Chapter 4: One Last Step

The house was unnervingly quiet. Too quiet.

All Might had been absent since she'd left him at the beach that morning, just before the entrance exam. Izumi couldn't shake the thought that maybe, just maybe, the hero was avoiding her. After all, someone like him could easily access the results. And hadn't he been the first to warn her, gently, that there would always be another year? Back then, the words seemed meaningless, a soft cushion she hadn't needed. But now... now she understood. He had seen it coming. He had predicted her fall.

Izumi had tried to keep track of her points during the exam, or as best as she could amidst the chaos of battle. But no matter how generously she stretched the margins, the numbers just didn't add up. There was no way she had hit forty points—much less the fifty required to even be considered for the hero course.

In other words, she had failed.

Miserably. Utterly. So badly, it was almost as though she hadn't tried at all. Every step she'd taken at U.A. had been clumsy, unfocused, a reflection of how hopelessly unprepared she was for the real world. Deep down, she knew she had earned this failure. Deserved it, even.

Her head spined painfully at the thought, a weight of disappointment so thick she could barely breathe. Desperate to escape her spiraling thoughts, Izumi mechanically prepared dinner for herself and her absent guardian. She forced down a few bites, but every swallow was heavy, as if she were swallowing stones. She left the rest untouched, then retreated to her room, turning off the light as if darkness could hide her sadness.

But it didn't. Of course it didn't.

In the silence, her traitorous mind echoed louder. And so she lay in the dark, eyes wide open, waiting—hoping—for the hours to disappear, to take her pain with them. Until the sound of the front door broke through.

"Young Midoriya, are you here?" All Might's voice cut through the gloom. She stayed still, pretending not to hear. "Your exam results have arrived... I think you should see them."

His words struck like a hammer to her heart. The last thing she wanted was to see the proof of her failure laid out before her. But what was the point in hiding from it? She couldn't avoid the inevitable forever. With a heavy sigh, Izumi pushed herself out of bed. Her limbs felt like sandbags as she crawled into the living room, finding All Might sitting on the couch.

He looked absurd—his elegant golden suit hanging awkwardly on his deflated frame, the fabric bagging at his elbows and knees, far too large for his normal body.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting," All Might began, smiling weakly. "I got held up with some paperwork today. Actually, the truth is... I moved here to work at U.A."

Izumi's throat closed. She could feel the tears stinging behind her eyes, threatening to spill. How much worse could she have messed up?

"B-But… that means…"

"Wait," All Might raised a hand gently, cutting her off. "Before we talk about your score, there's something you should see."

He gestured for her to sit, pulling a small, metallic disk from his pocket. He placed it on the coffee table between them, and within seconds, a holographic screen flickered to life, casting an ethereal glow over the room. It was footage, though of what, she wasn't sure.

"Excuse me, um…"

The nice girl from before?

The girl's hesitant voice continued through the recording. "Um, the person with the curly green hair, and freckles… Do you know who I'm talking about? Uh... kinda plain-looking?"

It's me!

"Is it possible for me to give her some of my points? At least the ones she lost because of me! Please, she saved me!"

The hologram paused, freezing the moment in midair as All Might reached over and stopped the recording.

He turned to her, his smile warm. "Being brave isn't just about facing danger, young Midoriya. It's also about inspiring others to act. The practical exam isn't just graded in how many villains you took down."

"Y-You mean…"

All Might's smile was gentle, filled with quiet pride. He handed her a simple paper envelope. The weight of it felt monumental. Trembling, Izumi opened it, pulling out a sheet of black plastic with green text.

Her eyes scanned the table of scores, her heart beating so loudly it drowned out everything else. Then, she found it. Her name—right at the top.

Midoriya Izumi: 35 villain points, 65 rescue points.

The numbers blurred as her vision filled with tears. Sixty-five rescue points. She hadn't failed. She hadn't failed at all. That weight, that crushing pressure of defeat she had carried since leaving U.A., evaporated in an instant.

"I never expected anything less from you," the hero said, placing a reassuring hand on her trembling shoulder. "You'll be an incredible hero."

Izumi tried to respond, but she choked on her own happiness and relief. And so, with no words coming out, she wailed. She wailed like a child until her eyes were dry.

"Hey, mom…"

Izumi's voice was less than a whisper as she approached the grave. Her steps hesitant, shy. It was her first time there, in the small and unadorned cemetery, and she wondered why it had taken her so long to gather the courage. She couldn't even remember her last words to her mother. It had been just another morning. Just another day before school. Who could have guessed that those meaningless words shared over breakfast, the kind said without a second thought, would now carry so much regret?

And yet, there she was, trembling like a leaf in the cold wind. She clutched her scarf tighter, feeling the chill sink into her skin as she inched closer to the stone.

"I'm sorry for not coming before… I-I wanted to show you something."

