Here it is, the 150th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks released on time as always. After he left them with nothing but a note Class 1-A had a lot to process but one thing was clear despite the revelations they dealt with, they needed to find and stand by Deku in his time of need. Finally they've managed that but the situation is a lot worse and it turns out that rather than aiding Deku they have to save him. To do so they all have to show Deku how much he means to them and that they are willing to shoulder this burden with him. The problem, he won't listen so it looks like they'll have to face their classmate as they talk sense into him. Can they manage it or will they fail to save their friend from himself? That is all the administrative stuff that I have for you, however, and there are no guest reviews to respond to or questions to answer so I will end this note here. Do keep the reviews coming as I enjoy hearing from y'all. That is all I have for this pre chapter note so that means that it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the 150th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks.
Disclaimer: I do not own either of these great works of fiction.
Chapter 150: To Save Deku
"Midoriya." Ida began breaking the silence as Class 1-A faced off against their rogue classmate while the rain continued to fall around them and a statue of All Might with his left fist raised stood behind them. "Over the last year I have gotten to know you well, I will always remember what you and Agreste did for me in Hosu when I lost my way and sought vengeance against Stain for what he did to my brother. It is because of that that I know that you cannot be stopped when you've made up your mind to go down a path paved with noble intentions no matter what happens to you. However, we still have to try for your sake because that is what you would, and have, done for us should we be in the same situation."
"Ida's right." Adrien said taking a step forward so that only Bakugo was closer to Midoriya than he was. "In Hosu you saw the mistake he was making and while you're not walking the path of vengeance, you are walking a path that can lead to your own destruction that has been caused by your own desire to protect us despite us not needing it. Back then it was Ida who needed to be saved, now it's you. I once told you that we all keep secrets to protect others and they'd understand you did the right thing but are stronger than you expect and can handle it. We get why you didn't tell us about One for All and why you left but we can handle this. Let us protect you as you protect us, as a class, as friends, and as heroes."
"He may call himself a hero but that's one hell of a look, Deku." Bakugo said as he fully took in Deku's dark look. "We've heard that you now have the fourth and sixth users Quirks as well as the fifth and seventh ones but this is something else. Now you really look like a villain."
"You seemed surprised when Odd-Eye contacted those who know the darkness of the abyss for his team-up a while back." Tokoyami added. "And yet here you are deep in the abyss, more so than any of us who have traveled it, with no way to the light. Let us guide you there Midoriya so that you can harness this darkness for good."
"I wasn't lying when I said I knew the abyss better than others because I do for I was stuck in the actual abyss, outside the timeline for over 2 centuries." Adrien said using Tokoyami's words to springboard into his own and say what he needed to say to Midoriya. "Only Marinette and our kwamis, yes what Odd-Eye said is true but there is more you about them and us that will learn Izuku, were with us while we were stuck but we made it out and recovered."
That got Izuku's attention a little, Adrien noticed a slight shift in him and decided to press it. This was going to be his moment to say his peace to Midoriya, the others would depending on when they had to confront him as part of the plan to they had to bring him in but Adrien would kick it off and he wasn't going to hold back any secrets anymore. Izuku, like the rest of them, deserved to know his and Marinette's past.
"We recovered and moved on because of people like you, our new friends who showed us what this new era was like, what it was like to be heroes in an age of Quirks, and this gave us a chance at a new life after we lost everything but each other." Adrien continued. "It was because of you and U.A. that we could continue our lives as heroes in a new way because we were once the great heroes of Paris. You, Izuku, are one of the reasons for why we were able to do that. I will always be grateful for our friendship which is why seeing you like this is so hard. Please, do not let your noble desires destroy you before you can become the Symbol of Peace this world needs. Do not let my sacrifice in Jaku be in vain!"
"Well?" Bakugo added. "Talk you damned nerd! What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I mean it when I say thank you for coming and saving me right now, really, I am grateful for it." Izuku said his voice low and weary as One for All sparked over his body and suddenly pink smoke appeared under his feet. "And I know you almost died Agreste and for that sacrifice I am in your debt but I can't let something like that happen again. It was one of the wake up calls I needed to show me that you are all at risk if I am around, which is why I must continue on my own now. Sixth!"
"It's smoke like the reports!" Marinette barked as the smoke blasted out around them to obscure Midoriya from them and force them on the defensive but they already had a counter for this. "I think Endeavor called the Quirk Smokescreen. Countermeasures! Cat Noir, now!"
"On it." Adrien said as his body flared with Cataclysm and hit the smoke instantly causing it to turn black around him before it vanished in a split second, the clearing of the smoke coming from him just as it had originated from Midoriya to reveal that he was just about to leap but had hesitated in a moment of surprised that the smoke was cleared so quickly. "Surprised? I've trained hard these last few months in my internship to improve what I can effect; my mask may help me but not others in poison gas so I need to destroy it to. Now I can affect all three mediums with Cataclysm though I can only hit gas if it is dense enough to be visible and heavier than normal air like your smoke. You're not escaping with it while I'm here."
"He's still acting as we expected though." Ochaco said as Izuku recovered, he should have expected Agreste to be stronger, he was one of the strongest in the class after all, and leapt into the air before activating float but it looked like Smokescreen was out now and likely Blackwhip as well if he had to deal with Agreste. "Cat Noir may have negated the smoke but that's just one Quirk, Deku still has several others."
"Keep your eye on him morons." Bakugo said as he looked up at Deku as he tried to fly away from them but they were already prepared for this move and initiated a plan as Bakugo shouted up at Deku. "I see, barely a word at that, just running away. What? Now that you are the all powerful chosen loner do you think that rest of us are just extras? Think again bastard! Get him!"
At that a pigeon cooed and flew at Izuku as he flew away. This was followed by a whole flock of them that suddenly came from behind him and disrupted his attempted flight away. As he did his classmate who'd called and controlled the pigeons called out to him.
"Midoriya, we all want you back at U.A.!" Koda called out as the large flock of pigeons that he'd gathered as soon as he'd gotten here knocked Midoriya out of his flight as he ran after his friend to stay in range of the pigeons and talk to Midoriya to make his own pitch to bring his friend back to school. "The Principal said we can bring you back, we'll be safe there even if you're present! There's no point in hiding anymore. Please, stop running away from us!"
