Midoriya the Shaman
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of My Hero Academia or Shaman King.
2. One For All or None at All?
It's late that same day. Toshinori Yagi is sitting outside by a restaurant with Izuku, the latter of whom is feasting on katsudon and this was his fourth bowls. The skeletal hero is drinking a smoothie.
"So All… er, Yagi," Izuku begins after swallowing some rice, "you really can't eat food?"
"Nope. No stomach, so everything must be blended," is his response while slurping a full course meal shoved into his smoothie. "The artificial one I have isn't suitable for solids."
Hearing that, he feels rather bad for the hero. Is this the sacrifice he has to make for others to enjoy life safely? "Now, Midoriya, I believe I should take the time to ask what exactly your Quirk is. Being able to speak to spirits and being able to fight like that seem to be two rather different abilities."
Sighing as he chews on a strip of pork cutlet, Izuku shrugs. Yagi told his secret, so he might as well. "Well, here it goes…"
After explaining his heritage and what Shamans are, while at the same time omitting the Shaman King tournament and what that brings about, the older man just stares with shock. "So… you're part of a lineage of spiritually aware humans."
"Yes."
"You can talk to ghosts, and they can grant you knowledge and power."
"Correct."
"And that's how you were able to do what you did earlier, and why you're eating now?" seeing the numbers of bowl on the table.
"Yup. Furyoku sustains Over-Soul, and using it consumes energy," is his reply.
He cups his chin thinking. "Why is this a secret though? What with Quirks already existing…"
"Fear of the unknown," Izuku finishes eating. "Like how people feared and prosecuted others when Quirks first appeared, this was no different."
Yagi stares down at Izuku, whose expression turns sour. "A lot of people even look at me weird when they find out about my so-called Quirk; if they knew it wasn't that'd be a problem. I mean, no one has to know for me to be a hero anyway…
"So," he faces Yagi now, "what's this about becoming your successor?"
"Well, it's a big secret." Yagi takes out his phone and shows his number to Izuku. The boy proceeds to jot it down on his phone. "I'll call to let you know."
"… wow…" Our shaman kid becomes a little jittery. 'I have All Might's phone number! And I'm treating it like it's a girl's…'
"You should head home now," Yagi tells the boy. "Your mom's probably wondering where you are. And don't worry; you know my secret, so I'll keep yours."
He smiles. "Ditto." With that, Izuku leaves the restaurant as this was Yagi's treat. Depending on what his mother will make, he should be able to chow down her meal.
As the student leaves the restaurant, Amidamaru decides to appear behind the child and voice his concerns. "Are you sure it's is alright to trust this Hero?"
"All Might said he wants me to be his successor, and I want to know why. Besides, couldn't you feel it?" The samurai spirit flinches when he says that. "I could feel several spirits around him. But, I couldn't see them."
"True…" Amidamaru rests his chin on the knuckle of his hand while thinking back. "It does feel like there's more to this hero than meets the eye. But still, it's a risk letting him know the whole truth before you learn an inkling of his."
That's true. Nothing is stopping All Might from speaking what he's learned except his promise. But, a hero of his reputation should keep his word. Besides, he can easily do the same thing.
The Next Day…
After a text message, Izuku Midoriya finds himself at Dagobah Beach. This once nice and beautiful beachside is now a dumping ground of spring break throwaways, illegal dumping, and the dropped trash of people who think it's someone else's problem. Just being here brings the boy to puking almost.
The only reason he's here at all is the figure of All Might standing by a broken-down fridge. "All Might, I'm here."
"And early, thank you." He looks around and at the boy. "Sorry to bring you here. This place has been all but abandoned and no one would dare to come here. But, it's this area that no one else would be around that is perfect for telling you the truth of One for All."
"One for All?" repeats Izuku before he babbles like a broken base.
