Hello and Welcome. Just a few things I'd like you to note through this story.
First, I do NOT own this show. This obviously is an anime fanfiction. I also do not own the cover image. I found it on google. I think the Artist is AliensAtWork.
Second, I like to do a little thing where I make a "soundtrack" for my story. So when you see a song and lyrics in the beginning of the story, It's just a song I think sets the tone for the chapter. If you see one throughout the story, It's just a song I think would set the emotion for the scene. (They won't be thrown in random spots. I introduce the song during a transition, and use *** to queue when the song would play, so as not to interrupt the flow of the story.) So feel free to ignore it. Sure it's a bit stupid, but I write for my entertainment, and I like soundtracks.
Lastly, I am going to try to keep Japanese culture in the story, So I will be using their terms and words and the like. I am personally studying the language, but I'm not yet fluent. So forgive me if something is not correct or off. I'll add definitions at the end.
I like to interact with you guys, so leave a comment or question, and I will respond before the chapter begins. This one will be skipping through a timeline, to get to the present. Not all things will be in the right timeline compared to the show. It's manipulated to fit the story.
Chapter 1: Pilot
Where is my home?
I don't recognize the faces anymore, no
Where is my friend?
The one I've known since I was only just a kid
I think it's time to say goodbye
-"Goodbye" Ramsey
Izuku Midoriya could barely hear the whisperings and jesting of the other students in his class. He had completely devoted this free time -due to their Sensei's tardiness- to catch up on last night's hero analysis. Every night, Midoriya would turn on his computer and play any footage he could find of a hero in action, filling his small book with gathered information as he watched the screen. He had gotten significantly good at noticing the small details, and imagining all kinds of possibilities for the quirks of the users. One could say this was his own special "quirk". His mind was a chamber of thoughts and philosophy; constantly wondering and rationalizing.
However, every quirk has its weakness, and Midoriya was ironically aware of his lack of awareness. His tunnel vision was impeccable. Nothing failed to scare him out of his thoughts and bring him back into reality. He was so focused on the book before him that he hadn't noticed when things started to die down in class, nor when Sensei called everyone to attention. Time seemed to fly right past him. What was supposed to be an hour felt only like 30 minutes. He hadn't heard the bell ring, and he most certainly didn't notice the students standing to leave class. In all honesty, none of this really mattered. So what, he'd be alone in class to his thoughts and activities? He's been late home before, and he was certain doing it again wouldn't bring alarm to his mother. He's always home by dinner anyways. Late or not, he would simply return home just to open the same book with the same intentions to write about the same things. His lack of attention wouldn't cost him much.
But it did cost him one thing.
The book below him seemed to have grown wings if only for a moment, as it swiftly left his desk. A graphite line drawn vertically across the bottom from the book being pulled away in the middle of his writing. Midoriya choked, trying to catch the book in its departure with panic. His finger could only barely graze it as another pale hand dangled it just far enough from his own. The young boy's heart dropped, watching helplessly as his attacker crumpled the journal indifferently. A wide threatening smile spread upon the blonde antagonist's face while two boys behind him snickered and pointed at the smaller green haired boy.
"K-Kacchan!" Midoriya chuckled nervously. His hands were still cautiously held out before him, as if he could actually stop the other boy from doing something to the document if he wanted to. "I-It's a bit late. Shouldn't you be home by now?"
"It's Bakugo to you, Deku." the taller boy sneered, eyeing the book in his hands as he twirled it around like some useless toy. "Besides, I just wanted to talk to you, after yesterday's stunt."
This time, his eyes were on Midoriya, causing the younger teen to shift uncomfortably in his seat. If looks could kill, Izuku would have died a thousand times already.
He remembered the "stunt" Bakugo was talking about. Sensei had revealed that Izuku wanted to go to UA and take the hero exam. He had stolen Kacchan's moment of praise, albeit with the contrasting sounds of laughter and taunting. He had never seen his blonde friend so angry at him.
"I don't know who you think you are, Deku." Bakugo reached under Midoriya's desk, flipping it backwards and throwing the younger boy out of his seat. Midoriya scrambled to get up, only to find himself backed into the wall with Bakugo towering over him. "But you don't stand a CHANCE in the hero exams."
In this moment, Midoriya felt as if he could literally piss his pants. Wouldn't that be great? Wetting himself right in front of three antagonizes, likely to tease him about it for the rest of his life. He could try to appear a bit more brave than he was actually feeling in the moment, but he's found in the past that giving into cowardice was far more likely to make Bakugo leave him alone. When he tried to fight back, things got worse.
Bakugo jabbed a finger straight into Midoriya's solar plexus, causing the younger boy to yelp in pain.
"You. Are. Quirkless. You are beneath everyone else, ESPECIALLY me. This?" The bully raised the journal he held in his hands, "is nothing but a fairytale. And it's high time you grew up." His hand ignited, a burst of heat blasting the book through the open window beside them.
Midoriya whimpered, reaching out for the journal in vain. Almost immediately, he felt a sharp pain erupt from his side. He yelped, clutching his rib as Bakugo retracted his assaulting knee. The taller boy huffed in disgust, "You're no hero." as he turned away and headed for the door. His two guests followed suit. Opening the door, he paused, looking back at Midoriya with disinterest heavy in his red eyes. "If you really wanna help people Deku, take a swan-dive off of the building. Save us the trouble of dealing with your bullshit."
With that, they were gone. Leaving Izuku Midoriya to his lonesome. Only then, did he allow the tears to fall.
~~000~~
The Next Day…
This is it. This is the moment the aspiring hero has been waiting for.
Right before him stood the world's number one greatest hero of all time. All might. His golden hair flowed gracefully like a cape in the wind, and his dark eyes looked down upon the middle schooler with anticipation. For a moment there, Midoriya was unsure if he would even be able to speak. He was faced with greatness. A greatness that restricted his vocal chords as if he were simply not worthy to speak in its presence: Which he wasn't.
However, now would be the only time he might ever get to ask this question. There was no guarantee he would ever run into the hero again. Not unless he planned to throw himself into some immediate danger, and even then- that was a dice roll of a chance considering the amount of heroes in japan. It would have to be now. If he could get validation from the one and only All Might, then it wouldn't matter what anyone else had to say. Izuku Midoriya could be a hero.
With a nervous swallow, Midoriya bowed his head slightly, as if he were about to speak before a court of royalty. "All Might, I…" Hope had never filled his heart as it did in this moment. "...Can I be a hero?" A moment of silence passed. It was probably the heaviest silence he had ever felt in his entire life.
"I'm sorry?" A thunderous, yet gentle response.
Midoriya looked up this time, straight into those dark gaping eyes with hope and determination radiating all over him. "Even though I have no quirk, can I do it? Can I be like you, one day? Can I be a hero who can bring a smile to everyone's faces?"
