A/N: Literally forgot that the minimum age to start Elementary/Primary school in most countries is 6 and kids can do 2 years of kindergarten. Let's just assume that times changed in the Quirk Era and there's an extra grade thrown in there to make the ages canon-compliant down the line. Sorry for my goof.
Izuku came away from the schoolboy showdown against Katsuki, Tsubasa, and Tesaki with numerous minor injuries, a rather humiliating scolding/smothering from his mom in front of half the neighborhood, and a Present Mic pen from the man himself as a parting gift.
A non-emergency ambulance had been called and he'd gotten patched up. The EMTs couldn't seem able to decide between being impressed or disturbed that a Quirkless boy had dealt such damage in an outnumbered fight. Tesaki's mom had howled when she'd arrived and seen her 'precious pookie' and threatened to sue the Midoriya's for assault. Izuku's mom had returned fire without blinking that she'd be happy to countersue and that 3 Quirked boys ganging up on 1 Quirkless would be pretty open and shut regardless of who 'won' in the end. Present Mic stayed around long enough to make sure everything went smoothly, posed for pictures and signed autographs for his fans among the crowd of onlookers, then went back on his patrol route.
"Maybe I'll see you in about 10 years in my class, lil' listener! If you're this tough as a tot, you can definitely get into UA! Maybe even the Hero course, they're thinking of removing that silly rule that Quirkless can't apply for it! If you keep your nose clean and keep up with your training, of course!" had been Present Mic's parting words along with a thumbs-up at Izuku when the boy went to thank the Hero for 'saving' him mid-fight.
That ringing endorsement and encouragement was enough to have Izuku walking on air the whole way back home to his apartment. Inko sat him down once they were back and looked him dead in the eye. "Izuku, baby, tell me the truth. Who started the fight, and could you have avoided it?"
"Katsuki and the other two threw the first punch, I just happened to dodge and counter," Izuku said honestly. "I guess I could have turned around and run away instead of fighting back. But… Mom, once you start running, they'd never let you stop. I don't want to be a coward. Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done, fighting 3 guys at once. But I won't lie; I wanted to stand up to them. I didn't want to hurt them, not really. I wasn't going to roll over and let them hurt me again either, though. That's my truth. I'm sorry for this, but I'm NOT sorry for anything that happened back there."
Inko sighed and hung her head. Then she looked back at him and got a rueful grin. "Well, if you absolutely HAD to fight them, I'm glad you did so well. I'm very proud of you for sticking up for yourself, Izuku. I hope you understand why I have to punish you anyway. It's part of the Mom code."
"Okay," Izuku said, a tad morose. It didn't seem fair, but he wasn't the one in charge of this relationship. Mom was his mom, and she made the rules until he turned 18. Maybe even afterwards, he'd decide when he reached that age.
"I won't ban you from your lessons with Korai-san, that's really up to her once she learns what happened and how she decides to handle it. But no leaving the house without permission for a month, and you're on double chores too. If you were the type to watch TV or read manga, I'd take those away as well," Inko said sternly.
"Yes, Mom," Izuku sighed. "Can I get them out of the way for today right now? I don't want to do them after the lesson with Korai-san this afternoon when I'm all sweaty and tired."
"Go ahead," his mom nodded, and Izuku went to tidy up the apartment. He already overperformed to standard for 'normal' chores, double chores wouldn't make that much of a difference. Being stuck in the house apart from visiting the Ancient One for lessons would be a bit annoying though. He liked visiting the park or playground for fresh air, and grabbing a handful of dagashi from the konbini with his pocket money on occasion. Still, it could have been worse, he supposed. She could have tried to ban him from his lessons, or taken away the radio, or maybe even spanked him. Count your wins, not your losses.
After Izuku had done his best to ensure the whole apartment was spick and span, he helped his mom cook lunch. At a bit of a loss on what to do until the lesson at 5:00, Izuku went to the bookshelf and pulled out his sudoku book. He was still on beginner level, though he was nearing the end of that section and about to get into intermediate puzzles. He worked through the numerical games for a couple hours until his brain felt sore. With the time left over before his mom took him to the Ancient One's shop, he decided to meditate.
Turns out there were multiple kinds of meditation. His teacher had started him out with basic 'mindfulness' meditation, which was sort of the gateway to more complex forms of silent focus. He still needed to get better at finding his 'center', but the Mystic Arts' forms of energetic meditation were just so much more interesting and fun to do. The Ancient One had introduced him to 3 different types of meditating to start gathering energy to fuel his magic. Chakra meditation was meant to help him use the energy stores of his own body, mind, heart, and even soul to fuel his spells. Universal meditation was on how to draw on dark energy and other ambient power sources from his home universe. An advanced form of that, he assumed, was multiversal meditation to access the infinite Multiverse. Dimensional meditation was designed to help the user access the various dimensions that intersected and weaved throughout the Multiverse.
The whole universe vs. dimension thing still hurt Izuku's head. The way he'd finally conceptualized it was that the Multiverse's countless universes were like a series of bubbles floating in an infinite ocean. They could move, grow, shrink, bump into each other, merge or even destroy each other, but they were distinct pockets of existence operating independent of each other for the most part. Dimensions, on the other hand, were more like the water they were all floating in, with its own currents and rules. Some universes were more in or out of touch with certain dimensions, but no universe had no dimensions. Izuku's home universe, according to the Ancient One, had a higher than average level of access to more of the particularly useful dimensions for working magic. The one she wanted him to get most familiar with was the Eldritch Dimension. It was both her personal favorite and one of the most versatile for spellcraft. It was basically a realm of infinite, raw power that could be shaped to do almost anything, and it interacted very well with other forces for more complex rituals that required multiple sources of energy. It was the one she'd used to make the mandala that had convinced him that sorcery was real and not a fantasy.
