Hey there, Hi there, Ho there! I'm back at it again with another chapter that's twice the length of the last chapter. I've had this done for a little bit, but I was finishing off the next chapter...and oh boy, the next chapter is over 10k words. I'm not looking forward to proofreading the whole thing and I might break it apart into two chapters Either way, this is what I got for y'all for now and I'm sorry for putting Izumi through the wringer...both this chapter and the next are going to be emotionally exhausting for the girl. I hope there aren't any egregious errors in here this go around, but I'm not the best proofreader :P Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy!
A severe concussion, eight broken ribs, two complete fractures in her right arm, numerous fractures in both of her hands, a cracked sternum, a fractured skull, numerous major contusions, numerous muscle tears and ligament damage, a collapsed lung, a grievous puncture wound, and severe blood loss…all in all, Izumi was incredibly lucky to be alive with an injury sheet that extensive. Thankfully, the best doctors in the country were being brought in to help with disaster relief. Izumi's treatment, in particular, was being bankrolled by the Yaoyorozus; They called in foreign doctors to aid in Izumi's treatment, owing her at least that much for her reckless actions. Thankfully, Izumi responded well to her treatment and her condition became stable, much to the Yaoyorozus' relief. All they needed to do was wait for her to wake up.
In the meantime, the country was rocked by the devastation brought by the battle between All Might and the unnamed villain, but All Might triumphed like always, despite the hollowness of his victory. The death toll was staggering and many more were injured, but good had triumphed over evil. Despite the personal cost All Might's body had to pay, he was finally rid of the big bad boogeyman of the underworld. With the dust settled, he did his best to offer aid to all those affected, using his lifetime of earnings to aid in disaster relief, a deep guilt eating away at him for not being able to stop All for One from going on a rampage.
The nation mourned and everything seemed to come to a halt for a few days, letting the people all across the nation breathe and assess the damage that was done. The hero community had lost a few of their own in the crossfire, but the remnants of All for One's organization were scattering like cockroaches in the light. However, as people always do, they show surprising resilience and they bounce back the best they can. Society, both heroic and general, are left largely unchanged, the hearts and minds of the public being soothed by the Symbol of Peace's mere presence. Some would label that as a sickness, a problem with the system, but as long as crime stats were down and people felt safe, there was no going against the status quo: the age of heroes gilded in gold, covering a layer of rust and rot…but that's a topic for another time.
Momo was doing her best to keep up with schooling, refusing to go back until Izumi woke up. According to the doctors, Izumi Midoriya was the dragon girl's name, the name of her family's savior, and she was laying their hooked up to a plethora of medical devices from the injuries that nearly killed her. Both of her arms were casted up, as the fractures in both her hands and her right arm were the worst of the fractures she experienced.
The girl was lucky that her bones weren't turned into a fine powder.
Momo found her thoughts overwhelming as she looked her over, promising to thank the girl for her selfless actions whenever she woke up. She was obsessed to a certain degree for reasons she was a little too immature to fully understand, but she felt that in her heart that Izumi Midoriya was genuine; unlike those fake smiles plastered on the faces of socialites trying to get in her family's good graces. Izumi's smile had been quite charming, despite the semi-feral nature of it, and quite alluring to the young heiress, who spent so much time around practiced smiles and gestures. Everything about Izumi had been so genuine, unhinged, and raw…she didn't have the words to properly define those qualities. Izumi's actions were so vastly different from those socialites and comparing them only made those socialites' actions seem hollow, shallow next to the vastness of everything Izumi did in those short precious seconds…all for a family she didn't even know.
Momo wanted to get to know Izumi more, to finally have a friend who didn't care for her parents' money and status. While school had officially opened back up, she spent the last week skipping and doing the homework in Izumi's hospital room, leaving only to shower a few times at her family's estate. Her parents tried to convince her to come back home and attend school, but Momo was proving to be strangely stubborn about the issue; they gave her a week before they would reevaluate the issue, hoping that the young girl would wake up before then. Taiki was staying with Momo in the hospital room to care for her, making it so that her parents could return to their work without worrying too much.
"Mistress Momo, a watched pot never boils. It might do you some good to return to the estate so you may freshen up and get some proper rest. If it'll soothe your conscience to a degree, I can stay by the young Miss's side until you return."
