My Hero Academia and Typemoon belongs to their rightful owners.
Sorry for any mistakes in advance.
Midoriya Izuku felt funny. No, funny would be wording it wrong. His eyes opened to darkness, only barely realizing that he was still within the confines of his room. But that wasn't the problem.
"..."
He couldn't move his body. He tried turning his head, but it proved fruitless. Trying to flick a finger, he willed all his power yet he couldn't do it. Worse, he couldn't feel his body.
Midoriya felt his breathing pick up, dread and fear settling in his mind. Cold sweat dripped down from his body and head, falling into his eye.
'No, no, no! Why was this happening? Why today, of all days!?'
The cold wind from his open window blew in, chilling his body and numbing his mind. Midoriya felt his sight get blurry, black spots appearing at the edges of his vision.
He tried to fight through it. Tried to get his body under control yet just like before, nothing happened.
His eyes shut tightly, his mind fading in and out, until all he saw was nothingness.
The world seemed to shift sharply, snapping barely understandable images into his head. They shoved into his head, burning deep in his brain and eroding it.
A man came to his mind, features blurry but he could feel the steel coloured eyes staring at him in concern and pity. 'I'm just worried, *ter. Because if you continue this path, only hell awaits.'
The image shifted again, turning dark and cutting. Everything, even the world itself seemed to reset once more, fading into darkness before blinding light shined into his eyes. It reminded him of a video, somewhat. The scene changed again, this time he found himself within the midst of a dozen people, each formed blurred and blocked off from his sight.
'A shame isn't it, Hero!?' An angry voice roared out, his mind taking note of the beings ash coloured skin and sharklike teeth.
Words filled his mind. Things that had never happened, events and conversations with people he had never met coursed through his head. He could feel tears streaming down his cheeks from the agony his mind was going through.
Midoriya blinked and felt more than saw the world change again. It twisted and pull, the area around now different. He stared down at the four grave stones below him, with three of the being newer. Their names were blurred out, yet one was clear as day to him.
Toshinori Yagi.
Who was that? Midoriya had never met anyone like that before. He frowned in thought, checking everything thoroughly to make sure he hadn't missed anything.
He almost screamed in fright when he noticed the man standing behind him, only to watch as the person simply stared right through his frame. Growing uncomfortable, he stepped to the side, taking in the blurred feature of the person.
The man looked empty. Even as he stood, his frame completely blurred and fade,d with only his white hair visible, Midoriya could tell how empty the man was.
The man's shoulder was tense, as if trying to slump down in tiredness yet it was like the man could not do even such a simple thing.
As if the world rejected such an action.
'I can't, not yet.'
Midoriya felt the words bring a chill to his spine.
The scene changed again, and Midoriya felt his brain burn in pain. The images and words flowed quicker each time they appeared, passing by before he could make anything out of them. It was exhausting and felt like a hot iron was pressed on his brain each time.
He squeezed his shut even more, willing everything in his power for thisnightmaretoendendend….
This time he stood at the center of what could only be called a disaster. The world burned in green fire around him, bodies of the dead laying uselessly on their own blood. Some had their heads blown off in what could only be called horrifying ways, while others had transparent like knifes painted black piercing through vitals, like their heads or heart.
It was an instant death for them, Midoriya realised.
Smoke and dust filled the air, almost suffocating despite the boy knowing he wasn't really here. The air shook, the white walls painted in deep red shaking as if threatening to fall and collapse.
The smoke parted, exposing what it tried so desperately to hide. He stared at the wall ahead of him in horror, where what could only be called a human was crucified.
Knifes stabbed through the man's limb, each one glowing a dark green as it pinned him to the wall. His body was ragged and bleeding from head to toe, the man's once white hair now bleached red from blood. His clothes were ragged and tattered, and he watched in tense silence as the man's eyelids opened slowly, exposing red eyes that glared heatedly at him.
How was he still alive?!
Steps sounded in the still silence, and Midoriya turned, watching shakily as that familiar figure he saw what seemed like mere seconds ago at the graveyard walk right past him, towards the bloodied man.
Midoriya stared at him, noting his barely scratched form. His gaze moved to the numerals IX written in dripping red at the back of his long black coat. A coat that seemed much too large for his lean figure.
The bloodied man opened his mouth, words forming on his tongue only to cough and choke at his own blood. Coughs of agony and pain filled the silence, Midoriya almost wanting to reach out him, only to be reminded once more that this was only a dream.
Right?
Midoriya watched as the man stopped choking, as he tried to speak again. Red eyes gazed tiredly at his torturer, a cruel smirk twisting on his face. "Don't think you won't go to hell for this, Hero–"
A knife pierced his throat as he spoke, silencing him. Midoriya snapped his eyes closed, turning even as a deafening scream of pain sounded out. Tears streamed down his face as he could only imagine the horrors the man was facing.
"Don't worry about that, Sh*ar*i," The boy turned his gaze towards the man he could only call the devil. What did that man do to deserve this? Why would it possibly be justified to do this to another human being!? His mind recalled what the man had referred him as. A Hero? What kind of hero was he to do this!?
"My hell's already decided for me." The torturer concluded.
The stared at each other, and it felt like they exchanged words at that moment. Words exchanged between them, a conversation lost to him. The crucified man cried out suddenly and coughed blood, his pleas for mercy lost to the other man. Even without seeing his face, Midoriya knew. He knew that this man was different from who he saw at the grave.
In the end, the bloodied man's scream were lost as his body grew weaker and weaker, any strength he once had leaving him. Midoriya wanted to help him. He wanted to save him.
But it wasn't possible. So he watched in petrifying fear as a pitch black throwing knife rolled out of the other man's sleeve and was caught between his fingers expertly. He brought it towards his chest, fingers held tightly at its blade. Fire danced around the black knife, and his hands bent inwards, towards his chest, an action that reminded the boy of throwing a dart.
Then midoriya watched as the man, without pause, without hesitation, and without a second thought flicked his hands forward and threw the flmaing knife as if it were a dart. It whistled and burst through the air unrestricted, piercing the crucified man's head even as the bloodied man screamed profanities.
He watched as the man turned and left the almost collapsed room, not sparing him or the bodies left in the room a second glance. Through his blurred face, emerald eyes glowed dark as the once lively body behind him burned, the green flames of hell spreading from his pierced head, scorching him until nothing remained of his being.
Midoriya watched it all in dread.
An explosion sounded out from where the knife imbedded, forcing Midoriya back to escape a danger that probably wasn't even there for him. The walls collapsed, large chunks of concrete falling as the very ceiling collapsed upon their heads. Everything buried down, leaving nothing behind.
The killer never looked back once.
Midoriya couldn't understand. Why was this happening? His mouth opened in a silent scream, a plea almost tearing through his throat, only for nothing to sound out.
The scene cut, and he realized he was choking. Liquid poured into his open mouth, ears and nostrils, and Midoriya couldn't help but recall the last time he had felt this. This feeling of drowning and helplessness. The waters choked him, all thoughts lost to him as his mind completely rejected –no, denied– what he had just seen.
*ll *ow*!
His body burst through the waters, warmth settling on the entirety of his being. His hands were placed on the clear waters, steam wafting of his body as it grew from cold to warm, the heat generated from his body drying his skin and wet clothes. He shook his head to get rid of the headache he felt, even as he felt his vision get blurry.
He blinked, and he wasn't standing on clear waters anymore but a sea of blood red.
A terrified scream tore through him and he fell on his rear, body locked in fear. A wide expanse of what used to be a sea spread around him, no longer blue but a bubbly red. Midoriya couldn't even see the end of the waters.
Hands burst from below, wrapping around his limbs. Their fingers tore through his skin like paper and Midoriya screamed in pain.
He turned and stared down at the red sea, only for his gaze to meet black lifeless one's. Peeled skin and white bones entered his vision. He gagged, almost puking where he was. Midoriya pulled at his limbs even as pain shot through his senses, thrashing left and right. He needed to get outoutoutoutout
Fingers wrapped around his head and face, pulling him deeper into the warm and squelching water. A skeleton head raised from the sea, it's lips brought towards his ears. Only a single sentence was said.
This was the path you chose.
