Chapter 9 : When you need help, call for it.
The rest of the week was fun but frustrating for Izuku. Fun, because U.A. was everything he dreamed it was in his childhood dream:
-First off, Eraserhead as a teacher. Their homeroom teacher was quite the troll. He often did some logical ruse of his own, like pulling a surprise test for something they just saw 10 minutes earlier in another class and canceling at the last minute a planned one. However, it helped them to learn to guess more when he was serious and when he was not.
However, no one expected him to be angered by the "Heroes!" game they did. A small tournament with Momo (because surprisingly, the heir of the firm owning the game played it), Katsuki, Iida (who had of course an "Ingenium and sidekick" deck), Tokoyami with a "Quetzacoalt" the Mexican "hero" of blood and terror and Denki who had a "Crimson Riot and the Old Guard" deck.
However, Aizawa went ballistic when he saw Izuku's deck when he entered the classroom, especially the "Fake wedding" combo with him and Joke. Aizawa seemed to die inside, when Izuku asked him if he should have used the "Bromance" combo with him and Present Mic, Beach edition. It was true that tactically speaking it would have been better.
-Secondly, Cementoss class. Learning about Murakami's greatest writings had been a pleasure and Izuku had been happy they could talk about one of his favorite authors. He also liked that they took the time to speak about a few others and not necessarily the Japanese one, such as Terry Pratchett and his "Discworld", quite a fascinating series.
-Third, he had a good chance to roast Katsuki during Midnight's lesson, as he did listen during Auntie Mitsuki's lesson. Being able to participate a lot during Modern Hero Art. Learning how to design efficiently a costume had been marvelous and once again, Izuku had been thankful for his all but blood aunt to have helped his mother with his costume.
-Fourth, THEY HAD FREAKING ALL MIGHT IN THE LAST DAY OF THE WEEK TO TEACH THEM HEROIC. Let's just say that Izuku's hype could have powered a small nuclear reactor. He was that excited and he almost exploded when he learned the fifth point.
-Atsuhiro had proposed to his mother.
—--
"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!"
"Old hag! You can prepare Auntie Inko's wedding dress! I can see them drowning their apartment of happiness from my room!"
"ABOUT DAMN TIME. Though, the sound Izuku made was a dead giveaway."
—--
Mitsuki was of course Inko's bridesmaid. Atsuhiro's best man had been a strange fellow of the name of Danjuro Tobita. Inko had some real doubt on him before Manami Aiba showed her ID, proving she was just small and child-like looking. It did indeed reassure her a lot during the early preparations (the wedding was not for now but they wanted to prepare for everything).
Nedzu, because of course the rat knew everything, sent Atsuhiro a reservation for a small church, discreetly, with the rat's promise that no hero would be there if he wanted to invite a few vigilantes and lesser moral characters. Hey, he couldn't understand marriage very well, but he knew it was a thing to do, to treat humans well so they were happier to help.
Still, it had been a really nice event, happier to Izuku than All-Might's classroom. Even his friends (having to think of that word in plural was potentially a good sixth to be fair) noticed that the hyped boy was more hyper that day. Notably because he made a few magic tricks for everyone, even pulling out some plastic flowers for the girls.
The fact he pulled a red rose for Tooru was purely random but nobody believed him.
However, as said before, not everything had been sunshine, rainbows and flowers for cute girls.
Shouto Todoroki.
The teen often brought Izuku's inner Katsuki to light. When our favorite magician was out of school, he actually went on a rant that Katsuki thought was a bit mild but a good try.
Where to begin. While the heterochromatic teen was indeed a top student, seemingly acing every class, he was just so unemotional about everything it was seriously jarring for everyone. Even Koda, who was not the most expressive kid as he was shyer than Izuku a year before, showed much more enthusiasm in the classroom.
However, Todoroki seemed at best bored. At worst he seemed to wonder what he was doing there, like in Cementoss' class and Mignight's. Which was something that seriously irked Izuku and Bakugou's enthusiasm. They worked hard to get there and Mister Icye Hot did not put any effort into classes.
Even Aizawa was often grumbling as Todoroki was doing good enough but not the best he could. Especially as everyone knew now he had fire but did not use it.
In other words, he was a brilliant student who was not putting everything he could and did not seem to notice he was actually angering most of the class.
