My Multiverse Academia
By Bubbajack
Betas/co-authors: Azure Dark, Loamy Coffee, Heliosion, and Icysnowsage
Disclaimer: We don't own shit.
Ch.2: Family… and friends.
Izuku's eyes snapped open moments before his alarm clock went off. He managed to reset the buzzer before it went off, potentially waking his mother. It was 6:30 in the morning, after all, no time for her to be up. No time for any child of his age to be awake either. But Izuku Midoriya wasn't just any child. He wanted to become a hero, and that meant making sacrifices. Like sleeping in. Oh, sweet slumber how he missed her.
So, as quietly as he could, he got dressed in a pair of sweatpants with a matching shirt and took his notebook with him before slipping out the door. A ghost in the gray morning light. As he jogged his way towards the nearby park where he did his morning exercises, his mind mentally flashed back to all the hard work he's done over the last three months…
The first week was utter hell. The best analogy he had was his body was wet clay, and both of his new sensei's were molding it into a new shape with the skill akin to that of master sculptures. Every day after school, for the first week he was put through rigorous exercises. Jumping jacks, pushups, squats, curls, long jogs, he was taught meditation by Bang-sensei to give his muscles some time to cool down and then he would spar with each of them. By the end of the first day, he was dumped in an ice bath, and he assumed they were trying to kill him via inducing hypothermia. At the end of the week, he felt like a giant bruise and not a person. His senseis agreed that he was making moderate progress.
This trend continued for a month, and Izuku began to make a note of certain things. When he meditated, for example, he felt a strange foreign presence on his left side. Racing down his arm along his chest and even up into his neck. They were long and seemed to branch off like that of a tree. Whenever he would attempt to mentally push against one of them, he would receive a jolt. As if he had touched a live wire. So he didn't know what these things were, but he assumed they were a part of whatever Zelretch-san had done to him as he sensed them before he started training with Bang and Kamikaze.
He had taken to following the lines as he meditated. Tracing out their pathways and junctions. The branches numbered thirty-two in all, and went all the way down his left arm, across his chest, and down his neck. He could even feel one near his eyes. He assumed that whatever these things were, they were responsible for his Fairy Eyes manifesting. Many times he silently wished Zelretch had stuck around and actually explained what he did to him.
But if wishes were fishes no one would go hungry. So Izuku did what he always did when he came upon something new and unknown. He observed it and wrote down any observations he made. He did this whenever he meditated, and after every spar, he lost. Due to this habit of his, the green-haired boy was quick to deduce he had an unnatural affinity when it came to learning swordsmanship. With every bout he had with Kamikaze-sensei, he seemed to get just a little bit better and last a bit longer than last time. He may have lost every fight, but the fact he was lasting a little longer each time was a win in his book. Even if it was just a personal victory.
He could not, however, say the same for his attempt to learn Bang-sensei's martial art, the Water Stream Rock Breaking Fist. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to grasp the fundamentals of the style. He understood the concept of course. It was more or less Tai Chi taken to its absolute pinnacle. To flow around the attacks of the opponent like water. Deflecting, Redirecting, or otherwise evading attacks and retaliating with crushing force after the enemy had left themselves exposed in trying to break his stance.
Despite knowing the principles, being shown the forms time and time again, and learning the breathing exercises, but it just wouldn't click like wielding a sword did. Still despite his constant failures and fretting about them semi endlessly he had seen something in the way of results. After three months of intense training, he was looking rather fit for a six-year-old. Gone was his pudginess and most of his baby fat. He now also felt confident that he could defend himself from the average mugger if not a villainous quirk user who wasn't a master of their quirk. His confidence had skyrocketed to the point he only actually stuttered around Bakugo anymore. Those tiny fists, no matter how untrained, still exploded on anything they hit, including Izuku's arms when he protected himself.
Another thing he'd gained is insight on his and Bakugo's relationship. After spending time with people who genuinely wanted to help him improve and believed he could, in fact, become a Hero, he realized that, while he respected and idolized him to an extent, the Explosion Quirk user did not show him even a modicum of the same respect or even kindness. That if Bakugo Katsuki really was his friend, he would not've started torturing him when he found out he was Quirkless but stood up for him. Yet he didn't do that. Instead, he mocked and belittled him.
With this revelation, came anger. He wanted to lash out at the explosive boy, to easily break his collarbone with a bokken like he knew he could. He wanted Bakugo to know that he could be a hero and he wouldn't be put down by anyone, especially him. But he knew in his heart that doing so would be wrong. Heroes help people. If he hurt Bakugo, then he not only would be no better than the short-fused boy, but he would essentially be acting like a villain. So, in the end, he took that anger and pushed it towards his training. He let the anger flow with every kata of martial training whether by the sword or fist. With this renewed determination Izuku trained even harder. Which is why he now finds himself in the park early every morning. To push himself ever further towards his goal of becoming a hero. One step at a time.
'Hmph…So, he's shown up again. He's persistent, I'll give him that,' a petite woman thought from her spot on the bench with a warm cup of black mocha coffee keeping her hands warm as the young boy showed up to the park yet again.
The woman in question was Tatsumaki the Tornado of Terror. Former S-Class Rank Two Hero some twenty years ago. She was a diminutive but well formed woman standing at only 142 cm/4'8, with a ghostly pale complexion, and had curly lime green hair that swirled in such a way that it looked like some form of mint ice cream. The only signs of age she had were the lines around her cheeks. Honestly those lines were more from stress then aging.
She took no notice of the boy at first. Merely coming to the park in the mornings like she always did for peace and quiet away from all the hubbub of the city. She used this time to think about her past decisions and what she could have done better. Sometimes she regretted those she pushed away. Eventually she paid attention to sht small lad and heard him panting and watched silently from her bench on the opposite end of the park as he pushed himself. Leaving as the sun rose higher in the sky.
At first, she shrugged him off thinking he was like all the other kids these days. Trying just hard enough to get his Quirk under control and then he'll let himself laze about never bothering to push himself even further than that. 'Hmph, kids these days are so lazy! A complete lack of work ethic is the problem! No wonder UA's entrance exam is a cakewalk for anyone, who's actually trained even a little. Heck, back in my day, people like us were tortured to unlock our maximum potential! Now they're so lazy they don't even try. I bet that kid won't even come back tomorrow!'
But he did. He kept coming back, day after day, time after time. Staying extra-long on the weekends. He would push himself further and further…before she knew it, Tatsumaki was coming to the park just to watch the boy grudgingly impressed with his ethic and drive. It reminded her of a few "friends" she had from long ago. She wanted to ask him his name and his reason for coming here day after day, yet at the same time, she didn't want to distract him from his workouts. So she kept her silent, curious vigil. Then one day fate smiled on her.
The Boy, as she had dubbed him in her mind, was completing some pull-ups on some monkey bars meant for children when he lost his grip, falling to the woodchip coated earth below and landing on his back. She could tell he was breathing heavily even from where she sat. Growing concerned, she floated off her bench with green psychic energy covering herself and made her way over to him somewhat eager to finally get a good look at his face.
Floating over to him, she asked, "Oi, are you ok?"
Izuku looked up from his place on the ground to see someone floating above him covered in a green aura. His first thought was 'Wow, she's short,' Then, 'She must have a telekinetic quirk of some kind.'
Finally, he opened his mouth and replied, "I'm ok thanks. I just need a minute."
He could tell by the look on her face that she didn't believe a word he was saying right now. With a flick of her hand, Izuku found himself in a sitting position, resting against the monkey bars. With another movement, the bag the boy brought with him was in front of her, unzipped and a water bottle was uncapped and floating its way towards him.
He accepted it graciously saying, "Thanks, but you didn't need to go through all the trouble Tatsumaki-san."
The former hero blinked in surprise, "You know who I am?"
Taking a long swig from the plastic bottle first; he nodded before letting out a contented sigh. "Ahh, that's better! But yeah, both of my sensei's talk about you fondly. They like to reminisce about the good old days. Plus I think they like that I'm around to listen. Also it is hard to not know someone as strong and as famous as you after all."
Now Tatsumaki found herself intrigued, 'His teachers must be former S-Class. But who could they be?'
