Corruption of the Light
Chapter 2
o - o -O - o - o
"Well fuck."
Izuku just stood there dumbfounded. His hero, the current Symbol of Peace, was standing in his apartment. He even swore. Something Izuku couldn't quite believe, never in his life could he imagine All Might saying the 'fuck', much less being in his home. Oh hell, he was rambling in his mind, almost making him forget that the local news was going to be airing a story on him.
That thought had knocked Izuku out of his hero worshiping stupor. The news was going to reveal what he had done. What were people going to think? His teachers and classmates? The neighbors? Oh lord, what was he going to do when his mother found out? She wouldn't let him hear the end of it. She worried about him on a good day. What would she do when she found out that he was willingly throwing himself into dangerous situations?
Wait a minute, not all hope was lost. He remembered there was no media present when he talked with the police, so maybe someone just captured the happenings on a phone camera and there was the fact that no one had attempted to contact him from the station, so he was pretty sure they couldn't show his face without him signing a release. So he maybe he was in the clear…
"Young Midoriya, are you okay?"
Izuku just waved his hand in response. All Might could wait, he needed to figure out what he was going to say to his mother…
"I'm sure you will be fine, your mother is probably understanding woman."
Izuku just shot his hero a look.
"You were muttering..."
Izuku just glanced at All Might before he continued his muttering and began to pace before finally turning back to the blonde man. "You don't know my mother sir. She looks unassuming, a typical mom, but she can be very, very, scary when she wants to be. When I was ten, we were coming home from grocery shopping when a man bigger than you attempted to mug us. My mom had him in tears before leading him to the local police box so he could turn himself in in under three minutes."
All Might just nodded as he took in the slightly manic look in the teen's eyes.
"When I was eight, I was being bullied by a couple of kids I used to go to school with. When mom find out she went to the school and had a talk with the principal and a few teachers. They came out of that meeting looking twenty years older. My mom doesn't do understanding, she goes for broke when it comes to me. Now what do you think she's going to do to me, her only child, who could have gotten hurt or worse by his own decision?"
All Might wisely kept his mouth shut, his minding painting a wildly different picture of the woman than what he imagined in the photos, before the telltale feeling of his body beginning to revert…
Izuku stopped his pacing as he finally noticed the trembling of the man before him, before steam erupted from the figure, revealing once again the gaunt form of Mr. Yagi. Something ticked In Izuku's mind. All Might's quirk was thought to be a strength enhancement, not transformation… Who the hell was this in front of him?
"Who are you really?" Izuku asked as he began to back up slowly, gaining distance between himself and the impostor.
"Listen kid." Yagi said as he took a seat at the table, gesturing to the teen to join him. "My name is Toshinori Yagi, but you know me better by my hero persona, All Might."
"Forgive me for not believing you, but you seem to be a bit thin to be All Might."
"It's like this boy, my hero form. It's like the guys who suck in their guts at the pool. This is what I really look like most of the time."
Izuku just stared before speaking. "That's a bit more than sucking in your gut. You gained mass, I could hear the floor creaking under your weight."
Yagi just shrugged. "I'm not sure why my quirk does what it does, I just always changed when I used my quirk." The man said as before he pulled his shirt up, revealing a horrific scar to the teen. "But my time with my hero form is becoming less and less ever since I received this wound and soon I won't be able to transform anymore. That is why I have been searching for a successor. Someone who I can pass on my legacy to."
"Your legacy?"
"My power, boy. Today I saw a young man willing to give up everything to help someone, without care for his own well being. That is the makings of a great hero, someone willing to help someone not for glory but just because it was the right thing to do. You helped that girl and the police officer, you may not have the license but you were their hero today, and you made me remember my own promise to myself. That only way one can be true hero is by willing to risk it all, and for that..." The man bowed deeply. "I apologize for my words earlier."
Izuku just stood there mouth agape.
"Which is why I believe you are the perfect candidate for One For All."
"One for what now?"
"My quirk, young Midoriya. It has the ability to be passed down between users. Growing stronger each time, and as my master has passed it to me, I would like to pass it down to you. Though the choice is yours."