"Now, now, calm down!" Yagi taps his shoulder. "One for All is a Quirk that originated a long time ago. The first person cultivates power and the Quirk stockpiles it. That person then passes it on to another person, and that person improves it and empowers themselves. And so on, until it came to me, the eighth user who has the power to do what I can in a crystalized network of strength. That is One for All."
Thinking further on it, Izuku stares into space and then at Yagi. The white noise of seagulls and ocean waves is broken when Izuku asks, "So… you want to give me this Quirk to be your successor?"
"Correct."
It is a big decision to consider. So big that he can't think it over standing up, so he crouches bending his knees. "It's funny. The old Quirkless me would have accepted without hesitation. But now, all I can think about are your words from before."
"My words?" All Might then recalls what he told him about Quirkless people.
"All Might, when you said those words I was angry, sad, and frustrated knowing that the hero I idolized couldn't believe in someone without power. Now I come to find that your Quirk came from someone else, which just felt a little insulting and hypocritical."
He almost falls. "W-Well, when you put it that way…"
"I'm not sure if I deserve to take such a power that someone else without it could have to overcome the prejudice I know they would suffer…"
Toshinori Yagi sighs with understanding. It is rather shameful knowing how he spoke, not knowing of the boy's heart beforehand. He can't even make the excuse that being a hero made him forget how he was once quirkless. "Midoriya…"
"But for whatever reason, call it fate, call it luck, call it karma, an opportunity to be better than what I was has come to me. My grandfather said that I should take that chance if I'm to move forward." He stands now. "I will gladly accept the Quirk on two conditions: one is that I will use that power in my way, and the other is that you, All Might, apologize to people like me"
At first, he wants to ask what the boy means. But, he can pick it up through context. It is only fair after all. "I will."
"Thank you." Smiling, the boy steps forward.
Fused with enthusiasm and determination, the Shaman Kid proceeds to clean up. From collecting garbage into bags to moving appliances that no longer work, he does everything in his power to removing trash.
He gathers the first bit of garbage and brings it to the truck Yagi is driving. "Phew… Oh, here."
He takes out a talisman and places it on the blond hero's forehead. "There you go."
"There I… huh?" The adult watches the boy return to work. He places a hand on the tag on his head. Why is this here?
"It looks like he's fully trusting you." The blond hero turns around to see something he didn't expect. Amidamaru is sitting in the seat next to him. "Hello."
"BAH!" he shouts, surprised at the appearance of the samurai spirit.
"It's okay!" Amidamaru holds his hands out to calm him down. "I'm Izuku-dono's guardian spirit, the samurai that was once called the Demon. Amidamaru."
"… is the reason I can see and hear you because of this talisman?"
"Correct, and you're taking seeing a ghost far better than I thought," is Amidamaru's reply as in the distance, Izuku continues to clean.
"Well, I just wasn't expecting to see one anytime soon. Or, at all. But, I've come across more horrifying events."
Looking down at where the scar on his body is, Amidamaru nods in agreement. "Though I do recall a certain story in ancient history about notorious warriors of ill fame. But to be the guardian of the young Midoriya must make the legends exaggerations."
Amidamaru leans back in the seat he's sitting in/hovering over. "Fact can be stranger than fiction. Honestly, I knew you had some form of dark secret and never wanted Izuku-dono to meet you."
"Yes, I can see why." The saying 'don't meet your heroes' can't be more accurate than for this very situation.
"Are you going to try and excuse your actions?"
"No. If I can't stick to what I say, I can't truly be a hero, can I?" Yagi looks over to see Izuku continuing his work. "In all honesty though, he was the first-ever person to come to me with such desires. I've lived through being Quirkless, to being told I'm worthless and stupid for trying to be a hero. And, I don't want anyone to go through that. That's why I said that."
The samurai examines him with determined eyes as he speaks his mind. He could say something to shame him for breaking his master's heart. But, there would be no point at this moment. He is after all making up for his transgressions. Izuku will be trained to become far greater than what he is, and the man will apologize to whoever he has ever given those words to.
