The nightlife of Mustafu was a never-ending stream of lights, the streets crowded by all types of people. Office drones making their way to night shifts or just returning home. Groups of people roamed around the shops and filtered in and out of the many nightclubs the city held within. All of them looking for something.
In the never-ending tide of people, he was there, slumped forward as he walked aimlessly. Long since lost after what had happened. It played in his mind like a record. The overwhelming emotions before he had…
Izuku stopped, standing in the midst of the human tidal wave around him. People passing by without sparing him so much as a single glance. But he didn't care, he had hurt her. Unintentionally, for some reason that just made it worse in his mind.
She had forgiven him so easily and yet… he had hurt her. He didn't know how fully to limit his strength; Looking down at his hands, all he could see was blood. No matter how much he held back, he always broke bones; always hurt someone.
And he had done it to someone he cared about.
Shoving his hands back into his pockets he continued wandering around, Hank had been silent ever since. Which was a good thing, the last thing he needed was the assassin whining again.
A slight vibration in his pocket caught his attention, he reached in and pulled out his phone. A quick scan showed that his mom was trying to call him… he hesitated for a moment before setting his place to airplane mod, the call disconnecting.
He then shoved the phone back into his pocket, ignoring the messages that littered it. Sucking in a deep breath he continued to wander the streets of Mustafu. Bright neon lights shining a path towers stretching out beyond the horizon acting as one of many beacons. He just wanted to get away from it all.
Wandering through the back alleys and less traveled paths, through streets with broken lamp posts and trash lining the sidewalks. A far cry from the neon paradise a stone's throw away.
Eventually, he stopped, hearing a commotion nearby. Walking past an old and worn-down apartment block, he turned the corner. Taking in a small park with a playground in the center.
The park itself hadn't been maintained in a while, weeds taking up every square inch of the grounds; like an infection that had spread over the entire body. The playground still held firm, despite the age.
But that's now what he was focused on, right there, on the old weed-infested ground. A gang of high school delinquents all surrounded something, all shouting and laughing amongst themselves.
Like it was instinct, Izuku walked towards the group, his eyes honed in on the kid at the center. A boy his age was surrounded by delinquents, the target of their harassment. Briefly, very briefly, he saw himself there. He looked down as he was beaten, belittled, bullied. A wild, primal part of himself took over for a moment.
Before he knew it he was standing right in front of the group, looming over the gang as they realized that he was there. Teens older than him, outnumber him six to one.
At the center, a tall girl who had the kid his age stuck in a headlock looked at him. Red eyes that matched the intensity of her vibrant, almost flame-like red hair. She looked him up and down, the look in her eyes a mixture of amusement and curiosity.
"What'd you want freak?" One of the delinquents asked, menace in his voice as his crocodile-like maw snapped shut, rows of yellowed teeth promising pain. Izuku looked impassive at him and the other mutant standing behind him, a seven-foot-tall giant with a tiger head.
"I don't know." He replied in a mutter, a neutral look on his face. "'I dunno' he says." Another of the gang members said, a girl with icy blue hair and equally chilling eyes, an ice knife forming in her hands. A wild grin on her face.
The four heavy hitters of the gang, their leader no doubt the girl with the fiery hair. The last two looked to be twins; they had the same scrawny build and the same buzz-cut black hair, nothing special from what he could see.
"Why are you here?" His voice cut through the air once more. The fire-haired girl rolled her eyes and shook the boy in her grasp roughly.
"Weekly meet-up with my favorite stress ball pal." She drawled out as she tightened her grasp over the still-silent boy. She then grinned and reached up to grab the boy's chin and gave it a squeeze. "Isn't he so cute~" She squealed out before planting a kiss on the boy's cheek. Discomfort was plain as day on his face.
Izuku said nothing at first, watching as the delinquents laughed at the boys' discomfort; ignoring him for a moment as his eyes glowed in the dark.
"So… you're doing this for fun?" He asked, almost tentative. A ghost of a smile forming on his face. The gang looked at him like he was an idiot like he was an annoying cousin intruding on them. All except the leader, the fire-haired girl seemingly pondering the question before a snarky grin took hold of her face.
"I guess we are freakbeat, why you ask? Wanna join in~" She asked, giving Izuku a flirtatious wink before breaking out laughing. The rest of the gang joined in.
His smile reverted to a stoic glare, not giving so much as a single emotion. "Sure." He whispered out. In a flash his leg shot out, kicking the croc man's knee and shattering it completely. Before he could even cream Izuku followed with a one-two punch, the first punch dislocated the delinquent's jaw. The second broke it completely.
