6

The best day of her life?

When her sweet Izu was born. The joy of seeing her little girl and finally meeting that little bundle of joy. Of finally hugging her and feeling her in her arms. That was the best day of her life.

The worst day of her life?

For six years, she had thought it had been the day her little girl's world had been shattered. The day she had been diagnosed as quirkless. That night, seeing her daughter watch All Might's debut video over and over again, all the while struggling to not cry and trying to smile like her hero—seeing the pain in her daughter's face when she didn't tell her that she still could be a hero—it had been heartbreaking.

Six years later, her daughter died, proving everybody wrong. She died saving a little boy and his mother. Her daughter died a hero.

For the past five years, that has been the worst day of her life.

When Izumi died, Inko couldn't leave the house. She couldn't work, eat, or bath. All she did was lay on her bed, hugging her daughter's favorite All Might cape, the one she used as a toddler. For an entire week, all she did was lay in bed, wanting to die and meet her baby girl again. If it hadn't been for Mitsu, she might have.

Her best friend since college, Bakugou Mitsuki, a brash woman who broke into Inko's department upon seeing her state, went into action. Mitsuki bathed her, force-fed her, and signed her into a mental hospital. It took months of treatment for Inko to start moving and responding to the world. Every week her friends would come to visit; even little Katsuki held her hand and cried while he thought she was asleep. His confession of missing Izumi and of hating himself for being the shittiest friend ever began to wake her up.

It took months of treatment—individual, groupal, with her friends, even Hisashi, who came from the USA—to comfort her. Seeing her estranged husband so hurt and so heartbroken shook her. All he did was apologize. For not being there, for not being a good husband and father, for not protecting them.

That night, four months after her daughter's death and four months after her world was destroyed, Inko stood in front of her mirror and forced herself to look. To stare into her own eyes. The same green eyes as her dear baby girl.

She cried. She bawled like a baby and cried and cried. She fell asleep there, on the bathroom floor of her room in the psych ward.

The next morning, she woke up fresh. Not good, but better. Her daughter was still dead; her world was still broken, but she was alive. She was there.

When Izumi was diagnosed as quirkless, her daughter didn't break. She suffered, she cried, but she didn't break. Izumi kept on. She kept saying that she would be a hero. One like All Might. And she did. She saved a life. Two lives.

Her daughter died as a hero.

Six months after her daughter died, Midoriya Inko went home. She and Hisashi talked and talked. In the end, they chose to finalize their divorce. The only reason they hadn't done it before was because Izumi was so young; both had decided to finalize it when she was older and ready to understand it. Now, it didn't matter.

For a while, she didn't know what to do. For years, she had been just a stay-at-home mom. Hisashi wired her money, and she took care of the household. Now she wasn't sure what she wanted to do.

One day, she was buying groceries. While browsing, she heard some yelling. Curious, she followed the voices to the back of the owner was screaming at a young man, calling him a thief. Inko crept closer and saw that the thief was just a teenager, a kid. His pink eyes were wide open, and he was trembling in fear. His lip was split open. The teller had a bat on his hands; obviously, he had hit the boy.

"Wait! What's happening?" She didn't know why she intervened. Something on the boy's scared face pushed her to it.

"This freaking monster tried to rob me! That's what happened! Move lady, I'm giving this punk a lesson." The owner gripped his bat tighter with both hands, his eyes never leaving the kid shaking form.

The boy looked at Inko, his eyes filled with fear. Inko saw that his hands were holding a candy bar.

"Wait, he stole that bar? You want to punish him for that? What if he works for you to pay for the candy?" Inko tried to intercede. It wasn't like the boy had a knife or tried to use a quirk to rob him. The man didn't have a single injury, while the supposed thief had blood coming from his lip.

"Why? So he can keep stealing? No, these monsters only know one language. He wants to be a delinquent. Then let him know what awaits him," the man kept screaming. Inko looked into his eyes. Whenever he saw the boy, he would look disgusted.

That's when she understood. It wasn't about robbery; it was about quirks. Because the boy had a mutant-type quirk. He resembled an anthropomorphic lizard, with pink hair and pupils.

Inko's fists clenched. Quirkish asshole. She forced herself to calm down. Anger won't help anybody.

"Very well. What's your name, sweety?" She asked the young mutant. The boy flinched and stared at her. She smiled, trying to look friendly.

"I-Iguchi, Iguchi Shuichi, ma´am." "Can you give me the candy?" He hesitated- His fingers twitched over the packet but in the end gave her the bar. Inko smiled and went to the teller.