Without pause they forcefully dragged him down, and he drowned as the blood forced it's way into his mouth. Words he never heard before flowed through his head. Broken promises and vows, broken hearts. All the lives he had ended entered his head, all the lives he ignored saving burst into his brain. Their sorrows and pleas for mercy and freedom drowning him. It suffocated him, killing him aa slowly and agonizing as it could.
This is your sin.
It took him barely a second to realise what this place was. The red sea. The zombies that lived below them. The skeletons. The visions. He understood what it was.
The sea was the blood those man had killed. Their lives numbered millions and even passed it, their blood so much that it could make a sea. The corpes pulling him down was evidence, the visions of all their deaths as proof. It was what that man's life amounted to.
A life filled with nothing but murder.
But why did that matter to him? Midoriya didn't know him. He had never met him before, in fact. So why him!? Why did have to go through something like this!
Mom, mom, mom….
Midoriya cried out as a sword made of bone pierced through his chest. Chains wrapped around limbs and dragged him deeper even as spears made from skeletons tore right through his limbs.
Mom…..
Slowly but surely, his struggling grew weaker and weaker until he didn't move an inch. The warmth he had felt spreading before had died out, and Midoriya finally, at long last, accepted his fate. He wasn't sure if the next thought was his or not, but Midoriya could relate to the emptiness of it, even as it was said and thought.
"Mom, I'm sorry…"
A scream pierced through the night.
Midoriya panted and rolled, and he heard more than saw as his body hit the floor with a loud thud. He clawed himself to his feet and dragged himself to his bathroom. Only once he was close to his toilet did he stop holding back and empty his stomach.
He lurched and gagged as the smell hit him, visions of peeling flesh and bloodied skin entering his mind. He could only smell rotten flesh and it took the entirety of his will power not the rip his hairs out
It took minutes that felt like hours for him to calm down and even then he felt like it wasn't ok. Midoriya couldn't close his eyes for no more than a second before images of haunting black eyes appeared in his mind.
Ah, he was shaking, wasn't he? How pathetic. He wrapped his arms around himself, knees brought to his chest. The wind felt chilly, and for some reason he felt enclosed, tight.
Midoriya needed to get out.
Despite what he thought Midoriya couldn't just leave his home like. He showered first and changed his sheets, as they had gotten dirty and reeked due to his sweat. After checking the time, which told him it was just five am, he wrote a note to his mom about his whereabouts and then, and only then, did he leave.
Midoriya went on an extremely early jog.
He wore his green tractsuit and his black jogging pants with him, with his phone safely secured in his pockets. He jogged for God knows how long, no thoughts in mind.
No, that was wrong. He was going through that dream. Strangeness aside, Midoriya couldn't just cast it aside like that, no matter how scary and terrifying it was. He was training to be a hero, he couldn't be terrified at everything! Who knows, it may hold some clues?
Clues to what, Midoriya wasn't sure.
Minutes later he found himself standing before a large beach, confusion in his mind. When had he gotten here? He went down the steps, noting the last bits of scraps left on the once inhabitable beach.
A smile stretched on his lips, and without thinking Midoriya ran down, taking off his tracksuit and the shirt underneath.
He had nothing to do, so why not clean up?
…
His mind was lost in thought, he thought. Midoriya had never felt so confused and tired in his life. An exhaustion not in body but in his mind.
The things he had seen were still fresh in his mind, never leaving and never getting blurring no matter what he did. Without even realizing, he had cleaned the entirety of the beach.
Midoriya blinked, getting rid of the tears. Why was he even crying anyway? What exactly happened that would make him cry? Just what was the problem with him.
A frustrated sigh left his lips, because he knew the reason. Midoriya was scared. He was terrified and scared of what the future may hold for him. Of what that dream meant for him. It was a feeling Midoriya hadn't felt since he was four and diagnosed as quirkless.
The helpless he had felt then was no different from now, the circumstances were different, though not that much. He was scared back then due to not understanding what it meant to be quirkless and what he could do to achieve his dream. While right now he felt scared because, while the future may not be quite as certain for him, he knew the path he was going to take.
All Might's successor. Even now he still felt in awe at his situation and a feeling of rejection was placed deeply within his mind. After all, what if almight didn't choose him again, what if all this training had been for nothing, what if—
—what if everything was a lie? Or a dream?
Because even now, it felt like it was, even after all these months had passed.
The dream only added to his predicament. Yesterday he had felt so sure of what he wanted to do and become, but now? Only uncertainty filled his mind.
Hero. It was what the bloodied man had called that person, right? Even now, it still felt so vivid, so real, that he could almost smell the corpses right now. That man, who was called a hero, could do such a thing, then was that path really ok for him?..
"What hell should I do now?" Midoriya said helplessly, shoulders slumping downwards.
"Do what, Young Midoriya?"
What happened next was totally lost to him.
Midoriya spun on his heels, his right hand swinging backwards. It was blocked easily, but Midoriya kept it on, and his right leg shot forward at the persons ribs, only for it to stop halfway there.
"Calm down. It's only me!?" The voiced changed this time, sounding deep and heavy to his ears that it actually made him pause.
Not only due to that, it was the familiarity of the voice that stopped him. "All Might?"
As if a fog had cleared, he could finally think. He focused his eyes on the man before him, his body still tense. Only when he saw the familiar blond hair that stood like a rabbits and dark blue eyes that gazed worriedly at him did he finally calm.
"Ah! I'm sorry for attacking you so suddenly, All might. Please don't hate me and saynotogivingmeyourquirk–"
"Just calm down first!"
Midoriya stopped, taking in a deep breath.
All Might smiled akwardly at him, confusion in his eyes, "I arrived a few minutes ago and I must say," he waved around them, pointing out the environment, "the beach looks as good as new, Young Midoriya!"
He rubbed his head sheepishly at the praise, "T-thank you, All might."
"Still," The man's ruby eyes stared at him, almost piercing his heart, "What's the matter? I've been calling out to you since I arrived but it seems you were lost in thought. Not only that it's currently seven, so I'm a bit worried at when you came here—"
"Its seven!?" Midoriya cut him, horrified. At the man's hesitant nod, he almost fainted "Doesn't that mean I'm almost late for the entrance exams!?"
"Just wait for a minute!" All might sighed, exasperated. He cared for the boy, he really did. But he could do well with all….this, right now. Today was his big day, after all!.
Midoriya paused.
"Are you done now?" The man questioned.
The boy nodded, and with that he continued.
"So, what exactly happened?"
The man watched attentively as the boy seemed to withdraw into himself. If that wasn't worrying, the boys next words were.
"It's just, I had a dream earlier and I'm, I don't know? Unsure if I can be hero?…"
All might almost panicked but he let out a breath, forcefully calming himself. He needed to understand what the boy was talking about first. "What do you mean by 'Unsure'?"
And so the boy told him of the dream, and he listened. The boy paused sometimes, as if struggling to recall something. In the end he continued, but All might couldn't shake the feeling that the boy had forgotten something. The dream sounded absurd and worrying, and he understood why his successor to be was doubting his path.
"So, I'm just, scared. What if I'm not cut out to be a hero? What if even after all these time spent it all amounts to nothing. What if–"
"Young Midoriya," he cut the boy off before he could continue, trying to come out as calm as he could, "I'm sorry to say this but, that's stupid."
Shamed coloured the boy's cheeks and he hurriedly continued before his emotions could spiral out of control. "Not that your worries are stupid and unfounded or anything! It's just that I don't quite understand!"
Midoriya let out a breath and opened his mouth to speak, fear in his eyes. "That man, he was strong. He was called a h-hero by that other person. A-and he misused his powers and quirk, k-killing so many people. I'm worried All Might," the boy was crying now, and the man's eyes widened in suprise, "What if I use your power, your quirk, to do bad things? I still want to be a h-hero, but I'm scared. I'm scared of the things I'll do if I hold such a thing."
Silence rang out in the beach, with All might simply staring at the boy before him with a blank look. He thought of all the times they spent here, all that time they trained.
All might admitted that at first, he was shaky on his decision to choose the boy, but after so much time had passed, the doubt had cleared off slowly but surely.
He remembered that skinny figure that cried his out, tears streaming down his face when he told them that they could be a hero. The boy had a heart of pure gold, one that never wavered or shook, no matter what came his way. The boy worked hard, and now look at him.
A toned body, one so much stronger than before. Yet his heart had never changed even with all that time. If all might had any doubts, it disappeared at that instant.
