Author's Note:
Musical inspiration for this chapter: Darkside by Neoni
If I at any point misspell a character's name, please tell me. This story contains scenes/mentions of suicide and self harm. It will not be in every chapter, but they are major themes of the story. If that bothers you, please do not read. I will not be putting anymore warnings about this, not even on chapters that contain a lot of it. (I feel like that qualifies as spoilers.) Other than that, my stories are always clean :)
Okay, enough chatting, onto the story.
—
A cold breeze caressed Izuku Midoriya's cheek, fluffing out his green hair and causing it to tickle his collar. Izuku absentmindedly scratched at his neck, staring at the ground, some fifty feet below him. The tip of his red sneakers hung off the edge of the building, and somewhere far away, a dog began barking frantically admit the normal city noise.
Izuku blinked back to the present when someone yelled from below, and he noticed a crowd had gathered below his resting point. Several people were gesturing frantically, others had pulled out their phone, some to call the police, others to film what would happen next.
"Tch," Izuku muttered, narrowing his eyes at the crowd below. "Typical." He stepped away from the ledge and instead descended the other side of the building, slowly his fall by jumping off the wall of the nearest building. He landed on the ground, quickly falling to his knees to absorb the energy before righting himself and setting off down the twist and turns of the alleyways, his mind focused on his destination, and, more importantly, his mission.
Finally, Izuku came to a halt in front of his childhood home, and pain emanated from his chest. He rubbed it harshly, scowling at the front door.
Bah, I don't want to do this, he thought, but nonetheless he stepped up to the doorstep and knocked on the door. As he waited, he glanced up and down the street, noticing the several missing posters littering the floor of the walkway. No doubt they had been hung up on poles and walls, but they had all long fallen off or been ripped from their rightful place. The only one that was still in one piece was the one positioned on the door in front of him.
Izuku eyed it, taking in his own face smiling back at him. Something about how happy he looked annoyed him, and he ripped it from the door, throwing it to the ground and stomping all over it until it ripped into tiny dirt colored shreds.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Izuku muttered, slamming his foot down on the flier one more time for good measure.
The door behind him creaked open, and he spun around, his face flushing as if he was a child caught with his hand on the cookie jar. Inko Midoriya stood in the door frame, wearing a familiar pink apron. She had chocolate smudged on her face, and her mouth was propped open in shock.
"Uh . . . hi, Mom," Izuku muttered, bringing up his hand to ruffle through his hair, only now thinking on his appearance. No doubt he looked like a lost homeless boy due to his wild hair and dirty clothes. He hadn't been too worried about it before, but now, staring into his sweet mother's face, he was suddenly ashamed.
"I-Izuku?" Inko croaked. Izuku only got a second's worth of warning before she fell backward into a dead faint. As her eyes rolled back in her head, Izuku moved fast, catching her before she even moved two inches.
"Oh, Mom," he whispered, staring at his now knocked out cold mother's face. "You never changed." A soft smile came unbidden to his face, and Izuku hauled his mother into his arms and carried her into the house, closing the door behind him. A surge of nostalgia came over him as he entered the premises, and he stopped to view the familiar home. It was the same as he'd left it ten months ago. He sighed, although it sounded more like a growl, before bringing his mother to her room and setting her gently on the bed.
She'll come to in a few minutes, Izuku decided. He glanced toward the closed door that lead to his room, the same All Might themed nameplate staring back at him. His stomach gave a violent lurch, and he bit onto his lip so hard he tasted blood, but he advanced toward it nonetheless, resting his fingers on the door handle for a second too long before opening the door.
A breath escaped his lips. "It's exactly the same," he whispered, looking around at his All Might paraphernalia. "She really thought I'd come back." He stepped into the room, seizing the nearest All Might figurine. "I guess she was right." He tightened his grip until the wood figurine began to crack, and after a couple moments it exploded into a bunch of tiny wood splinters, piercing his skin. He didn't even flinch as he dropped the toy, smiling in satisfaction as it fell onto the floor, splintering further at the impact. "But everything is different now," he whispered so quietly he almost couldn't hear it. "I'll need to do some renovating."
Izuku had already taken a few steps into the room when he heard a noise from the other room. "Mom," he whispered, shaking his head to clear out the dusty cobwebs of rage. He bounded into the other room and sank to his knees next to his mother's bed, a gentle smile coming to his face.
"Izuku?" Inko asked, her large green eyes blinking up at him from the bed. "Is that really you?"
Izuku accepted the hand she held out to him. "Yes, Mom, it's me."
