The Gift of a Hero 7
My Responsibility
December 23rd (Friday), School
There were lots of chats regarding the mysterious new hero amongst the students but everyone also had another topic in regards to this day. For today was the last opportunity before the winter holidays. They were celebrating the birthday of the president herself, Sayuri but her actual birthday was on the 25th of December. Being the most popular girl in her school, she was showered with gifts from all of her classmates/admirers. And of course, every person wanted to gain her friendship and be more favourable in her eyes.
"Here you go, Sayuri!" said a student passing a medium sized purple gift-wrapped box.
"Happy Birthday, to our Queen!" said another student whilst carrying a large box.
"I've made this for you, I hope you enjoy it." Said another student presenting a large triple layered cake with white frosting, strawberries, chocolate decorations and to top it off, a cute chibi Sayuri model on top.
Sayuri was sat on her desk as she was getting showered with gifts and treats. She was never one for gifts and attention but being born into an incredibly rich family and having an incredible quirk, she was the star of the school. Even with the tiniest of achievements, it became a reason for celebration.
"Goodness, when will the school period end. I just wish to go home today." Thought Sayuri as she looked away from everyone and turned her attention to Izuku. He was studying and picked up his items as he was getting ready to leave.
Sayuri realised that Bakugo and Izuku were the only ones who didn't give her a gift. But it didn't matter to her because the most important event was waiting for her at home. Her family were some of the busiest people in Japan because they had so many business meetings to attend to in literal days and were in charge of one of the most successful technology businesses ever, Mechquest.
However, Sayuri's birthday was one of the only days where they refused to take any form of business meetings and spend time with their daughter. Sayuri would always cook for her family and she would enjoy whatever time they could spend together. But upon seeing Izuku leaving the class, Sayuri looked away and gently clenched her fist.
After Class
Everybody made their way home since it was extremely cold and with the news of the kidnapped children, the students just wanted to be home with their family. Izuku was rushing away, wearing his thick All Might jumper and beanie, All Might told him that since it was the winter period that they should practice on specific days. However, Izuku being Izuku, decided to continue training regardless of the weather.
Sayuri just watched as the young boy rushed away, realising that he didn't actually speak to her all day or wish her a happy birthday. But that became of little relevance as she waited for her ride to go home.
"I wonder what mother and father would like to have tonight. Perhaps some Wagyu Beef for father and Lightly smoked Tsar Nikolai Smoked Salmon for mother, I will need to ask Charles to help me attain them. I shall also need some fresh ingredients, perhaps I can…" Sayuri smiled at the thought of being able to cook for her loved ones and spend some quality time on her birthday.
Just then a long limousine drove in front of the school, catching everyone's attention, Sayuri was smiling because she was expecting to happily greet her father. However, an elderly gentleman wearing a black butler outfit with white hair exited the vehicle.
"Good afternoon, Young Mistress." Greeted the Elderly Butler as he bowed to Sayuri. She replied in the same manner and bowed back to him.
"Charles, good afternoon to you too. May I ask where my father is?" asked Sayuri as she tried to look inside the limousine in hopes of finding her father. Charles however, took a deep breath before turning his attention to Sayuri.
"Young mistress, forgive me but I'm afraid I have some news regarding your family." Replied Charles in a nervous manner.
"Yes?" Sayuri stopped and slowly turned her attention to Charles while replying in a cold tone.
"There was an emergency meeting required by the Military for both Oscorp and Mechquest. So therefore… your parents will be unable to accompany you tonight. They send you their deepest apologies and regret that they cannot make it tonight." explained Charles as he gently bowed to Sayuri.
Sayuri was speechless, she gripped her bag tightly due to her frustration but she had no intention of showing it. As she finally exhaled her breath and loosened the grip on her bag, she turned her attention back to Charles who wanted to comfort her but he knew no words would be enough to ease her anger.
"Charles." Said Sayuri in a cold tone as she looked down.
"Yes, mistress?"
"I will be walking home today." Replied Sayuri catching Charles off guard.
"But mistress, the weather is too cold and it is currently too dangerous with the sudden disappearance of school children. Surely, I can…" offered Charles but Sayuri looked up to him with a serious expression.
"Charles… please." Replied Sayuri in a calm manner. Charles understood the feelings that were going through her mind and decided to accept the results.
"Very well then mistress." Said Charles. He picked up all of the gifts that Sayuri received and placed them in the back of the vehicle before entering the limousine and driving away. Sayuri had her head down and stood still for a while before slowly walking towards her home.
After School
Shivering and cold, Sayuri was slowly walking home to release her frustration upon hearing the news about her family. She really hoped that on her birthday that she could spend some time with them. As she carried on walking, Sayuri noticed something over the horizon. She was amazed at how clean the beach was and that it was barely recognizable. Of course, its true beauty wasn't available to be seen due to the winter weather and grey skies.
"Amazing, was it this clean before? Who could've possibly…?" wondered Sayuri but then she saw something from afar.
Izuku wore a light blue jacket and sweat pants to fight the weather condition. He had brought some of his training equipment and continued training at the beach. With open space, he was able to complete his training and perform actions such as front flips, somersaults and weightlifting without a care.
Sayuri was in disbelief, unable to comprehend the idea that this was the same Izuku Midoriya she had helped all those months ago. Going through such a transformation that seemed impossible but due to All Might's training and his newfound spider powers. He was truly on his way to become a strong hero. Without even realizing it, she slowly started walking towards him.
Izuku however was staring down at his hands, confused at his current predicament. A few days ago, when All Might gave Izuku his strand of hair to transfer his powers, they had expected immediate results. However…
A few days ago
Izuku clenched his fist as he finally swallowed the strand of hair given to him with difficulty. It wasn't the flashiest method of transferring powers but the deed was done, the power was handed down to Izuku after 8 months of training.
"So, did you swallow it all?" asked All Might to which Izuku responded with a nod with a disgusted expression.
"Yes… sir. But I don't feel any different." Replied Izuku as he inspected his body.
"Of course not, it's just being digested as we speak. It'll take some time before it really kicks in but that's okay!" explained All Might.
"So… what does that mean for you?" asked Izuku nervously.
"Hm?"
"I mean, will you be able to continue your hero duties?" asked Izuku.