Izuku couldn't believe it. He was being offered the chance to complete his dream, Even getting a quirk. He just needed to say yes, but everything came with catch. Nothing in life was truly free. "What's the catch?"
Yagi slowly stood up and walked around the teen, silently taking notes and observations before speaking. "You will need to train, harder than you ever have. As you are now, if I passed my quirk to you and you attempted to use it, it would cause your limbs to explode, rather violently, if not kill you outright."
'Okay, that's one hell of a catch. Exploding limbs did not sound conductive to hero work, much less regular day to day life.' Izuku though as he continued to listen to Yagi.
"So I will need to create a training regime that will prepare you to inherit my quirk as well as preparing you for the UA entrance exam. It's going to take hard work, unbelievable amounts of determination and there will be times that you are going to hate my guts but you must persevere, but in doing so you will go from a rough boulder to a granite sculpture of your dedication. A testament of your will. Do you, Young Midoriya, have what it takes? To take the reins of your destiny and lead yourself to the future you want?" Yagi asked, as he bowed to bring himself eye to eye with the teen. "Will you do it?"
Izuku just stared into those shadowed eyes, before he nodded. One wouldn't amount to anything if they were unwilling to take the plunge when the time called for it.
Suddenly the overbearing and tense atmosphere was gone, replaced with a rather normal one. Well as normal as one can be with a teen and hero that looked like he was attempting to be the next Crooked man, can be. So sort of awkward. Yeah let's go with that.
"So what now?" Izuku asked.
"Well..." Yagi nervously ran a hand through his hair. "...I didn't exactly plan this far ahead."
Izuku couldn't but stare at his hero, causing the older man to break out in a nervous sweat. Even going so far as to ignore the television as the news came on, a slightly jittery video displaying his earlier exploits.
o - o -O - o - o
Several blocks away…
Katsuki Bakugou tried his damnedest to ignore the sensation of his swollen lip, but his body refused to listen to him, instead forcing him to run his tongue along the backside of his lip. Constantly refreshing the low throb of the bruised flesh, a constant reminder of that he had gone a step too far in insulting Deku. Even he would admit that he was asshole for what he told the teen. But what could he do?
His pride refused to let him admit that he made a mistake and apologize. An apology was sign of weakness, and he would never let it show that he could be weak. The world nowadays would take notice of any weakness, and quickly stomp it down. Something he refused to let happen to himself…
Lost in thought, he walked to the kitchen and to the fridge, opening the appliance and finding a plate of curry and rice with a note. Seems like he wouldn't have to make anything to eat. Thanking his mother, he grabbed the plate and closed the fridge with his hip before he made his way over to microwave and set it to heat up his food before leaving to grab his book bag as he headed to the living room.
Settling down on the couch, he popped on TV for some background noise as he pulled out the various assignments he had as homework, his brain seemingly ignoring the chatter from the newscasters as they talked about the various villain that occurred in the city that day, including the one that was Mt. Lady's debut.
Hearing a beep from the kitchen, he sat his work down the coffee table and pulled himself up, and made way his way back to kitchen, grabbing a spoon from the sink and a bottle of Tabasco sauce from the cupboard before making his way back to living room. It was by off chance that his ears caught the one bit from the news about an incident that was brought to a close not by hero, or even a vigilante, but by a so far unnamed someone.
Grabbing the remote, he turned up the volume as he returned to his seat, bringing up a spoonful of curry to his mouth as he paid attention to the TV.
"Now this video we're about to show you was sent to us by a viewer. It shows at what was thought to an escape attempt from a criminal after the vehicle they were being detained in was caught up in an accident but it seems like it was anything but..."
Katsuki chewed in silence for a moment before swallowing, before liberally dowsing his food in Tabasco sauce as he watched the video. He watched the back of the police van open and revealed a female officer being held hostage by some blue girl. His curiosity piqued when he heard people gasp as the person holding the camera quickly switched from the pair of women to a teenager walking forward from the crowd. A very familiar teenager as the camera zoomed on the green haired head.
"No fucking way..."
o - o -O - o - o
"Now details are sparse at the moment, but police have released this much. The person that was being detained has been revealed to be Erubetie Ito. A person who has been missing for several weeks after being last seen leaving a get together with friends. As to why her appearance has changed so drastically is currently unknown. As for the teen who put an end to the situation, his name has not been released. Though we were able to get an interview with some Heroes that arrived later..."