Still, while universal or dimensional meditation would be more exciting, Izuku's mom might make a fuss if she started floating in the lotus position or glowing with otherworldly sparks of light. So he sat down on the yoga mat and focused on finding, opening, and balancing his 7 chakras. The goal was to keep all of them in perfect alignment at 100% output. The same way most mountain climbers had the goal of climbing Mt. Everest someday. Izuku knew he was a long way off from reaching that point, but the journey of a thousand miles and all that. Apparently it was an accomplishment he could even feel all 7 of them already, based on his sensei's hardwon approval the last time she'd tested him.
Izuku settled into box breathing: in through the nose for 4, hold for 4, out through the mouth for 4, hold for 4, etc. Getting into the rhythm, he closed his eyes and worked from the base of his spine to the top of his skull, finding the rainbow stars studded at certain points along the way. Solar seemed to have grown since the last time, his victory in the fight must have been good for his sense of personal power. Root was easier to open this time too, must have worked through some deep-seated fear by coming out on top or at least not outright losing against Katsuki. Heart and Throat seemed a bit crooked though, wonder how that happened. Sacral remained his weakest for some reason. Third Eye was still glowing bright and strong, he was pleased to see. And Crown was the most difficult to work with, though Izuku was convinced it would never fully close ever. Not since his spirit had flown through the sea of worlds. He didn't just believe or have faith in magic and miracles and higher powers, he had ABSOLUTE trust that they were real. He'd even started sending out prayers before bed to that unknown entity that had briefly held him in its palm right at the end of his astral journey. What was the harm? It had felt like a nice… Whatever-It-Was during their encounter, he could afford to send good vibes and intentions out to it. If he got something in return, that would be nice, but it was just what felt right and proper to Izuku, recognizing at least one divine being was definitely out there and had his best interests at heart.
"Izuku? We have to catch the bus, baby," he heard his mother gently nudge him out of his trance.
Izuku opened his eyes, swiftly changed into pants appropriate for training, and went to join his mother on the commute to his teacher's place of business/residence. They got there to find the Ancient One waiting with a pot of tea ready to greet them both. She flipped the 'closed' sign on the door after letting them in.
"What happened?" she asked, regarding Izuku with narrowed eyes. He was still wearing bandages and some of his bruises were starting to get dark.
"Round 2 with Katsuki finally happened today, Korai-sensei," Izuku answered, using her Japanese alias while his mom was still there.
"Ah. I do hope you didn't instigate or provoke the conflict in any way, young Izuku," the Ancient One said with a severe tone.
"I failed to talk him down, but I don't really think I could have. He came ready for a fight, he just got a rude surprise that it wasn't as easy as last time," Izuku shrugged. "We were wrestling on the ground after I took out his two friends. Present Mic was passing by and had to break it up himself. Considering how unfair the odds were, I think I did pretty good."
"Ah. Well, all's well that ends well, I suppose. Though do you think young Katsuki will react well to not achieving overwhelming victory as he expected?" The Ancient One poured them all some tea. This particular blend, she flavored with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice cut with a sprinkle of cane sugar.
"Masaru-ojisan had to hold him back from trying to start round 3 when he regained consciousness," Izuku frowned even as he savored the aroma of the plant-infused water.
"It was shameful, really. I thought Mitsuki and Masaru were better parents than that. Or maybe little Katsuki is just a bad kid, I don't know. I just know that no boy should use that type of language or be that angry over losing," Inko sniffed. "He was acting more like a feral dog than a human being. He even bit his father to try and make him let go! I barely recognized him compared to the sweet little toddler that was my baby's best friend."
"The only constant is change. People in particular are susceptible, in my view. Though is there perhaps a medical explanation for young Katsuki's violent temperament? You say his Quirk is to produce nitroglycerin-like sweat from his hands, correct? Nitroglycerin isn't just an explosive, it's a cardiac drug. Could he be affected adversely by his own biology since his Quirk manifested?" the Ancient One posed to the Midoriya family.
Inko gasped. "Oh. I never thought of it that way, but that makes sense. No guarantee his Quirk includes immunity to the side effects of nitroglycerin introduced into the bloodstream. I'll tell Mitsuki about it and recommend she consult a different Quirk counselor than last time. If it's really just that he's not getting the medicine he needs, I suppose I can't fault him too much for his behavior. Still doesn't make what he's done to my baby right, but I'd rather the issue be corrected than left ignored."
Izuku hummed after he sipped the delightfully tart sour-sweet tea. "I mean, I'd like to think it'd be as easy a fix as taking a pill to make him less… well, explosive. But he's still gotten it into his head that his Quirk makes him better than others and gives him certain privileges. He might need an anger management class or even a therapist to deal with his twisted idea of 'might makes right'."
"Well, it's really up to his parents and young Katsuki himself to deal with. We can offer advice, but it's up to them to take it or follow through on it. Let us focus on matters closer to home," the Ancient One stated firmly. "Izuku, will you be able to perform for your lesson today or shall we focus more on the academic side of your training until you recover fully?"
"I'm sore as all get out, but I didn't sprain, strain, or break anything. We can do the lesson like usual, sensei," Izuku asserted.
"Very well," the Ancient One nodded, a note of approval in her voice.
"I normally just go browsing or to the library nearby while you have your lessons. But could I watch today? I missed the fight, and I'm curious to see my baby in action apart from what I see him do back at home," Inko requested.
"Is that something you'd be okay with, Izuku?" the Ancient One checked with him.
Izuku knew if his mom was there then there'd be no Mystic Arts lesson today, only the Warrior Mystic style. Still, part of him wanted his mom to see how hard he was working on bettering himself and learning self-defense. "Sure thing!"
