Deku and little Tenko were certainly interesting, of that Amber was absolutely sure of.
It hadn't taken them long to build a friendship with one another, Tenko was a little ball of sunshine whenever he wasn't busy a nervous wreck around strangers, ever eager to point his older brother in a given direction and order him to do something like he was some kind of lumbering familiar or run his mouth with questions on this and that.
It was adorable really, made her wonder if this was what it was like to have a younger sibling.
And then, of course, there was his older brother. Izuku Midoriya or Deku, as she had opted to call him, was much the same as Tenko but diluted in a sense. Where Tenko would run his mouth, Deku would mumble and ask measured questions. He was positive too, always smiling and infinitely yielding to whatever demand Little Tenko gave him. But he was tired and weary, she knew that, saw it in his eyes and body language everyday. It wasn't physical exhaustion but something else entirely.
She could sympathize with him really.
Mental and emotional exhaustion was a bitch to deal with. Despite having lived on the run for over a year now Amber still found herself missing Beacon, her friends, her teachers and her old life, so much so that she'd cry herself to sleep sometimes. It wasn't often, at least when compared to when she'd first begun 'travelling', but it was still an awful reminder that she yearned for a life that was taken away from her because of a war between 2 immortals who couldn't care less about who lived and died under their watch.
Salem was a monster, plain and simple, and so her character didn't hold any real importance in Amber's mind. Ozpin however, or rather Ozma, was something worse than evil in her eyes.
A villain who truly believed himself a hero because of the duty he shoulder.
His intentions were good, she knew that, and his options were limited. Yet, his methods were, questionable at best, downright callous at it's worst.
How many men and women had he sent to their deaths? How many people had he told the about truth behind the Grimm and it's leader? How many of those people were truly honored after they so valiantly gave their life away to a seemingly endless conflict?
They had desired to die heroes, to save the world and protect their families, to put an end to this Shadow War.
Yet what good had that done for them?
Summer Rose was missing, Raven Branwen was a paranoid bitch, Qrow was a bastard to invested and loyal to back out of the war and Tai XiaoLong was a broken man who was barely holding it together if only for the sake of his daughters.
At least, that's what she'd last heard of them anyways, but all the same it horrified her.
To see a powerful Huntsman team reduced to fractured mess after the revelation, it made her wonder how many others had went through similar experiences.
Regardless of whether or not Ozpin intended for this to happen didn't matter, what mattered was his lack thinking of an alternative that didn't end up with him unknowingly using people as sacrificial pawns.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Amber looked from the dark path ahead of them and towards Deku who trekked alongside her, carrying a sleeping Tenko in his scarf sling.
It was night right now and the two had decided to continue you their long journey seeing as sleep was alluding them.
To anyone else, travelling at night int a forest with Grimm would have been suicidal at best, downright idiotic at worst, but between her maiden powers and Deku's strength enhancement Semblance they were nigh unstoppable so long as an elder Grimms didn't cross their path.
"What makes you think I had something on my mind worth sharing?" She deflected quickly.
"Your making that blank expression that you only use when your thinking about something that bothers you."
Right. She'd almost forgotten that, despite his normally gentle and relaxed way of approaching things, Deku could be unnaturally firm and very observant when it regarded something important like this.
Didn't help he sounded so full of concern either. It made her want to talk, confide in him really. He was like her. Strong but with no place to go, kind to a fault and entirely to caring of others.
"We've barely been together for two weeks and you think you can already read me so easily?" She tried to redirect again.
He stayed silent for a few moments before.
"What if I told you about my and Tenko's story?"
The question caught her off guard such that she stumbled in her steps.
In truth she knew next to nothing about the two, no less than that, they were both complete unknowns that didn't make lick a sense to her.
They didn't know about remnant, or Grimm, or Semblances, or dust, or anything really.
Now faced with the opportunity to understand the anomalies before her she found herself sorely tempted.
"There are somethings that are better left unknown." Amber said.
"There is," he agreed "However ignorance is far worse than not knowing."
Something in the way he said that sparked something in Amber. There was a story there, no doubt about it, one she would could learn of if she just acquiesced to his request.