Inko Midoriya was the picture of calmness as she watched the news report next to one of the patients under her care, though under that calm demeanor her mind was in turmoil. Seeing her baby boy on the TV was not something she planned to see this day when she did a late shift at the hospital. Izuku was supposed to be at home. Puttering around with his notebooks or doing homework. Not throwing himself into a dangerous situation, though she was glad that everything turned out for the best, happy that the girl that had been missing for several weeks was found. Though she was not sure how she should take the blonde heroine talking about her boy, before the hero flushed as one of her fellow heroes remarked about how she was mad at not getting a chance to pet the 'broccoli' as well…
Yes… Izuku would have some explaining to do when she would come home in the morning…
o - o -O - o - o
Izuku tried to keep the blushing toned down, he really did. But it was so hard. Especially when it appeared that the town's newest hero wanted to pet him like a dog or that his hero was standing next to him was currently out of breath from laughing too hard.
"It...It's okay, Young Midoriya. It's not everyday that young man such as yourself would attract the attention from a female hero." The skinny man said he regained control of his breathing before giving him a thumbs up. "Though not an unwelcome one one eh?"
All Izuku could do was pout as his felt the tips of ears grow hot.
It had taken another fifteen minutes for the grown man to stop grinning at him and about two minutes after that to decide that maybe the best course of action would be to get Izuku's contact information. So when he did figure out how he would handle the boy's training, Izuku would know, before bidding the teen goodnight and leaving the teen to an empty apartment with a head full of thoughts.
Izuku felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as flopped down on the couch. He was going to do it, he was going to be a hero. Then there was the fact that All Might was going to personally going to train him before passing his quirk unto him.
How the hell did that work? Was it like a blood transfusion or was there some sort of rite? What if he didn't train enough? All Might stressed the fact that he had to train long and hard or the quirk could possibly making him explode. He didn't want to explode, what would his mother do if he popped?
Oh hell he forgot about his mom. There was no way that she didn't know about the incident earlier. Even if they blurred out his face. His hair was instantly recognizable as well as his school uniform, even if it was missing the jacket. Thankfully All Might had brought his jacket back, so she wouldn't be angry about that. She would still be mad at him, but maybe she wouldn't give him the look. The look always made him feel like she was so disappointed in him.
'Need to get my mind on something else..." Izuku thought to himself before he spotted the list that Mr. Miyagi had given him. He didn't remember removing it from his pocket, or how it managed to survive the attack from Miss Ito, but there it was. Maybe he would watch a movie before heading to bed. But how would he find a streaming site that had movies from several hundred years ago?
Turns out there were several and all it took to find them was a quick search with Google. A few quick key strokes and his laptop switched to English input. A few more and he found the movie he was looking for. Now to see if Mr. Miyagi was right after all.
o - o -O - o - o
Two hours later…
Izuku yawned as the credits rolled down his laptop screen. Karate Kid was an okay movie, not exactly the best, but not the worst. He could sorta relate to Daniel and he couldn't help but chuckle as he finally understood what his teacher was going on about. There were a few things he couldn't understand but that was expected from a nearly two hundred year old movie. Thankfully he could understand the language. Years of watching All Might's videos from America had given him a strong grasp of the English language along of years of schooling. Though he wasn't sure if he should've felt a little bit offended at how Miyagi was depicted, but he was getting tired and even if it was a Friday night he didn't plan on staying up too late.
*BRRRRR*
Izuku jumped at the noise before realizing that it was his phone and that someone had sent him a text.
"Young Midoriya, I did some thinking when I returned home and have come up with a plan for your training. I think you would agree with me that the sooner we begin, the better. So I would like you to meet me at this address tomorrow at 0600. Make sure to eat a hearty breakfast and prepare yourself to work harder than you ever have. AM. (ツ)"
Izuku blinked, once, twice, a third time. He didn't expect to Yagi to get back to him so soon or for the hero to use such cutesy emotes. He glanced at the corner of the phone's screen, noting the time. If he was lucky he would get six and half, seven hours of sleep before he would have to get up and leave. Now where did he have to go?
