The Red mother stared at the conception of suffering. This was supposed to continue on forever, time restarted by her own power. She refused to allow suffering to be born, it would mean the end of everything. The monstrous nightmares with twisted goals and morals, tainting the child. Her daughters had fought valiantly each loop, she used all her powers to bring back the strongest of them.
They remained mute, unable to talk but their dedication to the cause was enviable. She was growing tired, there had to be another way to stop suffering. She peered between the fabric of reality that separated this hell scape from normal life. She saw individuals with powers, people with deformations walking among others unmolested. It was mind boggling, but it brought hope to her chest.
If she ripped apart the barrier then the people on the other side could defend themselves from these creatures of suffering. She needed someone to latch onto, she needed someone to take the place of commander. She couldn't let her daughters be commanded by just anyone.
She had won more than a breather from the creatures, her strongest daughters had taken a mission that was paramount to a death sentence. They fought against endless waves of enemies until they fell in battle.
Hope, Faith and Desire fought for her and they deserved more than this pitiful existence. They who've never seen the bright sun or green grass. They who fought in this forever war, with nothing to look forward too.
Red pulled on the fabrics of time and looked deep for people who could change the future around them.
She saw a man who could peer into the future of others, but he was enslaved by his power. He didn't fight against what he saw.
She saw a man who changed fate by fighting against all darkness, but he was limited. He only had one facet of his ability, his time in the spotlight was growing closer to the end.
Another was marked in suffering, he broke people down into nothing. He fought for a bleak and twisted goal, one that was marred by hypocrisy. He figured himself a healer. Her mind thought of the plague doctors and their twisted experiments on their still living victims.
There were many important figures but none of them could fit the mold of her important commander. That was until she came across a boy, his potential for change was amazing. He could change the world for the better no matter what path he chose for himself. She observed all his alternate timelines and each of them were fascinating.
This green-haired boy was a focal point, he could accomplish great things no matter what. She couldn't ruin any futures he made but she searched for one where he would have faded away into obscurity.
In this life the boy never had a fateful encounter with his hero. He had taken a different path home, he still refused to give into fate. He had went to that school exam, the one where fate was shattered around. In some he did poorly and others he excelled, she pushed through the broken strings of fate. She gathered all her power and reality bent under her might as she forced a connection with the boy who'd command her daughters against suffering.
Midoriya sat in the chair listening to Present Mic speak. His mind whirling as he approached the physical portion of the exam. There had to be some way to disable the robots he was about to face, not everyone had a quirk that leant itself towards force. His leg bounced in place as he thought over a million different plans. There had to be something he could do.
"You there with the curly hair are you trying to distract everyone here!" The harshly barked words snapped him back to reality, he had been muttering. "If you aren't going to take this seriously then you should leave."
He clenched his eyes shut and bowed his head, he shut everything else out his mind while he focused on breathing. He refused to cry, even as the tears came into the corners of his eyes, he bit his cheek and held them back.
He kept his head down the entire way through the bus ride to the testing grounds. These sites were huge and must have taken a large amount of funds to simulate urban environments.
His body moved on autopilot, his feet carried him to the locker rooms on sight. He changed without a second thought, his body was aching due to his rigorous training but he thought he was ready. He would give his all and no matter what happened he gave this chance everything he had. He may have been Quirkless but he didn't want to be beaten down.
He moved silently through groups of UA hopefuls and reached the starting ground. He went through a list of plans, he could use broken pieces of the robots to destroy others. He could make a coordinated group with some of the other examinees. There was nothing in the rules about teaming up, he saw a million different uses for the quirks that were on display around him.
He noticed how jittery all of them were, they wouldn't listen to a word he'd say. They would probably think he was trying to use them or trick them. He knew they wouldn't take a Quirkless kid seriously.
He heard the horn for them to approach the gate, he took a position in the back. He needed to follow someone to get a broken piece of machinery.
"What are you waiting for, there's no start in heroics!" The words of Present Mic propelled the crowd into motion. The stampede of people destroying robots in front of them, he followed and grasped a discarded robot limb.
The weight wasn't a problem, but it should be sturdy enough for him to break some metal. He ran forward into a crowd of one pointers, his improvised weapon raised high.