Tears welled up in his mother's eyes, and she pressed his hand to her cheek, sobbing uncontrollably. Izuku stared at his mother, knowing he should be crying as well. After all, he hadn't seen his loving mother in ten months. But the only emotion he could manage was detached happiness.
It's not like she ever believed in me either, he thought, and his eyebrows furrowed. He pulled back his hand from his mother, standing up instead. "Can you stand?" he asked, holding out his hand to help her up. She accepted it and straightened, peering up at him.
"What happened . . . to your face?" Her voice shook as she stood, and her hand raised to touch the large scar on the right side of his face. His hand moved as face as lighting, catching her wrist before she was able to check it.
"I fell," he said bluntly, pushing her hand away from his face. Remembering his manners, he wrapped his mother into a hug, holding her to his chest as she sobbed. I suppose I would be upset too if my son disappeared for ten months. She'd be even more upset if she knew what actually happened. It's best for her not to know.
"Where were you?" she suddenly cried, pulling back and hitting him on the chest. "And you're so . . . muscular now. Were you training to be a hero or something? I'd have hoped you'd—"
His mind finished the sentence for her, and he winced, opening his mouth to interrupt her before he could actually hear it out loud. "I told you, I fell. Then, I was taken by a group of minor villains." He shrugged, wincing internally. He wished he had a better explanation, but the only better excuse he had was the truth, and that would only worry her more.
Inko looked like she was about to have a heart attack, so Izuku raised his arms to stop her from freaking out. "It wasn't a big deal! They were minor villains, and a hero rescued me super fast. It just . . . took me a long time to get back." He rubbed her back of his neck. "Since I hit my head, I had amnesia for a bit, which is why the hero couldn't get me back home sooner . . . but don't worry, it's all back now, which is why I'm here." He dropped his dopey smile and fixed her with a serious look. "I didn't mean to worry you, Mom. I promise I came back as soon as I could."
Inko stared up at him with tears in her eyes, and Izuku gritted his teeth behind his smile. "Oh, Izuku, that must've been awful!" she suddenly crowed, waving her arms in the air. "Come, come. I'll make your favorite meal, and you can sit on the couch and relax. Do you need a doctor? I think I'd better call a doctor, just in case. Your room is just how you left it, did you see? I just knew you'd come back eventually. There are cookies in the oven—they should be done by now. You can snack on one and watch tv while I make lunch. I think your favorite show is on right now! What was it called again?" Inko pushed Izuku toward the kitchen, talking a mile a minute. Despite how annoying it was, he couldn't help but smile at her high energy. He had missed her, even if there was a part of him that never wanted to see her again.
"Mom, stop." He held up his hands and planted his feet into the ground, stopping her from moving forward. "I'm not going to be staying here for long."
Tears immediately popped into her eyes again, and she grabbed at her apron, her expression morphing into anguish. "Don't tell me you're leaving for another ten months! You can't do that to me, Izuku! My heart can't take it anymore."
Izuku grimaced and waved his hands in the air. "No, no, no, that's not what I meant at all! I'll just be gone for a couple hours. Once I finish the exams, I'll be back, I promise."
"Exams?"
Izuku examined his mother's quizzical expression for a moment before dropping his shoulders and sighing. He had hoped he wouldn't need to explain, but he had to. After all, he was still a minor, and he needed her permission to do anything. Anything legal, that is. "UA's entrance exams are today, Mom. I still plan on going."
Izuku only had a second to prepare before his mother started slapping his chest, her normally innocent face morphing into pure rage. "You just got back from getting kidnapped and losing your memory, and you're going to go to UA's entrance exams? Are you crazy?"
Izuku bore her blows, which felt like smacks from a butterfly's wings, and stared at her until she finished her tirade. She slunk into the kitchen and slammed open the oven before tossing the cookie tray onto the counter rather aggressively.
Approaching his mother where she now stood leaning over the kitchen table, Izuku rested a hand on her shoulder. "Of course I am, Mom. You know this has always been my dream. Besides, a hero saved my life. If there's anything that I can do to be like them, I'll do it." The speech left a sour taste in his mouth, but he covered it with a smile. "But you don't have to worry so much. I know I'll never be a hero." The words spat forth from his lips, and he couldn't help the scowl that crossed his features. "I'm aiming for one of their other programs. I don't care which one. I just want to be close to the heroes."
Inko straightened, turning her wet eyes on her son, hope shining from within. "You're not going to be a hero?"
Izuku shook his head firmly. "You were right, Mom. They were all right. I can't be a hero without a quirk." He looked away to disguise the rage twisting his expression. "But that's okay. I'll do the next best thing."