"I would like to buy this candy bar, please."

Both men blinked. Iguchi stared at her with his mouth wide open, while the owner went red faced.

"What the hell are you doing? Is this some type of joke?" He asked angrily.

"Of course not. Legally speaking, for young Iguchi to steal from you, he must leave this store with an unpaid item. Or made an intent of taking something with or without violence from your person with the intent of running. Young Iguchi made none. He grabbed a candy bar, and you stopped him before he could leave. Actually, considering we are still in the candy aisles, you intercepted him before he could even leave the store. Do you have a quirk that allows you to know when someone wants to steal? If so, then it must be in the quirk registry. Right? If not, then you have been following this young man here just because of his mutant-type quirk, and that constitutes cause for quirk discrimination."

Inko stared at the racist store owner with a smirk on her face. "So, mister teller, which option is it?"

The man was so mad that his forehead veins were all bulged out. It was obvious what his intentions were. And he knew that she knew it.

"Or, you let me buy this candy bar and let young Iguchi leave. There is no need to call the police or the heroes. Deal?"

He stared at her. His face got angrier and angrier. Finally, he nodded toward the front, and he left. Inko grabbed her groceries and motioned for Iguchi to follow her.

After paying for their things, they left. When they got to the street, Inko put her hand on the young mutant's shoulder.

"Here, your candy." Iguchi stared at her in wonder.

"Thank you," he said, grabbing the bar and gulping it down in a few seconds.

"Why?" "Uhmm?" "Why did you help me? Nobody does." Iguchi stared at the ground with a bitter look.

"If you wanted to hurt him or make money, you would have used a gun or your quirk. You just wanted something to eat."

"How-" "My daughter—my late daughter loved heroes. She would analyze their quirks and their cases. She would analyze why people would commit certain types of crimes. Stealing a candy bar is something a daring child or a hungry person would do."

"I'm sorry for your loss." "Thank you. She, she would have helped you. She tended to put herself in front of children who were bullied and let them hit her instead. I guess I wanted to do something that would make her feel proud of me."

"I bet she is. I would." Iguchi smiled at her.

"Here, this is my number. If you need to talk or something," she handed him a card. He blinks at the information.

"You're a lawyer? It's that how you knew so much about laws?" "I mostly worked from home, with a few consultations and things like that. But yes, I studied law."

"Thanks again, Midoriya-san." "Your welcome, Iguchi-kun."

While watching Iguchi leave, Inko knew what she wanted to do. What she had to do.

A few weeks after their first encounter, Iguchi called her one morning.

"Hey, it's Iguchi. You know, the kid you saved from that jerk."

"Hi Iguchi-kun, I know; I remember you. How are you?" "Fine, I mean, I'm fine. I don't mean to look like a creep, but I was reading the job section, and well, I read you were looking for assistance, and andIwantedtoknowifyouwouldhireme?"

"What?" "Would you hire me? As your assistance, I mean?" He asked hesitantly.

"Iguchi, how old are you?" "Eighteen" "Iguchi-kun" "Ok, ok. Fifteen. But I can work! I swear! I'm not a bum. It's just. People see me and don't see a person; they see a freak. I don't remember the last time someone talked to me like a person."

Inko's heart clenched. It was because of those like Iguchi, Izumi, and even herself that she chose to restart her law career.

"Iguchi, I can't hire a minor who doesn't have the qualifications to be my assistant. But I can offer a minor who has his GED to be an intern."

After that, Inko introduced Iguchi to her friends. The poor boy's face at seeing Mitsuki argue with Katsuki was a little funny. Especially when explaining that no, Katsuki wasn't being abused by his mother; it's just that both Bakugou´s were too hardheaded and only knew how to communicate that way.

Eight months after her daughter's death, Inko opened her own law firm. An office specializing in quirk discrimination. By that time, Iguchi had been working hard to get his GED. He lived with other homeless teenagers who were working on getting their own GEDs and legal emancipation.

When Inko started the paperwork to open her own firm, she knew that she would be battling against big opponents. No matter how much humans evolved, they would still find a reason to discriminate against each other. In the golden age of quirks, where men and women, young and old, had powers, it was the nature of the quirks that caused a rift.

Her research showed her that those born with mutant-type quirks were discriminated against because of their physical appearance. The more inhuman the looks, the worse the treatment. It didn't matter that heroes like Cementoss or Gang Orca were mutant types and had saved hundreds of lives. Mutant types were seen as monsters, as mistakes that had to be wiped out. In the cities, it only happened in the poorest sections; however, there were reports of children being killed or tortured by their own parents just for their quirk.