That moment was frozen when something broke around him. His mind felt like it was shattering, nothing was where it was supposed to be. He didn't know how to describe the feeling of something latching onto his very soul. That's just what it felt like, an icy hand had gripped his heart and gave it a hard squeeze but loosened its grip immediately after. The grip was still there but it was a lot more comforting.
He fell to his knees unmoving, the drones didn't move. He already failed, he didn't have the strength to move anymore. He hated this, he was already losing and his dream slipped further away from his reach.
"Suffering shall never take you." The words spoken in his mind made his reality shake. This wasn't normal, was this someone's Quirk messing with him.
"I feel your unease, but let me reassure you. This isn't the work of a quirk, I am Red Mother and I've chosen you to stand against suffering. You who stand at the center of fate, whose fate is his own making. I lend you my power and the aid of my daughters." He felt the thing around his heart flex, it shifted and the robots around him broke. It wasn't a quick affair, they warped and melted into a red viscous liquid.
"Is that blood?" He asked aloud his surprise at the robots melting around him.
"Yes, now call forth one of my daughters to aid you. Think of me as an extension of you." Her voice was soothing, it calmed and eased his nerves away from a panic attack.
Izuku blinked, but he nodded his head in acceptance. If this wasn't his mind breaking from his own failings then he had a sentient Quirk. One that was able to do a lot of things, but if this was real he'd seize this chance with both hands.
He stared at the puddle in front of him, the new pressure on his chest tightened. He grasped whatever tied them together and pulled.
Arms were the first thing to pull itself out of the puddle, followed by a head topped with pure white hair.
The figure stood before him, she was a little taller than him. She observed herself with curiosity and interest, she glanced at the buildings and sky with eager enthusiasm. She clapped excitedly and was about to run off.
"Hope." The voice was amused but also exasperated. "This is Izuku, your new commander."
The girl, Hope, snapped into a rigid stance. Her golden eyes were staring at him with gratitude.
"I-I need to destroy robots around here, will you help?" He asked her timidly, hoping his loaned Quirk wouldn't hate him. She was Red Mother's daughter after all, she shouldn't have any loyalty to him.
She gave him a considering look, eyes examining him like he was underneath a microscope. Hope grinned as she held up her hands as two ivory pistols formed in her hands. She nodded excitedly, gesturing for him to do something. He blinked in confusion, but decided to nod at her.
"Reach out your hands." The Red Mother supplied helpfully, translating her daughter's non-verbal request.
He followed the instruction, blinking slowly as a weapon formed on his hands. It was a white sword that gleamed in the light.
"Thank you." He said aloud, his voice filled with awe. He couldn't find the words he felt were needed for how grateful he was for this chance.
"Go, give out your orders. Hope will be more than enough to get you in, but I imagine you'll want to put your best foot forward."
Izuku took a deep breath and let it go in an explosive sigh. He raised his head and analyzed Hope in front of him. She dropped all emotion from before, the only thing hinting at her emotions being her golden irises staring back. He recognized the look oddly enough, she reminded him of a pro hero.
"Destroy all green robots you run into, and help the other examinees if it looks like they need it."
Hope snapped a quick salute, before she leapt backwards in a flip and fired her gun in an explosive display of force launching her into the sky.
He didn't pause as he gripped the sword in his grasp. He had to make sure that he wasn't left behind.
He ran, his feet pounding against the asphalt and concrete. He swept his borrowed sword forward his eyes going wide as it sliced the robot in half easily. He wondered idly if it could be used against building structures or rocks. It would be a massive help to rescue work if he could easily part materials trapping a civilian.
He never stopped his movement, even when the giant zero pointer arrived on the scene. He saw other examinees panicking at the large foe before them but his eyes spotted some trapped under the rubble.
He didn't hesitate, his body moved before he could think of a plan. He'd grab it's attention and pull it away from the girl. He didn't pause as he heard the explosive barks from Hope's dual guns. He needed to destroy it or distract it.
"I have a suggestion, use Hope." Her tone was soft and filled with an unknown emotion, it felt bitter and hollow. There was a cold acceptance hidden behind her words. "Sacrifice something for the power you need, that is one of the main tenant's' of power. If you wish to have greater strength then something must be left behind."
