-x- Izuku -x-
"You know you don't need to stay up with me, right?" Shoto asked. It was 2 AM on a saturday and they were both up. Shoto never slept, and Izuku always felt bad for sleeping when he was unable to. "I'm really used to it by now. You need to sleep," he said nicely, since Izuku was so tired he was near delirious.
Shoto moved him to his bed and pretty much tucked him in. "I'm fine just reading all night." Izuku fell asleep, and woke up to see Shoto pulling his shirt down after sitting up, Izuku being a noisy waker. He saw a red patch of skin. It didn't look like the rest of his skin, and didn't look like the burn on his face.
"What's on your back?" Izuku wondered. "Are you okay?" Shoto froze, it being a sensitive topic. "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to," he said sincerely. Establishing boundaries and space for both of them had been a good choice. Izuku didn't feel neck deep in Shoto's secrets, and the other seemed less uncomfortable or hurt since Izuku was no longer pressuring him. He hadn't meant it to be that way, but always knowing pretty much everything had negative affects.
The white and red haired teen frowned, and then took a deep breath, preparing. "It's just what happened at training."
"Oh. Are you okay?"
"Yeah… with the rings," he said, lifting his hands to show the reflective skin. Oh. Oh. Those were there to keep him staying human. Had bits of him turned into some sort of pokemon?
"Oh. So, the red is part of you that turned into a pokemon?" Shoto nodded, searching Izuku's face. He seemed satisfied with what he found. Izuku didn't look or feel angry or hurt he wasn't told. "Is that the only one?"
Shoto shook his head. He lifted his shirt up to show his toned torso, but also showed the bits of his skin that were clearly not his skin. There were a few black, red and blue spots. None of it was furry, but it also didn't seem like soft skin as the rest of him. Izuku's face fell. "Do they hurt?"
"No. They're just there, they don't hurt or anything," Shoto said, lowering his shirt.
"That's good. Have you talked with Arecus lately?" Shoto nodded. "And news on the state of Kyogre?"
"...Yeah. He's eating pokemon, now. Even though he usually feeds on plants." Izuku grimaced. He hated that it was very clear everything was definitely going to happen. There was no avoiding it now. All Might was still getting his body ready to accept his power, but said Izuku was nearly there.
He knew it wouldn't be all fun and games to master his power. If it was, he wouldn't need to become so fit and strong. Not that it wasn't a good feeling to be in great shape. He ate a lot more and a lot healthier now. "It's okay, you still have over a year," Shoto reassured in his plain voice.
Izuku nodded, and got dressed, trying to not think or ask more about the turning into a pokemon thing. Shoto was very close to them because the worst thing that had been able being at Endeavor's and at that preppy school was the complete absence of pokemon. Shoto was able to ditch the house and visit Izuku, so he wasn't offended that the worst thing for him was not missing him. At lest his friend was nice about it. Shoto deserved friends.
Things with Ochako were weird. She was fixated on Shoto's situation, probably not wanting to be crazy or misremember things, even though it was when they were four. But Izuku was deflecting all questions, even if he didn't like trying to convince her she imagined things. He was loyal to Shoto first and foremost. It wasn't like he was telling Yaoyorozu about his deal with All Might or anything.
So, he was trying with Ochako but it wasn't going well. He wished they had nice people in school to make friends there, but Izuku was still quirkless and Shoto was still Tomato Face. Kacchan left Shoto alone but still was an asshole to Izuku when he was alone. He gave up on trying to get him to leave him alone. It was pointless by now. Mitty came to visit with them, usually sleeping on the couch with Taki when Shoto was over. She wasn't nearly as clingy and affectionate with Izuku than Envy was with Shoto. And he knew that was mostly special to him and her background of abuse with Shoto being her savior. She went everywhere with him.
"How are things with Ochako going?" Shoto asked, as if reading his thoughts. But he knew that wasn't a power Shoto had, so he never worried. Izuku shrugged. "Not good, then."
