!?" he shouts, holding his hand back. The boy holds his head in pain, awaiting the expected lecture on valuing his life. "You don't do you? Well, let me tell you."
Here it comes. "You were just about to kill yourself by jumping off the roof of my apartment. By doing that, you open up an investigation involving your parents, everyone you know, and the building entirely. The police will show up and question the people inside, they'll notice my room filled with things I shouldn't have, and it's just one big fucking hassle I don't want to be a part of."
Surprised, the boy raises his head to face him. He did not expect that. "Huh?"
"No huh! You can't just go jumping off buildings like that; think about the people you get involved before doing something so selfish!" His words make him out to be selfish.
The man grabs the child and tosses him easily over the fence. He lands with a thud on his behind, rubbing it in pain. His tosser leaps over the fence landing right in front of him. "Alright, now wipe those tears away. Only a bitch enjoys it when a boy cries."
"No offense, but you're rather callous for someone talking to a suicidal child." He earns another karate chop.
"What are you, a critic? If you have an issue with the way I'm treating the whiny little crybaby you are wont to be then do something about it. Whether your Quirk is powerful or not is not something you need to listen to others for."
"I don't have a Quirk…" Hearing those words brings the mysterious person to pause staring down upon him. "My whole life, it's been tough for me: the people who used to be my friends bullied me, the people who are supposed to help me down the road of life turned a blind eye, and the one person I respected most even told me I could never be a hero."
That dead look returns to his face. "So you might as well let me jump because there is no point in continuing."
The person removes their hood, revealing himself to be a dark-skinned beauty of a woman. Her raven hair flows down off her face as yellow eyes focus upon the child, looking down on him as opposed to looking at him. "And it's that kind of attitude that sickens me. There is more to life than being a hero."
Her eyes then close, a smirk rising on her face. "But, if you still think you can pull it off I shall provide my assistance."
The boy raises his head in confusion. "What's your name, little one?"
"I-Izuku Midoriya…" Why is he telling her this? Is she going to help him out? Is that hope what draws him in?
She takes a bend at the knees, eyes burrowing deep into his orbs. Izuku turns bright red at the cheeks seeing just how beautiful she is. No girl except his mother has ever willingly gotten this close to him. Reading the book that is becoming his face, even more, she soon blinks before pushing him onto his back.
"How badly do you want to be a hero, Izuku Midoriya?"
"Really badly!" he says, it comes out as a half yell. "S-Sorry. I-"
"Don't apologize, little one." She stands tall, pointing down below at him. She then takes out a crimson card from her sleeve using only two fingers on the same hand before holding it to him with both hands. Taking a bow again she holds it out to him for him to take, in the same way, she presented.
Reading the card it states: "Julia Nico – Psychologist. Therapist. Archaeologist. Botanist? Garden of Earthly Delights, 18 Osako Street."
He turns the card over to read: "Open Tuesday to Friday 1100 to 1800."
"Appear during those times in two weeks, or forsake your chance." He raises his head and gasps when he sees no one around. The mysterious yet rude dark-skinned beauty is gone without a trace. He is left alone again.
"…spooky." He can't believe what he just went through. There he was on the verge of death and then this woman comes out of nowhere and offers him a chance.
A chance is something he's always wanted, something God or Buddha or even his idol has ever given him. Just thinking about it brings him to tears.
"And don't tell anyone why you're really going!" These last words are all he hears of her, enough to quell his tears of joy and hope.
Sadly, the minute he realizes his situation and has taken hold of life, he also comes to understand the repercussions of what he has left in the world.
Walking home an hour after his thoughts, he finds police cars stationed at his apartment. Sighing, he enters and climbs the floors to his apartment home. Inside he finds them, police sitting inside with his mother. She and the other adults immediately turn to the door as he steps in.
"Izuku…" she whispers, tearstains running down her face that disappear once more come down. She drops the piece of paper in her hands and runs to him quickly. "IZUKU!"
Stunned, the boy remains still as he holds him tightly. Not that he should; since he left the note this is the only natural thing for her to do. She still loves him after all, and he's all she has. But, knowing this fact and feeling this fact are not as similar as he thought; all he's done comes up as regret now.
Hours later, Izuku sits on a couch with his mother beside him. The police have already left and they're now alone. She hasn't left his side.
"Mom…" he looks over at her with apologetic eyes, "I'm-"
"No, I'm sorry," she says looking down unable to meet his gaze. "This whole time you've felt this way. I didn't know fully, but I still did nothing." The fabric dampens under her head. "I'm a terrible mother!"