Hearing a chuckle, she looked over to the boy, whose name she still didn't know, and saw him chuckling at her expense. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "And what's so funny?"
"You looked like you were really deep in thought there for a moment," Izuku spoke as he giggled a little from the expression she was making.
"So?" she didn't see the humor.
"You looked like you might need to go to the bathroom," He replied.
A blush staining her cheeks, Tatsumaki gritted out, "Why you little…you must be ok if you can mouth off to your elders!" She coated the woodchips in her aura, smiling maliciously, her voice full of faux sweetness now living up to her old monker The Tornado of Terror, she said, "Let's see how fast you can run."
He took off like a shot. A small swarm of woodchips hounded his every step as he ran around the park. An annoyed psychokinetic following closely behind, a little smirk on her face.
About twenty minutes later and running till his legs gave out, Izuku fell. He was then pounded by wood chips. Luckily Tastumaki wasn't going to actually hurt the kid. Huffing and puffing surrounded by wood chips, Izuku held up his hands in surrender. "I give, I give. You got me."
"Hmph! That should teach you to respect your elders, you cocky little brat," Tatsumaki said, her arms crossed in front of her near the nonexistent chest, a smug look of superiority on her face as she floated a few inches off the ground.
Izuku rubbed the back of his head as he replied, "Right, sorry, sorry."
"You're forgiven…on one condition," She spoke imperiously, holding up a single finger.
Sighing and suppressing a shudder at what the former number two S-Class could ask of him he responded with, "What is it?"
"I want to know your name," was the question Tastumaki asked as she smiled.
The freckled boy smiled brightly, "Midoriya Izuku. Pleased to meet you Tatsumaki-san."
The moment was ruined by the rumbling of both of their stomachs.
Looking up into the sky the boy sighed and said, "Awe man, I lost track of time. My mom is gonna be mad at me… Well, since I'm already gonna get in trouble anyway, wanna come over to my place and have breakfast?"
The Tornado of Terror blinked thrown off by the sudden invite. A second louder rumble from her insides made the decision for her. It seemed coffee was not enough to sate her stomach. Shrugging she said, "Sure."
"Mom, I'm back, and I brought a guest!" Izuku said as he made his way through the front door.
He had just managed to get his shoes off when his mother dashed into the foyer a bowl of pancake batter floating around her and looking worried.
"Midoriya Izuku! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?!" Izuku winced upon hearing his mother use his full name, he knew he was in for it now. "I came to get you up for school and find your missing. I called Bang-sensei, and he told me not to worry that you were likely out doing morning training, something I wish you had told me about. At any rate, I already called the school and told them you weren't feeling well today."
Izuku hung his head feeling sorry for worrying his mother, the very thing he didn't want to do. "Sorry mom, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry. Thanks for calling the school though."
Tatsumaki, who had been silently staring at Midoriya's mother in a dumbstruck fashion up until now, as if she had seen a ghost, finally spoke up. Her voice shaky and stuttering yet hopeful as if witnessing a miracle, she asked, "F-Fubuki? Is that you?"
Upon hearing that name Izuku watched his mother freeze up, her face gaining a sickly pale parlor, and her head jerked mechanically to the short Esper next to him. She stared like a deer in headlights for a time before finally muttering out, "Oneesan?"
Izuku being the bright kid he was, pieced it together rather quickly. Thus he couldn't help but ask, "Mom, are you Fubuki, the Blizzard of Hell?"
Snapping herself out of her daze, Inko turned to her son and smiling sweetly said, "Izuku, why don't you go take a bath? I'll call you when breakfast is ready ok?"
Izuku blinked twice before nodding, "Ok Mom," He walked down the hall only to stop, turn and say, "You know, if you wanted to talk to her alone Mom, all you had to do was ask."
With that, he left, and Tatsumaki couldn't help but quip, "Hmph, not even ten and already that perceptive…" She trailed off before turning back to her taller younger sister and saying, "So…"
Adopting a cold façade, she said to her elder sister, "Come in. I'm sure you have questions, and insults to hurl my way. Obviously there are many things you must wonder where I have been."
Tatsumaki winced but said nothing as she followed her to the kitchen, a bowl of pancake batter floating behind her. Levitating the bowl to the kitchen counter, she went to the fridge, and collected eggs and began cracking them into a pan. "If I recall correctly you like your eggs over hard correct?"
Caught off guard by the sudden inquiry the tiny Esper managed to stammer out a reply, "Yes!"
The Midoriya matriarch smiled, "Just like Izuku."
Hearing the warmth in her little sister's tone, Tatsumaki said, "You love him a lot. I can tell."
"Of course I do. He's my son," A pause followed by a sigh, ending with her turning around and facing her sister. "What are you doing here Tatsumaki? Did you figure out Izuku was my son and decided that getting close to him would let you get near me?"
Thrown off balance by the sudden inquisition, the little Esper could only say, "N-No that's not it! I didn't even know you were his mother! Though I will admit to watching him for a while now."
The housewife felt her paranoia acting up, "Why?"
Huffing she replied, "Well if you must know, his work ethic impressed me. Kids these days think they're special and are going to do great things just because they have Quirks. Pff, yeah right. It wasn't like that for you or me. We were forced to be great. We chose to be heroes. Now a lot of them think it's some kind of God-given right. But not him. I've watched him show up at the park every day and push himself. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Your son has drive Fubuki, he intends to become a hero…and he wants it badly."
The Hero-turned-housewife nodded, "I know. He's the entire reason I quit being a hero. I wanted to keep him safe. But going out, saving people in danger, being a Hero. It's the only thing he's ever wanted. When I found out he was born without a Quirk-"
"He was born Quirkless?!" Tatsumaki was equally horrified and saddened upon hearing this. But her thoughts quickly turned to anger. She had no doubt in her mind that her nephew was bullied due to this. She would learn their names. She would find out where they lived. She would make them pay and they would beg for mercy she had none of.
Fubuki huffed, "Yes, he found out two years ago when he was four…well go on ahead and say it."
The Tornado of terror was lost and very confused. "Say what?"
Fukuki threw up her hands, "Say how I'm weak, how I'm a loser, how you were right about his father, how pathetic I am without you looking over my shoulder all the time! How sad it is that I, a former Hero, am now nothing but a devoted housewife! Go on, we both know you want to, so go ahead and get it over with!" Another pause before, "But after you have breakfast. I want you out of this house. I want you to forget you ever found me. Because I refuse to let you treat my son like you did me! He's been through enough he doesn't need your form of help. Am I clear?"
Tatsumaki withstood her sister's verbal assault without comment. Once she was finished, she spoke, "You know, you're not the only one who's changed over the past six years. When you left, I looked for you fearing you'd been kidnapped by a Mysterious Being or something. I looked for months hardly eating, barely sleeping, don't even get me started on that Group of yours. After a year and a half with no sign, you were legally declared dead. I…took some time off to reflect on some things after that."
Tatsumaki took a breath, steeling her nerves before continuing, "I started thinking back on you and me. The way we interacted. I realized I might've been a bit overbearing."
"A bit?" Fubuki huffed.
"Okay, a lot! Now, can I finish?" Seeing her sister nod she cleared her throat and continued, "Sheesh, here I am, trying to apologize, and this is what I get. Ahem, anyway, what I'm trying to get to is this. Was I overbearing, overprotective, and even cruel? Yes, and I'm sorry for that…But in my defense-"
"Oh, here we go," Fubuki stage-whispered.
"In my defense," Tatsumaki said a bit harsher, "What I went through when mom and dad gave me away to those scientists for a check was nothing less than torture. Now I realize that doesn't excuse what I did, I'm just hoping you understand why I did it. Even just a little bit."
Tatsumaki walked over to her sister and took her hand, "I wanted-no-I needed to be strong! After Blast…after he saved me, he told me I shouldn't rely on other people to save me next time. At the time I was being used in a project called MK Omega, it was the successor to America's MK Ultra way back in the 1970's. The point of the project was to read the minds of hundreds of thousands at once and stop potential threats before they happened. I was subjected to all kinds of drugs, sensory deprivation, the works!"
