Hey Everybody! Welcome back to my story. Summer is finally here. I'm definitely going to enjoy my time away from college work.
I don't really have much to say, although I've been getting a bit of hate for Naruto's endless Quirk Application. Trust me, I do this all for a reason, so don't worry.
Anyways, let's get started.
Last time on Flash:
The woman's smile flattened, her eyes roaming his body, as if looking through his very soul. "You don't have it…but…" She shook her head, until she froze on the spot. "…Toshinori…he favors you heavily. You have the same dream he once had…" That beautiful smile inched back onto her face.
The woman walks slowly to him. Naruto steps backwards hastily, his hand still on his tanto. 'How is this woman able to function in Infinite Void?!' Sweat began to collect on his forehead.
She extended both of her arms, smooth skinned palms nearing his face. He pulled out his Tanto and aimed it at her throat… the woman merely smiled while redirecting the fold of his blade outwards.
"You are blessed… but also cursed… a heart torn asunder by loss… and held together by thin shapes… the more you long for love… the further it escapes you…" She stood eye to eye with him, her beautiful gray eyes holding contact. The woman puts her gentle hands on his cheeks, shocking the boy at the loving act.
"This isn't possible…" He looked away from the woman. This was his Domain… Yet this person was acting freely without feeling the effects of the Void.
The woman seemingly ignored his statement. "You are worthy… to inherit…" She smiled at him once more before taking a step backwards. Impossibly bright apparitions of light manifested in her palm, hypnotizing the boy in front of her. "The embers of our power…" The beautiful woman held it between them, his hands joining hers as small dashes of light shone in the Void.
"One For All."
Chapter 10:
The blonde stared distractedly at the otherworldly plethora of shining lights dancing in betweenher fingers. Naruto tried to pull his eyes away, but the beauty of this… power… he'd never felt such transgressional energy before. It was making the hairs of his neck stand stiff, and the knuckles of the hands to shake.
"One… for All?" Naruto asked, sweat dripping down his temple.
The woman raised her head, the still motherly smile stretched on her perfect skin. "Yes, even now, the bindings of our power reach out for you…" Behind her, the other etchings of shadows grew figures became more pronounced, though unlike the woman, the yellow gleaming eyes remained.
The furthest one to the left grew a bit larger than the others, taking on a stark reddish outline.
"The power of All Might." She added carefully, looking at the man standing unconscious in the void. "Powerful, but dangerous. A legacy intertwined with another… Toshinori's apprentice…" She seemingly fished from the man's mind.
"What does that mean? I don't understand." The masked blonde peered over the woman's shoulder at the blood red outline continuing to grow.
The woman smiles at him warmly. "All Might shares this power with another." The teenager's eyebrows shoot upwards.
Toshinori's Apprentice…
"But… your time has not come yet." The woman said with a hint of remorse. One For All's power receded from her palm, disappearing into the depths of the Infinite Void.
The masked blonde snapped from his shockened stupor, shuffling a few steps backwards. "How are there people inside of his Quirk? Who is All Might? A-And the apprentice?" He questioned rapidly in disbelief.
Another body began to form. A man, judging by the outline, started to sprout from its position. Unlike the woman, his eyes still glew golden. As the ethereal gave form, spiky blonde hair began to filter outwards.
"The answers will reveal themselves with time." The woman got the teenager's attention by walking forward, her hands reaching for his face again. This time, the blonde didn't shy away. "All Might is us, and we are him. And soon, you will understand the same." Her hands clasped over his mask, rubbing circles with her thumb.
Unexpectedly, All Might began to regain some of the bodily movement he had used moments before. The masked blonde's eyes darted to the burly Hero's face wrestling against the effects of the void. The red outlined body faltered in development. Its hair phased statically as All Might struggled relentlessly.
The warmth of the woman's hands began to fade from his face, leaving Naruto to stare back up at the woman who gazed at him fondly. The dashes of her delicate white outline shimmered the more that All Might began to wake against the shackles of his domain.
"Keep enduring, Naruto. You will find what you've been looking for one day." The unidentified woman began to fade, her shadow along with the rest, seeping back into the body of the Number One Hero.
However, the dark red shade stayed for a few seconds, staring at him, almost judging him. But just like the others, it too grew feeble without warning.
All Might's breath began to even, and the woman gave a heartfelt smile towards the man before vanishing. Naruto stood in the same position, still in utter confusion. His hands were clasped in the sign needed to remove the Infinite Void.
His heart raced in harsh knocks as the Ryoiki Tenkai began to collapse around him, splotches of the blindingly bright blue sky penetrated through the endless darkness.
Observation Booth
1-B stared expectantly at the screen, waiting anxiously for the dark bubble of matter in the sky to burst. The edges of the sphere cracked under some form of pressure, shattering in pieces like glass.
"I can't believe Uzumaki is this strong…" Kuroiro raspily spoke disbelievingly. The ability to conjure these insane attacks were something way beyond that of a High School Hero student.
The teachers in the back of the room kept their calm, for the most part. This power of their masked student was not only able to slightly injure All Might, but also seemingly encapture him as well. The burly man may not have been 100%, but he was still exerting strength that none of them would be able to match.
Midnight hadn't moved from her spot in front of the monitor. A proud smile graced her beautiful features, yet she tried her best to hide it. The fact that Naruto was matching a weighted down All Might in combat was incredible… and a bit frightening at the same time.
"I'm truly grateful that Naruto came to UA of his own volition." Nezu sat straighter in his booster seat. "If ErasureHead hadn't found him when he did, I'd fear the Villain he would've been." The mouse-bear folded his hands into his lap.
