Chapter 15: Working Together
"I mean, why do we even have titles? It's not like we really go by them." Axel shrugged, he was walking down a desert street with Roxas, Xion, and Izuku.
"You just say that because you have one, I want one too!" Xion pouted, glaring at the redhead.
Axel rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't be like that, Izuku doesn't have one and he isn't throwing a tantrum." The older man said while pointing at Izuku, not noticing how his words made the boy flinch.
"Hey, why doesn't Izuku have a title?" Roxas asked curiously, also not noticing how he threw his friend under the bus.
'Time to improvise,' Izuku thought, coming up with something to maintain his cover, "I do have one, but as Axel said no one goes by them and you all never asked until now."
"Then what is it?" Xion was curious, and a little sad, she really was the only one without a cool title.
Saying the first thing that popped in his head, Izuku fumbled into another excuse. "It's… The Heroic Thunderbolt and ya know, the whole point of being a secret agent is that people don't know me."
"Still don't know why the 'secret agent' business is necessary." Axel shook his head, the higher-ups sure were dramatic but isn't this a little too much?
"Because I can go to places most people can't and know things most people don't. For example, there's a really big Heartless at the end of this road, and whoever reaches it last pays for the ice cream!" Izuku said, bolting ahead leaving his friends and the dangerous topic they were treading behind.
"Hey, wait up!" While Axel shouted, Roxas and Xion traded a glance, quickly following the green-haired boy's lead, leaving their arsonist friend behind. Axel took a second to feel betrayed before dashing after them, "I'm not paying again!"
Laughter filled the empty street as the cloaked figures raced, the secret of one of them safe for a day more.
Ochaco slowly floated from a cement pillar to another, she was in one of UA's training facilities called Training Dream Land, or TDL. Izuku scheduled a time for her and the current group to use it along with Cementos-sensei help, the idea was simple on paper, they would train their mobility using a maze of platforms.
Ochaco using her quirk in herself to float from one to the next, something that would have been impossible if not for Izuku's help, he gave her something he called a Panacea. While the magic stuff went straight over her head, she got the important part, after drinking it she wouldn't get sick for the next few minutes, using that she would slowly get used to the feeling of zero-G until she could freely float without worrying.
"Good job Ochaco-chan!" Tsuyu said when the frog girl sailed past the brunette. Ochaco was in a group with her and Tenya, all three being helped by Izuku's borderline insane ideas.
"You will not escape!" Tenya shouted from ground level. Ochaco twisted in the air to look at her speedster friend, he was in a PE uniform like all of them, but with the addition of a sash filled with balloons with paint. His exercise was to hit Izuku or Tsuyu with a balloon while they did their best to dodge, simple on paper but a nightmare in practice, as he still didn't score one single shot.
With both, his targets jumping from pillar to pillar, wall to wall, and platform to platform Tenya would need to hone his spatial awareness until he could keep track of the terrain, targets, and both his and their trajectory, which was the main reason why he was doing it. Tsuyu, while also improving the same attributes, had her focus on being able to camouflage herself, one of the aspects of her quirk Izuku was over the moon on discover and take notes on, if she could improve it she would be the second-best in stealth on the class, losing only to Toru.
Izuku though had only one thing he was striving for, in his words he was trying to "relearn how to be fast". While a strange choice of words, Ochaco now knew what he meant, looking at the glowing green blur blitzing from one point to the other at such speed the only thing she could see was a viridescent line crisscrossing almost the whole TDL was a spectacle.
Ochaco reached the side of the pillar she was aiming for, holding it so she wouldn't fly off. The girl had to admit that flying without feeling her breakfast wanting to jump ship in the middle of the way was amazing, she never felt so free.
With a bang, Izuku crashed to her left, far enough to not hurt her by accident, as he had both hands and feet buried in the craters the impact created, "Hey Ochaco, fancy seeing you here!"
The girl giggled, "Nice seeing you too, how's it hanging?"
Izuku ripped his upper and lower right limbs from the solid structure they were trapped in and let his body hang from the left ones still anchored, "Good enough, I'm not falling so I ain't complaining!" They laughed, but a warcry got their attention.