They finished drinking their tea and then went to the garden out back. It was unseasonably warm for April, and the Ancient One offered a wooden fan to Inko to make a personal breeze. Keeping her own open and fluttering with frequent twists of her hand, the Ancient One had Izuku take off his shirt, shoes, and socks as per usual. Inko seemed pained when she saw the tapestry of bruises, scrapes, and mild burns covering her son's upper body. Izuku paid it no mind, though; he'd survived, and it all would heal in time. Especially if he had access to his sensei's magically restorative teas that were enriched with magical energies.
"First and second level of the Dance of Snake and Crane back-to-back to start with. Complete it in a timely manner without mistake and I will consider introducing you to the third level today," the Ancient One instructed Izuku.
"What's the Dance of Snake and Crane?" Inko asked from the sidelines even as Izuku took the opening pose and began to flow through the complex full-body routine.
"The same principle as vinyasa yoga, though it originates from the Kamar-Taj specifically and is perhaps slightly more focused on preparing the user for battle than simple general fitness or wellness. It's a mixture of flexibility and bodyweight exercises meant to be performed as smoothly as possible as fast as possible, as though it were an actual dance," the Ancient One answered. "There are 4 levels in ascending order of difficulty. One is considered 'competent' once they can perform all 4 levels in sequence without flaw in under an hour. I do it myself every morning to maintain my strength and endurance."
"She… can… even… talk… me… through… it… while… we… do… it… together!" Izuku chimed in through stuttering pants as he tried to gather enough spare oxygen to speak mid-workout.
"Ah. But it's not part of the kata for the Warrior Mystic style?" Inko checked.
"It was designed as an aid to get the user used to complex, graceful movements and a supplement to their personal fitness regime. But no, Midoriya-san, the Dance of Snake and Crane is meant to build the body up from within, not protect it from being torn down from without. That's where the Warrior Mystic forms come into play," the Ancient One confirmed.
"And I imagine all the conditioning like the pushups and leg raises are to build muscle in the first place," Inko nodded along, starting to see the reason behind all the exercises and drills her baby faithfully performed at home even outside his lessons.
"Correct. On that note, we are reaching a point in Izuku's training where we will have to have a serious talk about his diet. He's young and prepubescent, but if he wishes to reach his full potential then we will have to ensure he gets the proper number of calories and macronutrients in appropriate ratios. I'm not saying he can become a Greek statue before he reaches puberty, but past a certain level the degree of training he does will start to break down his body rather than develop it if he isn't properly fueled for it," the Ancient One said, walking in a slow circle around Izuku to critically eye his form for any obvious mistakes.
"What's… puberty… sensei?" Izuku forced out as he got past the halfway point of the first level. 25% done and already out of breath, the Dance was no joke.
"I shall not answer that without your mother's permission. Most parents are particular on when their children learn the facts of life," the Ancient One said with an actual chuckle, seemingly tickled pink over his question for some reason.
"Erm, Izuku, puberty is what we call the time when a boy or girl starts to turn into a man or woman. It takes a few years and starts somewhere around the time you're 11, give or take a couple years," Inko said, sounding oddly flustered. "You'll grow taller and you'll have an easier time putting on muscle once it starts. Some other… changes will happen around then too. That's all you need to know for now, you can ask again when you're older."
"O… kay…" Izuku said, not seeing what the big deal was. "So… any… way… I… need… to… start… eating… more?"
"More of the right foods prepared in a healthy way in the right amounts. I won't go so far as to dictate a weekly meal plan for you and by extension your mother. Still, I'm well versed on the topic and can have a long discussion with your mother about recipes and ingredients and appropriate snacks between meals," the Ancient One nodded.
"Well, nothing wrong with eating healthier," Inko agreed. "I presume he'll need a lot of protein?"
"Roughly 1.5 grams for every kilogram of bodyweight," the Ancient One agreed. "As a rule of thumb, 50% of each meal should be a form of meat or protein-rich plant, 30% should be a form of complex carbohydrate like brown rice or sweet potato, and 20% should be a healthy fat like avocado or unsalted nuts. Fiber is also important to consider. As I said, I can provide some helpful suggestions or sample recipes to give you a general idea of how Izuku or you yourself should be eating, Midoriya-san. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a light snack between each so that you are eating something roughly every 3 hours. A small dessert is permissible after dinner, provided it is properly portioned and not too sugary. Naturally, organic and freshly prepared is preferable to processed ingredients." She used her fan to indicate the whole garden around them. "I grow a number of seasonal ingredients for my personal use in this garden, and I would be happy to share the surplus with you both throughout the year rather than force you to break the bank at the supermarket."
"Oh, I was just about to say, we're on a bit of a budget. Hisashi promised to send a monthly child support payment but… well, you know how money can get lost in transit sometimes," Inko said with a grimace she tried to disguise as an awkward grin. Izuku almost broke form as he got distracted by the thought of his dad abandoning him and his mom for the sake of an 'overseas promotion'.
"Hmm," the Ancient One hummed. "I'm sure he will honor his word, Midoriya-san. And in the event he doesn't, I am a single woman with no dependents apart from my pets who lives well below her means. I have quite a bit of savings and investments merely accruing interest in the background. I'd be happy to 'chip in', as it were."
"Oh, no, we could never impose like that! You're already doing so much to help Izuku!" Inko protested immediately.
"Precisely. I would merely be ensuring my student was having all his needs met and could continue to learn without undue stress or distractions," the Ancient One said plainly. "If it's a question of your pride against charity or a hand out, that is of course your right to refuse. Just know the choice is there should you change your mind. It's not an imposition, it's a sincere offer of support from a woman with more than she needs."
"Oh… um, well, I'll crunch the numbers and see if we can't get by on our own first. If we really can't… then I'd very much appreciate your kindness, Korai-san. Thank you so much for even considering it!" Inko bowed at the waist.
"You're… the… best… sensei!" Izuku managed, even as he started to transition to the second level.