Vlad King and the other teachers nodded along. "A terrifying enemy to a terrifying asset." The Blood Hero added, getting the principal to chuckle as he already came to the same conclusion the day he met the blonde boy.
The students were astonished with the strength of their new classmate. The things Naruto was pulling on the Symbol of Peace was nowhere near the power he displayed before. In fact, they all came to the same conclusion…
Naruto was in a league of his own.
Just the same as All Might.
The blonde's 'friend group' looked on with amazement. Instead of being able to manipulate gravity, he could also create shockwaves with magnificent amounts of energy, and apparently manipulate the air around him. It was as if he had more than a single Quirk to his name, almost like Todoroki.
"Still, the powers he's using are quite concerning. The ability to fly, use magnetism to some degree, and even create energy from within thin air. None of these things are diagnosed under 'Teleportation'." Cementoss added his own thoughts. From the nods of agreement he was getting, it seemed his speculation wasn't an unpopular one.
Ectoplasm facelessly echoed his colleague, "Naruto Uzumaki has been a mysterious figure since day one, that hasn't changed. A further inspection of his deceit is needed." The man stated emotionlessly.
"We will have a discussion after the exams are over." Nezu finalized, momentarily ceasing the talk. "However, I believe it's best if we continue observing. All Might seems to have broken out of that shell."
On the middle monitor, the dark shaded bubble hanging over ground beta burst in all directions, showing a still Naruto looking directly at the Number One Hero whose eyes fluttered at the sudden intrudance of light.
As it zoomed in on the Dog Masked face of the Uzumaki, a barely noticeable tear of blood dripped from under his chin. The blonde hovered in the sky, his arms drooping to his sides, whether of exhaustion or defeat, the spectators did not know.
All Might's entire upper body was ruffled by the sudden implosion, but the Hero looked no worse for wear. In fact the only thing that was out of normalcy was the dazed look upon his face. His wavy hair still stood upright, fluttering and shining in the brightness of the sun.
"You almost had me there, Young Uzumaki! I have no idea what happened, but I'm still standing, Haha!" The man fell downwards from his position in the air, easily taking the impact of landing onto one of the roofs below.
The blonde offered no response, looking forward in the air, almost as if he was ignoring the man below.
"…Are you listening to me, Hero?!" The man looked offended as he dramatically pointed towards his student.
"Oh man, Naruto is completely out of it…" Testutetsu cringed, thinking his friend to be senseless from whatever happened inside the sphere.
Monoma's eyes thinned in skepticism, "Is he unconscious? There's just no way…" Neito shook his head. It may be true, but if he was actually unresponsive, the blonde shouldn't be able to keep himself floating like that.
Small blades of electricity caraded around the legs of All Might as he charged himself up to spear his student in the air. However, he treaded carefully seeing that the boy may have been incapacitated during his brief time of forgetfulness. 'Why can't I remember what happened after he surrounded me with that oppressive power?' The man gritted his teeth, trying to regain that memory loss. Had he been unconscious during that time…?
If so, he would help the boy down and have this battle over with. He was reaching his time limit anyway… Hopefully, if Naruto was still alert, he would go down without much of a fight. The blonde must have been exhausted.
"Holy shit, Naruto's gonna get hammered into a building again!" Setsuna screamed at the screen. "Wake up Lazy Ass!"
As if the blonde could actually hear her, Naruto's head tilted slowly towards the man he admired for his strength. "I… I'm done, All Might." He grabbed the lower part of his mask and removed it from his head, revealing the blonde's upper face to the observation screen.
Kendo gazed worryingly at the face of her friend. Blood pooled between the fabric of his mask, and the empty look in his eyes resurfaced once more. To everyone else, he looked the same as ever, but that look was one she couldn't forget. It was the same one from before.
"I forfeit."
11th Match: All Might vs. Naruto Uzumaki
Winner: All Might
"Woah, It's actually over…" Iwase said with surprise.
To those in the classroom, it was the first time since they had been at UA where the Number One Hero student had actually lost in a practical examination. It shouldn't have been surprising knowing that he had to beat almost impossible odds when All Might was listed as his examiner.
The man was the Symbol of Peace after all.
But, the moment where Naruto forfeited also exponentialized the respect of his classmates. To them, the masked teenager became more relatable in their own sharings of defeat. He was more human now instead of an unbeatable machine that couldn't understand their struggle in striving for success.
"That was sick…" Kamakiri screeched, shifting in his seat with his hands shaking in excitement.
Kaibara laughed in the silence, "I mean, even though he lost, he still put THE All Might through a skyscraper!" He turned towards Tsuburaba with a smile.
Tsuburaba sniggered alongside the Gyrate Quirk user, "Did you see All Might's face?! I think he shit his pants when Naruto launched that crazy ass ball of death at him!" The Solid Air Quirk user slapped his friend on the shoulder.
Kojiro whispered to Manga, "I'm glad he saved that for All Might and not me…" The speech bubble headed Fukudashi dipped his head, holding in a laugh.
Soon enough, the class erupted with the tense fight over. All Might and Naruto were seen drifting towards the streets below, aiming for the exit of Ground Beta. They both spoke quietly to each other, which none of the students could hear due to the volume of the room.
Midnight smiled at the former Gen-Ed student's surrender. It was smart tactically. Naruto was more than likely exhausted from having to skirmish with the Number One Hero, especially when the man launched him a couple city blocks in one punch. It was important to know one's limits, and it was reassuring to her as a teacher that Naruto knew his.