A cup was covered in a green aura before it was flung across the room, The Tornado of Terror took a moment to collect herself once she saw her powers acting up. "My point is, I wanted you to be strong, so something like that never had to happen to you. I wanted you to push yourself…Instead, you Rookie Crushed, only fighting people you knew you could beat and formed a group. Not that having a group is a bad thing, but a group of weak individuals who aren't strong individually is still a group of weaklings no matter how nice they might be!"
Crossing her arms and leaning against the counter, Inko née Fubuki said, "So far all you've done is reopen old wounds. So unless you have a point to make…" She left the rest unsaid.
Get to the point or leave.
Tatsumaki tried to bore a hole into the floor with her gaze. After a moment she spoke, her tone unusually soft and desperate, "Please, Fubuki. Please, don't send me away. Not after I've found you again. Not after finding out I have a nephew. I don't think I can take losing you again along with my nephew,"
Various objects started to levitate as the Esper began to lose control. Then she did something that shocked her younger sister…
She looked up at her…with unshed tears in her eyes. 'Oneechan…she's crying.'
"Tatsumaki-"
"I realize I probably burned any bridge between us a long time ago. But-"
She tried again. "Tatsu-"
She was met with the same level of success, "-please, I want-I need to get it right this time. To really be there for someone who needs me. So don't send me away I-I'm begging you!"
"ONEECHAN!" Fubuki's shout got her shorter older sister's attention as tears streamed down her face. "Yes?"
Bending down, she wrapped her arms around her overbearing, selfish, well-meaning, crying older sister, saying, "You can stay."
Sniffling a little the midget esper managed to get out, "I can, really? You're sure?"
"I am." was the short response from Fubuki.
"Thank you, Fubuki."
There in a small kitchen apartment, the bond between two sisters began to heal. And the start of a new life for both of them began.
Sitting in the bath Izuku mulled over what he'd learned. 'My mom is Fubuki, the Blizzard of Hell. The former #1 B-Ranked Hero, founder, and leader of the eponymous Blizzard Group…'
Lashing out in childish anger, Izuku smashed his fists into the warm water, causing droplets to scatter all over. He was proud of his mother and her accomplishments. Yet at the same time, he felt only deep-seated anger at his own predicament. If his mother was so strong, such a renowned hero, then why was he, her son, born Quirkless? He just didn't understand how fate could be so cruel.
Sinking deeper into the bath he thought to himself, 'Still, I wonder why she left in the first place? Did she leave because of me, does she still keep in touch with the Blizzard Group?'
This and many other thoughts raced around in his head as he blew bubbles in the bathwater. Finally, he came to a decision, 'I think…it's time to get the band back together.'
With his mind made up, he got out of the bath with a plan already forming in his mind. All he needed to do was get to his computer real quick before going downstairs…
By the time Izuku returned downstairs, the smell of food and civil conversation filled the air. 'Well, I don't smell any smoke, meaning the apartment isn't on fire. The fact they aren't screaming at each other is also a plus. Since I can hear them talking it means they haven't killed each other. That's a good sign. From what my sensei's stated, if Tastumaki was truly angry there wouldn't be a house left.'
Perhaps it was due to spending too much time around the old veterans that were his sensei's Kamikaze and Bang, but he'd become a tad cynical and quite pragmatic in his reasoning as of late. 'I need more friends my own age.'
He stopped realizing he didn't actually have anyone in his age group that he could call his friend, 'Strike that, I just need friends my age.'
Shaking his head at the unfairness of it all he entered the kitchen to find his mother and aunt had just finished placing the last of breakfast on the table. He noted the kitchen looked like more of a mess than usual and that the western breakfast the two had cooked was a bit overdone. He also made a note of the fact that Tatsumaki had flour in her hair.
'It's odd having an aunt all of the sudden,' He thought to say, "Breakfast looks good."
As they sat down to eat, he noticed Tatsumaki kept her eyes on him. After a few bites of food, he asked, "Something on your mind Tatsu-obaa-san?"
The Tornado of Terror beamed at him calling her his aunt, taking a bite of her eggs before replying, "Nothing really I'm just curious about you is all."
Pointing at himself, Izuku replied with, "Me? What do you want to know?"
"Everything! What you like, what you dislike, what you do for fun, who your friends are," She got closer and closer to him with every word she spoke. It was only when he leaned back that she became conscious of what she was doing.
Leaning back in her seat she took a calming breath before saying, "Sorry about that. I just I feel like I need to make up for about six years of lost time."
He just gave her a warm smile, "That's fine. To answer your questions, I really like my mom's cooking, especially her katsudon. I enjoy learning about new heroes, their quirks, and how they work. I guess training is my hobby. Speaking of Quirks, how does yours work Tatsu?"
'He didn't mention anything about friends,' The Esper noted, filing that away for later before saying, I have psychokinesis; it allows me to do all kinds of things with my mind. From telekinesis to mindreading and such. I can easily lift a skyscraper with my powers."
She demonstrated her power by nonchalantly levitating him off of his seat before setting him back down. After which she noted that everything she told him he was writing all this down in a notebook she hadn't taken note of beforehand. He had even started on a sketch of himself floating covered in an aura.
"What's the drawback of your quirk?" was the energetic response from Izuku.
"I don't have one. I have yet to find something I can't lift, and using my power over extended periods of time doesn't really seem to do anything to me other than giving me a slight headache," was the informed response Tatsumaki gave.
Tapping his pen against his chin, he said, "Odd, all Quirks have some kind of draw…back," His eyes widened as he continued to stare at her.
"What, what is it?" she asked, not sure she liked that look on his face.
Clearing his throat, he said, "I-uh, think I might know what your quirk's drawback is."
This caught both Espers by surprise. For years Tatsumaki didn't think she had such a thing. She assumed it had to do with all the tests done during the MK Omega. Yet her nephew seems to have caught onto something.
"Izuku?" His mother inquired.
Clearing his throat and looking at his aunt sideways, he said, "Promise not to get mad?"
Seeing the short Esper nod, he began to elaborate on his theory, "Well I think your drawback is the reason you're so short."
The effect was instantaneous. Tatsumaki's face became stoic and then she said in an equally flat tone, "Explain."
Clearing his throat, Izuku began, "Well we were learning about Formicidae, a couple of weeks ago, and we had to give reports on them-"
Tatsumaki held up a hand, "Wait, hold on, what's a Formicidae?"
Realizing his faux-pas, Izuku replied, "Oh, sorry. Ants. That's their scientific name. Anyway, we learned that Ants can lift ten times their body weight. I believe your psychic powers could work in a similar vein. In other words, the drawback of your quirk affected your brain chemistry and prevented you from growing larger because all the hormones needed to develop your body went to your brain and psychic development."
Tried as she might, the World's Strongest Esper could not think of anything to refute her nephew's logic. Which is why she ground out after a moment of tense silence, "Son of Bitch! Those scientists fucked me over not only by stealing my childhood but my dating life as well!"
Fubuki immediately rebuked her older sister, "Onee-san! Language!"
Rubbing the back of her head the green haired Esper said, "Sorry, sorry," Looking at her nephew she said pointedly, "Don't repeat that."
Seeing him nod, she decided to change the topic, "So Izuku-kun, do you have any plans today?"
"I was thinking of going to the dojo and putting some work in. Why do you ask?" Izuku answered while tilting his head cutely.
Tatsumaki nodded, "You're learning under those old geezers Bang and Kamikaze right? Humph, well, calling Bang a geezer is a bit generous. He's really a relic by this point. To be honest, I'm surprised he's still alive. He was over eighty back in our hero days."
Izuku's chopstick missed his mouth due to hearing this, "Bang Sensei is over one hundred? Oh wow. He looks like he's in his seventies at best."
Tatsumaki nodded, "Yeah, he always did take excellent care of himself. He'll probably outlive us all just cause. Are you learning anything interesting from those old men?"
Giving her a nod of his own Izuku replied, "Yeah, they've been teaching me their fighting styles. It's bizarre though. I picked up on Kamikaze's sword style quickly enough. Like holding a sword just feels…natural I guess. But when it comes to learning Bang Sensei's Martial Art." He paused a moment of introspection, "I dunno it just doesn't click if you know what I mean."
