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Chapter 14
"The next battle will start shortly after Cementos fixes up the battle field. Go on! Take your bathroom breaks!"
Toshinori looks up at the ceiling and then back at his son. Izuku looks very conflicted but nods a second later. They both suddenly jump in their seats when the door opens, showing a very dourly and roughed up looking Ochako. She didn't even have her gym jacket on, only a black and dirtied tank top. She startles once she noticed that she wasn't alone.
"D-Deku! Yagi-San!"
"Hello, Uraraka-San. We were having a conversation. If you need the room-"
"Are you okay?" Izuku asks in concern, floating off his chair and going next to her, he grabs her hands and gives her a worried look.
That was all it took for her to burst into tears. Izuku starts panicking, not knowing what to do. Toshinori face-palms, knowing how this usually ends when his son is involved.
"Son, can you leave me and young Uraraka for a moment?"
"Are you sure?" Izuku asks him, then turns to his friend. "Are you okay with that?" She didn't verbally answer, but she does nod.
Hesitant, Izuku's hands linger for a moment before letting go and leaving the room.
Toshinori took a moment to feel how awkward this was, and coughs, grimacing a bit at the sight of blood. Like routine, the handkerchief was out of his pocket and obscuring it. The cough did catch her attention though, so he gestures for the chair, and she slowly follows.
"Did you lose the battle, Uraraka-San?"
"Yeah …"
"Is that why you are crying?" It took a moment for her to answer but she shakes her head. Toshinori was surprised at that. She must have seen his expression, as she starts explaining herself immediately.
"I'm sad because I disappointed my parents."
"…" This truly was awkward. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gives her an awkward smile before speaking. "You know, Uraraka-San, if I were in your parent's place, I would be so proud to see my child give her all. Then I would be extra worried for her as I wouldn't be here for her when they need me."
Uraraka sniffles.
"They won't ever be disappointed, not of you."
"T-Thank you Yagi-San."
"You're welcome. Now, try to dry up your tears and call them-" The doors open up yet again to show young Iida. He looks surprised for a moment before standing to attention.
"Yagi-Sensei! Nice to meet you again. I have come to see to Uraraka's well-being."
"Don't be so stiff, you're still a young man." Toshinori laughs and stands up, coughing a bit. "It seems that I need to leave, my wife is probably stressing over something by now."
"Thank you for the talk Yagi-Sa-Sensei," Uraraka told him. She then furrows her brows before asking him something. "What do you exactly teach?"
"I teach Hero History for General Students and marketing foundation for the Marketing Students." He answers her, surprised by her question. "Sometimes, I teach battle strategies."
"Oh! So that's how Deku's so smart with strategy."
"Er- No. Izuku's just good at it by himself." He told her before stepping out.
While he does like being compared and attributed to Izuku's skills, sometimes he dislikes the fact that there was just one more new thing to attribute Izuku to himself.
To All Might.
Shaking his head, he walks away, a feeling of dread has started to weigh down on his shoulder.
0o0o0
"Has anyone ever thought about how weird it is-" Izuku stops when he sees Kacchan giving him a look.
"Izuku, I swear, If you waste one more minute here trying to stall yourself from your fight, I will throw your ass down there."
Not wanting to anger his friend any longer, Izuku immediately flies out to the battlefield. He was feeling very nervous as he was being called for the fight.
His father already gave him a long conversation concerning his reluctance. Yet, he still couldn't make up his mind on what to do. Ever since Todoroki told him about his past, Izuku has been feeling nausea filling up his stomach.
Right behind the door, he plays with his hands, feeling restless all of a sudden. It didn't take long for Present Mic to call them up on the stage. Breathing hard, Izuku clenches his hands and nods to himself before floating up.
"Cheer up, for now we have the two most heated rivalry formed in this year's festival! Todoroki Shoto, and Midoriya Izuku!"
He raised his fists as Todoroki leaned forwards.
"Because of this, I choose to fight you to show him that I can win without his help, without his quirk. That I can become the number one hero, and surpass not only All Might, but him as well."
Izuku gulps, remembering what Todoroki has told him during lunch break.
"You don't know how it feels, this … is my only reason to live."