There it was again, that heavy silence. Cavernous eyes met optimistic green ones. For a second, Midoriya began to worry. It should've been easy. All might has said it so many times before. Anyone can be a hero. Anyone. So why was he struggling so hard to just say yes.
The hero's mouth twitched. He grimaced, and shifted uncomfortably before slowly opening his mouth to speak. This was it. This was what Midoriya was waiting for; Validation, support, worth- all of it from this one moment shared between him and All might. He just needed that one word.
Then it came. What sounded like a voice exiting the throat of the man, was really just a gurgle. Midoriya's face twisted from excitement and hope to shock and concern. His hand twitched forward, unsure if he should ask the hero whether or not he was okay. Next was the cough, blood spraying all over the concrete below them. What was one, became many. Before they knew it, All Might fell into a fit of hacking and spraying. Midoriya took an immediate step forward to do whatever it was a boy like him could do for a man like All Might, but he was halted. Before he could get too close, a cloud of smoke erupted, and All Might was no more.
Midoriya watched as the silhouette of a big masculine hunk began to shift and dwindle. When the smoke cleared, all that stood before him was a small, frail guy. Is this… still All Might?
The coughing continued only for a second, and then a wheeze. The man struggled to catch his breath before sheepishly smiling at the younger boy. "Sorry kid, you weren't supposed to see that."
All Might got no response. The boy's eyes were wide with shock, mouth agape with unforming questions. The hero cleared his throat, "The name's Yagi. You uh, never told me yours."
Midoriya blinked, closing his mouth to restore its moisture before attempting another word, "M-Midoriya. Midoriya, Izuku."
"Midoriya, huh?" The hero sat down against the railings of the rooftop, sighing as he lifted his head and looked to the sky. "Well young Midoriya, you are the first civilian who bore witness to something pathetic."
Yagi lifted his shirt, revealing to Midoriya a truly disgusting site. In his side, was a terribly bruised gouge. One can only assume a lung inside of the man's body would have collapsed; no wonder he was coughing so much blood. Yagi released his shirt, and dropped his hand to rest near the other one on his legs. "5 Years ago, I was so severely wounded in a fight. Crushed most of my respiratory system, I had to have multiple surgeries. This is what I'm left with now."
"Five years ago," Midoriya trailed, thinking back to any fights that might have happened around then. "Toxic chainsaw did this?"
Yagi scoffed, "That guy can't hurt me." The older man got to his feet, dusting off the back of his pants. "Look kid, you asked me if someone like you could be a hero. Someone quirkless," He turned away from the boy, looking down at the city below them. Midoriya did not like that.
"Truth is," he continues, "That's just not how the world works. You'll get yourself killed trying to be something you can't. You wouldn't have survived the injuries I have." Yagi couldn't turn around. Not yet. He couldn't face a heart he was sure to have broken.
Still, facing him or not, it did not matter. Midoriya's silence was enough to make Yagi grit his teeth. The young boy was shattered. He had been waiting for a yes so confidently that he didn't even know how to respond to anything else. He wanted to scream, wanted to cry, or something. All he could do is sit there, his breathing uneven and mouth twitching. Moments flashed in Midoriya's mind; moments where he clung onto his All Might figurines at night while he cried himself to sleep. Moments where he would stare determined at his All Might posters after he avoided Kacchan's wrath on the way home. Moments where he would play the same video of all might over and over again. The one where he would look into the camera after saving a woman, with flames from battle surrounding him, as he assuredly said "You too, can be a hero."
"Liar." That was all Midoriya could squeeze out. It was a weak and broken word. Fitting, considering at this moment, he was a weak and broken boy.
At this, Yagi reluctantly turned to look at the kid, shock written all over his bony face. "Listen, Kid. There are other paths you can take. Why not become a doctor, or join the police force. Sure they're teased for practically having villains delivered to their doorstep but it's a fine profession-" His arms were out, reaching for Midoriya with a cautiousness fit for a ticking time bomb. The boy looked completely gone, as if Yagi wasn't standing right in front of him. Just how badly did this kid want to be a hero?
"You're a liar…" He was shaking now, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "You said anyone could be a hero. You said-"
"Well yeah I said that but let's be realistic," Yagi nervously chuckled, "I said it to inspire, but I also had to give people something to identify me with. The Hero who inspires heroes, y'know? It wasn't a lie, I just… there's some things that are common sense that I didn't think I'd have to emphasize. That saying just doesn't apply to everyone."
"YOU SAID ANYONE!" He started losing it slowly but surely the moment All Might tried to justify himself, as if the hero was incapable of accountability. Now, he had completely given into hysterics. Tears flooded down his cheeks and snot hung from his nose. He was just barely keeping himself from slobbering all over the place and falling to his knees. His fists were balled, wanting badly to either hit All Might or yank his own hair out. He couldn't even look at the man. Not without attempting to harm him, as if he could. "You can't be serious! Y-You go on television and you spew LIES!? For appearance sake!? Look what you've done! You inspired ME, and now you mean to tell me that that inspiration is only applicable to certain people!? You spoke to the WORLD but only wanted SOME to hear you? WE ALL HEARD YOU ALL MIGHT! I HEARD YOU!"
Midoriya begins to take steps forward. All Might didn't move. That angered him more. Would he have moved if the young teen had a quirk? Was Midoriya that weak? "And to make matters worse, you couldn't even LOOK ME IN THE EYE when you CRUSHED MY DREAMS. Do you not care!? Am I THAT insignificant to you?"
By now, he was in All Might's face. Face red from the crying, and throat hoarse from the screaming. Yagi exhaled through his nose, looking down at the broken hearted boy. "You're no hero, Kid. Find a safer path."
Midoriya shuddered a breath, eyes falling from All Might's and numbly looking off into the distance. It was as if he were now the only person on this rooftop. All Might wasn't there.
Yagi began to move towards the door to the stairway, looking back only once, "You're young. You'll get over this. You can still be great, and achieve something else." He opened the door, walking through it. He faltered a bit, but he didn't let the small 'I hate you' from behind him stop him from moving forward. Allowing the metal to close slowly behind him.
With that, he was gone. Leaving Izuku Midoriya to his lonesome. Only then, did he fall to his knees.
~~000~~
A few hours later…
His leg just started moving. He didn't have time to think, nor did he have the desire to stop himself. Before he knew it, he was clawing at this disgusting villain, trying to free Kacchan from its grasp. He remembered how it felt when the thing had him this morning. How he was suffocating to death, writhing as his body was slowly being swallowed whole. How hopeless he felt, and the fear that ate at his mind. That's how Bakugo could be feeling right now. If the heroes weren't going to rush in and save the fiery middle schooler, Midoriya would.