Taiki was an older gentleman, dressed in a well kept butler's uniform. Despite the situation, his grooming was neat and tidy; his short gray hair was swept back and there was no sign of stubble around his long gray mustache. He had a rather slight build, but the strength of his dark eyes would make those who intend to do harm balk at the idea of confronting him. All in all, the man looked like the definition of wisdom and class.
At Taiki's suggestion, Momo looked away from the unconscious girl and frowned softly, feeling a small buildup of grime that she wasn't used to. She closed the book in her lap before sighing softly and shaking her head, "Maybe later Taiki, I can endure staying here for a few more hours at the very least, but thank you."
Taiki responded with a hint of curiosity in his formal tone, "Of course, Mistress, and I understand your worry. We have a lot to thank the young Miss for, but I sense there might be something more to this. I can barely remember the last time you acted so stubborn towards your parents about anything."
Momo had the decency to blush about practically throwing a tantrum, even if it was a polite one, "Oh, well, it's just that she's so different…from everyone else," she manages to say, looking down towards her lap and her voice becoming a bit quieter, "People Mother and Father introduce me to don't smile like her and none of my classmates do, at least not to the same degree."
Taiki nods with recognition, gaining a soft smile with hints of sorrow peaking through. It would seem that the young mistress was a little lonely while in the company of sharks and rats and Momo was just starting to notice that she was drowning.
"I see, the young Miss here has seemed to open up your eyes a bit more on the topic of people's motives and intentions. I'm glad to see your horizons are expanding, but I must advise caution despite the circumstance, young Mistress."
Momo's head perked up to look back up at Taiki, her head tilting subtly and a small look of curious confusion crossing her face, making Taiki continue with an explanation, "I am not trying to speak ill of someone who did so much for us, but using caution when dealing with people who do selfless actions for the family has been the chosen method in truly assessing them. While no one has gone as far as young Midoriya here, others have made themselves out to be saints to get in your parents' good graces, only to have it come out that they were treacherous snakes with venom laced fangs. You've experienced this to a smaller degree, so I hope you understand any caution I might show to the young Miss. If her actions before denote her character, her character will continue to shine through, and I look forward to being able to see the good in her."
Taiki, like always, tries to give lessons into everything he can, guiding the young Mistress with a gentle hand and seeing her grow into the heiress she's meant to be. In response, Momo nods and gives a gentle smile back, "I know she's different, but I know you're right, Taiki…I just hope."
In the middle of their conversation, the pair heard a small groan and stopped their conversation, looking towards the young dragon girl who seemed to finally be stirring awake. Momo's eyes widened with excitement at seeing her savior, but dread encroaches to the forefront of her mind after remembering the fate of her mother; the doctors had said that what was left of her body was found under a piece of rubble. Izumi would need someone now more than ever and it'd be her turn to save her from the darkness that had threatened to swallow the entire country, that had almost swallowed up her entire family. Taiki and Momo got up from their seats and rushed over to Izumi's bedside, the former having the foresight to hit the call nurse button. Izumi continued to give off small pained groans as she stirred under the sheets, eventually opening her eyes and immediately closing them again with a sharp groan from the harsh fluorescent lights of this sterile environment.
As Izumi woke up, she became more aware of the state of her body, namely the pain that deeply throbbed with every heartbeat. The unnatural stiffness in her arms was annoying, still too out of it to recognize there were casts on both of her arms. Later, she would simply be thankful that the bulk of her more serious injuries were treated using the quirks of the doctors the Yaoyorozus brought in, as she would've been in considerably more pain if it was just the hospital staff that had treated her.
"Easy young Miss, you're okay and in a hospital, just take it as easy as you can," Taiki tries to soothe Izumi as best he can, knowing that the coming storm might be a heartbreaking sight for both him and his young charge.
Izumi stirs a bit more and her head turns toward the calming voice, squinting tightly as she opens her eyes and acclimates them to the harsh lighting. Her voice comes up broken and raspy, "W-Water…please."
