A/N: Here's when things get wild. The prologue is nearly over, and the main story can begin. ;) Please drop a review so I know how it's going!~
Chapter Four
A New Path
As it turned out, Izuku had been taken to U.A's nurse after his collapse. The old woman, a former Pro Hero named Recovery Girl, had been on the scene, but decided his condition was too dire to treat right there on the spot.
"I don't know what you did," she chimed after Izuku had awoken again, "But my Quirk couldn't treat you properly. It uses your own stamina to heal your body, and you were well beyond your limit."
After eating some food and getting healing from her, he felt good to go after a couple of hours. He apologized for the inconvenience, but Recovery Girl had seen plenty of reckless kids through her years, shaking her head at him disapprovingly.
"Words mean nothing, it's about your actions from now on," the small old woman told him. "Whatever you've done here, I won't always be there to help you out."
Izuku nodded in understanding. "I-I know, I'm sorry! I'll do better!"
"I'm sure you will."
After that, Izuku was discharged, and allowed to return home while awaiting the exam's results. Once home, his Mother embraced him tightly, a surprising gesture that left him a bit hesitant, bad memories entering his mind.
"Oh Izuku! I'm glad you're alright," Inko said, moving back and smiling at him. "How did you do?"
He couldn't help but smile back. "It took everything I had, but… I think I did good!"
"I know you did!"
His Mother's encouragement had never ceased to help cheer him up. Inside, Izuku felt anything but confident. It wasn't about the exam, which he also had a bit of worry about, but it was something about the way his Quirk had functioned with multiple skills going off at once, and what it did to him.
There was a throbbing pain that still pinged at certain parts of his body sometimes. Recovery Girl had insisted his body will be sore for a while, but it felt… Off.
"Musabori," Izuku began after he had entered his room after dinner, "Where did all that power come from?"
"Hm?" Izuku got the impression that Musabori had been busy with something and was looking up at the boy who had disturbed him with disinterest. "Your skill, remember?"
"I know, but… That couldn't be me. Was it the points? Did they turn into energy, or into… Blood? Or something?"
Musabori sighed. "Look kid, I don't got all the answers. If you ask me, I'd bet that it just uses your body at its full potential. Ya know, no hesitation or limitations."
Izuku sat down, rubbing his arm as a throbbing pain echoed through it. "I don't know… It just felt wrong… Are you holding out on me?"
"Pfft, in case you haven't realized, we're kinda linked here. Surely you'd be able to tell!"
"I doubt that," Izuku muttered. "I've never once heard your thoughts." He realized that wasn't trued, remembering a vague dream he had while unconscious, the memories of it hazy, except for an unfamiliar thought that had crossed his mind. "Anytime I try, it's like you're somewhere unreachable."
Musabori let out a bellowing laugh. "Nothin' philosophical about it, kid. I just don't sit around thinking about every little thing like you do! Ahahaha!"
Realizing it was pointless to push the subject, Izuku decided to drop it, summoning a pen without thinking about it and jotting down some notes about his questions in his journal. As he closed it, he brought up his status screen, studying it for a moment.
Point Total: 35
5 Points - Summon Item
10 Points - Create Item
20 Points - Reconstruct Item
100 Points - Deprivation
200 Points - Restoration
500 Points - (Permanent) Vision of the Void (UNLOCKED)
800 Points - Manipulation
1000 Points - Force Absorption
1000 Points - Energy Release
4000 Points - (Permanent) Breath of the Void (UNLOCKED)
5000 Points - Execution
6000 Points - Class Up
At some point, Izuku had managed to exceed his previous ceiling. He assumed that those hardening globs of muck that were shot at him had sent him over, before he had utilized his Execution ability.
Class up… And the letters are bold, and yellow, he thought a he gazed at them. There's no way…
Even the basics of his Quirk were astounding- Being able to store and summon and even copy objects perfectly. And then came a wide variety of skills that seemed mainly focused on his combat capabilities. There was nothing out there in public record that even came close to these sort of capabilities.
There's no way the SQI won't find out, Izuku thought, running a hand through his hair and sighing. What are they thinking right now? I'm sure they saw everything that happened… What could they be plotting?
Izuku got his answer within moments. Before he knew it, he could feel there was something off about the room, and the hair stood up on the back of his neck as a chill ran through his spine.
