Hero Academia: Final Fantasy VIII
Disclaimer:
Boku no Hero Academia is owned by Kohei Horikoshi and Bones
Final Fantasy VIII is owned by Square Soft
Hello, fellow fic readers and My Hero Academia fans! Welcome to a new My Hero Academia fanfic. This time something new popped onto my head and I decided to see how this would go as this story has a new twist while retaining most elements from the anime while incorporating "superhero"-like twists here.
It all started when I came across Play store on my smartphone and accidentally came across an app that lets you play Playstation 1 roms, which was the epsxe emulator, and then I came a website where you can download Playstation 1 ROM games as I already have a downloaded the emulator, and while browsing I came across a very familiar game that I played way back during the advent of the year 2000 (1999, to be precise). That game was Final Fantasy VIII. And though I played the game way back almost two decades ago, it wasn't an easy play as I got killed several times due to the difficulty and running out of healing MP and items, yet my younger cousin managed to finish the game right before my eyes.
Going back right now, as I installed the emulator and game on my smartphone, I play and enjoyed it, mainly because the emulator comes with a list of built-in cheat codes, hence I took the chance to have the characters (particularly Squall Leonhart) have unlimited HP and MP, as well as raising the stats.
At present I finished disc 1 and am starting on disc 2, and while playing the game it inspired me to come up with a way to make a fanfiction, and My Hero Academia came to mind and decided to try combining the two series and thus I was able to conceive the initial plot.
Given that this is a crossover of sorts by combining the elements of My Hero Academia and Final Fantasy VIII, this fic would be AU, and there would be a lot of surprises in regards on which MHA characters would appear and what roles they would play…
Well then, read on and enjoy!
Ch. 1: Kongo no misshon e no jokyoku
Balamb.
Balamb is a town located in the country of the same name. A peaceful seaside town, Balamb is a popular tourism spot and is connected to the Galbadian continent via a transcontinental railway. It is famous for a delicacy known as the Balamb Fish. Souvenirs are sold at front of the train station and tourism is a valuable source of revenue for the city.
The town of Balamb is located on the south-western edge of the Balamb continent. Balamb Town is a seaside resort town, hosting tourists from all over Galbadia, and is also known for its seafood and for the rare Balamb Fish. As such, the town is sunny, with white stone buildings reminiscent of Greek island architecture, all of which have flora on their roofs. It has narrow painted cobblestone roads along the streets.
The town is home to a train station linked to a transcontinental railroad leading to Galbadia, which is the largest building and is prominent in its appearance on the world map. It is also home to a large hotel overlooking the sea, which is its tallest building and is used by tourists. Its harbor is used by fishermen and commercial ships and is its most notable point of interest.
The design of its buildings is unique and based on curved lines with streamline patterning of uniform height to conserve the natural scenery, as Balamb is the main town of the island nation of the same name with abundant natural environments and surrounded by the ocean. The sea breeze corrodes metal fast and thus the town has a busy garage for vehicle maintenance.
Balamb town's dominance on the island was diminished twelve years ago when UA Garden, a training center for the elite military force under the name of UA, was erected. Because of its isolated location, Balamb residents often revel in their ability to ignore military conflicts going on in the rest of the world, and to some extent, resent that the Garden's presence serves as a reminder of those problems. The townspeople respect those who choose to attend the Garden, which they see as a school for the gifted.
-x-
The scene shifts at an apartment, where a five-year old boy, sporting green, curly hair and having a freckled face, is watching a live footage on TV, where several pro heroes are seen doing heroic deeds like stopping crime and saving people. The little boy is so fixated that he aspires to become a hero himself when he grows up.
The boy is identified as Izuku Midoriya, and he appeared to be an avid fan of the number one pro hero, who was shown, yet his name was not identified. As the little boy is watching in awe and admiration, his mother, Inko, smiled as she felt that her son has found inspiration, and there the little boy told his mom that he wants to become a hero like the pro hero, which his mom smiled and said he would one day become one.
"Mom! Look!"
"Yes?"
"That guy is amazing, right?"
"Yes, Izuku."
"Can I become like him?"
"I'm sure you would."
"I'm going to become a pro hero when I grow up!"
"Yes, Izuku."
However, as fate would make itself apparent, the Midoriya family learned from a doctor that Izuku is Quirkless, and told Inko that they should just give it up, and accept the fact that Izuku is just an ordinary boy and can never become a pro hero, which Inko was in disbelief, asking the doctor how is this possible as she and her late husband (who is said to have died some time ago) possess Quirks.
However, the doctor said that Izuku is one of the rare cases where he is born Quirkless and tells her that Izuku should just become an ordinary citizen, attend an ordinary school and live an ordinary life, and tells her that this is how life is, nothing more.
