8
"Are you ready, Miss Midoriya?" "Yes" "Good. Remember, this test is just to prove your current academic skills. As soon as you finish one segment, we will move on to the next. There will be a lunch break, and you can ask for a rest whenever you need."
Izumi nodded. One of the stipulations was that she had to prove her academic abilities to prove she could handle UA's regular classes. She wasn't worried. One of the things Riley had insisted on during his mentorship was that Izumi keep studying. Even after their year together ended, Izumi made sure to keep learning. Math, biology, science, history, and geography. She downloaded self-learning packets and made sure to complete them. She knew history and geography would be her worst subjects; after all, she wasn't able to keep up with Japanese history and its topography while living on another planet.
Nezu's plan had been meticulous. Proving that Izumi was still alive was actually easy. The only reason they declared her dead was because her body never showed up. The blood test, the testimony of a doctor whose quirk allowed him to detect family relations, and Detective Tsukauchi's testimony verified that she was Midoriya Izumi, the only daughter of Midoriya Hisashi and Midoriya Inko.
Her mom just had to sign some paperwork and show that her department was a suitable home for a minor to regain her custody.
Eri's case had been trickier. The fact that there were no documents for her actually helped their case. Both principal Nezu and her mother made a united front against Child Protective Services and didn't leave their offices until her mom got emergency custody of Eri. She didn't know what type of trick the quimera had pulled, but part of the deal was that Eri had to be schooled at UA by their teachers, not only in how to control her quirk but also in regular classes.
Eri's academic tests proved that she could read, write, and sum, but that was it. Apparently one of Overhaul's underlings took pity on her once and gave her some lessons on how to read and write and gave her some books so she wouldn't be too bored. By sheer luck, one was about math.
Eri's clingliness to Izumi helped a lot in getting custody. All the doctors and psychologists that both girls saw agreed that splitting both girls abruptly could cause severe psychological trauma on Eri, which could lead to behavourial issues and outboursts. In fact, considering her lack of control over her quirk, the fact that it activated when she was under extreme stress and it´s dangerous effects, taking her away from a familiar and comfortable presence was contraproducent.
The previous week, Izumi, her mother, a lawyer named Daisuke, who was hired to represent her, and Nezu reunited with a man and a woman who worked for the government and the Hero Commission, respectively. The meeting was held in a conference room selected by Nezu.
"Koabashi-san, Kurosube-san, nice to see you again. Would you like some tea? I have brought a nice box filled with many different blends." Nezu was already sipping his own cup. Her mom too. Both acted like they were on a tea party instead of talking with members of the government.
"No, thank you, Nezu-san. We will proceed with this conversation. Miss Midoriya, according to our tests, your creatures barely resemble any animal from this planet. Genetically speaking, there is more resemblance between cats and dogs than between your Infernape and any primate species living on this planet. The berries that we examined also have no match for any vegetable or fruit. The government of Japan is willing to accept that it's possible that you were sent to another dimension where you resided for the past five years until you managed to return."
Koabashi-san gave a document to Daisuke-san, who read it for a few minutes. The lawyer nodded and gave it to her mother, who, after reading it, showed it to Nezu. When the chimera finished, he gave it to Daisuke-san again, who slid it into a folder.
Koabashi-san put another document on the table.
"This one here is a document that states that Midoriya Izumi is still alive. Since you're a minor, you don't need to sign anything. Midoriya-san, you need to sign here." Her mother read it alongside Daisuke-san. She signed it and gave it back to Koabashi-san, who put it in a folder.
"These papers restate your custody over your daughter. According to your ex-husband's wishes, he has visitation rights and will pay child maintenance.
These ones give you emergency custody of the child known as Eri. There will be surprise visits to your house and to the school. There will be a social worker present in those lessons. That is non-negotiable. In six months, there will be a review. Pending the results, you could apply for adoption."
Once again, the three adults read the papers, and after a few minutes, her mother signed them both.
"Very well, this part of the documentation is done. Now comes the part that most interests the Hero Commission." Kurosube-san turned toward Izumi. "Midoriya-san, why should we allow your Pokemon to be a part of your possible hero career? By your own statement, you don't control them. They just follow you around like some pet that could leave at any time if they wanted to. What assurances does the Japanese government have that they won't turn against the heroes or abandon their duties if you die? Or that they would disobey you?"