But the memory of him doubting himself, calling his mom and her asking her help, intruded in his mind. Then, his father took the rein of the conversation and asked him to tell him what bothered him.
"What should I do?"
"What a hero does. Save him."
"START!"
Not a second after calling the start of the battle, and ice already found its way halfway through the field. Izuku felt the shift in the air in that instant and immediately created a barrier. The ice climbed up the invisible wall, creating a barrier made out of ice, and splitting the field right in the middle.
Punching at its direction, the telekinetic attack had shattered the ice, blasting shards towards his enemy. He hoped for it to be an easy win, but his hopes were dashed immediately when he finds out that Todoroki has made an ice wall behind him to stop him from flying out of bound.
In that moment, Izuku felt a chill run through his body as Todoroki catches his eyes, sending him a glare. Frozen in spot, he did not have enough time to move away and avoid the second ice attack. He was almost caught in another iceberg but swiftly slashes at it, cutting the attack down using his quirk.
"Not a minute in and Todoroki has gotten the upper field, but it seems that Midoriya still has some tricks up his sleeve!"
He swore that he could hear the frustrated growl coming from the bi-colored teen before he starts running at him at full speed.
Izuku did not let him hit, for he surrounds himself in a barrier. He was shocked, however, to find that the ice has completely climbed up his barrier, enclosing him inside a cold hollowed ball. Feeling the cold creeping up his limbs he blasts the ice from every direction, creating a strong gust of wind.
He could hear the shrieking and yelling from the crowd and curses his inability to control his quirk.
"That's a lot stronger than before. Are you hiding your powers." Todoroki asks, pushing away a large shard of ice that fell on him from his blast. Izuku narrows his eyes at him.
"Amusing of you, when you yourself aren't using your full power." Izuku should have closed his mouth, he should have done so, for he wouldn't find himself getting hit full force in the chest by a chunk of ice. He curses as he catches himself before flying off the bounds, and redirected the ice to go straight at Todoroki, who swiftly sidesteps it.
He slowly glides down to the floor the moment he experienced an ill and strange feeling. Landing on the floor, his eyes widen when he sees droplets of blood staining it, the source was from ...
He wipes his face and realized that a small trail of blood was coming out of his mouth.
The ice to the chest was too much, he realized.
"What, you're that beat up from defending yourself." Todoroki calls over at him. Izuku didn't answer as he tries to swipe the trail of blood completely, but to no avail. He could see the stains of red on his arms now.
He didn't know what he should do beforehand this moment?
He never felt like this before hand, what did a person do to stop inner bleeding?!
Looking upwards at his opponent, he realized something important.
Todoroki was trembling.
His eyes widen from the revelation.
Todoroki's quirk wasn't a mental power, not like his own telekinesis. Todoroki's quirk requires stamina and lots of exercise. Overdoing it could lead to fatigue and strain. He could do this, he should-
"Thanks, Midoriya. Because of you, that guy's face is clouded over there." Todoroki tilts his head, his eyes looking at a certain area between the crowd. Izuku didn't need much to find the target of their of their conversation.
Izuku felt himself gulping, staring at the menacing figure in the crowd, he stood as if he owned the place, letting his flames cover himself in a show of intimidation.
"Because of this, I choose to fight you to show him that I can win without his help, without his quirk. That I can become the number one hero, and surpass not only All Might, but him as well."
Izuku's eyes slipped completely to the opposite side of the stadium, where his own parents were sitting in the civilian stands. His eyes needed a lot more time to find them, but he felt a sort of calmness wash over him as he spies a couple. The shorter one grabbing hold onto her husband looking frantic and afraid. The taller and skinnier one had a look of apprehension in his gleaming eyes.
"I will not easily lose."
He promised.
He promised that he'll do his best ... and to his mom none the less. He promised and what was he doing? Making her worry. Making her worry even after the scare that they went through this week, with his father spending time in the hospital, and the villains attacking his school.
He wasn't doing what he promised, he was making it worse for her.
She was scared. She looks scared and looks ready to cry now.
Trembling, he looks back at Todoroki with a reinforced glare.
"Can you really continue fighting, with your condition and internal bleeding? Let's finish this." Todorki says, sending another ice attack directed at him. Izuku does not move, he lets his eyes glow, preparing what he will do.
