Written by Aduubo, Buckichamp, and PikachuSpartan.
I OWN NOTHING. KILL LA KILL IS OWNED BY STUDIO TRIGGER AND KAZUKI NAKASHIMA. MHA IS OWNED BY TOHO ANIMATION AND KOHEI HORIKOSHI.
—
'Mayyyybe I should call the cops…' Izuku thought.
But right then, he, Ryuko, and Sanageyama stood idle, perplexed as to who this mystery person was, and why he attacked them during their fight.
"There are two things you need to know."
"One: You boys aren't who I'm here for."
"And two: I want you to take off that Kamui right now."
The man's weapon points towards Ryuko specifically, the clicking of his gun made everyone practically wince.
"What, are you some sort of pervert or something? Ryuko barked.
"I'm not a pervert. It'd be wise to do what I say. You'll die if you try to fight me."
"You've got some guts, big guy. Yet I don't see a Goku Uniform on you. You think you can make threats like that?"
The mysterious man turns his attention to Sanagayama with a disinterested look on his face.
"For someone who's supposed to be among the strongest at Honnōji Academy, you do a lot of bragging… far more than one should."
The man began firing needles at everyone below him, intentionally missing Midoriya. Everyone had scattered around the open grasslands for more space to use. Once he reloaded his gun, the mohawked gunman continued firing rounds at Ryuko and Sanageyma, forcing the two to continue dodging.
The Shinai wielder could suddenly feel his movements beginning to falter, and his armor stiffening up. Why was this happening? Was his Goku Uniform malfunctioning? Regardless, his Tengantsu enabled him to keep seeing the projectiles from a mile away, giving him plenty of time to still dodge.
"You're never going to be able to hit me with those! Why don't you scurry on and wait your turn when I'm done with Matoi?"
Unfortunately, the mystery man picked up on this as well.
Sanageyama stood perfectly in place of where one of the man's many landmines were scattered throughout the field. He then pulled out a handheld device with a button, and pushed.
-BOOM-
The grasslands had just lit up with an explosion of smoke, which Izuku and Ryuko managed to narrowingly dodge. The Shinai wielder had his arms held up to protect himself, but it seemed like it was just smoke. Strangely harmless. Suddenly he felt a stinging sensation rise in his face, particularly in his eyes.
"Agh! What the hell?! My Eyes! What did you do?!"
"Tear gas."
"Aghh! Can't see!" He fell to his knees and dismounted the Shinai blades from his fingers. In a desperate attempt to ease the pain, he tried to rub his eyes through the vents of his armor in vain.
The purple orbs in his suit began to flicker on and off sporadically, before outright shutting off. The Tear gas was meant to irritate the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth, and lungs. But his eyes, being the most prominently used feature, experienced the most pain. They began to water uncontrollably, added with the temporary blindness that fell upon Sanageyama.
"You seemed quite proud about your fighting prowess, yet you rely on a technique far more than actual instincts. Once I figured out how your eyes worked, it was simple to figure out what to target next. Ironic that your special eyes couldn't see my special trap."
Ryuko watched as Sanageyma was being lectured by the mohawked man. His arsenal and planning was a force to be reckoned with. She had the plan to blind him with pieces of her clothes for a small opening, but he was able to outright disable Sanageyama's trump card.
The man jumped down from the roof, closing the distance between himself and Sanageyama so that he could get a clear shot through the tear gas. He then finished his fight by pointing the sewing gun and fired a few rounds of needles.
Suddenly, Sanageyama's suit began to blow out steam as he reverted back to normal.
"What the hell?! What'd you do?!"
The mystery man continues on with his statement.
"There are 6 other senses that humans possess besides sight: Sound, smell, taste, touch, movement, and body position. Your entire body is a weapon. That's the true essence of a fighter. Focusing on only one trick to bail you out in any scenario, that's gonna get you killed, boy."
Ryuko looks on in shock at what was unfolding in front of her. This guy, this completely NORMAL GUY, took out one of Honnōji's Elite Four with nothing but a glorified needle gun. How the hell did this guy get equipment to combat LIFE FIBERS?!
However, her thoughts on him were interrupted by something else. Sanageyama was disarmed… completely VULNERABLE. Without hesitation, Ryuko lunged at the powerless elite with her scissor blade raised, completely ignoring the mystery man she blitzed past.
"FINISHING MOVE: SEN-I-SOSHITSU!"
The life fibers in the Goku uniform quickly unraveled and exploded, tearing the clothes off Sanageyama's back as he went hurtling into the air with a shout, landing back on the ground with a thud.
Midoriya just stood wide-eyed, while the mohawk man simply looked on, completely unamused and unmoved.
Despite the events that unfolded in front of Izuku, he seemed a lot more focused on a particular set of words.
'Your entire body is a weapon. That's the true essence of a fighter.'
The sentence that stemmed from the mohawk man stuck into his brain. But why? For some reason, that would be the recurring thought in the back of his head as time went on.
The chairman of the athletic club got to his feet with a grunt, gritting his teeth as he faced the others.
"You think you've won this one, Matoi?! Can't even beat me without the help of an intruder?!"