Which reminded her, Nemuri and Toshinori would be having a brief talk about pummeling their students with full force. To her, it was unacceptable for a teacher to go all out on those just beginning training for their Pro Hero careers.
Nezu jumped from his seat, landing in between all of the teachers situated around the back of the room. He faced the screen with a suspicious view. "It is most peculiar. Secrets are strength in their own right… but, as trustworthy teachers of the next generation, we must learn as to why Mr. Uzumaki hides these things from us." The bear-mouse finally turned away, his paws circling around his back into a sophisticated stroll.
With All Might and Naruto
"Are you able to walk Young Uzumaki?" All Might held out his hand for the boy to grace. A fretful look straightened once more across the inhumanly muscular Hero. "I apologize for hitting you so hard. Please forgive me."
The blonde shook his head, making the man pull his hand away. "I'm fine. Barely felt it." Naruto wiped some blood seeping through his mask with his forearm, leaving crimson streaks along the empty gauntlets.
The burly man towered over his student, the wear of the top of his suit from Naruto's technique was easily visible. He glanced down at the Uzumaki with his unnatural glowing blue orbs.
"That was an exceptional effort, Naruto. I'm proud to call you my student." He ruffled the younger boy's hair with his right hand, giving an amused chuckle at the circumstance. "You had me on my heels at the end, Haha… I don't think I've been clobbered like that for some time now. In a way, it was refreshing for me." The Number One Hero began to walk towards the finish line of the exam. His student followed along, his gaze unfocused and directed a few feet in front of himself.
There was more on the blond's mind than just the final exam. With everything that had been happening recently, his mind was running rampant with thoughts and memories that betrayed his usual stoic demeanor. With Tenko suddenly coming to his 'aid' with the UA Traitor, the usual impending thoughts of Shikamaru and his past, the emptiness of his past grievances, and now… the strange woman who had looked at him lovingly. The strange, foreign touch and gaze of a mother. Even in the endless vacancy of his Quirk's domain, he had felt the warmth behind her beautiful smile and the gentle caress of her fingertips.
"You are blessed… but also cursed… a heart torn asunder by loss… and held together by thin shapes… the more you long for love… the further it escapes you…"
Those words were constantly on repeat. And, the image of her face, the every inch of detail in her vibrant grey eyes down to the etching of her lips when she smiled. The regretful and saddened tone of her tender voice when she spoke. It was as if she had understood the pain that strangled his chest everyday.
What did she mean? The woman inside All Might's Quirk… it was like she knew who he was…
…And that shadow that stayed behind with her until All Might's awakening… was it another one of these people inside the man's Quirk?
All Might had his own thoughts to consider. During the end of the fight, when he was dragged into that endless stream of energy, his mind went blank. It felt like something was forcibly closing himself off to the synapses of his brain, conquering the confines of his house ortex.
How and when did he succumb to the ability? If so, how was he able to regain consciousness?
On top of everything that happened, the boy displayed powers far beyond what would be considered 'Teleportation'. Exceedingly so.
Where in 'Teleportation' would blasting a giant red ball of energy be classified?
It was almost as if… 'Could it be possible? Naruto is related to that man?! No there's no way… Naruto is nothing like him.' The man mused, peeking at the boy from the corner of his eye.
Toshinori turned his head to the side, watching the young man silently look towards the ground in front of them. "Those abilities you displayed… I've never seen anything like it. Most certainly not from someone with a 'Teleportation' Quirk." All Might asked, studying the boy's demeanor. He wasn't upset, he just wanted to understand why he wouldn't tell anyone.
Naruto wasn't the first to lie about their Quirk. Hell, to protect One for All, all the OFA users did, including Izuku. They all did for a good reason, and he hoped the boy was similar in those regards.
The spiky blonde raised his face to meet with the Symbol of Peace. "You're right, I'm sorry for hiding it from you. I'm sure everyone is upset with me." Naruto's voice remained even.
Toshinori furrowed his brow, choosing to stay quiet for the moment. He wasn't angry or remotely upset with the blue eyed teenager, although,he couldn't speak for those who spectated.
The blonde raised his right hand, staring at the blood in his palm. "Do you remember the end of our fight, All Might?" The Number One Hero Student questioned, staring at the liquid dripping from his fingers.
"I wish I could, but I'm having a bit of trouble recalling it." He scratched his cheek with a bit of apprehension. "I'm sorry for not remembering such a crucial part as your proctor." Yagi bowed his head slightly, feeling some tenderness in his neck from his own sequence of being tossed through buildings.
'As I thought, he truly doesn't know what happened,' The blonde concluded, seeing that All Might was 100% genuine. "Don't worry about it. That was the whole point of my attack…" Naruto brought his hands to his sides, rubbing the blood onto his pant leg.
In stride, both continued onwards in a steady rhythm. All Might cradled his head with his left hand, trying to edge his forgetful memory forward. It felt like an itch through his core, like he should know what happened, but was unable to.
They passed debris beginning to be scraped up by the robotic groundskeepers for Ground Beta. As the two passed, the cleaning robots narrowed their artificial faces towards the pair. If a blank robotic face could be angry, this was definitely it.
"Sorry about the mess, friends." All Might waved with a nervous chuckle.