"Fine," she caved and the Deku smiled grew for it.
Looking away from her she watched as Deku looked ahead of them, eyes clouded as he dug up memories he'd probably kept buried.
"Before Tenko and I came here we got caught up in a war," Amber felt her breath hitch at the frank admission, looking towards the sleeping boy with a concerned look.
Deku waved her off her concerns, "He doesn't remembering anything of the war," That was a relief. "Didn't mean he didn't suffer."
"Tenko's Qui- Semblance is powerful, really powerful." He says gesturing towards the gloves of the boys hands. "Decay allows him to turn anything he touches into dust."
"I always did wonder why he wore those, they're really cute on him." Amber mused aloud, impressed with the boys power and trying to inject some levity into the dark atmosphere.
It worked, if only a little.
Izuku chuckled, "Yea he was really excited to get them and be able to touch things without destroying them."
"The vill- Monster of human that had Tenko had brainwashed him in a way, Turned him into a different person using manipulation, trauma and Tenko's hatred. Made him the perfect killing machine" Amber found herself surprised at the venom that laced the boy's words when addressing the man who used Tenko.
That kind of hatred wasn't something you could just get as an outsider looking in. No, that kind of hatred was something personal.
"But what about you?"
His smile dimmed.
"I was on the team that stood against that man."
It didn't take a genius to understand what implications his words held.
Amber felt sick when she'd digested his words, and felt even more so as the boy continued.
"I almost killed Tenko, almost had too for the greater good," here his smile died and eyes watered. "I thought it would be the only way for me to save him."
"He was to far gone, to Inhuman. But i couldn't give up on him, not when I saw that behind that monster was a little boy who looked like he wanted somebody to save him!" His voice wavered, cracked, then broke.
Amber walked along side him in silence and allowed the boy to sob silently to himself. She didn't blame him or thought him lesser for it.
Ever since she'd met the two of them they seemed close and Little Tenko was such a bright and loving child. The fact that Deku had, at one point, been pushed to end the life of someone who so earnestly looked up to him now probably broke something inside him.
Guilt was an ugly and cruel thing, and right now she was sure De- Izuku was drowning in it.
"It was a miracle that I'd been able to reach him back then," Izuku said after composing himself, "It's stupid for feeling guilty about something like this, I know that, but every time he looks so happy I can't help but feel disgusted with myself for thinking that I had no other choice than to kill him."
"After it was all said and done Tenko and I found ourselves in these woods without any knowledge of how we got here or where here was." He looked to her again, and let a small smile form. "Than we met You."
Amber took some time to digest all that she had heard and silently felt her respect for the the Green haired boy go up.
Izuku Midoriya wasn't sure what to feel about Amber in the beginning.
She was a kind girl, pretty too.
He was a sucker for brunettes sue him.
And blame Ochaco.
Didn't mean he trusted her right off the bat. She was an unknown and possible enemy, someone who he would have never interacted with had the circumstances been different.
In truth, had things been different, he would have flown off using float the moment they ran into each other. Some random pretty lady in a forest was all kind of suspicious.
That or he would have avoided her entirely.
But things weren't now were they?
There was a reason why Izuku had decide to stick with Amber.
It wasn't for her power, he was strong enough as is without her, nor was it because the vestiges told him too, they had long since disappeared after One for All's was complete.
It was because of Tenko
His enemy turned adopted little brother was the one thing he had left of his previous world outside of his hero costume and and items on his person.
He had to protect him, keep him safe.
And Amber was the perfect medium for him to use to ensure that. So what if he fraternized with a villain? He could always just remove her from the picture later if she proved to be a threat. Until then he was content with using the girl to get an understanding of this new and strange world he found himself in before splitting off at whatever civilization they found themselves at.
It was a perfect plan.
And one that was ultimately doomed to fail given his character.
Izuku was a naturally empathetic person, a trait he had got from his mother that only strengthened as he went through life. It was why he had the capability to see the good in others whereas everybody else only saw their evil.
And he saw good in Amber, A lot of good.