Tatsumaki's eyes narrowed as she hummed to herself. Seeing her looking so introspective he inquired, "What is it Tatsu-obaa-san?"
The diminutive esper nodded, "Maybe nothing. But would you mind if I came with you to this dojo? I wouldn't mind catching up with those old men."
"S-sure," stammered out Izuku.
'He's up to something,' Tatsumaki noted, before brushing it off, 'He'll tell me eventually.'
The young boy stood up from the table, "I'll do the dishes since you two cooked then we'll need to see about catching a train."
"Train?" Tatsumaki asked, amused, "Why take a train when you can fly?"
"Hmm? Oh! Yeah, I guess we could do that, as long as you're ok with it," He agreed.
Letting out an amused huff, Tatsumaki retorted, "Would I have even bothered mentioning it if I wasn't? Its the first time I get to truly show off to my nephew."
"No, I suppose not," reluctantly answered Izuku.
Tatsumaki proceeded to float the dirty dishes into the sink which she had also filled with warm water and soap. "C'mon, I'll wash, while you dry. It'll get done faster this way."
He looked to his mother in silent protest, only for her to shrug and sigh saying, "It's best to just let her have her way on certain things son. Plus she's right. It will get done faster if you both work together."
Grumbling under his breath about no good deed going unpunished he went and helped his aunt clean the plates. Now if some soapy water got on him and his aunt no one complained as Inko watched her sister and son bond.
Flying was a new experience for Izuku. Yet he found it overall to be an enjoyable and exhilarating experience. The wind whipping through his green mess of hair as he and Tatsumaki soared through the skies, while the people on the ground looked like ants from above was going to be something he would never forget. He even let out a little whoop when they swerved in-between buildings.
"Having fun?" Tatsumaki asked though she could clearly glean her answer from the look on his face.
"This is great!" yipped out Izuku
The reply warmed the Esper's usually cold heart. In truth, she was overjoyed. Be it the hand of fate or something else, that she was able to be a part of her sister's life again and her nephew's now. The two were racing through the skies turning what might have been an hour-long overly full train ride into a joyous experience for them both. They were also moving faster than any train could hope to move.
"So you do this all the time?" he asked with a psychic barrier protecting him from any fast moving particulates in the air.
"Yeah. After all, why get on a cramped train when you can go wherever whenever like this?" stated Tastumaki as she smirked at her nephew.
He nodded understanding and accepting her reasoning, yet he couldn't help but inquire, "What about the anti-quirk law?"
This earned him a dismissive snort from his newly begotten relative, "The law wasn't in place when I was a Hero. I had no reason to not fly and not even once had I hurt anyone…"
Seeing the flat look she was receiving she amended, "I didn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it while doing so. Now, just because some people are skittish, they expect me to give up my way of life to accommodate them? I don't think so, especially not for all the lives I have saved from threats to humanity."
It was this that made Izuku realize that, though she didn't look it, Tatsumaki was an adult woman who was already set quite firmly in her ways. Nothing and no one was going to get her to change quickly or easily, not even the law. He silently hoped this rebellious streak didn't get her into trouble in the future.
Yet his thoughts were derailed when he noticed something odd going on down below. "Hey look at that."
Following his pointing finger, Tatsumaki saw what looked to be a car chase going on below. A black vehicle of some sort swerved in and out of traffic, narrowly dodging pedestrians as it transitioned from the street to the sidewalk at certain points to avoid police barricades, and pursuing cop cars.
"We need to stop them before somebody gets hurt," Izuku shouted out.
Tatsumaki looked at her nephew as if he'd grown a second head, "Are you nuts?! Your mother would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you!"
Izuku's eyes widened in alarm as he saw the car speeding towards the intersection. A girl his age had stopped to pick up something she dropped. Turning to her with a fire in his eyes, he said, "Tatsumaki! We don't have time to argue! People rarely look up, so we have the element of surprise, and if we don't do something now that girl down there will die from being hit!"
"Shit!" she cursed seeing exactly what he was talking about, she dive-bombed towards the ground. "We're not gonna make it!"
"Toss me towards her, I'll use the momentum to roll us both out of the way, then you stop the car!" ordered Izuku.
"Are you stupid?! You would need insane luck to pull that off and not die!" Tastumaki yelled back.
He smirked at her, his eyes suddenly taking on a glowing emerald hue, "I'm the type of person who can make his own luck."
"Izuku what-" he cut her off saying, "No time, just do it!"
Seeing no other option, she tossed her only nephew into the path of a moving car and a frightened girl.
Several things happened at once then. Izuku shot towards the frightened girl wrapping his arms around her just as her death in the form of speeding polished black metal came roaring down on her. He activated his Glam Sight then. Never before had he attempted to slow down his perception in such a dire situation. Having only recently begun trying to use it against Kamikaze-sensei in their spars.
Yet an innocent life was in danger, so he couldn't help but try and try he did. Wrapping his arms around the girl, he held her to his chest before he tucked and rolled. His eyes started to shine and the fate of the world altered unknown to all. Izuku was able to slow down his perception of the world just enough to move his body just the right way and missed the oncoming deathtrap only for it to be covered seconds later in a green aura. The two rolled to a stop soon afterward with Izuku hitting his back roughly against a thick slab of cement, causing him to groan in pain.
More than that, however, his eyes felt dry and hot like he'd accidentally gotten some kind of irritant in them. But that didn't matter to him at the moment. What mattered was the frightened girl in his arms.
"Oi, you ok?" He felt something sharp pushing into his cheek as he spoke.
"D-Dude.." stammered out the young girl who was still shaking like a leaf.
'Does she have horns?' He wondered to himself before pushing it aside upon noticing how she was trembling in his arms. He told her gently, "It's ok, you're safe now."
She looked up at last from the safety of the arms of her savior. She had a light pink complexion with a messy pink afro, bumblebee colored eyes, and he was fairly sure if she were standing up right now, she'd be taller than him,
"Are you ok? He reiterated when she didn't answer.
"Y-yes," She managed to finally get out as she was still holding tightly to Izuku due to reflex.
"You sure? You're not hurt anywhere are you?" questioned Izuku as he tried to look her over as best he could.
She shook her head making a note of the pain in his voice, "What about you, dude? You sound like you're in pain."
He smiled to reassure her but it came out as more of a grimace, "I'm fine don't worry about me. Are you able to get up ok?"
Upon hearing this, the girl became conscious of the fact that she was still laying in the boy's arms. Blushing a bit, she swiftly got to her feet before offering a hand to her hero. He got up on shaky legs, his back bent. With a grunt he forced himself to stand erect, popping his jarred vertebra back in place as he did so. The grunts of pain were noticed by the girl.
Looking at him in concern, the girl he saved asked, "Are you sure you're ok?"
He nodded silently, his gaze now locked on the battle his aunt was partaking in. Though she stopped the car in midair, it didn't stop the robbers from escaping. One of them had a Quirk that allowed him to turn himself and anything he was in contact with into shadows, thus allowing the group to escape their would-be prison. Another one of them was scruffy looking wearing a cowboy hat and had a rough roguish look to him with a tanned complexion and a face full of stubble. To his surprise, he converted his hand into a revolver-like weapon and pointed it at his aunt.
Izuku didn't think, for that was unnecessary. Now was the time for action.
Acting quickly he swept his gaze around looking for a suitable replacement for a bokken. Finding one, he double-timed it over to a shopkeeper who was watching the fight gaping mouthed with broom in hand. Taking from him with a muttered apology, he snapped the brush head off before wading into the fray.
Sprinting towards the gun hand toting quirk user he did a baseball slide into his legs knocking him off balance just as he pulled the trigger on his makeshift weapon sending the inhumanly sized bullet flying wide, slamming into a building decimating it, sending debris flying and people screaming while running for cover.
Rising from his slide, Izuku prepared to strike the man in the head, taking him out of the fight permanently only to see said robber already pointing his Quirked out hand at him, scowling. Izuku didn't think, he just acted on impulse. Lashing out with his foot, he kicked the man's weaponized hand away once again now pointing uselessly in the air. The moment he was out of danger he lashed out with his makeshift sword, striking the man in the head but hit him in the upper chest area due to Izuku's height.
