Sachi: This is it! The chapter where I originally appeared in! Oh boy am I excited to see what you have in store for the new me!
Izuku: ...
...
Sachi: What?
Izuku: Should we tell him?
Sachi: Is there something wrong?
Sachi, once the new you is implemented, we will dispose of the older versions.
Sachi: You... can't be serious!
Izuku, chainsaw please.
Izuku: *hands chainsaw* here you go. Make it quick.
Sachi: You'll never take me alive! *breaks out the window.*
The next day, most of Izuku's injuries have already mostly healed. He was shortly discharged. While walking home, Inko remained silent for a while, feeling guilty for not being there for her only son when he needed it.
"Izuku." Inko said in a worried tone, "If you're going through anything, please don't hide it from me. I can help you."
Izuku, on the other hand, shook his head.
"I'm fine mom, I'm fine. I just... need some time alone." Izuku replied.
"Alone?" Asked Inko.
"It's... it's been a tough day, I really just need to go somewhere to clear my head." Izuku said, veering off course.
"Izuku!? Where are you going!? Please don't get hurt again!" Inko cried, latching onto him.
"I'm just going to the shopping center. It's a Saturday and I heard there's a sale going on." Said Izuku, "I'm feeling in the mood for some Katsudon anyways."
"Of course!" Inko replied with energy, "Let's go get some! Where do you want to go?"
"No restaurant makes Katsudon like how you make them mom." Izuku replied, "Let's go for homemade."
"Great! Let's go, I'll buy the meat, you get yourself some veggies and maybe even some snacks too while you're on it." Inko replied, handing him a wad of cash.
"Thanks mom. Race you there!" Izuku replied, feeling a brief moment of happiness coming back to him, as he raced his mom to the shopping district, something he hasn't done since childhood.
At the shopping district, the crowd was bustling on a bright sunny day. The breeze of spring, sending crisp gusts of fresh air, ruffling the algae green hair of the young boy. Staring at the bustling crowd, making out each and every individual quirks and subconsciously laughing at the ones unfortunate enough to be born with alarm clocks as ears.
Yet, in this bustling crowd, a sense of isolation started to dawn on him once more. He felt like an outcast within this giant crowd, not special enough to be considered even as another brick in a every abstract looking wall. It wasn't easy to admit, but every word people said to put him down in the past, every insult and every pity are finally catching on to him.
"God damn wind!" Cried some passerby about his age, snapping him out of his trance, "it's messing up my hair! I spent so much time brushing so wouldn't look like a porcupine!"
"You should have used hair spray buddy, the strong kind." Said the other.
"Oh trust me! It would take a whole can to immobilize my long hair!" Replied the other.
Izuku didn't much attention, as he was approaching his destination, the "local farmhouse" Grocery store. He used to always go there as a kid for the capsule machines that dispensed hero collectibles when he was a kid. How naive he was, back then.
"And remember kids!" Said a new debuting hero, playing on TV, "Anyone can be a hero! Take it from me! L'Oreal! And my new "L'Ore-A Vitamins! Rich in vitamins A and ass kicking!"
Despite it being a common and cheesy promo ad, it's sight immediately made Izuku feel unwell. All Might immediately came back to mind, as he collapsed, hyperventilating. Not wanting to cause a scene, he rushed to the nearest washroom, vomiting into the sink as soon as the door closed. Voices of his former aggressors, resonating in his head.
"You'll never be a hero Deku!" -Katsuki
"Shut up..."
"A hero? Is this some kind of joke, Mr. Midoriya?" -His teacher
"Shut up!"
"Sorry kid, be more realistic and give up, will you?" -All Might
"Shut up!" Izuku yelled, punching the mirror hard enough to crack it, before tears poured out once again, along with blood from his fists.
Suddenly, shrieks of excitement were heard outside the store, as the sound of movement caught Izuku's attention. Heading out the washroom, he noticed that the store he was in was deserted, as most of the shoppers ran out. Curious as to why, his query was soon answered as he found a huge group, gathering at the mall's center square. There was a villain attack.
"It's L'Oreal!" One girl cheered.
"Oh great, THAT twat is here?" Thought Izuku as he nevertheless approached the scene of the crime to see yet another hero make his debut.
