Izuku Midoriya was shaking.

Looking down on his charred notebook, marred by water and suckled on by koi fish, Izuku shuddered. Bakugo just told him to off himself and hope to get a quirk in the next life. He had gone too far this time. Too far, too much. Bullied for ten years, all because he was quirkless and Bakugou had a powerful quirk that was just as explosive as his personality.

The notebook floated there as Izuku stared at it. It was as though the thing mocked him, even if it was the one that got exploded on by Ka-

No, not Kaachan. Izuku wondered why the hell did he even care to still call him by that doting nickname when the blonde had been nothing but an asshole that lorded his superiority over everyone else. Not just Izuku, but every other kid in this thrice damned middle school. They either followed him around like a retinue of cultists or slunk in the shadows. Either way, he was Aldera's star student.

Izuku knew well that he couldn't be a hero. Not like this, not like how he was right now. Not only did he have no quirk like literally every hero in existence, but he had no skills and could be best described as scrawny.

Well, it's not like he could help being scrawny when the other kids kept stealing his lunch. He always felt tired, too; of all the various conditions and syndromes he could have, he also had insomnia. It would be difficult to do anything that cost a lot of energy when he was just functioning enough to survive and not much else.

He'll still apply to UA. He'd probably fail the practical entrance exam with about zero points. He'd do well in the written. Maybe in the end he could get into general education, but he knew for a fact that he won't be accepted into the hero course. But in the end, he would have tried. Then… he could do something else entirely afterwards. Maybe he could work on being a police officer instead?

Izuku picked up the notebook, patting it to remove at least some of the water that had matted it. He was in the process of walking back home in his mother's apartment when his phone rang. It ringing was a rare occasion; aside from his mother and father, not a lot of people ever bothered to text or call him. Well, he did have one bird headed friend that he kept in touch with for years, even if he lived pretty far away. The usually aloof heteromorph had been a classmate long ago in kindergarten, up until they were six years old. Aside from Bakugou, Fumikage was the only other friend he had. Fumikage's family moved to a different prefecture because the father had a job offer too good for him to pass up, though, and he attended a different school.

Just to his luck, that friend, Tokoyami Fumikage, had left a message.

PrinceOfShadows:Greetings, Izuku. I will be visiting Musutafu tomorrow. May I visit your realm? Also, Dark Shadow says he misses you very much.

TheBroccoli:Yes, of course Fumikage! Feel free to drop by any time. We have a lot to catch up with. What do you want to do?

PrinceOfShadows:I have acquired a new grimoire of the occult. I wish to try it out with you.

TheBroccoli:What kind of spell is that?

PrinceOfShadows:A summoning spell. We will summon a demon into this world and CONSUME EVERY INSECT THAT STANDS IN OUR WAY!

Izuku actually snickered at that. The sudden change in mood meant that-

PrinceOfShadows:Apologies, Dark Shadow stole my phone for a moment there. But yes, we will be conducting a summoning ritual. Do you agree to this arrangement?

TheBroccoli:Yeah, of course! I'd love to hang out with you and Dark Shadow again.

PrinceOfShadows:And so it shall be.

TheBroccoli:Right, oh, and before I forget, why are you here in Musutafu? Is it because you're applying in UA?

PrinceOfShadows:Yes. I wish to be a hero. Though I seek the underground.

TheBroccoli:That's great Fumikage! You and Dark Shadow will be excellent heroes one day!

PrinceOfShadows:Thank you Izuku. Also, Dark Shadow says that he loves and misses you very much and wants you to pet him when we meet. Alas, I must go, for my mother calls for me.

TheBroccoli:Okay, see you tomorrow!

Izuku closed his phone. Well, it was nice to know that two of his friends (the only two he had, really) wanted to be heroes. And they wanted to drop by. Fumikage and Dark Shadow will probably, no, they're sure to get accepted into the hero course. Izuku is happy for them, of course, but he couldn't help but be green with envy. He so wanted to be a hero like All Might, but the world just really hated him.