One dark green machine marched up in front of them, its wheels stopping just a few feet from the Hero and Student. "Mr. All Might and Mr. Uzumaki are very destructive. Mr. Power Loader's crazy Ms. Hatsume reconstructed us for this…? (protocol: human sigh) if this happens one more time, we're going to put in our transfer to the cafeteria department." One of the metallic robots repurposed from the entrance exam spun away, moving to reset concrete on the other side of the street.
The two blondes stared at the robot rolling away with raised eyebrows. Naruto and All Might then glanced at each other. "Doesn't seem like UA's Robots like us very much." The older man's lips stretched into a small grin.
Naruto's lips thinned, "No, not at all."
After a couple minutes walking towards the finish line, it finally came into view. Not much was said after their encounter with the robot groundskeeper, but given the circumstances of the ending of their battle, that was the least of their worries.
For All Might, he had discovered the boy he had come to favor as one of his best students was more powerful than he expected, incredibly so. To stand up to him for a few minutes and injure him? No one besides a handful of people could even be considered for that elite group of Quirk users. And at only the age of 15…
Had it been he was getting significantly weaker, or that Naruto Uzumaki was just that miraculously powerful?
For Naruto, the myriad of emotions that built in his chest threatened to leak. At the moment, he couldn't focus with all the insanity that had been happening. But, most of all, he was confused.
It felt to him as if there was some elaborate scheme or divine intervention that was torturing him for it's entertainment. It was like there was something larger than him at play, yet he had absolutely no comprehension of what.
Those with power create change, they are in the know, they are the larger powers. It was infuriating to be in the dark…
An Hour Later
Recovery Girl had instructed both of them to go to her Office for a checkup, no excuses. For some reason, All Might was kept in a completely separate room from the blonde. Naruto chalked this up to the Number One Hero treatment, probably getting a private room with better equipment and stronger medication.
The blonde was sitting up against the wall of his hospital bed, no bandages dressed on his form. "It's quite remarkable that you came out with no injuries, Naruto. I would ask how such a thing is possible, but I think I'll save that lecture for the teachers." Recovery Girl gave him a smooch on his head, just to make sure he didn't have any internal injuries she had browsed over.
Besides the minor amounts of blood cleaned from underneath his mask, Naruto was perfectly okay to leave within the hour. "I must say, Naruto, I see dozens of students here everyday. Your name comes up quite often during training and exams. And, more than half of the time, it's the cute girls here at UA." The small woman giggled mischievously.
The blonde nodded at the remark. "I see. I'm not the most well liked person in the school, so it's not surprising." Naruto said, tilting his head to gaze out the window to his left.
The grey haired woman shook her head at his statement. "Oh honey, I assure you, it's quite the opposite actually." Naruto met her thinned eyes with a confused glance. "You see, Naruto, many girls often spill gossip to my nursing staff and I. There was something about a betting pool… a girl from 1-B started it, I believe. It was for what 'Naruto Uzumaki kept hidden under his mask'." She chuckled.
Naruto's eyes widened a fraction. There was a betting pool over what he looked like?
"If I remember correctly, there was a category for face disfiguration: blimp lips, buck teeth, or no lips, a category for a normal face and a category for a beautiful and handsome face." She explained, speaking to him about it as if it was an extremely amusing endeavor.
"I was reminded of it when my assistant, Ms Hikigaya, had to take off your mask to clean." Naruto raised his head to a woman with brown hair standing behind the elderly lady, who tucked a strand of hair behind her head with a small tint of pink on her cheeks. "I must say, those who put their money on the third made a great choice. You are a very handsome young man, Naruto Uzumaki." The woman complimented in a grandmotherly tone.
"Oh…" The blonde's eyes returned to the small lady next to his bed. "Thank you, I suppose." He said with a nod of his head.
"You're very welcome, honey." She slapped his knee with a light tap. "I'll give you some time to rest and recuperate from the exam. One of your friends has been waiting patiently to talk to you." Recovery Girl walked away, opening the hospital curtain that surrounded his bed. The nurse that cleaned his face waved goodbye to him, exiting with the rosiness still evident on her face and a lick of her lips.
A small murmur was heard outside the curtain, before clamoring footsteps came towards him.
Itsuka Kendo stepped through the blue drapes, grabbing each side of the curtain and closing it behind her. She was still dressed in her casual wear that they were allowed after Hero exams. Which consisted of a blue dress, cuffed at the collar and stopping above her knees. Her arms were covered by a dark jacket that excellently accompanied her tan skin and emerald eyes.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, standing at the foot of his bed. Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto saw a few more shadows standing on the outside. More than likely some of his 1-B classmates, memorizing their signatures. "I can leave if you aren't feeling good." She suggested, fumbling her hands.
UA's Villain Hero shook his head, bringing his hands to his lap. "No, it's alright." He said emotionlessly.
Kendo smiled, "That was one hell of a battle. I've never seen anything like it. It was amazing, Naruto." The girl grabbed the sheets at the end of his bed, playing with the thread between her fingers.
Naruto's gaze lowered into his lap. The brightness of his azure eyes were dull and unfocused again, the end of his battle constantly playing on repeat. Of the woman that showed up in his Domain…
1-B's Class Rep looked at the blonde in front of her. Before the fight, she wanted to ask him so many questions. Everyone did… Especially now. After his forfeit, that emptiness she witnessed with his phone call, returned in full force. Something was going on, she knew it, and Naruto must have been bottling something terrible inside.
She told the others, their friends, about what was going on. That something was wrong with Naruto, and they came to the same conclusion, if he was to talk to anyone, it would be the first person in 1- B that ever talked to him.
Her.
