Chapter 10: Unforeseen crisis
"I'm sorry."
"Hhm? What for?" Izuku asked Naminé, they were in her room. Both had sketchbooks drawing whatever came into their minds, Izuku's sketches were good, but Naminé's were breathtaking. She had only improved since they began to spend time together between Izuku's missions.
"For bringing you and the others into this mess." Naminé said, looking down.
Izuku softly sighed, "Hey, I already told you a hundred times, it wasn't your fault." He said, kindly.
Izuku chuckled, which made Naminé look at him and tilt her head. Noticing her unspoken question he said, "If I'm mad at someone, then it is at Ś̷̝̓̉ǫ̴̀ŕ̵̼̈́̀á̶̤̼͘ͅ." Izuku ended with a huff.
"What? But why?" She couldn't understand, she was the one responsible for everything.
Izuku threw his arms up, "Because he left me behind! If he had brought me along, then everything would be fine, but did he? No!" He crossed his arms. "What a responsible b̵̜͑͆̔r̶͔͓̚ͅo̵̭̼̒̐̂t̴̢͎͒̋͛ĥ̶͔̊͗e̷͔̾̄̒ŗ̶̜̾̉̽. Just wait, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind when this is all over."
Naminé looked slightly concerned, but seeing Izuku pouting, she couldn't help but giggle.
Izuku saw her do it, and took a relieved breath. He preferred seeing his friend smiling, "Yeah laugh it up."
Their moment was interrupted when the door opened, a tall figure entered the room. His face covered in red bandages, save for his right eye, which was a bright orange, and mouth, he tied two intersecting belts around his head, one passing over where his left eye should be. He wears a long, red cape with a quadrate cross cut taken out at the chest, the edges of which are yellow. This cut exposes a similarly emblem white symbol on a pitch-black shirt.
On top of this shirt, the figure wears what seems to be grey, segmented armor over his sides and abdomen. His legs are covered by a long, black cloth lined with yellow, which itself has several brown straps pinned onto the front, seemingly for no purpose other than to create yet another angular pattern.
On a yellow sash that hangs around his waist are three brown pouches, descending downward diagonally on his left hip. These pouches are all identical, all sporting the same design on the top flap, and all closed by a darker brown strap that attaches to a silver button on the right ride, a grey tassel hanging from each button. He also wears a dark colored scarf around his neck. He also has light colored sleeves.
"I believe you have wasted enough time." The man said in a calm voice.
Izuku sighed, slumped, "C'mon DiZ, you said that I had some time before my next mission."
DiZ shot a pointed glare. "I expect you to rest for it, not waste your time meaninglessly." The older man's eye traveled to Naminé when he said the words meaningless.
Izuku sprung up, "Okay, that's enough! You better stop treating Naminé like that!" He walked in front of DiZ, putting himself between the imposing figure and the now downcast girl.
"You should stop putting such energy into defending something that is not even real." DiZ said, dismissively, which only made Izuku more angry, "Shut up!"
Izuku's outburst surprised the other two. Glaring at DiZ, Izuku took a deep breath. "Naminé is real! She's my friend! I don't know what your problem is with her, because she's nothing like the other Nobodies! If you have a bone to pick with Organization XIII then that's fine, but leave her out of this!" Izuku's voice was even, but the steel on his tone matched his iron will.
Izuku never let anyone hurt his friends, and he wouldn't start now. Naminé was moved by Izuku's words, she knew he cared for her, and seeing him stand up for her left her with misty eyes.
DiZ's only visible eye locked on Izuku's, the staredown seemed to stretch forever. DiZ was the one that broke it first, turning around he walked back to the door, "Do as you will, so long as it doesn't impact on our mission, then it matters not." He said, leaving the room.
"I already said it…" Izuku turned to Naminé, his eyes taking a kind shine, but his burning determination shining just as bright, "We'll have our happy ending. All of us." His words were something she wanted to believe wholeheartedly, but that was the problem.
"It's not that simple Izuku, sometimes the road ahead doesn't take us to where we want."
Izuku looked down at Naminé's words, he stared into her eyes. "So what?"