"HAHA! Not to worry, Young Midoriya! I will always be All Might. The transfer isn't quick, it will take a long time before One for all is fully transferred to you. But you'll begin to feel the inklings of its power beginning to develop inside you. Until then, I should be able to continue my hero work as normal." Answered All Might in his cheerful tone.
"Thank goodness." Said Izuku as he breathed a sigh of relief.
"But know this, my fighting will have to end eventually. When I will no longer bear the power of One for all, it will be your responsibility to continue the fight for peace. And I have no doubt in my mind, you will do me proud."
"Thank you, All Might. I'll do my best, sir!"
"Good, let me know when you begin to feel the power. We will work on helping on you control it until then, whatever you do! Don't use it! I'm sure you remember I told you, if used carelessly you could endanger your own life." warned All Might. Izuku remembered their conversation from the very first time they began their training and about how an unprepared vessel could lose their limbs if not used appropriately.
"Understood, All Might!"
Present
"Hm… it's been a few days since I ate All Might's hair but… I still don't feel any different. I wonder if it's cos of my spider powers. Maybe they're… Oh! S-Sayuri? What are you doing here?" asked a surprised Izuku as he dropped his weights.
"Ah… I was just on my way home but what are you doing? With the current weather, you should be going home, Midoriya." Advised Sayuri. The cold wind blew through her hair causing her to feel a chill, she slowly rubbed her hands to feel warmer. Izuku noticed her shivering and quickly took out a small plastic packet from his pocket.
"What is this?" asked Sayuri.
"It's a heat patch. Please take it. I'm just continuing my training so I can apply for U.A." Offered Izuku but surprising Sayuri.
"Thank you but training for U.A?"
"Y-yeah! I still haven't given up. I've been working hard to make sure that I could apply. In fact, I…"
"Are you sure you are up to the task? I must be direct; I am certain that someone with your… capability does not have the best of chances to get in. Due to your lack of a… quirk." Said Sayuri. Izuku looked down in disappointment because he knew what she was trying to tell him but she wasn't aware of the truth.
"I understand why you're concerned but you don't have to worry. I've been training consistently for the past half a year and I've come a long way." Replied Izuku with confidence, knowing he had two sets of powers.
"I can see that. Your performance at school against Bakugo really caused quite a stir amongst the students. Even I was impressed." Said Sayuri as she smiled at Izuku.
"Oh… uh, thanks." Replied Izuku nervously as he ruffled his hair upon seeing her smile.
"Oh, by the way, I nearly forgot." Izuku went towards his backpack and grabbed a little box from his backpack. Sayuri was just looking with confusion at what he was doing.
"Here. This is for you." Said Izuku while offering a tiny box with a bow tie towards Sayuri. However, Sayuri was confused at the gesture.
"May I ask what this is?" asked Sayuri as she curiously looked at the tiny box.
"Well… I-I know that it was your birthday today. So, I had this prepared for you but… I didn't know when the right time was. I mean, you were so swamped with all your fans so I never had the chance." Replied Izuku nervously.
Sayuri slowly picked up the box from Izuku's hands but she still didn't expect a gift from him. With the shower of gifts that she received from all of her admirers, for some reason, she was actually touched by it.
"Thank you." Said Sayuri. She slowly began opening it and took out the gift. It was an All Might Chibi key ring in his signature pose with a small message which read, "Don't worry, … will be your hero!" with some space to write a name. Sayuri carried on staring at the key ring while Izuku was slowly fidgeting with his hair in confusion.
"I-I've never bought a gift for a girl before, s-so I wasn't sure what to get you. B-but I hope you like it." Izuku looked over to Sayuri and saw her blank stare at the key ring. He looked down on the ground, disappointed since he was sure that his gift wasn't up to par with what everyone else gave her.
"I-It's pretty lame, isn't it? I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have…" Sayuri's blank face turned into a gentle smile as she turned back to Izuku.
"No, not at all. I very much adore this gift. Thank you, Midoriya." Izuku's eye widened upon looking at Sayuri's smile, he was speechless with his mind feeling blank at such a cute expression. Sayuri was never one to show an expression around others besides her family but this was the first time Izuku saw her smile in the few years they've been in school.
"A-ah. Y-you're… y-you're welcome." Said Izuku turning red in embarrassment.
"But come now Midoriya, I respect your tenacity to work harder but I must insist that you go home now. This climate is too cold and it is far too dangerous."
"Uh… okay then, but what about you? Don't you normally get picked up?" asked Izuku since he remembered seeing a large limousine at the school and only assumed it was hers. Sayuri gripped her bag and looked away for moment before replying to Izuku.
"I'm afraid there were some… complications." Replied Sayuri as the two left the beach together.
Musutafu Streets
Izuku and Sayuri decided to walk home together to keep each other safe but in Sayuri's eyes, she was keeping him safe since she wasn't aware of Izuku's spider powers. As the two continued walking, Sayuri explained why she decided to walk home instead of being driven home. Izuku could hear the frustration in her voice, understanding that she missed her family.
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Said Izuku. Sayuri gently shook her head to his apology and looked back to him.
"Do not apologise, it is not your fault. Besides they clearly had to set their priorities to the company, they were competing with Oscorp to continue their contract with U.A. We all have our responsibilities and clearly theirs is more important than… me." Said Sayuri as she tightened the grip of her bag.
"But it's fine, my family's work is clearly too important." Said Sayuri.
"It's okay to feel upset about it." Said Izuku as he tried to help her relax.
"I beg your pardon?" asked Sayuri who was caught off guard by Izuku's words and stood still.
"I mean, I've heard of all the work they do. I can only assume the amount of work they must have… but they have a responsibility to their daughter as well." Said Izuku.
"I have already told you; this is but a trivial matter. It's a not a concern to me whatsoever. I don't…"
"Your hands… you grip them when you're frustrated. Sometimes in class, against Kachan and during the whole time you were telling me about them, you held your bag quite tightly." Explained Izuku. Sayuri was taken aback by Izuku's observation, normally she was always good at keeping herself composed but she didn't expect him to pick up on it. Sayuri simply looked away in frustration not being able to compose herself. Izuku immediately realised what he did and started to panic.