20 Minutes Before
As 1-B began to clear the USJ and leave for the day, Kendo approached her friends leaving their respective locker rooms with their Hero Costume cases in tow.
Setsuna was carrying her no. 14 with a small smile, laughing at Tetsutetsu boasting about the 'insane manliness' of their 1-A Spy. Monoma had his no. 18 case over his shoulder, smirking in the orange haired girl's direction, almost as if he knew what she wanted to talk to them about.
"Thanks for staying guys," She called out to them, stopping in front of the three. Kendo dropped her no. 5 case at her feet with a thud, getting Tetsutetsu to pause his mannerisms. "I won't be long, I just wanted to ask you guys some questions about something I've been trying to figure out." She inhaled a breath, settling herself.
Setsuna, in a rare moment, nodded seriously. "If it's about what I think it is… there's no way I'd leave yet." Kendo nodded in thanks, Tokage probably already knew what she was getting at as well.
The Copy Quirk user slouched a bit, "I mean, I kind of want to start enjoying my weekend early, but I guess I can spare a few minutes." Monoma said, getting a slap from Tetsutetsu on the shoulder.
"Good man! I always got time for the Class Rep." Tetsutetsu smiled at Kendo before slapping her in the shoulder too, almost knocking the poor girl off balance.
Getting her feet underneath her again, Kendo laughed a bit at Tetsutetsu's charisma. He was energetic and outgoing, but still as intelligent and hardworking as anybody around them. He was anything but the meathead that others made him out to be.
"Thanks guys." The image of a handsome but offset face appeared in her head. "It's about Naruto. I'm not sure you guys have seen, but he's been acting dodgy and vacant this week." She pointed out, never forgetting when the blonde walked back into the classroom after that phone call he received.
It was like he was a completely different person.
Neito's eyes narrowed, "So you noticed it too, huh. I'm glad we're on the same page then." His usual playfulness, absolutely withheld from his even features.
Tokage agreed with her friend. "Yeah, me too. I noticed something was off after that weird phone call. He's been ignoring me, well more than usual, but it truly didn't hit me until today." She mused with a scrunch of her eyebrows trying to conjure the details.
Tetsutetsu moved his neck head from side to side, cracking his neck for relief. "I may not be the most observant in class, but I'm pretty sure everyone has noticed." The Steel Quirk user crossed his arms over his chest. "I mean, Naruto's talented and crazy smart, yet it's like he's just been going through motions, he's here with us but he's not actually here, you know?" The teenager pointed to his head with his right finger, thumping it against the side of his skull.
They all nodded along with Tetsutetsu. It was an actual simple, yet perfect explanation for how best to describe the blonde's current state of mind.
Kendo looked at her feet for a second, "He's been with us for a couple months now, it honestly seems way longer." The emerald eyed student raised her head to peer between her friends. "Naruto changed from that scary ex-Villain in the Sports Festival, to our lazy and cunningly funny friend." Her voice was low, reminiscing on how poetic it was for someone, who no doubt had a difficult upbringing, to smile and joke like any other high school student.
"Do you guys remember how he was at the start?" The Big Fist Quirk user asked with a frown.
Neito laughed, scruffing the bottom of his chin. "Ha, as if I could forget. Half of the class nearly pissed themselves when he walked through our class door after the internships." A bit of sweat dripped from his temple. "To be honest, I was a little intimidated as well. He did beat the shit out of all us and acted like it was a casual fine dining experience at the local Denny's."
Setsuna gripped her stomach in false pain. "No kidding, and when we asked those questions… Dude was so nonchalant, I truly thought he gave absolutely zero shits, until Monoma asked about the All Might fight thing." The girl pointed at the slick haired youth. "The only straight answer we got out of him was about fighting!" They all nodded in agreement.
Kendo held up her hands in front of her stomach, wafting them outwards. "That's what I'm trying to say. Over the weeks, he actually talked to us, albeit few and far between, but he still enjoyed our presence. I could feel it, I know he did." The girl clarified, getting them back on track. "So why the sudden change in his personality after that phone call? What could have actually gotten to Naruto Uzumaki? No matter the amount of witty snarks from you, Setsuna, or the roughhousing from Tetsutetsu, or the provocation from Monoma, he's always been smooth sailing through it all." Their eyes seemed to brighten at Kendo's hypothesis. Naruto was as stoic as they came, so something extremely drastic must have happened during that brief moment of time.
"But, what could have been the reason then? It obviously means a lot to Naruto for him to completely shut down around us." Tetsutetsu asked his respected Class Rep, looking around for some sort of hint.
Kendo's face fell. Her hands receded to her waist and the pit in her stomach tossed in uneasiness. "That's just the thing. I can easily tell anybody anything about all of our classmates. Their hometown, their favorite foods, their Hero name, maybe even their goals and aspirations." Itsuka huffed shallowly. "But Naruto, I wouldn't even know where to begin. He's a completely empty shell surrounded by an impenetrable wall. Naruto Uzumaki is deceivingly hard working but acts lazy… and… and… his hair is blonde, he has blue eyes, and he wears a mask. He's amazingly strong, but we don't even know his Quirk. Those traits don't mean anything! It's a two-dimensional, surface level description about who he really is. So, what I'm trying to say is, if something happened in Naruto's life, we'd have absolutely zero idea of what." The ponytail haired girl said, her face saddened at the prospect. She loved all of her classmates, they were her friends, Naruto was her friend… Yet, she didn't even truly get to know him. Kendo was around him more than the others. During the Sports Festival he sat right behind her, during the Internships he was her bodyguard, and even during 1-B's classes and training together.