"The worst mistake that rookie trainers commit? Capturing all the Pokemon they see and just bonding with a few while the rest are being cared for by others or are left in their pokeballs.
Pokemon are more complex than you think. The ones that respect strength are the wild ones that want to evolve and become stronger. The best trainers are the ones who understand the wishes of their team. Whether it's to battle, to participate in contests, or just to be a companion, a good trainer would respect their choices.
When I first became a trainer, when Riolu chose me as his trainer, and later on, when I met Chimchar, I told them about my dream. I told them about my goals. How I wanted to come back home with my mom. How I wanted to become a hero and help others. They understood that, and they encouraged my dreams. And I encouraged theirs." Izumi stared at Kurosube-san.
"If I were to die today, tomorrow, or in ten years, I know exactly what my team would do. Mourn me. And protect my loved ones. Because it's the same thing I would do for them."
Both Nezu-san and Daisuke-san smiled proudly at her. She hadn't lost her temper and showed herself confident, just like they practiced. And it worked. Before, both officials looked at her dismissively, as if she were just a child playing to be a grownup. Now they began to see her for what she was: a future hero.
Her mom was wiping tears from her cheeks. She smiled at her daughter, showing that they were tears of pride. Izumi felt her eyes dampen in response. Seeing her mother proud of her just made her emotional.
"If I may, I have a proposal." Just as they planned, Daisuke-san spoke.
"My client has expressed a deep wish to become a hero since she was a toddler. That has never changed in the past decade. She is planning on attending UA next year and is already looking for online classes to prepare for the written exam."
"So?" "If all goes to plan, the next school year, Midoriya Izumi will be a student in the hero course. That means that the pro-heroes will be there to teach her and evaluate her.
Even if my client, for some reason, doesn't make it to UA, she could still apply to another hero school. The same principle applies. I propose that her future teachers be the ones to evaluate if her Pokemon are safe or not to participate in hero work."
"And if they say they aren't?" asked Kurosube-san.
"Then we will accept that ruling, and only I will continue with my hero education," Izumi answered.
"Just like that?" Koabashi-san sounded confused.
She nodded. "Just because they can't participate in hero work doesn't mean they are useless or that they can't do anything. I'm sure we will figure out something else." She was sure of it. Maybe they could make some shows or something like that.
"And UA agrees to this proposal? What about the other schools? Shiketsu? Ketsubutsu? All hero schools in Japan will agree to this deal?" Kurosube asked incredulously.
"They do already. As soon as my client agreed with my proposal, I sent emails to all the hero schools in Japan with the details. UA and Shiketsu actually responded on the same day. Most of the rest of the schools have already given green light; I think only a few are still debating whether to say yes or no."
After that, negotiations went smoothly. A draft was made that both she and her mother had to sign. It stated that her Pokemon would only be allowed to participate in Hero Work as long as she managed to enter one Hero School, and both her teachers and any hero she was interned with said they could. If any of them tried to do hero work by themselves and with no license, they would be labeled as vigilants. The only instances in which they could legally use their power were for training and self-defense, just like Izumi and the rest of the population of Japan.
After some handshakes and goodbyes, the Midoriya party left the building.
"Thank you so much for your help, Nezu-san, Daisuke-san. I promise I will put all my efforts into not disappointing any of you," she said, bowing her head to both men.
"Don't worry, Midoriya-san. I was only doing my job. Inko-san, thank you for this opportunity. My firm is looking forward to working with yours again. My superiors are really interested in possible partner shifts."
"I will take it into account. Tell them they can send a proposal, and my team and I will review it."
Both lawyers nodded to each other, and then he left for his car. Only Nezu stood with them. Before he left, Izumi gave him a pendrive.
"It has all the information in my pokedex about the Pokemon world. Pokemon, their environment, berries, items, and legends."
"Ohh, and you're giving it to me?" "Yes, because by March I will be one of your students. It will help my team better if my future teachers know them better. To avoid mistakes. Also, because I know you probably wanted to learn more about another Earth where animals evolved so differently."