She glanced at him, confused. "If there's no way, then I'll make my own!" Izuku looked at her, green eyes meeting blue, "I said I'll give us our happy ending, if I have to make my own, then I will!"
Naminé smiled, that was something Izuku would say. She knew her friend, if someone could make a claim like that true, it was him.
"I'll help, with everything that I can, can't leave my best friend all alone." They smiled at each other, "Wouldn't have it any other way! Thanks Naminé."
Izuku's eyes slowly opened. His room was still dark, the only light being his digital alarm clock, which showed it was 4 a.m.
Izuku felt a small form hugging him, Eri was still sound asleep. Chuckling slightly, Izuku gently petted her head, which made her snuggle on him.
Izuku slowly fell back to unconsciousness, the thoughts of his last vision slipping away as the dream realm embraced him once more.
—
"Is everything ready?" A figure that was seemingly made of dark mist asked. His voice got the attention of the man sitting on the bar counter.
"Yes Kurogiri, the weapon is ready." The pale man responded to Kurogiri, his voice took a sharp undertone. "And our new party member has his part covered, right?"
"Don't sweat it, Handsie." A haughty voice replied, it was masculine and young but with a cruel edge below the snarky tone, his form concealed by the shadows of the bar, "I have my orders, so just worry about your part."
Shigaraki stared at the figure, annoyed. Shaking his head he focused back on the paper on the counter, chuckling with cruelty. "Today is the day the Symbol of Peace will die!"
—
"So she panicked and tried to get you away from the drawer, and the best excuse she came up with was to braid your hair?" Katsuki asked, Izuku as both exited the train.
Izuku had a simple braid on his hair that began on the right side of his head and dangled in front of his right ear, passing the earlobe a little. He told Katsuki how Eri did it for him while he was getting ready for school, but her reaction when he was going to open the drawer was suspicious.
"Yeah, I let it slide because I was on time, and I don't want to even imagine what Aizawa-sensei will do if we come late, but now I'm worried about why she did that." Izuku played with the braid, he actually had liked it quite a bit, Eri learned how to braid hair with Inko and she was getting really good at it.
"She broke something and is trying to hide it, has a secret stash of candy or she's making something for you." Katsuki said, dismissively.
Izuku thought of his friend's words and entered mumble mode for a second, but was stopped by Katsuki playfully punching his arm, "Keep it at normal speed, nerd."
"Ouch, okay okay." Izuku said, holding his arm with an expression of mock hurt. "Eri probably didn't break anything as she would have said if she did, and her hurt puppy eyes would make us forgive her either way, she would ask for my help to hide snacks, and she's more of an apple person." He listed off trying to imagine what forbidden treasure was hidden in the drawers.
"That leaves her doing something for you, any idea of what could it be?"
Izuku answered with a careless shrug, he didn't really care because he would love it anyway.
They were almost leaving the station when a voice called them, "Hey guys, wait for me!"
They turned to see Ochaco running towards their direction. Izuku happily waved to her. "Good to see you two, and I loved what you did with your hair, Deku!" Ochaco said, falling in pace with them. Her compliment made Izuku's cheeks warm, Katsuki raised an eyebrow.
Izuku tried to change the subject before Katsuki could say anything, "Since when do you call me Deku, Ochaco?" He tried to put the focus back on her, which backfired splendidly.
"Well, after the Battle Trial, I thought about that joke you made after we jumped up the building, and Deku is a cute nickname, it's like Dekiru, 'you can do it'!"
That made Izuku get a full body blush, he tried to respond but he couldn't stop to stumble over his words. Nana gave a nostalgic sigh, "Young love." Her comment only made Izuku blush harder, if that was possible.
Katsuki only gave them a deadpan, turning away he started to walk faster, saying in a flat tone. "I'm out."
Izuku, seeing his friend abandon him, gave a betrayed cry, "Kacchan!"
The blonde didn't turn back, "Like hell am I going to be the fucking third wheel!" He shouted back, and that made both teens blush.
"It's not like that!" They shouted in perfect synchrony, that made them look at each other for a second before looking away, blushing even harder.
Katsuki laughed at the distance, those two are too easy. Deku he expected to be easy to get a raise, but Round Face too? That was gold.
