She's The Man
Author's Note: I'm happy you all are enjoying the fic so far. I want to emphasize on my last note, I appreciate any feedback or suggestions you guys have. Tell me what you'd like to see, who you want to fight or see come out on top, who do you ship, etc.
Chapter 10: New Found Motivation
"W-W-WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Izumi jerked up from her seat shaking with intense anger. All might jerked back surprised by her unlady like outburst. Izuku also stood, but with dazed confusion.
"A-All Might? Did you hit your head? Are you sure all that's true? I mean it can't be true, our dad is-" Izuku mumbled and went into a tirade of mumbles and murmurs.
"Our father is a fucking coward, he abandoned us and our mother and did nothing but shove the responsibility on someone else when she died! You're the number one hero! You save people with a fearless smile, and never back down from challenges. You can't possibly be that fucking selfish!" Izumi clarified her brother's dizzying thoughts.
All Might sighed and looked down at his cooling tea.
"A fearless smile, huh?" Smoke started to rise off his skin. "The confessions keep coming." The bulky form of All Might evaporated away to the thin form of someone unrecognizable to either kids. Izuku squeaked and Izumi backed away petrified by what she was seeing.
"Wha… huh? Is this a dream? This has to be a dream, right Izumi?" Izuku looked to his sister. "All Might just shrunk."
"Sit down, both of you. Let me finish my story, then you can lay out the accusations and questions all you'd like." He motioned them down, and though they hesitated, eventually followed through.
"My real name is Toshinori Yagi, and I am your father. I met Inko while I was still a novice. She was a librarian back in those days, loved reading both for herself and to kids. I was attracted to her kindness and easy smile. She had a very open heart and did what she could to help the world a little bit each day."
Both twins went silent, imagining their mother as a young librarian, smiling and reading to kids. It was something about her neither of them had known, but could easily picture her doing.
"Long story short we began seeing each other, at least as much as we could. When I finally made my debut as a full on hero my days became busy with fighting villains, helping pedestrians, patrol and all the usual hero deeds. Still I'd always find a day to come see her, and be with her." He reached into his pocket for a picture and slid it across the table. Izumi was the first to pick it up her eyes filling at what she saw.
"Mama…"
"She looks so young," Izuku leaned over and gently tilted the picture more towards him, though Izumi couldn't let go of it. "You still look like All Might in this… how come-"
"One step at a time kid, I told you save your questions for the end." Toshinori waved his hands down and picked up his tea to wet his throat. "While I was still with your mom, I got the reputation of the Symbol of Peace. At the time I was considering asking her to marry me, but that reputation comes at a cost. There are always villains looking to pull you down, and tear away the happiness in the world that you build. It's people like that, that made me decide to keep my distance from your mother, and inevitably you."
He lifted his shirt showing the bruising wound on his ribs and both twins flinched back at the sight of it.
"Pretty gruesome huh? I got this five years ago fighting against the same villain who had been knocking down any chance of happiness I had. Because of it I can only maintain my hero form for a short period of time. The rest of the time I look like this." He set his shirt down sighing.
"Your mother and I hadn't come out to the public about our relationship… but there were rumors going around that I had a girlfriend. Any woman I came close to whether from work, or coincidence somehow ended up facing tragedy by the hands of that villain. I knew if he found out about Inko, he'd use her to get to me. I couldn't let that happen."
"So you cut yourself off… even though you knew mom was pregnant with us?"
"Yes… I asked Gran Torino to keep in touch with her, make sure you and your mom were well provided for. She sent pictures of you when the two of you were born, I cried like a baby." He let out a little laugh. "I was so happy, and so conflicted. I wanted to retire then and there, but I knew so long as HE existed you would never be safe. I spent nearly my entire career looking for him, and looking to put an end to him. Five years ago I finally got my chance… and nearly died in the process."
"So he's dead then?" Izumi wanted to know. "If that's true then why did you continue to-"
"That fight changed everything. The wounds I sustained made it impossible for me to work as a hero full time. Once I recovered enough to stand, I asked Inko to meet with me. I told her what happened, showed her this form, and asked her to marry me. The fight was over, my hero days were over, I just wanted a normal life with her and my children… but I was rejected." He squeezed his hands together.
"She said she loved me, but she knew if others found out that your father was the coveted Symbol of Peace… you'd share the same fate as me. Izuku you were already showing signs you wanted to be a hero, and it was scaring your mother to death. You were quirkless, and yet you were always getting in trouble, standing up for the weak, getting into fights, and being reckless."