His mind stuttered to a pause, was she suggesting. . .
Hope appeared beside him easily enough, something that shocked him but he recovered quick enough.
"No, I won't sacrifice someone for my own needs." Izuku said, his voice barely containing his disgust at such an idea. His mind whirled for a solution, he looked at his own limbs. He thought long about something, in what was a few seconds it felt like hours as his mind worked for a solution.
"Can I sacrifice anything? Does it have to be permanent or is it a contract type of deal. Can I dictate my terms?"
"Something must be given and you'd receive something in equal value. I don't see why not, sacrifice is sacrifice." Her voice sounded in his mind, sounding intrigued.
"I'll sacrifice the function of my arms, and legs for two hours. Can I rely on you, to drag me out of the way Hope?"
Hope nodded her eyes wide with shock, she was fine with her own death. Her gold eyes staring at him for a long moment, eyes judging his character. She grasped her guns and stepped back, moving into a better position to wait for her time to grab him.
"Is this the price you've decided on? The pain will be immense?"
"I want to be a hero." His words were answer enough, he felt proud of his determination.
"Very well, hold your sword tight. The second your foe goes down, you will stop functioning." The blade grew longer and sharper, it's pristine white color changed into a dark red that flowed along the blade and dripped. It was blood, his contract was accepted it seemed.
He grasped the blade and in q sudden burst of wind, he leapt forward. He used all his newfound power and strength to propel himself into the air towards the midsection of the robot. He moved his blade through the air, and it screamed. The one pointer might as well shouldn't have existed with how easily the blade bit through. He didn't stop there, he had to make sure it went down.
His feet contacted the wall of a building, and he pushed himself back at the robot. His limbs screamed in protest as he felt the pain burning of every nerve screaming as white hot agony flooded his system. He brought the blade down, his voice howling with agony.
The robots head was removed from its body easily, light on its body dying as something crucial was lost.
His body immediately seized in the air. He felt the power that flooded his being drain away. He was like a broken dam, and it felt as if he was weaker than he had ever been in his life. He was falling but his mind was calm, he trusted Hope would catch him.
"You could say you had Faith." The small voice of Red Mother whispered in amusement and exasperation equal.
He felt his movement in the air halt as he was caught in his allies arms. Her grin was infectious as she grinned down at him, her sharp canines pronounced as she showed teeth. He felt them hit the ground, but Hope didn't so much as make a noise of protest.
"If there are any injured examinees, please wait for Recovery Girl. She'll be with you shortly."
Izuku let out a puff of air, "guess I'll have to explain what happened with my limbs?"
Hope nodded, never losing her smile. She placed him on the ground while she removed her coat. It's dark silver color catching his eye. She still had her long blood red scarf around her neck. She lifted his head and placed the folded coat underneath his head.
Hope decided to poke him while they waited for Recovery Girl.
"You did well, Izuku Midoriya. I'm glad to see that my trust in you wasn't misplaced." Red Mother said, her voice sounding motherly and caring. It seemed not only had he gained a quirk but also another mother to worry about him. "It's part of my name, it only makes sense."
He blinked slowly, did that mean she could hear hid thoughts. His mind raced, and whirled. Millions of thoughts pouring over each other as they fought for dominance in his mind.
Hope poked him harder, shooting him a smirk. She pointed at her own head then him. She could hear him as well, this just kept getting better. Did he even still have privacy?
"We can't hear everything, only when you think to loud can we hear you."
He felt emotions like agreement and amusement pushing against his mind. He blinked hard as he looked at Hope, she waved smile still present. He could feel her emotions, but not hear her thoughts. That made him feel like he made the right choice in his sacrifice, he would never sacrifice someone.
"Are you two alright? What seems to be the problem with you?" An elderly voice asked in concern.
"Ahh, it's just part of my Quirk. I made a contract and lost the use of my limbs for two hours."
"Hmm." The diminutive pro Heroine looked him over searching him for more visible injuries. "What about you?"
