Soul Marked

Chapter Twenty-Five

Origin

So a week later and I'm back! I know I'm pretty happy with myself. I can't promise this will keep up but it's honestly looking pretty hopeful for the next couple weeks.

This chapter has a bit of text out of the manga toward the middle due to the need for explaining something important to the story. I hope that isn't too bothersome!

You guys have been so awesome and patient! This chapter is a little longer than normal so enjoy!

Izuka kicked off the ground, her feet moving through the air as she swung back and forth. She had arrived back home a few hours earlier, but once dinner was over she had excused herself, telling her mother she would be back before curfew. Her fingers grazed over the screen of her phone, rolling through the few messages she had received in reply from her classmates about last night, while she waited for Kacchan to arrive.

Everyone had bought the story of Endeavor saving them from the Hero Killer, no one having a reason to doubt their story. No one but those who had witnessed Izuka, and the others walking from that alley with the Hero Killer tied up, and unconscious.

She didn't notice when Kacchan entered the old playground, his hands shoved into his pockets as his crimson eyes narrowed in on her swinging form. Memories of the day previous flashed through his mind's eye as he continued his slow walk toward her.

They had arrived in Hosu after nightfall, the sounds of screams, the smell of smoke, all heavy in the air. Best Jeanist had jumped into action, Bakugo following along as they darted forward to help in any way they could. His irritation had only continued to rise when he quickly realized he would only be helping direct civilians out of the path of danger and toward safety. They were not near any major fights, Best Jeanist almost seeming to be looking for something as he directed people. His eyes constantly flashing to alleyways, and always staying away from the fights.

"What the hell are we doing here?" Bakugo yelled as they ran into yet another alley, only to come out the other end and begin to direct people once more.

"Those fights that are causing this havoc is best suited for other quirks, and I am looking for someone else," Best Jeanist said. "For now we will help keep these people away from harm, and flowing in the right direction. That is what a hero does." Letting out a low growl, that startled one of the civilians he directed away, he did as told.

The beeping of his phone startled him, and without thinking he grabbed it from the pocket of his costume, as he followed Best Jeanist down another alley. He hadn't meant to look at who texted, it wasn't the time to care, but something pulled at him to do so, and when he saw it was Izuka he found himself not able to ignore it. His lips tugged into a frown as he realized it was sent in a group chat of their class, but he found himself slowing to a stop as his eyes took in the few numbers that indicated her location. There was nothing else and that bothered him.

"This is not the time to be on your phone, Bakugo," Best Jeanist said as he too came to a stop. His own face pinched into a displeased expression as he turned to find Bakugo on his phone. "I thought you would understand that, and carry yourself in a professional fashion." A scowl flashed across Katsuki's face as he shook his head.

"No, something is wrong," he said as his hands began to shake in frustration. Her location was a good five minutes away from where they were currently at. "She's in trouble." Bakugo was no longer paying attention to the Pro Hero that was in charge of him, instead his brain was racing with the critically short message Izuka had sent. It hadn't just been to him, but the others as well, only causing the worry that she was in trouble more prominent in his mind.

"Who?" Best Jeanist asked in confusion and frustration. "Bakugo, we have more important things to do right now." Katsuki shook his head, a determined look crossing over his eyes, making them sharper, and darker. The Mark curled lightly around his wrist, the action feeling like it agreed with his actions, urging him forward.

"No, this is important. There is no way she would only send her location unless she's in trouble. I'm going with, or without you." Bakugo spun around on his heel heading in the opposite direction, where the text indicated. Best Jeanist sighing took off after the boy.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts as he came to a stop next to the swing set. Her head snapped up at the sound of his arrival, a small smile lighting up her face as she looked up at him unsurely. Without a word, Bakugo took the swing seat next to her except he didn't bother to swing. A rough sigh broke from him as his eyes took in the bruises that were visible, and the bandages that wound around her leg. Izuka let out an uncomfortable giggle as she waited for him to say something.

"How could you be so stupid going after that guy," Bakugo said, his eyes flashing toward her. The Mark on his wrist twisted, the thorns digging into his skin in displeasure. "You got a death wish or something." Izuka squawked, her eyes widening as her legs began to flail underneath her.

"Ah, Kacchan!" she yelped out. "It's not like that. I went looking for Iida, he had been acting strange, and when everything broke out as we passed through Hosu, I just went with my gut." Eyes narrowed, Bakugo leaned over, his arm reaching around the chain, as his hand swung around to smack her on the back of the head. "What was that for!?"

"You chased after someone you thought was in trouble, without telling anyone," he growled out. "Only to put yourself in danger."

"Well, everything ended well, Endeavor saved us," Izuka said, her voice cracking on the lie. It was never believable when she tried to lie to Kacchan, and she knew he wouldn't believe her. She felt the slight warming of her wrist with her words.

"That how the half-and-half bastard ended up walking out of the alley with you?" he asked, his burning gaze staring steadily onto her face, searching for anything she might give away. It was obvious to her that he wasn't buying it but she wasn't allowed to speak the truth. Her fingers dug around the chain of the swing, her eyes dropping down to her red sneakers.