He could relate to the boy.
So he smiled, one that radiated such comfort and care. He placed his hands on the boys shoulders, "Young Midoriya, I–" he paused, almost hesitating even as the boys eyes watched him. The man sighed, before continuing, "I understand you."
He watched as the boys eyes widened, "Y-you, do. How?"
All might smiled, though the warmth it contained had reduced, "It's to be expected. I was quirkless, after all."
…What?
"W-w-what!?"
All might laughed, walking away. He gestured for him to follow and without thinking too much about it, he followed, shock running through his body. It was expected, the information he just heard was, to be put simply, absurd.
That All might, the No. 1 hero, would be quirkless had never come to him. But for reason, it wasn't as shocking as he would like to assume.
(He wondered how kacchan would feel if he heard this)
"One for All was passed on to me, and to be truthful, I am it's eight holder," All might continued, their steps in sync as the walker toward the ocean ahead. "It never used to be this powerful, to be honest. It grows stronger time passes and couldn't just create tornadoes and change the weather with a simply punch. Back then, it probably couldn't break a single plank of wood."
The more his mentor talked, the more Midoriya couldn't help but be interested. His mind was running miles a minute to completely breakdown what he just heard because what the hell. The thought that this quirk, One for all was that weak back then and only continued to grow was amazing in of itself.
But…
"That's why I can understand." They stopped suddenly, reaching their destination. The ocean washed to their feet, and he took a step back, not wanting it to getl his shoes wet. His gaze turned back to the wide scene, taking in it's beauty. His mind still tried to remind him of the dream, switching clear blue water to red bubbling one's, but he pushed the image away, gaze focused.
"Back then I would always think, 'holding this power, what if I hurt someone. Or did something bad'? The thought always kept me up at night, and it still does even now. It's human nature to think like that, what matters is not acting in line of those bad thoughts.
"My master," here the man let out a deep sigh, as if pained by the thought, "was the seventh holder of One for All. She gave me this quirk, with full knowledge that it would only grow stronger in the future."
All might let out a breath, brows furrowed as smoke wafted off his body. He turned and grinned, an explosion of smoke being released from his spot that pushed even Midoriya back.
The boy stared up in shock were the smoke slowly cleared, his mentors form turning visible to him. Where a thin and sickly man once stood, now appeared a giant of a man, his body muscled and his hair standing like a rabbits. The man's grinned widened at his awed look, showing off pristine white teeth.
"She placed her trust in me, Young Midoriya!" He bellowed, shocking him. "She left her dreams, her hope for a better future, in my arms to carry for her. Even till this day, I can't understand the trust she held for me. But—"
The smile fell from his face. "Make no msitakes. Just because they're called 'heroes' do not mean they all are."
"W-why?"
"Take that dream for example. While I would like to hold some doubts, I can't." The man sighed, "there exist some pro heroes that may even be worse than that."
"What. Isn't that bad, then!?" Midoriya cut in, horrified. He had seen exactly what that man had done, the image still fresh in his mind. And for All Might to say some might still be worse than that. It left him terrified, to put it simply.
"It is. They act all nice and heroic under the sun or on camera. But young Midoriya, some simply aren't. There are pro's who extort, some who formulate crimes to increase their rankings. They even create criminals who rob for them, acting under the spotlight as they let them go, only to reap the benefits when alone with them.
"Pro's exist who kill and use their status to hide it. They even threaten people. It's just that bad."
"Then why aren't people doing anything then!?"
All might winced before sighing, his form now exhausted. "I wish. Despite being the No. 1 hero, I have little to zero political power. Besides, the government would never listen to me even if I tried."
Midoriya would like to say he was surprised by all the revelations, but really, he wasn't. He had grown in a world where he was treated as trash just because he lacked something they didn't. Weird and freak, was what they called him.
He may not have seen the entirety of humans wickedness and filth, but he had experienced a bit of it. And he was aware of it, too. So he accepted everything told now by All might as calmly as he could.
"More than half of the pros are people who are selfish and greedy. No matter how I try, I can't change them. And the only reason I don't press charges are due to facts that I lack proof and that, even with all they do, their jobs are still being carried out. And that's all that matters.
"But! That isn't why I chose you, Young Midoriya." All might grinned once more, his hands pulling a long strand of his blond hair, "No, it was that heroism I saw in you. That bravery and selflessness to charge in despite the danger. So doubt no more!"
The man stretched the hair to him, and Midoriya couldn't help but stare at it in confusion, even as he took it into his hands, holding it almost reverently.
The man continued speaking, "So, let me ask you. Why do you want to be hero, Midoriya Izuku?"
Midoriya looked down, mind wandering. Why did he want to be hero? It was because he wanted to save people right? No, it wasn't just that.
"When I was kid," the boy said suddenly, breaking the silence between them, "I'd watch videos of you saving people every single time. I watched they way your smile seemed to reassure them, bringing a calm unto their hearts. No matter what happened, it always worked."
Collapsed buildings, fire outbreak, natural disasters, anything. Once All Might appeared, with only a single smile, it was like they all knew everything would be alright.
It was that very smile that saved him. Whenever things got tough, he would his videos. It drove him, pushed him to endure. Midoriya wouldn't be here if not for him.
"I never admired your power," The boy said, shocking the other man greatly. "No, what I admired was your smile. Because no matter what happened, even if all hope seems lost, your smile seemed to tell them that truly, 'it's okay'...
"I want to be that kind of hero, too." Midoriya Izuku declared resolutely, eyes shining in determination as he gazed at his mentor. "Not one that beats up bad guys, or one that brings fear upon villains," briefly, an image of kacchan came into mind but he shook the thought off, "Even if I never rise up the ranks, or become number 1, as long as people feel safe and never cry when I'm around, I'll be happy.
"A symbol of hope, that's what I'll be." He finished In a whisper
All might stared at him, shock gone. The manthre his head back and laughed, the sound causing sand and air alike to shift back, as if in fear. Midoriya almost leaped, breaking out of his trance, "I didn't mean to come out so arrogant, All might! I'm sorry if i–
"It's quite alright, Young Midoriya!" He cut him off, stepping to stand beside the smaller boy, slapping his back.. Midoriya moved forward each time the man's hands touched his back. "What you've said is true. There's no need for a second symbol of peace.
"I think the world needs something different. Peace already exist, so what they need is hope and reassurance." All might finished, smirking.
He turned glanced at the smaller boy beside him, side eyed. "So, what do you say?"
Midoriya gave him a look filled with determination. "I'll be your successor, All migh!"
"So, no more hesitation?"
"Of course not!"
The man grinned darkly, causing the now titled successor to falter. He wondered if he made a mistake?
"Then eat it!"
"..eat what, All might?" Midoriya asked hesitantly, eyes lowering dangerously to what he held in his hands.
"That hair, obviously!"
"But, w-why?"
All might smiled in all teeth, almost menacing. "It's the only way to easily pass on the quirk. It needs my DNA, so unless you want to try drinking my blood which would no doubt taste awful and weird, this is much easier. Now, hurry, Young Midoriya! There isn't much time!"
"No!"
"Ah, stop running! The faster you do it, the easier it gets for you!"
"Never!"
What happened for the next twenty minutes was All might chasing after his successor and forcefully, I mean gently forcing down the hair through his throat.
If Midoriya happened to let out choking sounds while doing so, and if All might loomed over his successor, watching him try desperately to breathe, it sure wasn't his fault.
'Just as you trusted me, I'll trust this boy too, Nana.'
Was what the man thought.
…
Disgusting. That was all Midoriya could think of, recalling the events that happened two and a half hours ago.
He had managed to swallow the hair, as expected. But it was disgusting and gross. Just thinking about it reminded Midoriya of how slimy and….greasy it felt in his mouth.
He only wished the man washed his hair thoroughly, everyday. Or else….
I might just throw up. Midoriya thought, face green.
He shook his head, ridding himself of any unnecessary thoughts. He needed to focus!
He stared at the building ahead, where a giant ua was written. This was it, the moment of truth. His stomach twisted suddenly. Briefly wondering if it was due to all might, he shook his head before chucking it up to anxiety.
Midoriya took a deep breath, forcibly calming himself. He smiled confidently, taking a step forward—
"..!"
—only for the world to lurch around him. His gaze turned blurry and suddenly, he wasn't staring at the UA building anymore.