Ink launched himself at him, wrapping him firmly in her arms. He patted her back uncertainly as he stared at the door, longing to throw himself out of it and back onto the rooftops as he'd done so many times in the last ten months. He longed, more than anything else, to be free.
"Oh, my son is going to do great things!" Inko crowed, pulling back and wiping at her face. She bustled away from Izuku, and he watched as she shoved a few still warm cookies into a paper bag. "Here," she said, holding the bag out to him. "Snack on these while you go. I know you'll do great."
Izuku stared at the bag of cookies before shifting his eyes to his mother's face, completely scrunched up into the biggest smile he could imagine. She looked so happy and . . . proud.
Why couldn't she react like this when I wanted to be a hero? Izuku swallowed the words and took the bag. "Thanks," he muttered, turning toward the door. "I'm going now. I can't be late."
"Good luck. Don't get lost!" Inko followed him to the door. When he had it partly open, she launched herself onto him again, squeezing him so tight it almost knocked him off balance. "Please come back," she whispered into his ear.
"I will," he promised. I don't really have a choice. He raised a hand in farewell before setting off down the path, taking the road he knew so well: the road to UA.
His carefree smile slid off his face, and he scowled down at his shoes as he thought about what was to come. It wasn't as scientific and perfect as he wanted it to be, but it was the best plan they had so far. He scratched at his hand, digging out the splinters of the All Might figurine from under his skin.
Everything depended on one thing: his acceptance to UA.
Shouldn't be a problem. Not even if I have to kill everyone on the committee to get it.
—
Izuku stared up at the entrance to UA, a strange emotion swirling in his stomach. He had come here on many an occasion to watch the heroes and students filtering in and out of the building. He had always longed to go to this school, to the point where his entire life depended on it. But now that he was here, standing in front of it, he just wanted to go home. Not home to his mother, no, that wasn't home anymore. Home where—
Someone bumped into him, and he stumbled, watching the ground rush up at him. Curses, he scolded himself. I got too caught up in my thoughts again! He really should've noticed the girl before she crashed into him. Getting lost in his head was a weakness he had been trying his hardest to overcome, but it looked like he hadn't defeated it completely.
He prepared himself to tuck and roll to stop his fall, but suddenly found himself feeling weightless. "What the—" He twisted to look at his feet, just now noticing he wasn't even touching the ground. I'm . . . floating! Izuku's eyes widened, and an involuntary screech left his mouth. "Wha-what?" This is someone's quirk! The girl who bumped into me?
Izuku turned slowly to see a rather cute brown haired girl staring at him, blushing furiously. "I'm so sorry! For bumping into you, I mean. And using my quirk on you. Oh, I'm just a mess!"
Izuku chuckled, twisting himself so he was upright, and the girl pressed her fingers together. He fell to the ground straight onto his feet, the weight of gravity suddenly affecting him once again. "Is that your quirk?" Izuku gestured to himself.
"Yes. It's called Zero Gravity. I can make anything I touch float." She smiled wide and tilted her head, her face practically glowing.
"That's so cool!" Izuku practically shouted, his own face rushing with warmth. No doubt he was blushing like an idiot. "Well, thank you for saving me." He looked down at the bag of cookies his mother had handed to him. He thrust the bag out in her direction. "Here, want one? They're still warm."
"Ooh!" She leaned over the bag and picked out one of the cookies, immediately taking a bite. "Thanks!" she said, her mouth full of chocolate. "Wow, these are so good!"
Izuku smiled wide. "You think so? My mom made them this morning." He took a cookie for himself, biting into it gingerly. The familiar taste of his mother's cooking flooded his senses, and his eyes widened. He'd forgotten how much he missed eating homemade food.
"Well, tell your mom she makes wonderful cookies." The girl finished eating and licked the rest of the chocolate off her fingers.
"I will, I'm sure she'll be glad to hear that." Izuku popped the rest of his cookie into his mouth and swallowed quickly before holding out his hand. "I'm Izuku Midoriya."
She accepted his hand shake, her grip comfortable in his palm. "Ochoco Uraraka."
"Nice to meet you, Uraraka." He bowed to her once again, just for good measure, and was rewarded with a giggle.
"You too, Izuku." She tilted her head and gestured to the building. "Well, I better get going! I don't want to be late."
Izuku nodded and watched her run in the building, his eyebrows narrowing at her exit. With her quirk, she'll probably get accepted into the hero course. It's a good thing I met her. Best to start making friends sooner rather than later.
Izuku shrugged and fished out another cookie from the bag, walking languidly toward the school. I should probably focus on the actual exams first. Friends won't matter if I don't even get in.