Kneeling beside the grave, Izumi gently removed the withered flowers from the base and replaced them with fresh white roses, their petals shining against the muted gray of the stone. She then placed the plastic sheet beneath the simple decoration, her fingers trembling slightly.

"I know this… this probably isn't the life you wanted for me," she whispered, pain on her every word. "You told me to stay safe. You always said to let the real heroes take care of the danger. But… this is the path I chose. And I like to think… no, I hope you'd be proud of that."

The silence of the graveyard seemed to press down on her, suffocating, yet comforting in its stillness. She stayed there, the quiet stretching out as she waited for something—anything. A sign. A voice. Some kind of reassurance that her choices hadn't been in vain. But the grave remained silent, as did the world around her.

With a soft sigh, Izumi bowed her head one last time, offering a reverent goodbye. The unspoken words lingered in the air as she stood, her chest heavy but a little lighter than before. As she walked back to the car, where All Might waited patiently, she felt the weight of her grief begin to shift—no longer crushing, but still ever-present.

All Might glanced at her in the rearview mirror as she settled into the passenger seat. His voice broke the silence as he started the engine.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you," he began, his tone gentle. "Just so you know, the school doesn't know about our connection. Not yet. I haven't met all the staff, and it would raise too many questions if I had to explain our situation to everyone."

"I see," Izumi murmured, staring out the window. "But… why didn't you tell me you'd be teaching at U.A.?"

"I couldn't," he admitted, his smile fading into something more thoughtful. "I wasn't allowed to tell anyone before the school made the announcement. Besides, part of me… I guess I was afraid of how you'd react. You're the type to act recklessly when it comes to things like this. I thought it'd be best for you to give it your all, without me adding more pressure."

Izumi mulled over his words, her mind turning over a new thought. "So… you were thinking about teaching at U.A. even before we met?"

All Might nodded. "I was hoping to find a successor among the students."

The logic made sense, but it sparked a troubling thought in her mind. If that had always been his plan, had she taken someone else's chance? Someone with an incredible Quirk, someone destined for greatness? What if there was a student in her class who could have been the true successor, if not for her? Would she be able to fill in the place of such an amazing person, once the world finally called?

Only time would tell.

"All Might," she mumbled with guilt, "my arm broke the moment I used One For All. I couldn't control it at all. I-I don't know if I'm the right choice."

The man just kept his eyes in the road. "That's to be expected, Izumi. I gave you the power, but learning to control it—that's something only you can do. It's going to take time. Once you master how much power to release, these kinds of problems will go away."

"Did you… Was it like that for you too?"

"No," he answered with brutal honesty. "Even among One For All users, I am one of a kind. I simply knew how to handle this power right away. That's probably why I was the one to become the Symbol of Peace."

His words landed heavily, and Izumi found herself nodding. "Just because I have your power doesn't mean I can become the number one. Is that what you're trying to say?"

A quiet filled the car as All Might gathered his thoughts.

"I've been thinking about this all day," he admitted sternly, "but the truth is, I don't know how to guide you in your training. All I ever had to do was learn to fight while wielding immeasurable strength. I never had to go through what you're dealing with now."

"Then… what should I do?"

"You'll need to find inspiration from those around you. As I said, I haven't met all of U.A.'s staff yet, but I can tell you they are all extraordinary heroes. Watching them, listening to them, even imitating how they handle certain situations—that's where you should start."

Izumi hummed, absorbing his advice.

"And I'll speak with the academy's director," he continued. "He's an old friend of mine. The dorms aren't fully finished yet, but I'm sure he can make arrangements for you to stay there. It wouldn't be right for me to be both your guardian and your teacher, after all."

"Wait… you mean I'll be living at U.A.?" The girl recoiled, blinking slowly.

"Yes. Until you've learned to control your powers, it's the safest option. People will start asking questions if they see you around me too often. And… I've made my share of enemies over the years." His voice trailed off, carrying some weight.

Izumi leaned back in the seat, staring out the window as the world blurred past. Trees, buildings, shadows—they all seemed like ghosts of a life she was leaving behind. Her classmates flashed through her thoughts, though she hadn't even met them yet. How would they react if they found out the truth about her? Would they see her as a hero—or a fraud? Could she find friends among the faces of strangers? The weight of the world settled over her like a heavy cloak, the fatigue of the day finally catching up.

"I'll do it," she whispered, more for herself than to him. "Whatever I have to do… I'll figure it out. I won't stop now."

All Might glanced at the girl, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. Despite everything, he had never doubted her. She was reckless, anxious, insecure—maybe even untalented—but there was a fire in her heart that couldn't be taught. The unyielding desire to sacrifice oneself for the sake of others burned brightly within her. She had been born to be a hero. And no matter how dark her path seemed, he would make sure she found her way.
He had to.

We've reached our little objective and I am more than happy with how everything is going!

But I'd appreciate a bit more interaction.

Any kind of feedback would be immensely appreciated! It's a bit boring to just post into the silent void.