"Todoroki continues to attack with overwhelming force! Here comes the finishing attack!"
Right before the attack would touch him, he releases his energy, completely shattering the wall and sending it back in small pieces. The uproar caused by his attack was evident by the loud sound of the audience behind them, but Izuku did not care.
In fact, he blasts himself off his spot and found himself right on top of Todorki, sending a punch towards his chest. Todoroki evades it easily but almost trips on the ground. Izuku turns around and sends another fist his way, not giving up.
"You know Todoroki, if you used your left side, you could have melted the ice off of you. Instead, you continue to not do so." He sends another blast that sends Todoroki away, but the teen stops on the field by creating a wall of ice behind him once more.
"The only reason I'm not fighting with everything I have is that you aren't as well. I'd rather fight with anyone else who would give it their all and give me a higher risk of losing than to win this battle with ease because the brat in front of me isn't taking the fight seriously."
Here, he starts grinning.
"And if you think bleeding from the mouth is serious, you should meet my dad. This is nothing. So, come right at me, but I'll guarantee you that you'll have a hard time without using your quirk completely!"
0o0o0
A long time ago, equaling a decade, a boy was born.
This boy was peculiar, even between his cluster of siblings, he was different. From the moment of birth, and his mother knew that this was it.
This might be the end of her suffering.
She was, of course, most definitely wrong.
Her suffering only truly begun, for when she thought that her husband would leave her like he usually does for at least four years after the birth of one of their children, he instead starts watching their son like a hawk. She knew that he knew, and she starts to fear the day her son's quirk would appear.
She couldn't help but start fearing for the future of her son, her beautiful, caring and amazing son. The fear reinforces itself whenever he advances at anything during his short stint of life.
His first steps.
His first words.
His first conscious smile.
His first dessert.
His first toy.
His first day out.
Each day brought a smile to her, each day was nothing but bless. Like how it was with all her other children. But this time, it was special. She knew that when the time comes, she will never be able to spend time with him like she is doing now. She will lose her son.
Because of that monster.
And when the time came, the time when her son activated his quirk, she sighs in relief.
Because Shoto iced his tea by accident in front of her and Enji.
He was just like Fuyumi, he only inherited her ice quirk. It might have spilled another year filled with misery for her, but as long as her children are safe, she does not care. She would suffer her whole life for their safety. She could not do anything else, Enji was a hero after all. Who would listen to her talk about his abusive nature when the rest of the country thinks he's a hero?
No. She will prevail. If it's for her children, it doesn't matter.
It was unfortunate, however, that two days later, Shoto seemed to have shown his fire quirk.
That's when the training started.
She could only watch on the sidelines as Enji continuously beat Shoto. Everyday straight, for at least five hours. He would force him into training, and she couldn't intervene. She had the bruises to prove it. And usually, when she did intervene, the training's difficulty rises.
Her Shoto's smile one day fades.
And all he did, when he wasn't training in his father's presence, was crying in her arms. She couldn't do anything but hug him. She couldn't even comfort him anymore.
She would try every night, try to talk to Enji, plead to him, she starts begging to let Shoto be, to let him live a child's life. And every day, she would get hurt.
It has gotten worse.
It has gotten worse when Shoto starts puking every other day.
It has gotten worse with more bruises forming on her body like a sick mockery of an art piece, only hidden by long sleeves and pants.
It has gotten worse when Shoto one day cries, telling her that he doesn't want to be a bully.
It has gotten worse when she realized that her son knows what abuse looked like, that he knows the harsh reality of his father's false heroism.
It would have been even worse if she hasn't told her son her following words.
"But you want to be a hero, don't you? It's okay for you to be one."
She knew by then, that she was lost, that whatever she would do next was not by her real choices, that the abuse has gotten worse and that she lost all sense of control. But as long as Shoto knows what she really thought, she was content.
0o0o0
Shoto doesn't understand.
A feeling, a nasty new feeling - one that was deeper than the hate he usually felt - built up after Midoriya's words. His feet moved by itself, and it was headed right at the flying teen. He aims his hands and forms an icicle, trying to at least stab him in the arm.
This new feeling, it wasn't just hatred. It was something far much worse, and it was hindering his judgment, forcing him to do things he could not comprehend. Usually, he wasn't as reckless as he was with Midoriya.