No, that was wrong. Midoriya frowned for no more than second, examining the building closely. As he thought, it looked older and more worn down, as if it had just experienced an attack.
The feeling of confusion only grew deeper as he noticed the crowd of people ahead, each one yelling with signs raided over their heads.
His mind buzzed in pain, and without warning he tipped forward, slowly falling towards the ground as his head was assaulted by immense pain. He steadied himself with his right leg, his balance still shaky.
The world around him seemed to get darker and the air heavier. Screams came into his head, almost frightening due to the fear and hate that reeked off their words.
"Don't let that boy come here!"
"He's a danger to all of us!"
"Send him back!"
"Send him—!
"Send—!"
They all screamed in synchrony, anger and fear lacing their voices at the mere sight of him. Midoriya couldn't help but take a fearful step back, all thoughts of exam lost to him.
He needed to leave. It's safer for them, anyway.
For them? Why!? Midoriya questioned internally. The thought was strange and sudden, yet seemed to just, fit, into the atmosphere. So it was without hesitation that Midoriya turned to leave, shoulders hunched down and tired.
Only for someone to grab his hand.
Midoriya turned, warmth wrapping around his being, only to pause as he took in the hero standing before him.
He said hero but she couldn't be no more older than him. Her face was blurred, her costume skin tight to her body while she wore a helmet on her head.
She opened her mouth to speak and he blinked, the image bursting like the wind, only to be replaced with a girl with a scarf around her neck.
"Are you okay? You seemed a little out of it."
A little would be an understatement. Everyone was staring at him, whispers and murmurs going around in the thick silence.
Midoriya blushed firecely, shame colouring his cheeks. He had zoned out again. He needed to get a grip of himself.
"Ah, t-thank you. I'm alright now." He said stuttering. He was talking to a girl!
She seemed unsure at his words, but nodded anyway. A small smile graced her lips and she turned to move sway, only to pause.
"Good luck on your exams!"
With that she left, leaving him alone once more. The crowd broke around him, all head towards the exam center as if registering the girls words.
He made to follow after them, only to side step instinctively as someone moved past his previous spot. He had no doubt that the other person would've forced their way through.
Midoriya knew them, after all.
"Kacc—
"Get the fuck out of my way, Deku! The blond boy snapped out, angry red eyes glaring hatefully at him.
Midoriya raided his hands in surrender, teeth locked firmly. The boy huffed dismissively at his actions and kept walking. Not liked he stopped in the first place, of course.
Ah, as expected of him.
He watched him go further away and it was only due to that fact he remembered that he had an exam. So without wasting anytime, he moved quickly towards the halls.
Two hours later and Midoriya would admit that he was anxious. They had finished the written part of the exams and, while he would like to say he did well, you never could know with school exams.
It could go both ways, honestly. It may have been easy, only for him to get a lower score on the exams. So he left that part of the exams to luck and….he wasn't sure what else, really.
But that wasn't what go him anxious. Midoriya had been called out during the briefing for the practical part of the exams, an action from the clueless bespectacled boy that increased his anxiety levels.
Now, here he was. Surrounded by several students of his age in his green tracksuit. They all stood tensely, palms sweaty and their feet not staying on the ground for too long. Or was it just him that felt like this? Maybe.
He also found it hard to breathe. Strange, but not out of the ordinary for him.
Midoriya scanned the group around him, taking a breathe to calm himself. He noticed the girl that he talked to hours ago. She looked anxious, maybe not as much as him, but she was tense. He took a deliberating step forward, intending to speak to her, only to pause as something seemed to strike his head like a hammer.
'Are you here to sabotage us?!'
His head snapped and focused on a spectacled boy, his body paused mid step. The boys eyes regarded in surprise, a feeling Midoriya shared. It was same boy that had called him out on his mutterings he did accidentally with the briefing hall.
Midoriya watched him blink the surprise out, his mouth opening to say something no doubt reprimanding (how did he know that?), only for Present Mic to cut off any potential conversation they could have.
The turned from each other; with Midoriya watching side eyed as the oother, taller boy, got into a running stance, smoke releasing from the pipes in his legs.
Midoriya readied himself, too. He simply copied bits of what he saw the other candidates do. He braced himself, letting out a calming breathe as the large mechanic doors rolled to the sides, with present Mics voice booming within the formerly enclosed space.
Midoriya belatedly realized that he never talked to that girl in the end.
"Three
"Two
"One!"
A pause, everyone waiting for 'go' to be said. It took no longer than a second for Midoriya to realize that the man wasn't adding anything else. He blinked, realizing slowly that someone had taken off before the man could say anything else.
Oh, it was him, wasn't it?
"That guy gets it! What are you waiting for!? This isn't a competition, now go go GO!"
They all ran.
Midoriya eyes scanned his surroundings rapidly, mind taking note of the landscape before him. Robots of different sizes came into his view, and he ran towards the closest one.
Midoriya would like to blame his anxiety mostly on the unsurety of the exams, but he couldn't. While it was partly to blame, it wasn't the sole reason.
He could feel it.
A mere half hour after accepting one for all, and Midoriya could feel that his body was different. It wasn't noticed at first, and when he felt that little difference in his chest and abdomen, he had chucked it upto stress.
It wasn't.
A hour later when he took the train for UA, he finally realized what felt so different from him. Deep within, he could barely feel a massive and unrecognizable thing there. Despite knowing it wasn't literal, the thing had an enormous weight on his being, and for a while, Midoriya found it had to move. It took no longer than a minute to realize what it was.
One for All. It was as powerful as one would expect from the no.1 hero quirk, that much Midoriya would admit. He felt like he could pull that energy and use for himself, but he didn't, not even in this situation he found himself. Midoriya knew why, instinctively so. The thought seemed foreign; no, everything felt like it was wrong. But it was.
Midoriya knew why he couldn't use for a simple reason. His body would break.
It was funny, really. All might had warned him about such a situation 8 months ago, and yet, even after so long, nothing had changed. He trained, passed out and threw up during that time period, yet it all amounted to nothing in the end. Maybe his body wouldn't break or explode if he really used the quirk, like All Might had said, but he would no doubt damage himself in the process.
The thought for some reason left him seeing scars on his arms and legs.
Which explained his current situation right now. He had the power, held it at his palms, yet it was useless to him. So he was using his brain.
Just like he always had. And would continue to do so.
Two robots came at him, each one close to one another. An idea came to his mind immediately at the sight, and without hesitation he charged in, rushing at the danger regardless. Passing by them both, he skidded to a stop once he was in-between, their robotics head staring at him.
Metallic arms swung at his head and he ducked beneath, watching in excitement as their attacks connected to each other. To his luck, one had been a three pointer, it's attack even stronger than the measly two pointer before it. It's arm smashed into it, destroying it instantly.
It's arm didn't withstand the attack, thankfully.
Thinking quickly, he grabbed a mettalic part, the piece heavy and long in his hands. His head blared hotly and he rolled to the right, just in time for the three pointer to drive right where he once was. Stopping in a crouch, he stared at it. It's tires turned, leaving tire marks as it sped for his position, red eyes glowing hotly at him.
He waited, leaning forward. Just as it was mere meters from hitting, he leaped out of the way, twisting his body before driving the long metal into it's tires, lodging it. The robot tipped forward, crashing at the ground in a loud bang.
He rolled on the ground, scrapes in his hand and legs, but he didn't care. Standing, he ran towards the downed bot, leaping when he was close to it before landing on its head just at it was about to stand.
Sparks flew at the impact, exposing wires and other mechanics under his feet. Not waisting anytime he turned, running for another.
He never once stopped to think of what he did.
He did that three or four times, before he stopped. The situation hadn't yet set in his mind. No, that wasn't why he he stopped.
There's no more.
The robots around him were destroyed already, leaving pieces of scrap metal. Unlike his method of taking them out that lacked serous destructiveness, theirs did. Unless one was part of the exam, you probably wouldn't tell what those pieces of metal were.
With nothing left in this area, he turned, running deeper. He gazed went around, watching candidates as they destroyed robots with the quirks.
Midoriya took a step, and his head blared in warning.
He screamed in alarm and pain, his hand flying to his head. His brain hurt; badly. The noise felt foreign and intrusive. It was like a ringing in his ears, or a siren. Midoriya wasn't sure what it was. He watched his surroundings warily, trying desperately to focus.