"Yeah, they were together," she squeaked. His eye twitched as he stared at her, his gaze burning a hole into the side of her face, causing a deep red to splatter across her face.

"Then why the fuck did he leave you three with an injured pro hero, and an unconscious villain, only to end up coming out of a totally different alley looking confused." Izuka shrugged knowing she had no way of digging herself from the lies she had to tell. "Don't fucking play with me Koneko. I was there, and I know for a fact that you're sprouting out bullshit."

"I-I'm sorry Kacchan, that's a-all I can tell you." Her voice shook as her resolution to following the rules wavered. She could hear the gust of air leave his lungs forcefully as he tried to reign in his anger. He was still trying. "I-I-"

"Fucking forget about it," he snarled. "If it's going to be more lies than I don't want to hear it." Izuka shifted in her seat, her torso twisting as she sent him a desperate glance.

"That's the story I can tell you, Kacchan," she said more forcefully. "I took off to find Iida, Todoroki showed up shortly after my text was sent. It's possible I might have died if he didn't, and I know Iida, and the Pro Hero wouldn't be alive." A hiss of surprise broke through her next spurt of words, catching Izuka off guard as she realized what she had just said. Bakugo had lunged forward, faster than her eyes could keep up with, as his hands snagged at the chains connecting her to her seat. Her body jerked forward as he dragged her over to him. His crimson eyes smoldering with a mixture of emotions, all fighting to be shown at once. Their noses brushed against one another.

"What the fuck did you just say?" he ground out, his teeth clenched tightly together in his anger, and worry. Blinking rapidly Midoriya jerked backward to put space between them. Her hands clutching tightly at the chain to keep herself in her seat and not sprawled on the sand beneath them. Katsuki only shoved himself forward effectively covering any ground she had tried to put between them. Their noses barely brushed against one another.

"A-Ah," she stuttered. "I mean I-I would have been fine."

"What the hell happened?" Izuka faltered at this question, wondering if telling the events would really be violating the secret she was supposed to keep. His nose still brushed up against her own as he silently, but angrily, waited for her answer, and Midoriya found herself not caring. This was Kacchan, the boy she found hard keeping things from, and as long as she implied Endeavor had saved them she would be fine. This was an answer he needed and she wouldn't deny him it.

"When I arrived Iida, and the Hero were down," she began, her body shaking as she realized he didn't plan on letting her swing back to her place farther away from him. "The Hero Killers quirk had to do with our blood. One taste and he could make us immobile. I refused to back down, to allow him to take their lives, and in doing so he was forced to get rid of me. I messed up, he was able to catch me in his quirk, and that's when Todoroki showed up. The rest doesn't matter, he was stopped."

His eyes searched her own, a fire raging in his veins at the idea that he had been late, and the icy hot bastard was the one to save her in the end. His fingers uncurled from their grip around the chain, allowing her to swing back into place. A new emotion forced its way front and center in his mind, guilt, and jealousy. It burned at the thought that someone else had been there. Forcing those shit thoughts from his mind he instead forced himself to focus solely on the here and now. With the answers he got from her was enough about that night. It pissed him off that for whatever reason she wasn't allowed to speak of it, but he would drop the subject. She had told him all she could.

Her gaze rose up to the sky where the orange was beginning to bleed away to the dark blue of night. Soon she would need to be meeting Toshi, a confrontation she couldn't put off.

"That's all there is to say," she said softly. "Did you need to speak about anything else?" His eyes flashed back to her as his mind bounced back to that morning when she had woken him up to that weird text. He hadn't spoken up about it then, neither of them to the point of freely speaking then, but now he wanted to know.

"What was with that strange text that one morning, when you asked if I was fine? It was fucking weird, but you look like that day. Dark circles under your eyes." Izuka tensed at the line of questioning. A personal secret was harder to say, but she had opened up to Todoroki. What kept her from doing the same with Kacchan? Fear of how he would react?

"Nightmares," she whispered simply, the words barely eligible to his ears. "Since USJ, but that night had been especially bad." Her eyes had slid closed upon revealing her secret to him. A new weight seemed to fall from her shoulders, the feeling much lighter than when she had revealed it to Todoroki.

"You never said." His words were just as quiet, his eyes still boring into her side, as he tried to decipher her.

"I hadn't wanted to tell anyone. I thought I could handle it myself. Everyone else left that experience with their mentality intact, why couldn't I?" Bakugo snorted. The noise was harsh and full of disbelief as his eyes rolled.

"Not everyone was held hostage and hurt to the degree you were." Crimson fell onto the pearl lines that raised against her skin. Another reminder of being too late. "You never spoke of this to anyone?" Curiosity was bright in his voice, twisting the sound in a lighter sound than his usual anger.

"All Might, briefly, I asked for it to be left alone. I honestly believed they would just go away with time, and during the weeks leading up to the festival they had all but disappeared." Izuka paused before she revealed the other person she had spoken of them with. "Todoroki is someone I also spoke of them too." Jealousy froze his body, his eyes stuck narrowed, as his fingers curled harshly around the cold metal.

