I am Sorry.
Marris descended down from the sky, causing it to ripple, as she returned to the dimension she called home. Her blank eyes scanned the calm mirror-like sea and sparkled when they spotted the location that had been searching for. The fish woman tucked her arms at her side and began to swim through the air in a similar manner to her smaller parasitic relatives towards her destination.
The destination was an island located close to the heart of the mirror sea, and only minutes after spotting it, Marris made contact with the island. The moment she came within the borders of the body of land, gravity's hold seemed to return to her, causing Marris to flop gracefully on the sands. The fish woman's hair squirmed in irritation as her whole body lost its usual grace and began to sag slightly like a beached fish.
"Why couldn't I have been born as a creature of the lands and not the seas?", Marris complained to herself.
Using her lengthy arms, the warped mermaid began to drag herself further inland. The sand growled as she forced her large body across its surface. Despite her size and supposed weight, no trail was left in the sand as she moved.
The fish woman continued her trek until she reached the heart of the mound of rock. Marris gazed longingly towards the sky, and peered into the heavens above her. A soft sigh escaped her nonexistent lips as she returned her gaze towards the sands as she waved her hands, and two unconscious figures emerged on the ground.
"Izuku.", Marris cooed, "My charge, my anchor, my son. I am sorry for what will happen and what you will have to endure. But this will hurt me more than it hurt you…"
The warped mermaid swung her head to face the other unconscious body.
"Tooru.", Marris said sadly, "My charge, my teacher, my daughter. Please, forgive him for what he has done, and if not now then find in you to forgive him when he begins to save himself. And please, forgive me for what I must do…"
Izuku snapped his eyes open and he shot up. His breathing was heavy as he frantically scanned his surroundings. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as his mind is still in the midst of the battle in Hosu. His arms raised and prepped for a fight.
"Where is Stain? Where is Endeavor? Where am I?", raced Izuku's mind.
"Gone.", said a dull voice, "The fight is over."
Izuku's visage zeroed in on the source of the voice. His narrowed eyes softened at the sight of Marris on a sandy hill, and just for a moment he felt relieved to see her. But the sentiment changed when he felt her aura and the expression that she carried on her statue-like face. Her aura radiated anger and sadness like a noxious cloud of gas that made it hard for izuku to even breathe. Her empty face was marred with a disappointment that surpassed anything that Bakugou had when he was revealed to be quirkless. It made Izuku wince with the realization that he had fallen so far out of Marris' favor. The jewels of obsidian bore into him like a drill before her metaphoric mouth moved with a slow and deliberate tone that his birth mother had given him for recklessly playing on the jungle gym.
"What. Were. You. Thinking?", Marris said through metaphorically clenched teeth, "Did you have any idea what kind of mess you were in?"
"I had everything under control.", Izuku said carefully, "You didn't need to show up."
"Izuku! You did not have everything under control! I looked away for only a few hours, and I was shocked to see that you were about to be torn to shreds.", Marris argued back.
Anger bubbled inside Izuku as he said with restraint in his voice, "Everything was fine. It was just a few minor unexpectant variables."
"Really? Because that sure didn't look like it to me!", Marris said with feigned surprise.
"Why do you care, you never cared before!", Izuku nearly yelled, "You never once questioned my job, so what is with the sudden change of heart?"
"Izuku, I have always cared and if it seems like I didn't before, well that because I was always there when you ventured out.", Marris bore down, "So, stop dodging the question, and give me the reason why you decided to fight that human in a battle to the death?"
"It was because a hero was in danger, and I needed to fight him to save the hero.", Izuku said without thinking.
Marris looked like he had just slapped her with that comment. Her eyes narrowed, "Lies." she said accusingly.
"I am not lying to you.", Izuku said with anger breaking his voice.
"Izuku, are you trying to play me for a fool? You had no reason to fight that human because you could've very easily ran away with Crab before he could bite back. I think you just wanted to fight him.", breathed Marris.
Izuku steadied his breathing as he tried to calmly reply to his patron. But the rage he felt against the Hero-Killer was all too real, and worst of all he enjoyed every minute of the battle. It was like confronting the personification of everyone who ever doubted him. What better way to show it to his childhood doubters by taking down one of the most notorious villains in Japan.
"So what if I did? Let's say that I did want to fight him. I don't see any reason why taking down that villain would be a bad thing.", Izuku said firmly.
"Did you not think your actions have consequences! Should I mention all the places you tore through in your fight or all the humans you hurt in the crossfire. That wasn't like a predator taking out his prey in one swift blow, it was a senseless fight marred with destruction. I have no doubts that your little fight might cause the others to see you in a different light. On top of that! You running off to play vigilante doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of my disappointment compared to how you have been treating Tooru."