"Mom, no!" He reaches out to take her hand. "It was my decision to make, no one else's."
"That doesn't make it better…" She wipes her face of the liquid sorrow. "Izuku, I want to help you. Please, let me do whatever I can…"
She reaches out to take his hand, caressing it soothingly. "Please."
Solemn in his thoughts, Izuku sighs through his nose. "Thank you, mom." He then hugs her, eyes repeating her actions. She wraps around him as well, her body slowly dehydrating from her sorrow.
After a while, Izuku says, "Mom, I'm sorry I scared you like that." He comes apart from her to face her. "I thought about it, and I don't feel this way anymore…" It's not completely true, but now he has more reason to move away from these thoughts.
"When I was going to do it, someone stopped me and talked to me." He stops here remembering her words, what Julia told him not to do. But, he can at least let his mom know why he didn't go through with it. "I… she…"
Inko looks at him with narrow eyes. "She what?"
He contemplates the choice he's about to make. If he's to appease his mother's worries this would be the best way. But if he does he'll be going against his word and what she wanted of him. Even though she won't know, he will.
Well, the least he can do is this. "She gave me this."
He takes the card out and shows it to her. As he did, she reads it the same way even confused at the botanist part. "Therapist…" Tears flow from her eyes more realizing in her way what happened. "Someone saw you and helped… thank goodness."
As her fingers clench the card in solemn joy, Izuku watches her and sighs out of relief. "I was thinking of seeing her again this weekend."
She faces her child, wiping her eyes. "Izuku, can I go see her first?"
"Uh…" Now he's sweating. He can't say no or else she'll find it suspicious, but if she goes she'll definitely know he told. Well, his mom comes first.
…
The following Saturday after the events of that Wednesday, Izuku Midoriya finds himself walking down the street. Dressed in casuals no one cares to look into, he approaches the building containing the roof that he's visited twice before this week.
Rapid footsteps bring Izuku closer and closer until the green-haired teenager reaches the building. Situated before the child is the Garden of Earthly Delights, though only the word Garden is spelled in English. It looks like one of those archaic fortune teller stores. He comes forth to the door and gives a knock. Only one tap of his precious knuckles is enough for the door to open despite the wood itself being of fine material to hold against him. It's almost out of a thriller movie.
Izuku takes a sigh and steps inside, looking around immediately. Inside he finds plenty of plants, probably why it said 'botanist' on the card. He also sees several chairs at a table along with strange antiquities. One such item is a stone statue no bigger than a dictionary, and another looks like a golden scepter. One even looks like it belongs to Egypt.
He can tell more than a few are connected to Egypt, including the ankh hanging from a wall. He even spots a grandfather clock, golden as well, sitting in the back. The clock itself looks like a sundial too.
Izuku steps further in to look around at his surroundings. He gets closer to the clock and sees words in English written on them. Reading the whole speech is impossible, but one notable word becomes a piece he can make out. "Atum?"
"Watch your mouth." Izuku jumps up in shock, quickly turning around to face the woman who snuck up on him just now. Relaxation is the easiest way to describe her wardrobe choice, her crimson blouse, and blue jeans an eyecatching choice for her.
"Oh!" He adjusts himself. "M-Miss Nico!"
"Oh, calm yourself little one, and take a seat." Upon snapping her fingers, he soon ends up sitting in a chair.
Looking around, Izuku also notes that he's at the table now. "Do you have a teleportation Quirk? No, that wouldn't explain how I fell on air before. So maybe a shifting Quirk that moves matter from place to place which would explain how I-"
"First off, stop that." Julia holds a finger up to shush him.
"Sorry."
"And stop apologizing."
"I'm sorry. Oh, wait, s-" A karate chop to the head shuts him up.
Julia sighs before leaning back in the seat she's on. "Alright, little one, hand over the card I gave you."
"Okay." He presents the card to her with both hands held, and she receives it.
"I had a little conversation with your mummy, and she was very thankful for what I did."
"Y-Yeah…" Izuku scratches his head sheepishly. "So, what do I do? How exactly will you help me become a hero? And, what exactly is your Quirk?"
"Oh, I don't have one." Her response brings shock to his face. He sits up and looks at her more credulously.
"No, that's a lie." She glares at him now.
"Did you just call me a liar?"
"Then how were you able to do all those things?"
She holds a hand before him, closed fist. "Through mental focus, discipline, and strenuous training, it is possible to draw in and manipulate energy inside and around you to perform magic." She then opens her hand at the very end of her sentence, and from her palm blue flames erupt.
