Once again, Izuku found himself becoming quite emotional as he hugged his father tightly, as this was the last time he'd see him for possibly a long while. Same can be said for Hisashi Midoriya, a middle aged man with brown eyes, a lightly freckled face, and shoulder length black hair that was tied into a ponytail. He wore a navy blue yukata with a black sash wrapped around his waist and a pair of warazori sandals on his bare feet.
Hisashi's heart wasn't faring any better, not looking forward to when he'd have to let go of his only son. But alas, what choice did he have?
"Oh, my boy.." Hisashi sighed. "I can't begin to express just how proud of you I am for reaching this point. You've truly come a long way. It seems like not too longer ago you were a little boy eager to start his martial arts training. But, look at you now. Like many others, you're a young man setting out on his journey to become a guardian of the world. Like your mother once did. If only she were here to share this moment with us.."
Izuku smiled upon hearing his father's words, seperating from the embrace to look him in the eyes. "I understand how you feel, Father. Believe me.. But, as we speak, her spirit is watching over us. So, in a sense, she is here. Always has been, and I'm sure she always will be."
"I suppose you are correct." Hisashi said, looking down as he fondly remembered his late wife before returning his gaze to Izuku. "In that case, may she always watch over you on your quest, my son. You've come far already, and I have no doubt in my mind that you'll do the family and our people proud by going much further."
"That is the plan." Izuku replied, the duo sharing a lighthearted chuckle. "Thank you. I promise, when I return, I'll have become what I set out to be. Like Mother, and those before us."
"You have my full and utter faith, son. I don't doubt you for a second." The father-son pair shared one more firm hug. "Go give those beasts hell, Izuku.." Hisashi whispered as he patted Izuku gently on the back, struggling to keep his grip light as he trembled a bit.
"I will. You have my word." Said Izuku.
With a sniffle, Hisashi ended their final hug. "Good. Real good." After gazing at his son proudly one last time, Hisashi stepped aside to reveal the next person who wished to say goodbye, someone who was very special to Izuku. "I think someone has waited long enough to have their turn at you." Hisashi took some steps back, giving Izuku and this special person in his life some space.
"...Eri.."
Standing before Izuku was a young pre-teen girl, possessing lovely red eyes and long white hair that was done up into a neat bun. Her attire was made up of a rose pink yukata with a white sash around her waist, wearing her own pair of straw sandals.
Eri Midoriya, little sister of Izuku, stood before her brother with red puffy eyes and a very noticable frown, her cheeks stained with tears. Unlike Izuku and their father, she didn't stop herself from showing her emotions. How could she when she's about to say goodbye to the one person she looks up to the most? Being so young and emotional, she just didn't have the will to resist.
When hearing Izuku call her as he flashed her a kind smile, one that she wouldn't see for quite some time, her emotional dam completely broke as she bolted straight for him.
Izuku grunted when Eri slammed into him, the short ten year old now sobbing into his chest, holding him for dear life. Upon recovery, his emotions leaked out a tad as his breath trembled.
"Pl-Please... Don't go, b-big brother.." Eri choked out, her voice muffled as she rubbed her face into Izuku's samue.
"Eri.." Izuku frowned, brushing the young girl's hair as he gave her head a light peck before holding her close. "I'm sorry, but we've all known that this day was coming. And I know that me going away is painful for you. But, I have to do this... You know that."
"..W-Will... *sniff* you come b-back to me..?"
"Now, that's just a silly question.." Izuku softly stifled. "Of course, I'll come back to you. I don't intend to be gone forever. Nothing can keep me away from my loved ones for long. Especially you... little sister."
"You pr-promise..?"
"Cross my heart."
Hearing his sincerity, Eri mustered the will to loosen her hold, having relaxed enough to cease her sobbing. "O-Okay.." She continued to hold him, still needing a minute or two with her brother before letting him leave.
Izuku granted them both that luxury, not quite ready to let go either as he embraced Eri with enough affection to last a lifetime.
"I-I love you, big brother.." Eri hushly spoke, sounding much more relaxed, but still noticably heartbroken.
"And I love you... Watashi no tenshi.." Izuku replied softly, giving her head another kiss.
Hisashi silently sighed as he observed his children, his heart hurting for his precious daughter. 'I pray this isn't the last time they'll be together like this..' Was all he could bring himself to think, not wanting to ponder on the possible horrid futures.
"...You okay now?" Izuku asked after awhile.
Eri sniffed before replying, a shaky exhale escaping her. "I... I guess so.." She whimpered, managing to pry herself away before looking to her feet sadly.
Calmly, Izuku leaned down to her level before lifting her chin so she'd look at him, keeping himself smiling as he refused to let a frown be the last thing she see on him. His thumbs gently wiped away Eri's tears, the distraught girl looking him straight in the eyes. "Tenshi... I won't lie to you and say that my departure from the village will be an easy adjustment. Before today, the very thought of being away from home... away from you... it absolutely terrified me to no end. Yet, despite that, here I am... about to begin this dangerous adventure. One that I must embark on. And do you want to know why I'm still willingly going through with it?"
Eri nodded. "Why..?"
"It isn't because I must go, but because I know that as long as I have you, Father and the people of our village believing in me, and that I hold all of you deep within my heart throughout the entirety of my quest. I will be okay. The courage and strength you all have granted me are all I need to overcome any obstacle, pass any trial, that may try to thwart my path. No matter what, I will come back. So, just as you believe in me to return home a hunter, I believe in you to stay strong until I do. Can you do that for me, Eri?"