He wants to be a hero.
So why was he aiming to hurt Midoriya?
The other's words were biting, it stabbed into his heart and ripped the tear that was already there to become even bigger than it was.
"The only reason I'm not fighting with everything I have is that you aren't as well. I'd rather fight with anyone else who would give it their all and give me a higher risk of losing than to win this battle with ease because the brat in front of me isn't taking the fight seriously."
He wasn't a brat.
His dreams, his goals, it all centers around his mother, all of it is for her, all of it-
0o0o0
"H-Hey, isn't this getting kind of serious." Kirishima says in concern.
"Deku?! Oh my god, why aren't they stopping this fight?" Uraraka yells.
Why indeed.
Katsuki didn't know the answer. All he knew is that he couldn't get into the field and stop it for himself. His hands were already gripping the seats in a tight hold. He was sweating and close to exploding the stands with everyone else present, but he couldn't.
The fight was getting serious. Half and half wasn't aiming to win anymore, it looked like he was aiming for-
Fuck.
FUCK.
He can't-
"Do not worry." Robot Freak's voice suddenly filtered through all the screaming running in his mind. He turns around to see him looking at the fight with faint worry. What a fucking hypocrite. "Izuku knows how to handle himself, does he not? You are his closest friend as well, so you know his capabilities. Both he and Todoroki seem to be on equal footing right now, so do not worry."
"Who said I'm worried, shit face."
"How vulgar." He claims, turning his head to the side looking like he was done talking. But Katsuki couldn't fault this guy, he at least knew what he was talking about. Robot Freak was sensible when he put his mind into it.
His attention turns back when he hears the roar of the crowd and Present Mic screaming. "A direct hit!"
Half and half was falling backwards. Izuku was too close to him, but seeming to have sent the punch in the first place.
0o0o0
Children, all older than him, playing outside. He could hear them laughing, with smiles on their faces. He wanted to join.
But he was being dragged away.
"They are from a different world than yours." The cold and unmerciful voice told him.
He would have cried then, but he realized that his father was right. His siblings were not in the same world as his. They were never a part of it. They laugh, and play, and smile, while he and mom-
They don't know what's going on. They don't know the truth. They looked like they didn't care.
He suffers, and his mom suffers, while they laughed.
"Mom, I can't take this anymore. Every day, the children look more like him." He heard on late midnight. His mom was talking on the phone, preparing tea. She has changed. She wasn't like she used to be before. Before, she used to give him genuine smiles, she used to cry with him, hug him. Now … she did all that, but it wasn't … as genuine.
His mom was … afraid of him now.
"Shoto's left side is unsightly to me. Ican't look at it anymore."
"O-Oka-san?" He asked, the kettle boiling and releasing steam in the background. It was in that night that he realized something important.
His mom broke.
And then she broke him.
She poured water over his eyes, and he learned that this pain was far much worse than what his father usually did to him.
He feints, and wakes up to half his face hidden behind bandages, wrapped up with the pain of a burn only getting worse whenever he moved his head.
His sister was crying next to him in bed, apologizing for not being there, apologizing for other things, but by then, he didn't know what she was saying anymore.
They never cared, why would they care now? His brothers weren't even there either, so they really … don't … care.
"Where is mom?"
"She injured you, so I put her in a hospital."
His father, no, Endeavor, was not a hero.
"IT'S YOUR FAULT!" What would screaming do? What would crying do? All he did was cry at his mom and now she's gone. No one would listen to him, he wasn't important after all, he was just an experiment to Endeavor, a project.
A thing.
"Mom turned like that because of you! I'll reject you! I'll never use your quirk, NEVER!"
"I will reject …" He rasps, picking himself off ground. "My old man's power …"
"It's your power, isn't it?!"
Silence suddenly fills his mind. The sound of the crowd disappearing just after Modirya's voice. His mind filters everything but what his mother says.
"It's okay for you to be a hero. You don't have to be a prisoner of your blood."
Her words of comfort … accompanied by the feeling of her arms.
Her hands on his head as she pats his hair and smoothens it down.
Her voice, a calm running river, filled with love and care he hasn't heard for long.