Clicking the address link, his phone switched to map mode. Bringing up the local area and highlighting a path that ended at place called Dagoba beach. Now why did All Might want to meet up at a beach?
o - o -O - o - o
Izuku shivered in the early morning air as he walked to his destination. Plus side of things, the briskness of the morning air chased away whatever sleepiness he had. His sleep had been anything but restful, his thoughts had kept him up till just after midnight, and he practically had to drag himself to the kitchen for a breakfast of cold cereal after getting dressed. Making sure he left a note for his mother he made his way. Bringing us to where we find him now. Lightly jogging down largely abandoned streets as he headed to Dagobah.
It was the smell that hit him first. Instead of the smell of salt on the air. It was the cloyingly sweet scent of rotten fruit mixed with old grease that assaulted his nose.
Slowing his pace, he started to hear the sounds of seagulls as he watched a few fly overhead, heading in the same direction he was. Then he saw the trash heaps in the distance, flocks of gulls swarming around the piles.
He pulled out his phone, double checking that he was indeed heading towards Dagobah beach and not the city's landfill only to feel his heart sink. It was the beach, even the sign by the street confirmed it. What the hell did All Might want him to do at this dump?
The man in question just watched as the teen approached, occasionally taking a sip from a metal thermos, as he leaned against an old pickup truck before he stepped forward finally spoke.
"You're early, Young Midoriya. I like that."
Izuku just mumbled a 'morrnin', as he glanced between Yagi and the mountains of garbage behind him. Something that Yagi took notice of .
"You are probably wondering why I brought you here, instead of someplace like a gym. My plan for you to completely clean this place up by the time of the UA entrance exams."
Izuku just stared. He was supposed to clean this place up in under ten months? There were fridges all over the place, old metal filing cabinets. There were even several old cars of various makes and models. He felt like he needed a tetanus booster just standing here… and like a mind reader, Yagi spoke.
"You are up to date with your shots yes?" Yagi asked as he tossed a pair of heavy leather gloves to the teen.
Izuku nodded, before finding himself scrabbling to catch the gloves before they hit the ground.
"Put those on and follow me."
Pulling on the gloves, Izuku followed. Letting himself be led down a set of concrete stairs before he felt sand underneath his feet. Stopping just as Yagi turned to face him.
Yagi spoke, as he bent down to pick up a stray can, tossing it onto another pile of garbage before stepping next to one of the large freezer. "Heroes nowadays do the job for the fame or just wanting to take down villains. Completely ignoring one of the key principals of what a hero is..." Before he shifted to his hero form and crushed the appliance. "We're public servants first, so lets turn this place into the first steps of your path towards greatness as you restore this place's horizon!"
Izuku felt something swell in himself, determination stamped out whatever self doubt he had left as he felt himself grin.
"Let's begin..."
"That's my boy!"
o - o -O - o - o
Lungs burned with each breath he took, as his arms ached as he tossed another tire into the bed of the truck. Several hours have passed since he arrived, but Izuku could already see a difference no matter how minuscule. He had cleared a small section of the beach, which Yagi had already taken advantage of.
The older man sat down on the sand, leaning against a cooler. As he read a paper, pausing occasionally to give a word of encouragement or make a comment. Before he finally sat the paper down and called him over.
"Time for a break, Young Midoriya. I say you earned it."
Izuku didn't say a word as he plopped down in the sand in front of the man.
"You did well." Yagi said as he fished something out of the cooler, before turning back to the teen and tossing him a paper bag. "Eat, you burned a lot of calories and the day is still young. You still have a lot to do before we call it quits for the day."
Izuku's mood soured slightly, but improved as bit into the sandwich. One, it was sandwich from All Might. Bet ya not too many kids got food from their heroes. Two, it was amazing how well something like a tuna sandwich could taste after hours of hauling trash.
Yagi just eyed the teen, noting how fast he was wolfing down the sandwich. "Now that I have you here. I would like to discuss the training regime I have planned for you."
Izuku just looked as the man pulled out a folder and held it out to him. Taking it, he opened the folder and scanned the first page. One that detailed his new meal plans. Looking closer he noted portion sizes and how he was basically eat an extra two meals a day. He was expected to consume around five thousand calories a day, a large portion of it coming from meat and fish. How was his mom supposed to be able to afford this?
