Izumi carefully wrapped what little clothing she could find around Hana, who fell asleep as soon as everything calmed down.
She, too, felt as her legs were giving up. The danger was behind them, and now was the first real moment to rest.
She couldn't do that, however. Not now.
Carefully, she got to the front of the military truck, where Izuku was driving.
She sighed with a slight, sad smile.
That boy. He clearly needed some rest himself. Now that she stopped to think about it…Izuku didn't even have a moment to relax, did he? Came, talked for a few minutes, left for two hours and left again, with her and Hana that time, and now was getting them to safety…
And during that he survived being shot with no visible consequences – well, that could be count as his supposed 'Body manipulation' quirk. And even then…the military squad.
Damn.
'He…He did what he had to.'
She couldn't imagine what he was going through right now. Of course, he still could be in alarm mode until they are truly safe outside the dome. Hopefully he won't break down after that.
Izumi sighed again, and sat on a vacant seat at the front, right next to him. She looked at Izuku, or what she had to call Izuku because the man in front of her didn't look like the boy at all.
Street lights reflected on the big helmet. Slight vibrations from the engine were shaking the tubes on his baggy armor. He looked absolutely identical to the man that ordered their execution not even half an hour ago.
However, even that small time Izumi spent with him allowed her to notice slight changes in his behavior. He always looked to the sides, as if checking everything around him – maybe he liked the idea that everything was under control. His big eyes expressed comfort and warmth all the time.
…And he would clearly say something after noticing her staring at him for so long.
"You look quite upset" She broke the silence.
Nothing changed in his posture after her words.
"Aren't you glad that we are leaving this place?" She continued.
"I'm glad"
Finally, an answer.
"Then why do you look so upset? I can feel it even through the helmet. Is it because of the military squad?"
She couldn't see his eyes, but hopefully he glanced at her at least once. She couldn't tell if she had his attention.
"It's…quite hard to explain."
"Well…I don't see anything stopping you from trying."
"I do"
Oi, what the hell? Is that really the boy that almost left when no one answered at the entrance of her house? Saved her…how many times already?
"Midoriya. I want to help. At least try to help me with helping you"
The man sighed. Suddenly, starting with the top of his helmet and reaching his toes in seconds, the armor turned black with something that looked like red glowing veins. A second later, Izumi found herself staring at the boy that appeared at her house a few hours ago. He shapeshifted back without a sound.
Izuku adjusted himself in the seat since he was much shorter now, but kept driving forward.
He glanced at her, not afraid to look away from the road. Honestly, it felt like he had years of experience driving such heavy vehicles.
"What is Midoriya Izuku?"
"Huh?"
Izumi blinked a few times, and yet Izuku stare in her eyes was just as intense.
She didn't feel uncomfortable because of it. She knew that the reason behind such intensity must be the boy's desire to know himself. Even then, the question shocked her a little.
Izuku glanced at the road for a moment.
"Sorry. I guess I should say it in other words. What makes us human? Not a human in general, like, the structure of our skeleton, or the way our brains work. No. I mean, a human as if a particular person. What makes you Oogawa Izumi, and what makes me Midoriya Izuku?"
He couldn't ask her the real question that bugged him ever since he took the wheel.
Izuku knew that Izumi was slightly cautious of him, always making sure he stays in clear sight – especially with her daughter around. Now, it seemed, that the caution disappeared.
However, the last events opened a new can of worms, and now it was Izuku's turn to be wary of his words.
And no, the problem was not killing other humans, the military squad. He felt incredibly bad once everything calmed down, but it seemed that his body had other plans. He couldn't even grief and be afraid of himself – the calming feeling stopped him from doing so. No matter how many times he tried to feel bad about it on purpose – he was stopped.
With such strange quirk that turns off particular emotions the only thing that stops him from killing someone is his knowledge that killing is bad.
No, the problem was The Major – Codename KM-21, Kaito Maki. 34 years old. No wife, no kids. Spent his life in Blacklight organization. Knows how to use guns, operate heavy vehicles, lead a squad. Or, it would be much more proper to say knew.
He was the only human that Izuku absorbed. Normal human. The difference between their memories and the memories of infected carriers was immense.
Izuku felt like he knew too much. Absorbed too much.