Another day passed. Izuku kept his head down, hoping that Bakugo would ignore him. Thankfully, he did just that. The teachers by some miracle didn't call on him even once except to record attendance. It was as though the entire staff had come together to ignore Izuku on the last day of school, which, if it really happened, Izuku would have thanked them for it. The last thing he needed was to be noticed, again.

Quite honestly, he now wished that Bakugo would go on with his life and forget about him. Izuku will forget about him, too. Maybe he could move to another country so that the chances of them meeting again would dwindle down to near zero. Perhaps he could go to New Zealand and herd sheep for the rest of his life. It would be peaceful.

Izuku came home to the scent of katsudon. Inko had been informed beforehand that Fumikage would be dropping in tonight, so she went into overdrive cooking a hearty dinner for her son and his friend(s). She had, in fact, cooked so much that Izuku feared that even Fumikage's doubled calorie requirements wouldn't keep up.

"Mom, it's just two friends that are coming over, you don't have to make so much," Izuku sauntered over to the kitchen and took an unwashed plate, bombarding it with water and soap.

"Oh, Izuku, you know that Tokoyami eats four times as much as someone else, right?" Inko laughed. "That quirk of his takes up a lot of energy, doesn't it?"

"Yes, but this…" Izuku scanned the three family-sized plates all filled with various types of food like katsudon and ramen. There was even a box of pizza that Inko ordered online. "It's like you cooked for his whole family…"

"Well," Inko put her hands on her hips and beamed at him. "If there are leftovers, then we'll just have those for the week."

"But it won't fit in the refrigerator…"

"I'll work my magic! Don't you worry about it, Izu dear!"

That would be when the doorbell to their apartment rang, indicating that Fumikage (and Dark Shadow) had arrived.

When Izuku opened the door, he was greeted by a most peculiar sight. Fumikage was holding at least two high intensity flashlights in his hands, which he kept pointed at himself. Dark Shadow was tinier than Izuku remembered back then, wrapped around his host's neck like a scarf.

"Hello, Izuku, Auntie Inko," the raven-headed boy greeted. "May we come in?"

"Of course, dear!" Inko smiled and motioned to a seat on the dining table. "Any friend of my son is welcome here!"

"Izukkuuuuuuu…" Dark Shadow unwrapped himself from Funikage's neck, growing slightly larger as Fumikage put away his flashlights now that they were well under the apartment's lighting. "I missed yoooouuuu!"

"Missed you too Dark Shadow," Izuku chuckled as he pet the sentient quirk. Dark Shadow purred, almost like a cat but at a lower, distorted pitch. "It's been more than ten years, huh?"

"I would never forget a fellow compatriot in the darkness," Fumikage bowed.

"Oh, Fumi, can I eat too?" Dark Shadow asked.

The birdboy rolled his eyes. "Dark Shadow, you cannot eat."

"Yeah, you… literally can't," Izuku deadpanned. Dark Shadow pouted. Izuku didn't know how it was possible given that the sentient quirk was a shadow of Fumikage and thus a birdlike shadow, and a bird can't pout. But Dark Shadow did so anyway, morphing its beak into a pout.

"When I eat, you are already eating as well," Fumikage added. "Now allow me to consume this banquet granted unto me by Izuku's mother in peace."

"You do that. Izuku! Pet me again."

Izuku could only indulge the sentient quirk. Though it was harder and slower to eat with just one hand. He would only be free to eat with both hands when Dark Shadow requested Inko to pet him, which the woman graciously granted.


"So… what's next?"

"We begin to chant."

Izuku was nervous. How, or why, was he nervous? This is just some fun with Fumikage's chosen mode for entertainment. Inko watched with a mix of amusement and curiosity; hell, Izuku could swear he could hear her barely containing a chuckle. He predicted that she would laugh when they actually started chanting. Because of course, watching two teenagers make a magic circle on the floor with some sand and candles was the definition of funny.

Either that, or Dark Shadow would be the one laughing. Evidently, he was enjoying himself as he watched the two of them labor on the magic circle.

"Ready, Izuku?"

"Ready."

"On the count of three… one…"

"Wait!"

Fumikage, Inko, and Dark Shadow all looked at Izuku. "What is it?" The other boy asked.

"Is there any… intent or wish I should have in mind while we do this?"