"I-I'm not trying to insult your parents by the way! I-I just think that they should be more considerate to you. After all, you work so hard and I just thought…" said Izuku before he stopped talking as Sayuri turned back to him with a serious expression.
"That's enough, please allow us to move on from this topic." Said Sayuri in a cold manner.
"Oh, okay." Answered Izuku.
"Tell me again Midoriya, you said you applied for U.A?" asked Sayuri.
"Yeah, I've sent my application for the U.A entrance exam in February. For the Hero course." Said Izuku. She could see his excited expression but feared what it might lead to.
"Midoriya." Said Sayuri as she stopped walking.
"Yes?" said Izuku as he stopped as well.
"I don't think you should go to U.A." said Sayuri which surprised Izuku.
"What? Why? I'm a lot stronger than I was a year ago." Said Izuku.
"Yes, I've noticed that. Your performance in school has drastically changed and you've become more confident. But it's not enough. Midoriya, you can reach the peak of human capability but against a strong quirk user… you don't stand a chance." Explained Sayuri to Izuku's disappointment.
"B-but you saw me take on Kachan's attack, I can do it." Said Izuku as the two remembered the events of the dodgeball game and how he managed to defeat Bakugo.
"That was a sport, a game. As impressive it was for you to have withheld his quirk, there's no comparison. In actual combat, he could kill you if he unleashes the full extent of his powers." Said Sayuri. Izuku was lost for words and couldn't think of anything to counter her with. To which he decided to resort to his trump card.
"But I do have powers! I recently got my quirk to activate." said Izuku in a frustrated manner which even surprised Sayuri.
"Pardon? What are you talking about?" asked Sayuri since she's never heard of people unlocking their quirks at such a late age, she wasn't even sure if he was telling the truth.
"Yeah, it's true! Look!" said Izuku as he tried to harness the power of One for All into this right fist. But nothing happened. Right after he attempted to fire a web line but due to a lack of food during the day, he had used up all of his webs. Izuku turned to Sayuri and noticed her expression of disappointment since it just began to look pathetic in her eyes what he was attempting. She had even less of a reason to believe him.
"Okay, it doesn't work right now because I'm hungry! But I swear, I can do other stuff too. I can predict attacks and jump like an athlete. I can even stick to…" explained Izuku but Sayuri had enough and activated her quirk, as her eyes began to flow, Izuku was surrounded with her purple projectiles in an instant.
"Tell me, what would you do in this situation?" asked Sayuri. Izuku, however, was frozen in place since he didn't anticipate that attack whatsoever. Looking around, every angle and every escape route was covered by her projectile, making it impossible to escape.
"Wha… why didn't my Spider-sense activate? I should've anticipated this but… I can't even move. Even if I saw this coming… there's nothing I can do." Thought Izuku as he looked around and saw the seriousness in Sayuri's eyes. It was at that moment he realized how helpless he was and how powerful she was, he started shaking upon realizing how outclassed he was.
Sayuri, believing she got her message across, stopped her quirk and reverted to her normal appearance. Izuku was looking down in disappointment upon realizing that even with 8 months training, he was too far behind. Sayuri, Bakugo and all the students who will apply for U.A will be on a level so much further than Izuku ever would be. While he does have his Spider powers, he's barely tapped into the power of One for All. In fact, he can't even use it.
"Do you understand now, Midoriya? It's nice to dream but you have to set your expectations at a realistic level. I don't want you to go to U.A only to endanger your own life when the results will be obvious." Explained Sayuri in a serious tone. Izuku just grit his teeth due to his frustration and clenched his fist.
"Someone once told me… I can be a hero." Replied Izuku which surprised Sayuri. She wasn't sure if he was lying but she could see his annoyance through his fists.
"Even you… you told me I was heroic… you even told me I could become powerful in my own right. And I'm trying! I worked so hard for these past few months! Because I want to be a hero! I want to be like you!" said Izuku as he tried to hold back his tears and surprising Sayuri, causing her to skip a beat upon hearing his words. She was feeling a tremendous guilt but she knew she had to be firm to protect him.
"…Midoriya." Izuku looked up to Sayuri who took a deep breath before giving him a stern look.
"You will never… be able to protect me." Said Sayuri which was the last straw for Izuku, he couldn't hold back his tears any longer and was speechless. It hurt him even more because she was one of the reasons why he believed his dreams could be a reality. Even though he had his new found Spider powers, All Might reassured him, trained him and given him One for All, Izuku's heart felt torn up.
Sayuri knew she hurt him; she knew that those words would cut him deep but Sayuri was trying to be realistic with him. She wasn't aware of his powers but she believed that even if he was telling the truth, it was too late for him. He was so far behind that he'd never be able to compete with anyone.
"Midoriya… forgive me for being blunt. I know my words are harsh but… I just want you to be safe. It's a dangerous world out there and I would not be able to live with myself knowing that my friend could be in danger and I steered him towards it." Explained Sayuri but Midoriya remained motionless and kept his head down. She tried to reach out to him but Midoriya turned away.
"I need to go." Replied Midoriya while looking away. Sayuri immediately pulled her hand back and grabbed her bag again.
"Oh, I see. Well, I wish you a safe journey home and a Merry Christmas." Said Sayuri.
"You too and… happy birthday." Replied Izuku as he started walking the other way. Sayuri tightly grabbed her bag once again and held in her emotions as she was watched Izuku walk away. Even though she was feeling upset at what had transpired, she felt as though she just transferred her frustration to one of her friends.
Sayuri never had any ill intentions but she took it upon herself to help Izuku get back to earth and face reality. Even though she fulfilled her purpose, she didn't feel any sense of accomplishment but rather a pain, in her heart. Because Sayuri realised, she was alone once again. She turned away and started heading the opposite direction of Izuku. Izuku on the other hand was heading home, no longer feeling the motivation he had earlier to train. Instead, he just wanted to go home and get in bed for the entire of Christmas.
"I can't believe… the difference in our power. Am I really that weak?" Thought Izuku as he continued on but then his Spider sense began activating.
"What the heck? What's the point of activating now? What's going on?" thought Izuku as he held his head.