At that Momo immediately heads back over to her seat, picking up her water bottle and returning to attend to her savior, leaving Taiki a little surprised and proud that she beat him to the punch; while Momo was still rather reliant on servants, her humility and compassion for others was rather astounding. She certainly wasn't a spoiled brat and he was eternally thankful for that.
"I-I have some right here," Momo says softly, "but your arms are in casts right now, so I'll have to feed it to you. Here."
Izumi's head was slightly spinning, her head still not all there as she gave a small groan of affirmation and opened her mouth. Momo gently lets her drink, careful not to overwhelm her and drown her family's hero. After many greedy gulps of the room temperature water, she takes a deeper breath and evaluates her situation once more, recognition dawning on her face when her gaze turns to Momo.
"It's you…You're okay, thank goodness," Izumi's voice sounded much better, but was still quiet, almost fragilely so. Izumi gives a simple slight smile, lighting up the room despite the discomfort she was in. The pain wasn't too difficult to deal with, the worst of it was in her arms and she was used to dealing with pain…at least one good thing came of Kacchan's beatings.
Both Momo and Taiki return the smile, the former speaking once more, "Yes, you saved me and my family and I am eternally grateful for your actions. You're a hero and I can't even begin to properly thank you; I'm just glad that you're awake. How are you feeling?"
If Izumi's head wasn't spinning before, it certainly was now; this stranger had just called her a hero, her hero. She had finally done something meaningful for once in her worthless life, a feeling of catharsis washing over for everyone in her life that never believed in her. However, some things weren't adding up at all; she never should've been able to stop that boulder from crushing them, let alone survive a hit from it and shrug it off to a certain degree.
"Oh, I-I'm fine, j-just a little bit of pain, but what happened? My head is still foggy, but I shouldn't have caught up to you in time and I definitely shouldn't have been able to stop that boulder."
This is when Taiki steps in to explain for his young Mistress, but Momo shows quite a bit of spirit and cheer despite the situation, gaining a rather radiant smile of her own, "Oh, well, I can offer my recollection, as it was a rather impressive sight to beyond, Midoriya! My father was carrying me away, so I was able to see you intercept the boulder. You gave a rather spirited roar while straining to stop it and I was rather impressed by your feats of both strength and speed; your quirk is rather potent and the doctors told us that your body couldn't handle the physical strain of it. That combined with the numerous severe injuries you received meant that you pushed your quirk and your body well past your limit to save me and my family. Once again, I must thank you Midoriya, your actions were nothing short of spectacular."
Momo gives a deep bow of respect towards her savior and Taiki wordlessly follows the action, showing a deep reverence for the little girl that didn't have to dawn a cape or spandex to be a hero. Izumi's eyes widened from the revelation that she had a quirk and that someone would bow to her so deeply, especially people who seemed to have an air of high class surrounding them…at least that's what Izumi thought because of how they talked so formally. Despite the dull throb in her head, she found herself becoming more and more present with every passing word. She mutters a soft, "Wow, plus ultra," before her voice picks up again, "O-Oh, you d-don't have to b-bow t-to me," she manages to push out, her anxious stuttering picking up from the overwhelming nature of this interaction. Izumi was able to relax somewhat when they lifted their heads, but there was still the incredibly concerning issue of her apparent quirk, something she had prayed to obtain for years.
It appeared to be an all-rounder type physical enhancement, but that didn't make much sense considering her parents' quirks had nothing to do with her quirk. Her quirk was most likely some sort of transformation or emitter, the former of which being more likely. A mutant quirk was highly improbable too, as a negligible amount of mutant quirks don't appear at birth and she doesn't remember anything being off about her body's appearance…not that she had the time to study it at the moment. Another detail that she managed to pick up was the fact that she roared, her mind finding it rather curious…was it something instinct or animal based? Or maybe something that provided a surge of adrenaline or something similar. Generic physical enhancement was hard to work off of, but she had a direction to go in because of the roar…maybe it was some sort of rare mutation or a transformation? Maybe she could get her quirk reevaluated by a quirk doctor.
Taiki gives a polite cough, using his hand to hide a small smile from the young Miss' mutterings. Momo herself was listening to it to the best of her ability, but some of the words were lost in that cute mutterstorm. However, both Momo and her butler were slightly confused, as Izumi seemed to talk as if she had no idea what her quirk was, meaning that it was quite a big possibility that she had run into the fray thinking that she had no powers…also meaning that she thought she was quirkless, a rarity in this day in age, becoming more uncommon with every new generation.