"What does Tooru have to do with any of this?", Izuku exclaimed, "Aside from being the one who started all this!"
"What is wrong with you, Izuku?", Marris bit back with tears, "How can you say that about her? That girl has been nothing but kind to you, and everything she had done was out of her love for you!"
"Well, I don't see it that way Marris! I don't care if she had the noblest intentions, but you can't expect me to sit there and smile while she takes away the only thing that has made me happy!", Izuku exploded, "I won't ever be a hero, they don't want me, and they only started to care when I started to grow stronger and showed them I can do their job BETTER! Face it! She! Is! Wrong!"
"NO I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS! She did nothing wrong nor did she say anything wrong!", Marris retorted, "I watched her break herself apart against opponents she shouldn't have faced, while I sat there helpless to do anything! She forced horrific injuries on herself all because she wanted to save you! And how do you repay her? By running off to go pick fights with street vermin, and you didn't even have the gall to watch her! Much less give the support she needed!"
"H-He wasn't watching?", squeaked a weak voice.
Both of the two parties turned to see the unconscious Tooru had woken up in the middle of their argument. Tooru's eyes were wide with surprise while a stream of tears crawled down her cheeks. Her pointed ears drooped, and her mouth was etched into a frown. But worst of all was the look of utter betrayal in her face as she stared down Izuku like he had just slapped her across the face.
Marris' blue skin paled at the elf-girl while she mumbled something about how this wasn't supposed to happen. Izuku on the other hand looked like he had been doused in cold water, and a dagger of ice pierced his heart.
"Y-You weren't watching?", Hagakure said in disbelief, "Why? Was this because of the argument? Am I really that bad of a friend?"
"No No! You aren't a bad friend Tooru. It's just...", Izuku faltered.
"Just what?!", Hagakure said with venom, "I want to know what has been bothering you, Izuku! And I am not asking!"
"What's been bothering me?", Izuku copied, "What's been bothering me is the fact you decided to interfere with my work!"
"I only mentioned the possibility!", Hagakure barked.
"Lies.", Izuku said darkly, "Do you think Marris is the only one to listen to what you say when no one else is around."
"Izuku.", Marris warned.
"No, don't you dare take her side in all of this because it doesn't get to the heart of the problem. I don't care if you think I deserve to be a hero because the fact remains that no one else wanted me to be one!", Izuku said bitterly, "I was fine before you came into my life and I don't want you meddling with the only thing I have left!"
Marris was paralyzed in shock at the bitterness that laid dormant in Izuku, a bitterness that had been bottled up long before she took him under her fins. Tooru on the other hand stared at the boy in front of her like he was a complete stranger. As much as she wanted to deny it, he wasn't the boy who greeted her in the park, but was something completely different. He was Ghost. A persona born out of all the hate and anger that he kept away from the world, and here he was lashing out at the people who loved him. Something inside Tooru snapped.
Hagakure said nothing as she took in what Izuku had said, "Is that it? Am I really not that important to you!"
"It's not like that…", Izuku skirted.
"WELL IT SEEMS LIKE THAT TO ME!", Tooru snarled.
Both the Fish Lady and the Fish Boy jumped in surprise at the sudden outburst.
"Is that all that matters to you! To be this vigilante, to be Ghost!", Hagakure grited, "Does nothing else matter to you?!"
"What else do I have?!", Izuku said angrily, "I had nothing before Ghost! I was nothing before Ghost!"
" had Marris, and you used to have me! But if you want to be a lonely vigilante then I won't get in your way!",Tooru blared in equal anger, "Marris, I am leaving. You can come see me later, but...I just want to be alone right now."
Without another word the invisible girl began to stomp her way towards the shoreline. And once she reached where the ocean kissed the sand, a portal opened up and revealed the nurse's office with her unconscious body. She had one foot through the doorway to the real world before she turned to face Ghost.
"I want to forgive you, but I can't. You care more about being a vigilante than anything, and I won't take it away from you.", Tooru said without emotion, "Goodbye Ghost, I hope you got what you wanted."
Hagakure walked straight through the portal, and she dared not look back lest Ghost sees the tears streaming down her face. Her heart shattered like glass when the portal closed.
Izuku stared dumbfounded at the spot where Tooru had just left. There was no more anger in his system, it had left almost immediately when the portal closed. Now all that remained in Izuku was...regret. He did not feel like a whole person, and instead felt like he had lost an important piece of himself. But worst of all was the realization that his only friend wasn't coming back. She was gone, and he hated that fact. He didn't know why, but he knew deep down he made a grave mistake.