When Katsuki reached the school gates, waiting in front of them were Earlobes and the new additions to their group (Katsuki still regretted not making that bet). If he remembers right the names were Yaoyorozu Momo, the Vice-rep, Aoyama Yuga, the guy with French accent and Kaminari Denki, the one with the lightning on the hair.
Katsuki quickly came up with their new nicknames in case he forgot their real names, he tried to remember but always ended forgetting in the worst times, "Hey! Earlobes, Ponytail, Sparkly, Pikachu! If Deku asks, you didn't see me!" He shouted, unable to keep his laughter out of his voice.
The others gave him a strange look, but Katsuki paid them no attention making his way to the classroom.
"Okay, that was weird." Kyoka said with a shrug, looking back at the others, she saw Izuku and Ochaco making their way towards them.
The two had slightly red cheeks, pointedly avoiding looking at each other. Kyoka understood now what all that was about and couldn't help put snicker, 'I'll file this for later, now there's other things to do.' She thought while waving at them.
The six teens started to walk together, "So, we were talking and trying to make sense of all that craziness that happened yesterday." Kyoka told Izuku. He mostly calmed down from Katsuki's earlier words.
Denki patted his shoulder, looking as nonchalant that only a teenager could exercise. "Yeah, and while I still can't wrap my head around all that weird stuff, I think you are a pretty cool guy, Izuku, so you count on me! Just not with the things that need smarts, that's Momo's job." He finished with a helpless shrug, pointing to Momo.
"Well Kamina-, Denki, while not the words I would use, I'll help with what I can Izuku." She said calmly, the group's disregard for formalities still felt a little strange to her, but their closeness was a really good change to her previous social interactions.
"Yes, such a bright light like yours was bound to attract others, and we can't leave a call for help unanswered, right mon ami?" Yuga said in his usual flamboyant manner.
Izuku smiled at his friends, "Thanks guys." His words were soft, but they conveyed perfectly how grateful he was.
"You don't have to thank us Deku, we're your friends, and friends always help each other."
"Why would you do this for us, Izuku?"
"Why? Because we're friends, and friends always help each other. So remember, Roxas, Xion, if you ever need help, I'm here for you."
"Izuku… thanks."
Izuku chuckled, his friends were concerned for a second seeing him space out but that changed when he raised his head letting out a brilliant smile. "Couldn't have said it better myself!"
—
"DON'T FEAR CITIZENS, I AM HERE!"
Toshinori said his famous line before stopping the villain and saving the family held hostage. He knew that his time was limited and he still had to give a class later, but he simply couldn't leave a cry for help unanswered.
Toshinori gave the other heroes on the scene a thumbs up. He was already a little breathless, with each day that passed it became more obvious he was getting weaker.
He already expected that his light was fading while young Izuku's was only getting brighter. Toshinori's time as a hero was ending, but he would use every second he still had to make sure Izuku and all his students were ready when the time came.
"There's a villain attack on the other side of the city!" Someone cried, Toshinori didn't waste another second taking off. He was sure that Nezu wouldn't be pleased with him being late, but he was a hero as much as a teacher (and he actually knew what he was doing when being a hero, teaching was harder than fighting villains).
—
"You guys have space for two more?"
Izuku looked at the direction of the voice and saw… a floating uniform? He stared confused for a second before remembering who it was. "Of course, it's Hagakure Toru, right?" He asked, opening some space on the lunch table.
"Yup, and that's Sero Hanta, we saw that everyone was joining your group and decided to ask if we could join too!" She said, doing some exaggerated movements, being invisible made Toru learn other ways to express herself as she didn't have visible facial expressions.
"Yeah, half of the class is already in this, and everyone seems to be getting along, I mean, even the loudest and quieter guys in the class are hanging out here." The boy who was accompanying Toru said, pointing at Katsuki who was still talking with Koji. He had black hair and eyes and a plain face, his most distinctive feature were his elbows which were on the format of tape dispensers.
"That is actually weird now that you said it, what are they even talking about?" Eijiro asked Izuku while the two newcomers sat beside them. Izuku looked at their direction before answering Eijiro, "Kacchan probably wants to learn more sign language, he knows the basics but I think he wants to get better at it."