She was kind person and overly caring person, always the first to fret over something whenever it happens. Yet so to did she have a short fuse, if her frustrated rants about the Grimm and her over the top attacks to the poor soulless creatures were anything to go by. In short, a person that was quick to extend you a helping hand and quicker still to punch you with that same limb. She was a hard worker too, always using her powers wherever and whenever possible.
And Tenko couldn't get enough of it.
If he didn't end up befriending Amber on his own than he was sure he would've befriended her because of Tenko.
The last remaining Shimura absolutely adored the girl, even telling him on occasions that he saw her as a scary but nice older sister.
It took every ounce of will power in Izuku's body to not die of a heart attack in those moments, Tenko was just so adorable!
However that didn't mean amber was a ball of sunshine like Tenko.
She was the confident and expressive kind person unafraid to wear her heart on her sleeve if she believed you to be trustworthy.
So to see her so listless at time was a dead giveaway that something was wrong.
As such Izuku did what he did best.
Help people get things off their chest
He didn't expect it to become a trauma exchange though.
...
On second thought maybe he should have expected that given his track record but hey hindsight is, as they say, 20/20.
"Well I guess it's my turn huh?" Amber said, looking away from him and at the broken moon. "To give you some context behind all this the summarized version of the truth is this; the Grimm have a leader who's immortal and is fighting a against my teacher is a reincarnator."
"-or?" He asked, confused by the odd addition to the word at the end.
"Yea he's reincarnated several times." She admitted, much to Izuku's astonishment. "The war they fight is a Shadow war, so to speak. One that spans several centuries" Izuku absolutely twitched at hearing that. Whether or not Amber noticed was something he didn't care about right now.
After all, the way she was describing this 'Shadow War' was hitting far to close to home for comfort.
"For that my power was highly sought after as it allowed me absolute control over the elements," She gestured with a hand and a flower grew just as the walked by "Unlike normal semblances, the power of a Fall maiden and the other maidens can be passed along by thinking about a person in your final moments."
"...That's... a rather morbid way to pass on your power." He said, disturbed.
Amber laughed, yet she didn't sound amused. "It really does doesn't it?"
"That why I can't let Ozpin or Salem find me." She continued, "If I'm caught then I'm either dead or a weapon to be used and discarded, no in between."
Amber looked away from the Moon and right into Izuku's eyes. and asked:
"Is it bad that i don't want to be either? Is it a sin to want to live?"
Izuku didn't answer, couldn't and Amber looked back towards the moon.
"I miss my hanging out with my friends, I miss hanging out with my family, I miss being able to live."
He heard her voice warble, heard how she tried to keep a her voice and emotions stable and heard her fail spectacularly.
"I just want to go home."
In that instance, Izuku understood.
Amber was just like him, and yet, so different.
He had seen it in her eyes when she'd looked at him, and saw the same thing in her eyes that he saw when he looked in at his own reflection.
She was tired, oh so very tired and barely holding on. Clinging on to hope because to let go meant giving up.
Yet, that's where their similarities ended and their differences began.
Izuku knew he was a weapon, no matter what others said or believed he knew in the grand scheme of things he was nothing more than a tool that would be used and discarded. Did that mean he didn't believe himself to be a hero? No. He was still a hero but the meaning behind his purpose was still the same.
That was the reality of his situation, of his purpose in life. To defeat evil and protect the innocent.
Was it an unhealthy way to live? Yes it was and he knew that.
Didn't mean he could change that.
Yoichi had acknowledged as much when he told All for One that a core part of him desired to people to save people.
In contrast Amber summarily rejected such a reality.
She wanted to live for herself and die for herself.
Didn't want to just be some kind of puppet playing on invisible strings.
All because she still saw herself as human.
"Izuku Midoriya is trying to take on the burden of his power, but he still has a lot to learn. He's just a normal Highschooler!"
Ochaco's speech hadn't just affected everyone else, it had an impact on himself as well.
It had allowed him to see that in his world where he was nothing more than a weapon for the greater good, there were still others who viewed and cherished him as something more than a disposable asset.
"You're not in the wrong Amber." Izuku said finally and Amber didn't look to him, she was still in tears but was listening nonetheless
Izuku felt like crying himself now too but still continued.
"You have every right to put the value of your life over others, to want to live a normal life free of burdens. But you can't have that kind of reality, can you?"