"Whatever you say, it isn't his power any more than he is your guardian. Don't ever hold yourself back because of him," Midoriya screams, Shoto lefts his head up and sees the other with tears in his eyes. Why was Midoriya crying? He wasn't the one hurt, he shouldn't care, why does he?
Why-
"You are you. You are Shoto, not him. So, please! Stop doing this to yourself. Please!"
"It's okay for you to become who you want to be."
0o0o0
"F-F-FIRE!" Inko screams.
"Fire." Toshinori simply agrees with wide unblinking eyes. His arms being wrangled out of its life by a very frightened Inko.
And what a large scale it was, completely taking up the stadium's height and causing the heat to simply hit everyone straight on in the face. He could only imagine what Izuku was feeling right now in the face of such a raging storm.
But at the same time, he couldn't help but smile in pride.
It seems that Izuku has really gone and done the teen wished, he saved young Todoroki.
0o0o0
"Awesome." Izuku breathes, smiling at the large enormous fire whirl formed in front of him. It was strong, so strong in fact, that he-
Could feel it in his legs.
Where it usually felt irregular and faint heat from time to time, he could feel the heat completely engulf him right now.
When was the last time he felt completely warm?
He didn't know, and he doesn't want to remember now. He only wants to live through this moment
"You have an internal injury, and you still try to help me." Todoroki finally speaks, catching Izuku's attention. "You said, that you wouldn't give your all unless I give my own. Like everyone else … I will give my all, to become a HERO!"
Izuku didn't know it in that moment, but his grin formed into a full-blown smile, reaching from one ear to the other.
They were about to fight when Izuku felt his soul creep out of his body for the third time that day as he heard a loud laugh from the stand.
He looks to the side, and his mind completely blanks.
Endeavor, talking loudly trying to address Todoroki from the stand. But Todoroki wasn't listening to him, didn't turn at him, he only stared straight on, and right at Izuku. He was completely ignoring the – honestly demon like – number 2 hero. But he realized something important, one single tear coming down Todoroki's face, still grinning but with shoulders shaking in obvious fear.
Izuku glares.
Todoroki deserves better. So, he ignored Endeavor, and soars into the fight.
0o0o0
Katsuki could only watch in his place as the final attack – a fucking explosion, he was the only explosive in class?! – ignited. It destroyed the whole field completely, covering it in smoke. The pipsqueak almost flew away if it weren't for the winged guy catching him.
"Man, seriously?" Pikachu demands, looking very disbelieving.
"Midnight-Sensei flew out of her stand like, whoa, you'd think she'd fly out of the stadium because she's the closest one." Kirishima says, completely ignoring the probable destruction that occurred.
Katsuki's head slowly turns upwards, and he sees the smoke still clearing up even at the open sky, where the wind prevailed. Just to show how powerful the attack was just now.
"What was that, what the heck is up with your class?" Present Mic stresses. And in true, Aizawa-Sensei fashion, his teacher answers as if it were a school question.
"The air that has been cooled thoroughly was suddenly heated up and expanded."
"That's what created the explosion …? Just how hot was that?! Jeez, I can't see anything! Hey, who won the match?"
Because of Present Mic's words, he looks down to see the smoke finally clearing.
He didn't know who won.
But more importantly, he didn't know if Izuku was alright.
"EEEHHH! THEY'RE BOTH STANDING!"
But Katsuki's heart stills.
Half and half was standing there, half of his gun and burnt. But Izuku-
Izuku was still floating up, admittingly with a wall made out of the cement ground behind him stopping him from flying out of bound. He was still conscious, and still up for a fight. But unlike half and half, who had one side of his shirt ripped away.
Izuku had one pant leg torn.
Half and half must have realized this, as a sudden fear filled expression covers his face. Izuku, who was still panting hard but smiling, slowly drops the smile in worry once he saw their classmate's face. He looks around in worry, wondering what happened to cause such fear.
But then he realized what was wrong.
No one was cheering, no one was talking, or making any noise, and the reason behind that Izuku's braces were shining and glinting under the sun's glare.
"Goddammit …" Katsuki whispers as a new panic enters his friend.
"IT COMPLETELY MELTED IN PLACE?! I CAN'T MOVE IT?!" His friend yells, a shockwave exploded around him, caused purely by panic.