At that moment, two strange men were approaching him. A tall muscular man with a beard and tanned skin, wearing a thick white jacket, jogging bottoms and winter hat. Next to him was a giant of a man with huge muscular arms and an ox shaped moustache. He too wore a thick red jacket (custom made since he was huge), black jogging bottom and timberland boots. Izuku could feel his Spider sense getting stronger the closer they were, he got himself ready just in case but they just walked past him.
"Pardon us, kid." Said the tall muscular man.
"That's weird? They don't seem that threatening. My powers didn't activate when my life is in danger by Sayuri's powers but when two strangers go past me, it reacts crazily. What's going on? I just don't understand my spider sense." thought Izuku as he watched the two walk away. But the further they got, the less reactive his spider sense became.
"Strange, what was that all about? Did it react cos they looked shady or dangerous? Or was it cos I thought they were dangerous? Well, whatever. I should get home now; mom must be worried." thought Izuku as he continued walking on home. However, as he continued walking, he couldn't help but feel uneasy knowing that they triggered his Spider sense. Izuku stopped as he remembered that students had been missing recently and realised something important. They were walking towards Sayuri's direction.
"Oh no! SAYURI!" thought Izuku as he quickly turned around and got ready to run.
"You will never… be able to protect me." The words that Sayuri told him came to mind and he immediately hesitated, thinking that there would be no point in going. After Sayuri's demonstration, he felt as though he'd be wasting his time.
"What's the point? She doesn't need me. Besides, I'm sure I'm just imagining things, those guys didn't seem that threatening." Izuku then turned around and continued home.
December 24th, Saturday (Izuku's home)
Just another regular day, Izuku had just woken up. He barely slept because Sayuri's words were still in his mind. He was still going to apply for the Hero Course and do his best to become the hero like how he promised All Might. But for some reason, Sayuri's word just wouldn't leave him. He still felt cold as he tried to get out of his bed and wore his shirt. He looked down and noticed how his shirt was beginning to pull up towards his stomach.
"My clothes are getting small. I should probably get some new ones." Thought Izuku as he ruffled his hair and went towards the living room. His mother was already there with the television on, watching the news.
"Morning, mom."
"Izuku! Come quick, look at the news!" said Inko. Izuku quickly turned his attention to the screen and saw the breaking news about another missing student. But upon seeing who it was, Izuku turned white with fear.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I advise you all to be vigilant and be warned! For another student has been kidnapped. Sayuri Mitsuko! Yesterday, about an hour after school had ended, Miss Sayuri was walking home but she never reached home!" yelled Jonah. However, this wasn't just his usual raging antics but genuine concern, as Sayuri was the daughter of one of his closest friends.
"The police have been investigating about her whereabouts and have found her bag in the west side of Musutafu city. If anyone has any information about her whereabouts, they are advised to contact their local authorities. I pray for nothing but her safe return." Said Jonah in a heartful manner. Izuku felt weak on the knees and fell back as he realised, that was the moment right before she was kidnapped.
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" thought Izuku as he ran to his room and grabbed his bag and usual attire.
"Izuku? Where are you going? You heard the news! It's dangerous to go outside!" warned Inko but Izuku didn't listen and quickly rushed outside. Inko quickly followed outside but by the time she got outside, Izuku was nowhere to be seen. She heard a ring on her phone and opened to see a message by Izuku which read…
"Mom, I need to go to the police station!" Inko just read the message and hoped for her son's safe return as she went back inside. Izuku was actually on the roof of the building, wearing the burnt All Might hoodie and ski goggles before jumping from building to building towards the crime scene.
"What have I done?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!" thought Izuku as he continued running. He looked around and noticed how there were police everywhere. Izuku couldn't even believe that Sayuri of all people could be kidnapped with her powerful quirk.
Izuku was constantly looking around and trying his best to find her. But what was the reason? Was it because he was worried? Because he liked her? Or rather because he felt responsible for not doing anything.
After a while of searching, he stopped on one of the building roofs before pulling his hoodie down and taking a breather. Izuku sat down and started breathing heavily at the idea that she could be hurt or God forbid, dead. He grabbed his head in a panic, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"Why?! Why didn't I do anything?!" thought Izuku as he fell into despair, feeling guilty. Just then, his phone started ringing, it was All Might. Izuku quickly picked it up.
"H-hello?"
"Hey kid, it's me. Are you okay?" said All Might.
"I-I'm fine. How are you?"
"Currently swamped with paperwork. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I heard that one of your classmates got kidnapped."
"Yes… I-I'm fine." Replied Izuku but he began to shake and cry.
"Kid? You, okay?"
"All Might… the truth is." Izuku began to explain about how he was there and how he left her after their conversation. He even told All Might about the two men that triggered his spider sense but he didn't do anything which he believe led to her kidnapping.
"I see. I'm glad you're okay."
"All Might, what should I do? This is all my fault. I should've stopped them; I knew they were dangerous."
"No, young Midoriya. For all we know, what you did was the most sensible thing. You don't know what you were up against and if they were powerful enough to kidnap your friend, then we must not under estimate them." Said All Might.
"But I let it happen. If I just didn't…"
"Young Midoriya, you can't blame yourself for…"
Izuku heard a crashing sound from afar. He immediately got up and went to the corner of his building and noticed the two strange men from yesterday, the average skinny man and the huge bulky man.
"It's them! They're the ones who triggered my spider sense! But what are they doing here?" thought Izuku as he carried on observing the two. The two were loading fridges into their van until the big man accidentally dropped one and an arm slipped off, revealing a male Gakuen student.
Izuku immediately covered his mouth in fear, preventing himself from screaming. His body began shaking as he sat down.
"YOU IDIOT! Be careful, Ushi!" yelled the skinny man as he looked around for any witnesses.
"Uh… Sorry, Rico." Apologised Ushi as he gently placed the young student back into the fridge and gently placed it into the fridge.
"The boss said we need to get these guys back to the Big Man in one piece! And he won't be happy if we don't deliver them undamaged!" said Rico quietly.
"Uh… okay. By the way, what should I do with…?" asked Ushi as he turned his attention to another larger fridge.
"Yeah, we need to be careful with that one. But I still can't believe our luck! Amongst the sea of fishes, we caught ourselves a mermaid!" laughed Rico.