His head moved to his left, the ringing in his ears growing louder as he did so. He just couldn't focus! Why the hell was so may things happening today of all days!? He just wanted to take this exam, was it so hard to ask for!?
Right.
Something seemed to whisper to him. And foolishly, he did, glancing ahead to his right. The ringing in his ears diminished, and just when he wondered why, he caught sight of it.
A boy, his fiery red hair was taking a three pointer into a building. He pummeled it, skin and fingers hard like stone and steel. They pierced through it's body like knife through butter, and a blow sent the machine flying into the walls, the hotheaded boy nit noticing the cracks forming on the building.
The buildings foundation and overall state was weak, Midoriya realised in horror.
His mouth opened to scream a warning, but he knew it would be too late.
The top cracked finally and collapsed, the boy releasing a freightened scream. He made to run, but it was pointless. Midoriya watched as the boy seemed to realize this too, for in the next instant, his body harden, from head to toe.
But again, it wasn't enough. The concrete was too thick, too heavy a human to bear. He would be injured fatally, if not killed outright.
Midoriya wouldn't let that happen.
His hands stretched forward, as if he could reach him and Midoriya felt the world go slow around him. Warmth spread, heat that he came to realize was from one for all spreading through his veins. His bones and muscles pulsed under his skin, and his eyes shook.
He took a step—
"Wow…"
—And he found himself craddling a body beneath him. The sound of something heavy falling assaulted his ears, and he stared back in shock.
Green lightning danced on his body, his skin was glowing slightly. Whatever this was, it was slowly fading. Midoriya wasn't sure how he did it, but he knew that he had crossed a distance of more than thirty feet in an instant.
"That," the red head boy said, exhaling sharply. He was pale and shaking slightly, his eyes wide in what could only be fear and trepidation, "was manly."
Midoriya shook his head, a warning forming on his tongue even as he stood to run, "Be careful, please. It may be an exam, but it doesn't mean we have to be overly reckless."
And with that, he left.
It wasn't because he was cruel by any means, no it was because his ears were ringing again. His muscles hurt, to be honest, and the constant ringing from his ear made it worse.
Since the day started, Midoriya didn't feel like himself.
He couldn't ignore whatever it was that caused this thing. It wasn't possible. Midoriya knew he had an exam, but frankly it was starting to matter less and less as time passed.
He head blared in warning and he ran forward, tackling someone as a beam of pure light flew through where the person once was. Midoriya turned back, his gazing locking onto the blond boy who fired that beam. He was pale and terrified, likely realizing what would've happened had Midoriya not interfered.
Something twisted darkly in his brain at the sight of the boy.
Midoriya ran again, ignoring the thanks that was sent his way. His head was ringing again, which meant he needed to move.
And move he did.
Midoriya wasn't sure how much time had passed, only that he was tired. He had saved more than fifteen from what most would've been fatal injuries. Not all were fatal, of course. But some were dangerous to leave scars and the like.
Midoriya saved those he noticed.
He'd managed to take out three more robots during that period, two three pointers and the last a two pointer. At the end of it all, Midoriya realised two things. One, he was tired. Two?
He didn't have enough points to pass.
His hands were on his knees as he panted heavily, sweat dripping from his brows to his eyes. He was sweating and tired. Yet what did he have to show for it? A mere fifteen points, at least.
But Midoriya didn't really feel that bad. If he failed, then that wasn't so bad. It would hurt not going to the number 1 hero school, of course. It would also hurt, since, despite all that training, he was still a total disappointment. All might would probably be sad that he couldn't go to UA, but he would understand.
Right?
'What type of hero do you aspire to be, Young Midoriya?'
All might had asked him. Midoriya didn't regret his actions today, and he knew that All Might and his mom wouldn't be sad too. If UA failed him, then it meant attending this school was a waste of time.
Any school that failed someone for doing the right thing wasn't worth going to. Midoriya had enough of Aldera, thank you very much.
Midoriya panted, taking in deep breaths. He needed to move, if he tried he could probably get two or three more points. He just had to catch his breath.
Then he felt the world shake.
It felt like an explosion went out, blasting him several feet back. The buildings around him shook, cracks spreading around them. It took no longer for them to collapse, dust and dirt alike rising like an explosion.
A second one went out, and Midoriya felt the earth below him sink downwards, leaving him suspended in the air for a second. The next second he was on his back again, staring at the sky above tiredly.
His head was ringing, shifting and squirming as if ready to burst. He grasped at it, blinking away unshed tears. It hurt. Everything hurt. His bones, his muscles; they all screamed in pain and agony. They begged him to stopped, to give up.
He ignored it.
Pushing himself up, he stared ahead fearfully. What could possibly cause something like this? He squinted his eyes, getting to his feet. Midoriya wasn't sure, but he swore he saw something just move within all the dust.
An explosion went out, and Midoriya could finally see it. It was giant, reminding him of absently of Mount lady. The thought was useless, really. Because the thing for one, wasn't a hero. It wasn't even human. And two, it was bigger than her.
It was bulky and tall, it's legs wider than the buildings around here, and it's form toured over them easily, with them only reaching its waste. This was the zero pointer.
He was terrified. Why was something like this for an exam? We aren't fighting giants in our first year!
"Gods…"
"The hell is that!?"
"Get out of the way!"
"Run!"
Around him everyone panicked. Some good rooted to floor, as if frozen in fear while others ran away, not looking back. They pushed people aside in the haste, some falling as a result.
In a time of danger, a human's true nature is revealed.
It was horrible sight to watch, Midoriya thought. Their pushing caused injuries alike and increased the fear among the candidates. Did they really think they would die? Midoriya wouldn't lie and say he wasn't scared because he was. Yet it wasn't for himself.
He got to his feet quickly, shoving down the lump in his throat and the fear that seemed to almost suffocate him. He needed to be calm. Wasn't it his dream to be a hero?
'No more hesitations.'
"Here," Midoriya said, stretching his hands to girl. She was sitting, holding her sprained leg. She stared at his hands for a second before taking it, allowing him to pull her up easily. Throwing an arm over him, he provided support for her, taking it slowly as she limped away.
Once he was sure they were safe enough, he dropped her softly on the ground, his eyes searching the field in case he missed anyone. Just as he got ready to move, maybe get some points for himself, he felt it again.
It felt like thunder struck his brain and he held his head, trying to push through the intense headache he was starting to feel. He knew what this was, had felt it several times in just ten minutes. Someone needed his help, and desperately.
He pushed himself to stand steadily, ignoring the worried gaze the girl he just saved gave him. Midoriya gave her a shaky smile, trying to come out confident but no doubt failing spectacularly.
"Don't worry," he said, reassuring, "I'll be fine." With that, he turned and ran, face beet red.
God, he felt so embarrassed! Who was he to say something like that, anyway!? Gaahh, he sounded like he was telling his wife he was going on a battlefield! Not only that, he held a girl's hand!
He held a girl's hand!
(Somewhere, a certain white haired man felt his eyes twitch in irritation)
"Thirty seconds left, little listeners! You better hurry up!" Boomed within the zone.
Midoriya ignored the warning, focusing on the buzz within his ears that seemed to draw him to something. As he moved forward, slowly but surely the feeling in his mind that felt like electricity slowly reduced, meaning he was getting closer. But that wasn't what worried him. No, it was that wherever they were, it was leading him towards the zero pointer.
He wished it wasn't true.
"...lp"
Midoriya paused mid step, form halting.
".elp."
He thought he was imagining things but he wasn't mistaken.A voice whispered, tone weak. Yet it seemed to reach the depths of his heart,
"Help!"
Without even thinking he was already moving.
Midoriya panted, sweat dripping down his face as he pumped more and more strength into his legs. Despite the exam being fifteen minutes, it felt like it was an hour. His muscles groaned in pain, his bones like lead that weighed him down. The more time passed, the harder and more difficult it got to stay conscious.
But he couldn't stop here. Someone needed his help, and right now it was the only thing that mattered.
Red light, reminiscent of eyes seemed to watch him. The zero pointer loomed over him, it's form titanic the closer he got.
He turned from it's eyes, his gaze locking on the ground ahead. Again, he felt his eyes lock onto the wounded form easily, despite the distance. Midoriya let out an uneasy exhale, doubt clouding his mind.