To his dismay, that moment was short-lived. It was seized from Midoriya almost immediately. Two strong arms swooped in and pulled him away from the villain. As he was retracting from the fight, golden tufted hair jumped into the fray, smashing the bad guy and freeing young Bokugo. Why did it take so long? Why did no other hero attempt to help? Who was pulling him away as this was happening?
His thoughts came to a finish as his back collided with concrete. It wasn't terribly painful, but it did knock the wind out of him, causing a struggle in his breathing. Frustrated, he looked up at his abuser in the dimness of the alleyway. Above him was none other than UA's white haired Blood Hero, Vlad King. At any other time, Midoriya would have squealed and started on a rant about how much he knew and wished to know about the UA Sensei. However, he found his mouth completely glued shut by the vexed glare he was receiving from the hero. Why wouldn't he be upset with the young boy? He had put himself in danger unnecessarily. He could've gotten himself killed without having accomplished anything in that split second of valor.
"Just what do you call yourself doing?" The hero spat.
"I-I was just wanting to help," Midoriya tried, "No one was doing anything and I-"
"No one was doing anything?" an instant regret of his word choice struck the younger boy as the hero continued, "I'm sorry, are you the hero here? You think you know better than us?"
"N-no, I Just-"
"Just what? Wanted to get in our way? Do you have some sort of quirk that rivals ours?"
"No-"
"So you're weak and you KNOW you're weak, but you still got in OUR way?" Now the hero was in his face. His fanged teeth bared in irritation. "Listen closely, Kid. We get paid to be strong and save people around here, not you. Don't try that shit again."
At that Midoriya Recoiled, "P-Paid? Since when was money the motivator for saving lives? Shouldn't you be worried about whether or not I'm hurt?" A wave of confidence overcame him at that minute. He found himself on his feet, leveling his face with that of the bent over hero.
Vlad Hero Huffed indignantly, "If you'd gotten hurt or even killed, it would've been your own fault. You should've known your place, Kid. You're no hero. That's a lesson you should take with you from here on out."
There it was again. That damned doubt. Midoriya felt a nerve snap within him, and he felt his hand move to strike the hero in his face. It was meaningless. Vlad wasted no energy catching the hand and squeezing just hard enough to get Midoriya to yelp and fall to his knees. Bravery submitted to fear, as he tried to pull away his hand in case Vlad wanted to do more than just bruise his fist.
Yet, as fast as he was brought to the ground, he just as quickly was yanked upwards into a side hug from the hero. Not in a way that was crushing, but in a way that was nicely embracing and tight. That's when he noticed it. The crowd from earlier had gathered at the alleyway's entrance now that All Might secured the scene. Midoriya glanced upward at the hero. There was a kind smile plastered on his face, and he was waving at the audience and cameras before him.
"There's no need to worry everyone!" He laughed, "The boy is just fine!" He looked down at Midoriya with bright eyes, giving the young boy a pat on the back.
Those eyes. That smile. Seconds ago they were malicious and now it's as if he had been dreaming the entire time. It was so…fake.
Everything about this was fake.
This hero was a fake.
Feeling as though he were about to vomit, Midoriya pushed off of Vlad King and rushed out of the alleyway, breaking through the heavy crowd. He held his head low as tears formed at his eyes, avoiding the cameras pointed in his face and the onslaught of questions hurled in his direction. For a moment, he could see a glimpse of a familiar golden mane of hair. He thought he even might have seen a hand reaching out for him. Though, the minute he was touched, he shrugged it off and continued pushing forward until he broke free of the civilian herd. Even so, he never stopped running. He ran and he ran. In the distance he could hear a desperate call for his name, but his mind was fogged. That was the curse of his hyper-focus. His attention was on his goal to escape, and nothing could break that. As always, he was sure it wouldn't come to trouble him in the future. He just needed to get away as fast as possible.
~~000~~
The Next Day
Midoriya glared holes into the letter in his hands, held over his head as he lay distraught in his bed. He couldn't be too angry. He had just gotten his UA letter from his mother, while she also informed him that Kacchan got accepted. Just how could Kacchan not get accepted? He is strong, has a promising offensive quirk, has amazing grades, and is incredibly intelligent. He was a perfect example of UA's choices; and yet, somehow Midoriya did not. What was it that made him unqualified? He was smart, also had amazing grades, he was dedicated-
'It's not enough to be a hero.' His mind involuntarily added. 'Sure, maybe if you applied for the support team, or the intelligence team. But you applied to be a hero.'
"That shouldn't matter." He snapped, "UA got rid of the rule that only quirk users could apply for the exam! Why would they do that if they never intended to let the quirkless through-"
'You know why.' He subconsciously responded
Midoriya chuckled weakly, "Whatever's necessary to be in the public's favor…"
Another fake. A lie to encourage trust without any intent on seeing it through. Who would notice? How many people are going to test and ensure they're allowing quirkless students through the exam? Why do that when it's easier to assume they just weren't passing? There never was a chance for him. The system was set up against him from the start.
But, why? Why not him? He can't control being quirkless, but he deserves a chance to try, right? Why count him out just because of doubt? There's no evidence that he couldn't succeed. They were just skeptical! Skeptics aren't skeptics because they have evidence to be so, they're skeptical because they're either too lazy to look into the issue or feel safer behind their excuse of ignorance. If they truly wanted to know whether or not the quirkless can hold their own among the majority, they'd have tested it by now.
He had the inner makings of a hero. His heart was in the right place. That's more than what Bakugo had! The older boy was a quirk, sure, but he abused others with it. He didn't help anyone around the school with his abilities. Rather, he backed innocents into corners, threatening them and making himself appear to be superior to others. Midoriya dared to admit, Bakugo had more of the inner makings of a villain than a hero. Yet, the blonde was accepted into the UA while they probably never even gave young Midoriya's entire letter a read. They probably stopped at the very moment they read he was quirkless.
'It makes sense. Was All Might not a liar and a hypocrite? Was Vlad King not a bully and greedy narcissist? Why wouldn't they want someone like Kacchan?' He thought.
Midoriya grit his teeth, ripping his letter into multiple bits and pieces. He watched as the scraps pathetically wafted to the floor. There was a pain in his heart. An anger he wanted so badly to demonstrate. The same anger he couldn't successfully take out on either of the three fake heroes. He felt his breathing pace begin to quicken. His sight began to feel blurry, and his head felt light. He stood abruptly from his bed and began pacing the room, pulling aggressively at his hair. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair.
It wasn't fair.
Midoriya snapped, throwing himself over at the waist and screaming belligerent into the floorboards. He felt, and probably looked, like a mad man. Seething at the mouth, spitting out curses, and pulling at the collar of his shirt, tearing it down the center. With another scream, he leaped onto his bed, taking a fist full of All Might Poster and tearing it from the drywall. Once that one was eradicated, he jumped to the next. Then the next. Then the next. Until not a single hero poster remained. Still, he didn't stop there. Next, he grabbed onto every action figure he could, all the while screaming curses at each and every one of them. He slammed them onto the ground, stopping on them repetitively before kicking the dismembered parts across the room.