And again Yagi showed his penchant for reading his mind. "Not to worry my boy. I'm not one to make you or your mother shoulder this burden. That is why I plan to pay you for your efforts here. You will get paid a nice sum for every truck load of garbage that is taken away, while anything that can go to the scrapyard is yours. This way you get some cash as well as training."
Well that solved one problem, but it brought up another. "What about school?"
Yagi just shook his head. "I wouldn't dream of interfering with your education. So on school days I don't expect you here till your schoolwork is complete."
Izuku could work with that. Though that settled things on his end, that was only half the equation. "What do I do when you're not here? I don't think the city could handle you taking a ten month vacation."
That comment caused the older man to laugh. "You don't need to worry about that. I plan to continue my duties. I'll leave my truck when I can, but for the times I can't, leave whatever you gather next to where I park it, and I'll take care of it. But enough chitchat, you've rested long enough. It's time to get back to work."
Izuku tried to keep from groaning, he really did.
o - o -O - o - o
After the fifth person nearly leapt away as he passed, Izuku gave up on caring. He knew he stunk and he had sand in places he would rather not, but that didn't detract the sense of accomplishment he felt.
He had spent all day loading trash into a pickup truck, and when he wasn't loading the truck like the times Yagi left to take it to the proper dump, he started sorting the mixed trash. Cursing whoever had thrown away a bag full of used diapers as rats scattered.
After several truck loads, Yagi had called it quits for the day, but not before presenting Izuku with an envelope of money. He made twenty thousand yen for nearly twelve hours of labor. So that was a nice surprise, the extra cash would be welcome, he'd get some extra groceries when he'd get a chance, and maybe just maybe his mother would forgive him for his recklessness.
That hope was seemingly dashed against the rocks as he found his apartment door opening before he pulled the keys from his pocket, or the sensation of himself being pulled inside by his pants, as he beheld his mother. Standing in the dim hallway with her eyes shadowed.
"Where were you?" She asked, tone calm as Izuku was anything but. Primal fear had a name, and it was Inko.
"How do you think a mother feels when they see their only child on the news, involved with a criminal..."
Izuku wisely kept his mouth shut, he would explain that Ms. Ito was a victim herself later.
"…While she is currently at her job, that she couldn't leave because the hospital is currently short-staffed. Or when she comes home at seven in the morning after a long shift, her son is already gone. Only leaving a note behind, with no mention to where he going or how long he is going to be gone."
Izuku tensed as he prepared himself for the look. But instead of unbearable amount of shame, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him.
"I was worried you stupid kid." Inko muttered into his chest.
Hesitant at first, Izuku slowly returned the hug before rubbing his mother's back, feeling her tears begin to soak his shirt. "I'm fine mom. I got something like a part time job."
He tried and failed to hold back a wince as she tightened her hold on him.
Inko finally loosed her hold enough to look Izuku in the face. "Is that where you've been all day?
He nodded, before reaching into his back pocket, pulling out the envelope that Yagi had given him before presenting it to his mother. "Made twenty thousand, I want you to have it mom, to help with the bills and food."
Inko finally let go and took a step back. Observing the boy, no man, who stood before her. She had known he was going to grow into a fine man back when he was a child, but to see how much he had grown almost brought more tears to her eyes. "I can't take it Izuku, that's money that you earned. That's your money."
"But mom..."
"No buts, that's yours to spend as you see fit. We're not hurting for money..."
'You don't know what the food bills going to be with the 'American Dream' plan.' Izuku thought, mentally shaking his head at the name.
Inko made a show of sniffing before pinching her nose. "Now go get yourself cleaned up. You smell like you've been diving in the hospital dumpster."
"Not that far from the truth." He muttered.
"What was that?" Inko asked.
"Nothing mom."
The woman just shook her head as she turned around, heading towards the kitchen. Leave him to stew in his rather pungent aroma. Yeah a good hot shower was needed.
o - o -O - o - o
After a long shower, Izuku emerged from the bathroom a different person. The hot water was a godsend for his aching muscles and the smell washed away with the suds down the drain. Pausing to put his dirty laundry in the washing machine, he wasn't going to make his mother handle his clothing, he made his way to join her in the kitchen.