Izuku hung his head knowing full well it was true. Izumi had gone dead silent, her head also bowed, but her hands fisted in her lap.
"Normal heroes put their lives on the line on a daily basis, but have the possibility of living normal lives without worrying what was lurking in the shadows. The children of All Might would be spotlighted from the beginning, and have even bigger targets on their back. She couldn't do it, as much as she wanted that normal life with me, she knew it wasn't possible for us. So we said our goodbyes… and that was the last time we ever saw each other."
"So you agreed with her?" Izumi whispered in a low and dangerous tone. "You agreed that it was best we'd be kept in the dark about all this?"
"Yes," All Might nodded. "With all that's happened with your grandfather, I can tell you her fears were true. So-" He choked up blood as Izumi's fist rammed into the center of the coffee table splitting it in two. Her quirk flaring her eyes sparked with anger and tears.
"YOU'RE BOTH IDIOTS!"
"I-I-Izumi?" Izuku had fallen out of his chair and held his hands up looking at his pissed off sister.
"Tch, to think Izuku and myself came from two idiotic parents… or maybe parents are just stupid in general. Did either one of you think for even a second that maybe Izuku and I wanted and deserved to know who our father is?" She grit her teeth. "Did it occur to you that whether the choice we become heroes is our own and has nothing to do with you!?"
Izumi pointed at her brother.
"Izuku wanted to be a hero long before any of this came into fruition. It's what he was born to do and it doesn't have to do with our quirk, or how we were raised, and has everything to do with the kind of person he is! He's a hero in the making, and for that matter so am I!"
"Izumi…" All Might stared in wide eyed wonder at his daughter.
"It's our choice, All Might. If we wanted to live normal lives then we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't have gone through all that trouble to get into U.A. in the first place. This school is what Izuku wants, being a hero is what Izuku wants… and after hearing everything you just said, I know it's what I want too."
Izumi looked to her brother and helped him up. Izuku looked at his sister's face, saw the determination and the resolve and had to smile. He turned and faced All Might.
"Izumi's right. We already made our decision." He put a hand over his heart. "There's danger waiting for us, but as you said heroes are always putting their lives on the line. Whether you're our real father or not, whether the world knows we're your children or not, we will become heroes!"
"No Izuku… that's wrong." Izumi grabbed his hand again and she grinned fiercely. Izuku smiled back, his eyes taking on that same determination and they both look at him.
"We're gonna be the TOP heroes." They declared together, hand in hand, and matching smiles. All Might could hardly contain his pride or his excitement and he jumped up atop the broken table in bulk form laughing.
"Hahaha! That's the way young Midoriyas! Give it everything you've got." He pointed a finger at them. "For the next two weeks you'll both be training under me. This Sports Festival is gonna be your debut. You're going to announce to the world… "I AM HERE!"
"Yes Sir!"
~Later~
All Might allowed his twins to finally go to the hospital to see Gran Torino. They changed into normal clothes, pulling hoods over their faces so to keep any onlookers from looking at them twice.
What they expected to find was a weak and dying old man connected to tubes and wiring… what they found was a spritely old man constantly complaining to the staff.
"I already told you these pillows are too hard. My back is aching, can't you do anything to- Oh! If it isn't my grandchildren. Finally came to visit I see."
"Gran Torino!" Izuku teared up rushing to his bedside and got a whack upside the head. "OW!"
"Idiot! I told that Toshinori not to let you come here! Did you sneak in or did that fool let you?"
"That fool let us," Izumi pulled down her face mask and sat on the opposite side of the bed. "It's okay, our father told us everything."
"Hmmph, so he came clean did he?" Torino slouched back sighing again at the uncomfortable pillows. "Bout damn time."
"So it really is true then, All Might is our father?" Izuku continued to rub his head where Gran Torino had smacked it.
"Ah, that's right. It was his and your mother's decision to keep you both protected from the villains that would surely come and use you against him, or worse case scenario, raise you to be villains to rise against him."
"Parents are idiots…" Izumi sneered. "I can see the good in hiding it from the public, but neither of them considered to tell us the truth. We deserved to know who he was and why he wasn't around. I went on hating him, believing he was a coward that ran away… but it was mom who was the coward. She didn't believe in dad or in us."
"Oh, she had faith in you two. She did her best to steer you away from the life of heroes, but the two of your are too much like him… well at least one of you." He looked to Izuku who laughed shyly and had Izumi smiling.
"That's true… now that I think about it, Izuku. You and dad are very much alike."