"Do I look like I give a shit about "honor" or playing fair? I'm only here to kick your ass and get answers out of Satsuki Kiryuin!" she smirked, bringing her blade level with her chest. The point of the blade glistened and sparkled for a moment, as Sanageyama stared back. She'd won and he could do nothing to quell the frustration in his heart.
"Besides, you took this fight to the streets. And on the streets, there are no rules."
"I'M NOT DONE YET! I'LL FIGHT YOU ALL FULL-ON NAKED! C'MON!"
-THWAK-
"AGH! AGH! AGHHH!"
Swift and sharp cracks of a barbed whip rung into everyone's ears as they snapped at Sanageyama's back, leaving dark red and purple marks on his body. The pain wore down his muscles greatly, forcing him down on his knees in an abnormally shaking matter.
"YOU'RE PATHETIC, SANAGEYAMA!"
"You didn't need to tag along, you know," Jakuzure expressed tiredly as Gamagori's sheer weight and size made the sidecar he rode lean heavily. How it supported him and didn't break off the vehicle, no one knew.
Sanageyama slammed his fists into the grass out of frustration, puncturing the dirt below. He lost. Especially to such a stupid mistake of being blindsided by a stranger.
"YOU HAVE DISGRACED THE ELITE FOUR!"
Gamagori's loud and booming voice shook Izuku and Ryuko to their core, his voice being all too familiar to Ryuko especially.
"No way! Ira Gamagori and Nonon Jakuzure?!" Izuku gawked.
"What the? What are you guys doing here?!" Ryuko snarled. She didn't expect to see these two jackasses so soon.
"After hearing about your full transfer, we had to come pick up Sanageyama before he put us under UA's watch list. The Kanto Monkey just had to go off and try to get his kicks in. And look at what happened here. He lost," Jakuzure condescendingly explained.
Gamagori used his whip to ensnare Sanageyama, preparing to take him back to Honnōji. But not before he set his cold stare to lock onto the mysterious mohawked man.
"Consider yourself lucky, outsider. We'd have you on your knees by Lady Satsuki's feet if we weren't in UA's territory."
"There are two things you need to know."
"One: Don't you dare call me an outsider, when you're all trespassing here as well."
"Two: You will never bring me in."
A pin can be heard being pulled as all eyes are trained on the mysterious combatant. He tossed something towards the ground while he pivoted his feet to leave. Before Gamagori and Jakuzure could react, Midoriya looks to see what was thrown. His eyes widened when the object was identified: a grenade.
"GET DOWN!" Midoriya yelled out as he pulls Ryuko away from the blast, while the other two Elite Four watched from a distance.
"I think we'll be leaving now. Have fun with your new boy toy, new girl~" Jakuzure mocked, which shot a red blush into both Izuku and Ryuko's cheeks. Izuku then realized that he was in a compromised position with Ryuko, his hands fully wrapped around her and his body pressed up against hers. He squeaked out of embarrassment before he pulled up and skidded away from the girl.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU PINT-SIZED PRICK?!" Ryuko shouted, which ended up falling on deaf ears as Jakuzure drove off with Gamagori, who was also dragging Sanageyama in the pavement behind the sidecar. Yelps and shouts of pain could be heard from the sword wielder before it faded in the distance.
"Well that was unexpected. Now, where was I?" The armed man aimed his sewing machine shaped guns at Ryuko before firing.
Izuku instantly shot up to his feet, as if by instinct. He jumped right to Ryuko's defense, pushing her out of the way. The man stopped his continuous firing immediately, resulting in a dozen needles puncturing Izuku's body, a few yelps of pain escaping from him.
"Agghhh!" Deku cried out until his voice stopped working and he fell to his knees, faceplanting in the lush, green grass.
"IZUKU!" Ryuko screamed.
"Don't worry about your friend. He'll be alright. The effects of the needles are therapeutic. Any fatigue he's already had, it'll be cured almost immediately.
"Acupuncture Needles, huh…" Izuku muttered out weakly as he attempted to rechamber.
The mohawked man took a few steps forward before aiming his gun once more at Ryuko.
"Unless you want this park to be leveled, take off your clothes. Now."
"R...Ryuko! Quick, get out of here!" Izuku tried to budge, but he could feel his body growing weaker. Before anyone knew it, he fell onto his side, passed out from the effects of the needles.
Ryuko gasped once she saw her friend fall after protecting her. She bared her fangs and clutched onto her scissor blade, prepared to take on this new enemy. But within an instant, the mystery man jumped into the air above her. Taking her by surprise, he shot a two-pronged fork out of his gauntlet, which trapped Ryuko's left wrist against the ground below.
Once she was pinned down on her back, he was quick to incapacitate her by stomping on her right arm to force the scissor blade out of her hand. Ryuko's stomach sank from how quickly she was taken down by this guy. She barely had time to react. Her fear continued to escalate as he pointed his gun in between her eyes.
"You'll die at this range. So take off your clothes."
Forced breaths seethed out of Matoi's bared teeth. She was desperately trying to think of a strategy, but her focus was scattered.
"Fine, have it your way."
