I know, I know. HORNS! What is this? The answer? A Commission. I take commissions now, and this is one of them.
Concept and Commission Owner: REDwolf28 (Discord Tag)
Writer: That Horned Guy
ENJOY!
The end. It is not something a person sees coming. Nor is it always welcomed with open arms. Most of the time, people fear the end. Deny it. But everyone and anything has an end. Sometimes, it is a happy ending. Sometimes it is a sad one. Truly, the only ones with the power to decide which type of ending they will enjoy at the end of their road are themselves. The fights we fight, the friends we make, and the people we cherish and cherish us back. All of this can shape one's end.
But sometimes, what can be sadder than living your end is knowing others are still going on without you and knowing they saw you reach your end. The end…Such a complex thing once you strip it down. Everything has one. Everything needs one.
Even the most beautiful fairy tale of all.
"Haaaa!" Gasping for air and waking with a startled reaction, this man found himself stranded in a most peculiar place. Looking up, he saw a sky decorated with the brightest of stars, and looking below, he saw what appeared to be a thin sheet of water reflecting the sky, yet his body was not wet, even though he awakened in it. "Where am I? This almost looks like the world of the Celestial Spirits." He said, getting up slowly.
But this was not one of the places he recalls. In fact, the entire feeling of this place was just…Different, yet familiar. Looking below, the man finally saw his face again. He was a lean, muscular young man of average height with a slightly tan skin tone, black eyes, spiky pink-colored hair, and abnormally sharp canines. He had a scar on the right side of his neck. He wore a sleeveless, gold-trimmed, black waistcoat, left open and untucked, exposing his bare chest, a gold-trimmed, black cloth around his waist that reached his knees, held by a leather brown belt with an oval-shaped silver buckle, white knee-length trousers with black ribbon ties, a thick black wristband on his left wrist, black open-toed sandals.
Yet, what he didn't see sent him into a panic. "My scarf!" He shouted, looking around. "Where is it?!"
"Are you looking for this, Etherious Natsu Dragneel?" A man called out to him, revealing his name. However, Natsu simply turned around and saw them. They were a tall, pale man with long, flowing blonde hair tied in a tail that reached to the base of his back and golden eyes that seemed almost to shine. The man in question wore a simplistic white three-piece suit with gold trimming, along with a pair of fancy black dress shoes. Their hands were not covered by anything, which revealed the strange runes on them, which Natsu found interesting.
He snatched his scarf right away, placing it around his neck. "Thanks, pal! I was about to lose my mind when-..." Natsu stopped himself briefly, looking at the man. "Wait a minute…How do you know that name?"
"I know a lot of things about you, Natsu. Salamander, one of the five Dragon Slayers, who were sent by Anna Heartfillia to the future in order to defeat Acnologia. You are the younger brother of Zeref, who died and was brought back as one of his etherious. You are E.N.D"
"The fuck I am! I know who I am! I am Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel!" Natsu shouted at the man, but they simply put their hands up, indicating they wanted no violence. "Who are you anyway?! And how do you know so much?"
"Be at ease, Fire Dragon Slayer. I am not your enemy. In fact, you could argue I am your friend. Natsu, tell me: What do you remember?" The man asked.
"Huh? What kind of question is that? I remember a lot of things! My guild, my friends, family - everything!" Natsu replied.
"Do you remember the last fight against Acnologia?"
"Acno-" Natsu's eyes widened. He was recalling it. "Wendy used her enchants to combine the magic of all seven of us into me. The Seven Flame Dragon's Iron Fist! I used that to defeat Acnologia!"
The man smiled. "That you did. Acnologia is no more." They confirmed. "But neither are you."
"Huh? Wait, what are you saying? Surely, Lucy and the others are going to-"
"Mourn you." The man added, cutting him off. "Just like others will be mourned, casualties of the selfish war brought by your brother."
"First off, Zeref is NOT my brother! Second of all, what are you even talking about?!" Natsu shouted. "You are speaking as if I…I…"
"I see you are remembering." The man said.