Izuku finished the second level to the Ancient One's satisfaction. She had him review kata for half an hour, which his mom seemed fascinated by, and then launched into showing him the third level of the Dance of Snake and Crane. By the time he'd gone through mirroring her do it at a pace slow enough for him to keep up, it was nearing the end of the appointed 90 minutes.
"Thanks for letting me spectate today, Korai-san. And for everything else, of course. I'll call you about all the meal planning and possibly a reasonable arrangement for the finances," Inko said as she and Izuku were heading back through the shop towards the door.
"It was no problem, Midoriya-san, but you are most welcome," the Ancient One nodded in acknowledgment.
"Well, we better get going or we'll miss the bus. We'll see you tomorrow at the same time?" Inko checked.
"Actually, I have had a thought. Are you greatly attached to your current apartment for anything besides sentiment? I understand you work remotely so you can effectively work from anywhere with Internet access. And with the shutdown of the Aldera school district, commuting to whatever school Izuku must transfer to if it permanently closed would be bothersome. I have in mind a way to make all 3 of our lives more convenient if you are amenable," the Ancient One said, a certain playful slyness in her eye.
"How do you mean?" Inko frowned.
"The loft upstairs actually has 2 bedrooms. The 'guest' bedroom is used perhaps 5 or 6 days out of the whole year by visiting friends who take the time to come see me rather than the other way around. It's entirely up to you, but I'd be willing to rent it out to you and young Izuku for the foreseeable future. That would neatly solve a great many current and potential issues, don't you think? Izuku would need to travel no further than down the stairs and out the back door for his training, we can easily share food costs which would make following a proper diet very easy for all 3 of us, and your conscience can be salved over the idea of me helping out by your providing the monthly rent. In that case, I'm not an overly helpful friend, simply a good landlord. It seems mutually beneficial across the board to my mind." The Ancient One was smiling as if pleased with her own cleverness.
Inko's jaw dropped in sync with Izuku's. "You want us to live together?!" they asked simultaneously.
"I hope I caused no offense. It just seems neater for all of us, but it's entirely up to you, Midoriya-san," the Ancient One bowed her head.
"I… I'll consider your generous offer, Korai-san," Inko finally managed, truly overwhelmed at this unexpected proposal.
"I think we know each other well enough to justify first name basis by now. Please feel free to call me Tao, no honorifics needed," the Ancient One grinned warmly.
"Then I insist you call me Inko!" his mom managed with a shaky grin. "Well, we better leave or we really will miss the bus. Goodbye, Tao."
They said their farewells and got to the bus stop. Izuku lasted maybe 30 seconds into the wait before he couldn't keep his mouth shut anymore. "Mom, please, PLEASE say yes! It'd be so cool! I could train more since there'd be no more traveling back and forth, we could drink Tao-sensei's tea every single day, I could play with Crookshanks, Heen, and Archimedes all the time, the school district here can't be any worse than Aldera…"
"Izuku, baby, you're starting to mutter," his mother sighed. When Izuku managed to shut himself up, she ruffled his hair. "Moving is a big deal, baby. There's a lot I need to think about before going through with this. I'm worried this is too good to be true."
Izuku huffed, but he knew better than to whine or plead to try and change his mother's mind. "Well, okay. But I'd really like it if it did happen."
"Noted," Inko said absently.
The Mystic Hero
Almost two weeks later, his mom was still on the fence. In the meantime, Izuku felt he was slowly going insane from his grounding after the fight. Aldera was still closed while the investigation into illegal practices was ongoing, and Izuku could only exercise or meditate or study so much. He simply had nothing more he felt like doing once those were done for hours besides stare at the wall or listen mindlessly to the radio. It was getting to the point he was tempted to try practicing the Mystic Arts in his room, but he couldn't take the chance his mom would walk in on him casting… besides, the Ancient One would tan his hide if he did spellwork without supervision or permission.
One Sunday afternoon, where Izuku had had his lesson in the morning instead, the Midoriya's phone rang. Inko picked it up and Izuku worked out from her side of the conversation that it was Mitsuki-obasan. Inko's face lit up when talking to her old friend, but then it closed off. She visibly debated something before putting the former model on hold. "Izuku, baby, would you be okay if we had dinner with the Bakugou's tonight? I'm told Katsuki will be on his best behavior."
Izuku was leery, of course, but he was getting just that stir-crazy that a change in scenery, even if it involved a shared meal with his ex-friend/bully, seemed appealing. Still, he wanted assurances. "Any chance we can go out? I'd like there to be witnesses if he does something wrong."
"Good idea," Inko chuckled with dry humor before getting back to the call. 5 minutes later, she hung up and they had plans to go to a local pizza place that evening. Not the kind with an arcade and jungle gym, but still family-friendly and with a decent variety of toppings. Then Inko got back to working on her laptop and Izuku started his 4th 1000-piece puzzle that week.
They arrived at the House of Slice at 6:15. The Bakugou family had already arrived so they bypassed the seating host to get to the right booth. Luckily, the two families were on opposite benches. If Izuku and Katsuki had sat directly next to each other, that would have been uncomfortable. It was bad enough they were face-to-face.
"Inko-chan! Been too long!" Katsuki had certainly gotten his boisterous volume from his mother, either through nature or nurture. She simply didn't care if people 3 tables down could hear her clearly, she was excited so she would be loud by thunder.
"Mitsuki-chan, good to see you too. I hope you understand why, though," Inko said with a bittersweet smile.
"Yeah, yeah, my brat was being an ass to your brat. Believe me, he's learned his lesson," Mitsuki said, throwing an almost threatening glare down at her son. "Isn't that right?"
"Yes, old hag," Katsuki ground out like the words were vinegar on his tongue.
"Katsuki, don't call your mother that," Masaru-ojisan scolded in his soft-voiced way. He was most definitely a beta personality to Mitsuki-obasan's alpha. Not that he was a pushover, he just was a pacifist.