Before the fighting could escalate further, the man in the mohawk felt a sharp pain hit his hand that held the gun. He turned to see that it was a needle with a note on it, along with a feather stuck into the ground nearby.
Ryuko's eyes darted to where the man's eyes traveled to, letting out a light gasp. She turned her gaze upward to see the No. 3 Hero: Hawks, just hovering over everyone.
The man scoffed as the note seemed all too familiar. He was clearly displeased, but he lowered his weapon and began to walk away.
"Hey! Where do you think you're goi-!"
-CLANG-
Steam emerged from below, showing a trail of smoke between a feather and a two fanged fork. Hawks then placed himself in front of Ryuko and Izuku, standing off against the mystery man. Ryuko's eyes widened as her heart skipped a beat. It was so fast, she couldn't anticipate it. That could have been her taking the shot for all she knew.
"I'll be back to strip you."
With those final words, the mystery man took his leave, walking away as Hawks stood his ground.
"Are you both okay?" Hawks asked the pair of students. "Looks like things got out of control for a minute there."
"Yeah, I'll be okay. Just a few bruises, that's all," Ryuko replied as Senketsu reverted out of Sync Mode.
"I think… I'll… be okay…," Izuku muttered in a daze. He wasn't fully there, but he was coming to, albeit in a very lucid state. His hearing wasn't exactly 100%.
The winged hero let out a sigh, giving his wings a quick flap and extending them.
"Anyway, why don't you two run back home? I've gotta jet for now."
"Not so fast!" The black-haired girl interjected.
"I want you to answer something first. I know Principal Nezu said you got in touch with Mikisugi to start this whole thing."
"Is that so? Well, we can't leave him here to chat elsewhere," Hawks motioned to Deku, "So you'll have to make it quick. I really do have to jet."
Ryuko took a deep breath before speaking to the hero in front of her.
"Who was that guy who jumped us? And second, when will Mikisugi be in touch with me? He promised some answers to a few important questions I have."
Hawks finally turned to face the students, a soothing vibe emanating around him.
"I don't really know that guy well enough to give you a good answer, but to address your second question, "Mr. Casanova" said he planned to try and make contact soon. He just didn't specify when exactly."
Ryuko couldn't help but stifle a laugh at the winged hero's nickname for her teacher.
'Damn, that's so accurate!'
"Hawks, come in. Have you dealt with the situation? Over."
Keigo tapped into his ear piece to get in touch with the administrator of the Public Safety Commission.
"Yep. The park's been cleared out. Just send some guys over to clean up the damages here. I made sure that the citizens saw me flying in, so no need to get the authorities and any extra attention here."
"Wait… are you alone or…?"
"Oh, don't worry. The only witness here is Ryuko and another kid who's currently passed out. I'm heading back now."
Hawks took to the air in a quick burst of speed, fluttering for a few moments as Izuku began to regain most of his faculties and sit himself upright.
"I assure you this isn't the last time we'll meet, Ryuko. Later!" Hawks saluted to the pair and finally took his leave.
"So fast!" Ryuko exclaimed.
"Yeah."
The girl turned around to find Midoriya staring up at her, visibly concerned.
"Oh geez, man! I'm sorry I couldn't protect ya there! You okay?"
"I'm fine actually. I've honestly never felt better," Izuku paused.
"I'm more worried about you though. What was that all about?"
Ryuko glanced away, realizing there were things she couldn't hide anymore about herself. She'd heard Deku out earlier and was sworn to secrecy. Now, it was only fair that she explained the situation to her longtime friend.
"Why don't we get some food first…"
…
-Midoriya Residence-
Izuku and Ryuko decided to head back home, feeling a lot safer there than to keep traveling around at night again. Doorknob in hand, Izuku suddenly stopped in a cold sweat.
"Huh? You okay, Izuku?"
"O-Oh! Yeah! I'm fine! I just remembered something..."
"What? Wait..." Ryuko began to get cold feet as well.
'I'm bringing a girl into my home!'
'Mrs. Midoriya is in there!'
The two teenagers swallowed hard before Izuku mustered up the courage to turn the knob and open the door. Inko heard the door open as she was just about to set the table for dinner. She wore a wide grin on her face before going over to greet her son.
"Izuku! Welcome home, dear!"
"H-Hi mom! Izuku muttered, clearly shaken up by something.
Inko was a bit surprised that Izuku had brought home a visitor all of a sudden. But she trusted her son and maintained her composure.
"Oh! Hello! And who might you be?" Inko asked with a bright smile on her face.
Ryuko was taken aback a bit. Inko had definitely changed a lot since the last time she saw her. It was hard for the teen to believe that she was now taller than her. Even with the differences, Inko's calming aura remained the same. Ryuko immediately felt at ease being in the Midoriya Household again.
"Hi, Mrs. Midoriya... I'm Ryuko. You probably don't remember me, but...-"
"What? Uwaaaaaaa! RYUKOO!" The girl didn't get a second before she saw a well of tears charging towards her. Inko lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Ryuko, holding her in a bear hug.