After finishing the last of the delicious cookies, he tossed the bag into the nearest trashcan and entered the testing room, where he was directed to his seat. Deep in thought, he didn't even notice who he was sitting next to until the familiar voice boomed in his ear.
"Deku! Where have you been? The entire neighborhood has been looking for you for months, and you have the audacity to show up now?"
Izuku slowly swiveled to face him, watching Bakugo's eyes widen as the scar on the right side of Izuku's face came into view. "Why do you care?" he asked, his voice flat. He could tell the lack of energy surprised Bakugo in the way his eyes narrowed. "We're not friends, right, Kacchan?" He spat out the nickname, narrowing his eyes and adjusting his aura to be threatening.
Bakugo leaned back, no doubt unconsciously. "What happened to your face? You look even uglier than you did before, nerd."
A wry smile twisted Izuku's lips, but he didn't say what he wanted to out loud. "None of your business." He gazed back to the front, uninterested in hearing whatever Bakugo would say next. Of course the two of them would sit together. Fate was really just that cruel. For every second Izuku sat there, the more his fists clenched, his nails reopening the splinter wounds from earlier. He regulated his breathing in an attempt to keep his rage in check. No matter how much he wanted to or how much Bakugo deserved it, getting into a fight would only result in both of them getting kicked out.
Later, Bakugo, later, he promised himself as he briefing closed his eyes, calming, if only for a moment, the violent urge to knock Bakugo's teeth out here and now. I'll deal with you later.
Bakugo, however, had other ideas. Seizing Izuku's collar, he hauled him a few inches off his feet, sticking his face close to Izuku's. Well, this is familiar, Izuku thought briefly. His hand hovered over his belt, his fingers barely brushing one of the many knives he kept there. If Bakugo threw the first punch, Izuku would defend himself. Surely everyone would see Bakugo was the one to start and escalate the fight, and Izuku himself wouldn't be punished for defending himself.
Let's not be so optimistic.
"Answer me, Deku!" Bakugo roared, his spittle flying onto Izuku's face. "What, you think you can just ignore me? I could kill you right now if I wanted!"
Izuku narrowed his eyes, keeping his face blank otherwise. "My name is Izuku Midoryia." His voice was steady, as it had never been before in the face of Bakugo's bullying. "And you will address me as such."
The two stared at each other, angry eyes peering into calm. But Izuku's hand still hovered over the knife, his fingers now firmly pressed onto the handle.
"Excuse me!" Someone yelled from nearby, and the two of them turned to see a blue haired, glasses wearing boy staring at them disapprovingly. "There will be no talking! Present Mic is about to begin the presentation."
"Don't tell me what to do, glasses!" Bakugo immediately dropped Izuku and turned to yell at the newcomer instead.
"I'm so sorry!" Izuku gushed, waving his arms to catch the other boy's attention. "We'll be quiet, I promise!" Grabbing Bakugo's shoulder, he pushed him down until his legs buckled, seating him on the chair. "So sorry," he said one last time, waving at the boy once more before sitting down himself.
"If you don't want to get kicked out, you should calm down," he told Bakugo, his voice quiet and somewhat threatening. "I know UA is your dream school." I can't have him causing anymore trouble. I don't want to get disqualified because of him.
"What's with you, nerd?" Bakugo sneered at him, his lips curled up dramatically. "You're acting so weird."
Izuku shrugged. I'm just not letting you bully me anymore, that's all. Just then, the lights dimmed, and Present Mic came to the stand, speaking in his signature cadence. The sound of his voice filled the hall, echoing off the walls. Izuku listened intently while scanning the room. There were so many potential heroes here. No doubt all of them had quirks. While UA had recently lifted their ban on quirkless people attending the school, no one had had the guts to actually try yet.
Present Mic explain the practical exam. They would have ten minutes to defeat as many robotic villains as they could, each assigned a different point value. Whoever scored the most points would have a higher likelihood of getting into the school.
No doubt there's some sort of secret point system for heroic deeds, Izuku thought, right as Present Mic explained that you were not allowed to fight the other students. If there was, they wouldn't tell you about it, because they want to see if you actually have the heart of a hero. In a perfect world, that would be all that matters.
Izuku eyed Bakugo's angry expression as he stared intently at Present Mic. The same blue haired kid who had yelled at them earlier stood up and asked a questions, causing Bakugo's eyebrows to twitch in annoyance.
If that was how it worked, he would fail. But of course that isn't going to happen. He'll get in on raw talent alone, regardless of how horrible he truly is. Tch. It's disappointing.
"In addition!" the boy with the blue hair said. "You with the unkempt hair." He swiveled around and pointed right at Izuku. Izuku's eyebrows rose, and his face flushed as all eyes in the room turned on him. "You've been mumbling to yourself this entire time! Stop that. The rest of us are trying to concentrate."