Setting his pen down on the table slowly, Izuku braced himself, then turned around in a quick instant.
An invisible hand grasped his face, and he went unconscious immediately.
Amber eyes pierced through the blackness, gazing at Izuku intensely as he awoke. After a few moments, he quickly tried to move his arms and legs, only to find that he was shackled to something, feeling metal restraints holding him in place.
"Wha-" Izuku's words were cut off as spotlights turned on, illuminating him in the darkness, the light flooding in and burning his eyes, causing him to turn away.
"Midoriya," came a familiar voice. "Just try to relax. Please."
Footsteps could be heard slowly approaching, and Izuku slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the bright lights as he saw Akemi of SQI coming closer. She stopped a few meters away, her arms crossed, wearing the same sort of uniform she had before with the purple arm-band on the sleeve of her dark suit.
"This isn't anything bad- But we've had to bring you in for questioning," Akemi insisted.
Izuku gritted his teeth, feeling a strange surge of anger. "Y-You can't just… Kidnap someone! What do you mean this isn't bad?"
She shook her head calmly. "It's for your protection, mainly. We won't hurt you at all."
"My protection? From what?" He struggled against the restraints, which seemed completely useless.
Akemi's eyes narrowed. "Yourself."
Izuku stopped his squirming, gulping, looking down towards the floor. Myself..? Ah… It's just like I thought… They must know!
The brunette lifted a hand in the air, and after a moment, the restraints holding onto Izuku suddenly opened up, freeing him. He fell to his feet, stumbling for a moment, before managing to stand up. He looked back, seeing the metal wall he had been latched to, before looking at Akemi once again, confused.
"Is that better?"
Izuku felt his face turn to a smirk… But that wasn't what he wanted. Then, a strange cackle emerged, and he realized it was coming from his own mouth!
"Much better."
Horrified, Izuku turned his right hand upwards, but didn't see any sign of Musabori there. He then felt something on his right cheek shifting around, and Izuku's eyes widened in terror.
"Yeah yeah brat, I'm up here. Somethin' wrong with that?"
Musabori's eye was now protruding from Izuku's cheek. He reached up and felt it there, his hands starting to tremble.
"W-W-Why are you there?!"
Izuku let out a snort of laughter, which wasn't his doing, then spoke with Musabori's voice, saying, "If you haven't figured anything out yet, then you're dumber than a rock. Just let the adults talk, how about it?"
Akemi looked distressed now, showing her teeth as she was nearly snarling at Izuku now.
"I'm sorry that we let him get this far. We shouldn't have been so cautious," she said through gritted teeth.
"What do you mean? Him? Y-You know-"
"Musabori," came a man's voice from the darkness. The person came forward into the light, recognizable in an instant. "We've dealt with him before. Many times."
Best Jeanist, the current #4 Hero in Japan, was as regal and elegant as ever in his Hero costume that had him in full denim from his legs up to a tall collar that concealed most of his face from view, his blonde hair combed neatly to one side. He pointed towards Izuku as he spoke again.
"Finding him usually takes a lot longer- You've lucked out."
"Tch, as if," Musabori said through Izuku. "You all know how this goes, right? Ya can't get me because this kid is part of me now!"
Akemi looked over to Best Jeanist, as if ignoring Musabori's words. "Did you bring the documents, Jeanist?"
Nodding, Best Jeanist made the threads of his costume disperse for a moment, revealing a folder within, which he produced and sent to Akemi via the threads, before they returned and reformed his costume once more.
Opening the file, Akemi approached Izuku calmly, holding it out to him. He cautiously grabbed it, looking down, the eye of Musabori also reading.
Both of them were stunned.
"W-What the hell is this? A new tactic? A trick?!"
"It's no trick," Akemi said bitterly, crossing her arms once more after moving a little ways away from them again. "This is what we've decided is the best course of action."
Izuku, caught in the crossfire of all of this, had no idea what to make of it. The document explained that Musabori, who was labelled as a "Sentient and Dangerous Quirk, Classification 'Demon'," was to be allowed to exist within his current host, as long as the host accepted him for a new program-
"A-A… betterment… program…?"