Hope shook her head in the negative, pointing at herself with a thumbs up. She gave Izuku a pointed look, while gesturing in a mime of talking.
"O-Oh right, Hope's part of my Quirk."
He felt her relief as she wiped nonexistent sweat from her brow.
Recovery Girl stared at her incredulously for a moment, her eyes examined him harder but she didn't say a word.
"I see, well your Quirk can take care of you then?"
"Yeah, she can help me reach the train." He thought for a moment then, remembered his useless limbs. They didn't so much as twitch a disconcerting feeling but he pushed it down. "You wouldn't happen to have a wheelchair for me to borrow."
Nedzu observed the footage closely of his supposedly Quirkless applicant. The footage started off normal enough, the boy was intelligent. He had grabbed a piece of a broken drone. It seemed to be a more caveman like approach, but his alternatives weren't any better. Then he got to the strange part, the cameras that had observed him distorted and underwent some kind of a malfunction.
That alone was intriguing, he and Power Loader had designed all the cameras and equipment in order to prevent any of them being tampered with by a Quirk.
Then as soon as it began, it ended and Nedzu watched as the robots were destroyed by some unseen force. They melted into a puddle of a red liquid that imitated blood. The boy seemed out of it and just as confused by the scene.
He continued to watch as a girl pulled herself from the puddle. It was a horrifying display, like something out of a horror film. He had watched the scene objectively. He watched as the boy asked if she could something, then watched this newcomer nod and pull white twin pistols out of nothing. He also saw the girl gesture for the boy to do something, he held out his hands and a blade appeared that matched the girl's weapon. and depart.
Something about the girl was wrong, he observed how she moved and fought. She struck fast and hard, she destroyed the drones easily and helped others but never interacted with them. She never opened her mouth to speak once, she just gave a thumbs up and moved away. She was a sure shot, ever shot hit her mark. She never once aimed down her sights, even when among crowded areas. Her bullets never once grazed another examinee. Her precision could have only been rivaled by Snipe.
He silently forwarded the footage to the gunslinger Hero for his professional opinion on the matter.
He kept watching, examining as many details as he could. He watched as the zero pointer was released in their testing ground. He watched as the boy and his helper ran towards it.
He heard how the boy debated something with himself. He listened to a talk about sacrifice and contracts. He was missing something important, he couldn't fit the pieces together with what he had. Then he watched as the boy gave up his own body for power to protect, even if temporarily normal people would balk at such a prospect. He observed the result of such a sacrifice, the already quick and strong boy reached an upper echelon of strength known only to a few.
He stopped the video, tallying up the points between him and the girl. If what he was observing was correct and what Recovery Girl had told him, this was a facet of his Quirk. He had personified the creation, he had always been consistent in calling her by a name. He observed the golden eyed girl that cheerfully pushed a wheelchair out the front gates.
Izuku Midoriya will be an interesting addition to UA, if only because of the fact he magically attained a quirk just before the UA entrance exam.
He turned to look at Toshinori, the deflated form of All Might stared in shock. "He was quirkless? You don't think it could be the work of him, do you?" His voice tinged with a desperate fear, and Nedzu felt sorry for worrying him. He however needed to put precautions in place for this.
"I'm unsure, but I wanted your opinion on the matter before I moved ahead."
"I don't see what he could gain for giving a quirkless boy anything, he was a pragmatic bastard. If anything the boy being here at UA applying to be a hero should be evidence enough. It seems like a really strong Quirk, one that wouldn't have been parted from the monster easily." Toshinori stated, his electric blue irises shining out of his darkened eyes.
"I agree, I just want to cover as many possibilities before he is among our students. I only ask that you keep an eye on him as you teach your classes, see if you can find any evidence. He could really be q late bloomer, but if that is the case then who is he talking to?"
"Could it be the girl?"
"She never once opened her mouth to speak. All she does is hand gestures and smile."
"How are we supposed to treat her? I mean she is apart of his quirk, so what are we supposed to do if she's gonna always be around?"
"I suppose a few extra desks in some of the classes couldn't hurt." Nedzu considered, his intelligence looking further into a possible idea. "If this is just his baseline with it, could he possibly call forth more than one individual?"
"You think he could create more than one at a time?"