Tenya, who was sitting beside Izuku, looked at him and asked, "Bakugo-san knows sign language?"
Izuku nodded, explaining. "Yeah, Aunty Mitsuki got worried his quirk would hurt his hearing, and while the doctors didn't come with a definitive answer she made Kacchan learn it, I know a thing or two but he's still better at it." Izuku placed a hand under his chin. "Hhm, I should see if Koji can teach me too."
"You know him really well." Hanta comment between bites.
Izuku smiled. "Yeah, I've known Kacchan since forever. My mom and his were best friends, and we were always doing things together, at least as far as I remember." Izuku's voice got lower, he absentmindedly played with his hair braid while looking at his food.
Tenya saw that and gave Eijiro a glance, one that the redhead quickly understood and changed the subject, "Hey Izu-bro I wanted to ask you something."
That got Izuku attention, the rest of the question got the table's complete focus, "If those Heartless things can only be beat with a Keyblade, what do I do if some show up and you are not around?"
They all were looking at Izuku now, that was a valid concern and depending on the answer that would be a problem worse than they originally thought. Izuku hummed for a second while trying to organize his thoughts, "It's not that they can only be beaten by a Keyblade, it's only that they can only be vanquished by a Keyblade. If you beat a Heartless without one, then they'll reform, but they only act on instinct, so if they see that they can't beat you, then they'll just go away." Izuku's friends are all hanging on his every word.
"That won't solve the problem, but it's all someone without a Keyblade can do. Now if I beat a Heartless, then my Keyblade will dispel the darkness and free the heart that's trapped on it, really ending the Heartless for good. So if you face one and I'm not around them just show it who's boss, and if I'm there, then weaken it enough and let me finish it." Izuku's impromptu lesson made them all a little more relieved.
They couldn't nick the problem at the bud, but they weren't helpless against it. Katsuki, being his usual self, reiterated it in his own way. "Basically, kill them until they want to stay dead or beat them an inch of they're life then let you kill them?"
Izuku shrugged. "Pretty much." He was used to Katsuki's way with the words, so it was nothing to be surprised about.
While Izuku didn't think anything of it, the others were giving Katsuki weird looks.
Toru turned to Eijiro. "Is that normal?"
The redhead looked at where he thought her eyes were. He gave her a sharp smile. "Yeah, they're really manly right?"
"So… our dear president knows what we're going to do today?" Mina said, trying to move past the awkward moment.
Izuku shook his head and glanced at Momo, who did the same.
Mina slumped. "Well it was worth a try, so now in more important things, since when do you braid your hair?"
That's how they passed the rest of the lunch time, talking about random things and having fun, unaware of what awaited them.
—
"Today you will have rescue training." Aizawa's voice sounded as tired as they remembered, but the class couldn't help cheering with enthusiasm at the prospect of hero work even if it's faux work.
Izuku was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt.
"Someone's excited." Nana said, covering her eyes, the pillar she used to inhabit now glowed so bright her eyes began to sting.
She knew what Izuku wanted more than anything else was to be a hero, but now she knew the major difference between the majority and the boy. Izuku was more interested in the biggest and most important aspect of it, saving people. Be it from a villain, the forces of darkness or the world itself, Izuku wanted to be there when someone needed.
Fighting a villain is easy, saving a life is harder. That was something few understood, but Izuku was not afraid of a challenge.
Nana just added that to the ever growing list of why Izuku was worthy of One For All and one of the best people in the world. The shade chucked under her breath."Toshi sure knows how to pick them."
"The exercise will be held in a different location, you can choose to use your costumes or not. Me and two other heros will supervise you."
Some minutes later, class 1-A waited for the bus that would take them to the other building. Tenya approached Izuku and Momo, "How will we enter the transport, by Alphabetical order or number? Maybe it would be more efficient if we-" Tenya was interrupted by Izuku, who put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
He and Momo had amused looks as they pointed to the busses that were parking, "Tenya, those aren't that kind of bus." Izuku said doing his best to hold his laughter, Momo was losing the battle and was softly giggling behind her hand.