Tenya, noticing how Izuku had stopped, took his chance for marking his first point, pushing his quirk to the limit, blue flames starting to come out of the exhausts on his legs, the boy closed in.
Izuku glanced at Ochaco, "Gotta go!" Freeing himself, the young Keyblade Master put his feet on the pillar surface and started running, completely disregarding physics and moving up.
Ochaco watched in shock as her friend once again did the impossible like it was easy, Tenya too gaped at the sight, but then he had an idea so irresponsible and reckless it might just work, Izuku was rubbing off on his friends. Keeping his course, Tenya angled himself and when he was about to crash, he planted his feet on the wall, then the next, and again.
Ochaco deadpanned at the sight of Tenya not wanting to be outdone and followed Izuku in ignoring gravity, "Hey! That's my shtick!" Simply deciding to go along with it, Ochaco pushed herself up, using both arms and legs to speed herself. She knew that it probably looked ridiculous, her running vertically up on all fours, but she couldn't bring herself to care, both competitiveness and stubbornness pushing her further.
In the end, the three teens reached the ledge, shooting past it and flipped on the air, Izuku trying to dodge Tenya's throw, Tenya trying to throw harder, and Ochaco because she still wasn't completely used to move without gravity pushing her down, leaving the girl heavily disoriented, she tried to fix that by releasing her quirk, something she quickly regretted. The final result was a pile of bodies, Izuku on the bottom and Ochaco on the top, both sandwiching Tenya.
"Ouch!" They all said.
A croaky laugh came from their side, slowly the colors bleed back into the vague silhouette of Tsuyu, "I give an eight out of ten, the idea was nice but you all have to work on the landing, but at least you got him Tenya-chan!"
"What?!" Izuku and Tenya both looked to the former and saw that on the landing Tenya had accidentally put the sach with his ammo in the exact place he belly-flopped in Izuku's back, paint flowing from between the two boys.
"Well, not what I had in mind with this but congrats! Now can you two please get off me!" Izuku's yell reminded his friends that they were still squishing him. Getting up and apologizing, they all looked at the damage, both Izuku's back and Tenya's chest were dripping with multi-colored ink, "I sure hope this thing washes with soap." They all did.
"Want a break?" Tsuyu asked, the other three traded looks and nodded, their stunt leaving them quite tired.
Izuku walked to the platform ledge and sat down, his friends soon following. Even if they couldn't see the sunset, the view of the whole training ground was still nice, deciding to enjoy the break and the opportunity. Izuku pulled four blue popsicles from wherever he kept his things hidden, his friends all had theories but no one got a definitive answer yet.
In a silent agreement, Izuku, Ochaco, and Tenya waited for Tsuyu's reaction, the girl having her first taste of Sea-Salt Ice-cream.
She nibbled on the tip, stopping for a second before taking a bite, "Salty, but sweet, I like it!" She closed her eyes and happily started to consume the treat, not noticing her three friends smiling in amusement.
"I believe everyone has the same reaction to it?"
Izuku nodded, "Yup, everyone loves Sea-Salt Ice-cream!" He wolfed down his own, he couldn't stop himself, it was so tasty!
Ochaco took another gulp of the Panacea to help settle her stomach before eating, looking at the empty flask on her hand she couldn't help herself but ask, how much would it have cost? Would she even be able to afford one? If she hadn't taken advantage of Izuku's kindness she probably wouldn't have ever gotten her hands on something like that.
Izuku's sweet and salty bliss was interrupted by the mood of the girl at his left side taking a nosedive, he glanced at Tenya on his right but the boy hadn't noticed, Tsuyu, on the other hand, had, she tilted her head forward so she sees Izuku from her place at Ochaco's left so they could have a silent conversation with their eyes alone.
'What happened?' She asked with only the rise of an eyebrow.
'Don't know, but I'm going to find out!' The slight sake of Izuku's head was quickly accompanied by his determined stare, conveying the message clearly. Tsuyu nodded and Izuku took that as his sign to go ahead.
"What's wrong Ochaco, the Panacea's not working?"
She gave a small jump in surprise, "What? No!"