The girl didn't answer.
Izuku was fine with that.
"So instead why don't we find an alternative?"
Here at last Amber looked to him, and he smiled at her.
"Do you feel guilty for putting your life above others, for having the power to help them but choosing not to do so because it would mean being tracked down by Ozpin or Salem."
"Of course I feel guilty!" Amber snapped, her eyes glowing with the power of the Fall Maiden.
"Then why don't we throw caution to the wind and do as we please?"
Both teenagers stopped in their tracks, Burning rubies staring into glowing emeralds.
Izuku's smile grew, "You already avoid Ozpin and I doubt you will see Salem as a potential Ally anytime soon. So what's stopping you from helping others and doing as you please?"
"That's..."
"A crazy Idea?" Izuku cut her off with a laugh. He didn't know why he was laughing though, maybe something had gone wrong in his head when he'd ended up in this world.
"it is, and completely impossible." Amber rebuked.
"it's only impossible until somebody does it." Izuku replied simply, "And I can tell you first hand that I've done it before."
At this Amber's eyes widened.
"You what!?"
"Any government moves and acts on the behalf of the people." Izuku continued, ignoring Amber. "Especially in societies where people have powers that can be used to overthrow said government."
With each word that left the boys lips Amber felt something within her shift.
"So long as the people favor you so to will it's commanders. They will hate you, hate they can't control you or monitor you. But they will see you less as a potential threat and more as a necessary evil."
"And what if they try to take me out? What if I can't handle something on my own and need their help?" Amber queried, curious.
"Then I'll be there to stop them and help shoulder your burdens." Came the swift reply.
Didn't mean it lessened the impact though.
"Why?"
"Do I need A reason to help someone?"
Amber couldn't help it
She really couldn't
She laughed. Laughed hard and loud.
Here was a perfect stranger offering her an alternative to her situation she never thought to consider for obvious reasons.
It was stupid.
It was idiotic.
It mind numbingly idealistic.
So then why could she not even fathom the idea of turning it down?
'Because he offered you companionship' For once in it's life the voice in her head was actually saying the truth.
But he offered so much more than just company!
A path ahead that wouldn't end in a road block.
A chance to help those she'd ignored.
A opportunity to see the world
A way to keep her Freedom.
Even if this decision lead to her untimely death Amber found such and end for more satisfactory than the one's given to her before.
She made her decision then and there. Her hand snapped forward and grabbed the boy's own. She ignored his startled yell and held his hand in a firm grip.
Tears were still streaming down her face yet she had never felt more determined in her life.
"You will become the an enemy of Remnant, of the World." She stressed.
Determination shone in his eyes as his slack grip tightened.
"If it means saving others and getting us a better life then becoming the world's enemy seems like a small price to pay."
She didn't know what exactly the boy meant by 'us', if he was referring to his brother or her, but that didn't matter.
No what mattered is that she'd finally found a comrade that would fight and die alongside her to achieve what he desired, they both desired.
A better life.
A/N: I finally remembered how to use line breaks.
Yea so this chapter was more or less establishing Izuku's and Amber's friend/relationship with each other and how they both see each other as well as how they think.
In all honesty, both Izuku and Amber are both characters that I feel would probably understand each other the best (Ruby and Jaune are a close second) since their stories and personalities are so similar.
That's if Fanfiction is to be believed anyway -_-
For anyone who has a problem with how Izuku's thought process is in this fic just remember:
1. How Izuku thinks and sees himself isn't something neither the anime nor the manga explores and all of his thoughts are about the wellbeing of others, so I took some creative liberty to make Izuku in this manga think in a similar fashion to how I imagined he would think when he was a vigilante.
2. Re watch Mha and then try to tell me this Man does not see himself as a disposable Asset.
3. It's a FANFICTION emphasis on the 'FAN', I am NOT Kohei Horikoshi just some rando that like Mha so don't expect a perfect 1:1 Deku that thinks and acts like the real one.
Same goes with Rwby Characters.
AS always hope your reading experience was enjoyable, criticism is always welcomed.
CHARACTER AGES
IZUKU - 17
AMBER - 18
TENKO - 6