"It just feels like she wants to be our best friend again." Shoto furrowed his brows, looking curious. "She just ditched us. I know we didn't put in a ton of effort, but just assuming she can be the same as you and me, though we've been friends nine years… it bothers me a little bit. I don't want her poking her nose into your business."
"I get that. I don't really like that she knows any of it. I told Yaoyorozu about seeing legendaries, but I never went into detail and she had no idea about Arceus and what my power really is. That's only for you and Touya." Izuku smiled, feeling warm. Their friendship survived that little blip and got stronger.
They ate some breakfast, Inko at work, and then went on a walk before Izuku was to meet All Might. Shoto had asked for All Might to not bring Endeavor's issues to the surface unless he harassed Shoto again. And he did message that to the man as an extra blanket of security from him. Asshole. Izuku hated him. Shoto was the mature one and then he went and threw away any hope he had to be involved with Shoto, whether it be his personal life or future career.
After the walk, playing with pokemon, Shoto taking him flying until he begged to be put back down, Shoto went home to have a talk with Arceus since the rings around his wrists wer tinging and barely glowing, meaning he wanted to talk. Izuku was in his training clothes, and headed to the beach.
All Might wasn't there yet, but Izuku looked at the mostly clean beach with a smile. It took months, some of that stressful and lonely, but the progress was coming. Too slow in his eyes, but not everyone could be in another dimension for a year and be taught by a god. Though at least his teacher was pretty high ranking, too.
When All Might came, Izuku was doing pushups in the sand, it getting between his fingers and under his short nails. "Young Midoriya," he called in his skinny form. It really was too bad he couldn't be healed by Shoto's Celebi power. "You've nearly cleaned the area!" he said nicely. He wasn't fast enough, this was taking too long. It would take a lot to catch up to Shoto and be his hero partner.
"I wish I could have done it faster."
"Nonsense! You can't get strong overnight!" Izuku nodded, not feeling like arguing. Ember came this time, mostly because he liked seeing Shoto, but he wasn't there. The charizard huffed in disappointment. "I've come with news I think you should know before putting all your eggs in UA's basket." Izuku nodded, furrowing his brows. "UA has decided to become a boarding school."
Oh. Oh. That wasn't a dealbreaker for Izuku, but what about Shoto? What would he think? Well, no matter his discomfort, he would do what Arceus wanted. Just like it was with Izuku and All Might, who finally knew what it was like to have a mentor you wished to impress, live up to their standards.
Shoto had done that consistently for a decade, Izuku hadn't yet, but he really wanted to! "Are pokemon going to be allowed?" Izuku asked. "Shoto would never go too unless they were allowed."
"They are. Both on campus and with the students." Izuku sighed in relief. "How well do you think Young Todoroki will do? Will he accept it?"
"I don't know… he has good reasons for wanting to go to UA. But he's a very private person… Living with a roommate, even if it was me…"
"Each student would get their own room and bathroom." That was good. And Shoto didn't need to hide his body if he had his own room and bathroom. Especially with all those splotches of things that weren't him. What would they had continue to look like? He had no idea because pokemon all looked incredibly unique and different. It was disturbing thinking of him being something else.
"That's good. I'll still go, of course. And Shoto really needs to become a good hero, as well."
"He has a drive then! With a power like his, he will get in most likely. And you will only have yourself to worry about." Izuku nodded. He trained more while All Might read him information about the dorm system alert. What the dorms would be like, what the campus was like from an insider's view of it.
Izuku knew he was doing it because, as much as he wanted Izuku to go to UA, he didn't want him picking somewhere he'd hate. Which made him happy. Arceus had an agenda that Shoto needed to heed to, but it wasn't just him being cruel and pushing him, they had a time limit. Thinking of it already starting, Izuku became nervous, but pushed through it with his effort to become stronger.
He saw Shoto's face in his mind, that look of fear that was burnt into his mind, but also a look of devastation as he failed to stop it. As pokemon killed each other and the humans around. Izuku would not let that fate only fall onto him.