Izuku was still frozen in fear, he was absolutely terrified fearing what happened to the student in the fridge. He was even more scared wondering if Sayuri ended up sharing the same fate. He immediately went back to his phone.
"All Might! All Might!" whispered Izuku in a panic.
"Hello? Midoriya, what's the matter?" responded All Might.
"I found them! The student kidnappers!" whispered Izuku nervously as he tried to keep his voice quiet. He looked around the corner one last time and saw the two men carry on loading more students in fridges.
"What?! Where are you?!" asked All Might in a surprise.
"I'm at the old recycling centre at the West of Musutafu." Answered Izuku.
"Okay! I'm going to call for reinforcement! Midoriya! Get out of there quickly and find a safe spot! Don't do anything reckless! Got it?" instructed All Might as he began transforming into his muscle form.
"Yes sir!" replied Izuku as he hung up his phone. He took a sigh of relief as he knew that the authorities and heroes were coming.
"Okay, I better get out of here before…" thought Izuku but then…
"Gah!" yelped Ushi as he got pushed back and another figure exited the large fridge.
"You bitch!" said Rico as he tried to reach the figure but a force sent him flying back towards a wall.
Izuku quickly turned his attention back to what was happening but he almost couldn't breathe the second he witnessed what was happening. Before him was Sayuri in her school uniform but she was slightly beat up, bleeding from her head and her glasses were gone. She slowly tried to stand up but her hands were tied behind her back and she couldn't use her quirk successfully.
Sayuri immediately tried to make a run for it and Ushi immediately grabbed her leg causing her to fall on her chest. She turned her attention to Ushi, using her quirk to send a purple hexagon shaped projectile towards Ushi.
Upon coming in contact with Ushi, it shattered on his face which made him yell in pain. He let her go and covered his sore face after Sayuri's attack. She slowly tried to get back on her knees but with the use of her quirk, her head was in such a state that her vision was beginning to blur.
Before she knew it, Rico was already standing before her and delivered a strong kick to her stomach. Sayuri coughed a little blood before toppling over and closing her eyes.
"Damn bitch!" cursed Rico before grabbed Sayuri by her hair.
"I had no idea it would be problematic to take care of one kid." Ushi gently rubbed his face before grabbing the fridge that was supposed to contain Sayuri. Rico let her go and threw her towards Ushi.
"Whatever, let's get goi…"
As soon as Rico turned around, he was met by a fist to his face and slammed into the ground. Ushi turned his attention to the young green haired boy and noticed an expression of pure rage.
"Who the hell are ya…" said Ushi as he picked up Sayuri.
"Let… her… go!" said Izuku angrily but both of them looked like they were ready to fight. Izuku immediately grabbed a trash lid, throwing it towards Ushi but he was able to grab the lid and crush it.
Izuku immediately tried to follow up with a punch but being a strong muscular man, he barely felt the punch. He attempted a kick but Ushi easily grabbed his leg and tossed him aside.
"I'm going to crush you, brat!" roared Ushi with anger.
Rico immediately jumped towards Izuku but Izuku dodged out of the way and grabbed Rico's back midway with his spider powers. Using all of his strength to throw Rico towards Ushi. However, Ushi was able to grab Rico. At that moment, Sayuri slowly opened her eyes and saw Izuku deliver a strong double kick, causing both of them to fall down. The impact knocked down Ushi but luckily Rico was able to get back up.
Rico quickly took out a small knife and charged towards Izuku. Izuku stiffened as he saw the man approach him with a weapon. Rico quickly started swinging left and right but Izuku managed to dodge each swing effortlessly. Izuku quickly performed a backflip while simultaneously kicking the knife out of Rico's hand. Rico grabbed his hand in pain but at that moment, Izuku delivered a strong uppercut sending the tall man flying up.
"Mi…dori…ya…?" said Sayuri as she closed her eyes and lost conscious.
"Okay! They're both down! I need to get Sayuri out of here!" thought Izuku as he was about to rush over to her but immediately afterwards, his spider sense began tingling, warning him of the attack that was coming behind him. He wasn't even given a chance to react since the attack came at a blindingly quick speed.
"AAH!" Izuku screamed as he felt a strong vibrating shock blast him towards the wall. Izuku fell back and felt weak around his whole body. Just then another shockwave blasted the wall causing the bricks to fall on top of Izuku and completely cover him.
"What's going on here?" asked another mysterious stranger in a trench coat.
"B-boss! We're sorry! We were getting the girl and this brat showed up…!" explained Rico as he slowly tried to get up while holding his jaw.
"Don't worry about it! I'll take care of him now!" continued Ushi as he cracked his knuckles ready to attack Izuku again.
"NO! We've wasted enough time! The police are on the way now for sure and we need to get moving!" said the mysterious stranger whose hands were charged with electricity.
"What about the kid?" asked Rico.
"Leave him. You idiots have already been compromised by the police and if we kill him, EVERY hero in the country will be after us. We've got a deadline to meet! Get these kids to the docks by 11 tonight or else the big man's gonna have our head." Demanded the mysterious stranger as he walked away.
Izuku used the last of his strength to try and reach out to Sayuri. She was literally several meters away from him but sadly, he couldn't reach her. Even if he could, he had no strength left. His eyes slowly closed as they slowly dragged Sayuri away.
"No… Sayuri."
Later
Izuku slowly woke up and found himself in a hospital bed, he was in the usual hospital attire and in a badly beat condition. His right arm was swollen and his leg was casted. As he looked around, he noticed the nurse about to leave but she noticed him waking up.
"You're awake! Doctor!" said the nurse. She immediately left the room and brought several people into the room, the doctor, Officer Tsukauchi, Death Arms and Kamui Woods and All Might in his skinny form.
"Young Midoriya! You're awake! How are you feeling?" asked All Might as he quickly went over to check the condition of the young boy.
"I-I'm fine… what happened?" asked Izuku through the pain.
"You were knocked out unconscious and ditched under rubble! You suffered a serious concussion and several contusions. It was as if you were hit by a truck and left for dead by the time we got there." Explained the Doctor as he went through his notes.
"But what were you thinking? Because of your actions, they escaped before we could catch them in the act!" said Death Arms angrily.