The ice girl panicked, she tried to haphazardly swing the ice knife at him. His left fist shot out and struck her elbow, dislocating it. With his right, he snatched the ice knife and stabbed her in the gut. The bully screamed in pain as she fell to the ground, tears falling from her eyes as she clutched the stab wound with her one working hand.
The tiger-headed delinquent tried to swipe at him, but Izuku was faster. A left straight impacted the teen's abdomen with the force of a sledgehammer. And a right hook striking his side, the bully's ribs buckled under the force before cracking and breaking.
He fell to his knees an instant later, puking out his dinner as the nerves in his body screamed in agony. Izuku stepped over the bully, closing the distance between him and the three remaining gang members.
The fire-haired girl stepped back unconsciously, sweat pooling off her brow; the twins looked at each other, uncertainty gripping them. The boy just stood still, paralyzed, his eyes wide open as he took in the form of the strange man. Izuku, bathed in shadows as his glowing red eyes peered into their souls.
Like a ghost, he moved as a blur; enveloped in darkness as the two red cyclones grew closer. Her heart seized as dread washed over her, A Wraith loomed above her as its malicious red eyes peered through her. The twins were long gone, having run away. Leaving just her.
Dread turned to panic as a blue flame formed in her hands, a small stream shooting out and lighting up the playground. The shadows dissipate as light pushes against the tide. However, just as quickly as the fire was dashed, nothing left but embers flying across stilted air.
A ghost standing behind her, the leader spun on her heel; trying to let off another torrent of fire. The next thing she knew she nearly collapsed, her head foggy as blood ran down her nose. The wraith was still standing there like it hadn't even moved.
A vice-like grip wrapped itself around her throat, choking the life out of her as she was lifted into the air. Weightless to the wraith holding her, death staring her in the face as it raised its free hand. A fist promising to cave her skull in, rearing to kill her.
"C'mon, laugh for me." He whispered out, the girl whimpering as tears fell down her face. A mess of stuttered words and sobs exited her mouth as the Wraith continued to glare at her. "Gimme a laugh, c'mon." He then leaned closer, the shadows enveloping his face as the two swirling red vortexes peered into her soul.
"Or is it not as fun anymore? Being on the receiving end? Being the victim." The words spat out, coming out more as a snarl as the girl began to break down in tears.
"S-STOP! STOP!" A high-pitched, terrified voice rang out. The target of the gang jumped on the bloodthirsty wraith, clinging desperately to its free arm. Trying in vain to hold it back.
Without thinking, Izuku smashed his elbow into his face. The boy's nose broke with an audible crunch as he collapsed to the ground. Dazed as blood and tears of pain ran down his face.
He paused Izuku blinked, and let go of the terrified bully in his grasp. Realization hit him like a truck. Looking around him at the broken teenagers, each of them silently crying and shrinking in on themselves. Terrified of catching the wraiths' attention.
Izuku stood still for a moment as if a statue had replaced him for a brief second. He then took a step backward. His hands shook in fear before he ran off. Running as fast as he could away from the scene, breathing hoarsely. His mind was on auto-pilot as he sped away.
Shame filling him once more.
Ochako continued to wander the streets well into the night, worry consuming her over her flighty friend. She sighed and checked her phone, it was nearing midnight and if she continued to stay out her grandpa would start looking for her.
A grimace wormed its way on her face as she shoved her phone into her pocket. She was getting increasingly frustrated at herself, of course she'd never find him. Too many people and in such a big city.
It would have been easier to find a needle in a haystack, as she continued to look around she felt her phone vibrate as someone texted her. Pulling it out she saw it was Iida.
["Hello, Uraraka, I wanted to inform you that I must return home. Many apologies, I wish I could help you find Midoriya but my family is starting to worry."]
Ochako stared at her phone screen for a moment before sighing, her frustration growing for a moment before it quickly dissipated. {"That's fine, I should probably get home too. Cya."} She typed back in response.
She glanced around as she put her phone back, stuck in the middle of a massive crowd. It felt like she wasted her time, looking for someone who probably just wanted to be left alone.
Ochako shifted her pink hoodie and began to move with the crowd, making her way back to the train station. As she walked her body went on autopilot, so many different thoughts running through her mind. But the first one was anger, she was upset at him.
For running off like that, after what happened at the training zone. She knew he was beating himself up over it and it made her upset; because he didn't deserve that kind of self-hatred.
She shook her head and continued walking, her mind flashing back to just before Iida and her left to look for Izuku. What All Might had told her.
'I know you're worried about Young Midoriya, I am as well, but he needs some time to himself. Time to think, but don't worry, but always be here for him when he's ready to talk.'
She frowned at the thought, she understood why the hero wanted to give Izuku space. But… she was worried, worried that when he was alone he'd… snap.