"You think so… but you know Izumi. I thought you'd be angry with dad. You're taking this really well." Izuku pointed out and Izumi's brow twitched.
"Did you not see the table." She pointed at the ceiling as if to show him a flashback of her breaking it to pieces.
"Ah, right, but I mean-"
"I know what you meant, Zuku." She lounged back in her chair and picked up Gran Torino's mask that was lying on the bedside table. She tilted it in her hands. "I'm still angry with him, and now at mom. If we'd known about dad, about the dangers our bloodline had… maybe we could have saved her. If I'd known what could happen, I wouldn't have let her be alone. I'd argue with her, begging her to stay with friends, making sure she has people surrounding her. Anything to keep her safe."
"Zumi…" Izuku frowned. "You can't keep thinking that there was a way to save her. We can't change what happened, we only have control on what's happening now, and what will happen in the future."
"I know that… which is why I told dad I know I want to be a hero." She slipped on Torino's mask her lips curving. "I've found my motivation… I'm gonna be a hero that protects what she loves. I won't let whatever villains hurt Grandpa get away with such a crime. If they come after me, I'll show them exactly who they're dealing with."
Izuku stared at his sister, their grandfather's mask on her face suited her well and he had to smile.
"Yeah… we both will."
"Yeesh, I raised a couple of fighting fools." Torino lounged back, but smiled at Izumi. "Keep it, kid. Consider it an heirloom."
"Thank you, Grandpa…" She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'll be sure to earn it."
~Two weeks later~
During the two weeks leading up to the Sports Festival, Izuku Midoriya was excused from classes to train with his sister and All Might. Their training included vigorous calisthenics, weights, and meditation. All Might put his kids through races to test their speed, agility, and determination.
Izumi had never sweat so much in her life. It would all be worth it though. The festival was tomorrow and she would introduce herself to Izuku's classmates, not as Izuku, but as Izumi. There was just one problem. Now that she was no longer portraying her brother Izumi found herself staring long and hard in the mirror and grimacing at what she saw. Bakugo's description of her was damn apt. She was her brother with tits.
"Damn it this shouldn't be important to me…" She sighed, and couldn't help but think of Todoroki. Her cheeks flushed red remembering his compliments. Why did she have this urge to look cute for him. He said she looked fine the way she was, right? So why was it bothering her so much?
"Maybe I just miss my hair…" she pouted and twirled a finger around a short lock of hair. "There's no way I can grow it out… hmmm or is there?" She punched a fist into her palm. "Mavis! Maybe he knows someone."
Mavis would be her best bet. After all it was because of him she had been able to become her brother, so maybe he could help her to go back to normal.
Dressed in her girl's uniform she rushed out towards the school. Most of the students were either in class or out training. Mavis she knew would be in the workshop preparing his gadgets for the upcoming festival.
She got lost a bit at first, but quickly found the support course workshop… and let out a squeal as the door exploded open.
"Whoops, too much thrust…" Mavis poked his head out lifting his goggles up. "Ah! Midoriya-Chan!"
"M-M-Mavis, D-D-Daijobu?" She looked at the door crushed up on the wall that had been three seconds away from hitting her. "Whoa that looks dangerous."
"Sorry about that, just putting some finishing touches on my booster pack." he dusted off the smoke and ash from his clothes. "Need some adjustments to your shaper? Or have you come to look at my new babies?"
"Ah, I do want to make some adjustments to my costume, but first I need a favor."
"Hmm? Of course," he grinned and took her hand kissing it. "Anything for you cute lady."
"Mavis…" her eyebrow twitched. "Did you hit your head in that explosion?"
"Just a little, come, come inside." he pulled her in, and she explained her dilemma.
"Ah, none of my babies can help with that, but I do know someone who can. She's a classmate of mine." He wraps an arm around her. "I'll take you to her!"
He guides her down the hallway and further into support course territory, the sound of a hair dryer catches Izumi's attention and she blinked when Mavis pulled her into what looked like a beauty salon.
"Ah, Eva-san! I've got a special customer for you." Mavis waved across the room and Izumi saw a gorgeous teenager with a mass of rich red hair, blue eyes, and a pert pouty lip.
"Ah Mavy-kun… you're always bringing me new clients. Thank you! " her voice was as sweet and sugary as they came and she bounced over eyeing the girl next to her classmate. "Hello there, I'm Eva Lockser, it's a pleasure."
"F-Foreigner?" She whispered to Mavis and squeaked as Eva circled and touched.
"She's a bit plain in the face, but she's got such a lovely body. A few little tweaks and she'll be a real beauty."
