Welcome back to another chapter!
Watching the cityscape speed by, Izuku tried to hide his nervousness. Kyoka's mom, Mika Jirou, had offered to get some tickets for a nearby concert for the group of friends. Mina and Kyoka were both excited about going with friends even if Kyoka tried to act nonchalant. Sadly neither Kirishima nor Himiko could make it. Himiko did not feel comfortable with such a densely packed crowd. While Kirishima already had plans his family he did not want to miss. That just left Izuku, Mina, and Kyoka free to go.
Not that Izuku was not excited to go, but it being his first time there left him kinda nervous. It was a small comfort to Izuku that it was a Deep Dope concert. Izuku was a big fan of their music and so were Kyoka and Mina.
Trying to distract himself from his nervousness, Izuku focused his attention on his friends who were busy discussing Deep Dope's best songs. Soon enough the three of them were at the stadium.
With sharp eyes, Izuku noted that there were a number of heroes wandering about. Some limelight as well as some underground heroes. As much as Izuku would have liked to go and get their autographs, Izuku knew better than to. There were also a number of security guards around as well.
"Izuku you okay there?" Mina asked causing Izuku to turn and see Kyoka and Mina giving him concerned looks.
"Yeah, just a little nervous. Never really been in such a big crowd before." Izuku scratched the back of his head.
"Don't you normally find yourself in one when you're watching heroes?" Kyoka asked with a teasing smirk. Though Izuku could see she was still worried.
"Yeah, but I dunno. Feels different here than then." Izuku shrank in a little on himself.
Mina just put an arm around Izuku, "Don't worry Midori-kun, we got your back."
"Yeah if anyone messes with you, we'd kick their ass," Kyoka said with a confident smile.
Izuku laughed, "Don't get into trouble on my account."
The trio of teens found a good spot to stand and wait for the opening act. The three easily chatted away as they waited. As they were standing around, Izuku's attention was caught by a group standing near the edge. A teen about his age with a black-bird-like head was staring up at some taller teens with a dead-eyed stare. The older teens seemed to be whispering something.
Tapping Kyoka on the shoulder, Izuku directed her attention to the group.
"Do we need to step in?" Izuku whispered.
"They're saying some pretty nasty and quirkest things. They sound like one of those creature rejection folks," Kyoka said scowling.
That was all Izuku needed to hear to start walking toward the group. Kyoka and Mina were by his side in an instant. Izuku let himself have a small soft smile before forcing it into a more outgoing and confident one. Mina and Kyoka would later describe the smile to be Miruko-esque in looks and energy.
"There you are!" Izuku said cutting into whatever threat the older teens were saying. "I thought we agreed to meet at the gate."
The older teens and the bird-headed boy blinked in confusion.
Mina took the opportunity to put an arm on the bird boy's shoulder.
"Well we found you in the end so let's get out of here and find a better spot closer to the stage!" Mina said loudly before whispering. "We saw those jerks giving you crap, thought we stage an intervention."
The bird boy nodded, "I apologize for letting myself become too enamored by the shadows and forgetting our plan. Let us be on our way to revel in darkness."
Mina and Kyoka had to blink in confusion for a second while Izuku simply smiled.
Turning to the older teens, Izuku gave them a smile that seemed a bit deranged.
"We'd best be getting out of your hair now. Enjoy the concert," Izuku said before guiding his friends away.
The older teens could only stare in confusion before they felt a tap on their shoulders. Turning around they saw a few security folks standing with their arms crossed. The teens gulped before they were dragged away.
"I must thank you, those vile shades obscured the majesty of the void on this auspicious evening," the bird boy said, "Allow me to introduce my dark self, the being before you is Fumikage Tokoyami."
Izuku, Mina, and Kyoka, was caught off guard when a shadow came to life and popped out of Tokoyomi's hoodie.
"And I'm Dark Shadow!" Dark Shadow announced cheerily.
Izuku was sure Kyoka could hear his racing heart as he stared wide eye at Dark Shadow.