"I'm sorry Koda but I can't take that risk even if the Principal says it's ok." Izuku called out as he shot a tendril of Blackwhip out and pulled himself free of the birds, the action causing them to flee from him in the process but as he did the next one of the class who was up acted right away having tracked Midoriya with his own Quirk. "I can't put that on you or the civilians there. Please leave me alone."
Of course they didn't as Sero's tape shot out and wrapped around Blackwhip and bent it down as Sero pulled. In the time between Ochaco telling them the plan and Nezu setting up the meeting with Endeavor the class had strategized and planned for several encounters with Midoriya.
They had determined how best to counter, interact, and try to stop him should he reject them and try to flee, all of which were adapted to try and bring him back to U.A. once that became the plan. They knew what to do and when to act depending on what he did. A flight like this meant that Koda started things off by using Anivoice to try and intercept Midoriya with birds and get Sero in position for what was next while the rest of the class prepared their own things as they funneled Midoriya to the next point. It also allowed Sero to speak his peace to Midoriya.
"Is this really what you want, Midoriya? Because people are getting spooked by how scary you're looking with Blackwhip hanging out like that." Sero called out as he sent another stream tape and grabbed Midoriya's left wrist though it was more a distraction to hold him in place for the next member of class to try and subdue him. "Looks like all that training we've done has paid off. I was happy to help you out with mastering Blackwhip just as you helped me pass the first stage of the Provisional License Exam. Now it's time to help you again."
"Sero…" Izuku began as he ripped off the tape, it couldn't hold him at his current strength, but before he could flee he heard Jiro's voice and turned to see her behind him, jacks in two speakers and out as she attacked while Dark Shadow held her in the air.
"Heartbeat Wall!" Jiro yelled as she sent out her heartbeat and tried to bring Midoriya down with it but Izuku used Float and One for All to kick off the air and speed away from the attack to evade the attack before it reached him much to Jiro's shock. "Woah, he's gotten a lot faster."
Still, she wasn't done and as Dark Shadow held her in the air she called out to him. It was her turn to say how much her classmate meant to her, what he'd done to really help her out this year and in the process make her truly see that her passion could be used to help people and not just as a hobby.
"Hold on, Midoriya!" Jiro yelled after him as he flew away and towards the next setup they had. "This may not seem like much but to me it was huge so hear me out. When we were preparing for the School Festival and you helped me with my notes, helped me understand and write them in a way that could be clear and ensured we pulled the concert off. You totally saved me! You're encouragement and understand meant so much even if it probably was nothing to you, it was such a relief to get your help there, more than you can imagine. Please, let us help you now."
"I've got him, Twirling Tail Dance!" Ojiro said as he leapt out of the air as Midoriya reached his interception point while fleeing from Jiro's words and grabbed his classmate in his tail and they began falling down to the ground as Ojiro spoke to his friend. "Do you know what I've always respected about you? The fact that you always go to bat for your friends. You did that for Ida, for Bakugo, and now you've done it for all of us so I want to return that favor and go to bat for you when you need it the most because despite doing this for us it's not working so we're here for you now. You're running on empty now, all beat up, bruised and exhausted so let me lend you my aid Midoriya."
"If I return to U.A. it will be like killing you with my own hand." Izuku said letting out some of the depth to his decision from within Ojiro's grasp causing him to gasp. "All for One will destroy all of you to get at me if I'm at U.A. and he'll steal any useful Quirks in the process. Explosion, Half-Cold Half Hot, Lucky Charm, Creation, these are just some of the amazing Quirks in the class that he cannot have and he'd kill you all to get them. That is why I had to leave! Why I have to protect you all!"
At that Izuku used his strength with One For All, not nearly the max he could use though, and pushed his way out of Ojiro's grip and sent him tumbling back down. As he did, however, there was a cracking sound and something dark slammed into Izuku and blasted him into a nearby office building that was deserted and beginning to crumble.
"Dark Shadow, hold him!" Tokoyami said floating in the air at the end of his Quirk that was still holding Midoriya and revealing that he was the one who'd grabbed him having left Jiro to a sugar powered Sato who also grabbed Ojiro before landing on a traffic light the way Marinette would only his weight and power broke it though it managed to hold him. "Sato, you're turn. He's even more stubborn than before it seems and his power is off the charts even if he's on empty."
"Midoriya!" Sato shouted up and at the place in the building where Dark Shadow was holding Midoriya, a place that already had others ready for it as they had made sure to funnel their classmate to a point where they could capture him and right now he was in place for just that as they had two plans in that building waiting for him but Sato needed to distract him long enough to enact them which his words would do. "Will you slow down for just a second and hear us out! You might have more powers now than before, and are clearly stronger than you were before Jaku, but we all still share the same goals in the end. Did you even listen to Koda?"
Sato paused though it was more for effect as he probably wouldn't be able to hear Midoriya's reply where he was. That didn't matter though, this was more for Midoriya to listen and remain where he was as the next person set up so Sato continued and went for the jugular to try and get Midoriya to stand down, or at least keep his mind occupied a moment longer which was all they needed for the device to be activated.
"He told you we can return to school, that it is safe to do so." Sato continued. "Please hear us out alright because if you don't then when Eri wants more candy apples, you don't get to use mine or Dupain-Cheng's food coloring for them."
Izuku heard this from where he was in the vacant floor of the building, ass on the ground as he sat against a concrete pillar that Dark Shadow was pinning him to as he took a moment. This wouldn't hold him, he knew it, but he still had to process it and respond though Sato wouldn't hear him.
"That's fine, Sato, it's a sacrifice I'll make to keep her safe and happy." Izuku said. "Anyone can make them for her, not just me. She doesn't need me; all I'll do is bring her to ruin and just when she's finally escaped her darkness. I can't do that to her or anyone so it's better than I am on my own."
As Izuku finished, however, there was a sudden metallic sound and metal restraints wrapped around the pillar and restrained him to it as more appeared over his shoulders while a mask of sorts covered his face signaling the completion of the device. As soon as it was done the mask over his face began to work and Izuku realized what it was trying to do and began to think of how to break out of it.
