To say that Himiko was worried would be an understatement, she was on the edge of having a full freak out.

After her horrible fight with her brother and running away only to be stopped by All Might before she could go far, she was a mess. She had hoped for the support of her family and her mom did accept it but Izuku…

Ughh… just thinking about it again made her feel worse but the fact that he never returned either to their mom or the dorms all night didn't sit right with her.

So sitting in her classroom made her feel all itchy, like a tightly coiled spring, just wanting to get up and go search for him. She knew he was strong, stronger than any of them but there was still that freak accident that happened last night that made an entire street disappear.

She couldn't focus on anything, only gaining bits and pieces of the conversations her classmates were having, something about Shinsou's sister?

It felt wrong to see his seat empty, like something had been ripped away from her and she couldn't help but feel like it was her fault.

She could barely focus as their homeroom teacher walked in and she would have completely dismissed the man if it wasn't for his words.

"I have an important announcement to make so quiet down" their teacher only continued after their voices disappeared "Some of you may know that the sports festival is coming up and that you are all required to participate. Well, I was late because I was talking to the principal about one of you" Their teacher then turned to look at the still open door and nodded.

Slowly, a boy with messy stark white hair walked in, his hands, neck and right cheek covered in bandages, most of the class couldn't recognize the kid but not Himiko, even if they looked different she could recognize those green eyes anywhere.

Somehow reading their mind, their teacher clicked his tongue "How blind are you all? This is Izuku Midoriya" the revelation brought a noise of surprise out of everyone, their classmate just smiled at them. "After suffering a number of wounds, the principal has accepted to let him skip the event and after it, Midoriya will be officially leaving UA"

That brought everyone to silence.

Izuku took the chance "I want you all to know that this is of my own decision and that I fully enjoyed the short time we had together, thank you all for everything" they couldn't find a single hint of sadness in his words.

After that, as if nothing had happened, Izuku took his seat and Aizawa started the class.

Through it all, the class was obviously out of it. The sudden message that one of them was leaving made all of them stop. They had been aware of the threat of expulsion since the very first day, but for one of them, Midoriya of all people, to actually go was not something they had even imagined.

And the thing that confused them the most, was how the boy in specific was completely unfazed by this. Yes, Izuku had said it was his decision but this is UA, the greatest hero school there is, most would try to argue a little to stay.

This news affected all but three classmates in particular who were looking at Midoriya with different gazes.

When the bell rang a quick silent conversation happened between their teacher and Izuku as they nodded at each other. The moment the adult walked out of the room chaos erupted.

"Why are you leaving!?"

"What happened to you!?"

"How are you fine with this!?"

Their voices mixed together into a barely understandable mess of noise but Izuku didn't move back, instead he raised his hands to try and stop them.

"Guys, please calm down, it's fine. Like I said, all of this was my decision so there's nothing to feel bad about, and don't worry about me, I just had a small accident is all" Izuku lied as he got up and grabbed his bag, the smile on his face ever present but never actually reaching his eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet up with Aizawa again."

His classmates could only move out of his way as the almost tangible wall he had placed between them pushed them aside.

Izuku walked through UA's hallways without a care in the world, making turns to the left and right before he reached a dead ende and turned back at the three that had been following him.

"Hello Himiko, Bakugo, Todoroki, can I help you?" He asked with a sweet tone.

"You fucking know why we're here" Bakugo went first as he glared at Izuku "What the hell happened nerd?"

"About the expulsion?" Izuku somehow dared to tilt his head and look surprised "I already said that this was something I chose so there-"

"Then what are those bandages for?" Himiko interrupted, "What happened to you?" It was just one night , was left unsaid.

"It was just a little accident, nothing too bad" Izuku let out a blatant lie with a smile making her stomach turn and for Bakugo to growl at him.

"Then what are you going to do?" Todoroki asked, his eyes as cold as before but Izuku could see the small swirl of emotions in it.

"I'll still participate in class and cheer for all of you when the festival comes but after that, it'll be farewell"

"What happened to your dream? What happened to being a hero?" Bakugo asked, anger and a tinge of sadness in his words but they got a reaction out of Izuku.

A flinch.

His hands fiddle with the straps of his backpack, thinking of an answer before finally "Life happened, it happened and now I will never see the end of that dream." his words echoed around the hallway, they exuded a bone deep exhaustion and the way he was looking at the floor instead of them said more than anything.

But just as fast as it came, it was replaced by the fake smile "but you will. You'll grow up, you'll live and become the very best" it was said not as a request but as if it was a fact of reality but there was a strange desperate edge to it.

Bakugo clenched his fists, he knew Izuku, he may have changed a lot but whoever it was in front of him was an entirely different person, so he held his tongue and walked away.

Todoroki followed him, only sending a glance back at Midoriya before disappearing.

Himiko stayed and so did Izuku, they both knew they had much more to say.

As his full attention fell on her, she could feel as if he didn't much look at her as he did through her, as if he was looking at someone else or something else.