Pushing his body faster, the thing that really fired him up was Shoto and the end of the damn world that only those two knew about. Arceus told him not to tell anyone, and Izuku wouldn't either. He knew the reasons. One, there was nothing to do to stop it if anyone did believe them, and two, pokemon would be treated horrifically in the present for something that would happen in the future, and that was wrong.
He wondered what Shoto's plan was, what the invisible objects he'd had were and why he hid them, and if he was part of the plan at all. He couldn't wait to get it over with. But once it passed, Shoto would lose his lifelong mentor and friend. Swallowing thickly, he focused his emotions on his arms, pumping adrenaline. Trying not to think was not helpful in his training. Getting lost in thought wasn't pleasant but was motivating.
Yeah. He would be okay because he had to.
-x- Shoto -x-
Shoto picked at his food at the dinner table, the others all talking while he moped. He wasn't happy with the news that UA was now a boarding school. And he didn't like that Arceus said he still though it was the best place to learn, make connections and get vital information. Especially since they had a pokemon course for those who planned on being hero partners with their humans. He thought it would be good to teach Envy more.
So he was stuck. He knew he'd get into UA by his grades and "quirk" and that All Might was doing what he could to get Izuku in, but… he felt he'd be trapped. He wouldn't be able to just go out and visit places, he couldn't travel through the portals. Touya wouldn't be there to cover for him. He'd always been able to leave to go on trips since he was young, thanks to his older brother, but he knew that the school probably wouldn't trust him on his recent track record of "running away".
Both while he lived with his mother and Endeavor. It was only running away for the latter. He had to do the former and really wished he told someone. It was a big mistake that caused a lot of people a lot of pain and inconvenience.
He managed to finish his food and went upstairs to do some homework before asking Arceus for a meeting. Shoto missed the Star Room, where nobody could walk in on them, but it just wasn't possible anymore.
"How are you doing?" Nobody else could hear or see the god, only Shoto. And he could use his own telepathy to speak silently, but it still took place somewhere that wasn't always going to be private. Though he'd just look like he was zoning out if anyone saw.
"I'm still upset about the dorm system. Not just as me, as a person I'm used to going out and going places. If I was at a boarding school, I wouldn't be able to. And they wouldn't let me off campus since, to outsiders, I ran away from home twice in three weeks."
"Your upset is understandable. But this is important. I don't want to push you to do things you don't want to, but there must be compromises." Shoto knew he was whining, and nodded.
"I'm sorry to bother you. My brother and Izuku have gotten tired of my attitude over it. I just wanted to hear I have no choice." His voice sounded sad, defeated. Arceus didn't bullshit him and tell him that wasn't how it was. His freedom to choose was rapidly being taken away. Time was ticking, he had a deadline and couldn't waste too much time. But still, Arceus insisted he make time for himself somehow. Hang out with friends and family. Do human things. Not to kill himself with stress and worry like he had before.
"Arceus? If I am somehow part pokemon now, will I turn into a shadow pokemon?"
"The bands are to keep you from becoming pokemon enough for that to happen. And those are currently impossible to remove unless by my own will. You do not need to worry about that or pokeballs." Shoto nodded, glad about that.
"If I succeed, what do I do then? What will my next task be?"
"You get to live your life how you want to, not by anyone else's will."
"That sounds scary."
"You will get better, and it will come to you naturally. You could be hero still, become a pokemon vet, write a novel about everything. Whatever you want to do." Shoto could hear this sense of guilt in his voice. Shoto didn't hate him for giving him a mission when he was young, but it would be weird being free when he had never had the feeling before. It kind of scared him.
When Rei knocked on the door, Arceus said goodbye, and faded into nothing. He opened the door, and she moved to sit next to her on the bed. "Is everything okay?" Shoto asked.
"I want to tell you that I will miss you dearly, but we would not be angry or upset if you choose to attend UA as a boarding school."
"It will stop me running away again, at least," he complained. Rei gave a chuckle, and brushed the hair out of his face on his white side.
"Shoto, are you ever mistreated about your burn at school?" He lied.