It made her sick. Children were innocent; they didn't ask to be born, much less what they would look like.

Five years after her daughter´s death, Midoriya Inko´s life was good.

It was not great; the hole in her heart would never allow it. It wasn´t the giant rift that ripped her heart in two and nearly killed her. It was a scar, a constant reminder that something important, someone irreplaceable, was missing. Before, just thinking about Izumi tore her apart, the pain was all-consuming. Now, the pain was still there, but Inko focused on the good memories. Birthdays, holidays, playing together, studying together. A tint of sadness was ever present, but it didn't destroy her.

"Inko-san, this is the report of the Wild Cat Case. Are you sure you want to take care of this one? It involves a homicide." Kuroto Nagisa, one of her top investigators, handed her the file. The man was a private detective, a 30-ish-year-old man who made a living working for private attorney firms like Inko´s. Of course, Inko was only able to afford him when her numbers went up.

Kuroto was a good, solid investigator. He didn´t betray a contract unless the other person tried to screw him over. The two had a good working partnership.

"I'm sure. My informant told me to look beyond the crime scene. They have reason to believe that the murderer was pushed towards its limits by long-term quirk discrimination."

"I will admit there are some shady things when it comes to the family, but it will still be a hard case. It may put some people against you."

"I already have the entire Creature Rejection Clan and the old followers of Destro against me." "Yeah, and some heroes that only care about their paycheck, and probably the heads of the Hero Commission," Souchi added cheekily. The mutant, now in his twenties, had changed a lot in the last five years. He was no longer a shy, distrustful boy, but a confident young man. As Inko had promised, the moment Shouchi presented a GED, she offered him a position as her intern and, later on, as her personal assistant.

At first, Shouchi feared that Inko was trying to replace her late daughter with him and that, when Inko realized that, she would cut ties with him. She had quickly shut down that idea. Izumi was Izumi, and Shouchi was Shouchi. Neither one was replaceable. They weren't a computer or a coffee machine. They were people. Shouchi had cried so hard when she explained that.

"I guess I better contact Kaede and her friends to shadow you for a while," he joked. Inko rolled her eyes. She was about to respond when her personal phone rang. An unknown number.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Hello, this is Tamakawa Sansa from Mustufasu Police. Is this Midoriya Inko´s phone number?"

"Yes, I am her. How can I help you?"

"Ah, good. Midoriya-san, I don't mean to alarm you, but we need you to come to Tokyo Grand Hospital as soon as possible."

"Wh-what? Is somebody I know hurt? Hisashi? One of my coworkers or clients?" She didn't know anyone from Tokyo. Most of her clients and friends were from Musutafu and its surrounding prefectures. The best she could think of was that one of her clients was staying in Tokyo for some reason, and she was their only contact.

"I´m sorry, but at this time I can't say much. Nobody is in danger, but a situation has happened that involves your name. Please come as soon as possible. When you arrive, ask for Detective Tsukauchi. He will explain better. Good day"

"Ok, thanks. I will take the next train," Inko said. Something was happening—something strange. She turned towards Shouchi. "Give the Wild Cat Case to Omaeda; tell him to analyze it and to look for any points in our favor. If there is an emergency, then call Utsamoto; she is the next in command. Nagisa-san, your check will be deposited in your account in a few minutes; I already made the transfer." With that said, she took her purse and left. Whatever was going on was important. She knew it. And Tokyo had the answers.

Even with the fastest train, the trip from Musutafu to Tokyo lasted around three hours. That, plus the traffic, made it so that Inko arrived at Tokyo Grand Hospital by late afternoon. She was tired and hungry. Her plan for that hour was to be at the Bakugous, watching Mitsuki and Katsuki destroy their taste buds with their spicy foods. But she had to be there. She knew it. Some primal, instinctual part of herself knew it.

When she arrived, she saw some police cars around the block. That and the undercover cops placed around the perimeter had her internal alarms on. She gave her name to the officers in front of the hospital and the name of Detective Tsukauchi. After that, they made some calls, and a tall, black-haired man came.

"Midoriya-san, a pleasure. I´m Detective Tsukauchi. I know you have some questions, and I will do my best to answer them. However, it's best if this conversation happens inside, away from the public's ears." The detective motioned with a subtle nudge of his head towards the hospital.

"Very well, but I expect honesty. I want to know what is so important that I had to come to the capital immediately."