Midoriya knew the person. He would never forget that kind brown haired girl. Likely due to it being just mere hours since he met her.
But even then, he felt there was something more.
Midoriya watched slowly as the robot raised it's right leg from the earth, trees uprooting and buildings collapsing as it did so. Then it brought it forward, and lowered it, as if taking a step. Right above that girl.
Something seemed to snap.
"I won't let you!" He screamed.
Without hesitation, he pulled on the vast energy he could feel buzzing in his chest. His body burned, heating up quickly and his muscles, so fragile like glass, felt like it would break.
Power flowed to his right leg, ready to take a devastating step that would no doubt destroy him. He raised it and brought it down, his foot mere inches from the asphalt—
"Is that the hero you want to be?"
Someone was speaking, voice choppy and inhuman. It was like listening to a sound from an old radio. He could barely tell what was being said, barely understand it.
Yet for some reason, he just knew what was being said.
"A hero that needs saving? Is that what you aspire to be?" the inhuman voice continued, venom dripping from it's words, "After one punch, what next? Do you really expect that you'll be saved always?
"A hero who needs saving everytime isn't a hero. It's a liability, and frankly, unneeded."
The voice was harsh, unreletant. It sounded harsh and unforgiving, and while he may feel like crying as he heard it, something was blooming.
"Master your quirk, * *. For with that power," red eyes glared unapologetically at him.
"You won't save anyone."
—only for the almost blistering heat to halven just as his feet touched the ground. His trousers tore from the power his legs produced, the asphalt below his feet cracking, spreading like spiderwebs. He leaned forward, crouching into a jump.
* *ing.
"I can still move, sensei."
Flow.
Then he leaped.
An explosion went out, his body blasting from the ground. He shot through the air, whistling through like an unleashed arrow. The leap didn't take him high, Midoriya realized absently. He was flying past the descending feet, somewhere around where it's ankle would be located. Just as he was halfway past the robotic leg, he spun, power surging once more into his left leg.
He didn't need to go that high, this was enough.
"How do I use one for all?"
All might smiled, tone confident. "Simply squeeze in your buttocks, clench your teeth and—
Roar at the top of your lungs!"
"Smash!" His bellowed, his left elg shooting forward as he twisted his body and hips, adding more power to the blow. The blow connected, blasting the descending leg.
The blow was weak, Midoriya admitted. It wasn't the full power that one for all could emit and release. Midoriya knew, had he used it's full power, it would've been enough to destroy the zero power and push it back, letting it fall harmlessly behind where no humans were.
But it wasn't efficient.
"What will you do after one punch?"
An inspiration. An idea. If he hadn't heard those words, it would no doubt take him longer to realize it himself. True he could save that one person with just one punch, but then what next? Midoriya would be useless and more of a liability after that.
So he reduced the input until it was half. Then reduced it once more till it was only half of a half. And it was enough.
Twenty-five percent.
The blow wasn't meant to destroy. No, it's main purpose—
"Woah…" Midoriya exhaled in awe.
—was to redirect. The descending leg shifted slightly, meters away from it's original stepping point. It's leg touched the ground in a loud boom, summoning a gust of wind that sent Midoriya spinning in the air.
Imgoingtodie! He screamed frantically.
He needed to think! Maybe a smash at fifty percent towards the ground would lessen the fall? No, no no, his limbs couldn't possibly handle that output! What about kicking the air? Just like all might? It could work but had no control but he had zero experience. He could possibly woseren his conditions!
Even as he thought, his plummeting never slowed.
Thinkthinkthinkthinkthink!
He was going to die, Midoriya realized.
A resounding slap echoed in the chaos, and Midoriya felt a sting his left cheek. His body jerked to a stop and it felt like his brain and organs rattled for a second or so. He opened his tightly shut eyes, fear rolling off his frame in waves.
He was floating, a mere three or four feet before he would've fallen splat on the ground. He craned his head to the side, where the cause of his flight floated beside him.
It was the brown haired girl, the same one who Midoriya felt had interacted so many times in just one day. If he didn't know any better, he would think it was the machinations of fate.
"Ah, thank yo–" he started, only to be cut off by the girl.
"Release!" Her fingers parted, and they fell to the ground.
Midoriya hissed as his battered body hit the rough asphalt, jolts running down his spine. His muscles ache and his bone felt heavy. More than that, he was exhausted.
Bleugh...
He turned away, shutting his ears off from the retching of his companion. It was probably a consequence for overusing her quirk (something that made him guilty) and it felt rude to stare.
"3,2,1! And that's time! U.A. entrance exam is over, little listeners. Make sure to get yourself checked out for any injuries before heading out, kids!"
The man announced, shocking him. Immediately shame coloured his face. What had he been doing? Midoriya was sure that he failed. With only twenty points or so gained, what chance did he have. All that training with all might, and even with his quirk, he couldn't even pass a mere exam. How could he even be a hero if he couldn't pass this small hurdle?
In the end, he really was a Deku.
"Are you okay," a weak voice broke him from his thoughts. He turned staring at the girl he just saved. "Does your body hurt?"
Midoriya blushed slightly, turning away from her tattered black and white tracksuit. "Why do ask? Umm, not that it's bad to ask or anything, just that I'm confused about—"
"You're about to cry, that's why." She said, smiling slightly. "Besides, it's not a bad thing to show care for someone, is there?"
Midoriya wiped his eyes, calming down. "y-Yeah, my body hurts. But it's not that." He sighed.
"Then what."
"I didn't get enough points." Midoriya said truthfully. "And I'm scared. I feel like I've disappointed the people that put their trust in me due to that. What if—"
"Well that's dumb!" She said, shaking her head. She immediately regretted the action, her hands closing her mouth just as her face turned green. It took everything in her willpower not to puke. Swallowing it down, she sat beside the battered boy, strength leaving her.
"You shouldn't feel ashamed of saving someone. That's what's most important in a hero!"
"I'm not, it's just—"
"But nothing!" She cut him off again. "An exam means nothing if you do shameful things to pass it! And for that.." She bowed her head, shocking him greatly. "Thank you for saving me. If something had happened to me, I don't what my parents would do. So thank you!"
"Ah, theres no need for that! It was really a spur of the moment thought! I don't really deserve your thanks."
"You're really humble person, aren't you?" The gravity girl said weirdly. I mean, who else would reject an heartfelt thanks like that. "It's rude to reject someone's appreciation like that, ehhh?" She hesitated at the end.
"I'm sorry." Midoriya said sheepishly. "And I'm Making Izuku."
"Uraraka Ochaco."
"Huh?" He said, confused.
"It's my name." Uraraka said, entwining her hands. "It just felt right to tell you my name."
Midoriya didn't reply. Not because he couldn't, but that he was shocked speechless. A girl told him her name! He got a girl's name! Gods, he told her his name!
(Again, Midoriya felt someone's eye twitch in irritation.)
A jolt ran through him and he hissed, worrying the girl greatly. "Are you really okay?"
"I…don't think so." He admitted.
With the adrenaline running out, the stress he should've felt was now attacking his mind. The numb feeling he felt from his limbs vanished, introducing him to a new kind of pain and soreness.
"Well you're lucky, young man." A voice said, shocking him and uraraka greatly. He turned his head, staring at an old lady that walked towards them, her form hunched forward and moved slowly with a walking stick.
She poked him at his sides and limbs, hummimg slightly each time. "Ripped and pull muscles….added with soreness…little bit of fractures in his bone at the leg and tears in his fingers." She diagnosed. The more she spoke, the more worried Midoriya became. Was he really that battered up? After all he did to reduce his body's damage, he felt like he hadn't done enough.
Still, Midoriya couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if he had used the quirk at one hundred percent.
His injuries would no doubt leave him in a worse state and frankly, Midoriya didn't want to think about it.
His thoughts must have shown on his face because the old lady gave him a kind and reassuring smile. "Don't worry. This is nothing to heal. Though I do advise you be more careful in the future."
She kissed his head, and Midoriya felt it's effect immediately. The pains that clouded his mind vanished, and for the first time Midoriya felt he could think clearly. His bones stopped aching, and while he never realised, his shaking from agony had stopped.
His liberation from pain came with tiredness, one so deep that it almost put him to sleep. Watching him through her visor was the old lady, examining his reactions to her healing. She turned from him, using her quirk on uraraka.