As a contrast, Momo, the other recommendation student, was often trying to help her fellow students by making stuff for the class and making them discover tea and a few other things. She was the top of the class but everyone understood why: she worked hard. Even Katsuki was impressed by her notebook and actually had to concede the point… Before saying he would be the top of the class soon enough, working even harder, to Momo's embarrassment.
As for the class, well, soon enough, except for Todoroki who seemingly excluded himself from the group, everyone began to speak and form various groups. However, the permeability was high, and while Tooru, Mina, Jiro and Kamina were often plotting various weird things, sometimes they would enlist Izuku's help.
Aizawa never managed to prove how they managed to use helium on Present Mic but asked for the how. He had years of vengeance to plot and he was not above such warfare.
So, let's say when word got out that All-Might's various classes tended to be battles among students, Izuku and Katsuki were seriously praying that one of them would get Todoroki… who proceeded to tell them, instantly that it did not matter whoever got him, they would lose.
That did not help.
—--
Meanwhile, Tomura was still planning more and more of his attack. He had to think how he could attack All-Might and still make Izuku support his ideals afterward on the off chance he did kill All-Might.
That thought made him laugh a bit. A year ago, he would have rushed into the fight himself with only Kurogiri in tow. Now? Now, he was seeing the hidden lesson Sensei tried to impart to him.
Did Sensei fight his own fights? He did not. He had pawns for that, to be sacrificed if necessary. Pawns he treated otherwise well to make them subservient to him. No, he was certain he was not one, because Sensei loved him as a son. If Tomura had lost, he would certainly break him out just like that Shark guy who had paid insurance to Sensei.
No, the fight was to be lost. Noumu was strong, it was a fact. However, it was a prototype on a test run, Tomura understood that now.
Tomura's future raid was a test from Sensei on multiple fronts : could Tomura plan an attack? Could he learn to work with what he had? And finally…
How does one win by losing?
Kurogiri was serving his charge a strawberry milk as he began to laugh maniacally and finished writing a few things. The barman was happy. He had decided that if he could, he would pay back this… Izuku. Tomura did not decay anything except when he truly wanted thanks to his gloves. He actually began to shower on a semi-daily basis (Kurogiri took his victory where he could)... And most importantly, as the cloudy noumu noted, Tomura was less nihilistic.
Did he want to destroy society and heroes? Yes. That was something central to him, thanks Sensei. However, after befriending Izuku, Tomura had a goal beyond simply… well destroying for the sake of destroying. Izuku was weak and bullied by society. That gave him one more reason to destroy it but then what?
It had been Izuku who pointed it to him. Let's say that Tomura destroyed everything. Then what? What would happen to Izuku as an example afterward, with villains running rampant and no one to protect him?
Tomura had then answered that no one was to hurt his… friend. A strange word, with a stranger taste.
He liked it.
Still, he had seen that even Sensei couldn't always protect every asset he wanted to protect. That he had to cut some of his closest ones because of that.
So, could Tomura, weaker than his Sensei, be sure he would be able to protect his younger teammate?
Tomura was finishing to play cards against himself. He was determined.
He had to level up.
—--
Then, the day finally came. The sun was rising, as Izuku threw a rock into Katsuki's room.
"WAKE UP KATSUKI!"
Bakugou's door slammed violently onto the wall as Katsuki exited it. He was angry and happy, which was not a sight for the weak of the heart.
"I'M ALREADY AWAKE! NOW LET'S GO."
And damn, both were more than ready. Izuku was fairly certain he had everything planned if he fought Todoroki. Something to bring down the golden frosty student.
No one thought however how the day would have ended.
—--
"I AM HERE, ENTERING COMPLETELY NORMALLY."
Said the larger than life All-Might. Yagi Toshinori was a man of many talents. He was smart. He had talent in how to use his quirk (something hilarious when knowing his secret). He had the dramatic flair that too many heroes lacked. It was something you could learn to a degree, as Endeavor did learn. However, either you had it or you would always lack something. He had also an excellent situational awareness, which was always useful in his work.
But most importantly, Yagi knew his flaws. His limits.
And he knew that he sucked at teaching. So, what could he do to be the best teacher he could? Well, he could always emulate his old teacher. To a lesser degree of course.