"Then what's wrong?" He asked hoping she wouldn't close up with his questions.
"Nothing! It's nothing." She stared at the ground below, not meeting the concerned eyes of her friends.
Now even Tenya, who wasn't the most emotionally smart, noticed something was seriously bothering Ochaco. He was about to say something when Tsuyu got his attention and shook her head. It wasn't a good idea to let someone as blunt as them talk.
Tsuyu then stared at Izuku, who had a frown on his face, his eyes searching for something. She knew that between them Izuku was the only one capable of walking the fine line of trying to make someone open up without feeling overwhelmed, and he wasn't going to disappoint.
"Hey, you know if something is bothering you it's okay to tell us, we're not going to make anything that would make you uncomfortable on purpose, but if it's by accident then just tell us and we'll stop, right guys?" Izuku didn't take his eyes off Ochaco, but he knew Tenya and Tsuyu nodded, their quiet support helping Ochaco to start talking.
"It's not that, I'm just thinking I'm… not much of a hero."
Concern successfully skyrocketed, they jumped in denying it.
"That 's not true!"
"You are as deserving to become a hero as any of us!"
"You can't say something like that, kero!"
Surprised but not really, Ochaco started to talk between bites of her popsicle, "Yes it is, Look at you all! Tenya is from a family of heroes that protect people since forever, Tsuyu you're so kind there's not a single person that doesn't like you and Izuku!" She almost yelled the last part and thrust the half-eaten frozen treat at the boy's chest, "You saved me in the Entrance Exam, then you saved everyone in school on that Heartless invasion, then you saved the whole class on USJ!"
Energy spent, she finished the ice cream and looked back down, "While me, I want to be a hero for the money!" The words were out before she could stop herself, so Ochaco decided to go all the way.
Tenya and Tsuyu were about to protest but Izuku stopped them, Ochaco needed to take that weight out of her heart.
The gravity nullifying brunette was going full throttle now, "Everyone here has a selfless reason to want to save people, but I want to get a lot of money, I want to live a comfortable life! I wanna Ma and Pa to smile instead of worrying about the next bill and if they even have the money to cover it! To make darn sure our construction company doesn't sink and all their work goes down with it!" She was almost crying by the end of her rant, not noticing she had reverted to her home dialect.
Izuku waited one more second to confirm Ochaco was done before putting a hand on her back and slowly drawing circles on it to help her calm down, "I think that's a really good reason to be a hero," He softly said, and his words finally made Ochaco look at him in the eyes, "You want to save your parents and make them smile, that's not selfish, and everyone wants a nice and comfortable life so don't put yourself down over it. From all the ways you could earn a nice income you choose the one that lets you help the most people, and all of us will get paid when we're heroes so it's not like it's not one of the reasons we chose this career."
Tsuyu chipped in, "Yeah, I'm going to help my family with things when I start working as a hero."
Tenya too leaped into the chance to help, "Yes! Even my family is in the industry partly because of the quality of life that it provides!"
Izuku saw their words were getting to her, so to make sure they stuck he said, "I believe you have a good reason to be a hero and that you will be a good hero, so believe a little more in yourself, okay?" He gave her his most sincere smile, to prove he meant every word.
Ochaco had tears threatening to fall, quickly drying them with her arm. She looked at the stick on her hand to hide her misty eyes, and there she noticed something different, on it was written 'WINNER' alongside the drawing of a little crown. Turning to Izuku she asked what it meant, trying to change the topic.
He noticed what she was trying to do but decided to go along, "One popsicle in a bunch is a 'winner' one if you luck out and get it then…" He made a traumatic pause, enjoying his friends' expectant faces, "You get another one!" He pulled another Sea-Salt Ice-cream from the beyond, or wherever he keeps his stuff in, and presented it to Ochaco.
The girl in question blinked once, twice, then she started to laugh, the others quickly following. After accepting her prize and calming down she said, "I was expecting something a little more extravagant with all the show you put on!"
"It's called being dramatic!" Izuku answered without a hint of shame.
After their break, the four students all returned to their training with new vigor, specially Ochaco. There were people that believed in her, so she would believe in herself and become the hero that would justify that faith!