Izuku bit back a sarcastic retort and instead said, "Sorry, so sorry!" He rubbed the back on his neck, smiling sheepishly. "I didn't realize."
Present Mic went on to answer the question the blue haired boy had asked, and he sat down.
I don't like that kid, Izuku thought, glaring at the back of his head intently. He's so arrogant. Like Bakugo, except less aggressive about it. Self righteous people make me sick.
Izuku shook his head, shaking the thoughts loose from his head. In reality, it was a good thing the boy had said something. Izuku had a bad habit of talking to himself out loud even when he didn't realize it. It was part of his weakness of getting lost in his thoughts. That was something he needed to overcome. Luckily it didn't seem like Bakugo had heard anything, as probably he would've attempted to kill Izuku on the spot if he had.
Izuku clamped his teeth over his tongue in an effort to make sure he wouldn't actually say anything out loud, sighing softly. Old habits die hard, he acknowledged. Present Mic directed them to the cards that had been handed to them upon entering the room, as they would direct them which battle arena to go to.
"I see. They've split up people in the same middle school so we don't can't team up with our friends," Bakugo muttered, staring at his card.
Izuku glanced at the blond boy's card, noticing that while their numbers were right after the other, they were assigned to different groups. He grunted. This was better than the alternative. If they were in the same arena together, no doubt Bakugo would attempt to sabotage Izuku in some way, potentially forcing him to defend himself. As Izuku didn't plan to do anything to draw attention to himself, it was best for them to be separated.
"I was really looking forward to crushing you," Bakugo growled, and Izuku smiled. Me too, he thought. Luckily for you, that's not part of the plan.
"Plus Ultra!" Present Mic yelled, and with that, the gathering was over. Izuku quickly slipped out of his seat and followed his group to their battle arena, avoiding anymore interactions with Bakugo. Really, it was best for the both of them that they avoided each other as much as possible, at least for now.
After a few minutes, Izuku stood with a group of students in front of the gates leading into a giant battle arena. Wow, Izuku thought, biting hard on his tongue to make sure he wasn't mumbling. UA has more than one of these? This place is huge. And very well funded. He raked his eyes over the gathering of students, noting which ones were in his group. He only recognized two of them: the girl from outside the school, and the blue haired boy who'd told him to be quiet during the assembly.
Izuku smiled and wormed his way through the crowd to Uraraka's side. "Hi," he said, glancing down at her. She wasn't wearing any special gear, like some of the others in the crowd were.
"Hello!" she said, bouncing up and down. Her face tensed, and she looked him up and down. "Are you planning on fighting in that?" she asked.
Izuku looked down at his dirty and loose clothes. Shoot, I should've changed back at home. I really couldn't look any less like UA material. "I don't plan on fighting," he admitted. "I'm not really suited to fighting."
Her eyebrows rose. "Oh, so you're going for general studies? Or maybe business?"
Izuku shrugged. "One of those. Whichever they think I'm more suited for. I assume you're going for the hero course?"
"Yes! It's always been my dream to be a hero!"
Seeing the fire in her eyes made Izuku nostalgic. But that didn't matter anymore. His dreams had been crushed a long time ago. "I wish you the best of luck then."
"What are you waiting for?" Present Mic called from behind them, and Izuku turned to see him standing on top of a large towers outside of the arena walls. "Real battles don't have countdowns!"
The gates creaked open, and when Izuku turned around, everyone else was gone, already deep inside the fake city fighting villains. Tucking his hands into his pocket, Izuku crept into the city, dodging any wayward robots or hero attacks. When he found the tallest building in the city, he began to scale to the top of it, using two of his knives to help him grip onto the surface. After a short time, he stood on the top of the building, the cold air once again stirring his hair.
So familiar, he thought, staring down at the hero-wannabes fighting robots far below.
"Three minutes left!" Present Mic announced. Behind him, Izuku heard a loud crash, and he spun around in a crouch, peering over the edge of the roof. The gigantic robot Present Mic had spoken about during the presentation appeared above the skyline, and kids scrambled out of the way.
"Worth zero points," Izuku muttered, allowing himself to talk out loud since he was alone. "Just an obstacle to avoid. Baffling, really, since all villains should be taken down in a fight." He settled onto his heels. The gigantic robot wouldn't be able to see him where he was sitting, and besides, the battle was almost over anyway. Izuku stretched, wishing the test would be over sooner. It was rather boring, simply sitting up here.