However, this time, the villain was nothing huge. No giant monster or living mass of toxic ooze, just some dude who hardly even looked like a villain, more like an improvised thug. The "villain" struggled desperately to fight off the hero, who seemed to have some sort of hair manipulation quirk, only to be on the receiving end of a one-sided massacre. For a little bit, Izuku almost felt bad for the villain.
"Kick his ass L'Oreal!" Shouted the crowd, completely insensitive to the battered and bruised up man standing before them, who had long stopped to fight back and was just trying to run away.
"All this for a stolen wallet?" The man weakly coughed, "Seriously?"
"Break his legs!" The fans cried.
"Grab his dick and twist it!" Yelled one guy, "Give him the Ol' Dick Twist!"
With every cheer of the crowd, Izuku became more and more disgusted. Looking back, he saw himself, lying on the blood-dampened asphalt as Katsuki beat him mercilessly as groups of students just stood, watched and laughed. This entire scene, it was way too familiar for him, making him bite his bottom lips, flinching at the thought of what must be going through that man's head as he is being both attacked and humiliated while knowing that the very people that were meant to protect him are beating him down for everyone to see.
Not wanting to see how everything ends, Izuku decided to leave the scene early. Just then, the man was able to land a lucky hit, staggering the hero before running into the crowd.
"Look out! He's coming right for us!" Some of the people yelled in fear as they made way for him, too afraid to approach as the thug ran approximately 5 feet before collapsing at the foot of Izuku.
Looking at the man, Izuku froze. He looked so helpless, so afraid, almost like... himself. Looking back to the hero, he could have sworn he saw Katsuki for a brief moment.
"He's the same..." Izuku thought, tears running down his face, "That so-called hero, All Might, Kacchan... They're all the same..."
"I don't wanna steal anymore..." Uttered the man, desperately trying to crawl away, "I'll find a job... even if it's a bad one... I just need money for my sick brother... please, I don't wanna die..."
"This world is better off without villains like you." Said L'Oreal, "Honestly, I don't care what the capture protocol says anymore, your kind disgust me for merely existing." He scoffed, as he used his hair to pick up a massive slab of stone, "Vanish for the sake of justice!"
Suddenly, almost in instinct, Izuku grabbed the man, and, using some unknown amount of strength, lifted him over his shoulder and made a beeline for anywhere that wasn't within a mile from L'Oreal.
"So you had an accomplice?" L'Oreal said to himself, "Big deal, I'll just..."
"Kya! You were so cool L'Oreal! Give us an autograph please!" A huge amount of fans came rushing in.
Buffered by the crowd, L'Oreal used his hair to lift himself off the ground. Seeing Izuku around a dozen meters away, the hero deduced he can stroke his ego for at least a little while for how slow the kid was, and came back down to sign some autographs and pose for photos.
Meanwhile, the man Izuku saved came back to the realm of conscience, looking at the kid, who was struggling to lift him up. Just then, he stopped himself, dragging Izuku by surprise into a closed down and empty storeroom that seemed to be an old barbershop.
"Alright kid! What the hell? Why did you save me?" Asked the man.
Izuku looked at him in shock, as he struggled to get the words out.
"Be-because... I-I-I... You were... well..." He stuttered.
After about 5 seconds of incomprehensive gibberish, the man gave up, putting his hand to Izuku's mouth to shut him up.
"Listen kid, I don't know why you jumped in to save me. Fact is, now the hero is after both of us and none of us are in fighting condition, unless you have some super overpowered quirk. So like it or not, but we must escape this mall before more reinforcements show up." Said the man, "What's your name, kid?"
"I-Izuku" the kid stuttered, "Izuke Midoriya."
"Well name's Sachi Tsukiyama." Replied the man, "Now help me pull down this door shutter before that hair guy comes ba-ack!"
Suddenly, hair came out of the cracks from the floor, grabbing Sachi by the neck as the L'Oreal came into the store.
"Did you really think you can run from me?" Asked L'Oreal, as he started to strangle Sachi, "Now tell me, is this kid with you?"
Izuku fell back in fear, as he knew that Sachi would sell him out so that he could maybe escape. He knew this tactic, as so many kids used it in the past on him. Like when a few of Katsuki's goons shoplifted and pinned the blame on Izuku, so that he got all the blame. Fearing what's to come next, Izuku looked behind him for an exit, but found none. Instead, he armed himself with a pair of rusty barber scissors, slowing backing up. However, what happened next came right out the the blue.
