Chapter 1: Twice Upon A Time
Someone had to save the day.
When Izumi arrived, the street was chaos—crowded with panicked civilians, heat pouring off buildings that crackled as the flames expanded. Heroes moved between pockets of screaming people, but Izumi's gaze froze on the villain standing at the center, casting a grotesque shadow over the street.
It was him—the same monster who'd attacked her.
Why is he here? Her body recoiled with fear. Did he escape All Might? Did he… Her chest tightened, breath dry. Did he drop the bottle? Is this… my fault?
Around her, the murmurs of the crowd broke through the ringing in her ears.
"Why aren't the heroes doing anything?"
"Are they blind? That villain's got some kid trapped in there—been like that for a while now."
Izumi's trembled, the memory of suffocating inside that thing pressing in, a tightening pressure that nearly paralyzed her. She'd barely survived seconds in its grip, and someone else had been trapped like that for minutes?
The crowd continued to mumble.
"Wasn't that the villain All Might was fighting?"
"Yeah, but where is he now?"
"I saw him earlier!" someone cried, panic on their words. "So why isn't he here?"
This is my fault, she thought. If All Might hadn't wasted his time with me…
More cries filled the air, voices blending in a long chorus of fear and anger. And then she saw him—Bakugou, his face twisted in pain, struggling against the slime that was choking the life from him. The agony in his eyes…
And her legs began to move.
"Idiot, what are you doing?!"
Why am I running? Confusion and terror mixed as she pressed forward. What am I doing?
Ahead, the villain noticed her approach, lifting a monstrous arm that darkened the sky above. Behind, she could feel the heat of the fire as it clawed at her passing, attempting to bite at her clothes.
"Die!" the monster screamed.
What do I do? Her mind kept going. Page 25. Lacquered Chain Prison.
Grabbing her backpack, she threw it forward, its contents spilling out and crashing against the villain's face. It stopped him for a second—just one—and she dashed ahead, hands clawing at the sticky slime holding her classmate.
"Kacchan!"
Bakugou's eyes flew open, narrowed with anger even as he gasped for air. "Why are you here?!" he choked.
"I don't know!"
Her words fell out as her heart hammered and her whole life flashed before her in raw memories—a sad, unremarkable life tethered to the ground, never meant to take flight.
But she did not care.
She looked at Bakugou's face, twisted in pain, his eyes pleading without words. And in that moment, she knew—it didn't matter if she could do something; she had to do something.
"Pathetic…" A deep voice rumbled behind her.
The ground shook as the villain's fist crashed down, but another figure blurred forward, throwing a shadow over them both.
"I'm really pathetic…"
"All Might!" Izumi gasped.
"All that talking… And I wasn't putting my own words into practice," All Might growled, his gaze fierce. "Heroes are always risking their lives!"
With a mighty pull, he snapped Bakugou free, then drew back his right arm, the air thickening around him with raw power. Izumi's breath caught as she felt the sheer force radiating from him, and she knew—that was what she'd been waiting to see. The embodiment of hope.
"Detroit… SMASH!"
The force exploded, shaking the entire street, scattering fire and debris. Izumi fell to the ground, her body trembling and exhausted. She remained there as wind surged around her, the chaos of the moment slipping away. And then—she felt it—a light, cool drizzle falling against her skin, washing away the ash and pain.
Rain.
A smile broke through her tears as she looked up. Somewhere above, the sky had finally opened up.
Later, as the heroes gathered the villain's remains and delivered them to the police, Izumi tried to slip away, hoping to disappear into the crowd. But the other heroes noticed her standing there and made sure she didn't leave without a firm reminder
"There's a limit to how dumb you can be!"
Kamui Woods—Strength: 50. Resistance: 60. Mobility: 70. A wood-themed hero known for immobilizing foes with its powerful branches.
"There was absolutely no reason to put yourself in danger!"
Death Arms—Strength: 60. Resistance: 60. Mobility: 40. Slow and steady, the perfect example of a street-level bulldozer.