"Ahh! Help!" someone shrieked, and Izuku peered over the edge of the building, seeing Uraraka trapped under a pile of rubble. The giant robot loomed over her, its sight set on her. It seemed like she wouldn't be able to get free before it stepped on her and crushed her.
Izuku stood and examined the streets, searching for anyone that would help her, but the street was completely empty, understandably so. Izuku looked toward the tower peeking out from behind the walls. Surely the faculty wouldn't allow a student to get hurt or even killed during the entrance exams?
Actually, I don't doubt that they would, Izuku realized. He straightened to his full height and pulled a special knife from the pockets lining the vest he wore under his shirt. The chain connected to it jangled as it fell to the floor.
How inconvenient. Izuku sighed. I wasn't supposed to do anything to draw attention to myself. He swung the chain, causing the knife to hum through the air besides him. With a flick of his wrist, the knife launched through the sky and stabbed perfectly into the side of the gigantic robot's head. Without a second thought, he jumped off the edge of the building, using the chain to swing onto the robot's shoulder. He landed lightly, the knife on the other side of the chain clutched in his hand.
"Hey!" he yelled, straightening and waving his arm to get the robot's attention. Its face turned toward him very slowly, and Izuku yanked his other knife out of the side of its head. When the robot fully faced him, Izuku threw a different knife into one of the rockets stored in the thing's head, hoping this would anger it enough to take its attention off Uraraka. The rocket instantly exploded, and Izuku covered his face as debris showered outward.
The robot emitted a screeching noise as its head snapped backward, and Izuku shifted slightly to keep his balance before dodging out of the way of the giant fist the robot flung at him. Unfortunately for the giant, it hadn't been created to be very bright or fast, and the automaton's own fist crashed into its face, causing another giant dent. The robot stumbled backward, almost knocking Izuku off his feet, but he threw another knife into the other side of its head, swinging himself onto its back.
"Wires, wires, cut the wires," Izuku chanted to himself, using quick and fluid motions to cut all the wires he could get his hands on. Loud grinding noises echoed through the battlefield as various mechanisms inside the machine ground to a halt.
The giant robot lifted its arm to pluck Izuku off its back, but he ignored the approaching danger to instead study what he could see inside the robot's head. As the robot was huge, Izuku could fit his entire body into the cavity of its head with plenty room to spare.
"Master chip, master chip, where could you be?" Izuku asked, darting his eyes around, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. Realistically, the smart thing to do would to be to put the chip in the most armored part of the robot, like the chest, but as humans were obsessed with themselves, they were most often placed in the same place as the human brain: the head.
Finally, a cluster of shiny, rectangular chips caught Izuku's gaze, and he grinned. "Found you," he whispered before swinging one of his knives toward it, cutting through them all with a single swipe. The knife got stuck in a mass of electronics next to the master chip, and Izuku grinned. The robot he stood on froze, and Izuku heard the electrical hum of machinery cease as gears ground to a halt around him.
Gravity seemed to flip, launching his stomach into his mouth, and Izuku began to float as the robot fell from beneath him, hurtling toward the city floor. Quickly, he pulled his knife out from the machinery and launched himself out of the cranial cavity, scraping his shoulder against the metal casing in the process. Izuku didn't even noticed as his sleeve ripped clean off his shirt, fluttering down to the ground below.
Twisting around, Izuku watched as the robot crashed to the ground, its large size making it fall much faster than his own small frame. "I can see why you were zero points," Izuku whispered, although the wind from his fall threw the words away from his ears. "Defeating you was easy."
Knife in hand, Izuku began to toss it toward the nearest building to slow his fall, only barely managing to stop it before it sliced right through Uraraka's face, who suddenly floated next to him.
"Woah!" Izuku yelped, catching the knife on the chain and pulling it back to his side. "How did you get here so fast?" He looked down, suddenly noticing he was now floating gently to the ground instead of the rampant free fall he would've expected. He took in her hand pressed against his arm, suddenly realizing why she was here. She was there to save him. Typical hero.
"My quirk," she explained, her voice light and airy, as if she had just ran a mile. "You saved me! I couldn't just let you fall."
Izuku blushed at the praise. "Oh, it was nothing really. I didn't want you to get hurt, and I didn't see anyone else nearby . . ."
"Me neither! I thought I was a goner for sure!" Uraraka swept a shaking hand through her hair. "Thank you, Izuku. That was very heroic of you."
The words caused Izuku's face to twitch, and his grip on his knife tightened. He slipped his knives back into their scabbards as a way to stall for time before he responded. "Of course. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
She blushed, which was a very cute look on her. "I thought you said you weren't suited to fighting?"
Izuku shrugged. "I didn't really have a choice."