"That attack…My body…"
"Couldn't take it. You might be the strongest of Zeref's creations, but even your body had its limits. The fighting, Lucy Heartfillia's effort to save you by rewriting the book of E.N.D., the wounds you sustained - everything was being shadowed by the adrenaline pumping through your body. That last attack was the cherry on top. Your body couldn't take it anymore. You died saving everyone, Natsu Dragneel. Be proud. You died a noble death."
"Forget about that! Send me back!" Natsu demanded. "I cannot die yet! There are still too many things I've left unfinished! I never defeated Erza! I never became an S-Class Mage! I never…I never…"
"You died with regrets, I understand. Know that you were long since worthy of the title of S-Class Mage, but you just simply never gotten around to fully proving yourself. Natsu, I'm sorry, but I cannot send you back to your world." The man said, only to be punched in the very next moment. However, Natsu was shocked. There was no fire around his fist, and the man didn't even flinch. "Can't say I didn't see that coming. Please, lower your fist."
"Are you…Death?" Natsu asked softly. "I gotta say, man, you look a lot more posh than I thought you would." The man laughed.
"No, I am not the reaper. I am…A tad above that."
"Then you are a god?" Natsu asked.
"In a way, but not one you have ever heard of." The man added. "My role is greater than things like war, life, and death, or even power. And you are now part of my work." Their words seemed to confuse Natsu.
"What are you saying? Do you plan to make me do your bidding as some servant or something?" Natsu asked, but the man seemed almost troubled by that.
"Goodness, no! No, no, no. I have need of your power. Your spirit! Natsu, you were one of the world's greatest warriors. Your magic alone never won your battles, but your determination, stubbornness, and will saw you through hell and back more than once! No, I wish to make use of that to help someone."
"Help someone? Why do you need me for that? Aren't you some deity?" Natsu asked again.
"Correct again on the fact that I Am a deity. One more powerful than you know. But there exist rules which bind me and prevent me from directly involving myself in the affairs of the worlds I oversee." The man stated, letting a detail slip that caught Natsu off-guard.
"Worlds?! Wait, you mean like Edolas? You oversee multiple worlds?"
"I do! Allow me to introduce myself formally: My name is Artorigus Maximum. I am a Nexus Deity. THE Nexus Deity, currently in charge of my own Nexus of twelve worlds, including yours. As such, I am pretty much in charge of your soul. Now, I think we should get down to business." Artorigus said. "Listen, Natsu, as I said, I cannot return your soul to your world. Your time there has come to an end. However, I need your aid to save another world in dire need of a hero to save it."
"Is Edolas in trouble again?" Natsu asked, but Artorigus shook his head.
"Edolas is fine. No, I am talking about something else. Earth."
"Earthland? But didn't you say you couldn't send me back?"
"Let me finish!" Artorigus raised his voice a bit. "Heavens, you really have a mouth on you, you know that? This is another world with its own version of your homeland. However, here, magic doesn't exist. Well, per se. It is a bit complicated."
"Complicated?" Natsu echoed.
"Complicated. You see, Ethernano does exist in this world, but the people themselves cannot use magic in any shape or form. While in your world, 10% of the population could, here, the percentage is absolutely zero. Due to this, there is a lot of Ethernano, or Mana, as some call it, in that world instead. To be precise, you will find ten times the amount your world had."
"Is that a lot?" Natsu asked, not managing to understand the clear meaning of that.
"Imagine it like this: If you had ten times your magical reserves." Natsu's face lit up in realization. "See? This high amount is like the promised land for any mage worth their salt. With proper control, they can do a lot of things. But no one in this world can use magic, so it is all wasted. But that isn't to say a different oddity doesn't exist here. Quirks are at play here."
"Quirks?" Natsu repeated after him again. "What are those? The name sounds silly."
"Special powers, Natsu, which every person is born with. Well, almost every person. They are not magic, but some might remind you of magic to some degree. In this world, the rise of Quirks also gave rise to the profession of Heroism."
"Huh? Being a hero is a job in that world?!" Natsu gasped in shock. "Man, if it were that easy back home, I'd be swimming in money!"