"Now now, there's no point in yelling at the boy. We should be thankful he made it out alive." Said the Officer Tsukauchi.
"And what about the other kids? What about Miss Mitsuko? Now we're nowhere closer to them than we were this morning! And it's all because of him!" said Kamui woods.
"Come now, he just made a mistake okay." Said All Might.
"Yeah, a mistake that's going to cost the lives of all those poor kids that have been kidnapped! If anything happens to those kids, their lives are on you! You got that! It's all your fault!" said Death Arms but All Might immediately stood in front of him and stopped him.
"Death Arms! That's enough! I think the boy's had enough." Said All Might.
"Fine! I'm going to the station to make preparations for tonight's raid. Just tell that kid to stay out of the way, it's not like this is the first time." Said Death Arms as he walked away with Kamui woods, remembering the Sludge villain incident. After all the commotion had died down, the doctor and nurse left them alone. All Might turned to Izuku.
"Young Midoirya, what were you thinking? Those villains could've killed you!" said All Might who could easily piece 2 and 2 together after seeing the state of crime scene.
"I-I just wanted to… help. I saw Sayuri and before I knew it, I just… moved on my own." Said Izuku
"Well, I…" said All Might but then, someone else had entered the room which was noticed by Officer Tsukauchi.
"Toshinori?" said the Officer. Both All Might and Izuku turned their attention to see Inko at the door with a bag of fruits.
"Izuku…" said Inko with tears in her eyes.
"Mom…"
"I think we should leave them be." Said Officer Tsukauchi.
"Understood, we have a meeting to go to." Said All Might
"Wait, All Might! What's going to happen now?"
"The heroes and the police are going to gather together for a raid at the Paint Factory in the East of Musutafu City. We received a tip that that is where the missing students are being held."
"The East? But I heard they were heading to the docks!"
"The docks? That's impossible, that area is secured by the Oscorp security. We even checked it out today earlier and found nothing."
"What? B-but I swear I heard them mention something about the Docks. I'm sure they were going to be there."
"And when exactly did you hear this?" asked Officer Tsukauchi.
"Just as I was under the rubble." Answered Izuku.
"Are you sure you didn't mishear anything? After a concussion, I'm not sure you must've been hearing properly." Said Officer Tsukauchi.
"I think… maybe? But I swear, I heard them say it."
"Well, we have no time for false leads. We're getting ready to move soon. And as for you young man, you're staying here. Got it!?" said All Might in an authoritative manner causing Izuku to flinch. But he responded with a slow nod.
All Might shook his head in disappointment before leaving the room with officer Tsukauchi. As the two left, Inko quickly ran to her child and hugged him with tears in her eyes. The one thing she was afraid of happening was the exact thing that happened and she was terrified when she heard her son was in the hospital.
Sometime later
Izuku was sat on his hospital, hoping that the students were saved and feeling tremendously guilty over what had happened to Sayuri. The words that were told to him by the heroes and All Might stuck by him and he couldn't get them out of his mind.
"It's all your fault!"
"The villains could've killed you!"
"What were you thinking?!"
"Just tell that kid to stay out of the way!"
Izuku clenched his fist in frustration, he could feel tears streaming down his face. After the events of today, he was so upset with himself and he couldn't believe all that he did.
"Because of my anger… my stupidity… my jealousy… Sayuri had to pay the price. My selfish actions caused someone I care about had to suffer. Every time I try to do something right, I just end up making things worse." Thought Izuku as he covered his eyes. He continued crying, feeling so frustrated at what had happened. At that moment, his mother walked in with a letter and a plastic bag full of apples and oranges.
"Izuku?" said Inko.
"Mom…?"
"What's the matter, honey?" asked Inko as she sat beside her son and wiped his face with a tissue. Izuku immediately wiped his face being embarrassed that his mother had to take care of him like a child.
"I messed up… really badly. Because of my selfish attitude, I've risked Sayuri's life and the lives of all the other children." Confessed Izuku.
"Yes, you did. The police officers told me about what you did, why would do something so reckless? Even after I warned you, why didn't you listen to me?" asked Inko.
"It's because… it was my fault she was caught in the first place. I had the power to stop it and I didn't. And because of me, Sayuri was kidnapped." Said Izuku surprising Inko.
"Power? What power? You're just a child." Said Inko. Izuku realised that his mother knew the truth about him and his reason for being out all the time. She had believed it was just a fitness exercise but Izuku thought it was time she knew the truth.
"Mom… I didn't want to tell you this until I got better control of it. But I have a quirk, super strength." Said Izuku causing Inko to gasp.
"Y-you do?! When?" asked Inko who was welling up with tears at the news of her son unlocking a hidden power. Izuku looked out the window, remembering the horrific night of the Man Spider and so he decided to be careful with what he would say.
"It happened a few months ago."
"When you started training to apply for U.A?"
"Yes, and I haven't been good at controlling it just yet. I still have so much to learn but only if I could've used this power to save Sayuri. But why does it matter, I just made things even worse." Said Izuku. Inko looked over to son and saw the emotions pouring out of him. She too was overflowing with emotions after hearing his words but she also had something to get off her chest.
"Izuku… do you remember the words I told you when you were a child?"
Izuku remembered the words of his mother as she crying and holding a young child who had his dreams crushed. But he was confused as to why she would want to bring up such a moment.
"Y-yes, I do."
"Back when you were a child… I couldn't tell you the words you wanted to hear because I didn't think it would be possible for you since you didn't have a quirk." Said Inko as she wiped away her tears.
"But now that I'm hearing you have a quirk! I'm so happy for you, honey! I really am!" said Inko as she smiled at her son.
"It always tore me up inside knowing that I couldn't support my child's dream but hearing this, it makes me so happy!"
"Thanks mom."
"But I can't support you if you continue these reckless escapades, Izuku." Said Inko which didn't surprise Izuku. At this point, his actions were borderline criminal and he was just being reckless.
"I'm sorry mom. It's my fault. I was told that with great power, comes great responsibility and yet I didn't live up to that responsibility." Said Izuku.
"With great power, come great responsibility? Then tell me, what are your responsibilities?" asked Inko which surprised Izuku.