Ochako winced, bad memories flashing through her mind for a brief moment. She remembered him telling her about how he was quirkless until very recently. It must have been awful, dealing with that, she knew what it was like to be bullied for something you can't control.
Another sigh escaped her mouth, she needed to talk to her grandpa; he always knew what to do. The right thing to say.
As she continued to walk, she stopped for a moment. Turning around and looking around once more, the constant stream of people and bright neon signs all around her were the only things greeting her. But she thought that… that someone was looking right at her.
She stood there for a moment more, trying to find the person that was looking at her. But the feeling disappeared soon after. It was only there for a brief second but she knew it was there.
Ochako turned around and walked, a flicker of hope in her heart as she looked for whatever had looked at her. It was a long shot but it felt like… no, she knew who it was.
For some odd reason, she knew he was there, like the world's biggest coincidence had happened and the person she was looking for was right within spitting distance.
Her eyes frantically glanced all over, looking from shop to shop trying to stop his outline. To see his wild green hair in the dense crowds of people.
But she couldn't spot him, a frown formed on her face again, for someone so distinct looking he's so hard to spot. Too hard, it's unfair how hard it is to find him. She knew he was nearby, but it was like he had vanished as soon as he arrived. It was aggravating.
She sucked in a deep breath, at this rate she'd never be able to find him. It upset her more, knowing that he was so close yet so far. She adjusted her hoodie and turned back around, walking away from where her friend was hiding.
All she could do now was wait for tomorrow.
He watched from a rooftop, atop one of the many shops. Blending into the shadows as he watched her walk away. Izuku felt couldn't show himself to her, not yet.
But he felt terrible, terrible for leaving her alone. For hurting her earlier. Izuku hugged his knees to his chest, he felt terrible for hurting those people.
He felt terrible for enjoying it.
The fight itself was a blur, but he felt the satisfaction of it. The way it made his blood pump and how the adrenaline made his heart race. It was intoxicating, and he hated it.
"Hank." He said aloud. "If you're here… maybe… maybe you were right about me." He admitted, the words breathed out with a shudder.
He couldn't confront her, not right now. Not with what he had done. The blood lust and shame intermingled with each other, the emotions clouded his mind. He couldn't talk when he couldn't even think straight.
A small chuckle escaped his throat, he was such a mess, and the whirlwind of emotions continued to worsen. His talons dug into his jacket as he continued to chuckle.
He wanted nothing more than to continue the hunt and break people who deserved it. To hear them beg and plead for mercy as he once had, and spare the none as he continued to break them.
To doll out punishment to those who needed it. His shame worsened, he didn't need to do this. He didn't need to hurt people that badly to help their victims. Shame at using the want to help people, to stop bad people, as an excuse to continue his addiction to violence.
His chuckles turned into full-blown laughter, some people passing by on the streets glancing upwards in confusion and fright. Hastening their pace and trying to ignore the laughing man they couldn't see.
Izuku laughed to himself at the absurdity, he was an adrenaline junkie. Violence was the fastest option to get his hit, and someone like him wanted to be a hero. A maniac who became a vigilante at the drop of a hat and becoming a hero was the best way to continue his addiction.
"And for what?" He asked in between his manic laughter, the question going unanswered as he continued to cackle to himself.
After a moment his laughter subsided, and the silence flooded in. Filling his mind as he sat in the darkness, all alone.
He was all alone.
Izuku sucked in a shuddering breath before standing up, an uncomfortable feeling rising in his chest. He was alone. Hank was… somewhere else, he didn't know where. He felt terrible for lashing out at the assassin, sure, he deserved it. But…
He sighed and shoved his hands into his coat pockets, he wasn't sure, he still needed some time to think. Moving on auto-pilot he jumped off the edge of the building he was on, landing in an alleyway without a sound before moving on. Continuing to wander around the streets of the city. Of his city. His Holy Land.
He'd do anything to protect it. A pause, around the corner there was a mugging going on. A scared high schooler face-to-face with a hardened criminal.
Turning the corner, he saw with his own eyes the scene that was about to go down. The mugger turned to him, a snarl on his face. Izuku maintained a stoic expression.
He would do anything to protect it.
Hey guys, it's me, sorry for how long this chapter took and how short it is. College has been kicking my ass left and right and stuff has gotten harder for me as a family member of mine has been in and out of the hospital for a few months.
Again, I am so sorry for how short this chapter is. I will strive to deliver the next chapter as soon as possible and it will be far longer than this chapter.
I wanted this to be a check-up on Izuku's internal mental stuff and how it will affect him come next chapter during the USJ fight. took me long enough.