"At least you're paying attention," Artorigus stated. "Yes, it is a job, but a risky one to that. As you might imagine, villains exist as well. To that extent, the heroes must battle against them to keep the population safe."
"Do they have Guilds?" Natsu asked, receiving a shake of the head.
"No, they do not. The closest thing that counts is Hero Agencies, which are companies run by a singular hero. Any other hero working there acts as a sidekick but can become independent and open up their own Agency if they want to. There are also small teams of heroes that work together. However, all of these things are being managed by the Hero Public Safety Commission, which is pretty much in charge of the main PR activities to maintain the status quo and ensure the public's trust in heroes, but they are a bad group. Let me warn you now."
"Umm. Could you repeat everything?" Natsu asked sheepishly.
Artorigus shrugged. "To summarize, Hero Agencies are somewhat like Guilds, just not the same. Keep that in mind. Also, do not trust the Hero Public Safety Commission."
"Are they that bad?"
"Imagine a Magical Council left to do whatever they wanted, with no one to tell them or able to stop them from killing whoever they wanted just for going against them."
"What?! That's messed up!"
"You don't even know the tip of the iceberg," Artorigus said. "But this world is in peril, and I fear things are not looking great for it right now. Fate is cruel. Very cruel. But I am here to spit in her face, and you, Natsu, are the spit."
"Eww."
"Ok, I admit, that was a gross analogy." Artorigus corrected. "Look, Natsu, I will get to the point. I want you to fight for this world."
"Alright!" Natsu shouted with excitement. "Just drop me in!"
"Easy there, Salamander! I never said you'd be alive in that world."
"Come again?"
"Fate has been cruel to many, Natsu. Including him." Artorigus moved, causing a section of the water to change, revealing a boy of around 18 years of age, currently sitting in a classroom, with messy, dark-green hair and emerald eyes, freckles on his face, and to Natsu…That is the saddest expression ever. "His name is Izuku Midoriya. He was born Quirkless, meaning he has no power of his own. In this world, that is a sentence of being an outcast. An outsider. No matter where he looked, his entire life, others had taken the right to close the doors meant for him. A right no one had. He dreams, yet, to still be a hero, but at this rate, he will become one of the villains that will burn the world to ash."
"So, what are you going to do?" Natsu asked, still confused. "You didn't explain what you meant by me not returning to life!"
"Natsu, you have no destiny in this world. What I am about to do is going to defy fate and change destiny. You will change destiny through him." Artorigus pointed at Izuku.
"I don't follow," Natsu replied. "You mean to say I will be changing the destiny of that world through this guy, but how exactly am I to do that if I am not going to be alive." Suddenly, Artorigus grabbed Natsu by the throat.
"Simple. You will be living inside his head, rent-free." Then threw Natsu into the water. He screamed, of course, but Artorigus didn't pay it any mind. He had to deal with this issue, and if it made Izuku stronger, then that was all the better. Once he was done, Artorigus went back to his other duties. Natsu and Izuku will have to figure things out from there, and hopefully, very hopefully, Izuku's brains make up for Natsu's lack of any intellect outside the battlefield.
"Finally." Arriving home with a sigh, Izuku threw his back on the floor and then collapsed on his bed. All he wanted to do was forget today ever happened and, for once in his life, wake up to a better tomorrow. Izuku was a 17-year-old teenager currently finishing up High School. He was somewhat short for his age, with his round face framed by a short mop of fluffy dark green hair, which curls up at odd angles around his head, casting noticeably dark shadows onto itself. His eyes were large and somewhat circular, and his irises were the same shade of green as his hair. He has a set of four symmetrical freckles in diamond formations, one on each cheek.
Today had been a very rough day. Particularly so, but at least it was over. Oh, who was he kidding? Even now, sitting in his bed, he was fighting back tears. Earlier today, he had met his hero - the Greatest Hero of Japan - All Might. He asked him if he could be a Hero without a Quirk…He told him to be realistic and choose a better job for his future.