She could feel Mama Bear squeezing the life out of her, but out of love. It immediately brought her back to all the times she would be trapped in Mrs. Midoriya's affection. Her face began to turn a light shade of purple from the lack of oxygen as the green haired woman surely was about to break one of the girl's ribs at this rate.
"Ryuko! I recognize that red streak of hair! It's been such a long time! I'm so surprised you remember me!"
"O-of course, Mrs. Midoriya! I still have b-bruises from the last time you hugged me!" The teenager eeked out, gasping for air.
Inko released Ryuko, which enabled her to catch her breath and her skin tone reverting to normal as well. She leaned against the wall and planted her hands on her knees, taking a moment to get air moving through her lungs again.
"Yeah, it turns out that Ryuko was recommended into UA. We're both in the same class together," Izuku spoke up.
"That's wonderful! It's also good that you both came back, just in time for dinner!" Inko cheered before walking into the kitchen. The two teenagers set their shoes aside before joining together at the dinner table.
"So UA, huh? Congratulations! How's the school faring for you? I asked Izuku the same question, but it'd be interesting to get an answer other than fanboyish cheering."
"Mom!"
"I wasn't all that big on superheroes before, but it's actually pretty cool to see them up close. Other than that, I actually like it at UA a lot better than at Honnōji."
"Honnōji? My, Izuku told me quite a bit about that school. Are the stories true? About-"
"-about how everyone there is a borderline psycho or an ass…-sert-ive jerk? Yeah... it's true," Ryuko caught herself, not wanting to swear in front of Mrs. Midoriya, who then laughed at the obvious cover up.
"Nice save," Senketsu commented.
"Shut up."
"What?"
As dinner continued, the three continued to chat and catch up on their reunion. Through it all, Ryuko felt very happy. It was just like when she was eating dinner with the Mankanshoku's. But here, her happiness felt a lot stronger.
"By the way mom, Ryuko's going to be living in the apartment above us for the time being," Izuku added.
"Really? How wonderful! I missed when you would come over, Ryuko! I imagine you're being independent this time around rather than living with your fath-" Inko stopped herself while dropping her utensil, along with Izuku and Ryuko becoming wide eyed at that mention. The elephant in the room that was Ryuko's father had abruptly put the vibe to a complete halt.
"Ryuko I-I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mention him…" Inko tried to apologize.
"No, it's okay. I'm just happy that I get to hang out with you guys again. So don't you worry about me, alright?" Ryuko asked, sporting a reassuring smile.
Both Izuku and Inko knew about the troubles Ryuko had with her father, which explained the frequent visits that they would get from her. Not that they minded, but it sort of left a wandering thought of what happened back at her home. They didn't know much, no, anything about Ishin. Ryuko rarely talked about him other than mentioning his name.
It wasn't until when Izuku had crossed paths with him for the first time.
-Musutafu, Danchi. 10 years ago-
It was just another ordinary day, dating back to when the two teens were two young kids. Ryuko had visited the Midoriya's apartment for some playtime, seemingly unannounced.
"Oh! Ryuko, what brings you here?" Inko asked.
"Is Izuku home?" The young Matoi perked up.
"Yes, he is! Just a second. Izuku! Ryuko's here to play!"
The young foliage haired boy happily skipped over to the door to meet the young girl.
"Hi Ryuko!"
"Hi Izuku! Wanna go to the park again?"
"Yeah! Sounds fun!" Izuku beamed with joy before he immediately fit his shoes on and stepped out the door frame with Ryuko. The two began running down the steps before they both waved back to Inko.
"Bye mom!"
"Bye Mrs. Midoriya!"
"Don't stay out too late now! Keep an eye on him for me, would you, Ryuko?"
"Mom!" Young Midoriya whined as a blush of embarrassment embellished on his face.
"I promise!" Ryuko laughed before the two made it down all the way to the ground level and ran down the sidewalk.
Inko sighed with content as she watched the two kids run off to the park. It brought joy to her heart to know that even if Katsuki had seemingly cut ties with Izuku, Ryuko stuck by him despite him being diagnosed as quirkless. Though, she couldn't help but wonder about the whereabouts of her father.
She had never even met Isshin Matoi. Inko only knew about him because of Ryuko mentioning him once. She began to worry, but seeing her be so happy with Izuku gave some reassurance that things just might be okay.
Once they were at the park, the two spent some time engaging with the playground sets. They've been to this area many times, but never seemed to get bored. Moments later, the two sat together in the sandbox while playing with the toys laid out.
"Ryuko, do you ever wonder what's out there?" Izuku asked.
"Like what?"
"Sometimes, I wonder what it's like if we ever went outside of the city. Maybe someone out there is wondering what it's like here?"
"I guess. You think we will get to meet them?"
"When we finally get our quirks, I hope we do. It'd be awesome to travel and meet other heroes out there."
Ryuko giggled, finding admiration in Izuku's bright look to the future.
"Yeah, I'd love to see the world out there someday too."
"Ryuko."
A gruff voice huffed out, which made the two children tense up, with Ryuko appearing the most uncomfortable. They turned their gaze over to the source of the call, leading back to a frail middle aged man with a hunch for a back, known as Isshin Matoi. His hair and beard looked messy as it appeared somewhat tangled and barbed. His inhuman-like appearance was enough to intimidate Izuku, but his eyepatch was what stood out the most.