Maybe the two can share stories.
Six Months Later…
It's bright and early in the morning. Izuku can be found at Dagobah Beach lying face up at the red-orange mirage of a blaze that is the rising sun over the sea of Japan. The beach he lies upon is spotless, devoid of any garbage, crook, or nanny.
Toshinori Yagi exits his rental car approaching Izuku, his expression wide with surprise. "Oh. My. GOODNESS. You actually did it, faster than I expected!"
Yagi approaches the young hero as he lies face up. The hero takes a knee before him, saying, "You've worked hard to receive the results you've been hoping for." He pulls a strand of hair and holds it out to the child. "Now, EAT THIS."
The boy's eyes clearly open in shock staring at him. His face pales at the disgusting thing he's suggesting. "You want me to what?"
"One for All needs to be transferred by consuming my DNA. I mean, it's either this, or you can drink my blood."
"… honestly, that sounds less gross," he groans, staring at the hair, "but I'll do it."
Reaching over, he takes the hair and consumes it. Shivers erupt about his body as he feels it pass down his esophagus.
"Now, all you need to do is wait for it to digest, and then One for All will flow through your veins. Until then, go home and get some well-deserved rest."
XXX
It's the middle of the night or midnight to be exact, and Izuku and Amidamaru are fast asleep. In their peaceful slumber, the samurai awakens. He glances over to his master feeling something. That is when he sees it.
A jolt of electricity sparks about his body. "Izuku-dono?" He enters the body of his master.
Within the vestige of Izuku's mind, the samurai there looks around. Surrounded by darkness, all he can see is a single figure. It's hard to discern who this person is, as he's also surrounded by darkness.
"Wow, so the new guy's a Shaman?" a voice speaks, catching the samurai's attention.
"Didn't think there were people with powers before Quirk!"
"You read his memories; I can see why we didn't know."
"Wait, is that a samurai?" Amidamaru looks forward to seeing a group of seven eyes looking in his direction.
"Looks like he can hear us too. Is this a part of that Shaman power of his?"
"It seems One for All may affect him differently. It's too soon for us to properly talk to him."
That is when everything went blank. And the Next Morning Amidamaru couldn't remember anything.
The Next Day…
It's a bright day. On such a day, most kids would be out having fun. They would spend time with friends, play games, or discover things they're not supposed to. For others, like one Itsuka Kendo, they're busy studying for an upcoming exam. For her, she is busy trying to get into a school that has so many applicants that only five percent actually get to enter its hero course; that school is UA High.
For her, there is no end to the stress. That is why she is at Dagobah Beach, taking a break by embracing the almost summer atmosphere. Also, with all the junk piling up this girl with turquoise eyes and bright orange hair can crush things with her hand-enlarging Quirk.
But as she walks to the beach, her eyes come to witness something she never thought she would see; the once hotspot for hazard and contamination is now disposal for urban hangouts. There is not a single piece of garbage on this bleached field; all she sees is a skeletal man sitting and talking to himself as he watches over a boy swinging a sword.
Keeping her eyes on the boy just around her age, she notices how professional his kendo is. It's less him swinging a weapon to slice invisible enemies and more him dancing with blades. She would still think that if he hadn't stopped to momentarily slash at an incoming wave.
One that splits it in half.
"Wow!" she says suddenly, her voice loud enough to catch the attention of the Shaman and his spirit. "Oh, sorry if I'm disturbing you. I was just surprised by how well you handle that blade."
"It's okay." Izuku turns to face her, wiping his face of sweat. "I had a lot of training when I was younger." More sweat comes down as the post-traumatic stress returns.
The pretty girl gives a bow. "My name Itsuka Kendo. You are…"
"Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you, Kendo-san," he says politely, his face a little pink.
She walks forth to get closer. "I'm guessing your training here means that you're preparing for the U.A. exam. Is that correct?"