"Do you hate me for keeping your friend away from you?" Xion asked from where she was sitting on the curved three.
"No. I guess… I'm just sad." Riku's words were like a stab in the girl's heart.
"Why are you wasting time being sad!" Izuku pulled his brooding friend in a headlock, much to his protest, "If you have enough free time to mope around then use it for something more useful!"
"Like what?" The silver head asked, annoyed, not noticing how Xion was giggling behind her hand, previous sour feelings forgotten.
"Like get ready for your part of the plan! You didn't forget your role did you?"
Freeing himself, Riku answered, "No I didn't. Don't worry about it, I know what I have to do." The grim determination in his voice was as hard as steel, he couldn't trust himself, not after everything he had done, but he could always trust Izuku to have a plan so crazy it might just work, the fact it would make up for a lot of his mistakes was a good bonus. Riku would make things right, to everyone he hurt in his stupid and selfish endeavors.
"Die!" Katsuki's palm ignited with the force of a ton of dynamite, the explosion sending Eijiro flying into a wall and Izuku into the air. They were on the same ground they used on the Battle trials, in an empty street that looked more like a battlefield with all the smoking craters and crumbling buildings.
Katsuki had to give credit when fucking credit is due, Deku and Eijiro knew how to fight. They were already going at it for half an hour and they were not quitting, and while Katsuki wanted to say he was winning, it was a stalemate at best and mutual assured destruction at worst, and he was loving every second of it! Spitting a blob of blood from a good hook Eijiro got on his cheek when he didn't have enough time to dodge, Katsuki shouted, "Com'on! I'm waiting, or you two losers died with that?!"
"Nope!" Izuku's voice came from right behind him.
On instinct alone Katsuki ducked and barely avoided eating a face full of whatever Izuku Keyblade was made, the blonde actually wondered for a second what could be, it was too resistant to only be steel, as even his biggest explosion hadn't left a single spot on the thing, it kept sparkling in the sunlight in a way Katsuki swore it was taunting him. Leaving thoughts of a piece of metal mocking him aside, Katsuki countered the surprise attack with an elbow to the stomach and a backward headbutt so strong that it sent Deku stumbling back and gave them both a killer headache instantly.
"You have to do a lot better than that to get me! And you too asho-" Katsuki stopped mid-curse noticing that the intended target was not there, looking back he saw that Eijiro was still half-buried into a wall, his quirk down and taking big mouthfuls of air. Katsuki traded a glance with Izuku, he knew that he wasn't good with people but a nod from his friend gave him the green card to make Eijiro get up even if only by being pissed off enough to forget the exhaustion.
Walking a little closer he yelled, "Oi! What are you doing wasting our fucking time! I know that you're better than that if you took out all that Heartless mob with me, so get your ass off that wall and get over here Eijiro!"
The artificial redhead had a lot of emotions passing over his face before a sharp smile threatened to split it with how wide it was, "That was a really weird way to cheer me up, but it was so manly!" Pushing against the bone-deep tiredness and the wall he was in, Eijiro got on his feet. With a warcry he Hardened, going over his limits so he could keep up with his bros, Katsuki and Izuku were an inspiration on how to keep going no matter what, the former from competitiveness alone and the latter from a determination that was unbreakable, and that was what he wanted to be.
Hardening more and more, until every fiber of his being was rock solid, Eijiro shouted from the bottom of his heart, "You're going to see that I'm not backing down, not now not ever! A real man never surrenders!" Every part of his body looked slightly jagged from his quirk, even his eyes and hair, he was already running on fumes but with willpower alone, he overcame his limits, he would surely feel that in the morning but now, he was going to show his friends he too was on the race to be the greatest hero!
Izuku feeling Eijiro's heart light up like an inferno jumped up and cheered, Katsuki gave a quick once over on the new form and knew it wouldn't last, so with a smile that would make even a serial killer weak on the knees he said, "What are you waiting for?! A goddamn invite?! Let's go already!" Not a second later he blasted himself into a path of direct collision, hearing Deku following him a second later, round two had just started and Katsuki asked himself how much of the fake city would be standing when they were done.
