Chapter 18: Much Needed Pep Talks
Izuku was floating with Dipper and Mabel headed to the cafeteria to meet with everyone.
"So why is Aizawa making you do the reactional games again?" asked Mabel.
"I don't know…" sighed Izuku.
"Probably so that you're doing something today." Said Dipper.
"Yeah…" sighed Izuku.
That was when they saw a floating gym uniform… aka Hagakure.
"Hey!" she called out.
"Oh hey Toru!" cheered Mabel.
"Congratulations on making it to the third event." Said Izuku.
"Thanks…" said Toru, "But it was Tokoyami who did most of the work. I just rode around…"
"Hey! You still got in." said Mabel.
"Anyways… I wanted to talk to you Midoriya." Said Hagakure.
"Okay…" said Izuku.
Mabel gave the invisible girl a look.
"No it's not like that! I swear…" said Hagakure.
"What?" asked Izuku very confused.
"It's nothing." Said Hagakure.
"We'll tell everyone that you'll meet up with them later." Said Dipper pushing Mabel away.
"Later!" called out Hagakure leaving a confused Izuku.
Meanwhile Shoto was walking to the main school building.
"Shoto!" called out Endeavor.
He grumbled as he turned to his father.
"What is it?" asked Shoto.
"We need to talk about your performance during the Cavalry battle." Said Endeavor.
Shoto scrowled, knew that this conversation going to happen no matter what.
He stared at his father knowing that this conversation wouldn't be pleasant at all.
Back with Izuku and Hagakure they found a place to talk privately which was an area outside where no one seemed to be.
"So what did you want to talk about." Said Izuku.
"Sometimes I hate my quirk." Said Hagakure.
"What?" asked Izuku.
"Don't' get me wrong! I love it! It's awesome being invisible! I mean I get to go around naked and no one even knows I am…" said Izuku.
Izuku was blushing so hard his puppet was blushing as well.
"Uh… Midoriya…" said Hagakure.
"I don't know how it happens either…" said Izuku.
"Okay…" said Hagakure who took a breath to get to get the conversation back on track, "But there are times when it really sucks. Since I can't turn it off… I can't look anyone in the eyes… and people often don't notice me… and since I can't affect other things I don't do well in the cold…"
"Like your fight with Todoroki…" said Izuku.
"Yeah…" said Hagakure, "But I realized something… it's not as bad as compared to you…"
"What?" asked Izuku.
"You can't interact with things or people unless your possessing something along with being invisible." Said Hagakure.
"Oh… you're right…" said Izuku.
"You can't eat… can you?" asked Hagakure.
"I can't sleep either…" said Izuku, "I've had to figure out what to do with my time… though I'm not almost fluent in English and I've seen a lot of really good pre-quirk movies that I never would have thought to watch before… and I came up with a lot of really good ideas for quirk uses for our classmates… I was the one to come up with the steam idea for Todoroki."
"Oh that's so cool!" said Hagakure.
"But… at the rest of it…" said Izuku, "I haven't gotten a real hug in so long from my mom… and I miss her katsudon… along with other foods… I can only interact with the Pines without the puppets or robots… but…"
"Wait aren't there other options?" asked Hagakure.
"Well… we tried something… but…" said Izuku.
(Flashback)
Izuku wasn't sure how to respond to the high school boy just pointed at him screaming… that's all he did… just point and scram in horror.
(End of Flashback)
"I don't want to go into details…" sighed Izuku.
"Really?" asked Hagakure.
"Also Mabel's been wanting to get me to wear a mascot costume…" sighed Izuku.
Hagakure laughed.
"Oh I have an idea for you thought, why don't you wear a headband?" asked Izuku.
"What?" asked Hagakure.
"I mean that would help with people making eye contact." Said Izuku, "And it you don't really need to style your hair."
"I never thought of that." Said Hagakure, "I realized hats would work but because of school I just never got into the habit of wearing them outside of class…"
Izuku laughed somewhat nervously but glad she liked the idea.
"I don't know how many people would snap after losing so much…" said Hagakure.
"What do you mean?" asked Izuku.
"You've had this for a year right… but you still pushed through trying to get your body back…" said Hagakure, "I don't know if I would be able to stand a year of losing so much, even if no one's able to see me already…"
Izuku once again blushed.
"You really think that…" he said.
He looked at her and he stared at her.
"Oh are you nodding?" asked Izuku.
"I am…" said Hagakure.
"It's okay… I have to explain things like that sometimes too." Laughed Izuku.
