I should really be posting chapters for my other two stories, but I really needed to pen this down while it was still crystal clear in my head. MPATM is finally starting to live up to its description. Remind me to change that later. This will be dark, or even darker than the Shattered!AU that I'm so close to completing. I hope you all enjoy it.
After the introduction of the dorms system and the members of class 1-A being relocated to living there, it was rare for students to disappear. Occasionally, one or two of the UA students would return over a weekend in order to visit their parents, but they would always be back in time for school despite their griping. And considering Heights Alliance was built with the safety of the students of UA in mind, villain attacks were possibly the furthest concern from the minds of the members of class 1-A. The dorms were considered a safe haven, a place where the teenagers who had been tossed into hell within their first week of school could act their age. It was strangely domestic. It was peaceful.
Which was why no one batted an eye when Midoriya Izuku vanished from the face of the earth after the final lesson before a long break. Everyone knew that he had a close relationship with his mother and took time to check up on her and of course, spend time with his dear parent. No one said anything about how he had left without a trace, and while his closer friends were concerned after there was no contact between them for a day or so, they chalked it up as one of his usual antics. It was only when Aizawa-sensei inquired about his status when he had visited the dorms one day that they had begun to worry.A quick call to Midoriya Inko raised further questions and an increasing sense of alarm, for the woman had not heard from him. It was only when the weekend ended and therewas no sign of their classmate that they truly began to panic. Still, all they could do was sit and wait as their teachers discreetly searched for their missing member, the atmosphere of their class gradually getting worse with each passing day. Aizawa-sensei often(read:always) looked sleep deprived, and his appearance deteriorated rapidly as no news came of Midoriya's location, or why he had just vanished. Several rumours were tosse around, the most popular and depressing being that he was the victim of a villain attack. Still, as logical as it was, the theory was quickly dismissed. There was no reason to whisk a student away without a trace. Someone who was able to do so would have announced it to the world, a final blow that would forever shatter the public's trust in UA's ability to protect its students. The whole situation was kept under wraps(more out of necessity than any respect for Midoriya's image), but there were certainly whispers. Monoma of class 1-B was nearly torn to shreds by the combined fury of the Dekusquad when he insinuated the teenager was dead. Even Iida, normally the voice of reason and a firm believer in following the rules, was found joining in on the one-sided beatdown of the member of their sister class by the rest of class 1-A. It would take the combined efforts of the strongest members of class 1-A and 1-B to pry the hands of the four of those that were closest to the missing greenette. Even with the threat of expulsion hanging over their heads, the four teenagers held a strange fire in their eyes that quickly made any teachers retract the biting words on their tongues.
It was the fire that made Midoriya so terrifying in combat. It was the light of controlled insanity, a righteous fury that made sure he would only stop when his job was done. The same unrepentant glint that was present when Aizawa-sensei had chewed the teenager out for going to rescue Bakugou in the event that would come to be known as the Kamino Ward incident. It was a clear message. He would do it again. No matter the consequences. It was clear to anyone who knew them well that any methods of suspending them as a form of punishment would just allow them to search for their missing classmate without any restraint. Normally, the group was balanced out by Iida's never ending dedication to the rules and Asui's own logical nature. However, it appeared that they had been shaken by the disappearance of Midoriya Izuku. Everyone had. Even All Might, weakened as he was and looking like he was an inch from death, reached out to everyone he knew, but to no avail. And as time continued to march forward, as the world moved on without him, those who had considered him a friend started to give up. The teachers had to start devoting their time to the rest of their students, the only ones that were still fully invested in looking for the green-haired child were Yagi Toshinori and, surprisingly, Aizawa Shouta. The man of logic was running on fumes and by the one month mark, he had to be forcefully sedated in order to make sure he wouldn't fall off a building the next time he went on patrol.
The Dekusquad wasn't the same without their central pillar. Todoroki, who had gradually begun to open up to the rest of the class, withdrew into himself and returned to his cold facade. Uraraka was a constant wreck, often bursting into tears when encountering any reminders of the teenager who had vanished. Iida was the one who retained some semblance of normality amongst the madness, but even he had changed. More violent. More reckless. Monoma stayed far away from the bespectacled teenager because every time the copy Quirk user got within a certain distance of the other, Iida would stop whatever he was doing in order to glare at him until he moved out of his sight. To those who had been involved with the Hosu incident and Stain, it was a reminder of how much he would do for those that he cared about. Asui was much more cutting with her words. Sometimes, when she thought no one was looking, she would spend time staring into blank space. No one would mention the fact that she had tears in her eyes. When Mineta had pretty much laughed at her about it, he had been kicked into a wall the next time they were doing battle training.
Surprisingly, Bakugou had also been adversely affected by the disappearance of Midoriya Izuku. For once, he was subdued, his usual insults lacking fire and the bite that made him so feared by those who could not see past the rage and bluster. He refused to talk about it, choosing to stay silent whenever the topic of the change in his attitude came up. If there was one good thing to come out of it all, it was that Midoriya's friends and Bakugou had managed to reach a tentative agreement. A single silver lining to an incredibly dark cloud.