"Arg, you little shit! That hurt!" he pointed his other hand at the boy it too was capable of converting itself into a revolver.
The man gave him a grin that didn't reach his eyes as he wheezed out, "You played a good game kid, but it looks like you drew a Dead Man's Hand after all."
Izuku stared down the barrel of the hand turned gun he watched as if in slow motion as the hammer that was the man's thumb was pulled back, his index finger , which had become a long barrel, was pointed at his head, while his middle finger that had become the trigger slowly began to decompress. In a panic, he did the only thing he could think of. He stuffed the end of his weapon in the gun barrel, closing his eyes and praying for a miracle. Again his eyes glowed even closed and Izuku felt them tingle again.
A bang was heard, and a scream quickly followed it. Izuku opened his eyes to find the man in front of him rolling on the ground gripping his hand which was bleeding profusely. Not too far away, he saw the man's thumb had been blown off somehow. If he wasn't in a state of shock, the sight might've sickened him.
"How-how did that…did your quirk just backfire?" he asked, not really believing what he was seeing.
Glaring at the boy with hate-filled eyes the robber retorted, "What the Fuck do you think you little asshole?! You shoved a stick of wood in the barrel!"
Izuku felt kind of bad for the guy, yet at the same time, this same person would've had no qualms about hurting and even killing him and other innocent people. So, that stopped him from feeling too bad plus with him incapacitated like this, he could focus on taking out the other's thus keeping people safe.
Sweeping his gaze around the battlefield, he found his aunt had two of the three incapacitated the only remaining was the shadow man. She couldn't seem to grab him with her powers. Not surprising considering he appeared to be a two-dimensional being.
'Think, think, there has to be some way to trap him.' So he watched their fight, looking for some sort of exploitable weakness. It took him a minute, but he finally noticed something. 'He seems to be sticking to the shadows…does light hurt him?'
"Tatsumaki! The light! Get him into the light!" he called out to the heroine.
The diminutive hero smirked viciously before she began uprooting any form of shade the crook could use for potential cover. But in the end, he was slippery as an eel and cunning as a snake. For he was able to slink into the shadows of a nearby alleyway and disappear but not before calling out, in a deep sinister baritone, "This isn't over, hero."
Izuku felt a chill run down his back at the villain's parting words, but in the end decided to pay them no mind. He had to make sure everyone else was alright. Yet as he turned around, he found himself face to face with an irate Tatsumaki. "And just what did you think you were doing rushing into the fight like that?!"
"Uhh, keeping you from getting shot?" he didn't understand why she was so angry. He managed to keep her safe like a hero should. Like she used to. Shouldn't she be proud of him?
She scoffed upon hearing his answer, "As if such a pathetic quirk could breach my psychokinetic barrier. You, on the other hand, could've died if you hadn't lucked out."
"But I'm all right, so it's ok, right? Plus, isn't that what heroes are supposed to do, put themselves on the line for the good of other people?" answered Izuku innocently.
The Esper worked her jaw silently before getting out, "That-You-Your misinterpreting what it means to be a Hero entirely! It's not about being a damn martyr! It's about stopping the bad guys and doing the right thing because you have the power to do so." 'Something we failed to do today…' She thought glaring down the alleyway the final villain escaped down.
"But for Heroes, doing the right thing means helping people even if it means getting hurt or even dying. Since that's the case, what's the difference between a Hero and a Martyr?" questioned Izuku as his young mind just couldn't seem to process what Tastumaki was saying.
Tatsumaki could feel a headache coming on from trying to dissuade her nephew from doing stupid things. So in the end, she sighed and decided, 'Let Bang and the samurai deal with this, they have far more patience than I do for this sort of thing.'
Grabbing his hand and encapsulating them both in her green aura she said, "C'mon, we're done here."
Noticing the girl he'd helped earlier motioning him over, he shook his aunt off saying, "Hold on a second."
Seeing the girl motion him closer to what could only be her mother by her side, Tatsumaki could only grin and say, "Alright, but don't take too long. Ok, Romeo?"
Izuku gave her an odd look wondering who Romeo was before making his way over. "Yo."
The younger of the two proceeded to throw her arms around his neck and almost choked him with how hard she was holding him, "That was reckless, man!"
She then bopped him on the back of his head, "You shouldn't interfere in hero fights like that. You could've gotten hurt!"
He shrugged and refused to feel sorry for keeping his aunt and others safe. It's what a hero would do after all. "True, but I couldn't just let them gang up on my aunt like that and do nothing. I couldn't call myself a Hero or a man if I did."
"Your aunt?" she said pointing at the waiting diminutive psychokinetic. Seeing him nod, she understood his actions somewhat. 'Still, he's reckless. But very courageous and helpful though.'
Izuku suddenly felt a hand rubbing his head. Glancing up he noticed an older woman wearing a bright yellow summer dress which contrasted sharply with her pink hair that lit up the room and aided her bright cheery smile that together could light up a whole room, her eyes kept flickering between azure and bright pink. "Thank you so much for saving my little troll, young man! While it was reckless of you to charge out into the street like that, I don't even want to think about what would happen if you hadn't."
Said little troll blushed profusely, "Mom! Please don't call me that in public! It'll give people the wrong idea about me!"
Said woman covered her mouth as she let out a tittering laugh before she said, "Now Mina-chan, have you even introduced yourself to the little hero."
"Gah!" she choked upon realizing that no, she had not. Bowing at the waist, she said, "Thanks for saving me man, my name is Ashido Mina, but just call me Mina kay?"
Now of all times, his stutter acted up, "M-Midoriya I-Izuku, happy to meet you Ashido-san."
She glowered slightly at this as her eyes narrowed almost menacingly, "Call me Mina, I want my friends to call me Mina."
Realizing what she said, she blushed and suddenly found the cement around her very interesting. The silence that followed was tense and soul-crushing for the pink skinned girl. She could just imagine the look of revulsion on his face, like that of all her classmates at Sullu Elementary.
Instead, she received a surprise, "You want to be my friend? Really?"
Looking up, she found her hero looking at her in shock, as if-as if- 'As if no one has ever asked to be his friend before.' Mina realized. 'He's like me!'
Giving the biggest smile she could, she replied, "Yes!"
"That'd-that'd be great!" he replied, managing only to stutter a little.
Before she could ask him where he lived or anything like that, his aunt called out to him, "Izuku, give her your number, get your kiss, and let's go!"
'K-kiss!' both children thought at the same time a blush staining their faces.
Mina recovered first, thinking about it logically, 'Well he did save me, and that's what happens at the end of most movies right?'
Izuku, however, was having a miniature panic attack, 'Kiss, kiss! Why would Tatsu-obasan say that? I mean I know I saved her, but I would never expect her to-'
His brain suddenly shut down when Mina leaned down, and pressed her lips to his cheek. It took him all of half a second to figure out what she was doing, and another second for his face to turn bright red as a burning inferno.
"Eh-uh-I-Um-th-thank you!" he squeaked out.
"N-N-No problem man!" was all Mina could get out.
*Click, click* The two were drawn out of their embarrassed dazes by the sound of two cameras going off. Looking around they found Mina's mother and Tatsumaki both doing their best to hide their cellphones.
"Mom! Auntie!" they both yelled out at the same time.
Izuku rushed towards his aunt trying to grab the phone away from her, to no avail while Mina attempted to do the same to her own mother with similar results.
While this was going on, Tatsumaki was approached by an individual giving off a stern aura with a wooden mask covering his face, shoes, and his arms. The rest of him was covered in a form-fitting black bodysuit. "Excuse me ma'am but do you have a Hero's License?"
Tatsumaki floated her phone a good ten feet off the ground to keep Izuku from getting at it as she answered, "Eh, what do you want kid. Can't you see I'm busy?"
Narrowing his eyes behind his mask, Kamui Woods asked again, "Do you have a hero license?"
To which he received a snort and curt reply, "No but I've been with the Hero Association since its founding. Tatsumaki the Tornado of Terror, perhaps you've heard of me?"