Fucking Deku and his fucking useless self-control?!
He knew Izuku, he grew up with him, if the idiot starts panicking now of all times, he would cause a massive panic through the stadium and would lose his focus on his control.
He jumps out of his seat and runs to the rail screaming.
"GET YOUR GRIP BACK UNDER CONTROL YOU DEKU!"
That differently snapped Izuku's attention back to the present. The idiot visibly clams down, letting his panic melt away. Bakugou blushed when he realized that the rest of the class was watching his back, but he ignores them as he stomps back into his seat.
What the fuck ever, they didn't need to know what's going on.
"Er- The winner is Midoriya Izuku!" Midnight yells.
It was only then that everyone realized that Todoroki was blasted out of the field from the shockwave that Izuku produced.
0o0o0
"We will give the explanation by popular demand!"
"By the media and angry parents." Aizawa-Sensei admits in the background.
"Midoriya Izuku has entered the festival after a discussion with both him and parents!"
"He had the choice not to join after being injured during the villain attack." Aizawa-Sensei admits yet again.
"But like the true UA student that he is, he went beyond our expectations! Embracing our motto: Plus Ultra!"
Izuku had his face covered by his hands, silently melting away in shame as he realized what he has done in live television. The world actually saw what happened. Now, everyone will think of him as an anxious person with no self-control.
He wanted to cry, really badly.
He hid himself where he knew no one would be present except for a few. In the nursery room.
Well … he did need to go there anyway. Bleeding from the mouth was not a really good indication of one's health. After healing, Recovery girl was kind enough to let him stay here, feeling pity over his situation right now, and tapping on his back.
She left and returned with some sweets.
Recovery Girl is too nice for this world.
It seems that she has also called up his parents as they both burst into the room. His mother seemed to be on edge as she cries right after holding onto his face and checking for injuries. She did notice the blood trail on his mouth after all.
"Honey, it's alright. He's alright now."
In that moment, Izuku witnessed something amazing, something he never thought would have ever happened in his life. His mom turned and sent his dad the stink eye.
"YOU'RE A BAD INFLUENCE!"
"What did I do?!"
"He thought bleeding from the mouth is okay!" She cries even harder after that, giving him a tighter hug and squeezing the life out of him. "My baby's hurt and he thought it was normal. Does it hurt anymore? Do you need any rest? We can go back home right now and no one will ever blame you or accuse you of quitting. Please tell me you're okay?"
"Mom, I'm okay."
Izuku then heard a couple more steps coming in through the door. He looks up and pales at who he finds.
His friends, all of them, entering and witnessing his mom crying over him on the bed.
Great. Now he will forever be teased.
"Oh, Deku's fine! Deku's fine! See, you didn't have to worry Bakugou." Ochako says in relief. Kacchan scoffs but slightly changes his pose, his scowl lightens a bit. Hitoshi, surprisingly enough, steps up from behind Iida, completely showing how tall the bespectacled teen is.
"Hello, Ms. Midoriya, Mr. Yagi." He says in a monotonous voice. His mother slows her crying.
"Oh, Shinsou, it's been so long since I've last seen you. You've grown taller too!"
"I was in second junior high the last time you saw me." He told her bluntly. "I guess I should congratulate you two for the marriage."
"… Oh, thank you!" His mother exclaims, finally loosening her hold over him. Kacchan scoffs yet again and mutters 'Kiss ass'. His mom then noticed everyone else.
"Where are my manners! I haven't met any of you before. I'm Midoriya Inko, Izuku's mother."
"I'm Toshinori, Izuku's father."
"Ribbit," Asui makes a sound but nods. "I'm Asui Tsuyu, this is Minoru Mineta,"
"The ones who helped my son during the villain attack! He speaks highly of you two." Somehow, she drags Iida and Uraraka into the conversation and leads everyone out, leaving him, his dad, and Recovery Girl behind.
"What a lovely wife, how did you ever find yourself such a lovely family, Toshinori." Recovery Girl says in complete disbelief. His father sent him a look of complete defeat. It seems that all his acquaintance ask the same thing all the time.
Izuku laughs.
0o0o0
Tenya has stood straight, waiting in anticipation and burst into excitement once the call has been returned.