"To go after criminals? To endanger your own life? Izuku, you're just a kid. You're not All Might, you have to stop burdening yourself with weight of the world on your shoulders. Just because you have a quirk, doesn't make your life easier. It doesn't make you someone who has to do everything right. I mean even Heroes will make mistakes but they have to get past them to become stronger."
"And don't think blaming yourself and just being hard on yourself will help you. That's not what being responsible is. Being responsible starts by taking care of yourself and owning your mistakes and doing what you can to fix them." Said Inko.
Izuku just listened to his mother words and realised that she was right. He may have been given powers but it made him far from perfect. Izuku realised he still had so much to learn and he had to learn to forgive himself and focus on the more important task at hand.
"Thanks mom. I really needed to hear that." Said Izuku as he wiped his tears and hugged his mom.
"Izuku, I just want you to know that I will support your dream no matter what. But you have to promise me that you will attain them properly."
"I promise, mom."
Okay, I need to go home now but I'll come and pick you up tomorrow morning. Oh also, this is for you. Try not to eat them all over night." Said Inko as she left a letter and bag of fruits besides Izuku.
"Thanks mom."
"Now make sure you get your rest okay. Goodnight honey." Said Inko as she left the room. Izuku on the other hand kept pondering what his mother said and made a fist upon repeating her words.
"Owning my mistakes... I've got to do what I can to fix them. I intend on keeping my promise, I will save you Sayuri!" said Izuku as he got up and took off his hospital outfit and started changing into his spare outfit. To his surprise, his swollen arm and leg had already recovered. As he continued changing, he noticed the letter his mother brought him.
"What's this?" said Izuku as he opened the letter and found a very tiny device and a map. He pressed the button on the device and it began to play a recording.
"Hey Midoriya! Long time no see, how come we haven't kept in contact? Didn't you get my number from the last time we met? Clearly not since I had to send this voice recorded message to your address which took me a while to find. But anyways, I've completed the gadgets I promised you a few months ago and I really wanted to give it to you. If you're free, feel free to come to the abandoned carshop in the west of the city tonight. Here's my number, call me if you need me. ;)"
"H-Hatsume? How on earth did she get my address? And what is this? But tonight? When did she send this? But she's said she's got those gadgets ready and like it or not, I'm going to need them! Time to move!" said Izuku as he grabbed his bag and wall crawled out of the hospital.
West side of Musutafu City
Izuku was waiting in an abandoned area of the city, it was the address that Hatsume gave him in accordance to her instructions. He wasn't sure what could happen so he did his best to be vigilant and kept his guard up after recent events.
"Come on, Hatsume. Where are you?" Izuku activated his phone to see if there were any messages or calls but he wasn't fortunate enough to get any which just made him slump.
"Oh boy, I hope I'm not making a mistake. I don't have time to…"
"THERE YOU ARE!" Izuku shook in surprise before Hatsume went over and gave him a slap on the back. Izuku slumped as he could feel his heart about to pop out of his chest, not only because he was close to a girl but also due to fear.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya! But boy, how many months has it been since we spoke, huh?! 2 or 3? Ah, that's irrelevant! How ya been doing?" asked Hatsume who was wearing yellow sweater and sweatpants with a pair of mechanical boots. Izuku calmly got his thoughts together and turned back to Hatsume.
"I-I've been better… but good to see you again, Hatsume." Replied Izuku nervously since the only girls he was comfortable speaking to was Sayuri, Ayumi and his mom. He also couldn't deny that Hatume was very beautiful and carrying a stack… of equipment.
"So, what's up? You made it sound pretty urgent on the phone. As if it was life or death." Said Hatsume. Izuku looked down as he remembered all that had transpired in the past few hours and what he would need to do.
"To be honest, I think it is." Replied Midoriya as he began explaining what he heard today and how they planned on shipping away the children tonight at 11 pm.
"Whoa! Seriously?! Then what are you waiting for? Call the cops! Or even any hero for that matter! This is vital information!" exclaimed Hatsume in a panic. But to her response, Izuku simply shook his head since he knew they wouldn't trust him anymore.
"Trust me, I want to but I screwed up deep today! Now no one wants to believe me, no police, no heroes or even All Might!"
"All Might?"
"Ah, I mean… I-I don't think he'd BELIEVE me is what I meant! They've all headed East, the opposite direction because they believed that perpetrators could be in the old paint factory. But my gut feeling just tells me that they'll be at the docks. And if Sayuri's life is on the line, I can't take such a risk." Said Izuku.
"So, what are we gonna do? There's only 3 hours before 11!"
"That's what I called you here for." Said Izuku
"Huh?" surprising Hatsume.
"I want you to help me save those kids!" requested Izuku but Hatsume immediately backed away in a panic.
"Whoa whoa whoa! You aren't thinking what I'm thinking, are you?"
"Hatsume, you told me you were developing something to help me control my powers, right? Do you have them?"
"I do, but I was hoping that it would help you in your future endeavours to become a hero! Not vigilantism! Midoriya, I don't think I can be a part of this! This is insane!"
Izuku took a deep breath before slowly exhaling and turning his attention to Hatsume again who had a nervous reaction. Compared to when they first met, she saw something incredible in his eyes that she didn't see before. Determination!
"Hatsume, I know what I'm asking for is selfish and I definitely didn't want to drag you into this. But I don't have a choice! Right now, my friend is trapped there, afraid, hurt… and alone! And it's all my fault." Admitted Izuku which surprised Hatsume.
"Your fault?"
"I had a moment of hesitation. And in that moment, I chose not to act and now my friend has to pay for it. I will never forgive myself if anything happens to her because of my stupid decision. I was told that with Great power comes great responsibility, and yet I had the power but I didn't live up to that responsibility."
"Oh… I had no idea." Said Hatsume because she could feel the sincerity of his words.
"Just once in my life, I turned a blind eye. And with that mistake, I might lose someone dear to me. I understand that you don't want to help me. After all, you have such an aspiring goal, I don't want to be a burden to you for it. But I can't do this alone." Answered Izuku as he clenched his fists. Hatsume looked over to him and began pondering.
"And you won't have to. I'll definitely help." Said Hatsume.
"Really?" asked Izuku with a smile.
