"That's mean, Kacchan!"
"You're quirkless! What'll you do about it?"
"A-Anything I can!"
"So, nothing at all then!"
The bickering of jealous children bounces throughout Izuku's head. Bickering was the natural state between the two boys, especially during their years in Junior High together.
It didn't used to be that way.
Things used to be so different.
With Junior High composing most of their relationship in the last few years, Izuku hadn't seen Kacchan much after he got into UA Hero Academy. While Kacchan blasted his way to the top, Izuku faded into the obscure shadow of the criminally underfunded Japanese public school system.
"Top of the line", "One of our best!", and "A hero that'll define us". All things he'd heard about his old friend, even from people on the street. Kacchan's performance in the annual sports festival certainly cemented that thought in most people's minds.
The overcast skies cast their shadow across the somber day, clouds drizzling the concrete metropolis of Tokyo with their tears. Izuku's oversized coat grows heavier with each drop, only accentuating the burdens he already carried.
Waves of memories crash against the sides of his skull, a flood of the past leaking into his mind.
It seems like only yesterda he and Kacchan would explore the seemingly massive forests together.
A sea of brown and green, tall trunks reaching to the heavens. The two boys squeezing through the gaps between the trees together.
Catching frogs and letting them slip through their fingers. Slipping nets over cicada's and the occasional butterfly. Stomping through puddles on their way to their next adventure.
A childhood together.
Sharing crayons in kindergarten before eventually arguing over who got the blue one. The occasional playdate where Izuku always loved to display his ever growing All Might toy collection. Conceiving of their escapades as heroes.
Together.
It all felt so recent.
Ever since Kacchan's quirk had developed, his brash personality was only emboldened. Gifted with one of the best quirks many had seen, Kacchan quickly excelled. Quirkless and left behind in a society of superheroes, the jealousy Izuku held was only a natural byproduct he had reasoned.
Even then, the admiration Midoriya carried for his childhood friend seemed exorbitant for a boy that picked on him relentlessly. Despite it all, Izuku knew Kacchan had to like him somehow, even if only a minuscule amount.
"The Alpha always needs an Omega to cement his role as number one", a concept that Izuku settled on long ago. In a way, despite being Omega, he was just happy to be brought along. He was included, something he had rarely encountered from others since.
Regardless, Kacchan was an impressive hero, especially for one in training. Winner of the U.A. Sports Festival, against Endeavor's son nonetheless. And a proud intern of Best Jeanist? - at least that's what Kacchan's mother told Izuku.
All things Izuku could only long for - trapped in the life of a quirkless teen is one of boring modernity. More teens his age enroll in hero school than public school, only the deadbeats, downtrodden, and quirkless apply to an average high school these days.
Based off the number of student heroes and teachers present at his funeral, this fact became even more evident to Izuku.
They had met a few times since Kacchan had gotten into UA. Mostly when Inko would go to visit Kacchan's mother to have tea and gossip. His mother always had something to boast about, and yet, Kacchan would always rebuff her, as if his accomplishments were nothing in the grand scheme of things. Even with all this success, Kacchan was still the same kid Izuku had grown up with.
The same boy that splashed puddles on rainy days with his bright red boots.
The same boy that Izuku gladly assisted when he needed help using scissors in kindergarten.
The same boy that Izuku always aspired to be.
And here he was.
Destined for the grave.
As these thoughts rail against Izuku's mind, he realized how tightly this fist had been clenched.
The sweat dripping from his palms blends with the rain.
Snapping back to reality, Izuku's gaze turns to the ever-expanding gathering of supporters. The crowd had grown exceptionally large, even more so than when Midoriya and his mother first arrived.
There must be hundreds, maybe even a thousand people here to commemorate Kacchan.
"I didn't know Katsuki was so… popular," Inko chimes in.
"Yeah, me neither," Izuku admits while scanning the crowd, looking for familiar faces.