"Fine, Dad. I meant demon witch," Katsuki said without blinking.
Mitsuki gave her boy a solid bonk on the head. "You're lucky you're so damn cute, hellspawn, or you'd be six feet under by now!"
Izuku couldn't help but chuckle. He was reminded why he'd liked the Bakugou's. Never a dull moment, even if it was always more a crude slapstick than wholesome sitcom. "Hello Mitsuki-obasan, Masaru-ojisan… Katsuki. I hope you've all been well."
"Oh, I missed you, Izuku-chan! You're always such a sweet little cinnamon roll! " Mitsuki cooed. "Though apparently you've gotten tough enough to knock some sense into my idiot son's head where even I couldn't somewhere along the way! By the way, Katsuki has something to say to you. Don't you?" She placed a firm hand on Katsuki's shoulder.
Katsuki looked like he'd rather eat a live frog than do whatever his mother wanted. Still, he grit his teeth, looked Izuku in the eye, and bit out "I'm sorry. I was wrong to be so mean to you."
Izuku blinked. "Have you done this with ALL the kids you bullied or am I a special case?" he said a bit sharply before he could stop himself.
Katsuki actually winced. "Look, I'm saying it to you, De– Izuku. Those extras were just extras. But you were a decent side character in my story and I… wasn't acting very heroic up 'til now with you. I mean it, alright? So just say you forgive me and we can go back to normal."
Izuku practiced some self-restraint and took a few deep breaths to center himself. "Apology accepted," he finally said, listening to his heart. "But just because I forgive doesn't mean I forget, Katsuki. You ever start acting more like a Villain than a Hero again, I'll be there to stop you."
"Like you could. You just got lucky last time," Katsuki huffed, though he had a tiny, genuine grin instead of his usual cocky smirk. It was like the 'Kacchan' Izuku used to know before his Quirk came in. "So… can we be friends again?"
"We can try," Izuku allowed. "But it probably won't ever be the same as before. I'm not just going to be your cheerleader anymore. There's a certain proverb: 'as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another'. Think of me more as your rival. I'll be there to keep you in check and remind you you're not always going to be the biggest fish in the pond. And being your full-time babysitter to make sure you don't slip into bad habits will keep me on my toes as well."
"Keep dreaming, Izuku," Katsuki grinned, and it was a (mostly) healthy competitive light in his eye. "I'm gonna be better than All Might when I grow up. But sure, you and your Quirkless ass can pretend to be my Sir Nighteye."
"Fair enough," Izuku shrugged, figuring that was as good as he was going to get.
"Aw, they're just so adorable!" Mitsuki squealed, breaking the manly moment like it was sugar glass. "Oh, by the way, Katsuki was grounded right after the fight and he didn't get his birthday party. Tonight is sort of a delayed celebration as much as a peace talk. So order anything you want, both of you, Mom-slash-Auntie's treat!"
"Thank you, Mitsuki-obasan," Izuku gave a small bow and a smile.
"I'm getting the brownie sundae and eating ALL of it!" Katsuki declared imperiously.
The waiter came then and took their drink order. Izuku was banned from soft drinks per his diet, and any tea besides his sensei's would just be disappointing, so he asked for water.
"I mean it, did your mom put you on something before you came? You haven't been this calm in… a while," Izuku asked while they all were browsing the menu and debating which pies to get.
"Inko-obasan told the hag to get me checked out by a doctor, and turns out my Quirk was messing with my head or somethin'," Katsuki huffed, embarrassed to admit any weakness whatsoever. "I gotta take some special medicine every morning, and now I'm not always so dizzy or feel so hot. I never even noticed how bad it was until it went away. Can't believe the first doc missed such a big drawback. Dad, can we sue him?"
"It's been over a year since your initial Quirk consultation and the doctor missed it, son, that's past the time limit for medical malpractice," Masaru-ojisan said patiently.
"I know, I checked. A lot. Even called up a lawyer Inko-chan recommended and everything," Mitsuki-obasan all but growled. "How dare that idiot miss such a big issue that would turn my son into such a hothead! Forget the courts, just give me a good alibi and a baseball bat."
"I didn't hear that," Inko, a paralegal, chuckled. "And while I'm glad Katsuki-chan is getting the right medication to correct the problem, he still has some temper issues. No idea where he gets it from, really."
"Wah, Inko-chan, don't be so mean," Mitsuki-obasan pouted. "I'm cracking down on him, I really am! And I fully admit I turned a bit of a blind eye to how bad it really was because I didn't want to admit I was raising a hoodlum. But between the pills and having Izuku-chan's good influence back in his life, I'm sure everything will work out fine for Katsuki!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah… hag," Katsuki grumbled. "We're getting the meat lover's, right?"
"Maybe a supreme to get a few veggies. I actually might get a personal size for this shrimp and broccoli pizza, sounds interesting. Maybe a seaweed salad as an appetizer too, we can always save the leftovers if we fill up," Izuku suggested.
Katsuki peered curiously at Izuku. "You didn't get soda. You're willingly asking for greens. Your arms have gone from twigs to medium-sized branches. And during that fight two weeks ago, you moved like you knew what you were doing, at least a little. Tell the truth, did you sign up for a dojo?"
Izuku was reminded that for all his brawn, Katsuki had a keen mind as well. He'd been reading before Izuku, after all. "Not a dojo. But remember that fight way back in kindergarten, when you 3 really gave it to me? Tao-sensei found me and helped me get home and offered to teach me the style she knew herself. I've had a lesson every day since then. Guess it's starting to pay off."
"Who the hell is 'Tao-sensei'?" Katsuki asked. "She must be pretty good if she turned a Quirkless crybaby like you into a decent challenge that fast."