"Not really." But then he didn't want to lie more than necessary. He was growing tired of living his life on top of a mound of lies. A kingdom of them. Where he'd been, what his quirk was, hiding all of the information, telling them where he'd been for the three days/one year. So many lies. He didn't really know any different though. "In elementary school they called me Tomato Face and all. It's my fault I'm bullied in middle school, though." She asked why, and Shoto was glad to see she wasn't near tears about it being "her fault" for the accident. "On the first day of school, I was left alone and had put makeup on to hide it. When I was walking home with Izuku, someone said something about me having a cool quirk and staying away with Izuku as a quirkles loser. I just turned around and wiped my makeup off and said something like 'I hang out with him cause I have a stupid tomato face.' It was my fault, but I didn't want Izuku to be alone," Shoto explained.
He was surprised by the absolute look of pride on his mother's face. "You are a wonderful friend, Shoto. Even if you've both had your drama, you're incredibly loyal to your loved ones."
It was a conundrum. Was he being loyal to his family for hiding things? Because he was being loyal to Arceus. At least he was being loyal to someone in this mess. He wished he could tell his mom everything, but he was scared of what her reaction would be, not only to the truth, but that he'd been lying and hiding so much since he was so little.
Maybe after Arceus was gone and Shoto was free to do as he wished, he could tell her. He'd be older then, as well. Yeah, he'd tell her after the shadow pokemon did not once again end the world. "Thanks, mom," Shoto said quietly.
-x-
"I'm sorry," Izuku said, laying in the hospital, Shoto trying to cut him apples like his mom did but failing at it. He had just gotten his power and shattered both legs. He'd called Shoto in compete panic since he couldn't move. Shoto rushed over to where he was and managed to heal some of it. Enough that it wouldn't leave lasting damage. He was still in the hospital, though. "It just exploded."
"It's okay. When you practice, make sure I'm there so I can heal you faster," Shoto said. Izuku put a wrapped arm to his face, biting his lip roughly, trying not to cry. "You're 14 and only just got this power. A power that buff as hell All Might had. It's not crazy that you can't control it," he added quietly, though not in an impatient way.
"I need to be ready and strong enough when it happens," Izuku whined. Shoto felt bad for him. He was comparing them again, though Shoto knew there was no way not to right now. Izuku's new power shattered his bones.
"I think it'll be okay," Shoto said slowly. "When we get into hero school, you'll get stronger."
"If I get in. I can't really do heroing if this happens every time I use my quirk," Izuku spat bitterly. Shoto knew it wasn't at him, but the situation.
"You could always get in the general studies and work on your quirk and then transfer."
"Then it would be too late."
"...Yeah," Shoto sighed. "What did All Might say about this?"
"He's unsurprised. He warned me it would be hard on my body, but I didn't think it'd be like this. I thought it wold be aches and pains, or upset my stomach or give me headaches," Izuku said.
"Are you gonna give up after a really bad testrun?" Izuku shook his head. "What's you plan, then?"
"I'll try it on smaller parts of my body. A shattered finger should be easier to heal than a whole limb," Izuku said. "I'll be a hero in time. I'm not gonna be some civilian with a useless quirk." Shoto nodded, and took his hand. He gave up on the apple cutting.
"You can do it. We'll be heroes together."
"Heh, and save the world," Izuku said, laughing despite the pain and heavy subject matter. "Even without me, you're more than enough. And that's not me being insecure, I fully believe that." Shoto's heterochromatic eyes widened a little bit and he gave a smile.
"It feels like everyone thinks that but me. Sometimes I feel totally prepared. Other times I'm really scared I'll mess up, and everything will end up being my fault."
"This is nobody's fault. Not even god's. You're just forced to be there and try and fix it." Shoto nodded. "Have you talked to him? Any good news?"
"He told me once it's over I can do whatever I want in life. But… I just feel lost when I hear that. I don't know what living would be without this preparation. It's not like someone who's been in a job or something a long time, and it's hard to imagine something more. I just have no frame of reference for it. As long as I can remember, it's been this. It's scary to think of anything else," he confessed. They were the only ones in the hospital room, nobody else was listening.