"Icy hot fucking knows," he spits out harshly. "I knew after the fucking bastard!" He barely registered his feet forcing his body up underneath them as he turned in disbelief toward her. Emerald green eyes were wide in shock as she stared up at him. His body shook lightly, the tremors ripping through him in waves.

"I-it just came out," she said. "I woke him up to one." His eyes narrowed down at her as she spoke. The fingers that once curled around metal bit into the palm of his hands.

"I remember you waking me up to one once as well," he forced out between clenched teeth. They ground against one another as another wave of jealousy plowed through him almost knocking his body back a step. "You wouldn't speak of it then." Her mouth opened and closed but no words escaped. There wasn't anything to be said, he was telling the truth. She hadn't said anything about why she drug him out of bed with her worry. It could have easily tumbled from her mouth then like it had last night, but she had held back, even when that knife had flashed across her vision. "Fucking bullshit."

Izuka watched helplessly as he spun on his heel, his legs striding quickly across the green grass, carrying him away from her. Her Mark burned against her skin, the pain screaming that she had done wrong.

"Kacchan!" she called out. He ignored her yell. His shoulders shaking as his teeth ground violently together. She had trusted the bastard over himself with her nightmares. She hadn't been able to go to her soulmate on something that caused her grief, and that simple action spoke loudly to him. It deafened him against everything that surrounded him. He blindly half ran toward his house.

His mark dug harshly into his skin, the twisting only adding to his pain, but for once it hadn't been caused by his actions. Explosions roared deafeningly into his ears as they popped off repeatedly from the palms of his hands. His body twisted as his fist flung out, colliding with a bang of bright light into the side of a trash can. The smoke floated lazily off the metal as he breathed heavily.

"Fuck!"

子猫

Head hanging she stepped from the last step onto the sand of the beach, her mind whirling at what had happened. She had caused him pain all over her lack of opening up to him. Izuka knew she had screwed up this time. There hadn't been a real reason for her to have kept it to herself except she hadn't wanted to appear weak to him. Her shoulders stiffened as she clenched her fist in frustration with herself.

"Izu-chan," came the deep soft-spoken voice of her favorite hero. Emerald swept pass Sapphire, Toshi frowning as he took in her dejected presence. Her arms crossed over her stomach as she sent him a small forced smile.

"Hey, Toshi," she said, readying herself for the disappointment she knew she was going to find. Toshinori sighed as he swept back his blond hair from his face, the disappointment melting from his expression as he studied his student in front of him.

"Come along, Izu," he said patting her shoulder lightly as they both began to move closer to the water's edge. "Did something happen earlier tonight?" She sighed as she began to rub at her Mark, the action doing nothing to soothe the burning feeling that wrapped around her skin.

"I met up with Kacchan before coming here," she said softly, the wind blowing her hair as she stared out into the ocean.

"I'm assuming your meet did not go over well?" He glanced down at the smaller girl, she barely reached up to his shoulder even in this form. She was tiny, making it a startling discovery that she had a quirk that packed a punch. His head was still reeling over the idea of her new move that she had detailed out to him only a few days previous.

"It went well in the beginning," she said with a shrug. "It was toward the end that things got messed up."

"I'm assuming it was to do with last night?" he asked curiously. Izuka bit her lip before blowing out a sigh. Her arms dropped back to her side as she slowly lowered herself to the sand.

"Sort of," she said as she began to draw lines in the sand. "Surprisingly he accepted what I did last night easily enough. I felt bad for not being able to tell him the complete truth, but that wasn't what I messed up on." Toshi lowered himself carefully to the ground to sit next to her. "I opened up about my nightmares, he asked about them, but he wasn't happy when I mentioned that I had let it slip about them to Todoroki last night."

Understanding flashed across Toshi's face, his head beginning to nod. "I see, he didn't like that he wasn't told first?"

"I think he felt more betrayed, but I had woken Todoroki last night to one, and it all came tumbling out before I could stop it." Toshinori placed his hand comfortingly on her shoulders as he squeezed it lightly.

"It is understandable why you opened up to young Todoroki last night," he began quietly. "It's nothing to be upset over. You both experienced a scary situation last night, Iida, Todoroki, and yourself saved each other lives last night, and that forms a bond of friendship between people in normal circumstances. Heroes form bonds like that all the time. You shared a part of yourself to someone you trusted last night after going through the nightmare. Give young Bakugo time, I'm sure he will come around."

"Yes, I guess," she said unsurely. They were just now getting somewhere close to friends, and she felt like she had gone and ruined it. Toshi's hand lifted from her shoulder as his features grew serious, the reason he had asked her to meet him finally about to come out.

"Back to what happened last night, young Midoriya." Izuka winced at his voice, he hardly ever called her anything but Izu-chan unless they were in class. "I cannot condone what you did. Gran Torino and I both told you to stay on that train, and you clearly disobeyed our orders." Her head hung as she winced knowing that now she would be hearing the disappointment in her.

"I'm sorry, All Might," she said. "I just got this gut feeling Iida had gone after Stain, and I jumped into action without thinking."