Nezu's grin widened. He nodded to both and entered his own car.
"We better go back to tell Eri the good news. I don't know how much she can handle being in that hospital room. Besides, I think that Gallade and Mienfoo are ready for a break." Izumi reminded herself to prepare some of their favorite pokepuffs. Thank Arceus that berries sprouted so fast and easily.
"Izumi," her mother stopped her. "I am proud of you. I should have told you this ten years ago. It doesn't go a day when I don't regret that night."
Both of their eyes started to dampen. Damn Midoriya genes!
"Mom" "Izumi. You will be a great hero. Better than All Might. I know it."
The dam broke. Mother and daughter cried and hugged. That old wound, that unspoken hurt, finally closed.
"That doesn't mean I won't worry! I'm your mother! Worrying is a big part of my job!"
"Ok, I get it. I will apologize in advance for your gray hair," she joked.
Both laughed and smiled.
When they arrived at the hospital, they expected to find two bored and exasperated Pokemon and one anxious little girl.
What they found was the three of them sitting cross-legged in clear meditation. Mother and daughter blinked in surprise.
"Gallade, Mienfoo, what's going on?" Izumi used her telepathic link with Gallade to communicate with both of them. One of the perks of having a psychic-type Pokemon was the ability to speak telepathically with her team.
"It was either teaching her how to meditate or letting her put accessories and make-up on us." Mienfoo's dislike of the second idea was very clear.
"Where did that idea come from?" She asked, confused. She didn't remember leaving makeup around. She didn't think Eri knew about make-up.
"It was the nurse´s idea," Gallade informed her. "She came and gave Eri a doll and a kit for dressing up your own doll."
"And she told Eri to use the two of you as models?" "No. When she saw us, she thought Mienfoo was a quirked animal and that my quirk was a mutant type. Recovery Girl was here and gave an abridged version of our story. While Eri was playing with the doll, the nurse told Recovery Girl how her kids used those accesories to play with their dog. And how she would come home to find the poor thing covered in sprinkles and wearing dresses." The expressions of dread on both Pokemon were so hilarious that she couldn't help but laugh.
"Eh? Izumi? Is everything alright?" Her mother was confused. She didn't know of Gallade´s telepathy.
"Izumi-nee! Your back!" Eri jumped from her bed and into Izumi´s arms. Both hugged happily.
"I heard that Gallade and Mienfoo were teaching you about meditation. Did you like it?"
"Yes! Sir Plushy said it could be useful to help me control my quirk. And Mienchan showed me how to do it." Even without smiling, Eri´s happiness was detectable.
Since her mother was still confused, Izumi quickly informed her of what happened while they were away. Her eyes widened when Izumi explained Gallade´s abilities.
"Don´t worry, Gallade only uses his telepathy to communicate. To read your mind, he would need to concentrate more, and you would feel it. His line is best at using his psychic power to enhance his power."
Her mother seemed deep in thought. She closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened again, she stared at her.
"Izumi," she said seriously, "when we arrive at home, I would like to speak to all your Pokemon." "Eh?" "I want to thank them," she smiled at her. "They were there for you when I wasn't."
"My team; they aren't just my friends and partners, mom. They are my family," she told her the truth. She owed her mother that much.
Her mother just smiled and hugged her.
"Then they are my family too, Izumi."
Mother and daughter hugged for a few moments. When they stopped, they smiled at each other and at the rest of their family.
"Very well, I will go and sign your discharge papers. I'm sure you're both sick of this place," her mom waved and left the room. Izumi rubbed Eri´s hair and grabbed Mienfoo´s and Gallade´s pokeballs.
"Ok, you two. Say bye to Eri for awhile. I will let you out at home."
"Lade" "Mien," they waved at her little sister. After getting them back on their pokeballs, she put them on her belt and started to put her clothes and the rest of her stuff in her bag. She was glad that she could keep it. It wasn't like they could replicate it, not without apricorns to study. At least she thought that apricorns were the key ingredient in the prodution of trainers bags.
"Izumi-nee" Eri sounded cautious for some reason. Izumi stopped and turned.