"Hello, Tensei, I am happy to-"
"Iida Tensei, sorry, I am currently working. Please leave a message after-" with a subdued manner, he immediately closes the phone.
How did he forget that?
Shaking his head, he decides to join the rest of his classmates in the stands. Tensei was always busy, it was something he was used to. He should not have expected anything different today, even if he was participating in the festival.
Sighing, he decides to leave the call for another time. Most probably dinner time, since Tensei also has a break at that time.
Walking outside to watch the current fight, he couldn't help but notice someone standing away from everyone else. Walking closer to this familiar person, he starts to grimace.
Izuku was mumbling again.
He did not like that habit, not at all. He remembers the first time he heard his friend muttering out loud, and it was very distracting, not to mention concerning. It was loud enough to be heard by everyone present but low enough to only register as incomprehensible nonsense. He did not deny the brilliance of his friend's mind when he does talk in a clear voice, but until then …
It grated on his nerves.
This habit, however, was a coping mechanism. It would be deemed as dishonorable if he continued imposing on his friend while he was in this state. It was not a bad habit either, it would most likely help him in future battles. Not to mention, he could be hindering him if he kept discouraging it.
On the other hand, all Izuku does is write and tire both his mind and hands.
"I see that you are still taking notes. I fear what you will make out of everyone after everything is done."
"Oh, Iida! Sorry, can't really stop you know. I just really like writing down things." He said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Understandable. Although, it is much more appreciated if you could take the time to relax."
"Sure thing, I should be focusing on our next battle then. Almost forgot! Congratulations on winning!" Izuku says happily, giving him a thumbs up. Iida frowns, feeling a tingling of similarity between this action and someone else's, yet he could not remember who.
"Thank you. But do not forget that we are going to be opponents for the next battle. So, best of luck to the both of us."
"Yeah! I can't wait to fight you, your quirk always amazed me, you're the only speedy person that I know."
"You make it sound like my quirk is rare. My brother has the same quirk, albeit on his hands, yet he uses it far more efficiently than I could dream of doing."
"Don't be like that Iida, I'm sure you can be as good or maybe even better. Is your brother watching?"
"No. He is working. That might be for the best. I would like to go home and surprise him with my progress." He says smiling, feeling the excitement of such notion spreading to all of his thoughts. He was snatched away from those thoughts a second later when Present Mic starts yelling.
"Bakugou counters again! What? Unlike before, it's actually working!"
He feared going up against Bakugou. His classmate was relentless. The blonde only proved his thought when he starts sending a barrage of explosives towards Kirishima without mercy. He even screams "DIE."
"With that vicious carpet-bombing, Bakugou advances to the next round! And that completes the four finalists!" Present Mic announces, the screens around the stadium showed the pictures of him, Bakugou, Tokoyami and Izuku.
Izuku laughs.
"Midoriya?"
"It's just … everyone at school called us attention hogs, and now look at us."
"Our faces are plastered on screen."
"Yeah! Oh, wait … we're both next! We need to get ready." Izuku suddenly. He nods in response.
"May the best man wins."
Five minutes later, he finds himself facing off his green-haired friend. Izuku was fidgeting, and probably muttering from afar but had a determined expression on his face.
Izuku flies all the time, negating his physical problems. His most powerful arsenal is the blast attack, he has seen him tear off half of the zero-point robot with it. He has the ability to pull items to himself but does not use it as much as he does-
Why does he have so many abilities under his quirk?
Shaking his head, he predicts the next move that he will probably use. Most of their battle simulations started with Izuku-
"Start!"
Iida runs to the left in a motion comparable to an exponential curve, negating the blast attack Izuku usually starts with. The telekinetic's eyes widen in surprise before sending another blast to his direction. Iida drifts, avoiding the second attack in a quadratic like motion. He skids to the middle of two trails of the destroyed ground.
Not a second later, the other sends a blast, aiming it right at him. But Iida jumps away from the attack. In fact, he jumps high enough to reach Izuku's level. In that exact moment, he could see his friend's surprise and the sudden realization of what was to happen.
"Recipro burst!"
A direct hit to the head, Izuku shrieks as he falls on the ground with a resounding thud. Iida winces. That was not- No, he couldn't let anything change his mind now, this is a battle.