"She has yet to dissipate, it could be that she is a permanent creation. She is obviously still connected to him, but he isn't the one sustaining her existence." Nedzu blinked as a thought came to him, a terrifying one. "It's possible that he could eventually create an army."
Toshinori paled even further, such a thing. "If he had such a quirk, then a war would be unavoidable."
Nedzu nodded, he already cobbled a few ideas in his mind. The boy had to be kept under surveillance and protected. He had a few favors he could call in with a few Heros that owed him. He had to also make sure that the Hero commission never found out about his versatility. He knew that what he had were theories about the boys potential. He was terrified of them being realized and he prayed that he was wrong.
Hope had pushed him the whole way back with no issue. She was able to read the language and even seemed to exude a presence around them, making it easier for them to maneuver his wheelchair bound body. Izuku silently marveled at her ability to hold a conversation without the need for words. She easily could make up for his need to keep talking about something with an obscene amount of detail. He wondered if he could learn something about silent conversations from her, it would be an amazing skill to have for hero work.
Hope's eyes seemed to take everything in and make her always present smile that much bigger. It was enough for Izuku to think that whatever she had before must have been nothing like this. She couldn't have just been pulled into creation by his new quirk, he couldn't believe that an individual of her skill had no past experience. His memories of how she was able to traverse the area, how she was quick to drop all pretense of emotion at the idea of a job ahead. His mind helpfully supplied him with the fact that Red had called him a general, maybe her experience was in an army type fashion.
He wondered at what Red had fought against. She gave off the power, she supplied the soldiers and the motives, but who was the commander before him. There had to have been other choices, different people who were far more suited for this task. He wasn't sure if he would ever be more than enough. He may have been a more tactically minded person, his hero analysis for the future notebooks flashing through his mind. He needed to get a new notebook, one large enough to write down whatever observations he had about Hope and Red.
He filed away new steps to his plans while he thought of what to call this quirk. He needed to go update his information, he couldn't let his forms keep saying that he was quirkless. He didn't want to be dishonest, he didn't really believe that this power granted to him was the work of a quirk. He wasn't sure a quirk could do the things he had done, he also never heard of a quirk that just used his spoken word in a contract. He remembered the power that had been granted to him through the sacrifice of something. He was glad that it didn't have to be a permanent sacrifice, maybe being able to dictate terms would have been a little better. He supposed that he didn't really have the time to be choosy about what happened. He was happy enough that such a contract was good enough for Red's power to work. He wondered why her first suggestion was to sacrifice Hope, wasn't that her daughter that she callously suggested he toss her to the wayside for power. It was just an exam, and even if it was something that had life or death consequences he wouldn't have sacrificed her. He was going to be a hero like All Might, who was able to put a smile on everyone's face.
They reached the apartment complex where he and his mother resided. The elevator dinged as it arrived at their destination, Izuku silently wondered when he'd be able to move his limbs again. It had to have been close to two hours now.
"You have at least another twenty minutes. I've been keeping track, while you two have been making your way here. This world is bright and full of so many things, I believe that you'll be able to keep the suffering at bay. It will be a better life for my daughters at the least, they deserve better..." Red trailed off as it seemed her mind wandered to topics that just made her emotions full of pain. There was something that he could hesitantly label as grief and sorrow, she wasn't reliving happy memories.
"I'll be working with you for the foreseeable future Red, I'll always appreciate what you've done for me in giving me a chance to attain my dreams." Izuku tried to inject as much appreciation as he could into his words. He didn't want Red to go down that road, he knew what it felt like to regret past choices and lament but it wouldn't change anything.
Hope rang the buzzer at the door and stepped back behind the wheelchair. She grasped the handles and waited with him, her gold eyes shifting around and taking in colors and objects that caught her interest. She was giving off a bundle of emotions that mainly felt like curiosity mixed with elation, there was a boundless amount of gratitude that was being presented as an undercurrent.
Izuku was soon interrupted by the front door opening in a quick burst of movement. The hinges screeching in protest, that alone made him wince and he left a mental note to get some lubricant for that squeaky hinge. His mother was out the door and on top of him so fast that Hope was left reeling, her stance going defensive in a moment. His mother's tears were already a veritable waterfall, and he felt himself begin to tear up as well. He was so glad that he was able to come home to her with his head held high, even if he was currently immobile.