They all ended laughing when Tenya slumped on his seat after entering the bus, "Don't be like that Tenya-kun, we know you only wanted to help." Ochaco said between laughs, she was seated beside Izuku in the middle part of the seats.
Izuku tried to control himself, but the braid was tickling his ear with the movement of the bus and it was making it difficult. He finally got his bearings when he felt a poke on his shoulder from the person on his other side.
He looked at her, the girl with the Frog quirk that raced against Tenya on the first day. "Yes, Tsuyu, can I help you with something?" He said trying, and falling, to get past his laughing fit.
"Call me Tsu." She said flatly, her mutated facial structure making her expression a perfect poker face in most situations, "Sure Tsu!" Izuku didn't let her blank stare fase him and answered with a smile, one that she returned, if the small quirk of her lips were any indication.
"Izuku-chan, I always say what's on my mind, you're weird." Her blunt statement left everyone dumbfounded.
Izuku only nodded."Yeah I am." What else could he say? That only left everyone else even more shocked.
"Man, I don't know why but the way he just says it. So manly!" Eijiro said, equal parts confused and amazed.
Ochaco turned to Izuku, nodding."Yeah, now that she mentions it, you are pretty weird Deku."
Izuku's friends actually stopped and thought about it for a second, and they all nodded, even those that just started to know him. Tsuyu then spoke again, "Another thing that I would like to ask, what is your quirk?"
That got the attention of the whole bus, even Aizawa listened from his sleeping bag.
Izuku folded his hands over his chest. "My quirk…" Izuku's little dramatic pause made them stay at the edge of their seats, "Is weird." That made all of them almost faceplant.
"Wow, kid thanks, I can really feel the love." Nana sarcastically said. Izuku gave her a mental deadpan, 'My quirk made me have voices in my head, how is that not weird?' His mind was perfectly silent for a second, what was a rarity these days.
"Fair." Izuku could feel her helpless shrug, what made him chuckle.
Katsuki misinterpreted the cause of his mirt and shouted, "Dammit, Deku!" What helps everyone recover.
Eijiro was another that gave Izuku an annoyed look. "Not cool Izu-bro, you can't leave us hanging like that, your Keyblade thingy lets you do almost everything, while I just have my Hardening." He hardened his arm, leaving it with a jagged and sharp appearance.
"Hey, don't say that, your quirk is amazing Eijiro! You can be the perfect shield with it, and if you train hard enough you could be unbreakable!" Izuku said in his usual way when quirks are the subject.
Eijiro looked at his hardened arm in a new light. "An unbreakable shield, that's so manly!" Izuku's words made a fire appear in Eijiro's eyes.
He was not the only one, Izuku unknowingly made all of them think about their quirks, where they were now, and what they could become.
"We're here." The voice of their teacher made them look out the windows. They were arriving on a colossal dome shaped building. They all looked at it with amazement, UA was the best for a reason, as it proved time and time again.
"Let's go, we don't have all day." They quickly put themselves together and exited the bus, the fear of incurring their teacher wrath hasting their steps.
They all entered the building by it's massive steel doors, "Still not impressed." Izuku whispered to Ochaco, making the girl giggle.
Kyoka shot Katsuki one glance and they both smirked, the two would tease the 'love birds' to hell and back.
Mina realized what was happening and started to smirk herself. Unaware of their impending suffering, Izuku and Ochaco looked at the large facility.
It had every possible disaster scenario possible to fit in a building, a landslide, a mountain, a lake that even had a ship on it, even a city that was on fire! Denki saw all that and exclaimed, "It's like Universal Studios Japan!"
"That is the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, my own creation and personal pride." One slightly distorted voice said. Turning around the students saw a person wearing a puffy astronaut suit, the helmet was a black glass dome with two white dots for eyes.
"Thirteen! The Space Hero that has more than a hundred successful rescue operations!" Ochaco had her own fangirl moment with the arrival of the hero while the other students thought in unison, 'So it really is USJ."
"Thirteen is so cool don't you think Deku-" Ochaco turned to her friend and abruptly stopped. Izuku was frowning while staring at the ground, his clenched fist shaking.