"Sorry."
"Not your fault."
"Did you defeat any other robots?" she asked, glancing toward where the giant robot lay on its back, having crushed many building on its way down. "That one wasn't worth any points." From the pout of her lips, he could tell she thought it was unfair.
Izuku brushed off his clothes, subtly checking his knife vest with the motion. He had only lost one knife during the fight. A tragedy really, as they were so expensive to make, but he supposed it couldn't be helped. He frowned as he fingered the torn edge of his shirt where his sleeve used to be. The black of his long sleeved battle shirt was exposed now, a little scuffed, but otherwise in one piece. It's good I was wearing this. Probably would've gotten hurt otherwise. But I shouldn't have needed it. I should've been faster. Remembering Uraraka had asked him a question, he responded with, "No. Just the one." I hope I was right about the rescue points.
She seemed distressed, but a loud blare interrupted her before she could speak, signaling the end of the battle. "Peculiar," Izuku muttered. "I could've sworn it took longer than three minutes."
The streets filled with noise as the students began to file out of the testing center, some speaking to the others about how they had done. A huge screen lit up on the walls of the testing center, showing the points accrued for this group. At the very bottom of the screen sat Izuku's picture, with a bold zero shining next to it.
They finally reached the ground, and the full weight of gravity landed on Izuku's shoulders, causing them to curve slightly. "You got zero points . . ." Uraraka muttered, staring at the screen with her hands clasped in front of her.
"No big deal. I don't want to be in the hero course, remember?" Izuku shrugged and shoved his hands back into his pockets. "Well, I best be off." I need to get out of here before people start asking questions. I really shouldn't have exposed my knives, but its not like that's enough to give me away. Besides, it might actually work out better this way. If I'm right about the rescue points, I'm guaranteed to get in now.
Izuku bowed to Uraraka and walked away before she could utter another word, not even so much as a goodbye. Perhaps it was rude, but he really couldn't answer any more of her questions. As he exited the arena, he stared up at the zero following his name.
I hope that was worth it.
—
Izuku stared at the water rushing down the basin as it faded from bright red, to pink, to clear. He shook off his hands and dried his hand, his mind blank as he secured his signature wraps around his forearms once again. They were a little too tight to be comfortable, but he left them that way, pausing for a moment to stare into the mirror as his heartbeat echoed loud in his fingertips.
His long green hair had been tamed and cut by his mother, and he'd gotten a hang of regularly washing himself once more. He wore a loose short sleeved t-shirt and jeans, both of which had been bought by his mother a few days before. His old wardrobe had far to many All Might imagery pasted all over them, and Izuku had refused to wear them. So, as a sort of welcome home gift, Inko Midoriya had taken her son shopping to replenish his now almost empty room. Izuku was sure his mother didn't know what he'd done with the All Might figurines, posters, and books, and he preferred to keep it that way.
Best not to tell her anything, he thought, reaching for the door handle in the bathroom, his eyes still on his reflection. Since returning home, the bags under his eyes had only grown larger. At least here I don't have to pretend to be happy. Izuku bowed his head and sighed as he exited the bathroom. Here is home.
Izuku's head snapped up as he nearly ran into Toga, who stood directly outside of the bathroom door, a creepy smile pasted on her face. "Hi, Izuku!" she said, her voice soft and sultry. "Are you bleeding?"
Izuku glanced toward his wraps. "None of your business, Toga. I'm not in the mood." He pushed past her and walked toward the main area, already annoyed by her antics.
"Come on, Izuku, you know I love your blood! It's just sooo delicious, unlike any other!" She skipped alongside him, her bright and chipper voice giving him a headache.
"Maybe later."
She sighed expressively before bouncing in front of him and blocking his entrance into the main room, her sharp teeth gleaming as she grinned. "Fine. But Izuku, you should know. There's a message in there for you. It's from UA."
Izuku's eyes widened, and his lips parted as he gasped. "Out of the way," he commanded, and Toga obediently opened the door, allowing him entry. Bounding into the room, Izuku took in the sight of Shigaraki, Kurogiri, and Twice crowding around something sitting the table.
"What's going on?" Izuku asked, although Toga had already told him. She skipped over to the bar, sitting down and picking up a drink.
"Your letter from UA has arrived," a deep, growling voice explained. It came from the computer screen behind Kurogiri. They all swiveled toward it as the voice of All For One, their master, came through the tiny speakers. "Open it, Izuku."
Izuku stepped toward the bar, and the others backed away, their gazes expectant. A simple, unassuming letter sat on the table, the only sign it was from UA being the wax seal with the school's symbol pressed into it. Izuku slid his fingers under the wax seal, breaking it cleanly. His heart barely beating, he pulled a simple disk from the letter.