At their apartment, Inko went to her son's room to check on him and saw that Izuku is facing the TV watching the pro hero's exploits, but saw that her son is heart-broken at the fact that he is Quirkless, as he feels that his dreams will never be achieved and Inko consoled her son, seeing that he is depressed at this and apologized to her son, though all he could do is cry silently at this as he is forced to face the harsh truth and reality.
"M-mom…"
"Izuku…?"
"C-can…I…still be…a hero…?"
"Izuku…"
"…"
"Oh, Izuku! I'm sorry!"
"…"
"I'm sorry!"
-x-
In the years that passed, Midoriya's status as a Quirkless became known to his neighborhood, and neighborhood bullies uses their Quirk to torment him, mentally, and physically, to the point of badly injuring him, and as a battered and bleeding Midoriya lay on the ground, the bullies are ready to inflict more harm on the hapless boy, seeing that he could not fight back due to lacking a Quirk.
"Hah!"
"Look at that!"
"He really is Quirkless!"
"He couldn't even retaliate!"
"You're a loser!"
"You should commit suicide!"
"Yeah, you're a failure!"
"A trash!"
This made Izuku's childhood life unmemorable and Inko tried hard to make her son realize that all is not lost and that she is sure that something good is bound to happen and that a bright tomorrow awaits him and he shouldn't give up on life.
Inko's love for her son proved to be the factor that made Izuku hold on and persevere the challenges that came and he fought the misfortunes that tried to pull him down, and so far he is able to move past the fact that he is born Quirkless.
Perhaps the biggest tragic challenge came when a reckless driver is trying to escape pursuing police cars, and some UA Garden mercenaries whom the police requested for assistance, and in the ensuing chase the fleeing suspect brazenly rammed several pedestrians, and the Midoriya's are among the victims. However, Inko managed to shove her son away before being run over by the ramming van, and Inko is fatally wounded, and using her last remaining life, she tells a crying Izuku not to give up, and keep on living, assuring to him that his dreams will one day come true.
"Izuku…"
"Mom…"
"Its…okay…you…have…"
"Mom…please…"
"Live…stay…strong…"
"Mom…mom…"
"You're…my HOPE..."
"Mom…mom…!"
After that, Inko perished, leaving Izuku heartbroken and though he cried silently, he tried to hold on after remembering what Inko said, and yet he faced uncertainty as he is living by himself and has no relatives within Balamb.
-x-
The fact that Inko died became a challenge, as he is now alone, and with no relatives coming to claim Inko's corpse, Izuku is living alone at the apartment he is staying. But more tests came as the apartment owner turn out to be unsympathetic, and uses dubious means to drive Izuku out of the apartment and the little boy is rendered homeless now.
Adding insult is that his personal belongings, including his All Might collectibles, were sold off, and Izuku wandered the streets until Social Services sent him to the orphanage. There Izuku spent the next few years living in loneliness.
-x-
In the years that passed, Midoriya is able to persevere as he recalled what Inko told him before, and he held on and was able to finish elementary and soon he is set to graduate middle school, and there during the final months of his 3rd year in middle school, he was approached by someone, which Midoriya blinked his eyes at the one who approached him.
The one who approached Midoriya is revealed to be a stout creature who appears to be a possible combination of several different animals, including a dog, a mouse, and a bear, which would make him a chimera. He has the head of a mouse with circular black eyes, a large scar over the right one, relatively rectangular-shaped ears with pale pink insides slanting outwards from the top of his head, and an elongated muzzle with a small round nose. His fur is white and has large, dog-like paws with pink pads and a thin tail like that of a cat.
He sports a white dress shirt, a dark red tie around his neck, a black double-breasted waistcoat and matching dress pants. He wears orange lace-up sneakers with incredibly thick soles which seem to be quite large on him
There he introduced himself as Nezu, and there he told Midoriya that he has SEEN his records, as well as the fact that Midoriya is born Quirkless, and there Nezu gave Midoriya an offer where he would get a chance to SHINE despite not having a natural-born Quirk, which made the younger boy blink his eyes in bafflement.
"You…want me to…enroll at your…?"
"Yes. I really do."
"But…why…? I don't have a Quirk and all…"
"That alone is no excuse for you to not attend any school…also, I see potential in you."
"Me…?"
"Yes. I can tell."
"Uh…"
"Anyhow…"
Nezu told Midoriya that he would like to INVITE him to enroll at UA Garden which is situated east of the town of Balamb. As Nezu explains, students attend school in hopes of becoming pro-mercenaries, which are similar to pro heroes. There Nezu told Midoriya that UA Garden is one of the three Gardens in the world alongside Ketsubutsu Garden in Trabia and Shiketsu Garden in Galbadia.