"What are partners for right?" said Hatsume as she offered a handshake and Izuku happily accepted the handshake.
"Alright then, if you're gonna go on this mission. Then you're gonna need several things." Said Hatsume as she went over to her backpack.
"What're those?" asked Izuku.
"Surveillance, some tools and most importantly, a new identity." Listed Hatsume.
"I think I got the last one covered!" replied Izuku as he took out his All Might hoodie, handkerchief and the goggles he took from the burning building incident.
"I used these to cover my face last time, they should suffice right?" said Izuku as he got into a fighting pose but Hatsume simply looked down towards Izuku's choice in gear and shook her head in disappointment at his outfit.
"You're kidding, right?" said Hatsume bluntly.
"Huh?"
"I mean, you were thinking about taking on bad guys with this? If this "Mask" slips off, your identity is a goner! And good lordy, can you even see in these?" said Hatsume as she wore the burnt ski goggles on, she could barely see anything since they were slightly damaged and burnt.
"It's honestly all I got. I don't have anything professional." Admitted Izuku as he began wearing the hoodie.
Hatsume, however, began thinking as she started going through her bag. She took out some paint and some mechanical tools. She grabbed the goggles and went to Izuku. She went right in front of him and pulled the jumper off his body but accidentally taking his shirt off too, revealing his six pack and muscled arms. At the sight, Hatsume quickly turned her face away from Izuku as she began to spray the hoodie down with blue, red and black colours.
"Whoa… you been working out?" complimented Hatsume as she continued to work on the hoodie. She remembered Izuku having a strong physique but now he had the bulk to show it off. However, Izuku was shaking on the spot since he was topless and it was literally -6.5 degrees outside.
"Y-yeah… H-HEY! What're you doing?! That's my limited edition All Might Jumper!" cried Izuku as he turned white in shock. Hatsume began spraying the rest of the burnt spots into the colour blue and then drawing a spider like symbol on it.
"Now isn't the time! I don't have any of my workshop tools, so I'm gonna have to do the best with what I've got. Oh, and before I forget!" said Hatsume. Hatsume took out a box from her bag, she smiled as she went over to Izuku and passed it to him. Izuku looked back towards her before Hatsume nudged him to open it. Upon opening the box, there were two mechanical wrist devices.
"Considerate an early Christmas gift, I made em myself! Took a while but I tried to fit them to your needs." Said Hatsume as she smiled at the devices. Izuku slowly took out the mechanical braces and wore them around his wrists, with a trigger on the base of his palms for simplicity's sake.
"Amazing, but what do they do?" asked Izuku as he continued inspecting the gadgets.
"So, I took a sample of your webs and checked out all of their properties and it blew my mind how sturdy these things were. Honesty, they're even stronger than steel wires! They're supposed to allow you to change the way you fire your webbing and its density. I call them… web shooters!" exclaimed Hatsume as she brought out a tiny capsule in her hand.
"What's that?"
"I was so impressed by this substance that I attempted to make my own special concoction. Check it out." Hatsume twisted the dial on Izuku's web shooter and opened the device to insert the capsule.
"This basically allows you to fire the webbing in the capsule I inserted in different forms. For example, you can shoot a spread, a thick goop and most importantly, a thin line. Of course, I haven't perfected the formula yet but it's still good. Sadly, it's not permanent or strong like your webbing, it keeps dissolving in 2 hours." Admitted Hatsume as she pressed the trigger on Izuku's web shooter and fired a net like webbing. Izuku started tugging on the net to see how strong it was and it amazed him how the fake webbing that Hatsume made was strong but with enough force, it was easily breakable.
"Whoa, incredible! What about this one?" asked Izuku as he swapped the dial and fired a thin web line but upon coming in contact with a wall, it ricocheted upwards. "What the heck was that?"
"Ah… a special webbing. I call it "Ricochet Web". A special chemical I made infused with the webbing, allows the web to change its trajectory upon the first contact. There's only a limited amount in each web shooter so use them carefully. But as you can see, setting 1 through 4 will use the webbing that you produce and anything afterwards will be my artificial webbing."
"Wow, how did you know about my webbing shortage issues?" asked Izuku as he continued inspecting the device.
"You have webbing shortage issues?" asked Hatsume since it was the first time, she had heard of it.
"Oh uh yeah, I found out that my webbing is directly linked to my metabolism. So, I can only produce as much as I've eaten. If I starve myself, I can't produce any webs. But thank goodness you managed to make these." Said Izuku since he was glad that he didn't have to worry about running out of webs just in case.
"Huh, how convenient. How come you only figured this out now and didn't tell me before?" asked Hatsume since she thought that Izuku would've know such a weakness when they first met. Izuku began to panic and stammer as he tried to think of an excuse.
"Well, its fine. But for now, then, take this." Said Hatsume as she offered a Izuku's blue All Might Hoodie. This time the torso was completely covered in blue paint with the sleeves being red. Additionally, it had a large diagonal black spider symbol in the middle. Izuku was completely torn up since that was one of his favourite hoodies, mind you it was already full of cuts and burns from last time.
"So, what's this for?" asked Izuku as he wore the outfit.
"Midoriya, you're about to commit a serious crime. And if we want to get out this unscathed (Hopefully), we need to make sure that no one recognises you. And so, we need to think of a new identity for you." Suggested Hatsume.
"If that's the case… how about the insect man?" offered Izuku to which Hatsume gave him a look of disapproval.
"Uh… the web slinger?"
"I'm gonna pass on that one."
"The crawler?"
"I like that… but it's taken."
"How about… Spider-man?"
"Huh… Spider-man. Not bad."
"Oh yeah, also make sure you're unrecognisable, got it?" said Hatsume as he prepared more equipment.
"What do you mean?" asked Izuku.
"Your voice and your attitude must be different to the one that you're speaking of right now. If they even catch the slightest hint of who you are, we're going to be in trouble."
"So, what should I do?"
"Considering you're a nerdy shy shut in with barely any friends in real life, I need you to be confident and who knows, talkative too." Said Hatsume which felt like an emotional punch to Izuku's pride since he had no way to retorting what she said.
"Alright, so here's the plan." Said Izuku as he looked over to the docks for the rescue mission.
Chapter End
I need to rewrite this whole chapter