"And I don't know if I could stand to lose all that forever…" Hagakure said quietly.
"What?" asked Izuku.
"It's nothing…" said Hagakure.
She didn't want to tell him that she was among those that overheard the meeting where he revealed he wanted to kill his body.
But she knew she really should tell him she overheard it due to not being a member of the team.
"I'm sure everything will work out when you get your body back." Said Hagakure.
"Yeah…" said Izuku.
"Come on!" said Hagakure, "Let's go to lunch… even if you can't eat."
"Yeah…" said Izuku.
Before they could however, All Might showed up.
"I am here!" he called out, "And I want to speak to Young Midoriya!"
""Oh okay!" said Izuku.
"I'll tell everyone that All Might wanted to talk to you." Said Hagakure.
"Thanks…" said Izuku.
He followed All Might so they could talk.
Meanwhile with Shoto…
"So you learned how to combine the two halves of your quirk." Said Endeavor.
"My classmate was the one to come up with the idea." Said Shoto, "He also came up with another idea but I have no plans on using it."
Endeavor immediately realized what the idea was and knew exactly why his son wouldn't use it but didn't say anything about it.
"Yet you still focus on your ice?" asked Endeavor.
"If you're referring to Bakugo, that's for tactical reasons…" muttered Shoto.
Endeavor dropped the subject.
"You better get over this rebellious phase and start using your fire." Said Endeavor.
Shoto glared at his father.
He was going to walk away but then a thought struck him… a question he should have asked sooner after finding out about it.
"Hypothetically, if something were to happen to All Might and you become the number 1 hero what will you do?" asked Shoto.
Endeavor glared at his son.
"If I couldn't beat All Might in calming the number 1 spot after all these years, what makes you think that something might happen to him?" asked Endeavor.
Shoto glared at his father right back and left to go to lunch.
However he did smirk as he walked away, after all his father didn't know the truth, that All Might didn't have much longer to be a hero.
Chances were good considering that injury he would retire long before high school.
Meanwhile in the teacher's lounge, Izuku met with Toshinori.
"What did you want to talk about?" asked Izuku.
Toshinori sighed, he decided it was best not to beat around the bush.
"I overheard your idea about killing your body." Said Toshinori.
Izuku flinched.
"I know it's a bad idea… and that I would lose so much… and one day… I would be all alone…" said Izuku.
"But after what he said…" said Toshinori.
Izuku knew that he knew what Bill said to him and nodded and he started to cry.
"I just want to be a hero so badly… I know it's stupid…" he cried, "And it was the reason why I took him up on his offer…"
Toshinori sighed.
"I'm only here because Bill stole my body and he needs to be stopped." Said Izuku, "I know I shouldn't want to remain… but it's always been my dream to be a hero…"
"You assume that next year you'll be transferred out…" said Toshinori.
Izuku nodded, "I'm sure of it…" cried Izuku.
"This is because everyone told you couldn't be a hero, isn't?" asked Toshinori.
Izuku once again flinched, even though he couldn't see the boy he could tell he hit the nail on the head.
Toshinori sighed.
"What I'm about to tell you was something I was planning on waiting until after you got your body back." Said Toshinori, "But do you want to know the reason why I asked Dave to build that body for you?"
"Because you still blame yourself for everything that happened…" said Izuku.
Toshinori sighed, of course he should have known that's the reason why Izuku thought that.
"No… while training you I realized something about, I got to know you and the reason why you strive to be a hero." Said Toshinori, "And even without the abilities you have right now and even what I'm about to offer you I'm sure that once you get your body back you will make a great hero."
"Wait… do you really mean that?" asked Izuku looking at Toshinori.
"I truly believe that and I think that many of your classmates and the Pines feel the same way that I do." Said Toshinori.
Izuku didn't know what to say.
"You can be a hero Young Midoriya." Said Toshinori.
And with that Izuku began to cry even harder, but this time they were tears of joy.
As he cried he realized something.
"Wait… what do you mean offer?" asked Izuku.
"What I'm about to tell you must not tell anyone! Because letting them know of this secret will be putting them in danger." Said Toshinori.
Izuku paled.
'Though… if you get your body without using the Zodiac maybe you can let the Pines know… expect Stan." Said Toshinori.
He liked Stan, the two got along greatly… but he also didn't trust him, especially with a secret this big.
Izuku looked at Toshinori.
"I won't tell anyone." Said Izuku.