Seeing that Midoriya has free time as classes have ended, Nezu invited Midoriya come with him, saying that he would like to give the younger boy a tour around UA Garden, and Midoriya reluctantly accepted and after a few undetermined amount of time the two arrived at UA Garden, where Nezu personally gave Midoriya a tour around the Garden.
There Nezu explained to the younger boy a few things about UA Garden, which includes that the Garden works both as a location, and as a method of transportation around the world map, which surprised the younger boy, and there Nezu said that he would like to RECRUIT Midoriya as a student and told the younger boy that he has potential, much to the younger boy's hesitation.
"Are…are you sure about this…? About you…wanting me to…enroll at UA Garden…?"
"Yes. I really do. And I'm serious about it."
"But…why…? What do you see in me...? I have to remind you that I don't have a Quirk of my won and…"
"And again I reiterate…being Quirkless is no excuse for you to not attend any school…and at the same time, I see potential in you, hence why I approached you."
"Me…?"
"Yes. I can tell, if properly coached and educated, you can bring out your potential."
"Uh…"
"Anyhow…how about this…"
As a way to entice the younger boy as well as to give him motivation and lift his morale, Nezu said that should Midoriya enroll at UA Garden, he would have lots of benefits, including having a dormitory and a SECRET WAY to acquire a Quirk, which made Midoriya stare in surprise.
"Huh?"
"…"
"Do you mean…?"
"Yes."
"Even a Quirkless like me could…?"
"You heard me correctly."
"…"
"And furthermore…"
Moreover, Nezu said that should Midoriya accept the offer, he would at least have a home and a place to stay, while at the same time he won't get LONELY in staying at the orphanage given that none from the Midoriya relatives came and none were willing to adopt the younger boy, and there Midoriya ultimately decided to accept Nezu's offer.
As Nezu was called by a janitor, he momentarily left Midoriya, and as the younger boy looked around, he was confronted by another boy who is roughly the same age as him, but this boy is prideful and aggressive, and he seemed to know Midoriya as he is irritated at seeing him and immediately demanded to know if he is planning to enroll here at UA Garden.
"You…"
"Huh…?"
"I can't believe that I'd see your irritating face…"
"Huh? You…"
"You damn nerd…!"
"No way…is that…you…?"
"What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Ka-chan…!"
The other boy, described as a teenager of average height, with a slim, muscular build, and a fair skin tone. He has short, spiky, sandy blond hair with choppy bangs that hang over his eyebrows. His eyes are sharp and bright red in color.
He is identified as Katsuki Bakugo, and there he told Midoriya to leave as he told him that UA Garden is no place for Quirkless people like Midoriya, though the latter told Bakugo that it was Nezu who brought him here and that he already accepted the offer, which further irritated Bakugo that he grabbed Midoriya by his collar and told him to leave, stating that only he would get to stand on this stage that is UA Garden and become the number one pro-mercenary.
"Get out!"
"But…"
"I said get the hell out!"
"I can't…"
"This garden is TOO SMALL for any of us…and only me would get…"
"I already accepted the principal's offer…"
"Then tell him you changed your mind!"
"But..."
However the tension was averted as Nezu came and gently told Bakugo to stop, saying that it was his decision to bring Midoriya here and that Midoriya would be a good asset to UA Garden, just like how he approached Bakugo and got accepted here, much to Bakugo's disbelief as he couldn't believe that Nezu actually brought Midoriya here.
"Be a bit charitable, Bakugo."
"…"
"My bringing Midoriya here is the same thing I did to you a month ago…so there's no reason for you or I to turn that boy away."
"…"
"I hold no favorites here…as I see you two as equals."
"…"
"So try to get along now. Okay…?"
"…"
To Be Continued...
Hope you liked this chapter, as it partially retells the events of Midoriya's early years when he found out that he was Quirkless and live a rather harsh childhood…but form there the story diverges significantly, as I had Inko pass away in a tragic way and made Midoriya an orphan, and live in an orphanage during his elementary school days.
As you can see, this fic's plot is based on Final Fantasy VIII, and since this is a My Hero Academia fic, I sort of blend the two franchises together by setting it in a Final Fantasy world whilst retaining elements of My Hero Academia, though I thought of adding some intrigues and originality by turning three hero schools into GARDENS and based them on the three GARDENS and the locations of the continents they represent (Balamb = UA Academy, East; Galbadia = Shiketsu High School, West; Trabia = Ketsubutsu Academy = Northeast).
This is just the start as more are on the way, and more characters would be introduced along with some hints and elements from the Final Fantasy VIII (especially which Final Fantasy VIII characters the MHA crew would portray).
Preview:
Midoriya starts his life at UA Garden, and would soon get to a test to ACQUIRE a GUARDIAN QUIRK…before getting assigned to his very first mission for UA Garden…
See you next month…
Reviews are welcomed, but needed…