"Oh, do you mean that Korai chick Inko-chan keeps raving about?" Mitsuki-obasan interjected. "The one who runs that dusty bookshop and supposedly makes bomb-ass tea?"
"She lets us call her Tao. Pretty sure she changed her name when she moved to Japan, she said she's from the UK originally," Inko elaborated. Actually, the Ancient One had said she was Celtic. Which Izuku took to mean, given her unaging status, that she had been born back when it was still a group of tribes and not the modern country. But that wasn't his secret to tell.
"Sounds like an interesting character," Masaru-ojisan remarked.
"She's awesome," Izuku grinned. "I'm learning a lot from her. Not just how to fight, but how to be a good person and live a good life and so much more."
"And she doesn't care that you're, y'know, Quirkless?" Katsuki checked, both rudely curious and maybe a tiny bit concerned for his regained friend.
"She'd be a hypocrite if she was. She's Quirkless too," Izuku revealed. "I've seen her feet, she's got the same pinky toes as me and everything."
"She's an excellent role model for Izuku. And she's so kind and generous, even if she's about as blunt as a brick to the face at times. She means what she says, I'll give her that," Inko chuckled. "Believe it or not, she's offered to let us move in with her, even."
"Whoa, legit?" Mitsuki-obasan blinked. "Why'd she do that?"
"She insists that it would be best for everyone. She'll get rent out of an unused room, Izuku won't have to travel to and from her shop anymore since he'll be living above it, we'll have access to her garden and can split costs on food, and apparently the school district for her part of town is much better than Aldera which we all know is never opening back up," Inko listed off. "Plus, I think she's lonely, at least a little. She's only got her pets and her part-time employees apart from us."
"Sounds like a dream deal. Why haven't you said yes, bitch?" Mitsuki-obasan raised her eyebrow in ultimate judgment.
Inko sighed. "Our apartment is… well, not ours, we rent. But you know what I mean. It's where Hisashi proposed. It's where Izuku took his first steps. Besides, isn't it a bit impulsive to move in with a woman we've known less than half a year? I don't get any bad feelings about her, but she still seems a little… odd. Something about this just feels suspicious to me."
"And you got on me for passing on my temper to Katsuki. 3 guesses where Izuku-chan got his habit of overthinking everything into the ground," Mitsuki-obasan snorted. "But if you need a second opinion, how about you arrange a meetup between me and this Tao lady? I'll get my own read on her and tell you whether I think you should platonically shack up with her or not."
"I'll pass along the request for a meeting," Inko blushed at her friend's evocative word choice.
They ordered their dinner and slipped into just catching up with each other for the first time in months in person. Izuku was still a bit reserved with Katsuki, but he had high hopes that this second try at a friendship would go better than the last time.
After they'd all stuffed themselves with pizza and Katsuki demolished his late birthday dessert, they decided to go for a walk to help digest their meal and keep talking for a while. They maneuvered through the evening crowds on the sidewalks towards the nearest park. Izuku blinked, and then raised his hand to wave. "Tao-sensei!"
The bald sorcerer looked up from where she was patiently observing Heen 'marking his territory'. She gave a fond grin when she recognized her student. She walked over, Heen happily finishing his business before scampering up to Izuku. "Hello, young Izuku. What a coincidence. I don't believe I've ever seen you at this park. And who might your companions be? Good evening, Inko," she added.
"Good evening, Tao!" Inko said brightly. "You walk Heen here normally? Aren't we a fair distance from your shop?"
"Since his last trip to the vet, I've extended our usual evening route to make sure he's getting enough exercise," the Ancient One explained.
"You're the one who taught Izuku how to throw a good hit?" Katsuki asked point-blank.
"I am in the process of teaching him, it's more a journey than a set destination," the Ancient One answered. She looked at Katsuki. "Bakugou Katsuki, I presume? Am I to understand that hostilities have abated between you and my student?"
"We made up tonight," Izuku spoke up. "Or at least began to. Still feels a little weird, but he's willing to try so I'll meet him halfway."
"I see. Well, I wish you the best of luck. But I do hope you set healthy boundaries going forward compared to before," the Ancient One raised her brow just so.
"I'll stand up for myself more, he'll try and fly off the handle less. We'll see how it goes," Izuku chuckled. "Don't suppose you brought tea? I want to see the Bakugou's faces when they try it for the first time."
The Ancient One reached into her layered robes. Izuku was now pretty sure she used pocket dimensions instead of physical pockets to store things on her person. But pulling something out of thin air when you're Quirkless would get uncomfortable questions asked. There was a reason the Order of the Mystic Arts had been a secret society; some people had real problems with the idea of magic. Anyway, she pulled out a flask canteen that could feasibly have fit in a hidden breast pocket. "If they so desire, young Izuku. Fair warning, this blend is heavy on spice."
"Perfect. We like spicy in this family! Bakugou Mitsuki, nice to meet ya! Inko-chan describes you as something like that cool cousin you can't remember how you're related to but is still your favorite family member," Mitsuki-obasan said, brash and bold per the norm.
"Nice to meet you. Korai Tao," the Ancient One bowed. She offered the canteen.
Mitsuki-obasan waterfall'ed a mouthful and swished it around before swallowing. "Hot damn, that hit the spot! 11/10, Inko-chan wasn't getting about your tea! Seriously, you could set up your own shop!"
"Each leaf is personally grown and dried by my own hand. I'd exhaust my stock rather quickly if I set up a tea house, so I'll reserve it as a special treat for myself and my friends," the Ancient One said with a pleased smile at the sincere praise. "My thanks for the compliment, though."
Masaru-ojisan tipped a small sip into the empty cap to get his own taste. "Wow. I second my wife's sentiments," he nodded in recognition of a clear talent.
Katsuki, of course, decided to take a long pull straight from the canteen. He sniffed. "'S alright," he finally allowed, though his eyes were practically sparkling with delight. He clearly had enjoyed it despite trying to hide it.