"Deku, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly while putting a hand on his shoulder, minus the pinky finger so as to not use her quirk on him. Izuku looked at her soft brown eyes that were full of concern and took a deep breath,
"It's nothing." He whispered the last words, he couldn't help but frown at the number. It stirred an ugly feeling within himself, but that was silly it was just a number.
Ochaco frowned lightly. She would talk with him about it, but now wasn't the time, as she saw that the teachers were talking, the lesson was probably about to start. Ochaco saw that Thirteen raised three fingers and Aizawa grumbled under his breath.
Izuku chuckled at that, making Ochaco glance at him weirdly, "Really Toshi, why do I bother with being surprised." Nana facepalming in his mind didn't help Izuku to control his mirt, he knew it was bad to lose a class for both the students and the teacher, but a hero's job never ends, and there was no way All Might would let a call for help unanswered. Things just never change.
"Well students, I have one thing to say before we start… or two, three, four…" Thirteen continued while the class sweat dropped and thought in unison again, 'It's increasing!'.
"My quirk is called Black Hole." Thirteen said after recovering from the little counting episode. Izuku now perked up and said, "Your quirk functions like a true black hole, letting you suck things with it's vacuum effect and turn them into dust! You used it to rescue people in disaster sites" He finished with stars in his eyes.
Thirteen chuckled, "Yes, but I could as easily had used it to kill." That sobered up the students, the air turning heavy, "You already saw what your quirks can do with Aizawa-kun's test, and you experienced how to use them against people with All Might's trial, but today you will learn how to use them for the most noble of reasons, to save a life." The class was silent for a second before cheering.
Thirteen bowed, "Thank you, now we will-" on that second Izuku stopped. He looked directly at the plaza the group where heading, every hair on his body stood to an end. He felt it, the same familiar feeling of dread running through his spine. Darkness, it was coming, even stronger than before.
Ochaco saw Izuku freezing, fear flashing through his eyes, before determination smashed through it. Izuku flicked his wrist and his Keyblade was in his hand, before she could ask what he was doing he ran ahead of the group.
"Aizawa-sensei! We have to get everybody out!" Izuku said hoping his teacher would understand the danger they were in, but he didn't have to. As Aizawa's was about to turn to him, the lights of the whole building died, the pro skipped every doubt and went straight to business, "Heartless?" He asked while putting his goggles.
"More than what appeared yesterday, or something worse!" Izuku knew that whatever was coming, it was powerful. He saw his homeroom teacher turn to Thirteen and bark orders, but he couldn't hear it, because on the plaza before the fountain, Darkness materialized and collapsed on itself, forming a Dark Corridor.
From it, four figures appeared, one was covered with disembodied hands, another looked like a mass of smoke, the last was a hulking beast with bulging muscles, but with a vacant stare and the brain exposed, what made it look inhuman.
The fourth wears a black and red organic-looking bodysuit. He had a silver helmet covered with dark glass, hiding his face from view. When Izuku looked at the figure, the helmet turned to him, and he could feel the dark stare below it.
"I'm the shadow that you cast."
Izuku grunted and held his head, the pain quickly faded. He saw the figure snap his fingers, and with it, the dark descended. In the plaza, various Heartless appeared, from Shadows to Large Bodys, Soldiers to Dark Balls.
"Midoriya! Go back with the class, Thirteen will help take you all away from here."
Izuku shook his head, he looked his teacher in the eye. "That's not important right now," He pointed towards the boy. "that guy in the black bodysuit is the one controlling the Heartless, and I can't beat them all, we all have to run!" His tone matched the urgency he felt.
Aizawa stared back, not backing down. "I'll buy you time, you have to go." He tried to walk past his student but Izuku held his ground. "You can't, these Heartless are being ordered, if you go there then they'll just overwhelm you, or you escape with us or I'll go down there with you!" He said with finality, he was the only one aware of the danger they were all in, and he would not leave anyone behind.
Aizawa saw the raw desperation in Izuku's eyes, and that made him realize the predicament they were in. Izuku didn't fear fighting all the Heartless that attacked the school the day before alone, but now he was almost begging for them to run. The hero realized that it meant one of two things, either the boy couldn't fight all these monsters and protect the others at the same time, or he couldn't win against those odds.