His look gave a very unnerving feeling that made the two stand up in defense, only being able to stare as he stood on the sidewalk in front of them.
"What are you doing out here? I didn't tell you that you could be going out today." Isshin asked, a hint of annoyance coming out of his voice.
"N-nothing, Dad. I'm just playing with my friend," Ryuko muttered, not facing her father completely.
"Well let's go. I'm not wasting anymore time out of my work to have to keep looking for you," Isshin ordered as he turned around and began to walk.
Ryuko on the other hand, ran over to Izuku immediately and held his hand. Izuku was confused. This was her father? Why was she so afraid?
"Ryuko. I won't say it again. Let's go," Isshin pressed, which made Ryuko suddenly step behind Izuku.
Isshin was rapidly losing his patience, soon turning to close the gap between himself and the two. Izuku suddenly firmed his stance, keeping Ryuko shielded behind him. The man, though frail, towered over Izuku immensely. His hunch left a small distance between his eyes as he met with Midoriya's.
"Are you trying to start trouble, boy?" Isshin hissed through his beard. He was practically nose to nose with Midoriya His one eye pierced the boy's entire being, which caused sweat to begin dropping down his face.
Even when he tried to put up a brave front, Izuku's trembling was clearly shown in his form. Ryuko saw what her father was doing and had to act fast to save her friend. Letting go of his hand, Matoi stepped away from Izuku and walked over to her father's side.
"Hmph," Isshin gruffed before turning away from Midoriya and walked, Ryuko following close by.
Izuku could only stand idly as he watched Ryuko walk away. The wobbling in his legs began to give out before he fell to his knees. Just then, he felt absolutely helpless. He couldn't do a single thing for Ryuko.
…
Deku remembered that day all too well. When he told his mother about what happened, it only made sense that she would be troubled. Since then, Ryuko would come over less often than she usually did. But whenever she was able to come over, she was as cheerful as ever. It put the two Midoriyas at ease that Isshin just appeared to be in a bad mood that day, and it wasn't anything worse than that.
That was until when Isshin had sent Ryuko away to Boarding school.
Izuku sulked, remembering how torn up he felt about her departure. She was the only friend that stayed with him when Kacchan walked off, and life just had to take that away too.
Ryuko too would begin to mope, reminiscing her troubled past with her father began to get in the way of her enjoying dinner.
Just her luck. Just when she was really starting to feel truly happy, life had to beat her over the head again with what her goal was. There was a lot she had to do before she could settle down, yet she feared where it could lead her in the future. There was so much that she cherished, and she didn't want to lose it all.
After that awkward moment, dinner continued on without skipping a beat, as if nothing had happened. The three were close to finishing up their meals when Inko spoke once more.
"Listen, whatever the scenario is, we're happy that you're here. Now, I don't want you going hungry at all dear, so feel free to drop by whenever you want to eat!"
"Aww, I wouldn't want to bother you, Mrs. Midoriya."
"Oh, I insist!"
Despite the mention of her father coming up, the food was still delicious and it definitely brought back some nostalgia of better times.
Though it didn't stop the lingering thought of telling Izuku the truth.
Once dinner had wrapped up, Izuku was about to help his mother clean up before Ryuko grabbed at his shirt.
"Izuku. Can I talk to you back up in my apartment? I need some help with homework."
"Huh? When did we… Oh. Oh yeah, good idea. Mom, is it okay if I go for a moment?"
"Don't you worry, I'll finish up down here! And Ryuko, it was wonderful to see you again! Like I said before, feel free to drop by anytime!" Mrs. Midoriya called out before the two teens made their way out and up to Ryuko's apartment.
The apartment itself was still fairly barren, not much in terms of furniture other than a bed in the other room, two cushioned chairs and a soft, dark purple rug settled in the middle of the living room. There also was a dining table with a couple of wooden chairs stationed around.
"You okay, Ryuko? What's up?"
Ryuko sat down on the carpet floor without saying a word, legs crossed and all. Izuku took the silence as a hint to join her, sitting in front of her with his knees folded.
"I… I have some explaining to do."
"Hm?"
"Earlier, I made you tell me something you didn't want to talk about. Now with what's happened, it's only fair that I do the same. I'm assuming you were wondering about what's going on with the Elite Four and me."
Izuku only nodded.
"Well, it's back when I was sent away to boarding school. You know that my dad and I didn't get along, which is why it happened. I never got along with anyone and always got into fights there. And by the time I started my first year of high school, I was a straight up punk. You probably know about the Kanto gang. Which is probably why I seem very different from how I was back then," Ryuko chuckled sheepishly.
"Yeah. I kind of noticed," Izuku followed up with a sheepish laugh of his own.
"...And then six months ago, my dad sent me a note to come home because he wanted to talk. He had moved into a mansion near the waterfront. I went to see him for the first time in ages. But..."
Ryuko clenched at her skirt, reminiscing about what happened at that mansion clearly started some turmoil within.