The boy is fairly enthused. He gets closer to the flames, but then they're snuffed out without so much as a gust of wind that is blown out of her nose. He then faces Julia, who smiles down at him. "So… magic is real? And you're gonna help me be a hero by teaching me magic?!"
"Well, well, a smart boy." She points at him. "I'll see you tomorrow. Your training will begin then."
"Wait, it begins this weekend? And, training?"
"What, did you think I would just conveniently give you the power to use magic by giving you something that belongs to me and instantly make you a hero?" she asks snidely, her face gaining a smug grin. "There's no way such a helpful thing exists. This isn't a western world – if you want something important, you have to work for it."
"But, why isn't it starting today?"
"You were never going to start today; I just wanted you to come back and prove to me that you were trustworthy." She holds up the card with three fingers. "There's a spell on this card that would bring you to me should you decide to tell people what I don't want you to. Now go home and drink lots of water after your mum's donkatsu."
"Wait, how do you know that?" One blink follows. After that, Izuku looks around to find himself on his butt in front of his apartment door.
Getting up to his feet, he sighs. "Magic, huh?"
…
Sitting in her office this Sunday morning, Julia crosses one leg over the other while sipping on some tea in a white cup held in the right hand. The other hand types on a laptop placed before her on the table. She finishes a message and sends it.
Immediately, she gets a response, and types back, "Of course he's like that, but that's why he's perfect. Didn't you see the news story of him almost dying against that villain?"
Getting a response, her eyes lower morbidly. "He's nothing like him. If he was, I would have let him jump. I'm not making that mistake again."
There's a knock on the door. "Ooh, that's him! Gotta go." There's a reply. "I'M NOT A CRADLE ROBBER!"
She then leaves the window containing their chat and walks to the door. With a wave of her hand the door opens up, and Izuku stands before her at attention. "Relax, little one."
Izuku steps in after lowering his shoulders, smiling nervously at his dream finally in motion of coming true. Once inside, the door closes and a seat opens up at the table. "Can I ask a question before we begin?"
Humming while a finger holds up her chin, she asks, "Is it why I'm agreeing to do this?"
"Eh? How did you now that? Was that a magic spell?"
"Yes, it's called women's intuition." He almost falls. "You're worried about the ulterior motives behind me agreeing to teach you magic and why reveal its existence when no one else in the world knows it's true."
A nod from the boy confirms her thoughts. "Little one, I have already confirmed your honesty and good nature so I don't need to worry about you outing me. Of course, if you did, I'd just erase your memories."
Sweat proceeds to fall down his face. "You can do that?"
"Well, I'm better than the others at that considering my specialty." She smiles with pride at her words, a nose growth appropriate for her at this moment. "But now, onto why I chose you. I picked you because of how you described yourself to me."
"That's just it…" Here, Izuku sounds rather upset. "I'm just a Deku. I'm not athletic, I don't have a strong Quirk or even any, and I have nothing to compensate you with. I don't even know who you are. Not to mention earlier you told me that you got to use magic by training, which means anyone can do this. So why me?"
Julia sits back in her seat before pointing down in front of him. "Drink some tea and calm down."
"Tea?" He instinctively looks down at the hot cup in front of him adjacent to hers. "Oh." Lifting the steamy cup hot enough to fog, he blows away the smog and drinks like a dog that's still a pup. Smiling, he says, "This is delicious. What is it?"
"Hot pee with peach flavoring." His eyes turn wider than a saucer plate. She then chuckles through closed lips. "Just kidding. It's herbal peach tea, but I couldn't pass up the chance."
Sighing, Izuku blows the steam away and sips. Julia returns to her stoic expression, saying, "But little one, I chose you for a reason. You probably already knew I was planning to use you for something that has nothing to do with you, and honestly, I am. I had ulterior motives planned when I saw you on that roof the first time because I was impressed believing you could replace me."
She sighs nodding to the left. "Yes, that may make me a bad person, but I do so only because I believe in the potential those plans will bring up." From here, a smile grows halfway. "In the end, I believe in justice in your heart."
Pausing, Izuku looks up at her. "Justice?"
"You out of everyone at that scene moved to help that boy, even knowing you couldn't do a damn thing. Doing the right thing when no one will praise you." She places a hand on top of his head. "Before being a great hero, you have to be a great person, something people tend to forget when they want to become heroes. You've proven that."
A small smile spreads. "You can be a hero, little one."
Kei: And that's it. In the next chapter, we'll delve into the training. Or write a one-shot where Izuku builds a suit of armor for an entirely different story. It all depends on the reviews.