"Get out", Marris said quietly.
"What?", exclaimed Izuku.
"I said GET OUT!", screamed Marris.
Izuku fell down on his rear onto the sandy ground, fear overwhelmed his instincts as Marris had lost her temper. Her hair thrashed violently and her witch-like hands twitched threateningly. Her obsidian eyes no longer radiated a pleasant warmth, but now peered down on him like cold spotlights.
"GET OUT OF HERE!", Marris shrieked, "I DON'T CARE WHERE, BUT LEAVE! I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU!"
"WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS! ANY OF THIS!", Izuku roared back, "YOU SHOWED ME THIS PATH AND I TOOK IT! YET I AM THE WRONG ONE!"
"QUIET! YOU HAVE SAID ENOUGH!", stormed Marris, "AND I AM DONE WITH ENTIRE ARGUMENT!"
"STOP THAT! STOP DEFLECTING! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO NOT TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY IN ANY OF THIS!", Izuku stormed.
"WHO AM I?! I AM THE WHOLE REASON YOU ARE A VIGILANTE!", Marris retorted Harshly, "THE CLOTHES, THE TRAINING, YOUR VERY OWN POWERS ARE BECAUSE OF ME! YOU ARE NOTHING WITHOUT ME! NOTHING BUT A USELESS HUMAN!"
Marris felt something twist painfully deep down inside her as she saw Izuku's face lose its anger and contort into one that she wished she never saw. Betrayal. Izuku stared at her with the same face that he gave when his bullies tormented him. And it was directed to her. Anger left Marris like a blown out candle as she realized what she said. A great weight crushed her shoulders as she meekly reached out to Izuku.
"Izuku, I didn't…", Marris began.
But Izuku tore away from her like she was a burning flame, "DON'T TOUCH ME!", Izuku shouted with tears in his eyes, "I-I t-thought w-we w-were…I HATE YOU!"
Izuku turned away from Marris before a pool of water formed beneath him and swallowed him up before vanishing. Marris stared blankly at the spot where Izuku once was for a few minutes or maybe a few hours. Whatever what the time was it didn't matter because Marris collapsed onto the sand and curled up into a large ball. A sound akin to sobbing could be heard from the large mass as she layed on the sand like a beached whale.
"W-What h-have I-I d-done?", The Blue Lady sobbed.
Tooru wheezed like a veteran smoker as she came into the material world once again. Her vision was fuzzy while her body was stiff and sore. Even after being in a deep sleep for an untold amount of time, Tooru felt so exhausted whilst lying in the hospital bed. After a moment to acquire clarity, she looked upon herself to see her hands, belly, head, and legs wrapped in bandages. Salves and ointments floated like strange spots in different places along her invisible body.
"I guess it would've been too suspicious for Marris to use the same healing as Ghost. I don't think I would want to bring that type of attention to myself.", Tooru said dejectedly.
"Good you're awake!", said a friendly voice.
Tooru turned to see Recovery Girl at her bedside in a manner that befits a doctor. The rescue hero didn't have her signature scowl that she reserved for those who come to her office. Instead, Recovery Girl was sporting a friendly demeanor and a gentle smile, but underneath that grandmotherly charm was the serious doctor that tended to the heroes-to-be.
Tooru deflated as she let out a tired sigh, "How bad was it?"
Recovery Girl raised an eyebrow but kept her demeanor, "Two broken hands, a concussion, some fractures, and plenty of burns and bruises to spare. I would normally be upset, but I cannot get mad at you for the damage done to you by another student. But I am not pleased with the damage you did to your peer."
Hagakure looked a little embarrassed, "Oh, sorry. I didn't know I was being so rough. "
"You have nothing to be sorry for dearie, just try to tone down the brutality, he is your classmate after all.", Recovery Girl reassured as she began checking Hagakure's injuries, "Though I am half-minded to go give the referees a talk for allowing you two to get so vicious with each other. I already have enough problems with Mirio and his meathead teacher."
Hagakure raised an unseen eyebrow, but didn't prod further and left Recovery Girl to her work in silence. The invisible girl rested her head on the pillow and let her head slouch off the side. She mindlessly watched the empty infirmary with an empty mind for what seemed like hours. Underneath she was a swirling current of many emotions, ones that were not good. She tried her hardest to bottle them up.
"There! All done dearie.", said Recovery Girl, "Unfortunately, you are gonna have to wait here and rest until the Festival is over. I already called your parents, and they are on their way to pick you up."