Inko followed the officer. The further they went, the heavier the police detail. Was this about her latest case? Did they find the murderer and know she was investigating the case?

Finally, they entered a room. It seemed like a normal office—a couple of chairs, computers, a water cooler, and some snacks. The detective sat down and made a gesture toward Inko. Silence filled the room.

"Midoriya-san, this type of situation is never easy to explain. More when it sounds as fantastical as it is. I will start by saying that we did every test known to man, and they all came back positive. So all I will tell you, no matter how strange, is true."

"I don't understand. Tests? What's happening?" Inko was confused.

"A few days ago, a villain attack happened near Tokyo; the villain nearly destroyed the city and actually banished two buildings before the heroes stopped him."

"I remember reading something like that. Many pro-heroes gathered together and stopped him. Including some of the top 10, right?"

"Indeed. Two heroes heard of the original attack and went to intervene. All Might heard about it, and well, the man never liked the idea of standing still when he could help. The other heroes decided to follow. Mostly to see All Might in action, but also to help."

"And how does that involve me?"

Detective Tsukauchi sighed. He drank his tea and then answered, "Because a teenager of fifteen years old claiming to be Midoriya Izumi was involved."

CRASH

Her cup fell to the ground. No. It wasn't possible. Her daughter was dead. She was disintegrated by some strange weapon wielded by a monster.

"My daughter is dead. I saw for myself how her body disappeared. I didn't even have ashes to bury. All I have to remember her are pictures. The closest thing to a resting place are the flowers and the mural some kids painted on that street."

"I know Midoriya-san. I asked the detectives assigned to your daughter´s case. I interrogated this girl myself. I was even present when she gave her blood to be analyzed and received the results a few hours later. All came back positive. Your daughter wasn´t disintegrated or vaporized like we thought at first. She was teleported to another place. And by her own admission, it took her five years to return."

The detective kept talking. He recounted part of the story this girl told him: her past, so familiar and haunting; her arrival on another Earth; another Earth! How she survived there with the help of others and how she even captured some strange creatures. She talked of these creatures as friends.

Inko felt as if in a daze. Part of her wanted to denounce this girl as a fraud; she didn't want to believe or hope. When Izumi had died, she had kept some hope. There was no body, so maybe she wasn't dead; maybe she was kidnapped. But the more the days passed, the more reality overcame hope.

"I want to see her. This girl. I don´t care what your tests say. I need to see her for myself. A mother knows. If she is a fraud, I will know it."

Detective Tsukauchi nodded and got up. He led her towards another room, one in the private section. Whatever that girl had done, it was obvious that they wanted to keep her safe. The police officers didn't even hide their guns in this part of the hospital. Only a couple of doctors and nurses walked across the hallways, all with their name tags visible on their chests.

Two officers custodied the room; Tsukauchi showed his badge, and they nodded. He entered first. Inko stood there. She breathed in and then exhaled. Whatever comes, she had to be ready. Inko crossed the doorway, telling herself to not feel hope.

The room was a common hospital room. A large window showing the street view, a TV screen hanging from the wall, a second door leading towards a private bathroom, a nice couch for visitors, and the bed. And a ghost was on the bed. A ghost from the past.

Her hair was a dark green, her eyes a brilliant emerald, and diamond-shaped freckles covered her cheeks. Except for her tanned skin, she looked exactly how she imagined Izumi would look as a teenager.

A smaller girl was with her. She was younger; her hair was white, and her eyes were red. A small horn stood on her forehead. There were bandages covering her arms. The girl looked at Tsukauchi and Inko with distrust. She was hugging the older girl and trying to hide. Inko had seen that behavior in some of the children that she represented.

"What hurt you most that day?" she asked her. If she really was her daughter, if she really was Izumi, then she would understand that question.

Green stared at green. The girl's lips twitched, and a sad smile formed on her face.

"That you just apologized over and over for something you couldn't control. And that you couldn't muster the strength to lie to me."

Inko´s eyes started to dampen, and her tears flowed without control. Her hands started to shake, and she covered her mouth. Izumi too started to cry, and her tears too flowed uncontrollably. The so-called baby bawling of the Midoriya's. Crying like babies whenever they were too emotional.

Before they knew it, mother and daughter were hugging with all their strength. Inko would hold her daughter's face in her hands, staring at the young woman that was emerging and at all the changes she had missed in the last five years. Izumi, too, stared at her. Both of their visions were blurry, but they were happy.

At that moment, the hole that existed on both of their hearts—the hole that formed five years ago and remained as a scar—finally healed.