Izuku came running down the dark street, the never-ending rain creating puddles that splashed with his every step.
His cover was blown and he had to escape, but not before starting the plan, if at least Roxas and Xion hadn't vanished to stars know where he wouldn't be so desperate but life always liked to mess up his plans.
At the crossing ahead he saw a friendly blindfolded face, "Riku! I need your help!"
"I know, DiZ got your message, what do you need me to do?" Riku's no-nonsense tone proved he knew how bad things were at the moment.
"I need a distraction, there are three members of the Organization after me, I need to find Roxas and Xion so we can get things back on track!" Izuku looked over his shoulder and saw his pursuers in the distance, "If you can keep Saïx, Luxord, and Demix busy I can find them."
"And after that?" The silver head asked while already getting ready for a battle.
"We improvise!" Izuku said with a smile so bright it almost seemed he wasn't panicking.
Sighing Riku opened a Dark Corridor, "Fine, go, I'll handle them."
Izuku nodded and threw himself into the dark portal, he didn't have a single second to lose.
Riku took a deep breath and reached to his blindfold, he had a mission to accomplish and people to help, if for that he had to dive into the abyss that once claimed his heart then so be it. Ripping the cloth from his face he opened his eyes, he proclaimed, "I'm not afraid of the Darkness!" As if rising for the challenge, Darkness descended.
Hanta asked Izuku, "Okay, I think I know where you're getting with this, but why the rhino?" He gestured to the massive blue rhinoceros with pink spots and light green spikes.
"Yeah, I was asking myself that too." Minoru offhandedly said while looking around, they were in a facility that seemed like an industrial maze.
"Good you asked! You two were here to train capturing moves! Both your quirks are amazing for apprehension and traps, so you will try to capture a Drill Sye!" He waved to the rhino, who gave a grunt that sounded like a mix of rocks grinding and gems shining.
"Wait a second, you want me to stop that thing! There's no way I can do that!" Minoru cried, Hanta too didn't like his odds.
"Com'on guys, you can do it if you try hard enough!" Izuku said with utmost faith.
Minoru shook his head, "No, not everyone is as cool as you who can smash boulders with a hand! I'm not good enough for it, I mean look at me!" He gestured to his body, who was not even half as tall as Izuku, the Dream Eater then could literally step on him.
Hanta tried to cheer his partner up, "Hey man don't say that, you need some confidence if you want to get the ladies!" He tried appealing to Minoru's perverted side, but the answer he got surprised everyone that knew the midget.
"Are you kidding?! No girl ever liked me before, if not for becoming a hero then I doubt anyone would even look at me!" He yelled the last part, tears forming in his eyes.
Hanta asked for Izuku's help with his eyes, he wasn't expecting to step on a landmine. Luckily Izuku stepped up before things could go south, "That's not true Minoru, you're our friend, you even fight alongside us in USJ! You're capable of a lot more than you give yourself credit for."
Hanta also decided to chip in, "Yeah man, I mean if you tone down the perversion a bit, a bunch actually, you would be someone really cool to hang out with!"
Minoru couldn't understand the concept of anyone being interested in his company, not after he was made the butt of every joke all his life, "Do you mean that?"
Izuku stepped back and let Hanta take over, something the tape dispenser boy didn't even notice, "Yeah, you are actually quite smart, and I saw you fighting, you packed a punch for someone so short. And on the perversion front, it's okay to have preferences dude, but try to keep them for yourself, or else the girls will rip your head off."
Minoru stopped for a second and considered it, yeah he could make that sacrifice, if he followed Izuku's lead and tried to be more friendly and helpful then people would have a better opinion of him right? And wasn't this why he wanted to be a hero in the first place? To become someone cool that others liked to be around, especially girls but having more friends would also be pretty nice.
Finding a new resolve, Minoru nodded, "Okay, I'll try, now let's show that oversized pincushion who's boss!"
"That's what I like to hear! But you have a plan?" Hanta kneeled beside Minoru, who quickly started to whisper a strategy. The more he heard the more his grin grew, "Dude, count me in!" He raised his hand.