Mentoring was a difficult job and All-Might was taking classes on the side to learn how to teach better. With way less hits and scariness.
So, he did the best thing he knew. He organized fights in a controlled environment. Point out flaws in strategy. Let the students gather some experience in a friendly yet intense fight. By pairing them randomly he also let them discover some people they wouldn't have tried to work with. Expect the unexpected.
Yagi knew he sucked at teaching and putting what he wanted to teach into words. So, he made them experience what he wanted them to experience. Fight and learn. Grow.
It was just a week but Yagi hoped that this way, even after One for All's transmission, he could create more than one Pillar of Peace. More Heroes to support the society he helped to build… And make it better.
He was just a man after all. How does one man make a whole society?
He doesn't. It crumbles after him, except if he notices it and tries to make it last after him, by acknowledging he was mortal.
It also put a smile on his face, when students wore their hero uniforms for the first time. The kids had them simplistic, yet you could see their intent to be iconic. What kind of hero they would become :
Young Uraraka? She was all in simplicity and agility. Not very offensive, for now. Rescue hero. The same for young Tsuyu. The Yaoyorozu heir? The girl probably did not know it yet but she destined herself as a strategist, not a front line hero. Bakugou, clearly the most ambitious and driven? He clearly understood that both his quirk and personality wouldn't make him someone that would reassure the public by his smile. However, just like Miruko, his confidence, his pride exuded from his skin. He was there and his enemies should watch out.
Yagi could also see what kind of hero the kids were inspired by. Kirishima clearly loved Crimson Riot. Yagi loved that man too, especially after he died taking down the Ashen King. If people called Endeavor the strongest fire hero, people preferred to forget Atilla, the one of two people who managed to awaken too much and who became more quirk than human. Good thing the other one is a hero.
Then came Izuku Midoriya. If the boy was not a fan of Mr Compress, Yagi was willing to destroy his left lung. A hat who was classy and a suit that was clearly made for him. On measure, with talent. Probably by Bakugou's mother, if Yagi was right. White gloves and All Might could see how he could make the cards go into his hands. The right was the tarot deck. The number at least. If he was right, the kid had already prepared what he needed. The left was most likely Izuku's nuclear solution. The Arcana… And finally, in his pouch, the last deck. The hero deck.
But his most important edge? It was this smile. His shining smile. When Izuku finally put on his suit, gone was the shy boy who was too excited for his own good. Gone was the kid who would be flustered by the girls talking to him.
The one who said the suit did not make the man was wrong.
All-Might wondered if he should send Atsuhiro a congratulation card. Oh, yes. He did know who the vigilante was in reality… Because he could think outside of the box… And also because he could relate to him. To Izuku too, to a great extent.
The boy was splendid. If only Yagi did not meet Mirio, he would have clearly tried to make Izuku his own apprentice. The boy knew what it meant to be meek, to be weak. Still, he had the smile. He had the heart of a hero too.
Yagi knew that when Izuku would finish his growth, he was going to be an awesome hero.
Maybe he could propose an internship?
Still, for now, Yagi had to do another thing as a teacher. It was helping the students. With no kid to take care of above another and not having to pick an heir allowed him to pay more attention to his class.
Contrary to what Aizawa thought, Yagi did not think of Midoriya and Bakugou as problem children, far from it. There was another, bigger time bomb in the classroom. Someone, somehow, all teachers failed to spot.
As a hero and teacher, All Might couldn't allow himself to fail a student… But he also knew, as he remembered himself when he was a quirkless boy, what it means to have an adult coming to try to help you when you were not ready for it. No.
Yagi looked at the not so random battles upcoming. He had a big smile on his face and he knew he did something that was probably crazy but likely to produce results. Worst case scenario, he would have confirmation or denial of the feeling in hiss guts. Best case, His problem would be solved.
—--
"So, let me explain the exercise. One team will play the villains who have to protect a bomb. Another team is going to be the heroes who have to locate the bomb and touch it to win.
If the bomb explode because of the time limit, villains win. If a team is fully neutralized, the other wins. Damage has to be kept at the minimum, for both sides.
Indeed, the context is the villains have gotten a nuclear device that has been retrofitted as an EMP device.Damage it too much before it is done however, and boom. Nuclear explosion."