"I'll help you figure that out, too. We'll still be friends." If they were both still alive. "Besides, if you want structure in your life, being a hero is pretty easy to follow, right? Save and rescue people, fight villains. And of course taking care of the pokemon side of he world, too," Izuku added with a smile. Shoto smiled, too.
"Do you want me to keep trying with the apple?"
"I don't like apples. I didn't want to tell you." Shoto liked apples, so he ate it while Izuku talked about school and the book he started reading in his free time. Shoto liked getting book recommendations since his night life was consumed with quiet, easy distractions to take up his time.
Shoto left and got him some candy bars. When he returned to the room, All Might had come in his skinny form so he wasn't recognizable. Shoto respectfully waited outside the door before All Might left, looking bothered. Shoto stopped him. "Is he gonna be okay? Is he going to be ready for highschool?"
"I believe he will be ready enough to start. There's still much to do and to learn."
"But he won't be breaking his body for the next year?"
"I believe not," the hero said firmly. "Have you decided to go to UA?" Shoto had no choice, but he didn't say that and just nodded. Pokemon weren't allowed inside unless they were for a sick person that couldn't go home anytime soon. It was quiet there, and Shoto didn't really like it much. Big spaces should be full of pokemon.
"I will make sure he goes with you," All Might stated. Shoto didn't trust him to do it alone, and planned on being with Izuku during his practices to heal him if things go wrong again. But that was a good thing in a way.
-x-
"I hate you having to come," Izuku said while his finger was healed instantly. "I hate being a burden."
"Hmm... You're an investment." Izuku burst out into laughter. "I mean, it's worth it to put my time in it!" Izuku just laughed more. Shoto smiled, too. He had gotten much better at controlling his quirk. Out of sheer spite of hating needing others to take care of him. Shoto was sure the negative feelings were spurring him more than any positive. Izuku had always been that way. He hated being a pessimist but bad circumstances were what really lit a fire under him.
There was one month left before the entrance exam, for Izuku. Shoto was easily put into recommendations. Not just for his grade but he had often practiced his powers on campus, so of course his teachers thought he should be recommended. He had to take a different exam to test him, but he had a far greater chance of getting in than Izuku.
Shoto's wrist started to tingle and glow. It was just them at the beach together, somewhere more secluded. "Is it okay if I answer right here?"
"Yeah. I'll be quiet," Izuku promised. Shoto got more comfortable sitting and allowed the meeting. Arceus stood in front of him on the sand, though gave no shadow. He would look like he was truly there if the shadow was present. It looked unnatural.
"Have you noticed?" Arceus asked, getting right to the point
"Noticed what? Everyone knows about the ocean water receding, but don't know why. What's wrong?" There wasn't usually meetings for good things anymore. Well, not meetings instigated by Arceus.
"Dialga has interfered from the other dimension. I didn't realize they'd gotten more powerful if they are not personally controlled." Shoto's brows furrowed.
"But they can't do anything to stop the shadow pokemon, right?" Arceus nodded and then explained. Shoto looked to just be staring off into space, not speaking, but Izuku stayed silent and nonmoving.
"Kyogre left the ocean depths. He was not supposed to. Now that this involves the warping of natural time - Kyogre was meant to stay down there for longer - it has become messier. Dialga grew offended by the timeline changing without his or my permission and action. He is angry, and broke from the stupor he and Palkia have been in. Neither will come after you or Izuku again."
"What is he doing?"
"It is likely Kyogre will be killed. Dialga is prideful and aggressive."
"But Kyogre plays an important role! Why would he kill him? And it's not like its his fault this is happening!"
"I cannot easily capture them both again. Palkia has stayed away from this world but Dialga has not."
"Is there anyway to stop him?"
"It is unwise for me to interfere again. Interfering in protecting the three of you was very rare. I cannot stop them easily, and trying a second time will end in further anger and aggression. With Dialga possibly killing Kyogre, the spread might slow. But his time is not easy to manipulate. That is why his actions against you, Izuku and Envy reversed the time of the environment. Much of the forest was aged backwards and was damaged." Shoto never got to see that, they had been saved before seeing their surroundings clearly.