By the time Izumi finally left, the sun had begun to set, covering the city in a soft, fading orange glow. She'd wanted to apologize to All Might, but as she watched him caught in a mob of reporters, she knew there was no point. What could she say that would make any difference? Words would be empty, so she walked on, alone with the faint ache in her chest.
And yet, beneath the exhaustion, there was a glimmer of happiness. It wasn't much—her actions hadn't been heroic or particularly brave. But she had done something, something that mattered, even just a little. The emptiness in her stomach softened, replaced by a quiet satisfaction.
"Deku!"
The sound of quick, heavy footsteps made her pause. She turned to see Bakugou storming up behind her.
"Kacchan?" she murmured, taken aback.
He didn't waste a second. "I never asked for your help!" His words came out in a growl, his eyes flaring with barely contained frustration. "And don't think you actually helped me! Got it?! I was fine by myself—you're nothing but a Quirkless failure. I don't owe you anything!"
With that, he turned on his heel and marched away, leaving her stunned.
Izumi blinked, watching him go. What a weird guy, she thought, a small smile tugging at her lips.
He wasn't wrong; she hadn't done anything spectacular. But somehow, it had been enough—enough to soothe the longing in her heart. The city around her grew dimmer as she turned back toward—
"I am here!"
Izumi turned around, eyes wide. "A-All Might?! Why are you here? You were surrounded by—"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Getting away from the cameras is a piece of cake! Why? Because I am—"
His laugh boomed as he struck a powerful pose, though only halfway before his body deflated, shrinking into his frail form. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he took a slow breath, wiping his chin with a practiced calm.
"Young girl," he began, his tone low and solemn. "I come with thanks, a correction, and a suggestion."
"Huh?"
"If you hadn't been there today, I'd have been just another guy in a bodysuit pretending to be a hero." He nodded deeply. "Thank you."
"N-No! That can't be… it was my fault!" She held her hands up, her voice breaking. "I… I said all those things, even though I don't have a Quirk."
"That's exactly it." His tone was softer now, resonant. "Seeing you there, powerless and yet so brave… that's what allowed me to act." His words, somehow gentle and unshakably strong, pressed into her. "Every hero has a story from their high school days—one that defines them. Almost all of them share one thing in common: their bodies moved before they even had a chance to think."
Izumi blinked, her mind flashing to memories of her mother, of that difficult night and the unspoken pain they'd both endured. Her fingers dug into her chest as if to hold her heart together, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
"That was true for you too, wasn't it?" All Might asked.
She could barely breathe, her heart racing under the weight of her emotion, but she forced herself to nod. Tears slipped from her eyes, and she let them fall freely. "Y-Yeah!"
In truth, she had never wanted a Quirk. All she'd ever wanted was to hear—
"You can become a hero."
The words echoed through her, crashing like waves of light, and she fell to her knees, clutching her chest as her heart overflowed with raw, aching joy. It hurt—she was so happy it hurt, her body barely able to contain the feeling. There was nothing she could say, no words to explain that happiness. So she stayed silent, letting herself be carried by the quiet, beautiful moment, feeling complete for the first time in her life.
That night, Izumi rushed home, her face alight, her feet barely touching the ground.
"Mom! Mom?!" she shouted, her voice echoing down the hallway. "You're never going to believe what happened to me!"
The house was unusually dark, shadows filling every corner, and a thick, unnatural silence hung in the air. She paused, just for a second, a chill brushing her spine. But nothing could dim her excitement, not after that day—not after everything she had experienced. She continued, undeterred, calling out as she moved from room to room, her footsteps quick, relentless.
"Mom?"
Her strength wavered when she reached the last door, where her mother's shadow lay unnaturally still. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears as she stepped forward, refusing to let the ominous feeling take root. But when she finally saw the form slumped before her, a shudder ran through her entire body.
"Mom…?"
The word barely escaped her, caught between hope and disbelief, as she reached out to touch the cold, unmoving hand. The brightness of her day died, replaced by the dark, chilling weight of the unknown.