Fumikage considered this for a moment. While he liked playing with occult things… it was not like he believed in it. Mostly. "Your deepest desire, I suppose."

"I desire to destroy all of my enemies!" Dark Shadow loudly proclaimed. Fumikage glared at his quirk, causing him to pout yet again. "I guess my greatest desire is to protect Fumi, then."

"Don't call me that."

"Fumi." Dark Shadow repeated in emphasis.

"Okay, then," Izuku interrupted the spat between master and quirk (or were they more like brothers, come to think of it?) "Let's do this."

And so the chanting began. Izuku wished to have power. He wished that someone could teach him. He wished that he can be a hero even without a quirk.

He still wanted to be a hero. And so he chanted with all his heart.


Somewhere else, in another world

Frieren was bored.

But again, when you're a nigh immortal, one thousand year old elf with perhaps the most extensive arsenal of magic spells in the entire world save for Serie and the Demon King, things just pass by for you. And, right now, you and your party are just going to be walking for a few miles and another bunch of miles after that without a single grimoire in sight. Fern and Stark were in disagreement, again. Apparently Stark had forgotten Fern's birthday… again, and didn't get her a gift before they left the previous town. So, Fern had been angrily pouting for the last three hours.

That would change when Frieren started glowing. She was glowing green, a pulse of color that that just kept pulsing faster and faster at a steady rate.

"Mistress Frieren?" Fern questioned, summoning her staff. "What is happening to you?"

Frieren looked down without much of an expression (as usual). "Oh. It's a summoning spell."

"Wh-whaaaat?!" Stark looked positively terrified. "You're being summoned?! Where? Who?! Why?! Mistress Frierenpleasedon'tleavemewithFernaloneI'msureshe'sgoingtokillmeifyou'renothere-"

"How interesting. I don't have a spell like this one," Frieren simply noted. Fern sighed, completely used to Frieren seemingly not caring when magic was being thrown at her, since she blocked quite literally anything anyone throws at her. But again, she was probably the third or fourth most powerful mage in the entire continent. There wasn't much that could faze her.

"Mistress Frieren…" Fern let out another sigh. "You're just going to let it take you, aren't you?"

"I want this spell," Frieren stated simply. "There are probably a lot of other interesting grimoires in the place that I'm being summoned to… it's another world, I think."

"Another world?"

"ANOTHER WORLD?!"

Frieren looked at her hand. The pulsing was easily going at a tenth of a second now. "I'll be back soon, Fern, Stark. I'm sensing that there's a space-time distortion component in the spell too… I could spend a hundred years there and return to you minutes after I go."

"Mistress Frieren," Fern shook her head. "Are you… sure?"

Frieren nodded. "Of course."

"What if you come back and we're already dead?!" Stark screamed. "Please don't leave us!"

"It will only be for a few minutes, Stark. Make up with Fern while I'm gone."

Now Fern was pouting again. Stark shuddered in fear at the sight.

"Okay, see you later." Frieren muttered, disappearing in a flash of green light.


Back in Musutafu

"Yes! Yes! Pour your desire into the magic! MUAHAHAHAHA!"

Dark Shadow cackled as he watched Izuku and Fumikage chanted in Latin. Inko watched on with amusement, seeing the whole thing as little more than two, no, three friends having fun.

Then the circle started to glow.

Inko was the first to react. "Boys? The circle is glowing! It's not supposed to do that, is it?"

Dark Shadow was next. "Wow, so cool! You guys actually did it!"

Fumikage was next, opening one of his eyes as he and Izuku finished the last verse of the chant. "Oh… what. How…?"

Izuku was the last to be made aware of the glowing circle. He stared at the magic circle as it glimmered with emerald light, the nearby candles blown away by a wind that was never there.

What was even more amazing, however, was the fact that someone was standing in the circle. She was short, with white hair and pointed ears. She held an ornate staff in her hand, was clothed in a white tunic, and looked at everyone one by one with a blank expression.

"Uh… hello?" Izuku's voice trembled. Oh, she was pretty! But she did come from the magic circle… and Fumikage said that it would summon a demon. Or was it Dark Shadow that texted that?