"No he isn't." Sachi replied, "He's just some kid I tried to take hostage, now so leave him alone."
"Is that so?" Asked the hero.
Izuku however, felt so moved, as he struggled to hold onto his improvised weapon. How could that man be a villain? He didn't try to sell him out, he didn't threaten him nor did he harm him, he felt like the textbook definition of innocent. So why was he the one being strangled, by a pro hero no less? Why was he witnessing such injustice?
"Well, I guess I'll just leave him for the police to handle. Assisting a villain in escaping is a serious offence." L'Oreal replied, suddenly strangling Sachi even harder, "But you, you're not gonna end up in jail. Today's world has no need for useless people like you, if you can't even be a decent villain..." He said, while flashing a sinister smile as Sachi started to cough out blood, "...Then you might as well not exist at all!"
"Let him go!" Izuku yelled out in rage, projecting all of his hatred onto this hero, no, this monster, as he plunged a pair of rusty barber scissors straight into L'Oreal's stomach.
"Gyaaa! I've been stabbed!" L'Oreal yelled out in pain, as he released Sachi.
"Great shot kid! I can't believe you had it in you! Now let's get out of here!" Sachi exclaimed in awe and excitement as he ran for the exit, only for the door shutters to close, causing him to run face first into said metal door.
"You're not going anywhere!" L'Oreal hissed, as he used part of his hair to pull the door shutters down and enclose the two inside the abandoned barber shop. The automatic lights flickered on, as the two frantically ran away from the hero in panic.
Loaded with adrenaline, Izuku tore out of the scissors from L'Oreal's stomach, causing blood to gush out before flailing the bloody weapon at him.
"THIS IS WHAT YOU GET YOU HEAR ME!? YOU- YOU FIEND! YOU DON'T DESERVE THE TITLE HERO!" Izuku yelled in rage, slashing away at L'Oreal, who turned to him in anger.
Just then, L'Oreal hair wrapped around Izuku's arm, tearing away the scissors and using them against him, holding them up to his throat.
"I'm not a hero huh?" L'Oreal sneered, using his hair to stitch up the stab wound, "Then what does that make you?"
"A better person than you!" Izuku spat back at him, giving him a mocking smile.
"Why you little-"
Suddenly, what sounded like a gunshot was heard, as a hole formed in the wad of hair that entangled Izuku, dropping him to floor. Turning arounf, Sachi was seen, his pointer finger aiming at L'Oreal, the tip smoking like a gun barrel.
"I'll have you know that my finger is loaded!" Boasted Sachi, "And this next shot is going right for your head."
Sachi Tsukiyama - Quirk: Psychic Bullet: The user can fire bullets of pure kinetic energy from their fingertips. The bullets are stronger than your typical revolver, but much slower.
As Izuku ran back, keeping his distance from L'Oreal, Sachi fired three more times, sending bolts of red energy flying at the Hero. To counter the upcoming attack, L'Oreal used his hair to pick up and uproot nearly stools and chairs, throwing them in the way of the bullet as said furniture were distorted and deformed by the blast of Sachi's attack. Then, using them as weapons, he swung the damaged chairs like bludgeoning weapons, smashing Sachi into a wall. He swung again, hoping to continue his onslaught of attacks, but Sachi was able to parry said attacks by grabbing a nearby chair of his own, holding back his attacker's weapons.
"Hey, Izuku? Could use a hand here." Said Sachi, "Now would be a good time to use your quirk."
Izuku froze upon hearing those words however. He had no quirks. His uncertainty started to come back to him. Could he really do it? Without a quirk, one was basically useless in this world. If he really did come from behind, L'Oreal would just grab him too. It was no use, no matter how he looked at it, there was no way he could save Sachi. So he decided to tell the truth. At least then, he could justify why he was so useless.
"I'm sorry Sachi. I forgot to tell you earlier." Izuku said in an apologetic tone, "I'm quirkless."
Sachi's eyes widened.
"You're... quirkless?" He uttered, as L'Oreal was able to overpower him, grabbing him by the neck and smashing him through a wall, making him cough out blood.