A sea of mutters started up through the crowd which by now included various news reporters. One young lady aspiring for an anchorwoman position asked, "Tatsumaki-san are you coming out of retirement? Should this stunning display of heroism mark your return with your sidekick by your side?"
Looking past the greenhorn hero, she replied curtly, "I'm not sure…but Izuku isn't my sidekick."
"What is he to you then?" another asked.
"He's my nephew!" she said, beaming with pride, "It was his idea to get involved, he saved a pedestrian and everything! I'm very proud of him."
Silence reigned for all of five seconds before Izuku found himself swarmed by reporters.
"What's it like being the son of Fubuki the Tornado of Hell?"
"Do you feel like you have big shoes to fill?"
"Who is your father? Is it the Caped Baldy who disappeared six years ago?"
"Is it Blast?"
"No, no, look at the color of his hair, it would have to be Genos the Cyber Demon, right?"
"That's enough!" Suddenly they were all pushed back by a wave of psychokinetic power. Tatsumaki swiftly reminded them all why her moniker was the Tornado of Terror. The glare was a mere display of authority to silence the story-hungry reporters.
She then turned to her nephew and asked, "Izuku, do you want to answer any questions? It's up to you. We can leave right now if you want."
After a moment to collect his wits, Izuku muttered out, "Well, maybe just one would be ok."
Before the shouting match for his attention could even begin, Tatsumaki silenced them all with another glare that cowled villains and heroes alike. Turning back to him she said, "Pick someone."
He pointed at a young lady. The same young woman who first questioned his aunt. "You, uh Miss?"
"Kiyomi Takada, NHN. I guess, since I only have one question, I have to ask. How do you feel right now having participated in your first rescue?" the reporter dejectedly asked.
Giving his best smile, he replied, "I'm happy no one was hurt, and everybody is safe. I hope to be able to help more people in the future after I become a Hero."
Kiyomi couldn't help but be infected by his optimism, "And I'm sure you'll be a great hero when you get older just like your Mother and Aunt."
"I sure hope so," He replied nervously.
"Ok interviews over. Izuku, time to go," Tatsumaki took his hand before covering them both in her green aura. Without another word, the two blasted off into the sky.
'I've got a scoop! Son of the Blizzard of Hell breaks up robbery with Aunt! I can see the front page already,' Kiyomi thought.
The thoughts of one Mina Ashido were about the same boy but much more earnest and simpler, 'I made a friend today.'
Today the wheels of fate kept turning but ever slowly slightly were changed by the actions of a young hero.
They arrived at the dojo in short order. It was old and a bit run down on the exterior, missing a few shingles on the roof and requiring a fresh coat of paint, but other than looking a bit run down, it was perfectly serviceable. Tatsumaki was not impressed with the place, however. Giving a huff and mumbling something about laziness and bad first impressions, she blasted the doors down with a blast of psychokinetic might before stepping casually over the doors.
Bang and Kamikaze who were in the middle of drinking tea, one with his cup half raised and the other with it tilted towards his now open and flabbergasted mouth, causing it to spill on his kimono. Atomic Samurai was the first to react, though that was mainly due to the hot tea he'd spilled on his crotch. Jumping into the air, he patted himself down yelling "Hot, hot, hot!"
"Tatsumaki-chan, it's been quite some time. How have you been?" Bang inquired, smiling warmly at her.
Shaking his head at her casual destruction of personal property Izuku spoke up, "I am so sorry about the door Bang-sensei."
"Ah Midoriya-chan, you're here too," Bang turned his attention back to Tatsumaki, "What brings you by, and how do you know our student?"
Crossing her arms, Tatsumaki replied imperiously, "He's my nephew, and I came by because I'm curious about his training regime."
Atomic Samurai who had by now calmed down whistled, "Nephew, then that means his mom is…"
"Fubuki, yes," The Tornado replied easily.
"Tch, damn, I lost," Kamikaze reached into his kimono and placed a handful of yen into Bang's waiting palm.
"What was all that about?" Izuku asked.
Shrugging Bang replied, "We had a small bet going on whether or not you were a kid from someone the Older Generation. I was right, but I never would've expected Fubuki-chan. Then again, she did suddenly disappear several years ago…But you wished to speak about Izuku's training, yes Tatsumaki-chan?" Bang inquired, snapping himself out of his wistful fugue.
Sitting cross-legged on the tatami mats across from her former colleagues she nodded, "Yeah, he told me he has an almost unnatural talent with the sword but when it comes to weaponless martial arts not so much. Is that about right?"
Kamikaze smirked, "That's not the half of it. The kid fights like he was born with a sword in his hand. For him fighting with a weapon is no different than breathing. I've never had someone learn this quickly. Not Okamaitachi, Bushidrill, or even Iaian learned the art of the sword this fast."
The Esper nodded as if she expected this. Turning to the martial arts master, she stated more than asked, "When it comes to learning your Fist of Flowing Water, Crushed Rock he just can't grasp it, right?"
Izuku hung his head in shame. For though she was blunt, she was also right on the money. Despite all of his considerable effort, he could not grasp anything beyond the fundamentals of the Fist of Flowing Water, Crushed Rock. He jumped slightly when he felt someone's hand on his head, looking up, he noticed it was Bang who said, "No need to be discouraged Izuku-kun, I'm sure you'll get it. In fact, unless I'm wrong, Tatsumaki-chan has a theory."
Looking at his aunt with eyes full of hope he asked, "Tatsu-obaa-san?"
Slowly nodding as if confirming something, Tatsumaki pulled both of her former collegue's blades from where they sat at his waist and presenting them to her nephew asked, "Izuku, what can you tell me about these swords?"
"What can I tell you about them?" he echoed. Seeing her nod, he began to elaborate, "The shorter of the two swords is Hocho Toshiro. It was an heirloom of the Ashikaga shogunate, forged almost seven hundred years ago in the year 1569. It has a two shaku and seven sun long blade that had been folded over several times during the forging process giving it a ripple pattern on the edge. It has a guard in the shape of an atomic symbol made of solid iron, which was a recent addition. The grip wrapped in genuine ray skin and silk cord. Two brass pegs hold the blade securely to the handle, with an iron cap on the end."
He set it aside and picked up the longer of the two. "This is Tsuruga Masamune. It has a three shaku and six sun long blade. Like Hocho Toshiro, the blade has been folded over several times during the forging process giving it a ripple pattern on the edge. Also the same is the guard shape, and work of the handle being of rayskin, silk, being held together by brass pegs."
He paused then before finishing, "The key difference is, that between the two, Tsuruga Masamune is the work of Sagami province's legendary swordsmith Masamune. Forged in 1303 making it almost nine hundred years old. Also, this sword became the favored weapon of Ōtani Yoshitsugu, Lord of Tsuruga Castle."
He looked up after feeling an awkward tension in the air. When he did, he saw everyone staring at him in various states of shock. Kamikaze looked the most surprised, his eyes open wide with his mouth slack while Bang's eyes were merely open wider than usual. Tatsumaki just looked surprised, mostly smug due to the knowing smile she had on her face but still, even she looked impressed at the sheer amount of information he was able to provide.
He found himself asking, "Did I do something wrong?"
This got a laugh from the small older woman, "Wrong? Hell no, but I think I pegged your problem. Or more accurately, why you're so skilled with weapons."
Leaning forward eagerly, Izuku said, "Yeah? What is it obasan?"
"I can now say with almost certainty that you have an Esper ability. That of psychometry. Or the ability to tell the history of an object through psychic means, usually touch."
Izuku mulled over this information and finally asked, "So is it impossible for me to learn Fist of Flowing Water, Crushed Rock?"
Casting her gaze around the dojo, Tatsumaki found her sight settling on a pair of steel training swords that were usually used for practicing techniques and not contact sparring. Levitating them over to her nephew she said, "Take these and get ready to spar with Bang. I have an idea."
Izuku couldn't help but question, "Uh, Tatsu-obāsan, is this safe?"
The green-haired Esper waved off his concerns, "It'll be okay, Bang may not look like it, but he's actually quite durable."
"Oi!" The Living Treasure of Martial Arts grunted at his peak mastery of martial arts earning him only the title of durable.