"If I might interject young Miss," Taiki tries to get the conversation back on track, "It seems that you are unfamiliar with your own quirk. From where I stand, you likely possess a mutant type quirk, your appearance has taken on draconic features. Some of those features seem to have been permanent, but I'm not a quirk doctor. As the young Mistress here has explained, your strength, speed, and durability were enhanced, as evident by your handling of that chunk of concrete. You had wings, sharp teeth, and claws, but they seemed to have receded back into your body. Here, let me show you."
Taiki pulls out his smartphone, turns on the camera, and holds it for the girl because of her casted arms, letting Izumi get a better look at herself. Izumi gasps when she sees herself for the first time, looking so similar but so different at the same time. Her eyes were quite striking, her black sclera making her slitted emerald eyes pop in quite the beautiful way. The black horns that were peeking out from her unkempt curly green hair were largely pointed straight up, only possessing a slight gentle curve that made them look rather regal. She could also see a smattering of green scales on her neck, assuming her scales followed a pattern on the rest of her body. She couldn't help but be hypnotized by her appearance and had so many questions and a few assumptions she could draw from her appearance. She could likely infer that this came from her dad's side of the family, his fire breathing might be more draconic in nature than previously believed…and she was pretty sure she had a distant cousin that could shift her form into a dragon, but not breath fire. She'd have to ask her mom about…
It hit her like a truck…or a chunk of damnable concrete, in this case.
She remembered the wet splatter, her mother's sacrifice, but she still held out hope for a miracle. She already received one when she got this quirk, her prayers finally having been answered, so there might be hope that her mother got out alive. Before she knew it, tears began falling from her face and a look of panic threatened to consume her, startling her new acquaintances from the sudden onset of her tears. Her chest started to hurt and her heart monitor began to give off some sort of warning beeps.
"Mom, my mom, where's my mom?"
Her voice was heartbreaking and it served to remind both Taiki and Momo how young Izumi was, showing that she was just a little girl wanting the comfort of her mother…something that she'd never receive again. The pair were silent in response to Izumi's pleading, looks of terror overtaking their faces as they tried to quell the panic in their own hearts. It would seem it was up to them to deliver the bad news, as delaying it would only cause her to panic more. A panicked child with a newly manifested physical quirk was something that was good for no one.
Taiki was the first to recover as he placed a gentle hand on the orphaned girl, trying to offer a comforting look to the girl as Izumi continued to panic, her breathing becoming more labored as she was able to put two and two together. Good news wasn't coming and there was nothing she could do to change it.
"Young Miss, I'm so sorry for your loss, but she didn't suffer in the end…"
Izumi didn't know when she started screaming, but everything became a blur for her, the sounds of her heart monitor going crazy as primal panic set in. She didn't know when the nurses came rushing in to restrain her or how long she had been struggling for, but by the time she finally calmed down, she injured three nurses and broke quite a few pieces of medical equipment. If it wasn't for Momo's intervention, it was possible that Izumi's rampage would've lasted much longer and done lasting harm.
Izumi was throwing nurses off of her, pushing through the lingering pain in her arms and thrashing around as they tried to pin her to the bed. She had managed to break through her casts and was only making the lingering injuries in her body worse with every panicked reaction. She was able to throw some of the hospital personnel clear across the room, causing them to slam against the wall harshly. Her slitted green eyes gained a feral look as she roared out, straining the ears of those closest to her and alerting others in the hospital of a possible hostile situation. Taiki managed to pull Momo away from the violence and gave enough room for the hospital staff to try and subdue the young dragon, but Momo was more concerned for the mental state of her hero…she couldn't imagine the pain of losing a mom, but she knew that her hero now needed someone to save them before things got even more out of hand.