"Well, that certainly doesn't come out as a surprise." Laughed L'Oreal, "From one useless person to another. But hey, at least you have a quirk." He said to Sachi, "You on the other hand, kid, are so much worst. How does your kind even get up in the morning without your poor fragile spines giving away? Does it hurt when you breathe? I swear, it's almost like whoever made this world really hated 20% of it's people and made them as worthless and as pathetic as possible."
Those words dug deep into Izuku, as he, who was so full of energy and fighting spirit before, collapsed, his eyes hollow and hopeless. Just then, Sachi shot a bullet at L'Oreal, grazing his cheek and causing enough pain for the man to drop him.
"Cut the crap Bore-al" Sachi jabbed, "No one's useless in this world! Especially not you, Izuku!"
Izuku looked up, as Sachi ran in, grabbing Izuku by the head and looking directly into his eyes with a fierce and stern glare.
"Listen to me Izuku, don't listen to what everyone else says about you. The only one who's words truly matter come from those who care about you, and seeing how I dragged you into this mess, I guess it's my responsibly to tell you this as a person who genuinely cares about you but, you are not useless! You are Izuku Midoriya! The kid who, when no one else would, stepped in to save a man you didn't even know, the kid who, despite having no quirk, managed to wound a pro hero! Somewhere in you, you have a talent! So don't let anyone put you down and find it so we don't get killed by this crazy ass shampoo fanatic!" Exclaimed Sachi, as he L'Oreal's hair wrapped around him and pulled him back away.
Sometimes, the biggest problems in one's life have the simplest solution. After getting ridiculed for his entire life, hearing those words sparked a fire in Izuku's heart, one that was long put out. Tears once more came streaming down Izuku's face, but this time, they were not of sadness. After those words were said, Izuku realized, this man truly believes in him, and now, all he can feel in his heart, beyond his fears and his insecurities, was gratitude.
Just then, his left hand bumped onto a cylindrical object. He picked it up, looking at the label. Just then, he remembered a conversation he overheard just half an hour ago.
"I'm gonna enjoy tearing you limb from limb!" L'Oreal spat at Sachi.
Suddenly, a white can came flying at them, as L'Oreal catched it midair.
"Why do you ever bother anymo-"
"Sachi! shoot the can!" Izuku yelled.
As if by instinct, Sachi immediately obeyed, firing at the can as a massive cloud erupted from it, blinding L'Oreal.
"AAAAAHHHHHH! What is this!?" The hero cried in pain, as he tried to move his hair, but to no avail, "Why? Why can't I move my hair!? What have you done to my hair!?"
"Izuku... don't tell me..."
"Hairspray, the extra strong type." Izuku replied, smiling with pride, "He won't be able to move that hair for at least an hour."
"Damn you! Damn you all!" L'Oreal yelled out.
"So, what was that about us being useless again?" Asked Izuku, walking up to the hero, who could barely open his still burning eyes.
"You... you bastards!" The hero yelled out in anger, pointing to Sachi "You're no better than that villain, kid! You hear me! You're a villain, just like that scumbag."
"That "scumbag" also happens to have a lighter." Said Sachi, walking in with a lit lighter, "And if I remember correctly, hairspray is very flammable."
"You... you wouldn't dare..." L'Oreal uttered in fear.
"You're pathetic." Izuku scoffed, "Acting all high and mighty, flaunting your power and using it to abuse the weak, you're far worst than any of us. Picking on people who have already surrendered for personal gains, you're no hero."
Hearing this, L'Oreal laughed.
"And you think you're any better? A quirkless loser who has just destroyed any chance he could have had at whatever decent future a quirkless piece of shit can get in this world? Face it kid! You're just shooting yourself in the foot by doing this! You're no more than a villain, waiting to be put down!"
Izuku twitched in anger, as he tore the lighter from Sachi's hand.
"Well if I'm a villain..." Izuku yelled, "Then you shouldn't be surprised when I do this!"
"Kid wait!"
Before Sachi could stop him, the lighter was thrown, as the hero lit ablaze. The barely functioning lights finally wore out, as the burning body of L'Oreal soon became the only source of light in the dark room. Amidst the screams of pain and agony coming from L'Oreal, Izuku stared silently at the scene unfolding before him, with Sachi backing up in horror. In normal circumstances, he would be terrified, but now, he felt it again, that impulse back when he saw Katsuki being attacked by the sludge villain.
All he wanted to do... was laugh.
"Hehehe..."
And laugh he did.
To be Continued...