Initially, Eri looked uncertain, needing a moment to carefully think about her final choice. In the end, there was only one for her to choose. She remained hesitant, but ultimately, she did believe in Izuku. If he's so sure about his return, then who's she to doubt him? Plus, there's also the fact that she's a Midoriya. A family not only well-known for their impressive skill in combat, but also for their durable hearts.
"Yes... I can, big brother.." Eri said, her face expressing her sudden surge of bravery as she cleaned her eyes.
"I knew you could." Izuku smirked, pulling Eri into a final long hug before they seperated. "Well, as much as it pains me to do so, I must be on my way, Eri. I still have to meet Mother's old friend at his home. And I'd much rather do it before it gets dark. Because let me tell you, I have a lot of walking to do.." Izuku feigned exasperation at the long walk he's about to make to the far eastern end of Patch. He wasn't too worried though as he had taken jogs longer than that. "You going to be alright?" He asked just to be sure.
"Mhm.. I will be." Eri responded, closing her eyes to take a deep breath. Enough tears for now, she thought. Sure, letting him go was far from easy. But again, she trusted him with all her heart, and knew he wouldn't let her down.
"I'm glad to hear it, Tenshi." Izuku grinned with approval, returning to his natural height.
Hisashi smiled as he took that as his cue to approach. "Just so we're sure, are you positive you have everything you need for your journey?"
"Yes, Father." Izuku nodded. "I double-checked before leaving the house. So, I'm positive that I have packed everything. Then again, it's not like I needed to pack much to begin with." He said while gesturing to his 'luggage' close behind him, which was simply a large black box with shoulder straps attached and a small burlap sack. "Mr. and Mrs. Aizawa were gracious enough to give me some bread and apples for the road. So, I shouldn't starve during my trip."
"I see. I'll be sure to thank them for you if you haven't done so already." Said Hisashi.
"You know I have, Father." Izuku stifled. "But, sure, one more definitely wouldn't hurt."
"That it wouldn't." Hisashi chuckled before suddenly looking serious, narrowing his eyes at his boy. "And you are certain you haven't forgotten the rings?"
Instead of being bothered by his father's demeanor change, Izuku simply smirked at him. Before replying, he reached for his sleeves and pulled them up to his elbows, exposing the weapons that were tightly wrapped around his forearms. There were ten 'rings' in total, Izuku having five on each arm. "Don't worry. I never leave home without them these days, Father."
While Hisashi referred to them as rings, Izuku's weapons more took on the form of bracelets. However, these were no ordinary bracelets.
Made of a seemingly indestructable metal, the 'ten rings' were a color mix of bronze and silver, each one having unusual engravings going all around them. That wasn't their most prominent feature however, as within each engraving, there was a very noticable green glow emanating. And briefly, by Izuku's will, those glows brightened.
"Wow.." Eri said with plenty astonishment.
"No matter how many times I see them, they never fail to take my breath away.." Hisashi followed up, sounding quite breathless indeed.
"You would think that we'd be used to it after being around them for so long, huh?" Said Izuku, mesmerized by the Midoriya family weapons as well.
"That... is too true." Hisashi replied, holding a chuckle as he ceased his staring. "Alright, now that I know you truly have them, you may lower your sleeves, son."
Izuku scoffed as he straightened out his sleeves, rolling his eyes at the ridiculous notion that he'd ever forget his weapons. "Happy to put your worries at ease, Father." He joked.
It was then that a tense silence filled the air around them, not much else needing to be said. Which only meant one thing..
"I suppose with that... You must be on your way, son." Hisashi frowned, his words making Eri flinch.
"Y-Yeah.." Izuku gulped, his fists clenching as the full weight of his... predicament finally settled in. Thankfully, he kept his resolve intact.
After giving his sister and father another hug, one that was tighter than the others, Izuku moved to pick up his luggage, strapping the box to his back and holding onto the burlap sack in one hand. Afterwards, he looked over to the long dirt road he'd be taking to leave his village, sighing heavily. He then looked over to his family, smiling fondly as... he was really going to miss them, needless to say. And speaking of his village, he gave it a patient looksee as well.
Musu... The place he had called home his entire life, along with many other Midoriya men and women before him. It wasn't a big village by any means as the population was just a little over a couple hundred people; The majority of adults being farmers. Now, if there were a word that best described Musu based on the peoples' homes, land and the clothing they wear on a day to day basis, it would be... traditional.
Yes, while the rest of Remnant is enjoying the whole 'modern day' lifestyle, the people of Musu were simple folk as they actually preferred the old way of living. Don't ask them why, they just did. Probably had something to do with the peace and quiet of it all. And that's exactly what Izuku's going to miss.
Remnant is far from a peaceful world. Hell, too far if you ask Izuku. Otherwise, it wouldn't even need hunters. With the vicious beasts known as Grimm lurking about every dark corner of the globe, how can peace exist? And not to mention the ongoing conflict between humanity and faunus. It's... rough, to say the least.
That's the world Izuku will be entering once he steps foot outside his village. If he wasn't careful, it may or may not kill him somewhere down the road. Then again, it wouldn't be a fun adventure if there wasn't some sort of risk involved, now would it?
"Until we see each other again.." Izuku said after gathering his bearings, nodding to his family with a weak smile. "Goodbye, Father... Tenshi.."
"Goodbye, Son/Big Brother.." Hisashi and Eri replied together, the latter barely holding it together while the former managed well enough.
With that, Izuku gave a small wave before turning to exit the village, setting out on what will surely be an awesome journey.
However, the second he turned his back towards his loved ones and began his long walk, he finally allowed a tear to slip..
And it wouldn't be long before Eri's cries echoed throughout Musu..