Catching a glimpse of heroic symbolic clothing in his closet, he charged forward, ready to grab and burn every bit of hero supporting fabric if he had to; but the sound of a creaking door stopped him in his tracks. He spun around, face red, mouth moist from drool, and eyes puffy from crying. He must have looked rabid to his mother, who stood wide eyed at the door. She looked close to tears at the sight of her son, her hands clutching tight at her mouth to stifle the sobs that begged to escape. They stood like that for a small while. Looking at one another, both hurting in different ways. She looked as if she had so much she wanted to say, but only two words left her muffled lips and broke the line of quiet between them.
"I'm sorry, Izuku."
Without hesitation, Midoriya rushed through the door, sliding past her on the way out. He drowned out her cries, and the way she worriedly called his name, apologizing and begging him to come back. He slipped on his shoes at the entryway and hurried out into the cold rainy night without sparing a glance back at his mother, who he was sure stood at the doorway in tears. He ran as far as he could, wherever he could, not stopping to think or worry. He ran until he couldn't anymore. By the time he reached exhaustion, he was at least 2 or more miles from home. He was never an out of shape kid, and his clouded mind did nothing but aid as a distraction from growing tired.
Midoriya wheezed, trying to regain the air that had left his lungs. His torso was bent over his knees, eyes screwed shut as he tried to compose himself. Albeit, the more he calmed down, the more his mind began to shout at him.
'Just think, while everyone else is moving on to hero schools, you'll be stuck at home. Probably forced to start a normal job at some shop, watching Kacchan on the news while everyone around you praises him"
Midoriya grimaced as he looked up to scan his surroundings. He was at the bridged highway that led to the city. He stood and stumbled over to the railings of the structure, leaning on it to support his body as he waited to regain strength.
'You'll be the guy who's always telling people about what he WISHED he had done. You'll live your life full of sadness and regret. An old, bitter man.'
The rain was cold, but not cold enough to distract him from his mind. He wished it were below zero right now, and hail would fall from the sky. Anything to bring the mental suffering to an end. He felt heavy and soaked, and he still couldn't catch his breath. Had he been running that fast? Was it too far? Maybe he wasn't as in shape as he thought he was.
'People will always pity you. They'll never stop talking about how quirkless you are. You'd never get a break. And if THEY never stop mentioning it, how can YOU ever stop thinking about it? It will be a reminder for the rest of your life…'
He was leaning over the rail now, staring down into the waters below. His wheezing became gasping, and his hand clutched desperately at his already torn shirt. This wasn't a lack of cardio endurance, he was having a panic attack.
'There is no escaping this. You'll live in regret forever. Depressed and alone. Unwanted. Okaasan won't be here forever. She'll eventually have to pass. Even then, you'll eventually have to leave her. And don't forget Kachaan. "Poor Deku" he'll say. How does it feel-"
Midoriya's breathing became unbearably fast. His lips began to tingle, and his vision became blurry. His grip on the railing tightened.
'How does it feel knowing they're all right about you?'
He couldn't take it anymore. The thought of a life like the one he's guaranteed was painful, and utterly terrifying. With the hand that gripped the rail, he hoisted himself upward and over the metal barrier. He didn't think, he just did. The feeling of weightlessness sending a wave of fear through his entire body. Regret burned through his chest, but it was too late. It wasn't long before he had reached the waters. The only thing he could think of before he hit the sea and pain shot through his body was the fact that, in the end
No hero came to save him.
~~000~~Track: "immortalized" Hidden Citizens, Keely Bumford~~000~~
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
'Where am I…?'
"H-He's awake! Goodness, he's awake!"
'Okaasan…'
Green eyes fluttered open, taking in the world around him. The room was bright, and everything around him was white. A heart monitor towered over his supine body. It was a hospital. He was in the hospital. Shuffling started beside him, as his mother jumped to her feet and rushed over to him. She looked as if she wanted to embrace him, but she refrained, settling for placing her hands on the bedside instead.
"My poor, Izuku. What happened last night? What did you do?" Her face was already puffy and wet from what Midoriya assumed was a prior few hours of crying. "I came as fast as I could! They said you were barely alive when you got here!"
"Okaasan," His voice was strained, "How did I-"
"Don't speak, Izuku." She hushes, smiling down at her boy with soaked red eyes.
He sighed, tiredly looking from his mother to the ceiling above him. He wasn't dead. Whether or not that was a good thing, he couldn't tell. "Okaasan, could you maybe raise my upper body a bit?"
She looked like she wanted to argue, but the tiredness of her son's eyes encouraged a change of heart. Midoriya concluded that she kept silent out of pity. It made him feel sick. He bit his lip in pain as the hospital bed elevated the upper half of his body into a semi-seated position. He definitely had some broken bones, if it wasn't already obvious from the casts around his legs and left arm, along with a neck brace to top it all off. For a split second, he wished he hadn't requested this adjustment at all. Laying down, the neck brace kept him from being able to see the two blondes sitting at the foot of his bed. Now he has no choice but to look Kacchan and his mother in the eyes. Perfect timing.
"Izuku-kun." Mitsuki Bakugo smiled, "I'm so glad you're ok." All the while, Bakugo had not yet even looked in his direction. Typical.
Midoriya had no words. He didn't want them here, although he didn't know he'd even end up here. What was he to say? He had been hating on Bakugo for a while now, and it felt uncomfortable to have him so close. Midoriya cleared his throat, thinking of anything he could say to steer the conversation his way, "What time is it?"
His mother sighed in disapproval at his blatant disobedience. She would rather he rest his voice, but his voice wasn't really injured now was it?
"It's just around the afternoon, you were out for a while sweetie." Mitsuki gently smiled, "We're shocked you even woke up so soon. The nurse said she expected you to be out for maybe a day or two."
"I got a call around two in the morning last night," His own mother chimed in, "saying that you'd been brought in by someone who found you at the bottom of the Highway near the city. They suspected you'd fallen off and the impact nearly killed you. What happened, sweetheart?"
It had slipped out before he had a chance to catch himself, "I felt like swan-diving."
Silence. Uncomfortable silence. Bakugo let out an offended 'tch' before turning away and swiftly heading for the door. His mother stopped him in his tracks, "Bakugo Katsuki, you get back here right this instant. How dare you up and leave without even saying so much as a word to your friend? Don't you care that he could have died?"
'Probably not' Midoriya thought to himself.
Bakugo begrudgingly turns back to face the trio before him. A concerned smile plastered on his face as he stared not at Izuku, but a potted plant on the small bedside table beside him. "I'm glad you're ok. I just- it's hard seeing you like this."