There was only one person in the class could produce something like this, well two but the color was off so it had to be the one who's items were permanent, and as Dark Shadow continued to hold him Momo walked towards him changing back to normal as she did having used Kaalki's aid to get her and the others needed to this point as fast as possible. It still wasn't time for the true big guns just yet but that time was nearing if they couldn't keep him restrained like this.
"Our initial plan was to find you, Midoriya, so that we could fight alongside you as your friends and classmates just like you would do for us." Momo said as she approached her friend in the restraints she'd made for him while the mask began to try and put him to sleep which with his exhaustion had a chance of working. "However, things have changed now, we've been given a new mission approved by Endeavor and the other heroes who have been looking over you. What was once a mission of aid is now one to ensure your safety and we will do that by bringing you back to U.A., to your home. We need you; the nation needs you Midoriya, do not let them down by working yourself into the grave before then."
"This device of yours is designed to put me to sleep, Yaoyorozu, well forget it." Izuku said as he and snapped his head forward to break it before it could complete its purpose thus preventing that issue before he pushed on the restraints, his own power stronger than they were as they began to bend under the strength of One for All. "And there is no need to take me back, you don't need to bother about me anymore. Just accept this and go back to U.A. where you will be safe and I can't be a danger to you."
At that Izuku broke through the restraints and was free though Dark Shadow still held him. However, before he could blast out of the building Kaminari rushed forward from where he was hiding and wrapped and arm around Izuku's shoulder smiling at him as he stepped up to the plate to try his hand at persuading his classmate to stand down while also being ready to use his own Quirk should it come to it.
"Not going to happen, there's no chance in hell we're accepting that." Kaminari said grinning at Midoriya before he got serious. "Dude, I get it, One for All's super important and everything but right now it's your turn to accept something crucial. You and me, we may be totally different in some ways, you actually have game with the ladies for one thing which I'm jealous of, but that doesn't negate the fact that you're my friend! I've heard about what you said to Ida, that heroes interfere when not needed but that's true for friends as well so I'm doing you a solid right now even if it's not what you want."
"I told you lot that…" Izuku began before suddenly several things wrapped around him and Kaminari where they were holding them together and a glance showed that it was some kind of tape that was covering Shoji's Dupli-Arms of which he'd made enough to ensnare Midoriya and keep him in contact with Kaminari.
"It's ok, I'm wrapped in electrical tape thanks to Yaoyorozu so there's no worry Kaminari." Shoji said making it clear that this part of the plan could proceed though first he had his own peace to say and recall his own personal experience of standing beside Midoriya and seeing the great hero he'd become, well carrying Midoriya on his back for the most part but he'd still seen Midoriya's true strength that night. "Midoriya, do you remember what you said when the training camp was attacked and after we'd calmed Tokoyami down?"
Izuku did remember but he didn't say anything because there was no point in it. Back then they had a team with 4 of the strongest members of their class all ready to end the attack and he'd meant it but that didn't matter to Izuku now. It did to Shoji and he continued with an answer to his own question.
"Back then you were injured but we had Bakugo, Todoroki, Tokoyami and Dupain-Cheng with us, the medalists from the Sports Festival all healthy, together and fighting as a team, a group you said was strong enough to take on All Might." Shoji said recalling them well. "Those were your words and now we're all going up against his successor to bring you home safely."
"This is the right location; the gloom will do nicely for what's next." Tokoyami said as he was finally pulled into the building by retracting part of Dark Shadow though his friend's head and arms were still out and holding Midoriya for what was about to come as Tokoyami gave the order. "Now, Dark Shadow; Ragnarök Womb."
At that Dark Shadow let go of Midoriya and expanded as more of him came out and he wrapped around the boy where he was being held by Shoji and Kaminari. It only took a few seconds for Dark Shadow to fully encase Midoriya in a cocoon of darkness that Tokoyami explained as he took his turn to speak to his friend.
"Observe how I've used Dark Shadow's offensive ability not to attack and defeat you but rather to protect." Tokoyami said calmly. "You should know it well for it was your idea to use it as such. You suggested it in the Sports Festival when you chose me instead of anyone else to complete your team and convinced me to fight with you despite your points and the target it made you. You showed me more of my Quirk than I realized and with your help and inspiration I ensured we advanced and then made it all the way to the semifinal which impressed Hawks enough to be my mentor. I owe that success and my subsequent growth to you so please stand down and let us take you in."
"Listen to us Midoriya!" Momo said. "You're our friend, our inspiration at times, and have been there for us when we needed it so we're here for you as well. Back in the licensing exam I drew on your mentality, the way you do things to see how I could lead Shoji, Tsu, and Kyoka out of the situation we had been trapped in and it was your words when we went to rescue Bakugo that gave me the needed clarity to save them. You are more to us than you realize, that is why we're here to help you and be with you Midoriya. We were there for Marinette and Adrien when they needed it, now it's time for you."
"We're not fragile victims, we're not civilians that you have to keep out of harms way!" Shoji added. "We all made the choice to come to U.A., to become heroes. We know the risks that our out there and the recent events have shown us more than ever that they're there but we aren't running from them, we accept them because we are heroes. We want to face them together as a class, face them with you!"
"Come on Midoriya, wouldn't you rather relax instead of all this?" Kaminari said still holding his friend within both Shoji and Tokoyami's Quirks. "You could use some rest to recharge for that fight, that fight we will undertake together. Plus, you could really use a bath."
"Don't make me do this." Izuku said as he'd heard enough and without any other way to get out he had no choice but to use force though only enough to get out. "I'm fine on my own!"
"Midoriya!" Kaminari yelled as he began to spark preparing to zap his friend with all he had to knock him out. "He's trying…"
Alas it was too late and Izuku pushed Kaminari off him, broke free of Shoji's hold, and then displaced the air around him and shot off the ground to break free of Tokoyami's ultimate move, shooting through the building and into the sky outside before they could bring him down. This wasn't good, they'd hoped he'd not be able to break free of Ragnarök, or at least that they could jolt him with Electrification, but he'd managed to avoid Kaminari's Quirk and break free of Tokoyami's so it was finally time for the heavy hitters to break out their moves to try and stop Midoriya.