He had ten seconds before his engines start to stall. So, he immediately holds onto the unconscious form of his friend.
His eyes moved to the boundary lines, his feet stomping away in speeds unseen before. He almost finishes the whole fight, almost reaches the line-
Only to slip, his chin hitting the ground so hard, he could feel his teeth rattle. It did not end there, for he slips right through the boundary line.
He loses consciousness.
0o0o0
"I'm sorry …"
"… My glasses broke."
"I'm really sorry." Izuku apologizes again, handing him his glasses back. It was cracked on the side, but he did not worry. He had a reserve back home, he was used to having most of his items destroyed after running by at a speed too fast for them to handle.
He then looks up at his friends, squinting a bit.
"Ne, Tenya-Kun, are you really alright. You did say you like your glasses." Ochako asks him after tapping his cheeks. He did not have the energy to push her fingers away, but he really did fear her quirk activating and suddenly whisking him off the floor.
Memories of being treated as a balloon tormenting his mind.
"It is of no worries, I will acquire new ones."
"I can pay for them." Offers Izuku, but he waves his hands.
"Like I said, no worries." He told him, easing their thoughts. He looks down at his shoes and grimaces. "Although it is worrying how you easily untied my shoes during battle. Did you not concuss during our fight?"
"I'll admit, you gave me a nasty hit. I was surprised, sometimes I forget that your quirk isn't simply speed. You drifted so easily to the side, it was like watching a motorbike move! Like the old fire department bikes!"
"Those did not steer easily."
"But you looked as cool as one."
"I still do not understand how you have done what you did."
"Oh, that's easy. I can't reach my legs, so I tie and untie my shoes with my quirk!" He grins madly at them. The sudden silence that followed dimmed the smile a bit. Izuku frowns in worry. "Did I say something wrong?"
"It's not that Deku, it's just …" Ochako wandered off at the end, probably not able to formulate her thought without pointing the obvious. He coughs instead, taking the lead.
"Sometimes we forget that you are paralyzed."
"…"
"Wow, Tenya-Kun is blunt." Ochako blurts out. She paused, thinking over what she said, and then smacks her mouth with her hands, blushing madly. She stood up and ran out of the room. Both boys look at her in worry before shaking their heads.
"Sometimes I forget too. I mean, you forget that you can walk, right? You don't think in your every waking moment that you can walk with your legs. It simply is." Izuku answers before looking at the door in worry.
"I'll leave you now, I have to get ready for the next fight ..." Izuku sounded worried. Tenya was not surprised, not when the next battle consisted of him and Bakugou. Izuku seemed to be a hairbreadth away from withdrawing the competition if it wasn't for the fact that Bakugou has stepped in front of Izuku and plainly told him that he's expecting a real fight.
Despite the fact that Bakugou himself looked bothered and uptight for the coming fight.
Izuku flies away.
He left Iida alone to sigh, and feeling disappointed in his failure, and to such a silly move as well. How would he come back home and tell his brother that he failed simply because someone untied his shoes?
"It would be just like elementary, someone tying my shoelaces together as a prank." He did not like the implication. Moving away from the bench, he starts collecting his things into his bag before he could join the stands, not wanting to be stuck here later jammed with everyone as they try to reach for their items.
A glow in the peripherals of his vision caught his attention. The sound of a vibrating phone hitting the bench followed. He looks to his discarded phone and sees that his mother is calling.
Mother?
"Hello, mother. I regretfully inform you that I-" Answering the phone, he was about to apologize but got cut off by his mother's voice.
It was off key, and a bit shaky, causing him some concern.
"No, it's not about that. Tenya- Sorry, please listen. Tensei … your brother…"
Brother?
If he wasn't frozen in place from the shock, his phone would have already fallen from his hands afterward.
"A villain got him."
AN: -
Sorry. Watching Iida fight Todoroki, all of his moves reminded me of the calculus graphs. When he drifts back it looked just like a quadratic curve. And I just … Wrote it.
If you're wondering what Izuku is also wondering, you can ask, or I might mention it later.
Don't worry! You will see more of Bakugou in the next chapter!
Remember how hot it is where I live? So it's getting cooler, it did not stop the frying pan for having its handle melt off. Yup. This is my life.