Surprised by how quickly she deduced that, he says, "Well, yes. And you are…"
"The same." Kendo reaches him, her eyes turning back to the man in the truck watching. A little more concerned, she asks, "Do you know who that guy is?"
"Oh, that's All-er…" He quickly catches himself. "Yagi-san. He's kind of like my mentor."
"Mentor?" She glances back at him, who waves. Kendo faces Izuku again while pointing at the adult. "Is he helping with your Quirk?"
'That's… true, I guess…' "Yes he is," he answers, not wanting to reveal exactly why.
She looks curious now. "And what kind of Quirk requires the use of a sword?"
"Shaman." Izuku points to himself as he speaks. "I can communicate and see spirits. By doing so I also gain their experience and abilities."
"Spirits?" She straightens herself. "… as in Hasshaku, Sadako, Casper, and all those types of spirits? As in dead people spirits? Ghosts?"
"I don't think Sadako's real, but yes." He then points to her. "And they get offended when people don't believe in them."
Kendo turns back to Yagi. "Then, is he talking to a ghost?"
As Kendo continues to watch him converse with Amidamaru, Izuku walks over with a talisman. Just as the girl turns to face Izuku, the paper is placed on her forehead. "Huh?"
Once on her, the girl flinches when she sees it. Floating just overhead, the spirit of Amidamaru sternly glancing down upon her. "KYA!" The girl jumps over to Izuku's hiding behind him.
This in turn causes the boy to erect himself, standing straight and stiff. It's the first time a girl has ever touched him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kendo-Dono. I am Amidamaru," says the Samurai as he bows to her respectively.
Recovering from the fear, Kendo makes a bow to the ghost. "Oh yes, nice to meet you Amidamaru." With the proof that Izuku can converse with spirits in her mind, the girl's brain points out another idea.
There might be a means of improving herself through the boy. "Do you know of any martial artists?"
A finger to his chin, he recalls one moment. "I was once possessed by a Muay Thai fighter who went by the title God of War."
She smiles confidently now. "Then, how about you and I spar against one another? Next week, at my parent's gym?"
"You sure?" he asks, still a little red. "I mean if you're okay with me-"
She scribbles a number down on a piece of paper, grabs his non-sword-wielding hand, and places it in his palm. On it is a phone number and address. "See you next week!"
The girl then walks away leaving him alone. All alone with his solitary thought: 'I got a living girl's phone number!'
Sighing, Amidamaru watches his master turn into a jibbering mess because of a girl again. 'Well, at least he has more than Bakugo as a friend.'
Seven Days Later…
Here on this cloudy day, Izuku arrives at the address given to him. Before him is a towering gym, more like a dojo to be honest. It reminds him so much of the one his aunt would take him to.
Standing in front of him, he sees a muscular person staring him down. This tall man that resembles a gentle giant has his eyes upon him. Staring down at the child, the man quickly switches to a raging storm.
"Hello, Midoriya."
"Mr. Kendo…" Izuku says with worry. He's met him before, having visited to get a good look at the place, and ever since he found out his daughter held onto him the adult's been so passive-aggressive to the boy.
A quick chop to the neck sends him towering over face first. Itsuka stands behind him with enlarged hands. "Phew. Sorry about that."
"Itsuka, why?!" cries the old man.
Itsuka approaches Izuku, saying, "Sorry about that. Dad is just overprotective."
"How can I not?! Did you forget how cute you are?!" he says, eyes on the boy while he shifts into the fetal position.
"Well, he's right about that," is the boy's blunt response, his face turning red.
The same erubescence appears on her face. She hasn't been called cute since she was younger. Nowadays people call her tomboyish or muscular. Not a single mention of her feminine side has been referenced.
Putting that aside, Itsuka guides Izuku inside.
Standing in the midst of the dojo, the two are now changed into dougi while facing one another. "Don't hold back, Izuku. I'm not gonna get stronger if you fight left-handed because I'm a girl."