"I can't believe he broke out of that." Tokoyami said as Midoriya fled. "That was one of the strongest restraint combos we had."
"It's insane." Shoji said his arms limp on the ground.
"One for All, the power of it is unbelievable." Momo said. "The strength alone exceeds any the class have. Is what's left enough?"
"There's still Lucky Charm, that's our strongest card to play and we all know that Dupain-Cheng knows how to use it." Shoji reminded them. "Todoroki's ice as well and he's up next. Those are our last chances but if that fails then it's all down to one person, only one of us can truly end this if it comes to it if Midoriya can beat what's left."
Izuku heard none of this as he flew through the air, rain falling on him as he did and begging his friends to stop trying to stop him, to forget about him for their sake and his own. He was doing this so that they wouldn't be hurt, so that no one would be hurt again, so that they wouldn't die.
He'd seen so much in the battle in Jaku, seen the way a good portion of the city was destroyed killing god knows how many. He'd seen Mr. Aizawa cut his own leg off, Gran Torino almost killed, Kacchan and Agreste stabbed with the latter almost dying had it not been for what Dupain-Cheng did, and that was just what Izuku had seen. There was so much more that he hadn't like Midnight's death and he couldn't put his friends or anyone else through that again.
To make things even harder was that Izuku knew that they were here because they cared for him and were true with their intentions. Danger Sense hadn't gone off so they were fighting him without malice or evil. However, that was why they had to stop and he started yelling that he was ok and fine to them, begging his classmates to stop. Of course, that wouldn't happen as Izuku yelled he approached Todoroki's position and as he was nearing it the two toned boy acted.
"Heaven Piercing Ice Wall!"
Rather than catch Izuku in the ice directly, Todoroki knew he couldn't manage that with how fast Izuku could move in the air, the ice wall shot up before Izuku reached it so that he slammed head first into it. Todoroki ensured that it was thick enough to stop Midoriya from going right through it but not thick enough that he'd be stuck in it without air. As such Izuku's head and shoulders were through the wall on one side and his legs on the other, grunting as he was held there but Todoroki froze them in the ice wall as well as he created a platform to reach the top of his wall so that he could keep Midoriya secure as he called down to him.
"I can see it on your face, Midoriya, just as you no doubt once saw something similar on mine during the Sports Festival." Todoroki said as he stood on top of the ice wall and calling down to Midoriya as the few remaining class members got into position, two of them landing right on the ice wall to either side of him ready to intercept Midoriya ready just in case. "You want to cry, I can tell, but the burden you carry won't allow you to do that. That was similar to what I went through with my father before you broke through my walls. I tried to push you away in that battle and failed, this time you're doing it to us but as you didn't let me then I won't let you know. Don't push us away Midoriya. Just like with Stain and Kamino, we'll share this responsibility with you."
"Midoriya!" Tsu called out as she landed on the nearest building to him as he tried to break free of the ice, calling out to him as Todoroki finished to get his attention. "This time I won't let you go like what happened after the training camp. I cried a lot back then after all I said to you and failed to manage but that is in the past, behind me now."
Tsu paused so that her words could sink in. Izuku heard them but he didn't respond as he struggled in the ice which was fine with Tsu as she had more to say to her friend so she continued to say it.
"You're dear to me, dear to all of us, so let us be by your side when you're scared." Tsu said. "I'll be by your side for sure and so will the rest of us. If you cry, I'll cry with you. I'll share your pain with you because that's who I am and what you mean to me. You're my friend and I've watched you this year, you're so set on becoming some sort of comic book superhero but we're all here to be heroes, were here with you. You don't have to do things alone."
"You're wrong, I have yo do this alone." Izuku said as he finally began to break free. "So let me do that, Asui."
"He's breaking free!" Tsu said before looking up to the top of the ice. "It's time, we've got no other options to restrain him!"
"Have you even thought that this is what All for One wants?" Todoroki asked as he began to create more ice to try and contain Midoriya before they used their final restraint on him while the final plan to get through to him was already in motion as well. "The guy's no fool, he knows the strength you posses better than anyone else so he could be playing you. He could use this to go after U.A. while you wear yourself out without a lead on the League and then take you whenever he wants. Stop this, this isn't working you need a new plan if you want to save our school, our home. Rather than abandon it to protect it, return and fight for it! that is protecting it and we will protect it by your side! Let's stand together and protect U.A.!"
"You can't me near me!" Izuku said as he recalled All for One's message when he'd gone to the location of the mansion that had once held the Creature Rejection Clan after defeating Lady Nagant and getting some intel out of her thanks to managing to get through to the former hero only for it to be a set up just in case Nagant did divulge something. "You could all die."
"And!" Marinette yelled down at him from above as she got ready with Adrien next to her as he struggled to break free of the ice. "You think we don't know death? You think we don't know loss? You think we're not ready to prevent that after learning that everyone we knew before coming to Japan had been dead for over a century? Well the you don't know jack Midoriya because Adrien and I sure as shit know that better than anyone here seeing as everyone we knew from our original time period is dead!"
"You don't get it." Izuku shouted back not fully hearing his classmate's words as he tried to plead with those around him to let him go. "This is a fight that is destined to take place between One for All and All for One. It is a fight that has happened several times before and cost the lives of several past wielders but this is the final time and the rest of you can't keep up!"
"Try me!" Marinette shouted back as Izuku blasted out of the ice sending it crashing to the ground and forcing Todoroki to use his fire to get off as Marinette and Adrien leapt off it behind Izuku already in their space costumes so they could fly after him. "You have no idea what I can truly do Midoriya! Let me show you the power granted to me by the Guardian of Magic himself when he turned my Miraculous power into my Quirk. Lucky Charm!"
"Tsu, grab Mineta and follow!" Adrien yelled back as Marinette took the lead pink sparkles forming around her as she did. "We'll need him if this fails. Uraraka, Ida, Bakugo, make sure your in position."
Tsu croaked in agreement as she grabbed Mineta with her tongue before leaping after them while Uraraka, Ida, and Bakugo ran below them with the latter complaining about being given orders. Marinette noticed none of this as her Quirk finished activating and a mech suit formed around her.