"Oh? Thank you Sensei.", Hagakure said with sadness leaking out.
Recovery Girl seemed to catch what Hagakure had been hiding, "You are cleared for guests now that I had a look at you, dearie. If you want I can call for some of your friends to see you, you did have a lot of them wanting to see you when you arrived."
"Thank you sensei, but I just want to sleep right now.", Hagakure said with a twisting knife in her heart.
"If that's what you want, dearie.", Recovery Girl said gently before trodding off to continue with her duties as school nurse.
Hagakure winced as she shifted into a more comfortable position that could be interpreted as a sleeping position. The invisible girl waited only a few more seconds before breaking down. Tears streamed down her face as any noise in her throat died. She didn't want her friends to see her, not when this was the face of the old Hagakure. The old Hagakure that returned after losing the one person she always dreamed of meeting.
Izuku sat crouched into a ball with his hands on his face as he sat in a dark corner among piles of rubbish. He was shaking like a leaf as he muffled his own quiet sobs, but thanks to Octopus, no would be able to see him.
His heart ached with a pain that he had never before felt in his life. His body felt like it was carrying a boulder that threatened to crush him. Guilt and betrayal. He really did it this time, didn't he? He drove Hagakure away all because he spat in her face when she offered to help him. But it didn't feel like help. It felt like pity, it made him feel useless. Like he wasn't good enough to become one with his own merit alone. And Marris…
She really thought he was useless, didn't she. It hurt him to think about it, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The way Marris treated him throughout his life no longer spoke of a supportive friend, but of a person who was coddling him because he was so weak and helpless, like a baby. The ache in his chest grew into a burn with that realization.
This was all because couldn't past the stupid exam! Deku, Deku, Deku, Deku!Voices of his past echoed within Izuku as he wallowed there in that alley, and like a great blizzard they threatened to extinguish the fire within.
"Try taking a swan dive off a roof, and maybe you'll be born with a quirk in the next life."
"YOU ARE NOTHING WITHOUT ME! NOTHING BUT A USELESS HUMAN!"
"The greatest hero to ever exist to be compared to a petty creature such as you...I cannot...think...of anything...more...INSULTING!"
Yet, the small fire in Izuku fought back against the blizzard. A small voice, wispy and buzzy, rose above all the other ones and spoke gently but with the force of a shout.
"Do not listen to them because they are liars.", the voice said gently, "But if you do not believe me, then why don't you prove them wrong by bringing the Hero Killer to justice."
Izuku paused and digested what the voice had just suggested. To him the Hero Killer was an amalgamation of everything that tormented him from his childhood. On top of that, the Hero Killer had been the source of his recent woes, if hadn't been so stubborn to take down then perhaps Izuku would've been able to leave Hosu without invoking the Ire of Tooru and Marris. Yes, that was it! Izuku needed to take down the Hero Killer to not just prove that villain wrong, but to also prove the others wrong! HE WASN'T USELESS, HE WAS USEFUL!
Izuku swallowed the pain and misery tormenting him and tried to focus into a determined mindset that always followed Bakugou. He had work to get done, and he couldn't bog himself down with emotions. And maybe when he finished...he could go back to them.
The vigilante stole a glance at the green lamprey tattoo on his arm before looking away. He wasn't going to use it in his hunt, he needed to do things on his own without Marris' help. He needed to grow up and become stronger. Maybe then he could consider himself as her kinsman when he could stand on his two feet.
But first, a visit to the Hero Killer's last victim, he needed information. But more importantly, Izuku needed to be sure he was going to be okay. His heart couldn't take another loss tonight.
For those of you worrying, or haven't gone to get your pitchforks. This is not the end of the relationship between the three, but think of it as thier greatest challenge before the villains rise. Izuku will get his wake up call in the comming chapters as Hosu gets sieged by the League, and from there things will return to its previous state, but with a greater understanding and a change of heart. Relationships, with family, friends, or lovers, are not static or always smooth. Sometimes things boil over and arguments and fights happen, but things can always be mended with a little bit of time. I understand if not many of you like this chapter, it is an ugly thing to read about, and I had a hard time writing it myself because of that. But I think it's something that should be explored, and it could be seen in other ffs such as "Thank You" by MizuToriFFN with Izuku's relationship with Bakugou. And while it may seem like Izuku is ooc, and he is to a certain extent. But at the end of the day, this is a fanfiction and my version of Izuku is not exactly the perfect cinamon bun he is in cannon. But don't worry, things will become better as the drama blows away in the wind and the shonen action takes over in earnest.