The nurses backed off from the feral dragon as she swung her razor sharp claws wildly, behaving more like a wounded and cornered animal than a human with a quirk. Izumi's mental pain had led to panic when the initial nurse had tried to calm her and push her back onto her bed, but things had escalated way too far and someone was going to get seriously hurt. Izumi wasn't even forming words, she was just growling and baring her teeth, not wanting anyone to touch her, she just wanted for them to leave her alone…she just wanted her mom. She could hear someone call her name 'Midoriya' over and over again, but the panic left her unfocused and in too deep with her flight or fight response…that is until that same voice had called out more forcefully.
"Izumi, stop!"
She could feel something deep within her shift and loosen, her eyes focusing again and on the person that had called out to her: Momo. Izumi's rampage seemed to be at a tentative pause, letting Momo bravely press further for her hero.
"Izumi, please, I know it hurts, but just take a breath for me, okay? I don't want you to hurt anyone or yourself…please."'
The forcefulness was gone from her voice as she gently pleaded with the young dragon, hoping to break through to her and get things to calm down. Izumi hesitated but made a visible effort to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth, seemingly trying to calm down despite the tension in her posture. Izumi was still clearly on guard and no one dared get closer except for one brave girl. Momo started to carefully step forward, keeping her hands visible to show that she was no threat, but Taiki put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going forward. Taiki was about to verbally protest for the safety of his young Mistress, but one pleading look from Momo shut down any sort of sensible words that were about to leave his mouth. Reluctantly, Taiki let go of her shoulder, but kept on guard in case Izumi proved to be a threat towards the heiress.
Momo continued to step forward as the nurses backed off slightly, seeing an opportunity that just might work and not get their flesh torn to bits. Sure, let the nine-year-old deal with another possibly feral nine-year-old, what could possibly go wrong?
"That's it, Izumi, just keep doing that for me. Just focus on my voice for now and it'll be okay," Momo continues to talk down the dragon, slowly creeping closer as Izumi makes no visible acts of aggression towards her, continuing to take calming breaths. It wasn't long before she was right in front of the girl, talking to her face to face again, tears escaping from Momo's face as she couldn't help but be affected by Izumi's pain, "I know it's not okay, Izumi, but it will be. I'll help you like you helped me, okay? I'll be your hero this time."
Momo paused for a slight moment before resolving herself, feeling that Izumi wouldn't hurt her despite the panic that still surged through her being. She slowly reached out with both of her hands, capturing Izumi's tear stained cheeks in each of her hands, gently and futilely wiping away the tears of her cheek with her thumbs. Taiki held his breath, but was ready to jump in if things went south, praying that it would never come to that. To everyone's surprise, Izumi's head seemed to lean into the contact as her shoulders finally relaxed with a small whimper, her look of panic and anger morphing into one of sorrow and grief. Izumi found comfort in the contact, surrendering herself completely to the young heiress. Izumi's legs gave out from under her and Momo was there to catch her, pulling her into a gentle embrace as sobs began to fill the war-torn hospital room. Despite the situation, Momo noted that Taiki was indeed correct about Izumi's weight; she was heavier than she should be, meaning that her entire body was dense…she was similar to Momo, a thought that brought some comfort and kinship as Izumi cried into the crook of Momo's neck. Izumi desperately clung to this new source of warmth, finding security in the comfort of Momo's embrace. Izumi found her touch surprisingly fulfilling and calming, soothing the deepest parts of her that no one else could tame…something instinctual that made her visibly relax and lower her guard completely. She felt safe.
Thankfully, Izumi didn't need to be sedated, but she passed back out from the strenuous nature of her emotional outburst, needing her rest for the moment. It would appear that more serious conversations would need to take place later, but Momo wanted to be there for her hero. If her guesses were correct, judging by the lack of family that came to visit, Izumi probably didn't have anywhere to go and she'd be damned if she didn't try to get her family to take Izumi in…even if it was just temporarily. Unbeknownst to her, Izumi's mother's will had named the Bakugous as Izumi's godparents and it would cause some conflict in the near future.
I don't really have much else to say here, but I'm not sure when I'll be releasing my next chapter. I like to keep one in the bank, so I'd like to write out another one before posting the next chapter. However, I might break the next chapter into two parts and add some meat second part. Y'all will finally get to see the Bakugous make their appearance and whatever fallout may happen from Katsuki being his grand ol self. Either way, see y'all next time. Stay hydrated, my readers!