A fire lit inside Midoriya's stomach. His sickness returned, and his face probably turned a dark shade of red. He wanted to jump out of that bed and headbutt the shit out of the glorified firecracker before him. That smile. It was no different than the one Vlad King gave two days ago. Fake. Completely forced to satisfy the audience around him. Not because he cared. His eyes were like All Might's. They just couldn't find Izuku's own green ones. He couldn't even give him the respect of looking him in the face. Bakugo would fit right in with the so-called "heroes".
"Get out." It was all Midoriya could muster without throwing up. It was completely worth it, however. Kacchan's face was lit up with surprise, along with everyone else's. "Get out. Now."
It was another awkward silence. No one knew what to say or do. Until Mitsuki stepped up, trying her best to diffuse the situation. "Izuku-kun, I'm sure he was just unsure on how to express himself, he-"
"OUT!" It was barely a yell. The hoarseness of his voice made it almost incomprehensible, but they got it. With a final agitated 'tch', Bakugo stormed out of the room, his mother slowly and regrettably following suit, but not without one final apologetic glance back at Midoriya.
It took a moment for him to reset himself. He was completely out of tears, so he didn't have to worry about crying. As if he hadn't done enough of that so far. It was actually quite embarrassing, how effortless it was for him to shed tears. Another prime example of how miserable of a person he was. He groaned, closing his eyes in effort to ease an oncoming headache. This night couldn't get any worse. Well, actually it could. He felt his mother shifting next to him. It sounded like she was standing up. Something was coming, he just didn't know what. The overwhelming quiet and her obvious presence beside him made the moment no less unpleasant. He peaked an eye open, and was met with exactly what he expected to be met with. Similar green eyes glaring straight at him.
"Izuku," She began, now confident that she had his attention. "Please, be honest with me." Whatever she wanted to say, caught in her throat. Tears began to swell in her eyes once more. "Did you do it, on purpose?" She choked.
"No." He tried. It wasn't a lie. He had jumped in the moment of a panic attack without any thought. Although he pushed himself over, he wasn't in his right mind. "It just…happened-"
"Just happened?" she mocked, backing away from his bed and holding herself tightly. "What has been going on with you, Izuku?"
"Please, Okaasan. Don't pretend like you don't know. I wasn't accepted into UA."
"You have been like this far before that letter came." She challenged, "Something happened to you and you just… this is my fault."
Midoriya couldn't turn to look at her, so he settled for blankly looking in her general direction. "What are you saying, Okaasan?"
"I'm saying that I should've never allowed you to build up this false hope of being a hero!" She had been afraid to outright admit it, to show any sort of doubt in her son. And for good reason. It was as if the last possible lifeline Midoriya had, had snapped. Leaving him utterly and hopelessly lost.
"Don't say that, please." He whimpered. "Don't say that to me, Okaasan. Not you."
"I'm sorry, Izuku-"
"There's something I can do, I just know it." If he hadn't exhausted his tear ducts, he'd be crying right now, "This can't be all for me."
"Izuku, it's time to stop! Look how far this has gotten you, you're like a ghost-"
"Please! Not you! Have faith in me, push me, tell me I can do it-" he was begging now. His functional hand was balled into a fist and clutching onto the sheets.
"No, Izuku, please listen-"
"Maybe there's another school-"
"Izuku Midoriya! You will never be a hero, and I won't watch you get killed trying to be one." She was yelling now, in a somehow quiet yet firm and authoritative manner. A first, for his mother.
That was it. That was all he had left. He had concluded that it was a terrible thing for him to have survived that fall. He had no energy left. No response. He had finally broken. He had put all he was into his dream, and with it now blown up in his face, he didn't know who he was anymore. His mother continued to talk, apologize, and even plan ahead for him. Yet, he couldn't hear her. It was as if he had completely gone deaf.
When she realized his lack of response, she left the room. She had said something when she did, maybe a goodbye or sweet dreams. It had become evening now, and she wouldn't be back until the morning. Although Midoriya prayed he'd somehow be dead before then. He felt like a void, shallow and without emotion. His mother was right, he had become a ghost. A shell of his former self. He hadn't smiled in a while, and had cried most of his nights to sleep. What was there to be happy about? Everything around him had come crumbling down. It seemed God had it out for him, because there was nothing for Midoriya in this world now.
A slight knock came to the door.
Midoriya didn't answer. It was almost midnight, probably. Whomever it was could come back in the morning. He was in no mood to talk, let alone the fact that he tired out his vocal cords during his debate with his mother. The knock came again. Still, Midoriya did not answer. Now that he thought about it, it might've been a nurse or doctor. Though, if it was, they would've walked in by now.
Sounds became dead, if only for a moment. Then a small creaking of the door opening, and shutting; followed by gentle, yet heavy, footsteps. A small fluttering of fear actually struck Midoriya's heart. He was wounded and helpless. He couldn't even turn to see who it was. Was it death coming to take him away? Or maybe his mother wanted to come and apologize. Was it Kacchan coming for revenge after yelling at him in front of their parents?
The steps got closer, and before he knew it, a dark figure made its way into his view. A very VERY tall man was standing at the foot of his bed, all dressed in black from head to toe with a strange contraption over his face and neck. Midoriya felt the urge to scream, but he couldn't. Not just because of his damaged vocal chords, but because of how broken and drained he felt. Maybe he did die, right? This had to be death. This being was so intimidatingly big and mysterious, there's no way this was real.
It fiddled with the sheets at the edge of the bed before letting out a soft breath, "Midoriya, Izuku." He said with a muffled voice so strong and deep, it almost rivaled All Might's.
Midoriya said nothing, he only watched his 'visitor' as they played with the hem of his bed sheets nonchalantly. It was like he hadn't just broken into the child's hospital room. The man's presence was so casual and unalarming. If Midoriya could describe it, it was a feeling equivalent to that of a close family member coming to visit him. Although, this man was not family, not to the youth's knowledge. His being here was concerning, and if Midoriya weren't in the worst possible state, he'd actually acknowledge this fact and react accordingly. Yet, at the same time, he just couldn't bring himself to really worry. He had embraced stoicism within a single night, practically coming to a conclusion that nothing really mattered anymore.
"Poor boy, you can barely talk." The man's words were eerie, but somehow gentle and calming at the same time. "What have they done to you?"
"No one did this," Midoriya strained. "No one but me."
"But that simply isn't true," The man feigned offense, "You never would've jumped had you not been pushed to the limits you were facing last night.
At those sympathetic words, Midoriya felt his breath get caught in his throat; a severe ripple of discomfort and worry surging through his crippled body. The covered head of the man tilted slightly, as if he were curious or surprised at the patient's reaction, "You didn't know? Of course not, you were unconscious. I was there that night, child. I saw you jump, and I was the one who carried you here."