"Or, you could be looking at it the wrong way." Monoma interrupted, getting Kendo and the others to stare at him, silently asking for clarification. "You never know, his personality, the laziness, the stoicism, it all could have been a front… a facade. But, you're right Kendo, we won't know who Naruto Uzumaki is unless we actually ask him and he wants us to know in return." The handsome Copy Blonde mused, shaking his finger in the air.
Neito had always dealt with a similar problem. It took one to know one, and all that. He'd been silently examining Naruto throughout his time with 1-B, and he knew the blonde held a tremendous life tale behind those half-lidded eyes of his. If he was being honest with himself, Monoma would've just let the blonde deal with his problems on his own. That was how he learned to deal with his Quirk and own sufferings, after all.
But, Naruto was truly an intriguing person, and a little part of him felt there was a larger role at play here. A side character getting their main character development, perhaps…
Tokage grabbed Kendo's shoulder. "Itsuka, so what do you want us to do? That's why we're here right, to help?" She said with a hopeful glance.
Tetustetsu punched his fist into his palm, "Of course that's why we're here! We're gonna be Heroes one day, we help out our friends when they need us, and that bastard, Naruto, is definitely one of us!" He gave a war-cry and started running towards wherever it was they were meant to go.
The 'Phantom Thief' laughed shortly at their silver haired friend before turning to the girls watching the Steel Quirk user sprint away. "If you want to talk to him, you might have to consider that he won't want to say anything, Kendo. We may be his classmates, but we haven't gotten to know him all that well, it's not like he's going to spill his life story because we feel worried for him." Monoma instructed the orange haired girl who karate chopped his neck quite often. It had actually been a couple days since the last time he'd been hit into unconsciousness for his unruly behavior… Hopefully the streak could continue.
"We won't know until we try." Setsuna replied with venomous determination. Kendo faced down the hallway, a non-existent breeze blew past them.
Neito quirked his eyebrow, the side of mouth twitching. "Seriously, a scene change quote? What are we, the Avengers?" He snickered.
Back to the Present
Acting like he didn't see the people eavesdropping on their upcoming conversation, Naruto sat up straighter, getting his back to lean up against the bedrest. His eyes trailed her form once, the apprehension and tense gripping in Kendo's shoulders were all too obvious.
If he had to guess, it was most likely her wanting to pick up the confrontation from earlier. Something, in which, he didn't want to have at the current moment in time. He needed time alone to think.
"Thanks for visiting me." Naruto said blandly, making eye contact with her emerald orbs.
The orange haired girl smiled a fraction before it vanished from her face. She tucked her head down, taking a brief look at her feet before meeting his eyes once more. "I guess you probably already know why I'm here." She suggested with a contained shrug.
Naruto nodded minisculely, deciding to keep his hands stagnant in his lap.
"I know you may not want to tell me anything, and that's okay, but please just listen." Kendo pleaded with her hands held in front of her. "After that phone call you got, something has been bothering you non stop. Even now, I can see it written all over your face. No matter how much you try to hide it, we, your friends, can see that there is something eating you up inside. Please, just let us help." The orange haired girl peered at him, holding strong emotionally.
The blonde sighed, his eyes moving towards the window to his left. "Everyone has problems, Kendo. There's nothing to worry about." Naruto uttered, feeling the images of his woes come flashing to the front of his mind.
"If there was nothing to worry about, I wouldn't be here right now." She moved to the side of his bed, aiming to steer him away from the window. "It's okay to have problems, Naruto." She moved herself in front of the sun shining through the glass window, casting a shadow over her friend.
The masked blonde stared at the girl in the eyes, and she kept her wits, staring back unflinchingly.
"What's your favorite color, Naruto?" Kendo asked seriously, causing the blonde's eyebrows to scrunch in confusion.
"What?"
She inched closer to his bed, "What's your favorite color?" Itsuka questioned again.
Naruto moved his head backwards at the constipated expression on her face. "…Orange." The blonde admitted with his features still puzzled.
"Oh." Kendo said with a slight smile, "Good to know." A bit of pink raced to her cheeks at the confession.
The blue eyed Uzumaki narrowed his eyes. "Why would you ask me that?" His shoulders slumped a bit.
For a second, Itsuka paused, as if she was finding the right words to say. She placed a finger on her lip. "Because, during the time you've spent with 1-B, I realized that I don't know anything about you. It never occured to me to even ask before, or even talk to you about life before UA." The Hero student offered simply. "Even if this problem is something small and insignificant, I don't want to see that look on your face ever again." Kendo shook her head at the memory of the emptiness in his eyes, the same look of someone who had lost everything.
A Void of Emotion.
The masked blonde's face reverted to his usual emotionlessness. Kendo wanted to know of his past in order to help him face his problems… "My life is irrelevant, same with my problems. There's no need for you to fish, Kendo. I never needed someone to ask, I'm fine without anyone knowing. I just don't understand why you care so much. I'm only your classmate, someone you've barely known for two months… a stranger." Naruto looked at the girl, conjuring an argument for himself. He'd never bring his life story or problems into someone's life… not again, not like Shika—
"Who cares. I'll decide whether your life is irrelevant or not. You became my friend when we first talked at the Sports Festival, don't you remember one of the first things I said to you?" Naruto didn't seem to recall as he shook his head. "I said, 'You're pretty cool Naruto. We could've been friends before this…', literally the first time I met you. And that was after you beat us all up! Have you never had an experience like that before?" Kendo interrogated the masked blonde, bringing up their conversation from the Sports Festival.