Midoriya watched through falling eye lids as uraraka released a pleased sigh, before relaxing.
He closed his eyes, knowing that he was safe here then let the darkness embrace him.
…
Silence.
It was only thing that rang out for what felt like hours within the dark room. The air was heavy, All might realised as he glanced around.
"Well," a female voice broke the stilling silence. The man recognized the owner as Midnight. "That was interesting, don't you think?"
"Interesting? More like reckless and impulsive." The man to his left drawled tiredly. He continued, "It seemed he had little to no control over his quirk, or else he would've gotten more than twenty five points. And yet he still charged in recklessly. Had things not gone as they went, he would've just made the situation worse."
"Yet it didn't. You're just too pessimistic, Shouta."
"It's called rationality, Mic. Something it seems the boy lacks."
Rationality. That was what Shouta, Eraserhead – said. But All might knew that his successor was anything but stupid. He had watched the boy for almost year now, and under that bashful and nervous fanboy child, laid an intelligent and quick thinking person.
The boy was a quick thinker. He never used his except for that one instance, and even then he had gotten all those points with his smarts only.
But still something worried him. He watched as the boy would pause sometimes, as if seeing something only visible to him. It took him no sooner to realize that it might be that dream the boy had told him earlier today that was affecting.
He started to wonder at first if the boy had recieved his quirk. Was it because his body wasn't strong enough? Or maybe the boy hadn't rested enough that the quirk rejected him? Or maybe All might, subconsciously, didn't want to pass on the quirk?
Just as he started worrying, he saw it. A flash of green electricity, dancing around the boys frame. He almost leapt out of his seat when he saw the boy move across thirty feet in an instant, saving someone's life in the process.
All might exhaled sharply. Once he was sure he had no eyes on him, he smiled.
To still save someone in a situation like that...as expected of you, Young Midoriya.
He didn't make a mistake in his successor.
"If being rational means not saving someone in time of need, then I think you need some help, Eraserhead." Cementos said.
"Exactly. Compared to that boy, this set of students don't seem to have much potential as heroes."
Potential. If All might didn't have a quirk that had to be given to a person careful selected, he wouldn't understand what they meant. What he meant wasn't a hero with a powerful quirk, or so someone that abandons those in need due to their 'rationality', as Aizawa out it.
What a hero needed was a pure heart. Simply having a powerful and dangerous quirk isn't enough.
As if on cue, they all turned to the screen on the left, where a boy with blond hair and fiery red eyes blasted robots left and right. He offered no help or assistance to those in need, and every teacher here knew the boy had zero rescue points. Selfish.
They didn't need another endeavor.
"That's what a hero school is about, right?" He said, for the first time since he got here. He had held his silence when all the other teachers had thrown his successor's name back and forth, not adding any input of his own. All might wasn't a cruel person, not showing any support for young Midoriya. The reason he held back was that he wanted the boy to get in of his own accord and merits, not due to his inputs and blatant favouritism.
God knows the boy would be let down and probably drown in his non existent self esteem. The boy already thought he was doing too much by training him and giving him one for all.
"It's our job to teach students to be heroes," All might continued, his experience with Young Midoriya, while limited came in mind, "If we aren't capable of doing that much, we don't deserve to be teachers and pro heroes ourselves."
An image of a boy, battered and tired, came to his mind.
He paused then frowned at the image, wondering where it came from.
"In any case, we can discuss things like this later on." All might finished, ignoring the weird image that had suddenly appeared in his mind
"Yeah, we need to get to important business." Eraserhead said tiredly.
All might felt the air within the secluded room get cold. Silence consumed them, mood tense as they all shifted their gaze to the only person within the room who hadn't spoken a word.
"What the hell happened there, Nezu? Had that girl gotten hurt–!"
"I don't know."
Silence. Those three words rendered them all speechless and they couldn't understand it. Nezu, U.A or maybe even the smartest being in the world, saying something like that.
All might noticed the blank look in nezu's eye and he couldn't help but shift back slightly. "What do you mean by that? Why didn't you stop the zero pointer!?"
Nezu's eye turned to him, and all might couldn't help but swallow as he stared into dark beady eyes. "See this?" He gestured towards the small device held in his tiny paws, "this controls the zero pointers. I was sure that I pressed it's termination sequence, and it worked."
"That wasn't what we–"
"Them you didn't stare enough." Nezu cut him off, easily correcting him. "It stopped, that I'm sure of it. And yet, no more than a second after it's shut down, it started up again. I've hit the remote several times since then and it's brought zero results."
"That isn't an excuse, Nezu. If she had gotten hurt, the press would never–"
"I know that, Eraserhead." The principal said, almost snapping. It surprised All might, honestly. The way Nezu was acting, his behaviour; it was like he was scared of something.
"I'll check it out with Powerloader. A mistake like this should not happen for the second time."
A sigh, presumably from the mentioned man. "Yeah, yeah, boss."
With that, silence reigned once more. No more words were said, instead everyone else busied their selves with grading each candidates. But All might wasn't paying attention to that.
Rather than focusing on the several screens, he watched Nezu. Whatever was going on within his head, it felt alarmed. Anxious, and even terrified, somewhat.
Even when All for One had been alive and kicking, the principal had never acted like this. A heavy frown made it's way to his lips, his dark blue eyes glowing within the dark.
All might noticed how the rats gaze darted between two screens, fingers tapping impatiently on his seat arms. He followed, tracing his gaze to what might be causing the rat unrest.
His gaze locked unto the first screen, but it was only Midoriya he could see. Raising a questioning brow, he stared at the principal carefully, not understanding where his fear came from.
Did he think Midoriya was bad person? It was possible. Giving such a power to a child like that would worry anyone in the know of One for All. Still, All might felt it was more than that.
Not understanding Nezu's fear of Midoriya, his gaze moved the the next screen to his right, searching.
All he saw was a girl with white hair and red eyes.
MIDORIYA stared at the hundreds of jewels laying on the floor. They were arranged in a shape reminiscent of a human, each one pulsing in blue light. The dark room glowed softly, almost soothing and relaxing.
The thought came and went, his mind shaking off any distractions. Once he was sure that he had made no mistakes, he got to work.
He placed his right hand on the humanoid jewels chest, green lightning dancing on the limb. It buzzed and hummed, before shooting from it's hand which served as it's container to it's new body.
Within his mind, Midoriya felt the last of eight lights vanish, his power reducing greatly. The light shot from his open palm, inserting itself within the jewels, each one now glowing black, rendering the room into complete darkness. Yet even with darkness, he could see it.
The jewels pulsed before melting, losing its shiny and crystal state. It reformed, it's state now similar to a human's, one made.of darkness. Slowly but sure, colours formed on it's form, taking a pale white skin tone with clothes of pitch black and white.
"Finally. I kept thinking you forgot about me." A female voice came from the body once made of jewels.
"Sorry, Nana."
Nana stood slowly, bones creaking and snapping into place. It was like she had slept for several years with the way her body groaned in stress.
"Don't worry. I know how busy your schedule is."
"Still, I should've hurried a bit. Staying inside there alone for long can drive anyone insane."
And he was right. Sometimes after a mission, he would arrive within the mindscape of One for All only to see no there. Time would pass, yet no one would be there. And with the world being of darkness, it was impossible to tell how much time passed. Not like he cared about time in general, per se.
She hummed slightly, walking behind him as they left the basement.
"So, what are you gonna do now?" Midoriya asked.
"Who knows. I still can't believe we're on a vacation!"
"Ah, I understand." Midoriya nodded. Because he really did.
"What about you, Midoriya?"
He plopped down on the soft chair, a laptop and several documents scattered around him. Nana chose to stand, surveying what could only be a mess.
"I still have work to here. So until I'm done, no vacation for me." He said, sulking.
It was true. Among the nine holders, only four actually went on vacation. The rest, like him, had to do intensive research and the likes on musutafu, where the Grail War was being held. He needed to know the kind of people around here, or it would come back to bite him.
Nana laughed awkwardly, no doubt being part of the slacking group. She reached out and ruffled his hair, with him letting her. It was her way of showing affection and care. "Sorry. I'll help out where I can, okay?"
"Or you can stay and help for real." He said hopefully.
"Sorry, not happening."