"A projection disk," Twice whispered. "Set it down, it'll make a projection." Izuku complied, and the device hummed before a hologram shot out of it, projecting All Might's face into the air. The others gasped, but Izuku's eyes narrowed.
"You were right. He is teaching at UA this year," Izuku said, looking past All Might's face to the screen where All For One was watching.
"Indeed. He no doubt plans to find a successor."
The others murmured amongst themselves, and Izuku turned his attention back to the projection as All Might explained that while he had passed the written exam, he had failed the practical.
No surprise there, Izuku thought. I wasn't supposed to score any points on the practical, but if they look at my grades and the essay I wrote, they should . . . wait, what?
On screen, All Might showed a video of Uraraka asking for some of her points to be transferred to Izuku, as he had saved her life and not been able to score any point for himself in the process. Wow, he thought, unable to string together more words than that.
"If the exam was scored just on villain points, you would've gotten zero points. But there is another point system we didn't tell you about. Rescue points!" All Might stepped to the side and showed the scoreboard behind him that included rescue points this time.
"Sixty points!" Twice crowed. "That's awesome, Izuku! No it's not. Guess you were right to save that girl after all."
"A tactical decision," Kurogiri acknowledged, his eyes fixed on Izuku. "Did you know, Izuku?"
He shrugged. "I thought there might be something like that involved in the test. It was the only reason I stepped in to save that girl. I figured I'd make my chances of getting in even better."
"Quiet!" Shigaraki commanded, and the room got silent just as All Might said,
"Under ordinary circumstances, we would accept you into the hero course. However, seeing as you don't have a quirk, and it would be impossible for you to keep up with the other students, we've decided to place you in General Studies. Once at UA, you will be able to work with the Support and Business Courses to see if you'd like to transfer to either of those. UA is lucky to have a bright young man such as you. Plus Ultra!" The device let out one final hum before the image vanished.
Izuku stared at the ground, his left hand clutching his right forearm. "Seeing as you don't have a quirk . . . would be impossible to keep up . . . bright young man . . ." All Might's words echoed in Izuku's head, and he clamped his eyes shut, regulating his breathing through his clenched teeth.
"You did it!" Toga yelled, jumping onto Izuku and squeezing him tight.
"You're the best! You're the worst." Twice joined in on the impromptu group hug, and Izuku's eyes snapped open, his hand immediately clutching one of his knives.
"Get off of him!" Kurogiri commanded, and the two villains immediately jumped off Izuku, bowing and apologizing furiously. "You okay?" Kurogiri asked, his eyes narrowed. He didn't really have an expression, but Izuku could've sworn he looked concerned. He nodded shortly even as his nails dug into the wrap covering his arm, dull pain echoing up to his brain from the area.
"Izuku," All For One called, and he forced himself to look up, staring into the camera on the top of the computer. "You've done well. Everything has gone exactly according to plan. I am sorry for doubting your actions during the entrance exams."
Izuku bowed. "That's okay. It was quite the bluff. I'm glad my risk paid off."
"Remember, Izuku. You are to never draw a knife again without your mask. We cannot have anyone connecting you to the League of Villains."
"Of course."
"In fact, I'd recommend not wearing your knife vest anymore."
Izuku lowered his head to stare at the ground, his breath shortening at the thought. "Whatever you want, Master," he finally got out.
"Good." Izuku stared at his brand new red sneakers, the pain from his forearm sharpening as his grip tightened, the condemning stares of his comrades practically burning into his skin. He closed his eyes, sucking in other breath through his teeth as he waited for All For One to dismiss him.
"You may go, Izuku. I'm proud of you," All For One said. "Now, Shigaraki . . ."
Izuku didn't hear the rest as he mechanically turned and headed out of the room, his sights set solely on his shoes.
"Where are you going?" Toga hissed, sidling up to him so All For One couldn't hear.
"Bathroom," Izuku muttered.
"But you just came from there."
"Turns out I wasn't finished." He turned his gaze away so he couldn't catch her hungry grin, instead focusing on his hand as he opened the door and stumbled away from the bar, away from All Might and his condemning words.
I got into UA. My entire life, this is all I've ever wanted. And yet, even now, it isn't enough. I'm not enough.
Izuku slammed through the bathroom door and shut it just as gently, planting his palms onto the side of the basin and staring into the mirror, his eyes reflecting the panic he felt within.
They are so gonna regret this.
—
Let me know if you want more of the story by voting, commenting, sharing, etc. Thanks for reading!
—Sally