"All right, it deals with my quirk." Said Toshinori, "Its name is One for All… many think it's just a super strength quirk but it's something more. It's a quirk that's like the Olympic Torch… passing from one person to another… and I wish that once you get your body back that you will be the one I will pass it on to…"
Izuku stared at the skinny version the national icon in front of him.
"I'm sorry! Did you just say that your quirk is something you can pass on!" yelled Izuku in shock, "I mean that should be impossible… it's… it's…"
Then he remember something.
"Never mind…" said Izuku, "Considering that there is someone who give and take away quirks, I think someone having a quirk that they can pass on would make sense."
Toshinori nodded.
"But you should know… there is a chance that I might have to pass it on to someone else before you get your body back… and there's the fact that there might not be any other option to stopping Bill Cipher other than killing your body…" said Toshinori.
Izuku made sure that his puppet nodded.
"But why tell me now…" said Izuku.
"I was worried that you would lose all hope and kill your body next time you saw it." Said Toshinori, "I know what it's like… needing that hope to one day tell you can be a hero… even when the odds against you."
"How do you know that?" asked Izuku.
Toshinori took a breath .
"Because before I got One for All I was qurikless myself." Said Toshinori.
"WHAT!" yelled Izuku.
"It's true… when I was younger I was qurikless…" said Toshinori, "Then my predecessor chose me to become the next holder and I had someone who believed me."
"But as I said… there's still a chance you might not be able to receive it." Said Toshinori.
"I understand." Said Izuku.
Toshinori smiled at the boy, though he couldn't see him, he could feel it. The fact that the hope he gave him brought him out of his depression.
Though he knew that he would have to tell him the whole story before passing on the quirk, even if Izuku did know the basics about the villain, he didn't tell him that.
But for now he got up and walked over to the chair the puppet was floating over and placed his hand on the puppet, Izuku knew he was wanted to do and let him hug the puppet.
It was kind of awkward but he was used to these rather award hugs by this point.
Izuku looked at the clock.
"I don't think I'll be able to hang out with my friends during lunch." Said Izuku.
"I'm sure it's fine…" said Toshinori breaking the hug, "Nothing really exciting happens during the lunch break. "
Meanwhile in the cafeteria, Hagakure saw Dipper, Ochaco, Katsuki and Tenya watching something on the other side of the cafeteria.
"Hey!" she called out.
"Where's Deku?" asked Ochaco.
"All Might wanted to talk to him…" said Hagakure, "I'm hoping it's a pep talk too…"
"You gave Deku a pep talk first?" asked Katsuki.
"Sorry for beating you to it. But I'm invisible you know…" said Hagakure, "Or have you not noticed?"
Katsuki grumbled.
Then she saw what they were looking at.
It was Mabel looming over Kaminari and Mineta, while Yaoyorozu was trying to calm her down.
"What is she doing?" asked Hagakure.
"The pot calling the kettle black…" sighed Dipper.
"What?" asked Hagakure.
"Just never mind…" sighed Dipper, "We overheard the two tell Momo that all the girls in class have to wear cheerleading uniforms… and Mabel is threatening them."
"I see…" said Hagakure.
That was when they saw Mabel give an evil smile as she turned to Yaoyorozu… who seemed to giggling at whatever Mabel said.
Sometime later once the lunch break was over, all the students had gathered in the main sports field.
"Hey sorry I missed lunch!" called out Izuku.
"We heard that All Might wanted to talk to you." Said Tenya.
They all looked at Izuku… and while they couldn't see him… they could almost feel it.
That he was feeling better…
"We should have sicked him on you from the begging." Muttered Katsuki.
"What?" asked Izuku.
"Never mind…" said Katsuki.
That was when Izuku noticed Mineta and Kaminari.
Both of them were wearing cheerleader costumes… not men's… women's…
"Why are you wearing cheerleader uniforms!" yelled Izuku in shock.
"Your sister made us!" cried Mineta.
"What?" asked Izuku.
"Mabel." Said Kaminari.
"She's basically your sister… even if you're not related" said Mineta.
The entire stadium seemed to laugh at the two dressed in the cheerleader uniforms.
"I think we all owe Mabel something…" said Jiro.
The other girls nodded in agreement.
"Now before we get started on the reactional games! We will be drawing lots for the tournament!" said Midnight.
"All right! I've always wanted to be in the tournament! And now I get to!" said Kirishima.
"Wait is always a tournament?" asked Mina.
'Oh yeah!" said Kirishima.
"And it's always different, last year I think it was fighting with foam swords." Said Sero.
"Wait!" called out Ojiro, "If possible I would like to withdraw."