"What´s wrong, Eri-chan?"
Eri didn't answer. She fidgeted with her fingers and wouldn't look at her face.
"Eri?"
"Will I still see you, Izumi-nee?" "Eh?" "When you go home, can I still see you?"
Izumi kneeled in front of Eri. She needed her little sister to understand.
"Eri. You´re coming home with me. With me, Sir Plushy, Mienchan, and mom. And the rest of my team." Izumi made sure Eri saw her eyes. She needed her to see that she was serious.
"You're all my family, Eri. And family sticks together."
Eri´s eyes watered. She started to sniffle, and Izumi hugged her. When her mother returned, she found Izumi holding Eri and calming her.
"Izumi? Eri? Is everything alright?" Izumi nodded. "I was telling Eri that families stick together. Always"
Her mom smiled and came closer. She rubbed Eri´s back until the little girl turned.
"Eri, Izumi said that you were her imouto, her little sister. Of course you´re coming home with us."
Eri frowned. She opened her mouth and closed it. It seemed as if she wanted to say something.
"Eri?"
"If Izumi-nee is my nee-chan and Inko-san is her mom, and we are family, then... Can I call you mommy too?"
Both Midoriyas froze. Eri looked at them with her big, pleading eyes. Izumi didn't know what to say. A glance at her mother told her that she didn't have to say anything. It wasn't for her to say anything.
"Eri-chan," her mom already had tears flowing down her cheeks "If you want to think of me as your mom, if you want to call me your mom, then I will be honored. The idea of having the sweetest and kindest little girl in the world as my daughter makes my heart burst."
"M-mo-mommy!" Eri jumped from her arms to her mother. No, their mother. The three hugged and cried. Happy tears. Even if only two of the three were able to smile.
"Very well, Midoriya-san. We are done." Finally. She had spent most of the day doing these exams. She didn't want to write again for a loooong time.
"Thank you. When can I get the results?" "They should be between tomorrow and the day after. A letter with the results will be sent to your home address. Pending your results, you will need to follow specific booklets in order to catch up."
She nodded. She expected that. She had already made a schedule for the next few months. She had less than half a year to prepare for UA's entrance exam. She had to be ready. She will be ready.
She walked home. Her mother had wanted to drive her home, but Izumi insisted on not doing so. She wanted to walk. To think. She wanted to see her childhood city. To compare it to what it was before.
It hadn't changed. Not much. Some stores closed, and others opened. But the people hadn't. The way they moved, the way they acted. She didn't recognize any of them, but it didn't matter. The feelings in the city were the same as five years ago.
A foul smell tore her from her thoughts. It was disgusting. It reminded her of a horde of Grimers and Muks hanging out.
The stench came from a beach. Or what was supposed to be a beach. It resembled more of a dumping site. An illegal dumping site.
There were no fences or signs. And she could hear the waves crashing on the shore. How did so much garbage make it to a public site with nobody doing anything?
"Disgusting, isn't it?" a man said behind her.
He was thin—sickly thin. The stranger was blond, with spiky hair that reminded her of her former best friend; his eyes were sunken into their orbits, but they had a force that showed its owner was a strong man.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," the stranger said, showing his hands. She wasn't afraid. That man may look sick, maybe homeless, but he wasn't dangerous. She could sense it. There was something familiar about him.
"It's ok. I was just passing through. Do you know what happened here?"
The man didn't answer. He stared at the beach.
"It hadn't always been like this," he remembered. "When I was young, it was a beautiful place. The sand, the water. It was alive. And then trash began to appear. This beach has the downside that the marine currents bring trash from the ocean.
At first, people would come and clean. But with time, they stopped. To them, it was an uphill battle. No matter how much they cleaned, trash would still appear. Less people would help, until finally they all gave up."
It was sad. If only they had kept going. But she couldn't judge them. Not everybody could keep fighting forever. The mind had limits. That's why strength in groups was important. If one wavered, the others reinforced it. Of course, if the individuals in the group didn't have a good bond, then the result would still be the same.
Izumi frowned. One of the things she had learned during her travels was to respect nature. Back in the Pokemon world, a strong movement towards eco-friendliness had been growing for the past twenty years.