What job would even hire him? They'd take one look at his ID, see he was Quirkless, then hire anyone else so long as they have a Quirk. It was just the way the world was. What even was the point anymore? He might as well take Bakugou's advice and-
"Hey, none of that!"
"W-what?!" Izuku leaped up, spooked by the sudden voice. "Who's there?"
"Oh, ummm. This is awkward." Natsu admitted. "Are you Izuku Midoriya?"
"Who's there? Is this some kind of telepathic Quirk? Where are you?" Izuku asked, panicking even more.
"In your head? Look, I don't know what is going on myself, for the most part, but I guess I am your new roommate?" Natsu finished, trying to sound friendly.
"Roommate?" Izuku repeated slowly. "No, no. You know what? This is a dream. This isn't real; I will wake up. My mother would have returned from work at the hospital; then I will prepare my breakfast and-"
"Your mother? Inko Midoriya?"
Izuku froze. "How do you know her name?"
"Well, since I am in your head, I can kinda read things? Like, you got a lot of books on shelves here, all labeled! I can understand this language as well!" Natsu said in astonishment.
"You are reading my mind?! Who even are you?!" Izuku half-shouted.
"The name is Natsu! Natsu Dragneel! And, well…I guess I was kind of thrown in here to help you." Natsu said slowly. "Look, try to calm down, would ya? You are not crazy or under the effect of this…telefany Quirk, as you said. You are good, promise!"
Izuku seemed to relax slowly, trying to make sense of what was going on right now. "You…Are in my head?" He asked again.
"Yes!" Natsu confirmed. "I was put here by…Oh, what was his name? Artonimus…Bartholomew…? I don't recall it, but he put me here to help you!"
"Help me? Help me how?" Izuku asked.
"Well, he said you are Quirkless." Izuku's heart sank upon hearing those words. "So, he sent me here! Still don't know what I am supposed to do, though."
"I…I think I need to lie down." Izuku took a seat on his back. "This has been a long day."
"Want to talk about it?" Natsu asked.
"N-no. Not right now, I don't, I just…I just want to go to sleep and forget about everything, I guess." Izuku said.
"Not like I can stop you. Still, I do wonder what that guy thought when he put me here. Like, what can I actually do for you?" Natsu questioned, but then Izuku seemed to want to sneeze. Which he did, except when he sneezed, fire came out, shocking him.
"Oh my God!" Izuku said in shock. "I just- Did I-? Me?! Did I just-"
"So, that's how it is," Natsu said slowly, a large smile spreading over his head. "Looks like I might have an idea as to why I am here! Izuku, what you just did was not some Quirk! It was magic!"
"Wha- Magic?!" Izuku gasped. "What do you mean by that? This was clearly a Quirk; my father, per my mother's words, could spew fire from his mouth!"
"Where I'm from, magic is commonplace! It was everywhere! I was told no one in your world could use magic, even though your world was full of it, but it seems this is why I was placed in you! You can use my magic! That fire was my fire! My Fire Dragon Slayer magic!"
"Fire Dragon Slayer magic?" Izuku echoed, hearing him. "Wait, you were a wizard?!"
"Damn right, I was! Still am! And I think I know what I am here for!" Natsu repeated. "Izuku Midoriya, I was told you wanted to be a Hero, right? One of the guys who save people, right? Then be ready because you are going to do that Quirkless, but not magicless! I will teach you how to use magic! My magic! You will become a Fire Dragon Slayer!"
"Weren't you a mage?" Izuku asked in confusion. "Besides, magic isn't- But then again…This is not a normal situation, either." Realization slowly dawned on him. However, Izuku still wasn't sure.
"Something on your mind? Of course, there is; I can see it right here! Tell me, what is bothering you?" Natsu asked again, taking a gentler tone with him. Before, he was all fired up to teach him, but now, seeing Izuku shrink, he was getting a bad feeling. "You think you won't be able to keep up? That you won't be able to pull through with this?"