Explained All-Might, as he presented the terrain. Old and decrepit buildings. So, if a student decided to go plus ultra, everything would still be fine.
Yagi, in his buffy form, was clearly certain it was going to be the case. However, kids had to learn to restrict their fight.
"So, here are the different teams."
Midoriya and Sero, Team A, villains. The two kids nodded to each other, Sero deciding that leaving Midoriya in charge of a plan was the best idea.
Bakugou and Koda, Team B, heroes. Koda almost fainted, seeing Bakugou's smile at the idea of beating the crap of Izuku who was clearly whining.
Yaoyorozu and Shinso, Team C, villains. "Of course, I'm a villain" sighed a certain tired teen, as he began to adjust his apparatus to mimic Iida's voice.
Iida and Shoji, Team D, heroes. Both looked happy to be heroes… Well, Iida looked happy. Hard to say with Shoji's mask.
Mina and Tokoyami, Team E , villains. "A mad banquet of darkness" said the bird boy, while the pink girl tried to do an evil laugh.
Todoroki and Kaminari, Team F, heroes. Kaminari tried to high-five Todoroki, happy to have an easy mark while Todoroki gave him the cold shoulder, Quite literally.
Jiro and Hagakure, Team G, villains. The duo of villains high-fived clearly together, happy to be with a friend.
Sato and Uraraka, Team H, heroes. Clearly a power house duo, with Uraraka who was going to act as the support and control of the mission.
Aoyama and Kirishima, Team I, villains. Kirishima whined a bit that the villains were not manly… Until Aoyama took him by the shoulders, explaining to him that they were not villains. They were freedom fighters, seeking to overthrow their despotic king and decapitate him. That somehow cheered the red haired teen to the max.
Tsuyu and Ojiro, Team J, heroes. The two mutants simply acknowledged their duo.
"Oh oh oh. My dear students. It isn't going to be as simple as Team A against B. It is going to be Team A against F, B against G, etc etc."
The classroom went silent for a second before it exploded in various reactions.
"YES" "FUCK" "Ribbit" "Interesting…" "OH GOD IT'S BAKUGOU!" "HOLD ME"...
Todoroki was simply unimpressed by the whole thing and having to go in first. If anything, it would simply mean it was going to be done earlier. Cleanly. Properly.
There was no way he was going to lose against Duct Tape Man and his fabulous assistant… Cardman. Kaminari was vaguely an asset, though he wouldn't be tremendously useful. After all, Todoroki was going to finish it in one hit, as usual.
—--
"Hanta" Midoriya approached the usually smiling boy who was right now, highly nervous. To be fair, he had every right to feel nervous : He was going against the power house number one of the class who was helped by mister thunder. His acolyte, though he was highly smart, had trouble using his quirk without bleeding from the nose and he had not used it since the first day and the implication his quirk was a tad too powerful for his body.
Still.
Hanta tried to put up a smile on his face. Fake it till you make it.
"What, partner? Do you have a plan to win?" Shit. His smile was wavering… and suddenly, he saw Izuku's smile. It was not fake. It was a very confident one. A Cheshire one.
"I don't just have a plan to win. I have several, and Hanta? You are going to be the most important part of them."
—--
"Why do i hear boss music when i look at this building" Kaminari remarked, as it loomed over them spookily, looking creepier than it should since it was still sunny.
"Mainly because I saw Midoriya pull a radio from his hat" said Todoroki coldly. Most of his comrades did not inspire him. At most indifference and some did anger him a little. One of them was Midoriya. Why? Simply because the greenie seemed to treat the school as simply a place to study quirks and combine them to make them stronger. Just like his father.
He was also constantly doing tricks and sleight of hand during the breaks, gathering attention on him. A glory seeker according to him and his meek act, when his quirk could apparently be powerful was something that irked him.
"What?" The boy was clearly wondering how the hell Midoriya did that and how he did link his radio to whatever made sound in this building.
Basically, the music was "Soul of Cinder" from Dark Souls. This kind of showmanship irked Todoroki to his core. They were here to be heroes, not to play games and tricks.
So the heterochromatic boy inspired a lot and from his icy side began to accumulate power…
And a few seconds later, the whole building was encased beautifully in ice, like an eternal flower. The whole temperature dropped around them.