When Midoriya said nothing, the visitor took it as permission to continue, "But I've been watching you for a bit longer than that. Since the day All Might saved your life, to be precise. Ara ara, you never stood a chance. It's truly a shame that you had to find out just how corrupt the hero system is as you got ripped to pieces by your own icon." By now, the man had moved to the window, opening the blinds wider and allowing rays of moonlight to come streaming into the room.
The quirkless boy could really see the man now. He was wearing a black suit, with a red tie. His head was covered by some black fabric connected to a metallic contraption that got thicker around his neck and shoulders, with a few rows of beams shooting out of the sides and into the center of it. It looked to be like some sort of respiration machine, with the way the fabric connected from his mouth to the machine. . He wondered how heavy the thing might've been, and whether or not the man ever grew sore from having it on.
"I digress, what matters is not how I brought you here, but why I came back, right?" He turned back to face the hospital bed. "Midoriya, Izuku. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am all for one, and I have come to give you an opportunity of a lifetime, an opportunity to make your desires come true."
Desires? Opportunity? He had been so fixated on analyzing the man's head gear, Midoriya was still trying to catch up with what was said. What did this stranger mean? The only desire the boy ever had was to become a hero, and that appears to be an impossibility. What could this stranger possibly have to offer him that would make him so confidently seek the child out?
All for One hummed at the silence he was rewarded with in turn for his proposition. He clearly must've forgotten the fact that Midoriya technically couldn't speak; which seemed to actually have been the case, as he snapped his fingers in recollection and stepped closer to the boy. He reached out for the rejected hero's neck, placing two fingers just above where the neck brace ended. His fingers were gentle, and cold to the touch. Midoriya would've flinched in distrust, but his injuries were surely in the stranger's favor. He could do nothing but wait in his discomfort.
He kept his eyes on the man's head, unable to see what he was doing. A gentle light began to shine from below the crippled boy's chin, and almost immediately he began to feel a warmth in his throat. His airway felt completely open, and the dryness of his throat disappeared without a trace. He opened his mouth in shock as the man pulled away from him. "W-what did you…" His voice. It was back
"There, glad I could help. Now where were we…" All for One tapped his chin thoughtfully, before letting out a triumphant chuckle upon retracing his thoughts. Midoriya was completely at loss for words as the man continued, "You are a victim of pseudo heroics, my boy. The reality shocked you enough to put you through fits of hysterics; which is something that only happens to those who put their full faith and love into the saviors of our great nation. You were betrayed by them, and they didn't even care enough to let you down easily. They simply opened the curtains and let you witness the backstage reality without any worry of repercussions."
He was pacing the room now, head never leaving Midoriya's direction. It appeared as though he were studying the younger boy, waiting for any sort of reaction; like he refused to miss the slightest twitch of expression, or the dulling of an eye. "All Might saw you as a fool. I remember what he said. 'There's some things that are just common sense." heh, how patronizing. He fills you with hopes, fills you with aspirations and then talks down on you as if you were some imbecile who couldn't tell the difference between your foot and your ass
"Don't forget about Vlad Hero, oh no. He went a step further, and harmed you physically Knowing that he was stronger than you. He would've done more, had he not been interrupted by civilians. They have these facades they hold before cameras, but behind closed doors, they're nothing but genuine villains; like wolves in sheep's clothing. Young Midoriya, these men and women don't care for you. They care for what they can get out of you by offering you their protection. That is why they abandoned you, you had nothing of worth. You were worthless."
Every word that came out of this man's mouth made complete sense. It was sickening. The evidence was there, why else would things have played out this way? Midoriya could feel something bubbling inside of his stomach, and pounding on his chest. His breathing felt staggered, and his eyes felt hot with replenishing tears.
All for One's pacing did not stop, but he did become more animated in his ranting. Arms moving with every sentence, like he was signing to a deaf audience,
"Have you thought about the people they label villains? These people, who rob and steal to put food on their families tables. These people who are born in unfortunate areas- they never once receive aid from the heroes. So what are they supposed to do? They can't afford food, and society relies so much on the hero organization that charities and donations lessened. People thought, why give when the heroes can give? Why save when the heroes can save? Why defend when the heroes can defend? The inevitable became the truth, and the less fortunate became 'villains'. Heroes battered these weak individuals to a pulp, smiling at cameras as if they had just done the entire nation of Japan a favor: throwing a hungry survivalist into a cell, if they hadn't beaten him into a coma, of course.
"And you know the worst part of it all, Midoriya?" He came to the foot of the bed now, hidden eyes meeting wide green ones. "The world praises them for it. People don't know what real heroes look like, and the organization covers up any and all mishaps. They hyperbolize the abilities of petty thieves to make them seem more dangerous than they really were, all to defend the overuse of power from the hero that captured them. They lie to the world, child. Just as they lied to you. You could've been a hero, young man. A true hero. Heroism isn't determined by power, or quirk! Do they not call police heroes? What about doctors, Or even judges? It is their heart that made them a hero. Their desire to save others gained them that title, and you have that same desire. There was nothing stopping you from receiving technology from their support team, to compensate for your lack of quirk, dear boy. They simply didn't want someone like you at UA.
"However, perhaps it's to your benefit that you weren't accepted. How would you have felt, being a hero among phonies and manipulators. They wouldn't want you to make a positive change to their corrupted organization." He sighed, and Midoriya assumed his speech had come to an end.
No words were said, yet. The hospitalized boy was still processing everything he had been told. This was the truth, the revealed evil behind the Hero Association. Of course they wanted Bakugo, and of course they didn't want Midoriya. A quirkless boy was bound to be more genuine in his morality than a strong quirk user. How many people knew this? How many true heroes, if there were any, were aware that they worked under a government of snakes? How many of the heroes could be trusted? His mind became clouded with doubt and disgust. He loved them, all of them. Yet, it turns out he only really loved the idea of what they should've been, what they said they were. For this reason, he felt as if the thought of loving any of them again was impossible. It would be like loving true villains.
To think that they had turned Japan into some giant play thing. How many other countries were suffering this way? How many people around the world were being treated like cash machines and ego boosters. The fact that the 'heroes' were conniving and slimy enough to ensure society was brainwashed enough to never question their wicked ways… It was… it was just…
"I hate them." He whispered. He had shocked himself with the revelation. Yes, he had said the words before but this time? This time it came from his heart.
"What was that, boy?" All for one took a step around the bed, to stand at his side.
"I hate them." It took all his might not to scream it into the night with his renewed voice, "I want them gone, all of them. That is what I desire."
"What would it take to change your mind? To love them again?"
"It's as you said, they're frauds. The only heroes that deserve any mercy are the genuine heroes, if they even exist." He scoffed. "When Japan is given over to true valor and protectors, then I will love them again. Then I can smile again."