In all honesty Marinette actually didn't know what this item would be as she needed something to fully immobilize Midoriya based on what she knew about him, and this was the result that Lucky Charm came up with. She was surprised until it detached from her and inside her helmet she saw a heads up display for remote control of the suit that now flew on its own above her, the ignition flaring and blasting right at Midoriya as he fled with a lock on him.
He was fast, there was no question about it, but the upgrade her space suit gave her allowed Marinette to easily keep pace and her item was faster as it shot at Midoriya. All he managed to do was look back a little surprised that the suit was coming for him before it broke part showing a lot of mechanical workings that could be locked into place on a human body as it closed him.
Instantly Izuku knew that this was different to what Yaoyorozu had used or Todoroki's ice, this was going to be a legitimate problem to his escape from his classmates. He'd always recognized that Lucky Charm was one of the most powerful Quirks out there, almost at One for All or All for one's level, given what it could do, it's near 100% success rate once Dupain-Cheng had the time to use it, and how she wielded it.
However, that was just the semantics of it, what really made it so strong and successful in its application was that the items Dupain-Cheng were nigh on indestructible, especially after all the training she'd had, with only something that could literally destroy what it touched like Cataclysm or Decay able to break it. Honestly, Izuku wasn't sure that even 100% One for All could manage it.
That said, he did have a way to potentially counter it if he was smart and he did so as he turned and tried to outrun the item, his legs pumping in the air and glowing red as he repeated the motion over and over again to store the kinetic energy in them. He needed to complete it before the suit hit him and thanks to his time in the field he managed to finish and store the power of the third user just before the suit hit him in the back.
It wasn't a second too soon because the moment the suit hit him it quickly expanded over his body and began to lock in place, immobilizing him completely and he could feel a hum in it that told Izuku that it was electrified as well. That was an added precaution just in case but for now his body was locked in place, bent forward with his legs extended as the thrusters on the suit caused it to come to a halt in the air. Dupain-Cheng's Quirk truly was powerful and it reinforced his desire to get away because there was no way he could let All for One take this Quirk from his friend.
"Good, that will hold you now listen up." Marinette said as she flew under Izuku and then up with a twist to face him, hovering in the air in front of him in her space suit, a costume upgrade Izuku hadn't seen before but had heard of while Adrien remained behind him and Tsu and Mineta got into position ahead of him should Midoriya get past Marinette and the final trio were below them just in case the last plan was needed. "I know you know the truth of Mage but you don't know the truth of me and Adrien."
"I know what he is but he can't help, no one can help now as this is something only I can do and I have to do it alone." Izuku said his voice coming from a speaker in the suit as he prepared for what he had to do. "Please, if you care about me then you will let me go."
"Yeah, that's not happening, a hero doesn't do that no matter who needs saving or how delusional they are and right now you're not thinking straight." Marinette said her tone serious as she looked at Midoriya. "So while I have you it's time to listen. I wasn't lying a moment ago, nor was Adrien at the start of this little situation, we are not from this era. We were born before the advent, in an era where there were no Quirks in the early 21st century."
"You were Quirkless?" Izuku asked surprised and Marinette used that surprise to her advantage.
"Of course, we are from the age before Quirks after all." Marinette said. "Rather than Quirks, our powers came from our Miraculouses, magical items that when fused with the corresponding kwami granted us our powers back then. The Quirks Adrien and I now have are the same as our powers back then, including the cure you saw in Jaku though that was caused by my Quirk awakening, only now we've grown our powers in ways not possible before because they are now Quirks encoded in our DNA. However, that changes nothing because before we were the heroes of Paris, the great Ladybug and Cat Noir, those were our actual hero names then but they were lost after we were lost from the timeline, well blasted out of it."
Izuku wasn't sure how to respond to this. True he knew about the true nature and purpose of the Guardians, he'd been told about them in the wake of Blackwhip's manifestation, but that was it. He'd not known this but it had to be what Agreste was alluding to before he almost died in Jaku and all he could do was listen as he was held there though that was also to lull Dupain-Cheng a bit so he could try to break out of this and the more he was thinking the more he was realizing that he was going to have to go through the girl before him if he wanted to get away from his classmates.
"We spent 230 years or so in stasis, not that we realized that, as we waited for time caught up to us with no way of going home, with no way of seeing our families and friends ever again." Marinette said the tears now in her eyes. "They're all dead, every one of them and they died never getting the closure they deserved about our disappearance or our heroic identities and we didn't get that about them. We never even found out who sent us here but he did and we're stuck."
Izuku was wide eyed now though with his mask and hood she couldn't tell, there was a vizor on the restraint suit hence why he could see that Dupain-Cheng was crying, but that didn't matter to Marinette. She had to say her peace just like the others so she continued through her tears, tears she'd shed on countless nights and in recent days when her and Adrien's secret came out but she was going to shed them again as she got her point across to one of her new friends who'd help her accept and move on in this new life.
"All we could do was move on and forge our own, new, path with our new Quirks, a gift for what we went through, and become heroes like we were back then." Marinette continued. "We did that because we knew it's what our old friends would have wanted and it's because of you and the rest of the class that we found our new home at U.A., that we were able to heal and return to what we once were. So don't talk to me about death and loss because I know it better than most."
"I didn't know." Izuku muttered.
"Of course not, like One for All it was a secret that we couldn't tell until the time was right but it's out in the open in the class now and I promise you this, I will fight to make sure that doesn't happen to my new friends and family because just like you I don't want to see anyone die." Marinette said and though she left out what Adrien did in Jaku it was clear that that was undercutting her words. "However, unlike you I do know what it's like to live with the fact that your friends are dead and there was no closure. That is why I will do all I can to not let it happen so I don't care if you want it or not I will stand by your side Deku, we all will, and we will fight together. You can't win alone, let us help you defeat the monster you face. I never got that chance but you can have it."
"I'm sorry but I can't, I can't have you lot with me." Izuku said as he prepared to do what he had to do to get out of this predicament. "And I'm sorry for this Dupain-Cheng but out of the entire class you're the only one truly strong enough to stop me, your Quirk is as amazing as ever, so I have to do this to ensure that you're safe. Forgive me."