"You clearly were not thinking. I understand you couldn't have informed me, but Gran Torino had stuck around long enough to speak to you, you should have informed him."

"I know."

"I'm very disappointed in you," he said sharply. Those words caused her breath to hitch, she hadn't meant to have done something to disappoint him. "It was rash, and though I commend you for saving your friend, and that other pro, I would have had you do it in a safer manner. I heard you passed, and assisted a few heroes, why did you not grab one of them?"

"I didn't think they would believe me," she said with her head hung. "I thought they would think I didn't know what I was talking about, with me being a student, and it would cost me time in finding Iida before something happened to him." Toshi's face pinched as he sighed.

"If Todoroki hadn't arrived when he did, you may have lost your life." She had heard the fear that seemed to lace his tone as he uttered those words. Her eyes snapped up to stare into his face, noticing the hard glint had left his expression. He just looked tired as he slumped forward causing Izuka to straighten as her hand reached out to rest on his shoulder as he had done for her.

"I'm sorry," she said again, this time stronger than the last. "I know it was reckless and dangerous, but I wouldn't change my actions. It saved lives." Toshi shook his head, but the disappointment was gone from his eyes, as he glanced back up at her.

"Young Midoriya," she winced once more, "If I could ground you I would." Izuka's eyes widened, her mouth falling open, as her hands moved from his shoulder to grab at her cheeks.

"Toshi!" she half yelled in surprise. Mirth began to dance behind his blue eyes, and at that moment Izuka knew she had been forgiven, but her actions wouldn't be forgotten.

"I don't want you doing something like that again." She nodded her head along, knowing that she would take it seriously. There was a deep part of her that would always try to prove herself to this man, even if she were to make it as the new Symbol of Peace she would always strive to be the best she could be for him.

"You don't have to worry, I bet my mom will ground me long enough for the both of you once we talk about what happened." Toshi laughed a deep happy sound that vibrated from his chest.

"Perhaps I will give her suggestions for how long." Izuka squawked as she stared at him before her hand came out to shove at him. In his skeletor form, she was able to get him to barely move, way more than she knew if he was in All Might's form.

As the two of them sat there laughing Izuka knew she would fix things with Kacchan, and hopefully soon things would start to work out between the two, but for now, at this moment, she was fine.

子猫

The next morning Izuka gripped the straps of her bag tightly as she entered the classroom, the voices of her fellow classmates ringing out as they all talked excitedly about their internships. Behind her, she could hear Iida, and Ochaco talking as they walked toward where she was just entering the room. Her eyes swept over the room, green falling onto ash blonde as Bakugo spoke angrily to Sero and Kirishima. Her eyes roamed over them as she spotted Kaminari and Momo next, but where she would have normally gone straight over to them she spotted Todoroki, and then Iida who left Ochacos side. His blue eyes connected with her, and silently the two of them began to walk toward where Todoroki sat at his desk.

Her friends sent her curious looks, Momo slightly more confused, and she barely caught the furious glance of Bakugo, but something had changed, and it felt right to go speak with them first. She hadn't seen them since the morning before, but their friendships had changed, and part of her wanted to make sure that what had happened the other night hadn't just been a dream.

"Good morning, Todoroki, Iida," she said with a small smile gracing her lips.

"Good Morning, Midoriya!" Iida said as he returned her smile. "I hope the rest of your day yesterday went well." Todoroki sent them both nods in greeting, not bothering to answer verbally.

"Was grounded but it could have been worse," she said softly with a shrug. "Mom freaked out when everything was explained to her."

"Well we did deserve whatever repercussions were sent our way," Iida said with a solemn nod.

"Did you sleep well?" Todoroki asked quietly, startling Izuka, who hadn't thought he would say anything. She knew what he was really asking, did she have any nightmares. The reminder that he knew caused her to internally wince, especially when she caught the glare that seemed to be permanently etched to Bakugo's face. Pushing that from her mind, for the time being, she focused on what Toshi had said last night, how she shouldn't feel guilty for telling him. It was normal to bond after circumstances like that.

"I slept well," she said, silently trying to say she hadn't had any nightmares. Todoroki nodded in understanding. Iida stared curiously between the two before shrugging. He opened his mouth to add in more to their conversation when Kaminaris' voice halted his own.

"Yah know the ones who changed the most were you three," he said. The three newly made friends had not heard what the others were talking about blinked in confusion.

"Dude!" Sero said dodging Bakugo's hand. "Yeah, the Hero Killer!"

"So happy you're alive, no joke!" Kirishima said following his lead as he too dodged Bakugo.

"I was worried for you," Momo said in agreement as her serious gaze fell onto Izuka and Todoroki.

"They say you were saved by, Endeavor," Kaminari spoke once more. "Guess that's the number two hero for you." Izuka caught the gaze of Todoroki and Iida, the three of them sharing a secret glance, one that Bakugo did not miss, before answering.

"Yes, saved," Todoroki said blandly. Izuka nodded her head.

"Yeah," she said while Iida murmured out his own agreement.