A boy with black hair shaped like a pineapple came to mind instantly, along with the dreadfully bored eyes of a purple haired classmate. "Yes." He said lamely.
"See! So much can happen over a period of time like that." Kendo pointed out, getting the blonde to frown at her words. "Is it so out of the ordinary for us to care about our friend?" She asked shortly.
She was right about one thing, many things can happen over a short amount of time. It was the story of his life up until now. Constant change, good then bad, always in that order, never straying from that simple nexus. It was a reality he had to accept in order to move on from the horrors of his life… but, even now, he still hadn't gotten to that point.
It was easier said than done.
The masked blonde carried his chin downwards, nodding barely. "Then, please, Naruto. I'm here to listen, all I want to do is help you through whatever has been happening." Itsuka took a chair from up against the bland white colored walls, and placed it just to her side. "What you say will never leave this room, I promise." The Big Fist Quirk user smiled warmly at him, keeping her hand placed on top of his as she sat down.
The blonde's eyes unconsciously drifted to the shadows shuffling outside the curtain. "No." He started with an unfocused gaze, swiping his hand from under Kendo's palm.
Itsuka sat straighter, "No? It's alright if you don't want to tell me, Naruto, I understand." She acknowledged, but the slightly disappointed look on her face wasn't lost on the Spatial Manipulation Quirk user.
"No," The robotic emotionless burned into the core of his eyes as he gained his composure, "My past is my own, I don't want to burden anyone with it. It's your duty to become great Heroes, not to worry about me. I'm sorry for showing weakness around our classmates, It won't happen again." The azure orbed Uzumaki said unflinchingly, looking his Class Rep directly in the eyes.
"Naruto…" Kendo gazed at him sadly. "You're not weak, far from it. There is strength in vulnerability. Trust me, Naruto, you don't need to display an immovable front all the time."
The masked blonde broke eye contact first. He was getting agitated, he didn't need emotional support, or anything from anyone. He had always dealt with his problems on his own, nothing would change.
"Like I said before, I don't need you to worry about me, Kendo. I was weak, my emotions were on full display. To me, that is weakness. Vulnerability is easy to prey on, and easy to manipulate… and I'm sorry for showing you that side of me." Naruto spoke monotonously, a hint of malice for himself escaped in his tone.
Kendo grit her teeth. Her fists curled in her lap as she stood from her chair. "Why are you apologizing for showing emotion? You're not burdening anyone! I'm the one who feels burdened because you won't let me help you!" Tears brimmed at the corner of her eyes. "How can I be a great Hero if I can't even help one of my friends?" She gripped the edges of her skirt. The room around them went deathly quiet, no doubt the other people in the nurse's room heard her outburst.
The huffs of the orange haired girl's breath reigned over the brief silence.
"I don't need saving, Itsuka." The masked blonde uttered. "You don't need to save me." He added quietly.
The beautiful girl's sockets gathered to the brink with tears, small waterfalls leaking in drops over her tan skin. "Fine… fine." She immediately wiped them away with her hands, leaving slight alterations to her mascara. "I knew there was a possibility that you wouldn't tell me, that's fine. But, let's get one thing straight, Naruto Uzumaki…" She leaned in, grabbing the underside of his chin, pulling his face to mere inches in front of her own. "You can't fool me. I don't care if you need it or not, because I will still try anyway." The Number One Hero student's eyes widened at the earnest stare.
The 1-B Class Rep continued to glare into the unnaturally blue eyes of her friend, hoping that her somewhat embarrassing outburst got to him. In fact, they were so close together… just a couple inches… close enough to…
The emerald eyed teenager shot backwards, her face lit up red. "Do you understand?!" She nearly shouted, trying to cover her flustered face with a commanding tone.
The masked blonde mouth was parted beneath his mask. He was completely caught off guard at the beautiful girl sternly dismissing his response. "Uh, yeah… I do." He said, pausing for a second as he stared at the sudden redness in her face. Was she embarrassed at everyone hearing her go off?
"Good." Kendo straightened her skirt, fixing a nonexistent wrinkle. "This conversation isn't over, Naruto. I'll give you some more time, but don't think for a second that I'll forget. You aren't irrelevant to me or our friends, remember that." She shuffled out to the blue drapes, accidentally knocking into the side of his bed.
Suddenly sighing loudly, the blonde leaned backwards against the wall behind him. Although Kendo's sentiment was appreciated and she gave him quite the shock with her aggressiveness, the masked Hero student still wouldn't change his mind. No matter how persistent the girl would be in the future, he wouldn't drag good people like her into his life.
"Holy shit! I thought we were going with the soft and gentle approach! Did you beat his ass or something?" Setsuna whispered rather loudly from outside the blonde's view.
A growl escaped the intensified Kendo. "No! You guys heard him! He was being stubborn, and some people understand better when it's beaten into their head harshly, like Monoma!" She began to stomp off, no doubt Monoma and Tetsutetsu were taking a massive step away from the usual kind Class Rep. "He had to know that we care about him. The gentle method wasn't getting through to him."
All of the patients and nurses, including Recovery Girl witnessed the orange haired girl leave. The redness in her face never receded as she quietly hustled away from everyone's attention.
"Man, I wonder what Naruto's face looks like right now." Tetsutetsu mused, side-eying the closed curtain behind him.
Monoma laughed, his eyes shone mirthlessly. "He's either pissed his catheter, or completely bricked up." The Copy Blonde looked up for a second, "Probably both." He finalized with a nod of his head.