"You took it, didn't you?"

She knew what he was talking about, she didn't know how he knew but he did, and she nodded.

Neither of them spoke, the words getting stuck in her throat as she looked at the barely recognizable boy. She knew it was Izuku but he was so different from who he had been just yesterday, what happened to him?

"I guess I can't get in your way anymore, but Himiko…" his smile was gone "Do you really think you can carry that? Can you really hold such a bright light without getting burned?"

She blinked in surprise, the words were obviously warnings but to what? The quirk? But how would he know if it was dangerous "What are you-"

Izuku ignored her question as he walked past her "Izuku!" She grabbed his wrist to stop him "What are you talking about? What happened to you!?"

"Sis, do you remember our promise?" Without looking back he asked her.

A promise? What-

"If… for some reason I become a villain--"

Her eyes widened as the memory of that night struck her and she watched as Izuku turned to her and smiled, giving her a real smile.

One filled with regret.

He took the chance of her shock to pull his hand away and walk around the corner, getting out of her view.

It took her a second to register everything but when she did, she ran after her sibling only to find an empty hallway.

--

Aizawa glanced at the tired teen that walked into the room, a swirl of emotions in his eyes.

"Took your time"

"Sorry" Izuku apologized "Some of them ended up following me."

"It's alright Midoriya" Nezu said as he poured another cup of tea "but I believe it is time we get ourselves in order now, so shall we?"

Izuku took the open seat and held the warm cup as he nodded "Always to the point, but you are correct"

"I have already placed a few trackers in Ingenium's suit so it'll be easy to track his location and watch him through any cameras we need to" the white rat took a sip of his drink as he explained.

"And have you already checked?" Aizawa asked, Izuku frowned but nodded nonetheless.

"Yes, Himiko has One For All" seeing the bright shine of the quirk had made his stomach turn but he knew that it was something that he needed to prepare himself for.

Aizawa sighed "Then I guess we'll have to go through with that plan…" there was a bitter expression on the man's face.

Nezu slowly nodded "It would have been better if it didn't come to this but alas, I'll do what you said and contact Power loader so than he can get us Hatsume"

"I'll also need one of the training grounds, before I leave I need to have a good conversation with Todoroki to fully break him out of his shell" Izuku requested.

"You'll have it by tomorrow" the dark haired hero answered.

The trio continued their discussion for a few more minutes, ironing out more of the kinks and making sure to be on the same page of what they were going to need, Izuku forced himself to ignore the saddened glances the two of them gave him, he couldn't falter, not now, not ever. When they finished Izuku stood up from his seat and reached for the door.

"Midoriya, before you leave, I must ask you once more" the intelligent black eyes of the principal looked at Izuku with a somber look "Are you truly sure that you wish to do this?"

Izuku didn't answer right away, a tired smile forming on his face with the eyes of a man that had accepted his fate that did not fit his young appearance.

"It's the only way" He declared "For this cycle to finally end, One For All and All For One both need to die."

--

During the classes Izuku maintained his kind nature with his classmates but very clearly maintained a wall between them so when he suddenly asked to meet later with Todoroki, it surprised everyone.

To the two toned boy, it was more of a surprise that the mysterious boy brought him to one of the training rooms the teachers had told them about before.

"So, Todoroki, how have you been?" Izuku casually asked him as if he wasn't the biggest mystery in school.

"I've been… fine"

"That's great" the white haired boy began to stretch "Tell me, have you thought about what I told you when we first met?"

"About my power…" Izuku nodded

"That's good, you've been thinking about it, so what do you think?"

Shouto fell silent and instead, he raised his left arm and a small orange flame formed on his palm. Izuku smiled and looked at him with warm eyes, he looked so proud of him, and expression that he hadn't seen from his parents in such a long time.

"I was planning to bring you here and force that fire out of you but you've already beat me to the punch" moving to the other side of the ring, Izuku rolled back his sleeves revealing more of the bandages that covered his body "How good are you now?"

"I've been practicing but it's still difficult to control."

"That's to be expected, quirks are like muscles the less you use them the harder it will be to move when you need it. So I'll help"

"What?"

"I'll help you train" He repeated "I have a similar quirk so I can give you advice in that side"

"But your wounds-"

Izuku let out a laugh "Scared to lose to some in bandages? Come on Todoroki, something like this won't stop me from giving you a lesson"

It was a dumb taunt, something you would hear middle schoolers say so… why was he smiling?

"Heh, come on Todoroki" Izuku's hands were engulfed by blue flames ad the temperature of the room grew higher "Show me that you can grasp that power and make it yours"

"Show me that you can be a hero."

Seeing the determined look in his friend, Todoroki took a deep breath. Midoriya had led him down a path he never imagined for himself, one that would not only allow him to become the hero he dreamed of but to also escape the chains his father had placed on him so long ago.

He was incredibly thankful to him and that is why…

Ice and fire burst out of Todoroki, an excited smile on his face.

He'll give it his all, just for him.