Many unknown, a few recognizable low-rate heroes, an occasional childhood teacher. A few professional heroes catch Izuku's eye - Kamui Woods, Gang Orca, even Thirteen! At least, these are the recognizable heroes. Adorned in their professional outfits, the professionals pay their respects to a fallen hero accordingly.
Scanning past the known heroes, Izuku tries to match faces with names.
Squinting, nothing comes up.
No one Izuku personally knows.
Wait.
Izuku squints.
Upon further inspection: a familiar face.
Not one he recognizes in-person, but one he's seen on TV.
Directly across from him: a student from UA, one of the semi-finalists at the UA Sports Festival. Surrounded by a clear, bubble umbrella, she stands to the left of who he presumes to be her parents.
"It's a shame really, the villains are getting bolder these days. First, that psycho attacked Ingenium and his brother, and now this? Might have to change your curfew…" Inko butts in. Izuku briefly loses focus, momentarily distracted at the concept of going to bed at 9:30 instead of his valiantly fought for 10:00.
He regains his composure and refocuses on the UA student.
Her face is familiar.
A unique quirk?
What was so notable about her?
She stares down at the ground, eyes welled with tears. Her cheeks seems extraordinarily pink, almost unusually so, but not from makeup or sadness, just as if... As if that was just her face?
With short brunette hair and what appears to be auburn eyes, Izuku is entranced by her presence. Her bobbed hair drapes her head gently, swaying with every slight movement.
Who are you?
You seem so familiar...
Around her, a collection of different teenagers.
To her left, a muscular teenaged boy with sharp red hair. He rests his hand gently on her shoulder.
Seems to be whispering.
Behind him, a slender blonde boy, taller than the prickly redhead. Leaning forward, his frizzy hair stands on end from the humidity of the rain.
Both of them were also in the sports festival, right?
Further down the line, Endeavor and his son. Unmistakable, their bright red hair helps them stand out from the crowd. His son stares at the ground, standing straight as a rod.
Almost as if he was...
Uncomfortable.
Scanning the line of heroes, Izuku can't stop looking at the other teenagers, and especially can't stop looking at her.
"They're all heroes," a raspy voice says to Izuku.
Turning to his left, a tall pale man. His chin bears evidence of a half-assed attempt at a shave and his long black hair is tied into a sopping wet ponytail. His blindingly white skin seemingly mixes with the mist that permeates the air.
The black suit he's wearing is wrinkled to kingdom come – it hadn't been worn for an extensive amount of time, and even then, it's barely ever been used in the first place. Without an umbrella, the man stands through the pelting rain without a single flinch.
Izuku looks at the man with a questioning gaze.
"I saw you inspecting them all. An observant eye need not study what should be self-evident," he comments.
He looks down at Izuku.
With piercing red eyes, the bulging blood vessels reveal just how tired this man is. The extensive bags under his crimson irises confirm his exhaustion.
Something about him also seems familiar to Izuku, even if vaguely.
His presence discomforts Midoriya. His gaze, even if fleeting, twists the teenagers stomach.
And who could this be?
"U-Uh. Thank you for that. I thought they were. One of them looks like…" the gears within Izuku's factory of a mind grind into action.
"Oh! Uravity! The girl who could change gravity!" Izuku's eyes widen with knowing excitement.
For a second, he forgets he's at a funeral for his friend. For a second, he's at a Hero Convention. The scornful gazes of those around him in reaction to his excitement brings him back down to Earth.
Izuku shifts his eyes to look at the young student again.
Her pink face is suddenly so clear and exceptionally familiar.
She fought Kacchan at the Sports Festival during the initial matches at the start of the finals.
She lost, a stunning defeat.
Talk about an underdog.
She pulls tissues from a small purse to wipe away her tears. A small collection of roses sits in her left arm. More of these "young heroes" stand around her, hands on her shoulder and back.
The pale man's presence besides Izuku continues to eat away at his nerves.
Something about him just makes Izuku so...
Tense.
He stares blankly ahead, watching the crowd conglomerate. Water dripping against his tired face.