"Ryuko? If you don't want to talk about it…"
"Don't worry, I'm okay. Thank you," Ryuko reassured him. She swallowed hard and paused for a moment before continuing.
"The first thing I found was my dad with half of a scissor blade stuck right into him. I was going to go get help, but then he gave me an ultimatum. Leave and live a quiet life, or to continue whatever his fight was. He then handed me the scissor blade, telling me what would happen If I were to go with the latter. You can probably tell which choice I went with," Ryuko then pulled out her shrunken scissor blade, showing it off to the green haired teen.
Izuku's heart sank as he let out a shaken gasp. He could only imagine what kind of burden was put on her to carry this. And to do it all alone.
"He then told me that if I found the other half of the blade, I would find the one who killed him. But soon after, I caught a glimpse of that very killer with the other half while they were leaving. Being who I am, I chased after them right away," Ryuko paused for a moment before continuing on with the story.
"My dad tried holding me back to tell me more information, but I just kept running. Part of me wishes that I listened, but that wouldn't have turned out well. Just as I got outside, the mansion exploded, with my dad still inside. Not only did the killer get away, but I had to sit and watch while the last of what I had was set ablaze."
"I traveled all over the Kanto region in order to get answers, until I finally got to Honnōji Academy. I got myself involved with Satsuki and the Elite Four, which basically led to everything that happened tonight. While I was traveling, I found Senketsu in my dad's underground basement. It turns out that he was made specifically for me. Not sure why. I got transferred to UA soon after, so that my undercover teacher, Mikisugi, could keep me out of the Elite Four's influence. At first, I planned on going back as soon as possible. And well, you know what happened next."
The two exchanged smiles. Izuku's soon dropped afterward.
"Ryuko. I don't know what to say. I..."
Izuku could only sit in silence, just like when he watched Ryuko and Sanagayama duking it out, and when Isshin took her away. Remembering that made him feel uncomfortable. He couldn't do anything then, and he couldn't do anything now.
'Ryuko went through so much, just fighting to survive at boarding school... And without a father. After all of that, she continued to fight to the end, and still is," Izuku's thoughts then grind to a halt when one revelation reared its head yet again.
Ryuko is quirkless.
And here she was, fighting like hell for what she set her sights on. Ryuko did it all alone, long before she even obtained her Kamui. Her spirit never wavered.
Then there's him, Deku. What did he do after finding out he was quirkless?
He broke down. He couldn't see anything else in life other than being a hero. It was all he ever dreamed of. Being quirkless felt like a birth defect, a disease. He believed he was a mistake when he was born.
Even after training for 10 months, getting One For All, and getting into UA, the world kept reminding Midoriya of just how far behind he was from everyone else. He couldn't help Ryuko when she needed him back then, when the mystery man attacked, and now he couldn't even find the words to help Ryuko during her crisis. He felt useless.
"Izuku?"
Ryuko's voice snapped him out of his trance, breaking him from his thoughts. He looks up to see Ryuko, looking back at him with a concerned look.
"Are you okay?"
Izuku, bewildered, looked toward Ryuko and made eye contact.
"I'm sorry... You're going through so much right now, and I can't even find the right things to say. Just like when… I met your father. And when you were fighting earlier. I just stood by. You're so strong, and talented. I'm just struggling to get by in UA," Izuku then clamped onto his pant legs, his arms shaking in the process.
"Sometimes, I wonder if I really belong at a school like UA. Maybe if I had a Kamui or something..." Izuku looked down at his right hand. The teenage boy was completely dejected, which didn't sit well with Ryuko.
"Hey, Izuku?"
Izuku, feeling empty, looked back up to see Ryuko looking back at him with a worrisome expression.
"Don't worry about what me and that asshole had going on. At the end of the day, this is just clothing," she patted at Senketsu. He was a little offended, but remained silent as Ryuko continued on with her tangent.
"Cut with the right pair of scissors, something like Senketsu or what he was wearing, they're history. So you can forget trying to get something like a Goku uniform."
"You've got as much drive as the Number One Hero. Hell, even more! So why the hell are you worrying about what we got, huh? Dude, you got into the best hero school in the damn country. That should be enough to show you."
"Show me what?" Izuku said as tears escaped from the corners of his eyes.
Ryuko placed her hand on his shoulder and pulled him closer to her, their eyes on the same level.
"That you, Izuku Midoriya, are gonna be the most badass hero the world will ever see. I can't wait to see you become just that. So dry your tears, dust your pants off, and keep showing the world what you're made of."
Izuku was stunned at what his childhood friend said to him. Honestly, he still had his doubts about his place in UA. From the application test to now, he's always felt that he didn't belong.
But somehow, for some unknown reason, Ryuko always found a way to make him feel the opposite. She could've just said nothing to him, but she instead did everything she could to motivate him. It didn't matter if the last time they had seen each other was more than 10 years, it wasn't enough to stop Ryuko.
'Was THIS what I was hoping for with Kacchan and me? Is this what it really feels like?'
'Is this what it's like… To have a true friend?'