"T-Tweaks? Oi, Mavis what is this?" She was suddenly reminded when Mavis had cut her hair and suddenly felt very uncomfortable with her situation. She squealed more as Mavis hefted her up and put her in one of the salon chairs. He then whispered to Eva and she gave him a thumbs up.
"Leave it to me, Mavy-kun." She pulled out a comb from her pocket her hand making it glow. "Hold still now, Izumi-chan."
Izumi shut her eyes tightly waiting for the worse, fire, burning, hair ripping off, skin peeling… but only felt the comforting sensation of having her hair stroked by a comb. Slowly she opened her eyes and her heartbeat skipped as long locks of her hair started to sprout from the shaved cut.
"Oh…"
"There you are, you're looking more like a girl already." Eva smiled sweetly and handed her a small mirror for Izumi to admire. "My quirk allows me to change the appearance of others. I plan on being a hero stylist."
"You'll do great! Thank you Eva…" she smiled tearily at her reflection and ran fingers through the long tresses. "I didn't realize just how much I've missed being a girl."
"Would you like me to style it for you?"
"Sure…" She looked at her face again and turned to the side frowning a bit. "Ummm.. fo you think we can still keep the side shaved… I love the length but-"
"Say no more… you're a girl, but you've got edge." She pulled the comb over the side, but instead of a plain buzz, there were swirling shapes etched in. "Hold on one more minute." she braided a bit over the shaved spot but kept the curls combed over… and then gently touched her fingers to Izumi's eyelids, and lips to add color on skin, and length in the lashes. "There… what do you think?"
Izumi pulled the mirror back up to her face, and had to smirk at the reflection back at her.
"If Bakugo calls me a boy in a dress again after seeing this…" she stood up, fight lighting her eyes. "I'll fucking kill him."
"Ooh I like her," Eva told Mavis with a giggle "She's got spunk."
"I know right?" Mavis grinned back and held out his hand to Izumi. "Good luck tomorrow."
"Yeah, you too, Mavis."
~Day of the Sports Festival~
Izuku was nervous. He stood in the room with the people that were supposed to be his classmates, but in truth he had only ever met a handful of them for a short period of time. Bakugo was the exception, but for some reason he was ignoring him. They hadn't spoken to each other since their date night, and it left Izuku feeling a bit awkward. Had he done something wrong?
"Ah! Deku-kun!" Ochaco rushed over all smiles. "There you are, you're late! We've missed you in class."
"Oh, uh hello Uraraka-san."
"What's wrong? You seem tense." She came in close and had him flustered.
"T-Too close…"
"You must be nervous. I am too, but I've got so much energy I don't know what to do with it." She bounced and had Izuku averting his eyes from her bouncing chest. He was in love with Kacchan… but he was still a guy.
"Midoriya-kun, you're late. Where have you been?" Iida came up arms crossed.
"Sorry, Iida-kun. I was walking my sister to the principal's office. He was mentioning something about a speech." He poked his fingers together nervously.
"Oi, Deku…" Bakugo grunted and crooked a finger. "Come here."
"Huh? Ah, yes!" He jogged over, Ochaco and Iida blinking in surprise at how calmly Izuku had taken to the order.
"Something seem off to you?" Iida whispered to Ochaco.
"Just a bit…" She returned.
"What is it, Kacchan? GEH!" Bakugo pulled him in by the front of his shirt whispering harshly.
"Baka, wipe that nervous expression off your face or everyone will know something's up." He whispered to him harshly.
"R-Right… sorry. Though I'm glad to see you." He smiled brightly and Kacchan flushed and pushed him back leaning his chin in his hand.
"We'll be seeing more of each other if you don't screw this up."
"Yeah… we will." He glanced back as the door opened, Aizawa stepping in with an annoyed look.
"Listen up, rookies… we'll be entering the stadium as a group class… since she has none this one will be tagging along." He stepped to the side and looked back. "Oi, make your introduction."
Izumi's boots stepped forward, and the light spread over her form. Eyes went wide, mouths dropped, and Izumi felt Eva's quirk bring her new confidence. She slid a hand on her hip cocking it out and offered a sly smile.
"Hi, I'm Izumi Midoriya. Thank you for taking care of my brother," she bowed her head a little and the smile turned to a full on challenging smirk. "I hope you'll take good care of me as well."
~Ask Briry~
Briry: I know, I know I updated really fast, but I couldn't help it, I got so excited over this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it. You still have time to put in your votes for the upcoming tournament battles so be sure to get them in!
Next Chapter: Twin Might