It seemed like they were offering Izuku's Quirk the opportunity for rehabilitation, as if he was just a person who had done some wrong deeds and needed guidance. Yet the way they were treating him right now made it feel like he probably did way more than just a few misgivings.
"Midoriya, correct?" Best Jeanist looked at Izuku with a cool gaze. "Musabori has existed for a long, long time. Hundreds of years, in fact."
"Hundreds…?" Izuku blinked, thinking about that. "But Quirks haven't been around that long-"
"You are correct. Musabori exceeds the first ever Quirk that we know of," Best Jeanist continued to explain. "It is likely that he was not what we know as a Quirk, but something else. As Quirk cells began to appear in Humans, he likely integrated with that sort of system, and thus gained a Quirk of his own."
"A Quirk of his own..?"
Best Jeanist nodded. "Any abilities you think you have, are merely Musabori's."
That hit Izuku like a truck. He shook his head. "N-No, this is… My Quirk… The doctors-"
"You are Quirkless, but Musabori has chosen you as his host," Best Jeanist insisted. "Any signs of Quirk genes… They are all his."
Clenching his fists tightly, Izuku felt like falling to his knees and crying, frustration and sorrow filling him to the brim- But those feelings seemed to get forcefully stamped down, as he felt something inside of him beating them away and replacing them with anger.
"Yadda yadda. What the hell is the deal with this offer? Have you lot given up on chasing me?"
Akemi shrugged in a sort of helpless gesture. "If it were up to me, we'd just keep trying to destroy you," she told him, "But in this age where Heroes rise to the occasion, a new opportunity has presented itself."
Musabori scowled, barring Izuku's teeth for him, glaring at the two ahead of them. "New opportunity? You hunt me like an animal for centuries, and I should take some sort of… Bargain?!"
As soon as Izuku's body started to move, he suddenly felt restrained. He looked down, seeing that his clothes were tightly holding his body in place. Best Jeanist had one of his hands raised, his Quirk being utilized to manipulate the threads in Izuku's clothes.
"Musabori, the difference this time is that I am here."
Izuku's eyes widened a bit, and he looked up at Beast Jeanist. The words, "I am here," were synonymous with All Might's words when he showed up to save the day, loudly proclaiming that to help reassure all the citizens around him.
"Unlike those with the SQI, I can see that your legacy, while drenched with blood, doesn't need to follow that path any longer," the Pro Hero began. "Your life can be different. You can become somebody once more."
The anger in Izuku began to falter, but only a bit. "You have no idea what you're talking about," Musabori spat. "You Humans… You're pathetic. I'll just break out of here, and if you wanna kill this kid to get to me, be my guest!"
"This isn't feudal Japan. This world has changed," Best Jeanist told him calmly. "You can also change."
Izuku felt a familiar sensation, looking down and realizing that Musabori was using the Deprivation skill to start to decay his clothing. He panicked, thinking for it to stop, and managing to make it cease.
"Damn it kid, this is my ability!" Izuku's right hand managed to break out from the weakened clothes, reaching up and grabbing his own throat hard, making him gasp.
Akemi and Jeanist took a step forward, ready to intervene, but they were surprised as Izuku gritted his teeth and managed to slowly pull his hand away, before holding it outstretched before him, obviously struggling with an invisible force.
"And this… is my body," Izuku spat in a strained voice.
"Midoriya!" Best Jeanist's sudden exclamation made the boy look up at him. "It isn't only Musabori. You must accept a harsh reality that will come from this arrangement."
Confused, Izuku gasped in relief as Musabori stopped trying to use his arm. He felt the boiling rage inside of himself going strong, but his Quirk, or whatever exactly he could call the voice now, seemed to be sulking.
"This kid's just my current host. He's got nothin' to do with it."
"I told you, he doesn't listen," Akemi told Best Jeanist. "All he does is kill, swap bodies, kill some more… This is pointless."
"Saving lives is never pointless," Best Jeanist insisted. "Midoriya. You must give up your hopes for the future, in light of a better path, for you, Musabori, and the rest of the world."
Izuku didn't know what to say, feeling shell-shocked. "W-What do you mean?"
"The only way for this to work… Is if you allow Musabori to share your body completely."
Izuku felt Musabori shift inside of him, feeling a sort of questioning aura about him, the anger slowly fading.