A small hum of wonder resonated from behind All for One's respirator. He reached behind himself and pulled at something. The sound of shifting fabric and the 'brrr' of medical machines were the only sounds that echoed through the room. He finally got what he was reaching for, and pulled it around to sit between the two of them. It was Midoriya's analysis journal.
If Midoriya didn't believe him earlier at his confession to following him, he truly believed it now. All for One opened the journal and began to slowly sift through the pages. "All Might truly was your hero, wasn't he? Can you really hate a man that you loved for years, in only a span of a few days? Seems like this newfound hatred might not last. Perhaps you're going through a phase, likely to return to the delusional worshiping of your icon?"
"No." Every ounce of hurt and betrayal that he felt was shoved into that one word. There was no doubt in his mind that this would last. He even found it a bit insulting that All for One truly thought the younger boy would continue to idolize someone who was never what he claimed to be in the first place? "I loved a hero who genuinely brought smiles to everyone's faces. I loved a hero that encouraged the world, and shepherds the best out of people. All Might is not that person and never was that person. I loved a concept that he created, a façade. I can't love who he really is. He was never genuine. He's a hypocrite and a liar who did what he's done for the sake of himself and his image." If Midoriya was being honest, he had been speaking to himself. Reflecting on what he'd learned, as to remind himself why he can't go back to those past feelings.
"Have you heard of the Hero Killer, Stain?" All for One had shut the book now, dangling it in his fingers like some gross snotty tissue.
"I have. He's killed a lot of heroes. I couldn't stand him for it."
"You two are very similar, save for a few minor details regarding All Might…" All for One drifted off, "Stain seeks to purge Japan of all pseudo heroes. He's inspired many because of it."
Midoriya's eyes drifted to the ceiling in pondering. The old him would have felt disgusted by the thought of someone getting rid of these so-called heroes, but now? He couldn't help but have a bit of respect for Stain. Knowledge truly changed perspective.
*** "Anyways," Balling the journal up in his hands, he returns to his pacing. This time, his head faced forward, no longer keeping a close eye on Midoriya's facial expressions. "Young man, I would like to propose my proposition to you once again. You see, I myself am a 'villain'. I oppose the heroes at every turn, especially All Might. I desire to see a new world, one without the tyrannical rule of such people. A free world. There are many who share my aspirations and even some with their own. We operate together in an organization called the League of Villains. We are not big, nor yet the strongest. However, this small group has much to offer, I can assure you. You'll find the stories of a great deal of these allies to be heart wrenching. They're just like you, abandoned and abused; Outcasts to society. You, Midoriya, are such a promising young boy; and I would like you to join us."
"Join you…" He certainly hadn't expected that, although he's not sure what he expected would come out of this conversation in the first place. Besides a newfound ideology.
"Hai, join us." He turned to face the injured boy, arms extended wide in a welcoming and embracing gesture. "You can become a new version of yourself. Someone who fights to bring real justice to Japan, a true hero! Isn't the irony of it all just delicious? No sin would go unpunished with you on our side. You could single handedly change the way things are in this nation!"
"I…" Does he want this? Sure it's how he felt, angry and vengeful; but could he truly say he wanted to be the newer Stain? "I would be lying if I said I didn't want to hurt them, or even punish them. B-but I can't… I can't kill anyone."
All for One laughed, clapping his hand and fist together, the sound dulled by placement of the crumpled book in his palm. "Who ever said you'd have to, my boy? I can handle the heroes you take down. You see, my quirk allows me to steal the quirk of anyone I get my hands on. I have many quirks, and can have as many as I want. You can punish them by removing their power! If they can't use their quirks for the right reason, they shouldn't have them!"
"Many quirks-" That certainly caught his attention, "How can your body handle that?" This was the first time in a long while that Midoriya felt genuine elation and delight. It felt nice. At least he knew his love for knowledge would never change.
"Only the primary quirk itself knows," All for One shrugged. "Or perhaps I'm simply that strong. Either way, you won't have to worry about killing anyone- but who knows, maybe that will change the more you have to face your enemies."
It's true. For now, Midoriya could only say that he was against taking any lives because of his former moral views. Maybe overtime, that will change too; just like his view on heroes. Or maybe, it was just his own morality. Nothing brought upon by the influence of caped paladins and warriors. It could just be who he is. "Would I have to harm the innocent? Would being a villain, or associated with them, mean I'd have to commit heinous acts?"
"The term 'villain' is just a title given to anyone who opposes the heroes. A simple anti-hero protest group could be labeled as villains in this society, poor Midoriya. You can do whatever you please. As long as you are with us, however, you are a villain. Especially if your targets are heroes."
It was actually starting to sound promising. All of these feelings, they could be dealt with properly. He didn't have to sit and wallow in depression and anger. He could show the world how he felt. He could show the heroes how he felt. He could show Bakugo how he felt. No one would be able to ignore his voice. They'd all have to face their mistakes, and answer for what they'd done. They couldn't run nor hide, and he would be the one to make it all happen. Except…
"You forgot something," Midoriya sighed, his elation returning right back to its original state: oppressed by his overwhelming self-deprecation. "Unless you also have technology that can boost me on the same level as All Might and other top heroes, I can only play a supporting role behind your scenes. I, myself, can do nothing."
"Ah," All for One raised a finger, feigning a realization for the third time that night, "Silly me, I forgot to mention: My quirk not only steals other quirks, it can grant them as well."
All for One had Midoriya's unwavering attention, not that he could waver it in the first place with only two of them being in the room. The young victim's heart felt as if it jumped into his throat, and his breath began to stagger not from anger this time, but pure and genuine joy. He had never thought he would feel that emotion again. "You mean-"
"Midoriya-kun," He interrupted, "I told you, I've been watching you for a while now. I've already come up with what quirks I know will suit you splendidly."
"Quirk-s? As in plural?" He wanted to jump out of the bed so badly. His body was itching to move.
"Of course! You'd be the only other person -besides me- in our little family to have more than one quirk for a while. I figured, what better way to rub it in their faces? They could've had a strong ally with no quirk, but instead they chose to make a strong foe with many. If only they had said yes…" He chuckled, and Midoriya chose to ignore how its malicious sound sent a chill down his spine.
The proposal was a grand one. If he was being honest, he'd much rather be able to cause massive damage to the heroes having no quirk at all. He wanted to show them how quirklessness had no say in one's worth. However, being quirkless under a well financed and technologically advanced organization was far different than being quirkless under a weaker less prepared group of pariahs. He could offer nothing for them besides his knowledge of the heroes he knew. Even then, who's to say they don't already know that? Who's to say they won't cast him aside the minute he has no information left to give? There was no way they could get him on a top hero fighting level. He would need a quirk.
