Chapter 6: Once Bitten, Twice Cursed
Shipwreck Zone battle: Powersnake by Brothers of Metal.
It was the end of the school day after class reps were picked, and now Izuku was walking home with Bakugo. Though as they walked along, Apophis slithered out of the boy's bag and held a small jar in front of him.
"Give one of these to Bakugo." The serpent told his charge, shaking the bottle, which seemed to be full of small black food pills.
"Are you sure this is a good idea? These are still untested." The boy whispered.
"I'm aware, but he's the only one who can test them right now." The snake stated, getting a reluctant nod from Izuku.
"Oi, what are you whispering about?" The Pomeranian questioned. After learning about Apophis, he started wondering what else his childhood friend knew about. On top of that, he was also wondering what other myths were real.
"It's these pills. According to Apophis they're supposed to turn a Curse Mark into an even more powerful stage two one. One that allows the person inflicted with it to become even more powerful." The serpentine boy explained.
"How does that work?" Bakugo asked.
"Well, it essentially puts you in a temporary death-like state to cause the change." He replied.
"Um… I-I'll survive that, right?" Bakugo asked, feeling just as nervous about being in a death-like state as much as the next guy.
"Yeah, you'll wake up in a few hours at the most. Or at least that's my understanding, anyway." Izuku shrugged, getting a nod from the snake on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I think I'll take one when I go to bed. That should raise little to no suspicion." The bomber decided as he pocketed the pill. "I just hope my parents don't mistake them for drugs." He added with a shiver. He did not want to go through that.
"Just take one pill then. Should help keep questions away." The snake boy replied. The blondie nodded as they parted ways, allowing him to go into his room after getting ready for bed and took the pill that Izuku gave him… and almost immediately felt himself keel over.
He managed to get onto his bed before his consciousness left him.
(The next day)
The next day at school everyone was busy trying to board a bus to go to an off campus facility for their class for the day. Specifically, they were going to do some Rescue training.
Though as everyone boarded the vehicle, Katsuki seemed to be rather quiet, since his now level two Curse Mark still made him feel very lightheaded.
'I hope he's okay.' Izuku thought with a concerned frown as everyone talked. Luckily though, Erin was sitting next to the blondie and letting him use her lap as a pillow.
"Man those battle trials were insane." Kirishima notes. "I gotta admit, Midoriya, your quirk is pretty crazy. I'm actually kinda jealous." He added.
"Really? How come?" Izuku asked.
"Well it just seems better to have a flashier quirk is all. My hardening is super strong and can destroy bad guys in a fight, but it isn't that show stopping." The redhead shrugged, hardening his arm.
"Actually, it could come in handy for defense." The snake boy pointed out.
"Really?" The redhead asked in surprise.
"Yeah. You can be a barrier between villains and civilians, and keep them safe from harm." Izuku nodded. "And you could be a juggernaut when going on the offensive." He added.
"He's not wrong!" Erin called as Bakugo continued using her lap as a pillow.
"If we're talking quirks, then there's something I'd like to say about yours, Midoriya." Tsu notes.
"What is it, Asui?" The student of a myth inquired.
"First, call me Tsu." The frog girl corrected. "Second, there's a part of your quirk that seems almost like All Might's." She added. That caused Izuku and Apophis to panic silently.
"Um… Actually that's more of a power type move than a part of my quirk." The snake boy stated nervously.
"Well, whatever the case, I think we can all agree that if there's anyone with pro level quirks, it's Todoroki and Bakugo." Kirishima added.
"Yeah, but I don't think Bakugo will be that popular with his attitude." Tsu pointed out which caused said explosive boy to sit up with an angry look.
"What did you say?! I'll-oh, bad idea." He started to yell before a headrush hit him.
"Easy now." The pixie girl said as she laid him back on her lap.
"You know we basically just met you, so it's kinda telling that we know that your personality is basically flaming crap mix with garbage." Kaminari added.
"I'll make you regret choosing the hero course! …. When I feel up to it." The Pomeranian boy grunted as he flipped the electric boy off.
'Kacchan is getting teased? UA is so strange sometimes.' Izuku thought in bewilderment.
(Later)
As the bus pulled up to the facility that they'd be learning in, there was a hero in an Astronaut outfit, who was waiting for them. She was the Space Hero: Thirteen.
"Welcome everyone! I'm glad you could make it!" The Hero said as they walked up to her.
"It's the space hero, Thirteen!" Ochako exclaimed in delight as she smiled.
"She's a rescuer, correct?" Apophis whispered to his student, getting a nod in return. "Hm. She certainly looks the part." He mused.