As he joined his crying mother he felt worry and concern from Hope, but he shot her a smile. He was fine, he was just happy that he actually had a chance at his dream. She nodded but watched with open curiosity and awe, her hands grasping each other as she nervously fidgeted while waiting to be introduced to her commander's mother.
"I'm so sorry Izuku, but at least you put your best foot forward. That's all you can do. I was so scared when the school called and told me you'd be back in a wheelchair!" He swallowed the well of bitter emotions that rose in his chest at how it felt like she was pitying him. He knew she meant well, but it didn't take out the sting. He could understand how her mind went to him having failed, given how this situation looked. He shoved any negative emotions away with just the understanding that he could understand her point of view.
"Mom, I-" Izuku paused, he didn't even know how to explain this subject to his mother. His mouth screeching to a halt as he felt so many thoughts and ideas about what to say, that all wanted to dribble out in an incomprehensible flood of words. He was immediately grateful that his mother had given him an out without meaning to.
"Who's this?" She asked as she looked over the girl that had been pushing his wheelchair. Hope waved smile present and eyes warm, her body language was open and excited. Hope still had that nervous energy that was present behind every movement of her hands and that made him smile slightly. He was hopeful that she was his friend, he kinda felt that it was a little sad that his quirk had made him a friend in a way. He was happy however that she obviously had free will, it didn't matter if she was made to help him. Hope was able to choose whether to be his friend or not, which is something he planned on asking after he defused the minefield that was more than likely headed his way.
"Mom this is Hope, Hope this is my mother. She helped me get back home, she pushed the wheelchair here and followed all my directions to get me here. I didn't have the money for taxi once we got off the train." Hope stuck out a hand, gesturing for a handshake. It went ignored as the girl was pulled into a hug, her eyes widened comically. He felt her panic and worry as his mother started crying again. He gave her a reassuring smile.
She returned the hug hesitantly, but it was returned.
"Thank you so much for bringing my baby home! I hope that he wasn't a bother, or that you got in trouble with your parents for helping him. We must live so far away from where you live, I could give you some money for a ride back to your home. I'll also need to call your parents in order to congratulate them on raising such a nice girl who'd go out of her way for a stranger! If you're hungry you could stay for dinner, I'm sure I made enough to feed a small army if I had too.
"Mom, Hope can't really speak. I can act as a bit of a translator for her though." He was hoping he could use this as a segue into his quirk.
"How?" His mother asked after pulling herself back together.
"Well she's a part of my quirk." Izuku explained while Hope made a gesture that looked like a magician going "tadaa!"
"What?" His mothers eyes widened as she looked over the girl with even more curiosity.
"Hope's her own person, but she'll help me out if I ask her too." He left out the parts about Red Mother, he didn't know how to explain the voice in his head. She seemed to be observing, but her surface emotions flowed over to him. She was mostly intrigued but there was a bitter sadness mixed in with some amusement. Her emotions were terrifyingly complex that he couldn't even imagine being able to decipher them.
"Mom, I have a quirk! I can be a Hero!" He felt the tears start building up in his eyes again. He watched as his mother tears up as well.
The two Midoriya's cried, while Hope sat through it as a silent observer.
AN: Ok so explanation time. I'm sorry for being gone so long. I love writing stuff like this so i made some stuff.
ok so disclaimer, I am not going to be holding my stories hostage. I received a suggestion to start a Ko-fi, well i did.
It's under my username here, since it's pretty obvious. Dragomemoirs.
Here is the link just throw in behind the / dragomemoirs53796
It's there for those of you who appreciate my work and want to give me a tip. I'll also be taking commissions once I get that nightmare straightened out.
I've hated being gone for this long. I'm dropping a chapter of this as well as another story. I'll be leaving the exact same message on that one as well.
(Edit) I decided to work on the chapter a little more and see if I couldn't add a few more words and fix some formatting issues. I originally wrote all this stuff on my phone so Typos were bound to happen. I also added some more details, an extra scene.