Izumi bent down and started grabbing some bottles.
"Hmm. What are you doing?" "Cleaning." "Cleaning?" "Cleaning."
"Why?" Why? That's easy. She turned toward the stranger. His eyes were looking at her, seizing her, analyzing her.
"Because it's the right thing to do," and she turned back to grabbing things. There had to be a bag somewhere to at least put some of the trash. Later, she would worry about reciclyng.
"Won't it hurt your chances of passing UA's entrance exam if you spend all your time here?"
She froze. How did he know that?
She frowned at the stranger. Her aura enveloped her body. A blue shimmer surrounded her body. She went into a defensive position when she saw it.
The lights. The same lights that she had seen during the fight against Overhaul. But no. It was impossible. Those lights were in...
"Who are you?" She asked. That stranger. His eyes. They were so familiar.
The stranger grinned. His body bulked and grew until a familiar and comforting presence appeared in front of her.
"Don't worry, Midoriya-shoujo, FOR I AM HERE"
All Might.
The skeleton man... Was All Might?
What?
"What?!" She shouted, "But, how? What? Ehhhh?!"
"HAHAHHAHAHA! I understand your confusion, Midoriya-shoujo. That form, you could say, is my weak form. This is my muscled form," he grinned at her.
"Two forms? Like in Mega Evolution? Wait, was that how All Might managed to hide his real identity all these years? It does make sense. Nobody would think that such a sick man was the Symbol of Peace. Mumble, mumble, mumble."
"Hehem. Sorry to interrupt, but I'm having trouble hearing you, Midoriya-shoujo." She blushed and apologized.
"All Might, how, well. That form seems too extreme to be a simple decoy."
"It's not a decoy. It's the consequence of being a pro. Eight years ago, I faced a dangerous villain. The most dangerous fight I have ever fought. I won, but not before losing half of my digestive track and part of my lungs." Her idol went back to his weak form and pulled his shirt up. Horrible scars littered most of his torso and abdomen. His eyes spoke of his pain and of how awful that fight had been. "Ever since then, I haven't been able to do much hero work. I can only use my quirk for a period of time. First, it was weeks, then days. Now, it's just three hours a day. Three hours. I try to do as much hero work as I can during that window of time. And it kills me."
Izumi was silent. All Might's story was horrible. The part that the news never talked about. The part that society pretended didn't exist.
"That fight—was it against Toxic Chainsaw? It was the only major fight you had that year."
"You remember that little fish? No. Because of the villain, the Hero Commission and the government pulled rank and erased any information. There was no record. All the deaths were classified under other categories. Japan, the world, couldn't know that Symbol of Peace almost died."
"It would have been chaos. If villains thought you were dead, then more heroes and civilians would have died during your recovery. And if they knew you had a time limit... I don't want to think about what could happen."
"You really are a smart girl. Indeed. Chaos would still reign if the villains knew about my time limit. That's why the Symbol of Peace needs to be passed on before it's too late."
"Huh?"
"You risked your life twice. Once as a child, and now as a teenager. Why? Why would a quirkless girl risk her life for strangers? Why would she spend five years training and finding a way back to a world that treated her as garbage? Why?" All Might asked her. She felt a need from him—a need to understand why she took those actions.
Why? It was easy.
"Because all I ever wanted was to be a hero. A hero who would save others with a smile on her face. I don't care about fame or having a flashy quirk. I just want to help others. To bring them hope. Like you do."
He smiled. He grinned. He went back into his muscled form and grinned broadly at her.
"GOOD ANSWER! Midoriya Izumi-kun, I declare you worthy of inheriting my quirk!"
Wait. What?!
Ok, nearly cried when writing Eri calling Inko mommy. That little girl better gets a good and happy family in canon. In other news, next chapter will have the finally expected UA Entrance Exam. Will it be different than canon? Who knows? I know? I think I should know. Anyway, after chapter nine my shedule will change a little. I´m going to start writing another story: a Pokemon/One Piece crossover with a very special surprise. So, chapters may come a little tardier. Or not. It depends on my muse.
Hope you like this story, thank you for following!