"That's right," Best Jeanist continued, "If you both live harmoniously in the same body, and better each other… Then it is the belief of I, and those at the highest parts of the Hero Public Safety Commission, have. Because Heroes must think of how to save future lives as well."
"What… I…"
The threads of Izuku's clothes lightened up, freeing him. He looked down at his hands, seeing his fingers twitching, knowing that Musabori was going through hundreds of thoughts at that moment.
Then it settled on one thing, and Izuku's eyes widened.
"Run-"
Suddenly, his body shot forward, straight towards Best Jeanist. He threw a right punch at the Pro Hero, who moved to the side effortlessly. Then he sent a thread from his costume that latched onto Izuku's shirt, before throwing him up into the air.
"Jeanist! Don't hurt him!"
"I will not, unless necessary," he insisted. Up above, Izuku grabbed hold of an iron support near the ceiling of the building, which seemed to be a large warehouse of sorts from what he could gather.
Izuku wasn't in full control of his body anymore. He couldn't help it as Musabori used Devour on the support beam, taking it in whole, making him fall. As he descended, he resummoned the beam, sending it straight at Best Jeanist.
"Catching Cradle."
The Pro Hero moved his hands, making the threads of his clothes create a web-like barrier that managed to stop the large iron beam. However, his threads began to disintegrate, as Musabori utilized his Deprivation skill, falling through them and coming in towards the Hero quickly.
"Heroes don't exist! You're just a fantasy!"
Musabori used Izuku's body to throw out a strong punch, and Best Jeanist surprisingly took the blow without even trying to move, being struck and sliding backwards a little ways. As Izuku landed on the ground, half of his face smirked up at Best Jeanist, while the other looked horrified.
Best Jeanist remained cool, standing tall and combing through his hair, a red mark on his cheek from the attack.
"Heroes are your last chance."
Musabori was stricken by this. The cool gaze of Best Jeanist, and the words that held immense truth within them, were starting to get to him.
"Shut up… Human!"
"Can't you see?" Best Jeanist spread his hands out before himself. "There has never been a truth for you to pursue. Now here we are- We will accept you."
Izuku felt himself regaining control, the anger within him starting to vanish completely. Then something cool touched his cheek, and he reached up to feel it- Tears? He was… Crying? No, it was Musabori, but why?
He decided to try, as he always had before, to see if he could peek into Musabori's thoughts…
And this time, he succeeded.
Izuku could see a vision of himself a few years ago, watching All Might on television, cheering when the incredible #1 Hero defeated yet another villain. Izuku realized that he was watching himself from the outside, which meant that this was a memory from Musabori's perspective.
You disgusted me… So full of hope, looking towards a shitty Human idol…
The memory shifted, as Izuku saw a rainy street, where a lanky man was pulling a knife from the gut of an older man, letting the man fall over. The knife wielding man snickered and began to search the man. The scene got closer and closer… Before vanishing.
I'd always choose someone from the streets, someone who had the tenacity and killing nature that I needed.
Then why'd you choose me? Izuku thought.
Because…
He saw All Might on TV again, holding up a fist towards the sky.
I really wanna kill that guy.
Izuku felt taken aback by this. Sure, plenty of Villains probably wished to do the same thing, but hearing it first hand was pretty scary. Being so attached to Musabori as well, he could truly feel the resentment.
He signals a false hope that will lead more like me to go astray, to abandon their loved ones!
Taking his number one fan, and making him do it… Wouldn't that truly be great? Imagine! You strive so hard to become a Hero, only to end up killing the one you respect the most!
Wouldn't that be awesome? Wouldn't that be-
Musabori went quiet. Izuku could feel his own anger growing as he had been going on, knowing it was truly his own feelings at those words.
But part of me also wanted to believe.
Izuku's anger vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Within his mind, the visions began to fade to darkness, leaving only a single silhouetted figure standing there all alone.
Heroes may be the answer… But I can't walk such a path alone, and being alone is my entire being.
Izuku started to lift his hand, then pulled it back instinctively, feeling himself trembling.
I need to kill, I must ensure chaos and death everywhere I go. Because it is what I deserve.
He lifted his hand again, pushing through his mental boundaries and managing to touch the silhouette's shoulder. They looked at him, surprised, their only visible feature being their eyes, which were red with golden patterns weaved in the whites of them.