"You may finish it, then. I wouldn't want it to go to waste," the Ancient one said with mirth.
"So, what are your intentions with the Midoriya's? Inko-chan's practically my adopted sister, which makes Izuku-chan my little nephew, and I wanna know if you got anything untoward planned if they actually move in with you," Mitsuki-obasan asked straightforward.
"My intentions are to make their lives easier and make our relationship more symbiotic," the Ancient One replied without batting an eye. "I believe life brought us together for a reason, and I see no reason not to do my best to help them out. Especially as it will be to our mutual benefit. I offered to host them in my home since it seemed the way to bring us all the most happiness and solve the most problems."
"Hmm," Mitsuki-obasan hummed skeptically. "And what exactly do you get out of getting a single mom and her munchkin for roommates?"
"It is my genuine pleasure to teach Izuku each new lesson. Ergo, having him so close and available will mean time for more lessons and thus more pleasure on my part. I consider Inko a friend, and it will ease my mind to know she will have less to worry about financially since I'll charge less than her current rent whilst providing more benefits. I get a breath of fresh air into my home; it does get rather repetitive to only have a cat, dog, and owl to talk to, I hope you understand. And, of course, there's the extra money in my pocket each month. The only potential downside I see would be a lack of privacy, and that's true of any shared living arrangement. Do you disagree?" the Ancient One prompted.
"Not at all," Mitsuki-obasan chuckled after a beat. "Well, I definitely don't pick up any pedo or lezzy rapist vibes off you. You come off as just the sweet, eccentric old monk lady, no offense."
"None taken. That sounds accurate based on my own self-knowledge and what prior relationships have told me," the Ancient One said with grace.
"Inko-chan, seriously, I'd take her up on it. But that's on you if you shoot yourself in the foot and refuse," Mitsuki-obasan chuckled, nudging her friend with her elbow.
Inko bit her lip, then made her decision. "We'll have to discuss logistics, of course. What to do with all our furniture, when I can break my lease, setting up our own, getting everything from our place to the shop…"
"Mom, you're having a mutter attack," Izuku pointed out, now with an inkling of how it looked from the outside. Then he glomped her legs. "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! This is the best day ever!"
"You're welcome, baby," Inko grinned, snapping out of her analytic spiral.
"I am most pleased you agreed to this, Inko," the Ancient One nodded with an air of satisfaction. "I'll be at your door at 8 am tomorrow and we can work everything out between us then. I'll bring tea, of course. And there are certain things you should be aware of before you commit to sharing my home. Nothing bad, just some little details and foibles that might prove to be a dealbreaker if they took you by surprise after the fact."
Izuku caught the hidden meaning. Looks like his mom would be read into the Mystic Arts. He hoped she took it well. It would really suck if she didn't, after all. And it would be super unfair to the pets and also him and the Ancient One to keep such a big secret from her otherwise. He sent up a little prayer to Whoever-It-Was that he'd met on his multiversal trip.
The Ancient One exchanged polite small talk for a little while afterwards, then left with Heen to return home. The two families made their own goodbyes and went to their respective homes. Izuku had trouble falling asleep, full of anticipation and anxiety about how his Mom would take the fact the Ancient One was a sorcerer and had been teaching him magic without her knowledge. He nodded off eventually and was up over an hour before his alarm, so he was decidedly drowsy as he helped his mom prepare breakfast the next morning.
Accurate to the second, there was a knock on the door at 8 o'clock. Izuku got it and let in his master. She had elected for plum outer robes lightening to lavender on the innermost layer today. Unexpectedly, Archimedes the 'pet' owl was perched on her shoulder. "Morning, Tao-sensei. Why'd Archimedes come along?"
"To prove a point, young Izuku," the Ancient One said, and he saw what she was planning right away.
"Morning, Tao! We saved a little tamagoyaki if you'd like," Inko grinned, coming to greet her son's teacher and her potential landlord.
"I'll take those," Archimedes stated quite clearly. So saying, he flew over to the counter and started to dig into the layers of fried egg.
Inko blinked. "Oh. I didn't realize Archimedes had a Quirk. You don't often hear about animals with them, though I read it's getting more common."
"Archimedes is not blessed with a Quirk. He was gifted the power of human speech through another method," the Ancient One explained.
Inko tilted her head in confusion. "What method would that be?"
"The same method that allows me to do this without a Quirk," the Ancient One said. Then she held up her hand, which Izuku noticed had a Sling Ring equipped, and made the circling gesture he'd been practicing for days. A hoop of orange sparks appeared from nowhere, opening to form a hole in the air. Through which one could see the Ancient One's kitchen in her loft all the way across town. Izuku eyed his mom watch incredulously as his sensei walked through the dimensional portal, grabbed a steaming kettle, and walked back into their apartment. She closed the wormhole behind her, then set the kettle on the table. With a flick of her wrist like sleight of hand, she pulled one mug after another out of thin air and placed them on the table. "Tea?"
"What… what's going on? Is this some kind of trick?" Inko demanded.
"The original kind, in point of fact," Archimedes drawled in a break from scarfing down his free meal.
"I have not been fully honest with you, Inko. I don't have a Quirk, that is fact. I do, however, have access to powers beyond what you would think of as 'natural'. Powers which don't rely on winning the genetic lottery so much as being earned through informed effort and application. Powers which I have begun to teach your son, at his own request." The Ancient One spoke delicately, probably recognizing her friend was having a bit of a shock.
"What kind of power can be taught? If it's not natural, then what the hell is it?" Inko asked sharply, looking from her to Izuku with confusion and just a little fear.
"Supernatural. It goes by many names. Witchcraft. Wizardry. Sorcery. Thaumaturgy. Evocation. Divination. All different ways to refer to the same basic thing. I prefer to use the term 'Mystic Arts' or simply 'magic' myself," the Ancient One said calmly.