"I'd remain Quirkless. Even if magic is real, and you can teach me, what guarantee do you give me it'd be enough? Others have a great start in life compared to mine. I am behind on everything. I mean, just look at myself! I am weak, spineless, and the only good thing about me is-"
"Shut up!" Natsu shouted. "Just…Shut up. Izuku, you are not going to get anywhere if you put yourself down like that. Trust me, I know how it feels to think you are not good enough. That you are too weak. But you want the truth? That is only in your head. That is a lesson I learned early on. Who the fuck cares what others say? After I am done with you, they won't know what hit them! So why cry here when you can laugh out there?"
"Laugh?" Izuku repeated. "Laugh and smile?"
"Smiling comes with the laughing! So what do you say? Come on, give me a chance here!"
Izuku thought a bit about it. This was all kinds of strange, and Izuku didn't know what to make of it. Suddenly, hearing a voice in his head…It was sending all sorts of red flags his way, but he saw the proof. That fire came from him, and if it came now after Natsu showed up, that was no coincidence. No, it meant that Natsu might be telling the truth.
Magic. Of all the things Izuku ever believed in, magic was never one of them. Living in a world such as his, magic was always seen as some special Quirk or well-thought-out trick. No one really believed in it anymore, but if magic really was something he could now, and Natsu could teach him, then didn't that mean he had a chance?
A chance.
A chance to be a hero!
But what if…What if he fails? He knows Bakugou wants to go to UA as well, and there is no way he will allow Izuku to go there. Izuku knows this well. But at the same time, he knew he had to stand up for himself. It was just that, up until now, he didn't feel capable of it. Every time he tried, even a little, others would hurt him using their Quirks. He knew what they did was illegal, but Aldera High School was notorious for covering stuff up.
If he becomes a hero, he swears he will see Aldera shut down.
If…No, not IF! When! When he becomes a hero, he will shut down Aldera! When he becomes a hero, he will never let another Quirkelss child have his dreams crushed like he was. He will inspire others to strive for greatness, and if he has to, he will down those who seek to keep the status quo. Things had to change! And he had to make that change!
Balling his fist, Izuku couldn't fight back the tears anymore. "Natsu…Teach me!" Izuku told him, making the mage smile widely.
"Aye, aye! Glad to know we can start! But, well…"
"Huh?"
"I barely know where to begin! I had never taught anyone before how to use even the basics of magic, let alone my own Fire Dragon Slayer magic! I barely know where to begin with teaching!" Natsu finally pointed out, which had Izuku awestruck.
"Did you just go along with the flow of things when you said all of that stuff?!" Izuku asked.
"Kinda? Look, you needed a pick-me-up! A pep talk! Something to get you all fired up for the coming training! You tell me you are not feeling better already and ready to kick ass!"
"I barely know how to throw a punch!" Izuku argued further. "What good does feeling motivated even do to me if you cannot teach me anything?!"
"Hey, I never said I cannot teach you anything! I just, well…I will need to find my teaching style!" Natsu defended himself. Izuku felt a headache coming his way. "Don't worry about it! Just leave it all to me! I am sure I will find something! Go to sleep, and let's talk more tomorrow, alright? I got plenty of stuff to read here…Memories…"
"Please, don't go through my brain doing whatever you want," Izuku begged.
"I just want to know you better!"
"You can talk with me!"
"And where's the fun in that?" Natsu replied, then went to a book and opened it. It was the very first book, and it was quite small. "What is this about - nup!" Placing the book back, Natsu simply stood on a couch that somehow existed there.
"What did you-"
"The miracle of birth in first person," Natsu stated, making Izuku shudder. Even if he could not recall that event, there is no denying that Izuku WAS born. "Ok, I think I will just…See what I can do here OTHER than read your memories. Good night!"
"Night…" Izuku said slowly, then promptly passed out on his bed.
As the light of the sun filtered into Izuku's room, the green-haired boy stirred softly from his sleep. His mother had been working the night shift at the hospital, given she was a nurse, and looking at the time, it was just eight in the morning on a Saturday morning. His mother had returned from work around six and likely went to sleep. As such, he had to do what he does most mornings.