The waterworks didn't stop as Deku reached out and latched his arms around Ryuko, catching her off guard. This burst of emotion from Midoriya was the accumulation of years of negative, pent-up emotions and thoughts flowing out all at once. His chin rested on her shoulder as he sobbed, with the girl returning his embrace with one of her own, warmly smiling as she closed her eyes.
"C'mon man, there's no need for the waterworks. I wouldn't have said any of that if it weren't true," Ryuko reassured him as the two separated after a few more moments.
"Y-Yeah. Thanks Ryuko," Deku sniffled, wiping at his eyes as he tried to smile.
"Man that was just a whole train of emotions, huh? We've only seen each other for, what? Three days? And we're spilling the beans?" Ryuko noted, which made Izuku stifle a laugh a bit.
Laughing became harder to resist for Izuku. He had hidden his emotions for years, and now all of what was bottled up had finally started to surface.
"Well, I'd better get going. Wouldn't want my mom to start worrying," Izuku spoke.
"Yeah. I'm hoping she isn't one of those moms that start making assumptions."
The teen's faces simultaneously turned a deep shade of red, clearly embarrassed by the thoughts circling in their minds.
"H-Huh?! W-w-what! No! I-I-I! Umm… Wannawalktoschoolinthemorning?" Midoriya stammered together at turbo speed.
Matoi took a deep breath before exhaling deeply.
"Yeah. That sounds great," She followed up with a smile.
Izuku returned the gesture before the two stood up, Ryuko escorting him to the door.
"Good night, Ryuko."
"G'Night, Izuku."
Once the door shut behind Izuku, Ryuko slumped against the wall for a moment. Her emotions had taken an overwhelming toll on her, but were simmering down rather quickly. Senketsu picked up on this immediately.
"That was rather therapeutic."
"Yeah…"
"It relieved a considerable amount of stress. You should consider doing that more often."
"Heh, yeah. Sure," Ryuko walked into the bathroom to freshen herself up before remembering something she had not checked on for a while.
She walked over to the dining table with a pencil and a piece of paper, now writing back to Mako.
'Hey Mako. Thank you for writing to me. It means a lot. I hope you and the family are doing well. UA's been great. I've made some great friends. There's someone that I think you should meet if you ever visit. I've even caught up with an old friend I knew back in the day. Listen, I decided to stay for the full year after all. So I won't be coming back for a while. I promise that I will visit whenever I can, or when I finish things up quickly. I promise. See you.'
- Ryuko.
After that, Ryuko went to hit the hay. She had resolved a few things that day, sure. But now, even more questions had come up that she'd need addressed. She needed some answers.
…
Morning came and Midoriya and Ryuko arrived early for school. What was going to seem like another ordinary day at UA High had turned completely on its back when all of the students were bombarded with possibly their greatest foe yet: The media. Izuku dreaded at the presence of the reporters that began to clamor around him and his fellow classmates.
"Hey you! Can you tell us what it's like to work so closely with All Might?"
"Uhh-Um, sorry, I have to go to the-uh, the nurse's office! Yeah, right away!" Izuku made an excuse before he ran off for the entrance.
"Are you one of All Might's students? Tell us, what's the symbol of peace like in person?"
"Umm… What's he like? Well… Uh. He's super muscle-y! Yeah!" Ochako barely managed to give a discreet and hopefully satisfying answer.
"Have you had a class with All Might? What is your experience with the Number One Hero?"
"He does his job and is just trying to get by. Just like I am now. So why don't you get the cameras out of my face before I get mad?" Ryuko responded with a deadpan glare before making her way to the entrance.
"How is he faring as a teacher; what are you learning?"
"His leadership and wisdom remind me on a daily basis that I attend the world's most prestigious educational institution. Of course, he's the personification of honor and integrity that one would expect, but he's also not afraid to show his students a more humorous side," Iida began to go on a tangent, but not in the way that the press were hoping for. Which was evident as they were beginning to fall asleep from his speech.
The press made a last ditch effort to have All Might himself come out for the Q&A by asking Aizawa. He quickly shooed them away before walking back inside. The female news reporter attempted to walk among school grounds, but was quickly met with a loud alarm, following with metal doors shutting in front of everyone, sealing UA tight.
In the distance, a fairly skinny young man stared at the entrance from afar. He analyzed the school grounds and its security.
He looks on at the press, disgusted at the attention UA is getting for the disillusioned masses. What good is a school full of heroes if they're constantly hounded by these vultures, constantly clamoring for information about the brats in there, and… ALL MIGHT.
With a twisted grin growing on his face, the mysterious individual advances towards the crowd of reporter's. He effortlessly passes by, barely getting noticed by them as he reaches towards the gate. And with this...he will make his declaration.
The two students arrived in homeroom to find a few of their other classmates already waiting. Ryuko and Midoriya took their seats and waited for more of their fellow classmates. They could take a few minutes to relax, or so they thought when a crackle from the PA system came through.
"Ryuko Matoi of Class 1A, please report to the principal's office immediately. Again, Ryuko Matoi of Class 1A, please report to the principal's office."
"Huh? What's going on?" Deku looked back at the girl with the red highlight. She only shrugged as she stood up from her desk and headed out the door.