"Don't get any ideas." Izuku warned as Thirteen and Aizawa led them inside the building. The interior of the structure had a fountain in the middle of the court, as well as several weather themed domes, a man made lake, rockslide, mountain range, etc… It was like a rescue themed amusement park!
Right as Thirteen was speaking about how deadly one's powers could be, the lights suddenly went out. The teachers and Apophis were immediately on guard while the students were confused and a little spooked.
Seconds later, a large portal appeared and an army of figures started walking out of it. This made alarm bells ring in everyone's heads as they saw what was going on.
"What the—?! What's going on?!" Ochako gasped.
"Bloody hell, it's actual villains!" Erin added.
"All of you, stay back!" Aizawa barked as he put on his goggles. Izuku looked on, his muscles tensed to act if he had to.
"Hm… I don't see All Might among the faculty." The living portal noted.
"Where is he? The schedule we got said he'd be here." A man with hands all over his body said in a raspy voice. A muscular thing with a bird beak and an exposed brain stood by him silently.
Meanwhile with the kids, Katsuki started to twitch slightly as his Curse Mark started itching. Which then suddenly caused it to suddenly creep all around his body as he itched with anger.
"Damned… villains…" He growled lowly. Erin's ears picked up his words, causing her to look at him and widen her eyes slightly as she watched his Curse Mark spread.
"The hell…?" She whispered in shock.
Before anything could be said to the boy, he suddenly blasted down towards the villains and ran at them with the intent to destroy.
"What's Bakugo doing?!" Kirishima shouted in shock as the Pomeranian boy continued charging forward. Aizawa cursed his student's recklessness.
As Bakugo reached his quarry, his skin turned grey and his shirt was gone, and two massive blue claws replaced his hands and reached his elbows. His hair had also turned blue while two blue horns grew from his head. He also had some strange armor on his back.
He also had some black markings on his face, and his sclera had turned black. His already red eyes had become more akin to the color of blood, too.
"Ohh crap! This isn't good!" Izuku exclaimed as Katsuki started tearing through the many villains like a beast possessed.
"Kurogiri, deal with that brat before he becomes a problem. Scatter the rest of the kids while you're at it." The raspy villain ordered.
The living portal nodded as a portal opened up in front of Katsuki, which he unwittingly ran into and another started scattering the kids all over the place.
(Elsewhere)
Meanwhile with Izuku, he landed in the shipwreck zone, and to avoid getting eaten by a villain he started transforming himself into his giant snake form.
'Of all the places to end up at!' Izuku thought as he swam upwards like an eel. As he did, he spotted an aquatic villain swimming his way.
"Catch of the day. Nothing personal, kid but—WHOA!" The villain said before he stopped when he saw that instead of a boy, he was face to face with a massive serpent that seemed to be able to touch the entire perimeter of the zone with its coils.
His serpentine body was still white, but the scales now had shades of green running along his body. Along his spine were membranous fins typically found on marine creatures. His face had scales that looked much thicker than the rest of his body, with spikes rubbing asking the sides of his jaw and two fin-like protrusions at the end. On top of his head was what looked to be a crown of spikes.
Izuku glared at the villain and let out a growl, which released bubbles from his mouth as the sound echoed through the water. The villain stared at him before mashing a really smart decision.
"I don't feel like being eaten today!" He exclaimed before turning tail and swimming off. His place was taken by Tsuyu, who watched him go before looking at her giant classmate. Erin was with her, too.
Izuku quickly let them crawl onto his head as he lifted them above the water and then gently set them inside the ship, before he started crawling out of the Serpent's mouth and onto the ship's deck. This left the white Jörmangander-like beast to have a mind of its own as soon as he left its mouth.
"What in the world? Is that the Midgard Serpent?" Erin asked with wide eyes as she looked at the giant creature.
"If you wanna call it that." The snake boy shrugged as he patted the serpent's nose. "Once I leave a snake's mouth after transforming, unless I absorb it back, it gains a mind of its own." He explained.
"Ribbit. That's intense." Tsu noted as the three sat down and the Giant Serpent kept watch. "Well this is turning out to be a terrible day of class." She sighed.
"No kidding." The pixie girl sighed in agreement, her thoughts drifting to Bakugo as she wondered if he was okay.
"I should have warned Kacchan about the side effects of the Curse Mark's second stage. If I had, we likely wouldn't be in this mess." Izuku sighed.
"The what now?" Erin asked in confusion.
"Curse Mark. It's a mark that imbues someone with immense power by feeding off of their anger. It's a side effect of the venom I injected into him during the battle trial." He explained.