Prepare breakfast for his good mother. So, slowly, he got up from his bed, feeling his bones pop as he stretched. He yawned, then recalled the events that had happened. However, he merely chuckled. "Magic? What a crazy dream…" And promptly dismissed everything as a dream.
However. "What was a crazy dream?"
Izuku literally jumped up from his bed, looking around frantically. It didn't take him long, however, to calm himself as realization hit him. "Natsu?"
"Who were you expecting? All Might? I read your memories while you were sleeping. Hope you don't mind too much; I tried not to read on too much, but…I was bored out of my mind! There is almost nothing to do here while you are asleep, as I don't need to sleep!" Natsu replied, then sighed in frustration. "I even tried to use my magic, but nothing came out…"
"Wait, so everything from last night was- You can- I can-?!" Izuku fumbled with his words.
"Magic? Fire Dragon Slayer Magic? Me training you? Everything was real, alright! So, whatcha say, Izuku? Are you all fired up for what is coming? I know I am! I want to see all the crazy Quirks this world has to offer! I read what you learned, and DAMN! Some of this stuff is even cooler than some types of magic from back home!" Natsu said in excitement. "So where to for training? You know this place best, so-"
Suddenly, Natsu's words were interrupted as he heard Izuku's stomach growl. The boy blushed in embarrassment at the fact that his stomach had involuntarily interrupted the man, but Natsu didn't seem too bothered by that. If anything, he was embarrassed himself.
"Ummm."
"Right! Food! Can't train on an empty stomach!" Natsu stated. "Go on and eat, then we can train!"
"I also need to prepare something for my mother, and I cannot just leave her to train! What do I tell her? I cannot just leave the house without a reason!"
"Man, you are what? 17? Almost 18, even! Yet, you are still waiting on your mother's permission? Look, I get it. You love your mother. I know I loved my family back home, but you are basically an adult already! Come on, life a little!" Natsu urged him, but Izuku remained reluctant.
"That's not all! What do I tell her? As in, how do I explain my new-found…capabilities?" Izuku asked, hinting at his new-found magic.
"Can't you lie and say it's a Quirk? You said your father had a fire-related one. You could say you got it from him." Natsu said.
"I know late bloomer exists, but…There was never one who got their Quirk 13 years later. People usually get their Quirk at age 4 or 5." Izuku explained, which made Natsu scratch his head.
"So, you don't want to lie to your mother, and you cannot lie to your mother. Man, this is hard! Who knew trying to teach someone else could be this difficult?" Natsu whined, but then a flame erupted above his head, signaling that he had an idea. "I got it! I read this in one of your books here, but it says that, sometimes, Quirks need a certain trigger to work, right?"
"Yes?"
"Then, Izuku, this is easy! You'll just claim you never found your trigger until now! That which fuels your Quirk! And I know just what you can do for that!"
"You mean like a stockpiling Quirk where I need to accumulate certain amounts of a chosen fuel source for my Quirk? Wait, no, stockpiling Quirks don't just do that. They are also known for being able togathercertainattributestoreleaselateranexamplebeingthehero-"
"Oi!" Natsu shouted. "Snap out of it! What was that?"
"Oh! Sorry. It's just a bad habit of mine. I tend to overthink things and mutter my thoughts aloud." Izuku explained, apologizing for his outburst. "But, tell me, what did you have in mind?"
"Simple! You are going to eat fire!"
"Sorry, what?" Izuku replied.
"Yeah! That was something I'd do since, as a Fire Dragon Slayer, consuming fire actually helped recover my magic quicker! If you got my magic, you should be able to do the same! We could say that is what your Quirk needs to work! You need to eat fire and gather fire to use your Quirk!" Natsu explained. "That is just bound to work!"
"I-...Actually, that does sound like it'd be believable. But how do we do this?" Izuku asked again, making Natsu groan.
"Figure something out! Don't you have to cook breakfast for your mother?"
"Right! I know what to do then!" Izuku said as he put on some clothes and left his room. He knew what to do now in order to pass this new power as a Quirk to his mother. He highly assumed he couldn't just tell her it was magic since she'd likely not believe him, but even then, she'd believe he might have gone mental from depression if he also mentioned Natsu. So, for safety reasons and as to not worry his poor mother's heart, he will have to lie for a while.