"You don't think this could be something related to last night, do ya, Senketsu?" Ryuko whispered as she strolled through the increasing flow of traffic in the hallways.
"I'm not sure. Your guess is as good as mine," he replied.
"Well, I bet I'm gonna get scolded for getting into a tussle," she sighed.
"Don't get yourself down. I'm sure it'll be fine."
They had just arrived at Nezu's door, already cracked ajar. Ryuko poked her head in to see the principal at his desk, talking on the phone. A moment later, he turned his head to find the teenage girl peering into his office.
"Ms. Ryuko. I hope you had a pleasant morning commute!" Nezu greeted her, beckoning the girl to come in and close the door behind her.
"Before you say anything, I'm well aware of what happened last night off school grounds."
'Uh oh!' she thought. This definitely wasn't going to end well.
"Not to worry, you aren't being disciplined. Though do remember that since you aren't a licensed hero, even at a provisional level, such skirmishes should be called up to authorities."
"Sorry about that, Principal Nezu," Ryuko's racing heart started to settle, clearly relieved that she wasn't going to be accosted for the fight.
"More importantly, you have a phone call from someone important. Here, let me put them on speaker," Nezu said, hitting a button on the dial pad while Ryuko came around behind the desk. The caller ID on the phone system came up blank.
"Go right ahead. She's here," Nezu reaffirmed the person on the end of the other line.
"Hey there, Ryuko! How's UA treating you so far? Hopefully you've been able to settle in," a familiar voice came through the line, sending a jolt of anxiety through her system.
"Mr. Mikisugi?!"
To be continued...
Buckichamp A/N:
Hey everyone! Hopefully you enjoyed this latest chapter of Hero La Kill!
We brought this up at the end of Chapter Seven, but a friendly reminder that we've now shifted to publishing a chapter every two weeks. We do have a good backlog of chapters built up now with the new schedule, though they'll all need a final review before we publish them, of course.
Some of y'all really wanted to see Inko's interactions with Ryuko and we were way ahead of ya on that front. It was honestly more fun to write up than I think each of us thought.
And I know whether it's on FanFiction or on YouTube, people keep asking for Aduubo to draw up the comics for each chapter and dub them. All I can really say is that I know Aduubo has plans to make the comics and whatnot at some point. It's never a good idea to rush perfection. ;-)
I also thought I'd try to answer a question or two, so let's pick a couple from the batch.
(Note: reviews lightly edited for clarity)
Q: "The story is really good. My only complaints are that I wish Deku did tell Bakugo about One For All like in the original. I hope you can still do that, and I wish there wasn't a fight yet, kinda want to see them hang out a bit. Other than that, keep up the hard work." -Son Joe
Thanks, Son Joe! Much appreciated! We have talked about this and we've continued talking about this point. We feel satisfied with what we've done for now, but we've drawn up a few scenarios to make up for the change here on what might happen down the road (more so in general terms, not to this exact point per se).
"If endeavor adopted ryuko matoi?" 03
Nope! Never happening. It wouldn't make sense to the story plot at all. I hate to be so blunt, but I'm putting the kibosh on that train right now. Endeavor would NEVER have adopted Ryuko and that won't happen moving forward. That is a guarantee.
….
That's all the time I have, folks! Make sure to follow and favorite Hero La Kill here and also, go subscribe to Aduubo on YouTube. He's on the road to 50,000 subscribers, and he's a little north of 42.5K currently. Make sure to like the videos and turn on all notifications as well so me and Pikachu get paid for the Hero La Kill content LMAO! P̶L̶E̶A̶S̶E̶ ̶W̶E̶'̶R̶E̶ ̶B̶E̶I̶N̶G̶ ̶H̶E̶L̶D̶ ̶H̶O̶S̶T̶A̶G̶E̶!̶!̶
Catch ya later!
Hold up, we're not done. Aduubo here, and I'll be addressing one particular review that annoyed me.
Guest-Questioner - "For your information, telling us WHEN a chapter is going to be posted is FAR more different than IF it will be posted.
So long as you can say chapters WILL be posted, the WHEN does not matter too much, okay?"
Aduubo A/N - God forbid we show a level of respect for our audience by maintaining communication with them, and let them know that we aren't just sitting around with our thumbs up our asses while they wait. Cuz yeah, let's not address whenever chapters schedules might be put to a grinding halt or not.
I'm assuming that you didn't mean to sound like a snarky cockmunching clown, but you should really THINK before you speak. Also if you don't have an actual constructive critique, don't say anything. We're not here to let anyone bark orders at us.
But if you like to be kept in the dark while WAITING for something, be my guest. Just don't go around telling us what to do. I don't even know why you're even concerned about us saying WHEN chapters will be released from now on.
Pikachu: Cuz that's a dick move bro...like a HUGE DICK MOVE. Don't do that, only villains do that...and Jared Folgal.
Buckichamp: While I agree with the other two, I wouldn't say it as harshly. Though I do understand to an extent. I guess as the calm one of the group, just think before you speak (or type) something that can come off a bit rude.
Now we'll see ya later!