This Greedy world needs to come to an end. I have to destroy it. Worshipping false gods.. It's disgusting.
No, Izuku insisted. There's other ways. Best Jeanist is right- This is a new world from the one before.
A new world…? There's so much death, so much evil within it. The world has changed none.
You're wrong. Izuku pointed to the side, and the silhouette looked over that way. An image began to appear, a golden apparition.
All Might.
Hope is there. It lies in being good, in saving others, in standing up tall against all threats.
Izuku put his hand on his chest, bracing himself to speak about what he had decided on.
Musabori… I'm weak… I need you. I'm ready to give you whatever you need.
The figure looked back at Izuku, eyes wide in surprise.
You'd give up your body… To me?
Izuku managed to smile. I'm not giving it up, I'll still be here, you know.
The silhouette managed to smile as well, the darkness around their body starting to disperse to reveal the person beneath.
You know what kid… You aren't half bad.
They hesitantly outstretched a hand towards Izuku, as the body of Musabori began to manifest itself completely. His tanned body was toned and scarred, and he wore a loose blue kimono with a sword at his side- His flowing black hair and scraggly stubble of facial hair on his chin gave Izuku the impression of a wandering, lone samurai, perhaps one that had taken to drinking after hardships- Though that assumption was born of movie cliches he had seen before.
But if this new path ain't as good as you say it is… You won't hear the end of it, you know.
Izuku looked at the outstretched hand, closing his eyes for a moment to take it all in.
There really was no going back from this point. Izuku was Quirkless, he was weak and helpless, and he hated that. His life from this point would be hell if he chose any other option than the one laid out before him. Now was the time for Izuku to stand up and make his fate his own.
No more being bullied, no more being talked down to-
It was time to be strong.
He took Musabori's hand, smiling as they clasped. I look forward to it. Thank you for your help, Musabori.
Musabori grinned. Don't let me down, Izuku. Otherwise I'll will burn the world to the ground.
Izuku felt lighter than ever at that moment. It was as if the burdens of the recent events all lifted from him. Then, as he stood holding Musabori's hand firmly, the darkness around them slowly closed in, enveloping them in an oddly comforting warmth…
Then, Izuku woke up in his bed.
Sitting up slowly, he looked around, wondering for only a moment whether it was just a dream… But he knew it wasn't. He could feel that something was different inside of him, that there was a sort of peace within him where turmoil once was.
He was a whole new person.
A little ways off, in an office that SQI had rented out to be close to the Midoriya household, Akemi awoke in the chair she was sitting in. Standing up, the woman stretched and sighed, feeling a bit mentally exhausted.
"That went well, I think," she said, turning to see Best Jeanist in a chair nearby opening his eyes as well.
"I believe so," he stated, rubbing his eyes for a moment. "I had heard your interrogation and manipulation skills were good, but seeing your Quirk in action makes it easy to see why."
Akemi smirked a bit, crossing her arms and leaning up against a nearby desk in the dimly lit room.
"Let's just hope that it all works out with those two," she said, gazing towards the nearby window where moonlight was fluttering in.
"Heroes can only do what they must," Best Jeanist insisted. "But good intentions don't always mean a successful job."
"Right…" Akemi sighed. "We'll have to watch them. I'm very thankful that you helped us out."
Best Jeanist stood and nodded politely, adjusting his collar. "Don't worry. If Midoriya is accepted into U.A, there will be plenty of eyes on him, and plenty of ways for him and Musabori to excel."
"I hope so."
With the plan enacted to help Izuku, everything seemed to be going in the right direction- But there were many doubts amongst those who knew about Musabori's existence as a being that preceded the first Quirk. After all, MIdoriya was just a Quirkless kid who almost had no hopes for the future. What could he do to change a being that had plagued society for centuries?
The answer was simple. The day that Izuku had jumped from the school rooftop in a desperate plea to awaken his Quirk said it all, that this boy was willing to strive and struggle beyond a reasonable measure to get what he desired. That moment had impressed Musabori, whose vengeful soul usually harbored within heinous criminals, giving him the strength to take a step towards a new path.
And now, the fate of the world was going to rest upon these two desperate souls.
To Be Continued…
Next Chapter: Fist of Beauty