He didn't want to lie. But he knew that lying was a must right now since he could not just tell the truth. When the truth is not an option, at least try to lie nicely, as some would say. And right now, he had to tell a white lie. But truth be told? Izuku was feeling a myriad of emotions right now. Worry, fear, excitement, happiness, and…hope. He was excited as he'd finally at least seem like everyone else. To have his power, even if it is not a Quirk.
But he was also worried and scared about what was next. Sure, he had power now, but could he make it to U.A. at this point? He was behind…Very behind. But he had hope! He was confident Natsu would see him prepared for the trials that awaited him in order to join the prestigious ranks of U.A. University. He just had to hold on to hope, something he had nearly given up on.
Hope…
With a yawn, Inko Midoriya, mother of Izuku Midoriya, walked out of her room sometime later. She had large and circular green eyes, along with her hair, but in a slightly darker shade than her son's. Her hair is straight and shoulder-length, with a small and spiky ponytail at the back. She was a relatively short woman and somewhat plump as well. She was definitely shorter than her son was; that much was for sure.
However, right now, she was being attracted by something else. She could smell the breakfast being cooked by her son. "Izuku?" She called out to him, seeing Izuku preparing another serving. "Izuku, dear, did you cook again? I told you before you don't need to, as we can order some take-out."
"Sorry, Mom, I just had nothing to do. Sit down and eat; I am finishing up my serving." Izuku replied to her, and Inko listened to her, sitting down at the table to eat. She didn't notice how Izuku's hand slightly trembled, the boy nervous regarding the stunt he was about to pull. "Now or ever." Izuku thought.
"Come on, dude, just do it! There is no harm in doing it! I promise you, you will be just fine! You might even enjoy the taste of fire!" Natsu encouraged him, and so Izuku set the pan aside once the eggs within were done. But he didn't turn off the flame. He just stared at it. The blue at the bottom, followed by the orange at the top, dancing before his very eyes. He gulped, feeling a strange craving swell within him.
"Izuku?" His mother called out to him, seeing him staring at the fire. Then, Izuku went ahead and began to inhale through his mouth, which was followed by Inko's utter shock, the fire going into his mouth. "IZUKU!" She shouted, jumping up from her seat and rushing to him. "What are- How are you-?!"
Izuku stumbled back from the flame, feeling his entire body heat up. He covered his mouth with his hands as some smoke came out, and he felt his eyes water a bit, but not because it was hot or he felt sick. No, it was because of a simple surprise. "That…was good!" Who knew the fire had such a good taste?!
"Izuku!" Inko once again called out to him, going to him. "Honey, what was that?! Did you just inhale fire?"
"Mom, I…" He then focused, and slowly, a small flame appeared in his hands, surprising his mother.
"Izuku…You are…"
"I have a Quirk!" Izuku stated, a smile stretching across his lips. It was genuine as well. The idea was to eat the fire and then display a basic trick with his new-found power, but he never imagined it'd feel so…natural. When he wanted to create the flame in his hands, he just willed it, and he felt the heat travel through his body to his arms. Now, he was holding a flame without being burned! "Fire…I can control fire!"
"But how?! It's been over 13 years since you should have awakened your Quirk!" Inko stated loudly, amazed by this.
"The fire!" Izuku answered, clenching his fists and putting out the small flame. "Mom, I think my Quirk requires me to absorb fire as some kind of fuel! Do you know what this means? Mom, I can do it! I can follow my dream!"
"Your dream? Ah!" Inko gasped in realization. "That's right! But…Izuku, dear, are you sure?" She asked, making Izuku stare at her in confusion. "I don't want to discourage you, but…Others have had years of training to develop their Quirks for such a place as U.A. University. I mean, look at Mitsuki's son, Katsuki! He has been training and practicing since he was 14!"
"He still had to balance that out with his studies and other things for school, however!" Izuku pointed out. "We become eligible to join U.A. in one year."