"I don't do that." Izuku holds up a fighting stance, one Itsuka recognizes as a Muay Thai pose. The look in his eyes has altered as well. For all intents or purposes, he has been telling the truth.
Making the first move, Itsuka stretches her arm far-right and swings. 'Remember, Izuku! Don't think, just do!' Izuku jumps back avoiding the hand, her appendage inflating like a balloon to just graze his shirt.
He lands on his left foot and hops. Itsuka steps in for a follow-up, shrinking her hand. Seeing it coming, Izuku knocks her strike aside and knees her in the stomach. She steps back before dropping to a knee.
"Not bad, huh?" Izuku says, his eyes and voice showing a completely different person.
The girl recovers, staring up with a special drive in her now. "Not yet!"
Kendo continued to strike back, using her Quirk to its fullest to strike Izuku and land even a single hit. But thanks to the spirit possessing him, the shaman kid easily read her attack patterns. A punch to his right, a kick to his left, a feint leading to her extending her fist to explode a punch; all he could predict thanks to the Hyo-Gattai he's utilizing.
As she leaned in to perform a spin kick, Izuku jumped forward and grabs her leg. He then tossed her up, the girl's body flipping twice in the air before she landed face down flatly. He heard the groans coming from her.
Kendo raised her head, looking up with a credible look on her face. "I lost…"
"Sorry," said the boy looking down at her. The spirit possessing him extracted himself. "He doesn't like to hold back."
"No, you did hold back," she said, her eyes lowering with slight determination, "which means I need to get stronger."
After a quick clean up, Itsuka got held tightly by her overbearing father. Well, he was planning to come over another time anyway.
XXX
Over the course of the next four months, Izuku visited Itsuka on the weekends. Each of them, even if Izuku and Kendo weren't dueling, the two talked. Or, in this case, these two as well as Amidamaru and Yagi talked.
Kendo was sitting on the ledge of her dojo, talking to the spirit of Amidamaru. "So, your Daimyo wanted you to kill your best friend because he wanted to hog all the weapons that belonged to him?"
"That is correct, Kendo-dono," agreed the spirit giving her a nod, "for as long as Mosuke could make more weapons he could surpass the ones the Daimyo possessed."
"And that led to your execution," said Yagi sitting next to them.
Kendo felt sad hearing this, for such a great man to have this misfortune befall him. "Did," she stumbled with her words, "Did you regret it?"
"I did not," he replied with a smile.
Nothing more needs to be said about that, Yagi realized. To murder someone without regret as a first option was a product of the times, not that he did so. Voicing his thoughts didn't seem the proper thing at this moment. It also made him think about what would be made of a certain individual who had ruined the happiness in his life.
Kendo, on the other hand, was crying from his deep story. She was devastated to hear he ended up that way, but to have done so with no regret… that amount of determination was her goal. She wanted to be that resolute, that strong, that close to someone. Also, she would now start to skepticize all of history from now on.
'I guess what they say is true; history is written by those who win,' were her thoughts.
The girl faced the floating spirit, asking, "Amidamaru, do you enjoy being with Midoriya? Do you not want to be out there in the world traveling?"
"Not at all." Amidamaru sat against the wall, smiling. "Izuku-dono reminds me of my former master, Yoh Asakura. He also had a rough childhood, and because of his powers he had no one his age to share it with."
XXX
A few days had gone by after that last meeting. Together at Dagobah, the shaman kid Izuku handed over a bento box with onigiri inside, one that she took and ate it after a quick stretch while relaxing. A peaceful breath escaped her mouth as she leaned back.
"This is good. I felt bad if you're gonna spoil me…" she said to him while enjoying the homecooked meal.
"Well, a chef once possessed me and taught me how to cook, so it was no trouble," he told her while enjoying his own rice ball.
"You've been doing that this whole time, haven't you?"
"Yup. I feel better helping fulfill a spirit's last wishes, even if it tires me out."
She stared at him for a few seconds, smiling. "You're a good person, you know that, Izuku?"