Everyone turned to the tailed boy in surprise.
"What really?" asked Mina.
"But this is your chance as getting noticed." Said Hagakure.
"I can't barley remember anything from the second event…" said Ojiro, "It doesn't feel right."
"I want to drop out too." Said the rather small boy from Class 1-B.
"Shoda! You're the only one from Class 1-B! You have to stay in!" said Monoma.
"No, I agree… I don't remember anything from the match." Said the boy named Shoda.
"All this talk is naive and really turning me on…" said Midnight.
Most of the students were horrified at the last part of it.
"I'll allow it! The two of you are out of the tournament." Said Midnight, "As none of the other teams had any points… thanks to Team Bakugo's rampage, I guess that the two spots will got to Team Tetsutetsu."
"What did you call it!" yelled Katsuki.
"Kacchan… it really was a rampage and you know it." Sighed Izuku.
It was decided that Tetsutetsu and a girl with vines named Ibara Shiozaki for hair would take the two spots.
And soon the lots were drawn.
The matches were:
Katsuki VS Shinso
Kirishima VS Tetsutetsu
Tenya VS Hatsume
Shiozaki VS. Kaminari
Ochaco Vs. Mezo
Mina Vs. Aoyama
Todoroki VS Hagakure
And Tokoyami VS. Yaoyorozu
"Oh no! Not again!" cried Hagakure.
Ojiro patted her on the back.
"I'm not going to hold back Uraraka." Mezo told her.
"I won't either." Said Ochaco.
"You know… I have some ideas." Said Hatsume to Tenya.
"What?" asked Tenya.
"Why are you wearing a skirt?" asked Shiozaki.
"Don't look at me!" cried Kaminari.
"So you're the one who has to fight me." Said Shinso to Katsuki.
Katsuki was about to respond.
However Ojiro covered his mouth with his tail. However Katsuki ripped it off.
"What the fuck!" yelled Katsuki.
"I'll explain later…" he said, "Don't talk to him…"
Katsuki glared at his classmate and then looked at the face of his opponent in the first match.
"Those in the tournament can participate in the reactional games if you wish." Said Midnight, "So before the main event let's all have fun!"
"Come on Deku." Said Ochaco.
"What?" asked Izuku, "You're going to play too?"
"Yeah… it will be a chance to relax." Said Ochaco.
She had planned it even before she got into the tournament as she figured that none of the others would want participate.
It was also planned before Izuku got out of his depression…
But still the two joined in the game together.
"All right!" cheered Mabel watching the two from the box.
"Seriously?" asked Dipper.
Meanwhile Endeavor watched his son leave the field as the reactional games were going on.
To be honest, he was actually proud of his son with the steam idea. After all his son's quirk was versatile. And using it that way was actually very clever.
He also knew his son wasn't lying when he said it wasn't his idea. He wasn't sure if he would ever know the name of that classmate but he knew that whoever the kid was they were smart.
But he was smart too and he knew that he had to pretend for the time being he hated that idea. With Shoto being in a "rebellious" phase, if he acted he approved the idea, then he was sure his son would stop using it.
So for now he would act like he hated the steam idea… and hoped in the future that he and his friend would come up with other ideas for mixing the two sides of his quirk.
But that really wasn't the most important thing that happened…
After all Izuku got over his depression thanks to the hope given to him from All Might along with the words from Hagakure.
And he didn't know that before the day was through that he would gain another source of hope from another place… though the instances wouldn't be that great…
Even so the tournament was about to begin… and who knew who was going to win the first round… or if Katsuki would be able to keep his mouth shut.
Next Time: The Tournament gets underway as Katsuki faces off against Shinso... will he fall for his quirk.,.. and even after the fight will he end up talking to the boy? Also Kirishima meets his match is a very odd way and Hatsume uses her and Tenya's match for advertising... what else will happen? Find out next time!
A/N: About something I realized when writing this chapter, often in fanfics whenever Shoto comes up with a way to combine the two sides of his quirk, his father always hates it... but this chapter got me thinking... would he in canon? Would he really hate it because he's not using his figure the way he wants to or would he be proud that he's using his quirk in a way that he didn't' think about... I think it would be the latter because well... he's not holding back any more and clever thinking would probably get him to being number 1... so yeah I decided to have him like the idea... but make it seem like he hated the idea using reverse psychology.
Also I will be breezing through canon matched ad focusing on non-canon matches (IE: Those not in canon that have changes in some way like all Todoroki's fights). So yeah...