Ignoring the former 3rd ranked S-class hero's shout of indignation and seeing neither of them moving she huffed and bit out, "Well get moving!"
Thus did Bang and Izuku end up standing across from one another on the sparring room floor. One nervously holding two shinais, the other taking a loose combat stance. Looking over to his aunt, Izuku couldn't help but inquire, "Why exactly are we doing this Tatsu obaa-san? You never said."
Tatsumaki smacked her fist into her waiting palm, "Oh, that's right, I haven't explained yet have I? Well, it's simple in theory. If you can read and utilize the history of an object allowing you to learn sword techniques faster and in some cases instantaneously, then, in theory, you should after a period of time be able to learn and adapt to any attack you're confronted with. You'd just be absorbing the most recent history of the weapons after all."
Izuku gave it a moment of thought, "Oh…that makes a lot of sense. Provided it actually works like you think it will."
"Well we'll only know if we try, so get to it! Also, Bang, don't hold back. Izuku won't learn anything if you do," Tastumaki supplied.
"Understood." was Bang's only reply as he changed into a more threatening stance.
Tension filled the air as the two faced off. Izuku swallowed nervously. Then without warning, the Martial Arts Master struck. Bang was on him in an instant, his feet covering ground even as they flowed forward much like an ice skater. He struck out with his open palm, and by sheer luck, he managed to block it with his left blade. Miraculously he managed to repeat this feat if only just when Bang swatted aside his meager defense and attacked him with his other arm.
When both of his sensei's fists came barreling straight for his chest, Izuku hastily formed a protective X over his torso with his weapons. Tempered steel shattered like glass moments before the younger of the two combatants was sent flying across the room only to land in a heap. Rushing over to help him up Bang asked, "Are you alright Midoriya-kun?"
He was alright, but it wasn't him who answered. Instead, a familiar voice replied, "You should'a used Reinforcement lad. You'd have lasted longer then."
Everyone's gaze locked onto Zelretch who was, conveniently enough, sitting next to Tatsumaki on the sidelines. Blinking in surprise, Izuku asked, "Zelretch-san, when did you-"
He was cut off by Tatsumaki who levitated herself inches from the Wizard Marshall's face and began shooting off questions rapid-fire, "Who the heck are you? How did you get in here? Who said you could sit so close to me? How do you know my nephew and what were you talking about just now?"
Striking a pose, he replied grandiosly, "I AM…KISCHUR ZELRETCH SCHWEINORG…Wizard Marshall."
"Never heard of you," Tatsumaki replied flatly, "And you still didn't answer the rest of my questions!"
"Ah yes, to answer the rest of your questions, my dear…I didn't use the door, I can sit wherever the hell I damn well please, I am the one who gave your nephew his abilities, and I was just talking about one of them," Turning to Izuku as the Esper silently processed all of that he asked, "Well, why didn't you use Reinforcement lad?"
"I have no idea what that is Zelretch-san," spoke Izuku as question marks surrounded his head.
Blinking owlishly, the vampiric magician asked, "Eh, I thought I gave you the book before I left?"
"Book?" was the confused reply from the small boy as he regained his breath
Seeing the boy's confused look, he elaborated, "Yeah it was a tome that explained the ins and outs of the School of Material Transmutation or Magecraft one-oh-one if you prefer."
The green-haired boy shook his head, "No you never gave me anything like that. In fact, you never even explained what you did to me. Or what those weird lines in my left arm are and spreading around my body are."
Running a hand down his face, Zelretch asked, "Damn! I implanted but didn't explain to you or activate your Magic Circuits. I really dropped the ball this time."
"Why the rush?" was the question Izuku wanted answered most at this time.
"I was late for a very important date. I almost missed tea time with the Mad Hatter, March Hare, and Dormouse. That damn Dormouse always curses me out if I'm late," replied Zelretch as a soured look appeared on his face.
He wanted to protest. He wanted to ask for answers, but in the end, Izuku shook his head at the incredulity of it all. 'After all, anything is possible for someone who can travel multiple dimensions right?'
Sighing he said, "Well, what's done is done. Can you tell me about these Magic Circuits now before you leave again?"
Heaving himself to his feet and leaning heavily on his cane, he made his way over saying, "Sure kid, I was under the impression you had three months of practice under your belt by now anyway."
Getting a firm grip on his left arm Izuku felt a sudden slightly uncomfortable warmth envelope his limb along with a tingling like pins and needles. But he could feel it now. The Magic Circuits as Zelretch called them were open and active. He already knew he possessed thirty-two of them, but now he was also aware of how much magical energy each one contained. Each individual Circuit held sixteen units of energy for a grand total five-hundred-twelve units.
"There, that's one mistake fixed. Tell me, lad, how much prana do you have?" Zelretch asked with an eager expression on his face.
"Prana?" he echoed.
The Wizard Marshall rubbed his head, thinking, 'This kid has a lot to learn. Of course has no ties to the moonlit world,' He elaborated, "Magical energy in the Circuits."
"Oh, five-hundred-twelve," was the simple answer given by Izuku.
'That's better than the boy's when he first activated his. He'll get them up to Archer's level with time I'm sure.' Clapping his hands together he said, "Excellent! That's really above par. Now if you want to use them in the future you'll need to think of some kind of mental trigger."
'Mental trigger?' The very idea brought up the image of that one quirk users Dead Man's Hand Quirk. Picking the image of a gun hammer being cocked for the sake of simplicity, he nodded to the Dead Apostle Ancestor.
Zelretch promptly continued, "Now, for the interests of time, I'm going to give you a quick crash course on the basics and give you the book before I leave this time. Make sure to remind me ok?"
Izuku nodded, and the two got to work. It took all of an hour for someone as smart as Izuku to pick up what Zelretch was telling him. Material Transmutation, if going by the name alone, one would think this branch of magic was somehow related to Alchemy. However, Zelretch quickly corrected him on two points. The first was the difference between what he called magecraft and True Magic. That difference being that Magecraft reproduces what science and technology already can do in a given era while True Magic goes beyond what science and technology are capable of at the time. Zelretch then proclaimed himself a wielder of the Second of the Five True Magics. That of Kaleidoscope, which allowed him to go into other dimensions.
He then explained that Alchemy was its own branch of Magecraft that converted matter or phenomena to other forms while Material Transmutation merely enhanced what was already present. Soaking all of this information in, Izuku asked one nagging question, "If magecraft is reproducing what science and technology can already do, then doesn't Rick-san's Portal Gun render you Magic mere Magecraft?"
To his surprise, the vampire nodded sagely, "Yes if there was a Rick in my home universe But because the Rick from my dimension never existed my Magic is still just as potent. Now then, ready to get started?"
Receiving a nod, Zelretch taught him the basics of Material Transmutation using the broken swords as a teaching tool. Using Reinforcement, he correctly aligned the shards of both blades and then fused them back together following the mental blueprint. After that, Izuku enhanced them as much as he could before taking them in hand once more. Turning to Bang, at last, the wanna-be hero said, "Let's try this again sensei!"
Bang who had been sitting cross-legged on the floor patiently waiting for just such an announcement, took to his feet and took a relaxed stance. Zelretch stood off the side, watching with keen interest. Bang launched forward without warning, aiming a palm strike at his apprentice's sternum. He deflected it with a flick of his blades. A swing was aimed at his chin from the left. Izuku sidestepped, batting the strike wide before attempting to retaliate with a poke to his master's ribs. But Bang merely danced out of reach.
Giving his student a nod of approval, the Martial Artist dashed back into the fray. A curving right hook was dodged and pushed wide, and the return blade swing was knocked low. The bone-crunching straight punch met a barrier of steel that would not give, protecting its owner even as he was lifted off his feet and sent backward. Pressing his advantage. Bang unleashed a flurry of attacks, yet to his surprise, Izuku managed to defend against almost all of them. Only the last two of the nearly two dozen strikes made it past his defense as his blades broke once again.
The Living Treasure of Martial Arts expected his student to call for a break so he could fix his weapons once again or perhaps call it a day. Yet, instead, he half clenched his hands around handles that did not exist while closing his eyes in concentration.