Both were alarming, and they could not afford either, "Let's go." Izuku sighed in relief when his teacher grabbed his arm and started to run to the exit.
Shigaraki turned to Kurogiri, "All Might is not here!" He started to scratch his neck. The dark cloud turned to him, "Don't worry Shigaraki, your plan will lure him here either way." Then he addressed the other boy, "Your troops are already in position?"
He dismissively nodded, his eyes were fixed on the green haired boy from the moment he saw him. Kurogiri just nodded, ignoring the disregarded gesture. "I will fulfill my duty then." And with that, he vanished.
"All Might, you can't hide forever, today is the day you die!" Shigaraki darkly said, his tone deranged with hate.
—
Toshinori slowly opened the door of the teachers lounge, peeking inside, he didn't see anyone. He entered the room and closed the door behind him, sighing with relief.
"Hello Yagi-kun." Nezu's voice made Toshinori jump and let out a startled yep. Turning to the Principal, he saw the intelectual rodent sipping a cup of tea while reading a newspaper, "'All Might resolves three incidents this morning'," the rat placed the paper down glancing towards the man. "I know you have a duty as a hero my friend, however, you also have one as a teacher now."
Nezu's voice was patient, but that doesn't helped with the guilt Toshinori was feeling. He knew he had to be at USJ now and give 1-A their first rescue training, but he couldn't just leave the people that needed his help alone.
Nezu noticed this, and in the same understanding but scolding tone said, "You know that there are other heroes out there, you can't carry the world on your shoulders."
Toshinori sighed defeated, "I know, but that doesn't make it any easier." Nezu nodded to him, "It is not supposed to be. Your time is coming to an end, and you did the best thing you could in this situation, you entrusted your legacy to someone worthy of it." Toshinori smiled slightly at Nezu's words.
"Yes sir, it is easy to forget, but I know that the future is in good hands." It was, Toshinori had no doubt about it. He couldn't be there to fight for much longer, but he wouldn't rest while he's successor wasn't prepared to rise to be a hero greater than even himself.
Toshinori made his mind and decided to show up at the end of class to at least give some final tips. He grabbed his phone and tried to call Aizawa, but it ended on voice-mail.
Toshinori felt a pit open where his stomach used to be, Nezu perceived his distress and tensed. Toshinori tried again with the same result, his dread only grew as Thirteen also didn't answer his call.
In a final attempt, he called Izuku's phone, and when his recorded voice was all he got, Toshinori stood and buffed up. Nezu was already halfway to the door, "Go, I will prepare the staff, if you do not call back in fifteen minutes, we will follow after you." As the man scrambles to the door. "And Toshinori, if the problems are Heartless, assist Midoriya-kun and eliminate the threat, if not, then remind our intruders that UA does not take lightly on trespassers." With all said, Nezu was already out. Toshinori didn't waste another second and bolted, seemingly blurring out of view.
All Might shouted in his mind, hoping it would reach his apprentice, 'Hold on young Midoriya, help is on the way!'.
—
Izuku and Aizawa reached the rest of the class, just for them all to be surrounded by Shadows. Between the heroes and the door black mist materialized with a pair of glowing yellow eyes staring at them.
"Hello, we are the League of Villains, and we are here to kill All Might." The grave voice of the mist villain made the students take a step back. Thirteen stood between the children and the enemy.
"He isn't here." The astronaut said, trying to buy time, and hoping that they would leave as their objective was not here. Unfortunately that hope quickly died.
"Yes, maybe there was a change in schedule? No matter, my part remains unchanged." As the villain's voice settled, the mist rushed at the class. The Heartless surrounding them blocking their escape routes.
The mist came at them like a wave of darkness, drowning and overwhelming. When it dispersed, more than half of the class was gone, those who remained were the ones that anchored themselves and who they could.
The battle of USJ has begun.
—
Izuku was falling through the darkness. He couldn't see anything beside the blackness of the mist surrounding him. As suddenly as it happened, it ended, and Izuku found himself falling towards the Flood Zone.