"I watched it on the news," Ojiro said, as he too sent the three a concerned look. "They said something about the Hero Killer and the Villian alliance being connected. I shiver just thinking of how USJ would have gone if someone as terrifying as he came along as well."

"Eh, but Ojiro, did you see the video," Kaminari said cutting in. "He was pretty scary, but I dunno if it was his single track mind or tenacity, but didn't you think he was kind of cool." Izuka spun around, her eyes wide in shock as she sputtered out.

"Kami!" she said her eyes bouncing over to Iida. His gaze fell onto her before his own eyes widened as he realized what he had just said, and in front of who.

"Oh, I mean, s-sorry, I-Iida! I didn't mean it like that!"

Iida stared down at his sleeve, his face passive as he began to speak. "No, it's alright. I understand if people find his conviction, cool. However, he chose to advance his cause by means of a 'purge'." His hand came up to slice through the air. "And it does not matter what your beliefs are, as that in itself is an error. And so, in order, too, that people like me may not hereafter multiply! I shall proceed down the path of a hero anew!"

Izuka smiled as she listened to Iida's speech before waving goodbye at Todoroki as she began to move closer to Kaminari, and Bakugo. As she was passing her friend his hand came out to snatch at her arm, effectively stopping her from moving to her seat.

"Hey, don't think your gonna get off easy from not telling me you were in the hospital right away!" He whisper yelled, but she could tell it wasn't effective when Bakugo stiffened, and Momo sent him a glare.

"Oh leave the girl alone," she said lightly. "I'm sure she's already been chewed out enough for a few days." Izuka sent her friend a thankful smile but Kaminari wasn't hearing it.

"No way! She wasn't even planning on telling me!"

"I would have eventually!" she huffed out. He sent her a stern glare of disapproval and would have commented more but Momo rolled her eyes and smacked his arm lightly.

"Leave her alone, and get in your seat, Kaminari," Momo said as she lightly pushed Izuka forward. The green-haired girl felt relieved that she could put off yet another lecture as she slid into her seat behind Bakugo. His back was stiff in front of her, but his hair had finally gone back to being spiky. A frown slid on her face as she tried to think of what she could do to fix what she had messed up.

子猫

Izuka found herself lining up with the other four she was going to race against. Her mind was whirling with the possibility of her winning, and how the training she had done over the week would help her with this task. She was still practicing the new maneuvers in the air, and over buildings but she was fairly confident that she could do it.

Behind her, she could barely make out the rest of their class talking about who they thought would win, but she didn't let that get to her. Instead, she focused on her breathing, One For All easily spreading throughout her body, the light green glow taking over. The distress signal went off, her body tensed as she exhaled before taking off. In front of her Sero immediately swung into action, his body flying into the air, and breaking ground away from everyone else. She smiled widely before jumping up onto the nearest building, bouncing off it to propel herself ever higher of the previous one. Once at the top she flung herself forward, the eight percent of her quirk flooding through her body shot her forward.

For a few seconds before she would land she felt like she was flying. Her hair whipped behind her and within moments she was overtaking Sero. Her eyes narrowed in on the next landing point, her feet connecting only for a second before shooting herself up into the air once more.

Bakugo watched her from afar, his eyes widening before narrowing as he realized who she looked like. His fingers dug into the fabric of his hero costume as his head swam. She was taking the move from him, it was similar in many ways that she moved. She couldn't stay in the air for as long but it was effective. His teeth bit down on his lower lip as several emotions swarmed around inside his mind.

Izuka kept her eyes trained as she searched for the easiest targets to land on, she didn't want to go falling off. Eyes widened as she realized too late that the pipe she was aiming for might end up being too narrow, and slippery. Her foot connected, and as expected it began to slide out from underneath her, but reaching out and using her hand to curl around the pipe she swung herself in an arc, and back up into the air. Sero overtook her in the next moment. Her legs powered through as she pushed herself off from another roof to land safely, and sturdy onto the roof that All Might stood on.

She had come in second place. A feat she was sure she wouldn't have managed a week ago. Just thinking back to when she first tried to jump a building caused her to sweat drop at the mere thought.

"Did you take that from Bakugo?" Ashido asked after she got over her loss. "It almost looked like you were flying, the training this last week really helped, huh!" Izuka blushed as she rubbed at the back of her neck.

"Well, uh, yeah, I guess they kind of were." Ashido nodded seriously as a smirk began to cover her features. Izuka knowing what was running through the other girls' mind began to wave her hands around widely as her face only grew darker. The pink girl laughed not convinced.

"Young Sero was in first place, but all of you have learned how to use your quirks more broadly since first entering the academy! Now keep at it for me and begin preparing for the end-of-term test!" Ashido began to walk away from Izuka as All Might spoke, moving to congratulate Sero. Izuka was left, her face still red, as All Might moved toward the young embarrassed girl as she clutched at her cheeks.

"I can't believe Ashido," she said with a shake of her head.

"I am surprised!" came All Mights voice as he whispered down to her. "This must have been what you were working on in that alley. When this lesson is over please come to my place." Izuka frowned as she kept her back turned to him as he came to a stop just a few short steps away from her, facing toward the students.