"Oh my god, a sentient quirk, that is so cool," Izuku said as he reached too pull out his notebook from somewhere. Before he could, Mina gave him an gentle slap upside the head.
"Midori-kun, we know you love quirks but now's not the time to nerd out," Mina said teasingly.
Izuku could only rub the back of his head with an embarrassed laugh.
"It's nice to meet you Tokoyami," Kyoka said, "if you like, you're free to hang out with us if you like."
Tokoyami's eyes widen as he looked at the smiling and accepting faces the others had.
"This dark one would be honored to spend tonight with your esteemed and bright selves," Tokoyami said with a small smile.
"Fumi is saying he would be happy to hang out with you for the rest of the concert," Dark Shadow supplied to the group.
It did not take long until Izuku was talking away with Dark Shadow. Dark Shadow was happy to talk away with someone. The two found themselves lost in a conversation about heroes and video games. Mina, Kyoka, and Tokoyami were simply talking about the music that they like. Tokoyami and Kyoka shared a number of darker-themed bands as their favorites.
As they were talking, the opening act walked out onto the stage, a band called Dark Stars. Soon enough the four of them were rocking out to the music in their own way. Mina was bouncing up and down without a care in the world. Izuku was following Mina's lead and jumping up and down with a little less energy. Kyoka was gently head banging as she threw up rock horns. Dark Shadow was swaying to the music while Tokoyami was bopping his head along.
When the opening act walked off, the four teens relaxed a bit. Izuku and Tokoyami were busy talking about their favorite songs of Dark Star while Mina, Kyoka, and Dark Shadow talked about the band members and how cute and hot they were.
It did not take long for the second opening act to come onto the stage, the Desert Walkers. Just like before the teens were rocking out to the music.
What they were not ready for was for the crowd to become rowdy.
Izuku, who somehow ended up away from his friends, found himself at the edge of a mosh pit. As people began to slam into one another, Izuku felt something pick him up and set him outside a wall of people that were helping keep the mosh pit contained.
Giving a nod of thanks to the large bear man that pulled him out. Izuku found himself almost tripping after someone pushed him. Instead of face-planting, Izuku found himself being held up by his shirt. A purple light glowed around him as he felt himself get put onto his feet. Izuku looked up to find a pale haired girl looking staring up at him.
"Were you the one that saved me?" Izuku shoutingly asked over the music before geting a nod from her, "thank you very much, would not have been fun face planting."
The girl blinked a few times before answering, "It is my pleasure to help a shining star not be consumed by the void. My ghostly visage is known as Reiko Yanagi."
"Izuku Midoriya," Izuku said giving Yanagi a smile, "I should let you get back to you friends, I hope you enjoy the concert."
Before Izuku turned to leave, he saw how Yanagi's previous smile disappear and how she slumped down. As she turned to shuffle away, Izuku grabbed her hand. Reiko jumped in surprised and turned to see a very concern Izuku looking at her.
"Are you here alone?" Izuku asked. Yanagi simply sighed and nodded. "If you like then, why don't you join me and my friends?"
"I do not wish to intrude on your reverly in the dark," Yanagi said shaking her head, "I'm sure that I would simply hinder your elation and cast an unwelcoming shadow on friends."
"Yanagi-san, I and most of my friends may not talk or find the same comfort in the dark as you and another of my friend does. That does not mean we will not and do not simply accept them for who they are. You should not feel that your presence is unwelcomed because you act or talk differently. You are special as you are and that should be cherished. I want you to join us cause I know what's its like to be alone and I don't wish to see others like that." Izuku gave a very passionate speech even as the band in the background wailed away.
Yanagi had a tear welling up in her eye as she simply wiped it away before giving Izuku a nod.
"If you would have my haunting self, then I would honored to," Yanagi said give a haunting smile.
"Awesome!" Izuku cheered as he began to pull Yanagi along. "Reverly in the dark!"