Setsuna pushed both of them away from the curtain. "You fucking idiots, he can probably hear you." She continually shoved the taller boys with more force than before, making way towards the exit. "…He's definitely hard as a rock." The green haired girl muttered to the two, receiving looks of agreement as they nodded their heads sagely.
Naruto smiled under his mask for a brief second, until it flattened into a frown. This was exactly why he wouldn't and couldn't tell them of his past. They were good to him, they made him feel human and wanted… It was like that woman said to him during the final exam. He was cursed… and he would never extend his misfortune to those he cares about. The blonde wanted them to live happy, carefree lives, not to worry about him or his grievances.
The curtain to his bed opened once more. The tiny Recovery Girl came marching in with her clipboard, a knowing look plastered on her elderly features. "Itsuka is a rather caring one, isn't she?" The woman baited the blonde into the question.
"Yes, she is." Naruto responded.
Smacking her lips, the eldery nurse held her finger upwards. "Dealing with pain, rather it be physical or mental, always heals faster when shared with those around you." She lectured with a sage's wisdom. "That is why you must find those you love to support you. There is only so much pain one person can take, Naruto. It is a gift to have people who care for you, do not forget that." The nurse's eyes peek through her usually thin slitted features.
The masked blonde listened intently, nodding his head as she finished. He could understand where she was coming from, but he couldn't agree. Taking on all the pain, so that those who care for him don't feel any… that was a real Hero.
His life, compared to countless ones around him… Selfishness or Selflessness? It was neither…
A Couple Hours Later
League of Villains: Shigaraki's Bar
A man clouded with purple mist where his head should be, cleaned a glass with a cloth. He's wearing a very elegant suit with a tie and has a metal brace that goes from around his collarbone to just below his gleaming gold eyes.
Sitting at the bar, a man in his early twenties fumbles with an old picture of Naruto Uzumaki. The blonde is seen sitting with a whitish blue haired teenager and a child with black hair shaped like a pineapple. The three were eating and talking over dinner, as Naruto levitated a fork in his hand. A small TV set is sat in the background, reading *Audio Only* on the screen through the static.
"Reminiscing, Tomura Shigaraki?" The hazy misted man asked royally. He momentarily stopped cleaning the glass, setting it down next to the sink.
The man scratched at his throat as flakes and caked blood grated from his fingers. "Naruto has been changing quite a bit during this rebellious stage. Do you think so too, Kurogiri?" He voiced raspily.
Kurogiri hummed in thought. "Naruto Uzumaki is a stubborn, but strong willed child. He'll come back to us eventually, undoubtedly changed, but for the better…" The man said as his eyes drifted to the photograph.
"Yes." The TV behind Shigaraki snapled to life. The familiar tone of their sensei and master announcing its presence. "Everything I do, is for you, Tomura and for Naruto. You two will make me proud when the time comes, I have no doubts." The man spoke sincerely, getting Tomura to lower his head a bit.
"Thank you, sensei." Tomura replied to the TV.
The front door of the abandoned bar swung open. A slow pace of steps gathered closer to Shigaraki, a few giggles alerting the two to the identity of their newer recruit. "Shigaraki, I got a present for youuuu…" A woman teased, shaking what sounded like a vial.
"Hand it over." He urged the woman, placing his father's hand onto his face to hide his identity.
The woman gasped in playful shock. "But, I did all this work, and I kept myself in check… hmmmHahmmm… let me have a little taste first." She inched the vial up to her face, looking at the delicious blood held inside of it.
"NO!" Tomura slammed his hand on the counter of the bar. "Little girls get their reward after they deliver the product." He stood to his feet, walking eerily towards his wanted prize.
The woman took a step back, a shortened breath escaped before she coughed up the vial. "Fine." Her shoulder sagged in defeat. "You win." She sounded defeated.
"One of the new recruits, yes?" The woman comes into view of Kurogiri and Shigaraki. Nurse Hikigaya's lower lip is pouting outwards. The same woman that cleaned Naruto Uzumaki of the blood spilled from his mouth during his fight with All Might. "Toga Himiko… how interesting…"
Hikigaya's skin started to melt, drifting off her body, showing a somewhat naked teenage girl underneath, smiling psychotically. Her hair drifted off into two buns, with the edges sticking up crazily in random directions. Two protruding, daggerish teeth frothed with saliva as she started at the vial she was handing over.
"This is…" Tomura said, snatching it from the girl's hands. "It seems like you aren't just a blood suckling little girl… good work." He complimented absentmindedly.
"What is it you have, Tomura?" All for One asked in vicious curiosity.
Shigaraki laughed raspily. "Just as planned. A key to the return of Naruto Uzumaki." He turned his hand towards the camera in the corner so that his sensei could see.
Toga wiped the drool from her mouth, looking a bit offset at her new crazy boss. She stayed somewhat guarded, hoping she wouldn't be put down as a loose end. Her yellow eyes watched the man behind the counter with a suspicious glance, gripping the knife at her hip.
A blood curdling laugh sounded through the room, etching down the girl's spine in freckled strips of chills. Shigaraki joined in with his master, arching his back towards the roof and hiccuping in disturbing chuckles.
"The blood of Naruto Uzumaki."
End.
Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be the training camp arcs beginning. The blood of Naruto Uzumaki, the red shadow from All Might, and his past with Shikamaru are all starting to come together.
I hope you guys liked it. Although I wanted it to be 10k words, I thought it was better to stop here and build the suspense for the next chapter.
Peace