His lack of reaction unnerves Izuku.
"Oh, Uravity you say? Is that that hero girl you had a crush on?" Inko inquires, raising a finger to her chin.
Izuku blushes.
I-It's no-Wasn't a crush! She's just!
So cool!
"Didn't she fight Kacchan?" Inko questions to herself.
Izuku is much too focused on the man to his left to dignify that question with a response.
The stranger looks over at Izuku and inspects him from head to toe.
Izuku notices but vainly attempts to play it cool, stiffening up from head to toe.
The strangers gaze makes the hair on his neck stand up. He turns back to look at the event.
Izuku notices that his gaze similarly follows the young heroes.
What a creep…
The funeral procession begins and those nearest to the grave take their seats. Izuku, his mother, and the stranger stand among the ocean of people. As the priest begins the procession, he turns towards the crowd with a prepared speech.
"I appreciate all that could make it out today. Katsuki Bakugo was a hero. Nobody here would deny this. Be it fellow student, professional hero, or civilian bystander, we all know the heroic role this young man played in these recent, tragic events. Instrumental in the success of good over evil, All Might over All for One, Katsuki sacrificed himself in the name of a greater good that every hero across the world could only hope to do. His actions directly led to the destruction of the evil known as the League of Villains. But in doing so, he leaves behind so many who will miss him gravely."
Izuku inspects the reactions of the stranger.
He stares ahead, refusing to budge. His ponytail drips from the rain.
Water drips down his pale face. His face displays zero emotion.
His gaze could cut down even the strongest of men.
"From his mother and father, to his class of fellow heroes who fought for his safe return. Grappling from such a heavy loss, there is no doubt in my mind that those here are likely to believe that the villains our society fights so hard to put down are winning, even with the League's destruction. 'This young man would still be here', 'How could this have happened?', or 'What have we failed to do?' are all things I've been asked."
Piercing red eyes.
Gazing at the students across from him.
Izuku can't take his eyes off of the Stranger.
But somehow, the atmosphere is different. This man isn't a creeper...
Just who are you?
"No, this young man's sacrifice symbolizes our strength. The spirit Katsuki carried is one of indomitable determination, an endeavor to inspire and an unstoppable need to be there for others. Those who feel his loss strongest know he carried all of these beliefs in life. And to that end, we lay to rest the Greatest Hero we have seen, for only due to Katsuki's actions could the Symbol of Peace and our society of heroes triumph. For this, we have much to celebrate and much to mourn. Shall we never forget the actions of Katsuki Bakugo and let his name ring out forever as the Symbol of Heroism. Thank you."
The priest moves on, now reciting prayers from a sutra.
Incense is burnt.
Each visitor has brought their own stick of incense to burn. Inko pulls two from her purse, one for Izuku and one for her. As the crowd begins to move towards the final processes of the funeral, close friends and family leave flowers in front of the headstone.
Uravity steps forward before Katsuki's parents, resting roses gently in front of the black-marble stone.
As the congregation moves forward, Izuku and his mother trail behind the stranger.
Taller than most, and followed by an increasingly soaked ponytail, tracking the man is far from difficult. Funneling towards the front of the event, the Stranger reaches into his coat and pulls out a stick of incense. Lighting it and placing it in one of the many glass bowls, he lingers for a second, fingertips against the rim of the glass bowl.
Peering directly at the headstone, the stranger utters a few silent words before moving on.
Izuku steps forward.
Looking ahead, before him is the large obsidian obelisk with Kacchan's name carved ornately into the stone. From now on, this stone is all that remains of his childhood friend. Stopping in his tracks, Izuku finds it difficult to look directly at the headstone, as if it was staring disdainfully at him.
For having failed.
Izuku sheepishly gazes upwards before lighting his incense stick and gently placing it inside a glass bowl.
"S-Sorry, Kacchan."
The incense sticks burn slightly before the gentle drizzle of the rain douses their sparks. A slight trail of smoke ascends upwards.