With that, and before Marinette could react, Izuku activate Fa Jin in his feet and blasted all the stored energy out of them while mixing it with 45% One for All. The force of the blow blew apart the lower legs and feet of the suit showing that he could destroy part of Dupain-Cheng's item and blasted him forward at an insane speed. It was too fast for Marinette to react to and Izuku lowered his head so that the part of the suit that was still covering his face, the blast had clearly short circuited it so no fear of the electrical backup, slammed into the face covering of Marinette's costume and blasted her back and down to the ground.
The force actually cracked it and scrambled Marinette's brains for a moment which was enough for her to lose focus and her item vanished from around Izuku as she fell backwards and towards the ground while he soared away though slower than before thanks to the hit. Thankfully Marinette didn't hit the ground as Adrien flew down and caught her bridal style before landing on his feet on the ground and sliding over it as he churned up some of the pavement in the process. As he did he yelled out because that had failed so it was time for the final push to get through to Midoriya.
"Uraraka, Ida, Mineta!" Adrien shouted out as Marinette recovered in his arms rattled but otherwise fine. "Now!"
"Not so fast Midoriya!" Tsu yelled as she tossed Mineta after as Midoriya passed them having made sure to be ahead of him just in case he did break free from Marinette's item while Ochaco used Zero Gravity on herself to float into the air so that she could act as well. "Mineta, catch him!"
"Mineta Beads Tenfold!" Mineta yelled as he launched a chain of sticky balls on a rope and managed to get the one at the end to hit Midoriya in the lower back thus at least attaching him to his friend so he too could speak his peace as he began to climb up the balls to Midoriya. "I'll be honest, Midoriya, I never thought your power was cool or impressive, or anything of the sort, I didn't need to think. Do you know why I look up to you, why I admire your spirit as a hero I too want to me someday, the person who's spirit got me through the USJ incident and helped motivate me to beat Midnight in the final?"
Mineta didn't give Midoriya a moment to answer. The question was rhetorical so he was going to plow on with the reason why he admired and looked up to his friend regardless of what Midoriya was going to say to his question.
"It was all the times you were sweating bullets, shaking with fear at the situation we were dealing with but not letting it get to you, rather you overcame it because you were figuring out how we could kick some ass." Mineta shouted as he continued to climb the balls towards Midoriya. "That was when you could barely throw a smash, that's how long I've looked up to you Midoriya!"
"I'm sorry but I can't go back to that." Izuku said as he used Blackwhip to grab Mineta and pull him off the ball rope and gently place him on a nearby rooftop so that he wasn't harmed as he prepared to use one of his strongest combos to shoot away from his former classmates. "Not until this is over and I can't have your help in ending this, I have to do it alone."
"Midoriya!" Mineta yelled but Izuku wasn't listening to it as he used two tendrils of Blackwhip to connect him to two buildings in a slingshot formation playing on the elasticity of Blackwhip while kicking his legs to build up Fa Jin on top of which he had One for All at 45%.
"Faux 100%..." Izuku began but before he could he was interrupted as Ochaco came down towards him from above.
"I'm not giving up on you Deku!" Ochaco yelled causing him to stop for a moment and of all the ones speaking she was so far cutting the deepest as she was his first true friend, his closest at U.A., and though he still didn't realize it, she was so much more to him than that, all of which caused him to grimace as Ochaco continued to shout at him as he confirmed that Fa Jin was fully charged. "So much has changed for us since the day we met and helped each other out before and during the entrance exam. I've changed, I've realized that this is different to Bakugo, that this isn't a rescue, this is a mission to join you, to fight by your side Deku. Please, let us, let us fight with you, I, I can't watch the man I l…"
Before Ochaco could say what she was about to say, to finally release the seal on her heart regarding her feelings for Deku, Izuku couldn't take her words anymore and shot off with Fa Jin blasting away even faster than he had when he broke free from Marinette's item though that was thanks to Blackwhip's involvement this time. This wasn't ideal but it did set up what was needed for the final plan and after everything this should at least get someone to Midoriya so Ochaco abandoned what she was saying and looked back.
"Now!" Ochaco yelled and as she did a line of ice shot up at her words.
This was the final plan for if Midoriya was about to get away from them and took several of them working together to pull off as the ice formed a ramp with tracks courtesy of Momo on it. As it did Mina used her acid at 0.1 percent to lower friction and it was grabbed by Dark Shadow, Koda and Shoji as Ida stood at the front on the tracks being pushed by those three with Todoroki and Bakugo behind him ready to act.
Quickly all but Dark Shadow dropped the pushing and he pushed harder for a moment longer before he too reached the end of his involvement. The moment that happened, Todoroki unleashed his Flash Freeze Heatwave move to blast them forward and off the top of the ice ramp.
As they were blasted into the air with the acid as a barrier around them and rain still falling, Ochaco fell down and slapped it with the right hand to make it weightless. There was a lot she wanted to tell Deku, she'd almost confessed even though it wasn't really the right time for that, but that would have to wait. She needed Deku to understand that they didn't want to be protected by him and that they weren't going to give up on him as he continued to fly away because their place was by his side.
As she thought this Todoroki dropped out unable to continue the push and ensuring that there was less weight as he used his fire to hover in the air looking up at the final push. That left Bakugo and Ida and now it was the former's turn to act.
"Explosive Speed Turbo!" Bakugo yelled as the explosions began to crackle before he unleashed them all in a powerful explosion similar to the ones he was using in Jaku when he'd saved Deku and during his final efforts after Denim Head arrived. "Cluster!"
"You got this!" Mineta yelled.
"That's it!" Tsu added.
"Get him!" Adrien shouted as he put Marinette on her feet, she was fine now, and the whole class present, most on the ice but for Adrien, Marinette, Tsu, Mineta, Ida, Bakugo, Kirishima, Toru, and Aoyama let out their own cheers to the two seeking after Midoriya. "Go!"
It was down to Bakugo and Ida and Bakugo knew that there was still stuff that he needed to say to Deku but that would have to wait, his words were the most important and the most likely to finally bring Deku to a halt but they needed to catch him first. To do so they needed speed and there was only one person built for that so with a final push and explosion as the engines roared to life at their max output he yelled as he fell back knowing that this was it.