"Um, alright?" she said in confusion. She turned around moving to go toward everyone else, but slowly enough to hear what he might say to her.

"I have something I need to talk to you about," he whispered, his voice turning serious. "The story of All For One and myself." Izuka froze mid-step, her eyes widening in shock at the realization of what she was going to learn. She forced herself not to turn around and begin to start firing away questions instantly. Instead, she forced herself forward to calmly go about the rest of class like normal. Throughout class, she could feel Bakugo's gaze baring hotly into her. Between him and the knowledge that she would be told something important soon, she found it hard to wait patiently.

Once All Might excused them she raced for the girl's locker room, the only set back being when Jirou found Mineta peeping on them. There had been a yelp from when Jirou hit him with her headphones, and then another after a loud explosion. She was extremely happy when she left the room and darted down the hallway, making her way quickly toward All Mights room. Crimson eyes narrowed in on her as he watched her hurried steps. He couldn't help but think she seemed to have more secrets than at first glance.

Letting out a relieved breath Izuka slipped into the room, her hands moving to lock the door after she closed the door. "Hello, Toshi," she greeted the familiar sight of his skeletor side. He stared intensely up at her from his place on the couch. She took in the atmosphere and having already known it would be a serious conversation she quickly took a seat in the single chair sitting across from the couch. If she was being honest with herself she was slightly frightened at what she would be hearing.

"Make yourself comfortable," he said as he patiently waited for her to take a seat in the chair opposite of him. "As you know how One For All works, being able to pass it on forcefully, but it cannot be taken without the user's intention of doing so. It is a special quirk, you know, and the same goes for its origin. One For All is derived from a separate quirk which has existed since the beginning." He unclasped his hands as he leaned forward, raising one hand palm up. "All For One. It robs other of their quirks and renders them the users own. It's also a quirk that can grant them to others." He paused allowing her to take in the new information.

"So, it's what it sounds like," she surveyed, her brows furrowing. Toshi bowed his head as he went on.

"It started during the dawn of the phenomenon when society had yet to adapt to the shift. There was a time when the norm for what it meant to be 'human' suddenly crumbled. That's all it took." His face and tone grew grieve. "The law lost all meaning, and the advance of civilization came to a halt, spiraling down to all-out devastation."

"Some famous guy from back then stated that, 'if the phenomenon never occurred then humankind might be enjoying the joys of interstellar traveling by now,' isn't that right?" she asked as she bit her lip.

"Yes," Toshi said with a nod of his head. "And during that age of upheaval rose a figure who promptly gathered the people together. You must have heard of him, too. He stole people's quirks, and through his overwhelming power, his influence spread." Toshi's stern look in his eye kept Izuka from interrupting him with her rebuttal. "He moved the people, his pawns, according to his plans and piled up malicious deeds to his satisfaction. Taking control of Japan in the blink of an eye as it's evil ruler." Toshi paused seeing her need to ask a question. Izuka frowned as she opened her mouth.

"I thought that this was only rumors?" she questioned. "I mean it's not in our textbooks."

"The dealings of underworld thugs and Yakuza don't make it into textbooks. People with power want a place they can use it after all." Izuka nodded in her understanding, her hand coming up to tap her chin as she thought about it all.

"All of this, how is it connected to the story of All For One?" she asked curiously. Her hand dropped back down to the couch as she cocked her head to the side.

"I told you didn't I? That All For One can also grant quirks. Either he placed his trust in the quirks, or they were meant to bend them to his yoke. Only... the bodies of those he granted quirks couldn't always handle the strain, and many of them became virtual dolls without speech."

"Just like the Nomu," she said quietly, her eyes widening.

"On the other hand those who were given quirks there were also cases where their quirks mutated and blended together." A serious look darkened Toshi's eyes as he began his next sentence, the story of the two brothers were important. It's where everything started, and where Izuka would take over. "The man had a quirkless brother, the little brother was small and frail, but he harbored a strong sense of justice. His brothers' actions panged his hearts, and he opposed him. The man forced upon him a quirk that stockpiled power, and whether that was out of kindness, or to bend him to his will, we'll never know."

Izuka shook as she listened to the story. Everything was beginning to connect in her mind's eye. This she was sure was the same quirk that had been handed down to herself, One For All.

"Yes, he who was thought quirkless possessed one prior. Though neither himself or anyone around him took notice. The erstwhile meaningless quirk that could only grant itself to another!" Toshi's arms had begun to raise, holding them out to his sides, as he brought the brothers story to an end. "And so the quirk that could stockpile power, and the quirk that could pass itself on, merged! That is the origin of One For All. It's pretty ironic. Justice is always born from the bowels of evil."

Izuka took in what she had been told, her mind whirling with all the new information. Question after question began to spill to the tip of her tongue but she held them back. She couldn't go sprouting off just anything that came to mind. Finally, her mind settled on an important one.