In the control room, everyone was baffled, including All-Might, though excluding a certain someone.
"Oh my…"
"The first match and it has already ended?"
"I guess there is something such as a too powerful quirk.."
"HOW ABOUT Y'ALL SHUT THE SHITHOLE THAT SERVES AS YOUR MOUTH!" Katsuki violently interrupted, making everyone who were nervously muttering look at him.
He was calm and serene except for his outburst.
"I could have tanked that attack." Katsuki explained calmly, as if it was enough of an explanation. That made Shinso laugh.
"Yeah sure, mister exploding man. But what about…"
"Izuku is my rival, you purple asshat ." Katsuki said calmly, with a hint of fire in his eyes. "Do you think that someone I consider my rival would be done in that easily? We are talking about Izuku there. He's smart, he's a showman at heart but there is something that makes him one of the most dangerous people here."
Everyone looked at Katsuki, who was doing his signature shark smile, having smelled the future fight.
"Given the right circumstances, He can pull off some insane shit."
—--
"Why did the music not stop?"Kaminari wondered aloud as he carefully entered the building behind Todoroki. The golden student was too busy power walking to answer to his teammate…
At least until he opened a door toward the stair and a bucket full of water fell onto his face.
A wet Todoroki was groaning as he took the bucket off his head… Just before Kaminari took him down to the ground, a previously duct taped desk almost fell on him after that.
"THE HELL WAS THAT?"
"... I would say that they booby-trapped the building with Hanta's quirk. After all, cold makes duct tape weaker."
So between the two villains, they had a working brain…
"MWAHA HAHA, WELCOME INTO OUR EVIL LAIR, HEROES! NOW, I HOPE YOU CAN REACH US IN TIME TO SAVE THE CITY!"
Scratch that, they were idiots, both of them, treating this as a game. Todoroki was pissed and when he got up, he instantly made a pillar of ice under him, propelling him towards the top floor as quickly as possible.
He just forgot to bring his teammate with him, who was looking at the stairs and whining. What were the odds it was booby trapped too?
—--
"They… booby trapped the building?"
"Izuku isn't one for a fair fight when he can. He will troll, trap, and redirect your attention whenever he can." Katsuki muttered under his breath as he looked at the camera, where Izuku was waiting for his enemy with cards in his hands. He had dodged the initial trapping of ice by being in the air thanks to Hanta's quirk. Some would say that his quirk was great at more than just trapping villains.
—--
For Izuku, it meant he had a teammate that could give the best material for traps and bridges almost in endless supply. Of course he was going to use what he had. To be honest, he actually had a plan for everyone in class to destroy Todoroki. The best ones were of course with Bakugou, as they already knew how to work together and with Tooru. No. It was not because he was often thinking about how her quirk worked and how anything she ate became invisible, implying that all of her body was also invisible.
Wait.. how was Hagakure not blind?
Still, now, he had to wait for Todoroki to fall for his taunt. Izuku respected only one thing about Icy Hot. He wanted to be a hero and treated it really seriously. However, everything that was not like him, it seemed to utterly bore him.
"Finally, hero.. YOU ARE HERE FOR OUR BATTLE!" Izuku crowed, with a smile as Shouto finally entered the room, and proceeded instantly to throw icy spiked at him.
This sight made Izuku smile. Everything was according to plan B. Todoroki was not using his full power again. Either because he did not have the energy for that… Or because he refused to use his fire quirk. Sure, his body had an ice resistance built into him. However, clearly, it was not ice immunity. Now? Now, Todoroki was wet. It meant all of his body was slowly even colder. Too much of his own power and he would be down.
The bucket of water. Todoroki's worst enemy.
Still, the attack was way too forward and we were talking about an Izuku who had been trained to dodge bullets by Mr Compress.
—--
"Wow. I did not know you could dodge by dancing like that." Admired Mina, Tooru vigorously nodded with her.
"Yes, he's a bit of a show off."
—--
"Is that all, Todoroki? Because I have one more thing to say to you." Said Izuku with a smile as he stood still between a heavily duct taped door and Todoroki.
"What? Another dumb quip?" Shouto snapped back, before noticing a small light erupting from below his foot..
"Landmine." Said Izuku as Shouto dodged a Four summon from under the ice. "And another landmine. Oh, be careful, I think it may be a jack there."