It had been one month and about eleven days since anyone had been in Midoriya Izuku's room. His mother had finally come to Heights Alliance, citing the need to gather his things. While they still held out hope for the reappearance of the teenager, it was clear that there was a high chance he was dead. So with trembling hands, Midoriya Inko opened the door to his room, wincing slightly at the layer of dust on everything. The members of the Dekusquad gradually filed in behind her, careful not to disturb anything even as they took in the sight of the All Might shrine that was his bedroom. As amusing as it had once been to tease the greenette about his devotion to the former Number One Hero, the entire place was like a slap to the face. Still, they watched on, providing silent comfort for the woman even as she reached for the bookshelf and began to pull certain notebooks from it, plain things that Midoriya could always be seen writing in. She collected five such notebooks, pulling a sixth out. This was the moment that started the beginning of the end. Not that they knew it at that point of time.
When it was removed from the shelf, something black and rectangular fell out alongside it, landing on the ground with a clatter. Picking it up, Midoriya Inko presented it to the others in the room. A cassette tape. Something that had not been used for the last few centuries, something ancient and hard to get. And yet, Midoriya had managed to do so. The white label on it had the words "Watch Me" written in a familiar scrawl. The five exchanged looks of confusion. Why was this here? And why had Midoriya Izuku put it here?
After telling the rest of the class and a few teachers about the discovery of the cassette tape, each and every one of them hunted for a functional cassette tape player. It took a couple of hours before someone had the bright idea to ask the Support Department for help. Almost conveniently, Hatsume had one just lying around, something she had been ready to take apart for parts. Hooking up the device to a television, the group of twenty or so all seemed to hold their breath as Midoriya Inko carefully slotted the tape into it. After a few seconds and a loading screen, the familiar face of Midoriya Izuku filled the television screen. Stunned into silence, the members of class 1-A and their teachers watched as he fiddled with the camera, muttering something about how he needed to make this presentable. Smiling hesitantly, he ran a hand through his hair, revealing the scars that he had been branded with after the Sports Festival. It meant that this was a recent recording. Sitting back in his chair, the greenette waved a hand at the camera, still not speaking. The optimistic light in his gaze was snuffed out just a moment before he opened his mouth. And for good reason.
"If you're watching this, that means one of three things has happened," he paused and sighed softly before continuing, "one, I have been kidnapped or killed by villains." a collective shudder ran through the gathered individuals at the casual nature of his statement, already dreading the next of his words. This was a different Midoriya Izuku as compared to the bright-eyed, constantly smiling teenager that they had grown to understand and love. The fire in his eyes had been replaced by a darkness that turned them into two bottomless pits. He tapped a finger against his chin, captivating their attention despite not even being there.
"The second is that I've finally decided to do the smart thing and off myself." a choked sob escaped Uraraka's throat at this admission, and Bakugou looked like he had been slapped across the face. Aizawa was blinking rapidly while All Might inhaled sharply, leading to a coughing fit and several handkerchiefs being hastily thrust in his general direction. Had Midoriya been suicidal? And how had no one noticed?
"The third," he grimaced before offering another smile, "is that the heroes have decided to end me. I won't say anything more about it in this recording. Perhaps if you watch the rest of my tapes, you'll understand what I mean. After all, I don't know the person, or people, I am talking to. Could be the police. Could be a hero or two. But more likely than not…" he raised his previously bowed head and offered a small salute, "hello class 1-A. I'm sorry I lied to you all. Perhaps one day you will forgive me." the green-haired boy sighed, a sound of suffering and bitterness. He shook his head.
"I doubt it. So let's get down to business. In my room is a safe painted to look like a set of books. It's on the top right shelf. I hid this tape behind one of my notebooks, because I knew that someone who was searching for me would most likely attempt to divulge any form of hints from my most prized possessions. The key to it is located inside a hollowed out notebook. Number Thirteen." Bakugou choked on air, and exchanged a look with Midoriya Inko that did not go unnoticed to the rest of those in the room.
"In the safe are a series of videocassette tapes just like this one, recorded over the course of the year, and even a few before I came to Yuuei Academy. In them, I charter some of my deepest, darkest thoughts. Things that I would rather die than allow anyone to know about myself. You might understand my reasoning after watching the lot of them. I did not make my choices lightly." again, Midoriya Izuku shook his head, smiling and lifting an old fashioned revolver from his table, along with a single bullet. Popping open the cylinder with a practiced motion, he loaded the bullet and spun the chamber. Pressing the gun to his temple, a strange and tormented smile stretching across his face. A feeling of dread began to pool in the stomachs of those watching, most of all in those who realized what he was about to do.
"My name is Midoriya Izuku. And I wish for nothing more than to die."
He closed his eyes and pulled the trigger.
This is more of a pilot than anything else. A plot bunny really. While Shattered!Izuku is a version of our favourite green-haired cinnamon roll that put himself back together after being shattered, iNSaNiTY!Izuku is someone not as strong. He is broken, and has done nothing to put himself back together. Like a broken blade. I enjoyed writing this. And didn't at the same time. Weird, eh? Angst is something absolutely necessary for character growth. And as much as I love it, I hate it at the same time. Anyway, tell me what you think about this. I'll see you all soon.