It did not take long for the two to fight through the crowd to return to the spot where Mina, Kyoka, and Tokoyami were standing. The three were searching the crowd nervously. Dark Shadow was staying close to Tokoyami but seemed just as agitated.
The second the four saw Izuku they all breathed a sigh of relief. Mina and Kyoka could not help themselves chuckle when they saw that Izuku was dragging another person behind him.
The two practically jumped on Izuku and buzzed around him worridly while Izuku placated them. Tokoyami and Dark Shadow were also close by but seemed content knowing that Izuku was whole and well.
"Everyone, this is Reiko Yanagi. She helped me from face planting and she was alone so I invited her to join us. Hope that's alright?" Izuku gave them a nervous smile.
"Green, it's no problem at all. The more the merrier," Kyoka said holding her hand out for a fist bump. "Name's Kyoka Jiro. Welcome to our club of people that broccoli head collects as friends."
Yanagi tapped her fist against Kyoka's while Izuku protested the collection quip. Mina excitedly bounce her way in front of Yanagi and gave the girl a surprised hug. Yanagi had sitffined in surprised but quickly returned the hug.
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Mina!" Mina said with a wide smile as she pulled away.
"I am glad you have so accepted my spectral self as part of your tenebrous clique," Yanagi said warmly.
Tokoyami stepped forward with a warm smile.
"Another who finds comforts among the shadows of the void? My dark visage is Fumikage Tokoyami."
"And I'm Dark Shadow, it is a pleasure to meet your ghostly self."
Yanagi's eyes sparkled as the three got lost exchanging stories about their experience among the twilight of the world. Izuku, Mina, and Kyoka simply let the two talk as they returned to focusing on the band. As the band walked off the stage Tokoyami and Yanangi rejoined them.
Much to Izuku's embarrassment Mina and Koyka decided to share how Izuku always found himself in situations where he became a hero. Kyoka was joking about how Izuku pulled almost the same exact act with Tokoyami as he did with her. Tokoyami blushed at the idea of Izuku acting as his boyfriend while Izuku simply covered his face in embarrassment. All the while Dark Shadow was cackling away. Yanagi and Mina got lost talking about dance moves with Mina showing Yanagi some basic dance routines. With her charming personality,
Soon enough Deep Dope walked onto the stage. The crowd roared in excitement as the first song began. The five teens let themselves get caught up in the excitement and roar along with the crowd.
Before they knew it, the concert, encore and all, drew to a close. As the teens filtered out with the crowd, Mina and Kyoka were quick to grab Yanagi and Tokoyami's numbers. They were soon added to the slowly growing group chat. With Kirishima and Himiko sending warm welcomes to the new members. Izuku could not help but smile as Tokoyami and Yanagi posted some edgy memes much to Himiko's approval judging by her own edgy memes.
With the promise of meeting them again soon, Izuku, Mina, and Kyoka separated from their new friends to get on their train home.
Izuku was in the middle of Mina and Kyoka as they squished into their seat. As their excitement faded away, the three gave in to their sleepiness. Mina and Kyoka were drooling on Izuku's shoulder while the boy snuggled into Mina's hair. Unlucky for them, Inko ended up taking the same train home after grocery shopping and managed to step into their carriage. Taking a couple of pictures, Inko began plotting the best frames and place to hang up the picture in their house.
As she watched over the sleeping teens, she could feel her pride swelling. Nothing made her happier than knowing that Izuku was going to be surrounded by good friends.
The goths have arrived. Tokoyami and Yanagi have appeared. I had fun writing their dialogue but I am unsure if I did their dark selves justice. Either way, they have made their appearance and that means they be back sometime in the future.
I wanted to show how Mina, Kyoka, and Izuku friendship was and give just the three of them some spotlight as well. They are after all the reason why I started writing this story.
Fair warning, I might miss the next few weeks of updates. I got a bunch of half-written stuff and a lot less time to write. I hope you stick around for when I, hopefully, come back swinging.
May you all have a wonderful day!
PK OUT!