Minoru smirked back and high-fived Hanta. Izuku watched all that and smiled, noticing the start of a new friendship was always wonderful, especially one where brothers-in-arms would prevail together were alone they would have failed.
"No Xion, who I'll have ice cream with?!" Roxas tried to hold onto his friend, but the girl glowed and started to fall apart into bright particles of light, leaving only a pink seashell behind as proof she once had been.
Izuku fell to his knees, "No, that's not how things should have happened." He whispered, tears filling his eyes, he was too late.
"It's your fault." Roxas' voice was barely audible, but the pain-filled shout that followed was clear to all that heard it, "It's all your fault!" The Key of Destiny all but threw himself at Izuku. Two Keyblades manifested, one full of Light and the other Darkness, the wings of an angel and a demon both beat together despite their duality, delivering punishment to him who failed his vow.
The self-proclaimed Heroic Thunderbolt would not lose another on that day, grief and guilt fueling his actions. With a move so fast it was a blur a Keyblade of Light and power snapped like a whip.
Blades clashed, one warrior crumbled. Izuku looked at the prone form of his friend, a reflection of his b̶̖̜͇̓̇̈́r̵̺̈͌͘͠ớ̷͓́̌͋͝t̸̩͈͂͜h̴̬̀ȅ̷̡̨̪̠̾̒̀͆r̸̻̝̍̽ he once was, but now another he became, his own person capable of crying for those he lost.
Izuku could already feel the memories fading, but he wouldn't surrender that easily, pulling out his journal he gave the girl they both shared so many sunsets one last memento.
"A friend made a terrible decision where there would be no turnbacks. My only thoughts are that this was her final decision and she seemed at peace with it. While I might not remember her for long I will always be grateful...thank you, Xion."
Izuku zipped from one branch to another, today he was training with Koji and Toru in a forest area. They were making a simple game of tag, or not so simple as Toru was fully invisible and Koji had to command the local critters to locate her and capture the girl with the blanket he had in his arms, a preventive measure against any accidents where the gentle giant touched the girl anywhere inappropriate as she was fully naked.
While the invisible girl tried to fool animals that had senses many times sharper than a human and the quiet boy tried to multi-task both commanding his troops, organizing with them, and capturing his target, Izuku did his best to be a nuisance. His only focus was to be as annoying as possible to get in the way of both Koji and Toru so they could work on their concentration and adaptability to unforeseen circumstances, like how Izuku just used a Balloon spell in the middle of a flock of birds and they all popped them, causing the colorful orbs to explode in bright lights, loud noises and a concussive force that sent the birds scrambling to getaway.
In a funny sequence of events, the distraction made Koji stumble on a root and fall, right into where Toru was. At least Koji was holding the blanket in front of him so Toru actually ended up covered, causing the situation to not be as embarrassing as it could be.
While they got up Izuku reviewed what he just saw in his mind and an idea formed, if he could confirm it his unseen friend was actually more than what meets the eye, or what doesn't. Jumping down he summoned his Keyblade and approached the floating blanket, guesstimating where her head was he put his theory to the test, "Hey Toru, Zap!"
The girl barely had time to turn and see Izuku pointing his Keyblade at her, from the tip a beam of light shot out aimed directly at her forehead. She gave a startled yelp when it hit, but then she almost yelled about what happened next. From the point of contact, the light refracted into various points, the rays of light going everywhere before a second passed and they aligned back, the light passing through her head completely.
"As I thought, your quirk is not what we all thought it was." Izuku nodded to himself, his hands already twitching with desire to note his findings down, the possible applications of her power already forming in his head.
"Can you please explain why there's a laser passing through my head?!" Toru yelled, keeping still for fear of the aforementioned laser hurting her, Koji too was frantically signing to Izuku.
Turning off the magic and dismissing Heroes Rising, Izuku started to explain, "That was a simple way to prove your quirk is not invisibility, but Light Refraction. When my Balloon spell exploded, your body silhouette was marked by a faint distorted light, what I did just now confirmed that your invisibility comes from you bending light so it doesn't reflect back, and you subconsciously align light that touches you so it can pass you, making you functionally invisible!" While not full-blown mumbling, his scientific discovery still went over Toru's head, but Koji seemed to get what Izuku was saying for the most part.