How to behave. What to say. Codenames, passwords, military secrets, plans, names, places.
The quirk.
Izuku could spend the rest of his life as Kaito Maki and no one would notice.
He was on the crossroad. Be Kaito Maki or continue being Izuku Midoriya.
He knew who Kaito Maki was…but he didn't know who Midoriya Izuku was.
But he couldn't tell Izumi about it all – he didn't absorb even a single carrier when she was present. It would be too much! Imagine her face when she learns what he really can do.
"What makes me Izumi Oogawa, you ask?.." Izuku noticed her crossing her arms.
"Well…heh" She chuckled. "That's not something you think about every day, you know? Hm…My answer is everything, I guess. My bonds with people. How people see me and how I see them. How I behave. My quirk. My me-…huh. That's why you asked it. Now I see."
"Memories." Izuku whispered, but she heard him anyway. "How much do they define us? How strongly our dreams are affected by them? With you, the question was quite easy. What about me, then? What makes me Midoriya Izuku? I have no memories of who I am. I don't know about my family, and I don't know about any bonds I shared with other people. Is there anyone that can answer a question of "Who is Izuku Midoriya"?"
They both stared at the road in silence for a few minutes.
Then…
"Well…there's one. No, two, actually." Izumi's voice was calm, and yet full of energy.
Izuku had an idea of who she was talking about.
"And what can these two tell Midoriya Izuku about him?"
Izumi chuckled.
"Well, one of them is sleeping like a log right now, but another one…Another one thinks that Izuku Midoriya is a boy with big heart that wants to help people around him, and she knows for sure that this desire will help him become a great hero. She knows that he is a bit timid, doesn't always speak his mind, prefers a comfortable corner to a center of everyone's attention. That person finds it admirable that despite memory loss, Midoriya Izuku's will to help everyone around him stayed. Like a core of his personality that withstood every strike at it, and brushed it off. Midoriya Izuku is not just a set of memories – he is also a personality, a set of characteristics, and I think this is much more important. You can create new memories, especially if you are young. Well…um, that's it. Did it help?"
'Well, I thought of some of it on the go…hopefully he won't notice it.' She thought.
Izuku's smile was the only answer she really needed.
'Of course…damn it, don't overcomplicate things! Kaito Maki is just another set of memories I can access, but it is not me. Not me! I don't want to spend the rest of my life in Blacklight like him! I want to become a hero! And I will become one!'
"Y-yeah! Q-quite a lot for a few hours of acquaintance, but…Thank you, Ms. Oogawa."
"You are welcome, Midoriya."
Izuku turned to the road, feeling energized. This will help him to, at least, not think about it for now. He still needs to understand himself, and his quirk. But he won't let his unknown past be the center of his existence! He still has so much to do!
With the destruction of the city, a lot of people will have to start new lives, and leave their previous lives behind. Izuku was not an exception to that – he, quite literally, was reborn today. Memories of life inside now destroyed city didn't matter much.
However, it doesn't mean that he won't care if a chance to remember something will present itself. If not for the carrier with long fingers that someone threw at Izuku during his two-hour outing, he would give up trying. But thanks to that carrier he still had a lead – the boy with blond spiky hair. It was like searching for a needle in a giant field, but it was something.
Izuku and Izumi sat in silence for a few more comfortable moments, until Izumi broke it again.
"So, how far is the exit? I thought it was quite close."
"Around, maybe, fifteen minutes left. Not enough for a nap, but the doctors won't keep you up for long."
"Doctors? Keep us up?"
Izuku glanced at her. The memories of KM-21 were priceless, especially now.
"Our ways will separate once we reach the exit. You and Hana will be taken for a few tests, and after this you will be put into a quarantine."
"Oh fuck…another quarantine. Wait, separate? What about you?"
"…I will stay as KM-21 for some time. Then run away to Tokyo since it's quite close. Then…I don't really know. They must have some sort of help center for those who fled from Musutafu, right? I need to make an ID and…well, I'll just do what I have to enroll in a hero school"
"Quite a lot of things to do."
"Yeah…"
For the sake of her own sanity, Izumi decided, after all, not to ask any questions regarding how Izuku was supposed to act KM-21 for some time. In the last hour, the boy continued surprising her about things he knew, even though he wasn't supposed to. No, she won't ask about it.