He could still get his point across, just like All for One said. Facing them with multiple quirks is just as humiliating for them. This truly was an opportunity of a lifetime. How could he deny it? What, would he feel better living his life in a small apartment somewhere, ranting to himself about how he wished he could have done this and that? He won't live a life of regret. Not when it wasn't even his choices that brought about such a somber ending.. He would change this world, and show everyone just how capable Izuku Midoriya really is.
This was how he was going to be a hero. "I'll do it."
All for One took the balled up journal in his hands, waving it playfully before Midoriya. Then, took his other hand and tore it cleanly and aggressively down the middle, before tossing it carelessly into a nearby trash bin. "How grand! As of today, my boy, you are no longer Izuku Midoriya. He is dead, killed by the ones he was supposed to trust the most. But don't fret, for a new you is born. A person your enemies simultaneously created in their slaughter of who you used to be. You were a boy filled with joy, and now you are a boy filled with suffering and sadness. You are Kanashii. You are an outcast, thrown away and neglected as if you were nothing. You are Nokemono. Hai! Midoriya, Izuku is dead. Nokemono, Kanashii is born. How does this sound?"
Midoriya hummed. Kanashii was perfect. A word in Japanese that describes sadness and sorrow. Yet, in their neighboring country -china- the same word meant 'love'. Yes he was broken, and sad; but the hate he had in his heart was ironically born out of love. His love for true heroes, and his desire to help others- he hated the pseudo heroes for not living up to what he loved. There was no better word to describe him. Although, "I want to make an adjustment."
"Oh?" The man didn't sound offended; in lieu, it seemed to have piqued his interest. "Do tell."
"Kanashii will be my new surname to support my latest identity- but I want Deku to be my first name, and villain name." If they were going to be out for blood and vengeance, why not add pettiness to the list?
"Deku?" All for One echoed, tilting his head with attentiveness, "A peculiar name. Not very encouraging, if I recall."
"A former bully of mine calls me that, though I mistook him for a friend," Midoriya smiled bitterly. How could he have truly ever consider Bakugo a friend? How naive of him. "I want to use that name, so that whenever it comes up, he will know it's me. I want this name to haunt him."
All for One let out yet another boisterous laugh. "I love it! True unfiltered resentment, it's what I live for, among other things." he jested as he started towards his new companion. "Okay: Kanashii, Deku. No longer do I wish to hear you go by her dead name. Leave him in the grave."
All for One extended his hand out to touch the boy, and yet again a soft golden glow shone from above where Deku could not see. The pain in his body subsided. He could hear disturbing cracking noises, but could feel nothing but a relieving sensation in his legs, arm, and neck. After about a minute, the process ended. All for One grabbed onto Deku's shoulder and lifted him up. The new villain was somehow still shocked as if this stunt hadn't been pulled about an hour ago. Everything felt fine. He rotated his neck this way and that for good measure: No pain, no stress, just fine. A grin spread across his face.
Today, he was a new person: a judge and arbiter. This meant he had to truly kill off Izuku Midoriya. No more would he be the same rambling cry baby who's heart was worn on his sleeve. He learned a lot from staying silent and listening, thinking but not over analyzing. To think, he'd realize the power in silence only when he could not talk. He had spilled so much to All Might, trusting him to understand. He had expressed himself to Vlad King and been made a fool of. It was humiliating, to say the least.
No longer would he allow himself to be seen through like some emotional puppy. He had let Bakugo see him in his cowardice for way too long. Not to mention, the nonstop tears. How pathetic of him to have wasted on the undeserving. How embarrassing for All Might to have seen him in his weakest, a heartbroken child. He wouldn't allow it to happen again. As of today, he is Kanashii, Deku. A stoic who maintained a calm and neutral demeanor. An intimidating foe who never shows weakness.
As Deku looked up at his new ally and Sensei, he knew this was something he would never turn back from. He doubted that he could ever really smile a genuine smile again, as his heart was full of hate and anger. Yet, somehow, that was ok. It was better this way. Kanashii, Deku was a boy who could not smile; and he was a boy who would never cry again.
~~000~~
Inko midoriya dropped to her knees in terror. She had hoped and prayed she would never have to cry like she did yesterday again. Nonetheless, here she was. She fell screaming and sobbing on the floor as Mitsuki attempted to console her. Why did she say what she said? She knew he was suffering, so why did she say those things? It's her fault. If she had just been supportive enough for just a bit longer, until he was okay again. She didn't need to kick him while he was down. The conversation would've gone better had he been in his right mind, right? She felt terrible. Her heart ached uncontrollably. Had she lost her son for sure this time?
Behind her, Bakugo stood in shock. That stupid Dekuwouldn't have gone back for a second attempt, would he? If he failed the first time, shouldn't he have just given up? -'When does he ever give up?'- He shook his head. As fair as that statement was, this wasn't the time. Deku was missing, and hopefully only missing. They surely could find him, right? He was smart, sure, but not smart enough to evade law enforcement and heroes forever.
The young teen took a few steps toward the bed, looking around as if he were likely to find the other boy hiding under a pillow or something. His eyes scanned the scene desperately, hoping that there was something that could act as a clue to where the kid was. That's when something stuck out to him. Cautiously stepping to the side of the inlay, looking down into a small trash bin tucked between the bed and desk. He kneeled down, using the bed as concealment and reaching inside the bin, slowly pulling out what appeared to be half of a book. 'Deku's journal?'
It had been ripped in a perfect straight line right down the center. This book was not some thin container of papers and documents. It was a pretty hefty thing. Sure it wasn't hard back, but to successfully rip it clean down the center would require a lot of strength. Otherwise, it would be a sloppy, messy tear. There would be signs of a struggle, which there was not. It was a clean tear, and Deku was simply not that strong. Someone had been here.
Bakugo felt an uncomfortable knot form in his stomach. He placed the piece of the journal that was still in contact in his cargo pocket and stood up to face Inko and Mitsuki. Midoriya's mother was shattered. How could he have done this to her? Did his own mother not cross his mind when he left the hospital? How did he get out without anyone noticing? Who was here with him last night? Something wasn't right. Bakugo could feel it in his gut.
Something just wasn't right.
Just some endstory notes and translations
Kanashii: sorrowful and sad
Senpai: teacher/master (or often used for people in respectful positions: like a doctor or a judge.)
Nokemono: Outcast
Okaasan: Mother
-Kun: an honorific used from someone of a senior position to a junior position.
Hai: Yes/indeed
Ara Ara: oh my/goodness/my my/ etc.
You guys tell me whether or not you'd like me to refer to Deku as midoriya when narrating, or as Kanashii. Villains will refer to him by his new name, regardless. I considered narrating him as Deku or Kanashi now, but I understand some people will struggle to remember this change.
Next chapter: Deku meets the League of Villains. Bakugo getting ready for UA. Midoriya is missing.