There she stood, humming rather cheerfully as she tended a pot, occasionally reaching out with her hand at some spice or seasoning, her quirk drawing the jars to he waiting hand. Izuku watched her for several minutes as she cooked, before clearing his throat to announce his presence, making her jump slightly before she bounced a nearly empty tin of pepper of his head.
Izuku just laughed, this was something of a ritual for them. He would walk into a room, never announcing himself, watching her for a new minutes before spooking her and she always fell for it. Then he would get something bounced off his head, nothing that really hurt, her quirk had a limit, but it still made a point.
"Will you quit doing that?" Inko said, as she held a hand to her chest. "One of these days you're going to give me a heart attack."
"Ah mom, someone has to keep you on your toes."
Inko just glared at her son before huffing. "If you got time to tease me, you have time to be useful. Go grab some bowls, dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes.
Dinner itself was a pretty normal affair. Inko talked about how her shift at the hospital went. Izuku gave a very basic rundown of his day, omitting the fact that Yagi is All Might, and had planned to give him his quirk. Though he does listen to his mother's suggestion of bringing a change of clothes.
Soon dinner is finished and his mother heads to bed. She had an early shift in the morning, leaving him with a couple hours to himself before he needed to head to bed. Maybe another movie?
o - o -O - o - o
The next morning Izuku practically had to drag himself to Dagobah. He had made the mistake of watching 'The Thing' before going to bed. So his dreams were plagued with images of people he knew, sprouting tentacles, splitting open to reveal a set of monstrous teeth. Safe to say sleep was anything but easy.
Arriving, he found Yagi same as yesterday. Leaning against his old truck, sipping from his thermos. before gesturing to the bag that teen had over his shoulder.
"A change of clothing. Not going to make the same mistake twice."
Yagi tossed him the gloves he used the day before. "Wise, was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out."
"My mom suggested it."
"Smart woman. Even if you weren't working with garbage you would still be working up a sweat. Though..." The man took a moment to look around. "...There's not much privacy around here."
"I'll change behind a car or something, better than making people run from me due to the smell." Izuku said as he pulled on the gloves before flexing his fingers before turning to the skeletal man. "Now shall we begin."
o - o -O - o - o
Izuku groaned as Aldera High came into view. Back to back days of back breaking work had left him a sore individual, silently cursing every step he took. Thankfully he had a slight reprieve. All Might had agreed with him that during school days he would tone the workouts down. It didn't look too good for an applicant to fail their final year of high school after all.
Wincing, Izuku took his seat and looked around the classroom, observing all of his classmates. There was Bakugou of course, glaring at him, which he ignored as kept glancing about. Several of his male classmates made eye contact with him, a couple even nodding, which he returned. Several others were chatting with classmates and didn't seem to notice him, as the class settled into a low din. A din that quieted down immediately as the door slid open and Mr. Miyagi stepped in.
The teacher in question just walked to the front of the room, stopping as he reached his podium. There he pulled some paperwork from his briefcase as he looked over his class. Thankfully they deigned him important enough to actually pay attention to. Though there was one student he lets gaze linger on, one Izuku Midoriya. An Izuku Midoriya that he was going to have a nice chat with as soon as homeroom finished…
"Okay kids, there isn't too many announcements for today but..."
Izuku started to listen but the words just faded as his mind drifted but the sound of the chime marking the end of homeroom sounded, making him realize he completely blanked out on listening to the announcements. Thankfully none of them pertained to him, he wasn't a member of any clubs after all. So reaching down, he grabbed his bag, planning to spend the next period in the computer lab, doing some research for his training regime when he found a firm grip on his shoulder holding him back.
Oh… that was Mr. Miyagi and he didn't look too happy with him at the moment…
"Midoriya, I need you to stay back a minute. I have some things that I Need to discuss with you." The older man said ominously.
...Not too happy at all.
Author's Note: Pacing is going to increase over the next few chapters as Izuku and others close to start to notice changes as well as more deviations from canon, and always, please feel free to leave suggestions and reviews.