"A year is not enough! You said it just now; even Katsuki had to balance his school work, which cut into his training time." Inko said, but then she saw the awkward smile on Izuku's face. She paled, and fear gripped her heart. "Izuku Midoriya, no! You are not dropping out of school to train!"
"No!" Izuku replied strongly. "Mom, I wanted to keep it as a surprise, but I've been taking extra classes on a site sponsored by the Ministry of Education! It gives the participants the option of early Graduation from all curriculums up until High School. I've been trying to graduate early to…Well, to get away from Aldera."
"Oh, Izuku…But are you sure? One year is…It is so little. Compared to so many others, it just doesn't seem like enough time for you to catch up."
"Now, that is untrue! We will be done in six months, top!" Natsu replied with confidence, but Izuku didn't share that confidence of his. Realistically speaking, there is no way six months are enough for him to catch up on all basis. "Hey! I can hear your thoughts, you know?! What is with this gloom? Chin up! I didn't know you planned to free up your schedule for an entire year! But then again…I also didn't know we only had one year!"
"I am sure, Mom," Izuku replied, deciding to answer Natsu in a bit. "Besides…" He summoned another flame to his hand. "I think…I think my Quirk can do a lot more than just let me eat fire."
"Oh, honey…Alright. I won't stop you. But just know that whether or not you become a Hero, you will always be my little Hero, alright?" She pinched his cheek. "Now, as joyous as this occasion is, I am still tired and hungry. How about we eat? I will return to sleep, and we can discuss this more later."
"Alright!" Izuku replied with a smile, then made to answer to Natsu. "Is one year going to be an issue?"
"Usually, us wizards dedicate our entire lives to practicing our magic. Some are simple, not needing much. I once knew a girl named Lucy who only needed some fancy keys to summon some wicked, powerful beings. However, some types are quite complicated. One year…We'd be cutting it close. I also think we should train your body because, to be honest, you look like a beanstalk!"
"Hey, there is no need to be hurtful!" Izuku whined. "Is your magic that complex?"
"For me? Nah. It's like breathing! I was taught by my father, the Fire Dragon King, Igneel!"
"Your father was an actual dragon?!"
"Well…No, Igneel was my adoptive father. But I loved him all the same." Natsu replied, trailing off. "Even now, I hope he is looking out for me. Even if it's a bit late, I hope he is also looking out for you, Izuku. If he is, then you don't need to worry. You will be incinerating the competition in no time!"
"I don't know if I want to incinerate anyone…"
"Not literally, I'm not a murderer!" Natsu replied, thinking he messed up. However, he then remembered something. "Oh, right. There are a few things you might find challenging now as a Dragon Slayer. But there is one thing you need to be most aware of."
"What is it?"
"Motion Sickness…Us Dragon Slayers have very bad motion sickness."
"I…Ok? I guess I'd just walk or…I don't know." Izuku replied, ending his talk with Natsu and focusing on his breakfast with his mother. Finally, after quite some time, things were looking up to him. Yet, both he and Natsu were unaware of what was coming.
Something shined among the rubble at Dagobah Munipicial Beach, resembling a crystal that embedded itself into a piece of junk. It was, however, clean as a fresh tear. Within it, sparkles of light shined like stars, dancing around in a mesmerizing show. Yet, as the moon shined down on it, the reflection of a great, black dragon was visibly roaring to the high heavens.
Izuku and Natsu had more work before them than they imagined.
"Looks like those two acclimated well together," Artorigus said as he watched Izuku and Natsu, taking note of how they interacted and how Izuku seemed to accommodate the new power within him. What he displayed were indeed basic uses of his new-found magic, told to him by Natsu, but the fact he did them is not what surprised the deity. It is how fast he was able to do them.
Natsu likely didn't teach him about the basics of magic or anything of the like but explained things in his own way. Figures. Artorigus was fully aware Natsu lacked a strong teaching capability, but what he lacked was compensated by Izuku's intellect. They complemented one another.
The deity smiled as he returned to his golden throne. "You have my blessings, you two. Make me proud."