"Get him Class Rep!"
That left Ida flying through the sky faster than he'd ever gone before as the acid fell away and he closed in on his friend, a friend who was always a step ahead of him but that was why Ida wasn't going to give up, he was going to keep fighting until Midoriya was back with them. As such he pushed through the speed he was going at, his glasses shattering, armor breaking in places but that didn't matter as he reached and exceeded Midoriya's speed, grabbing his friend's hand in his as he mentally declared his challenge to one of the heroes he looked up to the most.
All Izuku could do was stare in wide eyed shock as Ida grabbed him having been able to reach him and he wasn't letting go as he pivoted in the air so that he was face to face with Izuku. As Ida did so, Izuku heard the second wielder speaking to him about what he needed the most right now and that was friends who matched his drive, his pace, and who would run alongside him no matter what. That was what Izuku needed but even now he was trying to prevent it as he looked down and pleaded once more.
"Stop it, please, let go." Izuku pleaded once more. "You can't help me."
"Not a chance Midoriya." Ida said looking down at his friend tears in his eyes. "I'll always race to be by your side just as you did for me. I am Ingenium, speeding to aid those in need is what I do. Do not forget that meddling when you don't need to is essence of being a hero, right? You cannot allow personal feelings cloud your judgement lest you become the very thing you seek to bring to justice. Those are the words that you and Agreste spoke to me in Hosu when I needed them the most and now you need to hear them yourself. We're not going anywhere without you, you're our friend."
That was it for Izuku. The words, his own and those of his friend who's passion as a hero he admired more than most, said to Ida in his time of need as they faced down the Hero Killer, were the final straw and Izuku was crying as he tried to shake free of Ida but he couldn't, he lacked the strength to do so. Just getting this far had exhausted his limited energy and the blow with Dupain-Cheng hadn't helped so he began to go limp as Ida held him. Ida noticed this too and pulled Izuku to him and wrapped him in a bear hug to make sure that Izuku was secure.
"Uraraka, I have him!" Ida shouted and she was already on the ground running below them with the class not far behind her excluding the three who'd stayed with Dictator and passed him off to Endeavor when the pro arrived.
"Release!" Uraraka said bringing her fingers together and removing her Quirk from Ida so that he and Deku could return to the ground.
There was a slight issue with this part of the plan mainly that they'd not planned for the landing and by this point Adrien and Marinette had deactivated their space suits so they couldn't help and they were too far for Marinette to use Lucky Charm. To make matters worse Ida's engines were now stalled out, he'd gone plus ultra to reach Midoriya so his usual 10 minutes at max speed was significantly reduced. Thankfully a shout from below showed that they were covered as Kirishima got their attention as he ran into the road to catch them.
Kirishima, along with Hagakure and Aoyama, had been on the Dictator extraction and had over team and had thus far not been involved with the attempt to bring Midoriya in. They'd had to chip Dictator out and hand him to Endeavor but once he was safely in the number 1 hero's custody they'd run off as all had things to say though only Kirishima would get to say anything and Aoyama had his own reasons why he couldn't say anything though he'd indicated that he did have things to say.
Endeavor hadn't stopped them. He'd even told Hawks to give them a few more moments before Best Jeanist stepped in if need be when Hawks contacted him. As such all Endeavor did was arrange for the transport of Dictator to a jail cell and to deal with the hero hating civilians in the area to make sure that they were safe regardless of their views towards heroes.
That had been a few moments ago and now Kirishima was in position as he hardened his whole body just before Ida and Midoriya slammed into him sending him sliding back over the pavement and seriously churning it up in the process. He wasn't going to be broken by this though and said as much when Hagakure, who was closest with Aoyama, called out to see if he was ok.
"Midoriya, I never said this before mainly because I didn't realize that it was you but a while back, before I came to U.A., there was this story that blew me away when I saw it on the news." Kirishima said as he slid back with Ida and Midoriya finally able to say his own peace to his friend. "It helped inspire me even more to become a hero. It was during a dark time for me because I'd failed to help some classmates out when a dangerous person cornered and scared them because I was scared but then I heard about some kid my age had rushed into harm's way to save his friend from danger despite being scared. I didn't know who it was at the time but it was you, right? You saved Bakugo and you did it without a Quirk."
Izuku slightly tensed in Kirishima's grip but didn't say anything to it. He knew that day well too, it was the day he'd shown All Might that he could be his successor and learned of One for All, it was the day he truly embraced that he too could become a hero, the day that had changed his life and set him on his path that had ultimately led him to this very moment.
"It doesn't matter if you've got some special power passed down through the generations, or that it's fate or something like that." Kirishima said as he finally came to a stop and put Ida and Midoriya down so that Ida was on one knee as Kirishima continued to hold Midoriya who was kneeling before him unable to stand at the moment. "What you did for Bakugo back then is the same thing that we're trying to do for you now. We don't care about the danger, the foe we face, anything like that, we just want to help our buddy out and be there with you for this evil that you are up against so that you don't have to face it alone."
As Kirishima finished everyone else finally reached them, some panting from the exertion, and finally all of Class 1-A was in the same place once more. They'd finally caught up with Midoriya and it was clear that his fight was almost gone, just a little more and they'd be able to take him back to U.A. where he belonged.
"Please stop running Midoriya." Mina said, she was one of the few yet to say anything to him as her role had been for the final push that got Ida to Midoriya so now she had a moment to speak before the final person, the one who had the most important thing to say, spoke. "I don't think I can lose another person I care about after losing Midnight but if you keep up like this we will lose you. None of us can afford that so please just stop, we need to stick together. It's time for you to come back to class with us."
"We all agree." Ida said as Midoriya broke away from Kirishima and slowly rose to turn and face the others and finally he let out his true feelings about the situation to his gathered classmates.
"I, I really wish that I could do that but…" Izuku began his voice soft and tired with fear mixed into it as he continued his hood and mask now off so that they could see his face once more. "But I'm too scared to do that, to put everyone at risk because of my own selfishness. There are a lot of people who have already sought refuge at U.A. and if I return I will cause them trouble, I don't want that. You must get it, you've seen how things are now, things can't go back to what they were like before Jaku."