"Thanks for saying…" The boy paused at that moment. "Wait, did you call me Izuku?"
"Yes." She pointed to him. "And from now on, you can call me Itsuka."
"That's gonna take a while, Kendo-san." A karate chop to the face was is punishment. The two laughed afterward.
Four months have come and gone. A new year overhead, Izuku can be seen in the testing area of UA High. Looking up he stares at the building while other students to be passing by to enter.
All he needs to do is pass the written test and then the physical exam. While the former can be done by borrowing a bookworm spirit, the latter might be a problem. Depending on what they'll make them do – each year they change it so no one can plan – it could affect how he goes about this.
Taking in a deep breath, the boy pounds his chest to pump himself up. "Well, I've come this far, gone through so much to prepare," he shivers, remembering his aunt's training, "it is too late to turn back."
"Izuku!" Izuku turns around at the familiar call. There stands Itsuka.
"Oh hey, Kendo-san!" She karate chops his face, and now he's rubbing it.
"Hey. You can call me Itsuka now," she retorts, "as I call you Izuku."
"R-Right, right." A part of him is thankful for that. All the tension is gone now. "Are you ready?"
She answers by nodding to him, before going inside ahead of him. Now alone, Amidamaru appears behind the boy, ready to assist however possible.
"This is it Amidamaru. The day we've been waiting for is here."
"Indeed, Izuku-dono. Let us embark on our adventure again!" Thinking back, this reminds the ghost of the time he started truly training with Yoh. Ah, the good times.
"Deku! Quit fucking talking to yourself!"
Shocked by the noise of his childhood friend screaming, Izuku turns around to get a good look at the sophisticated explosive user. It's been nearly 10 months since they actually talked since the blond has been avoiding him ever since that daring rescue. Still, he isn't surprised that that's the first thing he would do.
Scream.
"Well, good morning to you too, Kacchan." Sadly, that's all he can think of.
Bakugo walks past his childhood friend/current rival. It would appear that neither of them can say much to the other. Whether it's because one is too prideful to do so or the other doesn't want to cause a scene, who could tell.
Right now, here is where they put their money where their mouth is. Here is where Izuku proves he can be a hero. Here is where he finds himself floating in the air after taking his first big step.
"Wait, huh?" Coming out of his soliloquy, he realizes that his feet are no longer touching gravel and dirt.
"You all right?"
Izuku glances back to see a girl his age standing next to him. She has brown hair in a long bob cut and rosy cheeks on her face. Like Kendo, she is extremely cute.
"Yes...?" The girl touches him gently, before letting him down.
"Sorry for going crazy with my Quirk there. It looked like you were going to fall and I thought that was a bad omen, you know," the girl smiles bubbly.
Izuku smiles back waving his hands. "No, it's fine. You were trying to help me and I really appreciate it, given how stressful today is going to be." He sticks his hand out. "I'm Izuku Midoriya."
The girl accepts, saying, "Ochako Uraraka. So, good luck on the exam," the girl makes her way to the school, "later!"
He smiles while looking at the girl. 'Another girl was pleased with my presence!'
Amidamaru rolls his eyes. Is this going to be a trend? Whatever that is.
Without another moment to waste, Izuku enters the school.
jetslinger333: If you wondering why I decided to let Izuku obtained One For All is that to create a new fusion of quirk and Shaman as Izuku body would become a medium, unlike other Shaman that use tools or other things a medium.
Like I said I'm using a different method of one for all diverse from the canon as I won't let Midoriya use full cowling or smash attacks , as his body will become a medium to use multiple oversoul without the use of medium Items, spoiler is that the vestige of one for all will materialize and become souls just like Amidamaru only cuter looking like that ball shape.
Like I said he only uses Shaman power not of the Quirk.
Itsuka Kendo is a martial artist so it gives an idea of a meeting between a swordsman and fighter as both of them are easy to talk to each other of their background.
Thank Bastion Lightz for proofreading the story.