The short lady spoke in a language no one knew, but Izuku, Inko, Fumikage, and Dark Shadow understood her anyway, somehow. "Hello. You're the ones that summoned me?"

Izuku looked over at Inko. His poor mother was hiding behind the couch, mortified that the ritual that was supposedly just for fun actually worked. As for Fumikage, his beak was open, genuinely shocked that what he pegged as entertainment well-suited for his chuunibyou preferences to be the real thing. As for Dark Shadow, the sentient quirk simply watched the short lady with a bit of wariness, as his instinct has gone from cheering to protecting Fumikage.

"Uh… yes, but we didn't think that it was an actual spell…" Izuku shuddered at the thought. Wait, if spells were real, and he and Fumikage just made one work, could it be possible that he learned magic? Could he use magic to be a hero?

And this elf lady… her whole getup just screamed "mage" all over.

"Ah. Children playing around with magic. I expected a Demon Lord trying to use a powerful pawn…" Frieren said, sounding slightly disappointed. "I would have some fun blowing up that kind of summoner…"

"Excuse me," Inko emerged from behind the couch. "Who are you?"

"I am Frieren, an elf mage," the elf lady answered.

Izuku narrowed his eyes. Frieren? That sounded German… now that he thought about it, it probably meant something like free… something.

"And you all are?" Frieren asked with a monotone voice.

"I'm Izuku Midoriya," Izuku began. "That's my mom, Inko Midoriya," he pointed at his mother, "And these two are my friends, Tokoyami Fumikage and Dark Shadow."

"You are friends with… a familiar?" Frieren suddenly had her interest piqued by Dark Shadow. She stepped out of the magic circle and looked at the living shadow, who stared back at her. Fumikage started sweating at the confrontation happening in front and on him.

"I'm not a familiar," Dark Shadow grumbled. "I'm Fumi's first and greatest friend."

"He's my friend and quirk," Fumikage managed, still clearly mortified that one of his occult books was somehow the real deal. "Greetings… Ms. Frieren."

"Quirk…" Frieren repeated with that same monotone. "No matter. I'll learn about that later. Where is the grimoire with which you summoned me?"

"It's this one, Frieren-san," Izuku walked over to Frieren with said book in his hands. "Now, to be fair, we thought it was all just a fun game and-"

"A spell that can summon a creature across dimensions… most fascinating, I bet Serie or the Demon King don't have anything like this… if the latter had it the creature would have used it already…" Frieren ignored him completely. "Where did you get this?"

Izuku looked over to Fumikage. "From a bookstore?"

"You… you sell grimoires with such enormous power in a public market?" Frieren questioned. "How interesting. And probably irresponsible."

Izuku immediately protested. "Hey, it's not like it's ever worked before!"

"Could you lead me to this bookstore?" Frieren asked.

"...huh?"

"I wish to seek for more grimoires with spells," Frieren replied. "And this bookstore that you speak of has many of them, do they not?"

Izuku looked over to Fumikage. The other boy gulped. "I… I can lead you to the bookstore. Tomorrow, though. It's closed at this time."

Frieren studied them for a moment before shrugging. "Okay. I can wait."

Inko spoke again. "You're… going to wait here?"

"I suppose, if you're not going to force me to leave."

Oh. No, no, no. No way they're going to kick out the mage that probably has a lot of different spells she could throw out to destroy the place. Maybe she doesn't… but no one wants to take that chance. She got sent here from another world, for hell's sake! It was like a reverse-isekai, but it's the mundane world doing the magical summoning and intruding into the magical world! Well, as mundane as you can get when quirks are involved.

"Well, since it was you boys that brought her here…" Inko looked at Izuku and Fumikage. She decided that the elf mage was amicable enough. Besides, she wasn't about to let someone like that wander about without knowing a thing about how society worked here. "Frieren-san, you can stay here for the night. This ritual of theirs is the reason you're here…"

"Don't worry. I don't mind. I like seeing new things," Frieren nodded.

"I will call my parents and tell them that my return will be delayed…" Fumikage said with a shudder.

Izuku groaned inside. This night just got so much more interesting… and complicated.