"What will happen with this time?"
"It should start getting darker, earlier, as a constant. It is possible other changes will come. I came to tell you that you may have a bit of more time, but also to let you know things have become unstable. The timeline may not be as cut and clear as previously thought. With Kyogre dead, Groudon will try to expand the continents again. Rayquaza will do his job, but is supposed to balance two out. With only one left, it is unknown how it will affect him."
"So the world is falling apart even more now?"
"Yes. There is nothing you can do right now, you are a human first and foremost and should not fight any legendaries. I want to be honest and open with you. I thought you should know." Shoto ran his hands through his red and white hair with a sigh.
"Thanks for telling me."
"You're welcome. Just keep doing what you are doing."
"Okay." Arceus disappeared. Shoto flopped onto his back and groaned, sand getting in his hair. Izuku nervously asked what the issue was. Shoto didn't really want to give him more bad news. "You might not want to know…"
"I do." Shoto sighed and looked at the deceptively peaceful sky as he explained the news. "At- at least Dialga and Palkia aren't gonna try and kill us again. But killing Kyogre seems like overkill! It's not like it's his choice to turn into a monster like that!"
"Poor Kyogre. So much suffering. Maybe killing him would be a mercy," Shoto sighed. "I talked to Rayquaza. I wonder if he'd be sad of hearing Kyogre died. I wish there was an answer to why this happens and if there's any way to stop it. But literally nobody knows, not even god." He put his arm over his forehead.
Izuku scooched over, his finger feeling much better. He laid down next to Shoto and took his hand. "Mission is still the same, right?"
"I'm sorry it's always bad news," Shoto sighed, holding his hand back tightly.
"You're not the one that brings it," Izuku said quietly. "And I'm not gonna leave you to fester. And I know when to respect boundaries with the secrets." Shoto nodded and sighed. He was glad Izuku didn't try to convince him everything would be alright. The days would get shorter. Well, not like it really affected him personally. He hadn't slept in many months.
After the sun started to set, they left the beach. "Want me to try something fun?"
"...Sure…" Izuku said. Shoto had a good idea.
"Climb onto my back." Izuku was suspicious, but climbed onto Shoto's back. He put his hands under his thighs to hold him up before running to the nearest bench. He stepped onto it and then used his momentum to push him up, using levitate to get him in the air, and then cutting it to land. Izuku screamed the whole time they were up, even though it wasn't long.
"It wasn't that bad," Shoto said.
"You should have warned me!"
"Sorry." He wasn't too sorry, it was fun. "I wonder if I could jump from roof to roof. Not quite flying."
"Try it." Shoto looked curious. "Use you power for yourself, just for something fun." The taller gave a nod, and he put Izuku down and went to the dumpster at the corner, which lead up to a balcony and then a low level roof of an old shop. "Go on, nobody is around."
Shoto licked his lips and did what he was planning. He used his momentum with a jump and then used his power before deactivating it onto the next place, and continuing. It was fun. The wind in his face, the feeling of weightlessness, and then the sensation of falling… why hadn't he thought of this sooner?
Izuku cheered for him, and when he landed wrong and face planted, he hurried over in concern. Seeing the mud all over Shoto's face, he started laughing. Shoto rinsed his face off with his water power, and then sprayed Izuku with it. "Jerk!"
"Then don't laugh at me failing." But it was nice. Shoto felt like a kid, what his age was. It was a weird feeling, and he didn't really like it much. It was fun, but the feeling of being immature felt wrong. He was conflicted over it, but knew Izuku would want him to feel differently over it. He used some wind on his face. It dried it but messed his hair up. "There, good as new."
Shoto walked Izuku home, promising to hang out the next morning. He didn't really want to be alone after the bad news, and looked uneasy at the door before Izuku widened it. "Come on. Tell Rei you staying over." Shoto nodded and went inside. He put on some comfortable pants from Izuku's dresser, and played on his Switch while he slept, the rain noise machine a nice dull noise that interrupted the silence of the Midoriya household.