He straightened his body and dived at the water, submerging in the artificial lake. Izuku didn't have time to think, as Heartless surrounded him in the depths, Screwdivers and Aquatanks materializing from the Darkness.
"I don't have time for this." Izuku's voice came a little distorted from being underwater. Nana said with surprise, "Wow kid, didn't know you could breathe underwater. But you're right, you have to get your friends and then get out!" Her urgency matched his own.
Her surprise also matches with the one from the familiar but distorted voice behind him, "Izuku, you can breathe underwater?" He turned around and saw Tsuyu. They were both surrounded, but the two kept themselves calm, Izuku said to his friend, "Yup, it's not too hard after you learn the trick, now how about we beat these small fries and go help our friends?" He smirked on the end.
Tsuyu nodded, and they dashed at the enemies. Izuku lit up with Full Cowling, the strength of the ancient quirk making every swing of his weapon being accompanied by a high pressure water blade.
Tsuyu flowed between the monsters and their attacks, hitting them with strong kicks that threw them off balance, letting Izuku finish them with his higher destructive power.
The Heartless were quickly vanquished, Izuku and Tsuyu finding themselves now in the middle of slowly disappearing crystalline hearts.
"Good job!" Izuku raised his hand and Tsuyu gave the boy a high five. The two of them made their way to the surface, emerging close to the boat.
They were in time to hear a desperate scream coming from the deck. They traded a glance and a nod before jumping aboard.
Izuku saw that one of his classmates, Mineta Minoru, was with his back against the rail. Pirates were menacingly pointing their swords at him.
"Hey, why don't you pick at someone your own size!" Izuku shouted while diving at the Heartless, Tsuyu right after, going to support her friend.
Minoru was scared, these monsters were a whole army, and he was alone, or was until the class president showed up dive bombing in the middle of the mob. He saw Asui following right after, watching Midoriya's back while he took the creatures out by the dozen.
He couldn't stop himself from thinking, 'He's so cool, I'm a hero student just like him, so why does he look like the hero coming to save the day?' He knew he was on the bottom of the class, he knew he wasn't strong like his peers, but he wanted to be a hero too! He also wanted to be the cool guy that saved the girl! Minoru forced himself to grab one of his orbs on each hand and ran to join his classmates.
"Don't forget about me!" Minoru threw the orb at the feet of two of the monsters, sticking them in place. Izuku took the opportunity and dispatched them with one swing. Nodding at Minoru, who gave a shaky nod back, Izuku rushed to finish the fight.
With his friends supporting him, he quickly defeated the Heartless, as they were not the dangerous ones. The figures leading the attack were the principal motive of concern.
After having parried the last Pirate attack, Izuku slashed at its head, making the Heartless burst in a puff of Darkness and freeing its captive heart.
Izuku put his Keyblade over his shoulder and gave his companions a thumbs up. The two returned the gesture, "Now that we took care of things here, we have to go help the others." Izuku nodded to himself and approached the rail, having a complete view of the rest of USJ, and feeling just how much Darkness was permeating the place.
"Are you sure it's not better to wait for the heros?" Minoru asked, still afraid, fighting a group was one thing, but fighting a whole army was another.
Tsuyu nodded at that, "I have to agree, they are too many, and while you are strong Izuku, you can't take them all alone." Tsuyu said plainly, trying to think calmly in the dire situation they were.
Izuku was about to reply when it clicked, "I see you have one crazy idea, think it will be enough?" Nana asked, trying to make sure Izuku knew what he was doing, the battlefield was not a place for reckless mistakes, 'More than enough.' He turned his back to the other two, a smile growing on his face.
"You don't have to worry," Izuku put his hand over his chest, letting his heart guide his motions, "I'm never alone." He closed his eyes, light shining from between his closed fingers.
His heart, empowered by the hearts of the heroes that came before him, cried for help. The call traveled between what was real and what was not, and found those who answered.
The barrier between the Waking World and the Sleeping World became thinner. And the merciful Spirits came to help protect the dreams of the young heroes.
Yup, I bet you were not expecting all these craziness, but here we are. I made the chap, keeperofhounds made the chapter good. The next will be where things start to get fun.
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