Everywhere Todoroki tried to find a footing, Izuku's summons appeared as their master stood in the background, quietly resting. Meanwhile, Todoroki had to dodge the six creatures that came from under his own ice.
"I think you should give up honestly. This fight is hardly fair." Said Izuku matter of factly. He was still sportly after all, and tried to let Todoroki have a chance to save some face.
His answer was not something Izuku expected.
Suddenly not caring anymore, Todoroki simply unleashed his ice again. Izuku barely had the time to hide between a Ten he kept in his hand, avoiding being frozen only by a hair breath…
Todoroki, in all his frozen, rage filled glory, was now standing above the disappearing Cardmen… And glaring at him.
"Finally. Some emotion." Remarked Izuku while adjusting his hat, as Todoroki shook a bit of the ice off his body. "Though if you continue to not use your fire, you're going to lose. Such a powerful and balanced quirk… Shame it's wasted on you."
"How about you shut up, Midoriya. You're just another teen playing hero, happy with his quirk. I HAVE BEEN BRED FOR THIS." Todoroki, as he kneeled, seemingly out of energy… Before looking furiously at his opponent. "AND I REFUSE TO USE MY FATHER'S QUIRK. YOU DO NOT KNOW HARDSHIP OR WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A CURSED POWER. TO BE HURT BECAUSE OF IT. SO NOW… GET OUT!"
The ice covered floor exploded once more.
—--
"Oh god." For the first time, Katsuki was not calm anymore. If until now he had seemed sure of the outcome, he was now clearly panicking.
"Yes, I think it should be a good moment to tell Todoroki to chill… Herm… I mean, he's dangerous, I hope Midoriya is okay!" Said Iida, as the camera went back again… Until Katsuki interrupted him.
"No, you misunderstand. The one who is in danger right now is Todoroki!"
"Wait. What?"
—--
Todoroki was exhausted. But now, Midoriya was going to be a nice ice statue and he would be able to touch the bomb while Kaminari tried to take down Hanta. Even if he failed, as long as he could stop him from bothering and stop Todoroki, Kaminari would have done enough.
Suddenly, once again, Midoria's voice echoed in the room.
"You know, it is fun. Against anyone else in the class, you would have a fucking valid point."
Suddenly the room became hotter. Way hotter. As in ice melting hotter.
"Nineteenth Arcana. The Sun"
Suddenly, the ceiling seemingly became the sun, fiery like an inferno. The ice became a hot mist, the air burning Todoroki's lungs… Before he got hit by a right hook in his jaw.
In front of him a pissed off Izuku without either a hat nor a smile. In fact he seemed angry. Blood was dripping from his nose in a certain quantity but he did not seem to care.
"But unlike the rest of you, I'm a late bloomer. IF I OVERUSE MY QUIRK, I CAN FUCKING DIE."
—--
Aoyama nodded, while everyone looked at him. "I talked of my cousin in past tense for a reason. He died with a smile ten seconds after his quirk activated at 18 years old." The usually smiling Frenchman was not smiling anymore.
—--
"IT ALSO MEANT I LIVED ALL MY LIFE QUIRKLESS. Do you even have an idea how hard it is to grow up like that? Why do you think I can pop in and out my bones with a fucking smile, Todoroki? There was not a fucking day where I was not beaten, insulted or worse! I was a target for most kids with a powerful quirk! Katsuki was the only decent human being of my age with me!"
Which was sad enough in itself, even Todoroki had to admit… Before he threw himself a punch in Izuku's nose, bloodying it even further.
"Oh, so you had a difficult childhood? Well, at least you still have loving parents! Mine is a fucking asshole who did A FUCKING QUIRK MARRIAGE TO PRODUCE ME, MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTER"
—--
"Did Todoroki lose his cool?" Asked Shinso, before getting hit in the back of the head.
All-Might however was purely inexpressive, and did not stop the fight because he had to learn more. What had Endeavor done?
—--
"AND MINE FUCKING RAN AWAY BECAUSE I WAS QUIRKLESS. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY KID WITH A SHIT FATHER THAT WANTED A STRONG CHILD!"
Retorted Izuku, who then grabbed his right arm and dislocated it with expertise. In fact, he hit it thrice in a brief instant, taking Todoroki's left hook in the face.