In a low voice, the animal commander asked, "If she's doing that herself, even if subconsciously, then she can turn it off right?" At Koji's question and Izuku's enthusiastic nod, the chip finally fell for Toru.
"You're saying I can turn visible?!"
"Yup, at least theoretically, we just discovered what your quirk really is. Imagine if someone just discovered he had legs after living all their life without using them, it would take time and effort to use them naturally."
Toru didn't let the weird analogy or the prospect of having to work a lot to use her quirk the way it was supposed to be used all along disheart her, she only saw the chance of looking in the mirror and seeing someone looking back, "But it's possible right?"
"Yup, and we're going to help you, right?" Izuku asked Koji who nodded.
"Awwn, you two are the best!" Toru hugged the boys, which caused both to blush fiercely as she only had a blanket covering her.
"You waste so much effort into something meaningless, why go that far for a Nobody?" DiZ asked while checking the simulation results, the data copy of this world running like it was supposed to, even after Izuku's subtle changes. The boy thought he wouldn't find alterations in the program, another evidence his judgment was compromised.
Izuku answered without looking up from his journal, even after staying hours with his face stuffed into it, "Why do you care? If you get your revenge in the end, why bother with what I do?"
This actually caused the man to pause, did the boy really only see him like that? Someone obsessed with revenge? The worst part was that DiZ couldn't find a single reason to say he was wrong. Making some quick alterations to the simulation he said, "I'll set the time to summer vacation."
The comment was made offhandedly, but Izuku noticed it for what it was, an olive branch, "That's nice, Roxas can have fun while we work on our end."
DiZ didn't say anything else, but to himself, he thought, 'Yes, the Nobody can pretend to enjoy himself, there's no need to torture him when the end is near, I only hope that will curb your pointless crusade for such mockery of beings.' Izuku may have a plan, but DiZ had his own machinations.
Sato Rikido was the new addition to their group after Izuku had an enlightening conversation with him about candy apples, Eri too liked the heavy-muscled and big-lipped boy after taste testing the results of that conversation.
Yuga and Rikido tried to follow Izuku's train of thought, keyword tried, "So let me get this straight, the reason we're here," He gestured to the room, one of UA's many facilities projected to test quirks, it was equipped with all manners of machines, props, and tools to accommodate the use, demonstration and training of quirks, "Is that you want us to use our quirks more than we normally can?"
Yuga too wasn't very fond of the idea with the drawback of his power, "I too don't see how that can help us mon ami."
Izuku, seeing that his friends got the wrong idea, tried to clarify the motive of the exercise, "That's not exactly it, both your quirks had only one major drawback, the limit time you can use them. Yuga can only shoot his laser for a minute total and Rikido can only buff himself with sugar for five minutes before he starts to tire out, but what you guys didn't realize is that is only when you use it at max power."
It finally clicked for Yuga, "Ah! So you want us to reduce the power output so we can extend the duration, what a magnifique idea!"
Rikido also got the gist of it, "So it's like cooking on low fire for a long period, that way we can cook the competition for longer, and if things get tough we can always turn up the heat on them!" His culinary experience and competitive spirit over the approaching Sports Festival sure made for interesting analogies.
"Yup! For that, we only need two things, for Yuga to limit the power of his laser and for you to learn what type of sugar your body takes the longest to metabolize. Luckily I got Lunch Rush help and he should be showing up at any minute now."
As if on cue, UA's resident chef walked into the room with a stack of boxes. Rikido gulped, seeing he would probably have to test every one of them one by one.
Izuku stared blankly at the empty pod, the digital copy of the world around him in a hollow silence.
DiZ approached the boy, "Now it seems my countermeasures worked as intended, the fake fully returned what he stole."
The shift in the air was stant, a deadly calm to an encroaching storm, all because of the fury of a kind soul, "What?" Izuku's voice was flat, but the molten rage flowing through his heart gave it a wrathful heat.