"So I understand how the quirk came to be, but that guy, he can't still be around right?" she asked hesitantly. "I mean, can he? Unless of course, he stole a quirk that allowed him to be." She began to mumble out her theory, Toshi raising an eyebrow at the girl as she spoke to herself. "Then it would make sense that he was around today, in a sense being immortal."

"Alright, kid!" he called out, halting her from saying anything more. "That's where the next story comes in, the one of his soulmate." Izuka stiffened, wondering where this one would end up as. A sob story, or more hate, and power. "It's said that before he granted his brother the quirk, he met his Soulmate. The woman's quirk soon came to light, known as the one of immortality. It's said he became obsessed with her quirk but never taking it due to the feelings that the Mark causes you. However, it's not impossible to go against nature, to fight the Mark. It's never been proven what happened that night, only that she ended up dead in an alley. Whether it was he who stole her quirk and then killed her, not baring to live with what he had done to her, or if something else had happened to her, and she asked him to take it."

"That's extremely sad either way," Izuka said with a frown.

"Either way, it does not matter," Toshi went on, his blue eyes staring into her own emerald. "He is a symbol of evil, that will live on indefinitely. The gap in might between the two brothers admitted no chance of the younger brother toppling him, not to mention the state of society at the time. The brother who suffered defeat decided to entrust it to the next generation. Though he could not defeat him then, his power would accumulate, little by little, and someday stop his evil for all. And I was the successor to finally beat him! Or so I thought, but he's still alive, and on the move once again. Only this time as the brain behind the Villain Alliance."

Toshi paused, allowing those words to sink into the girl, before moving onto what he greatly feared to be a possibility.

"One For All is the power handed down through generations to defeat All For One! And, you, too, might have to confront that man, that great evil, in a final showdown."

It was obvious to Izuka that this wasn't something Toshi wanted to happen, but the event would be out of their hands. Slowly she closed her hand into a fist, her resolve only hardening for the hero in front of her. Her gaze rose up from her fist, the green of her eyes darkening as she smiled brilliantly at him. Toshi was amazed at what he saw within the depths of her eyes, and once more he felt that he had chosen the right successor to his power.

"Whatever you task me with, I'll answer to your call, Toshi!" she said determinedly. "As long as you're with me, I can do anything, I'm sure of it." Toshi froze as he continued to stare at the girl across from him.

"I'm afraid, it's all too much too-"

"I'll do my best!" she said, her smile only widening as she thumbs upped him.

Toshi felt the sweat build at his brow, his hands slightly shaking at his side. He felt as one of them came up to cover his mouth, the words that needed to be spoken were at the tip of his tongue.

'Tell her, you have to tell her!' it rang through his mind loudly, and clearly, but he forced them away. His shoulders began to shake as his fingers dug into the skin on his face.

Izuka blinked as she watched a plethora of emotions cross over his features. She was confused by some of them as she began to hesitantly reach out toward him.

Toshi's eyes flashed to her approaching hand as he tried to regain control over his emotions. 'Izu, my girl, that's not.' Her hand fell onto his own that wasn't covering his mouth, worry wide in her eyes. His mouth opened, the hand falling away, to tell her, but no sound came out. She squeezed his hand lightly, silently conveying her worry over his sudden mood change.

'I-'

"Thanks," he finally said, the words tumbling out as his eyes softened. He couldn't tell her, not now.

'-probably won't be able to be by your side, when that time comes.'

His now free hand settled over her own, squeezing it tightly as he held onto the secret that he couldn't bear to utter. Her eyes lit up as the emotions were wiped away, allowing calm to break through.

He would protect her for a time more.

子猫

Izuka found herself walking to the train station after school. The announcements of a training camp running through her head, along with what she had been told by Toshi. She was excited, it was the perfect opportunity to get stronger, something she desperately needed, especially after that talk with Toshi. Her eyes squinted as she frowned because in the end, she felt like Toshi had left something out. There toward the end, it had looked like he wanted to say more but didn't.

As she walked, her head swimming with the knowledge of needing to get better, she hardly noticed when she passed Kacchan at the train station. His eyes narrowed in on her, the look she was sporting. It seemed like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. His anger from last night reared its head as he wondered if she was holding more from him. He bit his cheek as he wondered if she would tell him what was on her mind, or if she would deflect that too.

Upon feeling a burning gaze on her back, she frowned, as she spun around. "Kacchan," she said, half whispering. Before she knew what she was doing Izuka stepped forward, her feet carrying her over to where he waited for the train. Crimson eyes stared harshly at her as she walked, but that did not deter her from moving.

"I'm sorry," she said as she came to a stop in front of him. "I should have opened up to you that day. In truth I felt weak, the fact that I couldn't go up against villains without having nightmares about it made me feel like a disappointment." Her gaze bore into her own, refusing to leave him until after she said what needed to be said. "I didn't want you to know. Didn't want you to see me as weak. It doesn't make it any better, but when I told Todoroki it all just spilled out." His eyes narrowed in on her but he nodded.

"And what were you thinking about now?" he asked, curious if she would lie to him, or deflect.