Midoriya sighed. At least he tried, right? "If you won't help, then shoo shoo."
Nana laughed, turning and walking towards an open window. She sat the frames, one leg dangling outside while the hair blew at her hair. She smiled tiredly, yet her form never seemed to lose its glow. "Vacation or not, I'm only joking. I'll help where I can, Midoriya."
With that she leaned out the window, falling outside. Her form grew incorporeal before it could fall, vanishing in a mist of blue dust.
He stared at the window for a second or so, the glow within his eyes dimming the more time passed. He turned his gaze from the open window, his eyes dead and empty, and.without wasting anymore time, he locked his gaze towards the laptop before him.
Contrary to what some might have thought, he couldn't just leave for vacation. He had been part of several holy grail wars, that much he was sure of. Yet those were no doubt different from this one. The reason? Pro heroes.
While the other grail wars would be held in normal societies most of the time, where security was mostly police and other law enforcement agencies, here it was different. Pro heroes were more active than police, the concept of patrol both at morning and night existed. As the overseer, he needed to do his research.
What research? It was on the heroes within musutafu and outside.
Loathe as he was to admit, Midoriya didn't recall any of pro heroes, at all. Time had passed, so he couldn't be blamed. The memory had faded and died several years ago, with the only hero he could remember being Toshinori. The rest he had forgotten, so he needed to fill that knowledge once more.
So here he was, browsing through the webs and checking for any heroes who, what was it called? Agency? Yeah, agency. He needed to check that.
The grail war was a very hidden event, if due to his negligence the war got known by heroes, it would be dangerous. Underground heroes could be dealt easily by him if it came down to it, but it was the daylight hero's he was wary of.
Their deaths would no doubt draw attention, and that was excluding the death toll the war would no doubt have.
So he was checking on the heroes of this time; their quirks, weaknesses, strengths. While the underground one's would be hard to get, he would make do with any information he managed to get.
Still..
"They really made their information public? Isn't that dangerous." He said, almost dumbfounded at the massive amounts of information -personal and public- some heroes had. Some even had their home address on here!
"Is itreally that strange?"
He didn't jolt at the sudden voice, simply turning a questioning brow at the hallway. Rin stood there, several bags held in her hands as she stared.
"How long have you been there?" He asked, hurriedly standing. Taking the bags from her hands, he felt how heavy everything was.
"Ten minutes or so. What, embarrassed?"
"You know that isn't what I meant." He sighed, moving to the kitchens. "You should've said something, at least."
"Not my fault you were so distracted. Besides, you looked so cute with that intense gaze in your eyes!"
She laughed as he stuttered slightly, leaving him and heading to her room. What the hell was wrong with that woman? Sighing, he peaeked outside the kitchen, gaze narrowing on the clock. Just as she said, he'd been so invested that an hour had passed since Nana left.
Sloppy.
"Now," Rin said, entering the kitchen with her clothes changed and more comfortable. She wore a red shirt and black pants, with an apron over everything. "What's got you so agitated?"
Midoriya was didn't reply at first. Silence stretched out as they got to work, taking out the groceries and other accessories she had bought. Before long, they had both emptied all nine bags, their contents all placed on the kitchen counter.
"It's the pro heroes."
"Hmm, what about them?"
Midoriya sighed, "It's been four days already since I came here. Since then I've been trying to get information on the pro's I can. Do you know what I found?"
Rin glanced at him, side eyed. "No."
"Everything."
She didn't reply, and he continued on regardless. "Of course, most of them don't have all their personal information on the webs, but that isn't important. What's important is that their quirks and the likes that have their weaknesses are all there."
It was the truth. Their quirks alone being there already created situations where villains could easily create counters where they'd be rendered useless. You didn't even need to hack into their database. Simply searching on the pro heroes around musutafu and one can easily get what they need.
He watched as her hands paused mid air, seemingly mulling over something in her head. Time passed in silence between them, and just as he thought she wasn't going to reply, sounds of barely concealed laughter entered his ears.
His head snapped to Rin, eyebrows raised as he watched her completely break down, no longer trying to hide her amusement. She laughed loudly, annoying him.
His eyes twitched. "Are you mocking me?"
"What, n-no!" Rin said, trying to contain her laughter but failing spectacularly. "It's just funny, you know?"
"I don't know, Rin. I really don't."
She hummed, a smirk on her lips. "It's just ironic coming from you, of all people. I would expect something like that from someone else, but you? It's hilarious!"
"But!" She cut him off before he could speak, her smile still present. "Since you can't remember, I'll tell you. Be grateful."
"You—" Rin started slowly, pausing at her words. Midoriya couldn't help but sigh internally in exasperation. Why did she have to be so dramatic?
"—were the number one hero."
…
…
…
…
….what?
"What?"
He was number one? Midoriya frowned, trying desperately to bring out such a memory. No, that couldn't be right.
"What do you mean 'what'? Is your memory that bad." She sighed. "Seems like old age has really gotten to you. You old man."
Midoriya brows twitched in irritation. "Funny coming from you of all people, Rin. Or is it age as you said, old ha—"
A blink and blast of killing intent. In a second, a knife was pressed to his throat, it's tip digging lightly into his skin. Midoriya blinked slowly, then gulped, keeping a calm facade throughout.
"What did you say, Midoriya? Didn't quite catch you." Tohsaka said, smiling sweetly.
Cute.
"...Nothing."
He wisely kept quiet.
"Still, that doesn't make any sense." Midoriya sighed, stepping back to let Rin move past him towards the sink. He watched her wash the knife and purchased vegetables, all thoughts of the previous moment vanishing.
"And I'm saying that you were the number one. Or are you saying I'm lying, Midoriya?"
"That's not what I meant. You know that." He sighed, racking his head desperately. But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how hard he searched, nothing came to his mind.
Just like always.
An image came to his mind suddenly, a boy with dirty blond hair and fiery red eyes. It vanished as soon it appeared, yet it told him all he needed to. There used to be someone like that, right? "What about…" he started, hesitating Abit as the memory struggled to surface, "Him? Yeah, what of that exploding boy or whatever his name was?"
Rin turned to him, brow raised. "Exploding boy? Ah, you mean Bakugo?"
Bakugo? He rolled the name on his tongue, memories painfully unraveling. There used to be someone like that, right?
Midoriya nodded and she continued. "He became the number one after you retired, if I remember correctly. You didn't stay in the spot long though, and with how busy you got, it wasn't a surprise."
That at least he remembered. He recalled that he stopped being a hero a year after that event; the weight of everything he carried almost too much to bear at the time. He remembered passing the baton on the next, stepping down from the spotlight completely. He had much important things to deal with, after all.
At that point, his relationship with his friends could only be called nonexistent.
"Still, I'm surprised you don't remember." He was just as surprised too, Rin. "With how much history you both had, I thought atleast you would've kept memories with him."
"It's not like I had any good things to remember with him, Rin. Not with the way everything ended…" He drawled at the ending, not completely his sentence.
Just as he thought, she winced, obviously knowing exactly what he was talking about. "Yeah, sorry about that."
Midoriya smiled, waving off her apologies. "Don't worry. It's all in the past, right?"
"Right.." Rin said, the disbelief almost suffocating from the word. In the end she dropped it, not wanting to sour the mood any further. "Now, stop mopping around and help me with this. Dinner isn't going to prepare itself!"
"Why did you even buy this much anyway? Servants don't eat!"
"Well I'm sorry for trying to be nice to your ungrateful ass. If you don't want to help, then be prepared to sleep outside for the night!" She said, fire in eyes.
He stepped back from the sheer force she exceeded, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'm not even that much of chef."
"Not an excuse! Just watch me and learn. That's what your origin is good for, right!?"
He was starting to regret staying here.
Authors Note.
So well, that's that. Sorry for the late update, but things have been a bit hard in real life. Not going to complain here, but I could've probably been done with this last week or so if I pushed this. But not wanting to rush it, I took it slow.
Tell me what I need to work out, please. I'm think of writing an original novel later in the future, and I need any advice as possible.
14.1k words, much isn't it? Next update might come out next month or the month after that since I'm trying to get into college, so…..
Also the fight scene was trash, wasn't it? I've read better but as since I'm new to this, I'm going to try to improve on it. We all start somewhere, right?
Anyway thanks for reading, and see you whenever!