'Ok, Zelretch told me that Projection works by imagining what I wanted to create as vividly as I could in my mind. I know what the blade was made of and how it was made thanks to Structural Grasping. So this should be a piece of cake…I hope.'
"Gradation Air!"
The air picked up, and an aura of power flowed around Izuku before lightning flashed from his palms before coalescing into the form of his broken blades which lay discarded at his feet. With determination burning in his eyes, he let his master know this fight was far from finished simply from his stance. His breathing evened out. His legs bent slightly prepared to both run and dodge, while his blades, though held at his sides, were bent at an angle. This proved that Izuku was ready to both attack and defend at a moment's notice.
Bang noted all of this and could only gape at the fact that his apprentice had effectively gone from a White belt to an Orange belt in just a few hours of direct sparring.
'It seems Tatsumaki was correct in her assumptions,' For a moment, the retired hero known as Silverfang was impressed by the sheer display of power he showed. Yet that moment of quiet pride in his student cost him. For the first time in their spar, it was Izuku who took the offensive.
Getting a running start, the boy leaped toward his teacher using his added momentum to swing and bring down both blades in an overhead strike. Bang crossed both of his arms up to cover his face and much to his surprise, the steel blades shattered like so much glass before fading away into motes of light. Izuku was undeterred, however, and used this moment of surprise to deliver a punishing strike to his master's gut.
Bang was thrown off balance, and his apprentice refused to let up. Another pair of blades appeared in a flash of light, and he stuck, this time armed. He slammed one blade into the older man's leg and the other into his arm, sending him sprawling but breaking both of his weapons in the process. Refusing to let Bang regain his wits, Izuku charged in projecting yet another pair of training swords one of which he held at his side with his arm across his chest, and the other was raised above his head at a left angle.
But he was too slow, and Bang was on his feet by the time Izuku got to him. Faster than he expected, Bang threw out another straight punch. Izuku spun, hoping to bleed off some of the power while blocking with one of his weapons, yet it shattered anyway on contact. Placing both hands on his remaining weapon, and using the strength of both arms and momentum from his spin, he slammed the blade home in the retired Heroes stomach. Bang was lifted off his feet from the impact, but the blade shattered as Izuku attempted to fling his teacher away.
The end result was Bang being flung halfheartedly through the air and landing in a heap much like Izuku did in their very first bout. Rushing to his side, green eyes filled with concern, Izuku asked, "Sensei, are you alright?"
Sitting up, Silverfang replied, "I'm fine. You did well today, Izuku-kun. I'm proud of you."
The boy in question smiled before looking at the floor, embarrassed by the praise. A bright red blush lit up his face when the sound of clapping on the sidelines reached his ears. When a slender hand rested itself on his shoulder he looked up to see his aunt giving him a thousand watt smirk, "That's my nephew! Beating a former S-class and not even in the double digits regarding age yet!"
"Eh-heh heh, thanks, Tatsu-obaasan…but it was just a spar. You know, practice?" Izuku didn't quite know how to accept her praise. To be honest, he was still fretting that he might've hurt his teacher. He WAS over a hundred after all.
"Pff, so? You still won. Which is in and of itself impressive" The Esper commented offhandedly.
To which Bang nodded and added, "She's right Izuku. You did well beating me even if only because you caught me off guard. It won't be so easy next time. I promise you."
"Someone sounds bitter that he lost," Kamikaze commented, before patting the boy on the shoulder and saying, "Ya did good kid."
"I'm not bitter, I simply don't want Izuku getting a big head thinking he can beat me so easily," Bang grumbled.
Zelretch made his way over his whole arm submerged into his breast pocket as he did so, "Good show lad. Here, this should be of use over the coming months."
Seeing everyone staring he said, "What? Never seen a pocket dimension before? Anyway, here you go lad," Pulling his arm out of his pocket, he emerged holding a thick leather-bound journal that was kept shut with a silver clasp in the form of a sword being placed in a sheath.
Taking it, he noted a large red gem in the shape of a kite shield was embossed into the center of the cover. Looking up at the Old Man of the Jewels he silently nodded his thanks, receiving a pat on the shoulder in response. "Well, I guess I should be going."
Noting his slightly bitter tone, Izuku couldn't help but ask the Dead Apostle, "Is something wrong Zelretch-san?"
Sighing, the vampire replied, "Well I thought you had three months' worth of magic practice and along with the notes, you would've had some skill with Reinforcement, Alteration, and Projection at this point. But that isn't the case."
Frowning slightly, Izuku asked, "Did you need my help with something?"
To which, the vampire said "Yes actually, but as you are right now, it would be too dangerous. Now I'll have to ask someone else to assist me…Aoko maybe…" he muttered the last bit to himself, but Izuku still heard it all the same.
Gaining a determined look, he asked, "What can I do to help?"
The Magician blinked, taking in the serious look he was sporting he said, "You want to help?"
A nod.
"And nothing I say can make you change your mind, right?" Zelretch asked with no emotion reflected in his tone.
Another nod.
Sighing and rubbing the bridge of his nose Zelretch muttered to himself, "I'm starting to think you're too much like him."
Clapping his hands together he came to a decision, "Fine, you can help!" He cut the grin the boy was starting to sport short by saying, "To a point, and not to the same capacity I was initially planning."
The lettuce-haired boy didn't care, he was just happy to help, "Okay, when do we leave?"
"ASAP," The Vampire replied, before reaching into his coat and pulling out a shortsword made entirely out of rainbow-colored crystal. He slashed the air with it, creating a multi-colored portal into the Aether.
"Before we go, can I make a couple of phone calls?" Izuku asked.
Seeing the Wizard nod, Izuku turned to Bang and asked, "Can I use your phone?"
"It's in the back," He replied, jabbing a thumb in the general direction he needed to go.
"Now hang on just a minute here!" was indignantly shouted by the only female in the room.
All eyes turned to Tatsumaki who was fuming by now. Pointing her finger at her nephew, she said, "You are not going anywhere, your mother, my sister would never forgive me if I just let you go."
She pointed at Zelretch, "You aren't taking him anywhere. Not when it's my job to look after him."
She then glared at Bang and Kamikaze, "And you two must've taken leave of your senses if you think it's ok for a six-year-old to go who knows where with some random old man."
"Tatsumaki!" Said Esper blinked. Not only at the fact that for the first time since he realized they were related did Izuku call her by her full name but the intensity by which he said it.
Holding her gaze firmly on his own he spoke earnestly, "Zelretch-san needs my help. I can't turn him down. He was the one who gave me my powers. The chance to follow my dream of becoming a hero. I can't 'not' help him when he needs me."
"He said it was dangerous," Tatsumaki pointed out.
"That's fine if I can help people." He retorted.
'Not this again!' Tatsumaki thought as she dragged a hand down her face. Raising her head to the heavens, Tatsumaki let out a pained groan, before locking eyes with him, "Fine! Do what you want! But I'm coming with you! Cause if you die doing something stupid, Fubuki will never forgive me."
Glaring at the Wizard Marshall as if daring him to contradict her she asked, "Is that going to be a problem?"
"Not at all. The more, the merrier and all that," chimed Zelretch
Giving a brisk nod, she said, "Good. Izuku, go make your phone calls. We'll leave when you get back."
Little did Izuku know this would be the first of many multiversal adventures he would have under his belt, and the first step in his journey of heroism.
Words: 13,685 Number of Pages: 33 Date Completed: 1/26/2022
AN: Hello everyone and welcome to chapter two of My Multiverse Academia! This was basically a rehash of chapter two from Twice Inheritor but starting with the next chap you'll be getting all new content. So, look forward to that.
Now, a word from my beta's starting with Snowy.
We know that this rehash is probably not what you guys wanted but we are working hard to use materials from the previous story that worked and parts that didn't. I hope everyone will like the chapter and pray for Izuku's chastity. I mean safety. Yes, pray for Izuku's safety. Thanks for the moment to speak Bubba. Next is Helioson.
Helios here, chained and properly restrained so this fic doesn't go off the walls like last time. Like before all I will say is worship my god Stan Lee, and let's all enjoy the ride!