"SO WHY ARE YOU ANGRY? YOU FINALLY GOT A QUIRK NOW! WHY ARE YOU TREATING LIKE A SHOW!"
"BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A HERO THAT BRING A FUCKING SMILE TO EVERYONE'S FACE!"
Said Izuku, as a bit of blood came out of his mouth, Todoroki's punch were really good. Good thing he had dislocated his right arm in his shoulder, elbow and hand. Good luck moving it.
Todoroki seemed to stop, for a second.
"I know, Todoroki, what it means to be alone. To be beaten. I want to protect the weak. I want, when a quirkless kid or an abused kid looks at me, he knows he's going to be alright. Because… I'm here.
I want to tell them, I know what it means to be weak but that they're still protected. That if they need help, I WILL BE THERE. And it fucking PISSES THE HELL OUT OF ME WHEN SOMEONE WITH A QUIRK WITH BASICALLY NO DRAWBACK DECIDE TO SPITE OUT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE HIS STRENGTH, BY NOT USING HALF OF IT."
Todoroki had the decency to be taken aback, as Izuku got up, and the sun was quietly disappearing.
"YOU ARE SAYING I AM TREATING IT LIKE A GAME? I NEED MY TRICKS, TODOROKI. I AM NOT AS STRONG AS YOU OR BAKUGOU. I NEED THEM TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
And you know what? If it means saving an idiot like you, I will still be ready to put my life in line. BECAUSE THAT IS HOW MUCH I AM DETERMINED. DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE YOU ARE GOING TO SURPASS ME, WHO IS BETTING MY LIFE EVERYTIME I GO ALL-OUT, BY USING HALF YOUR POWER!"
Todoroki was at a loss of what to say for an instant, before he got tackled by Midoriya… who was clearly deadly tired by all the summon and the Sun. God, he was going to be out all this week-end, wasn't he?
"Also, you're an idiot. When you're in danger, you have to call heroes for help."
"Oh? and please tell, who would help me, against the fuckin number 2?" Todoroki replied sarcastically, before he got slammed in the ground once again.
"FUCKIN ALL MIGHT, WHO IS OUR TEACHER! MIRUKO WHO NOTORIOUSLY HATES YOUR FATHER. SIR NIGHTEYE, WHO CAN SEE THE FUCKIN FUTUR AND COULD HAVE CHECKED YOUR STORY AND WARN ALL MIGHT."
Said a dead tired Izuku…
Who didn't even try to dodge the punch he took in the face.
From Kaminari. Beaten, bruised, but still standing, to Todoroki's surprise.
"Kami… Nari?"
"You, Shouto. You can call me Denki, you know? We are teammates!" said the electric man, before he grabbed Todoroki's workingarm, helping him to walk.
When Izuku still stood in front of them, clearly helped only by determination… But now once again with a smile on his face.
"... Seriously ? Even beaten up, you still think you have what it takes to stop us ?"
"Yep." Said Izuku… Before hitting the ground. Who was not the cement, but apparently an hole covered by duct tape by which he escaped, laughing.
Suddenly, Todoroki had a horrible doubt. A horrible and terrible doubt.
"... Kaminari? OPEN THE DOOR"
"Wait, what? Normally, the bomb should be here, no? Also, I said Denki." Said Kaminari, as he opened the sealed door, Shouto sweating a lot. Oh god.
The room was empty. They had fought for nothing.
"Shouto! Not all is lost! Hanta is down, downstairs. If we catch Izuku, we can beat him, especially with your fire!"
"But… It is my father's…"
"Dude. That is your quirk. Your sick and awesome quirk. Not someone else. So, now, let's be heroes, together!"
Todoroki looked optimistic… friend? His… quirk? Not his father? A power with no drawback… To save people.
Denki who was injured but still smiling. Still trying to win. That was… That was heroic.
Shouto gritted his teeth. Fuck. Izuku had a point. How did he dare look down on them?
"Yes, let's capture Midoriya!" Tried to say with motivation Todoroki… Before falling, out of energy.
"AND TIME OUT ! TEAM A WON!"
All Might's voiced boomed out throughout the building.
Then suddenly, Todoroki became painfully aware he just told his whole tragic backstory in front of everyone. Oh.
The debrief was going to be something.