"Last I checked, those things typically feed on chakra. Did something change?" Tsu asked, having researched the topic as a side project in the past.
"Yes, but this isn't the time or place to cover that topic." The serpentine boy replied. "We need to find a way out of here." He added.
"Well if we're coming up with plans, let's talk quirks." Erin offered. "As you know I have telekinesis. I can basically use it on anything I can see except for myself. So I can't use it if I can't see anything." She explained. "Additionally I also have a weight limit, but that's not really an issue here. I can also help maintain someone's emotions, but I don't use it very often." She added.
"I can do just about anything a frog can. I can stretch my tongue up to twenty meters, climb on walls, the whole nine yards." The frog girl continued. "I can also cough up my stomach and clean it, but that's not helpful here." She added. Izuku and Erin looked at her with raised eyebrows before deciding to carry on
"Well, you've both seen what I can do." The pale skinned boy commented as he looked at his giant beast creation, which was glaring at the villains in the water, baring its teeth at them.
"That warp villain said they were after All Might, do you think they have some way to take him down?" Erin asked.
"I strongly doubt they'd go through this much trouble if they weren't certain it would work." Izuku stated. "It must revolve around that big guy I caught a glimpse of." He added.
"Well, we should find a way back to land before the villains get rid of their common sense. I doubt your giant snake form will keep them scared forever." Tsu stated as they looked at the villains in the water, who looked a little fidgety.
"I think I know a way to do that. But first, do any of you ladies have a capture item that can stick those guys together?" The serpentine boy asked, which made Erin perk up.
"You got a plan to catch them?" She asked.
"Yeah, I'll have my snake friend here create a whirlpool and whoever has a capture item can get them stuck when they're pulled in." He nodded as the girl pulled out a green gum packet.
"I got some self inflating gum that blows up on contact, will that work?" She asked.
"Yes. That'll work great. Just give me a bit to-" Izuku tried to say before their boat shook from one of the villains getting bold.
"There! That giant snake is just for show, boys! It can't do shit!" The villain that struck the boat with his quirk exclaimed.
"Ah crap!" Erin shouted as the boat slowly sank.
"It's now or never! Let's do this!" Izuku shouted as he ordered his Jörmungandr summon to start swirling around in the water. Erin immediately started chewing on some gum to get it ready.
"Alright Tsu, let's go!" She said as Izuku grabbed onto her and Tsu grabbed onto Izuku as they jumped off the boat as a giant whirlpool started forming.
"Got it!" The frog girl exclaimed as the villains got sucked in. Erin, who hitched a ride on the summon, threw her gum into the vortex, where it expanded and engulfed all the villains.
"Score one for us!" She cheered as she sat on Jörmungandr's head.
"Looks like we passed the shipwreck zone." Tsu mused as they made their way to shore.
"Thank goodness." Izuku sighed as his giant snake summon began swimming towards the shoreline.
The battle of the USJ has begun.
Dragon Emperor0: Okay guys. Before this arc goes any further, I gotta get this off my chest: Should Tsu be in a three way harem with Izuku and Ochako here. I have no idea why, but the idea has been driving me nuts and I'm seriously considering doing it.
ThermalsniperN7: I mean, she can be drawn in by his animal features, which could escalate from there. Also, we are extremely sorry for the wait. The chapter hit some snags since Erin replacing Mineta made the Shipwreck Zone fight a chore to plan.
Dragon Emperor0: Additionally we also had other stories that needed our attention, but luckily I think that next chapter should be the one where Season 1 ends if we're lucky. Also, that was really sweet of Erin, letting Katsuki use her as a lap pillow like that.
ThermalsniperN7: The ship is setting sail. Slowly, but surely. Also, yes, that's the same Jörmungandr from Smite. I was a bit hesitant to use that one, but we went with it anyway because… Let's be real: having a Norse inspired serpent as a summon is kickass.
Dragon Emperor0: Plus it means that if Izuku wants to he can turn his Eight Headed Serpent form into a sum—MAN AHHH! THERE'S A COTTONMOUTH IN MY ROOM! *grabs a shotgun* Hasta la vista bitch! *BOOM*... And now there's a hole in my wall and snake brains everywhere… Great…
ThermalsniperN7: Uh… Okay- OH FUCKING HELL! RATTLESNAKE! *Picks up magnum* DIE! *BANG!* … Oh lovely, now there's snake blood all over the carpet. That's gonna be a bitch to clean.
Dragon Emperor0: I recommend Lemon and a small amount of chlorus Oxide for blood. Anyway. See you guys next time.