"A-ah, you noticed that," she said as she rubbed the back of her neck. He just continued to stare down at her, his hands resting in his pockets. She gulped as her eyes bounced around. "I was thinking about something that was told to me today." He ground his teeth, already telling that she wouldn't be telling him anything. In a flash of jealousy, he wondered if she would tell the icy hot bastard. She noticed the flash of anger and held up her hands. Without thinking she grabbed out for his own hand, causing him to stiffen at the contact. "I'm not allowed to speak about it. Remember what I said about my quirk."

The bond flowed more freely through them at the contact causing Bakugo to feel the jealousy, irritation, and anger ebb away. "Yes." He was slowly forming his own facts on everything he had been told and heard.

"One day I'll tell you everything, Kacchan," she said as she gripped his hand more tightly. "Just not today. It's still not my secret to tell." he huffed, disliking the answer he was given, but at least it hadn't been a lie. He pulled his hand from her own.

"Yeah, maybe someday I'll be trusted with it." He began to walk away, boarding the train that had arrived. She watched silently as he left, knowing that she deserved that. There were many things she wanted to tell him, but not yet.

子猫

A man stared at a monitor that held the face of Shigaraki. "I never expected for the Hero Killer to get caught, but otherwise things are going as foreseen." A man dressed in a nice suit, his face scarred, turned to the doctor near him. "Everyone, from those who want to run wild, and others who sympathize, seeks the Villain Alliance. Shigaraki Tomura, his place is to unify and supervise them!"

The man who oversaw all healing spoke up from his spot by the monitors. "Wonder if 'the kid' can do it," he said as he turned his attention to the powerful man. "I think things would have been moving forward sooner if you had stepped in earlier, sensei." A deep chuckled sounded throughout the room.

"Is that so, then patch me up faster, doctor," he said in amusement.

"If only I could lay my hands on super regeneration five years earlier!" the doctor sighed wistfully.

"It was a disappointment of a quirk, meaningless after my wounds heal," the man said. "No matter, I'll let him do all the work! So that he may become the next 'me.' That child was born warped enough to do so. You'd do well to rejoice in this farce, this transient peace while you still can, All Might."

子猫

Iida stared up at the giant door, similar to their own classroom door. There were no differences in the features, or the walls surrounding it. The only difference was the nameplate that was written in gold on the door, and the sign that jutted from the wall announcing that it was the counselor's office.

He stared hard at the door for a few moments, unsure of whether or not to go in. He knew he should, his actions toward the Hero Killer telling him he had to work out his anger. Iida had put himself, and others at risk with his actions. Until he worked things out, became a better hero, he didn't feel he deserved to take the name, Ingenium.

Taking a deep breath he reached out to knock on the door. Within moments it swung open revealing the form of the new school's counselor.

"Welcome!" the therapist said in greeting. The voice was cheery and reassuring, automatically putting him at ease. "I've been expecting you, Iida."

Reviews:

Shiranai Atsune: It has defiantly come back from the dead! Maybe I can keep it alive for a few weeks! :D

Bonus Chapter: Nine

Rain began to fall from the sky's soaking the light blonde hair of the willowy female. She smiled softly, the rain never being a hindrance. For a woman who could live forever, she realized that getting annoyed at the small things wasn't worth it. Her pace quickened toward the light of an open store wishing to get out of the downpour, to be dry. Reaching out to grab for the handle she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Her brows furrowed as she swung around, ready to defend herself against the attacker.

Just cause she could live forever didn't mean she couldn't be killed.

"Oh!" she said as she came face to face with a handsome man. "It's you." Her smile softened as she reached out to take his hand. He blinked before nodding, his hand falling away as he tugged for her to follow him. "Where are we going?" He said nothing, but the trust that flowed through her veins kept her from questioning him further. Even as they walked into the head of an alley.

They came to a stop his body tensing as she frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Yuki," he said, speaking for the first time that night. Her name on his lips sounded like a caress but something darker tinted his words.

"Yes, my love?" she asked as she began to shake from the cold the rain brought.

"There is only one thing I've ever needed from you," he said softly forcing Yuki to move closer to hear. Green eyes shined bright with confusion as she tried to make out what he meant. "It's time for me to take it. I'm finally strong enough."

"W-what-" her voice was cut short as black tendril-like things sprung out from the man, gouging into her stomach. Her eyes widened as blood trickled out of the corner of her pink lips. Stepping forward the man curled his arms around her form, slowly, gently setting her onto the wet ground. His own quirk reaching out, taking the immortality from her body. "Y-you-"

"Your quirk is what I needed," he said softly. Her eyes fluttered as she felt the pain creep over her before another sensation soothed throughout her. Her pain began to numb until she was no longer able to feel her body slowly dying. Weakness began to take over, her eyes wanting to close. His last gift to her had been a painless death. A soft sigh escaped from her lips as she forced her eyes open.

"Ah, Ōru," she said his name like a caress. "I forgive you." The Mark on her wrist flashed out in pain, before softly fading away to a ghost of itself. Her eyes closed, her heart stopped, his name on the tip of her tongue.

There it is guys! The first Bonus chapter in forever, and it broke my heart to write!

Review and tell me what you guys thought!