"This isn't a joke, Mom," Izuku spoke up. "Magic is real. I've seen it. I've done it. Please, please, just try and hear Tao-sensei out."
Inko looked at him like she'd never seen him before. "Izuku? You… you really think you can do magic?"
"I KNOW I can," Izuku said firmly. "Sensei? May I show her?"
"Something small, young Izuku. No need to scare her more than we already have," the Ancient One said with regret at the necessity.
Drawing inspiration from his mother's Quirk, Izuku breathed deep and reached his spirit out to touch the Eldritch Dimension. In the paradoxical act of surrender necessary to gain control, Izuku let the dimensional energy flow through him. Thinking through the 'grammar' of the spell he wanted to cast, Izuku began to wave his arms. He didn't let his mom's harsh intake of breath at the creation of a lime-green mandala in front of him distract him. Completing the floating glyph that described his intended hack of reality, Izuku activated the minor charm. The sigil began to vibrate, and one of the mugs his sensei had laid on the table smoothly moved across the wood to settle in front of Izuku. The geometric symbol of light faded, the energy spent.
Inko pulled out a chair and slumped into it. She looked between them and the cup that had inexplicably moved of its own accord. She reached out with her own hand and made a grabbing motion. The mug moved towards her, proving it was physical and not a hologram or fake. She stopped and then just stared at Izuku. "Baby… why didn't you tell me?"
"I forbade him," the Ancient One spoke calmly. "The existence of magic has always been kept carefully veiled from public knowledge. Partially to protect its practitioners from being targeted or exploited. Partially because there would be riots in the streets. The ability of a privileged few with access to the right knowledge to reshape the world to their whim is too much for some people to accept. I waited until I was as certain as I could be about Izuku's character before I even considered revealing the secret to him. I was equally as grave in considering you, Inko. You agreeing to my offer of living together simply… moved up the timeline of your own introduction to the supernatural."
"So… magic is… a thing. You can do it, Tao. And on top of the Warrior Mystic style, you've been teaching my son these… Mystic Arts?" Inko asked haltingly.
"Yes." The Ancient One offered no justification, just confirmation.
Inko gulped and closed her eyes. Finally, she opened them and something seemed to have settled in her bearing. "With all due respect, Tao, I'll need something a bit stronger than tea at the moment to handle all this."
"This blend actually pairs quite well with single-malt whiskey. Say when," the Ancient One prompted, pulling a decanter from her pocket dimension as casually as you please.
Inko waited until the mug was half-full before having the Ancient One stop. Then the tea was poured on top and into the other two mugs. Inko took a big gulp, and blinked. "How is that still smooth as silk? Wait, don't tell me, magic!" She burst into a series of mildly hysterical giggles.
"This is going well, I see," Archimedes said sardonically from the kitchen counter.
"I can and will give you back to Merlin if you don't behave yourself. I'm sure he's missed you," the Ancient One scolded the avian cynic.
"When can I meet him?" Izuku asked idly, most of his attention still on his mother.
"When he comes to visit me or after you master temporal scrying and displacement to the point you can track him down wherever and whenever he is," his sensei replied.
"Merlin is real too. Of course," Inko shook her head. She seemed to reach deep for her composure. "Now… was there a point to telling me?"
"It would be rather awkward if you found out when Crookshanks and Heen got into an argument the first time after you moved in or walked in on Izuku practicing levitation," the Ancient One said with wit. "I never planned to conceal it from you any longer than necessary. You have the right to know about your son's education, especially anything 'extracurricular' like the Mystic Arts. As I said, us cohabitating just moved it up some."
Inko nodded and took another sip of her spiked tea. "So… what does it mean, exactly, that Izuku is learning these Mystic Arts? What will this mean for him going forward?"
"It means, with the proper training and suitably convincing falsehoods, that Izuku's dream can be attained. He could become a Hero with the power of the Mystic Arts. Even if he for some reason were to change his choice of career, he'll still have the training to protect himself and any others in a crisis. I offered to teach him from the heartfelt belief that he would use these powers for good, not evil, and that he would thrive throughout the course of learning them," the Ancient One explained.
"What makes you so sure?" Inko asked the Ancient One with furrowed brows.
The Ancient One gave his mom a look of something like pity. "Really, Inko, don't you know your own son? He has great respect for the virtues of power and strength, good values he lives up to, he's compassionate and selfless almost to a fault, and he relishes a good challenge. If anyone should get the chance to earn a superpower, can you think of anyone better suited than young Izuku? Be honest."
Inko got that smile of maternal pride, which always made Izuku feel all toasty inside when he saw his mom with it. "Good point, Tao. I always knew he was special. But when he got that diagnosis… I guess I forgot for a while. And I am sorry for that, Izuku. I only hope you forgive me someday for failing you like that."
"I already have," Izuku swore. "Anyway, yeah, Tao-sensei is a sorcerer, and she's teaching me everything she knows. If we time it right, we can pretend I'm a late bloomer with some kind of hard light hologram or energy manipulation Quirk. Or maybe I should keep the Mystic Arts secret and only use them in emergencies. Present Mic might have been joking, but part of me really likes the idea of passing the UA Entrance Exam as the first Quirkless student. We have plenty of time to hash out the details. For now, let's focus on the move."
"Thank you, baby," Inko said with quiet gratitude. Then she refocused on the Ancient One. "Alright, now that the rabbit's out of the hat or whatever, let's get back to business. What were you thinking for monthly rent? Utilities included or separate?"
Izuku grinned and sipped his tea, watching his parent and his teacher get into a spirited discussion on the practicalities of moving into the bookshop's loft. His mom was in the loop now, that would be a load off his shoulders. Next to worry about was probably Katsuki… whoo, doggy, that could go sideways so bad.