As Izuku was speaking only one person was reacting and he was walking forward so that he could stand in front of Izuku, in front of his childhood friend. The rain continued to fall as Izuku finished his latest attempt to convince the others to go home and Bakugo came to a stop before him. Finally it was his time to speak and tell Deku what he needed to tell him. It had taken a long time to reach this point, to come to terms with the past and what he'd done, to find the right words regarding it and to work through all his issues but at last Bakugo was here and he was going to say his peace at last.
"Do you remember what I said back when Shigaraki stabbed me through the gut?" Bakugo asked his voice low and soft unlike the usual tone he had. "Back when we faced him in Jaku."
"I don't." Izuku admitted as all he could recall from back then was the rage he'd felt when he'd seen Kacchan stabbed by Shigaraki.
"I told you to stop trying to win this by yourself." Bakugo said. "However, back then there was more on my mind at the time. The reason why I got impaled was because my body moved on it's own without me thinking about it. It was a subconscious act to save you from that monster."
Bakugo paused for a moment as he thought on what he had to say next. No one else spoke, this was his moment with Midoriya and if anyone could say anything to finally end this it would be Bakugo so they left it to him and waited for what he was about to say next as they could all tell that it would be important.
"Our whole lives, I've looked down on you." Bakugo continued after a moment his head bowed down as he spoke the words he'd been needing to say to Deku for a long time. "You were Quirkless, an anomaly and this obviously behind me in every way. Despite this it always felt to me like your were also ahead of me at the same time what with how you were back then even though you didn't have a Quirk. I hated that. I hoped you'd disappear. I didn't want to accept you at all. So I bullied you to make sure that you'd stay away from me and not bother me. I had to reject you so that I could feel superior. I needed to win if I wanted to beat you."
Bakugo took a breath before he continued. He was in full swing now so there was no way that anyone was going to stop him especially not Izuku.
"Then, when I thought I'd won and was finally rid of you, you also got into U.A. with me and since then not a single thing has played out the way I wanted it to." Bakugo said as he got ready for what he had to say. "Every day I was forced to see how strong you were and how weak I was. Saying what I'm about to say out loud doesn't change a thing, it doesn't make up for what I did and said in the past but it's how I feel, Izuku."
Again Bakugo paused and Izuku's eyes went wide at what he was hearing. He'd been listening to Kacchan's words, hearing and absorbing them as his old friend turned bully finally acknowledged what he'd done to Izuku in the past. To top it off, and finally show how serious Kacchan was, he used Izuku's first name for the first time in over a decade. Not the nickname he'd made up when they were children to torment and bully Izuku, the name he'd reclaimed thanks to Uraraka, but his actual first name.
It was what you'd say to a long time friend you'd known since childhood and thus it made this all the more real and serious, just what was needed for what came next as Bakugo bent forward and lowered himself into a bow of apology as he faced Izuku. He did so before he said what came next but saying it in the bow showed he spoke the truth.
"I'm sorry for everything." Bakugo said in his bow causing Izuku to gasp his eyes wide as Bakugo formally apologized for how he'd treated Izuku all these years and he wasn't done yet and continued to speak as Izuku processed the apology. "You've made the right calls at every turn you've made since you inherited One for All. You followed the best path, acted like a real symbol just like All Might. That was until this moment because I can see that right now you're lost because you've hit a wall that you can't overcome with your ideals alone. So we'll handle all the things that you can't take care of yourself. In order to be our best selves, in order to win the day, we'll save you, the refugees at U.A. and anyone else. Anybody out there in need of a hero will get one thanks to us."
Bakugo finally came to a stop but by this point Izuku was crying as he swayed on his feet his mouth still open. What Kacchan had said was great but they all didn't get it; they'd all already surpassed him and finally the last of Izuku's strength gave out and he pitched forward accepting the truth his class had been speaking to him the entire time and understanding that he'd been wrong to abandon them. As he fell, Bakugo rushed forward and caught him so that he didn't hit the ground and as he did Izuku spoke.
"I'm sorry for saying that you couldn't keep up with me." Izuku muttered as his strength faded. "You can, you all can."
"I know." Bakugo whispered back as Izuku let out a sigh and the strength finally left his body.
With that the mission to save their friend had ended in success. Izuku Midoriya was back with Class 1-A and it was time to get him back to U.A. as the first challenge they faced in this regard was cleared. Only one more left for them to overcome as the rain beat down on them and Class 1-A looked at the scene before them glad that Midoriya was back with them and they could go forward into what came next as a class just as it should be.
I think that's a good place to end this chapter on, the longest one in quite some time but such was the nature of the Paranormal Liberation War arc and I was dragging this out a little as we are almost at the end of Season 6. I will formally announce the next plans for this story once we reach the end of Season 6 in two chapters' time and I am forced to take a hiatus due to reaching the end of the anime as it currently is (I do read the manga whenever it's out but for adaptive purposes it's easier with the anime). This was the expected chapter with Adrien and Marinette adding their own two cents in for how they see Izuku and want to be by his side, with some notes about their past that they do need to fully brief him on but only once he's recovered. To those who are observant, there is one very notable change I made and that was to Mineta's moment and that's because it's not actually a change but a correction of one of the worst translations I've seen in manga and anime. The scene with Mineta, while the English translation of that Japanese can literally be translated the way they did in the manga, sub, and dub, is not actually what it means when spoken in the original Japanese (I have a friend who's from east Asia, is fluent in Japanese and knows the culture well confirm this) it translates more as how I translated it, admiration or looking up to, and has no romantic implications if spoken in Japanese. I hope this clarifies why Mineta's stuff was altered so much compared to the rest. Anyway, that's all that I have for this chapter so I will leave it off here. As always, if you like it or have any questions please let me know in reviews or PMs, I will try to answer them as best I could and post any questions asked between uploads at the start of the next chapter and do follow and favorite this, so you are alerted to future uploads. Do keep the reviews coming as I like hearing from y'all as you enjoy my work, it motivates me to keep producing the best work I can for y'all to enjoy. Until next time.
Stringdog