Less you know, better you sleep.
And she didn't want to start doubting him after everything he did for her.
Despite knowing that they didn't have much time, Izumi's eyes started to close. Even a small nap wouldn't hurt.
In comfort of the quite warm truck, she felt shivers running down her body.
Wait, shivers? No, those weren't shivers. It was like a…vibration, and it wasn't coming from the engine.
Opening her eyes again, she noticed that the truck was slowing down. A bit confused, she turned to Izuku…
…Who was sitting in his seat with shocked expression.
"Midoriya?"
Not answering her, he quickly stood up from the driver's seat and ran out of the truck.
"What the hell? Midoriya?!"
Now completely awake, Izumi followed him.
There he was - standing still in front of the truck, looking somewhere in the forest with the same shocked expression.
"Midoriya? What's wrong?"
He didn't turn to her.
"Did you feel it?" He asked her.
"Feel what?"
"That vibration. That voice!"
Izumi rubbed her eyes. She wasn't sure which one was losing it because of lack of rest – her or Midoriya.
But she clearly felt something.
"Y-yeah, I felt the vibration. But I didn't hear anything. Are you sure you just…didn't hear things?"
Izuku's voice became much quieter as he replied.
"That vibration was the voice. It was a sound wave."
Okay, whatever, she will play along just for them to return on the road. She was just not in the mood to think, process and analyze. She just wanted to get in a warm bed.
"Then what did this voice say?"
Izuku turned to her, with wide eyes and his mouth still agape.
"Have a good trip"
"…'Have a good trip'"
Izumi looked at him for a few seconds, before quickly returning to the truck.
"What the hell, can't you drive faster?! The speedometer is barely showing anything!"
Izumi's voice was quite loud because of her panicked state – it seemed that Izuku's translation of the sound wave scared her a bit too much. Speaking of the boy – he shapeshifted back into the military commander and glanced at her.
"No. If we go faster, the truck will turn over on the next turn, or hit a tree."
"Turn? What turn? The road is straight as-"
Izuku made a sharp turn into the forest and now was moving through the specific route that was cleared specifically for the military vehicles. The gates were close.
"That turn."
"Tsk…you know what – you look too calm. Why are you so calm? Weren't you the one who ran out of the truck?"
That was a good question to Izumi – Izuku hoped she won't be too mad about his answer.
"Because of my quirk. I can't panic for more than a few seconds."
"You are starting to use that excuse quite a lot lately."
"Yeah…but it is still true though."
Izuku picked up the radio.
"Approaching the gates. How's the weather at the exit?"
…
"Still clear, mate." Finally came the answer. "And yours?"
"Not a soul around. Open the doors."
"Aye"
The gates out of the dome were finally getting into their vision. It was barely lit by small lamps that only allowed to see the outlines.
It was quite small, just big enough a single car to pass without problems.
'I guess for a better protection in case something breaks through.' Izumi guess what Izuku already knew.
It's door began to open.
"You should wake Hana up" The man she still had to call Izuku told her.
Without words, Izumi left her seat at the front.
As gates opened, now a much more lit tunnel was seen.
'Just like in his memories'
Izuku got the car inside and waited until the gates behind him closed. Then, another gate closed in front of the truck.
Disinfection process began as a special liquid started washing the car.
As it was done, the gates in the front opened and Izuku drove through.
Izumi and Hana came to Izuku as they reached the end of the tunnel only to see…
"The sun!" Shouted little Hana, pointing her small fingers at it. They couldn't stop staring at it.
It could barely be called a dawn…but seeing the sky after a week inside could do that to a person. For Izuku it was even more special – he knew how it was supposed to look, but it just felt…like he was seeing it for the first time.
It was a bit blinding, but he couldn't get his eyes off it.
'You'll have plenty of opportunity to do just that. You haven't finished the job yet.'
Izuku shook his head and stared ahead.
He needed to park the vehicle and report to the general about everything Kaito Maki learned during the outing before he leaves to Tokyo.
However…
Despite the clear and urgent objective, Izuku couldn't help but glance at the sun while driving.
It was…too beautiful.