DiZ made his point, and put the final nail in the coffin, "I knew of your little plan to maintain Roxas existence, and after confirming it would have weakened S̷͉͚̓̒̃̃ỏ̵̫̈́̀̓́r̷̩̺̳̤̎̈̓̐͜a̴̮̝̥̒͒͐͘͝, I decided to remedy your mistake.
Izuku turned and walked past DiZ, head down causing his eyes to be shadowed by his hair, he paused his march to deliver his ultimatum at the edge of the gate to the real world, "No, you decided to keep pressing your mistake, but that's over." Tilting his head back, showing a green eye almost glowing a radioactive green with the desire to smite the fool that took his friend from him, the only thing stopping him was the one still waiting for him outside, the one fate would have to pass his cold body to rob him, "I will bring the Organization down for their crimes, but then I'll hunt you and will make you pay for your sins!" Heroes Rising materialized in a maelstrom of power and lightning, shining with a merciless light.
Turning away, before he lost himself to rage, Izuku pressed forward leaving a man consumed by vengeance alone in a now-empty world.
Izuku fought his Spirit companions in the empty space of the TDL. He spent the first week and half of the second helping all his friends with all his might, he was sure they were more than ready to impress the world in the Sports Festival, but now was Izuku's time to go beyond.
Dodging Cotton, parrying Shiryu, and blocking Tesla, Izuku pushed himself, "More," Jumping over a Balloon, twisting below a spray of Fire, contesting the power with Thunder, "I can do more!" He swathed a saw-horn, struck a sharp claw, and locked his blade with a lightning bolt-shaped horn, "I can go beyond!"
He pushed and pushed until he smashed through his limits, Nana joyfully cheering inside his heart, "There you go, kid! A small step for you but a whole new world of hurt to everyone in your way!"
And she was right because with a stronger rush of One For All flowing through his veins, Izuku's shout sounded like thunder and his attacks rained like lightning, "Full Cowling 12%!"
Two percent on an immensity was still much, much more. More strength to every blow, more speed to every move, and more power to every spell.
The Dream Eaters didn't falter, dealing as much as they received, pushing as hard as they were pushed. Like children playing, they happily fought, nothing but a fun game, even while the cement ground below their feet was torn apart with immensurable force.
Far away Toshinori watched over his boy, a smile on his face as Izuku was now a step closer to becoming more than he ever would be, and the old hero's heart filled with pride at the thought. The world wouldn't have another him, it would have something better, not a lone pillar, but an architect who would build up the pillars that would one day hold the world. He saw the improvements on all his students even after one day with his successor, every single one finding in themselves a new light.
Toshinori knew the kid was aiming for the top, but he also knew he inspired everyone to do the same, he wanted this to be a race, to stand along with the best of the best and be crowned the greatest. As if to prove his point Izuku started to hum to himself a little melody he caught the boy more than once doing even without realizing it, he seemed to be having the time of his life improving himself along with his friends, don't matter the kind. The Dream Eaters too perked up and Toshinori could swear they were matching his successor in his wordless song.
Closing his eyes, Toshinori let the sound of a boy humming, fantastical creatures' cries, and mass destruction wash over him. Maybe teaching wasn't so bad after all, if those simple moments of enjoying his disciples' growth would always be that fulfilling then he could get used to it.
Naminé eyed with bittersweet longing the sketchbook in her hands, her duty fulfilled, and the mark he left fading like the memories she fabricated leaving emptiness behind. However, she was also happy, for now, she would have her second chance.
"Now I just have to wait for Izuku and Roxas and we can go."
As if summoned by his name, the green-haired boy came bursting through the doors. He was back on his old clothes, a green sleeveless vest closed by a golden button by the middle, black loose trousers being held up by two crossed belts, and well-worn red shoes. It would be nostalgic if everything wasn't a size or two too small now, and if Izuku didn't have a look on his face like he was about to blow up.
"Grab your things, we're getting out of here." Izuku tried his best to hide what he felt but Naminé knew him too well to be fooled by his meagre attempt.
"What happened? Where 's Roxas?" She asked, worried something might have not gone as planned. A fear that soon proved itself true.
"DiZ found out what we're trying to do and decided to mess everything up!" Izuku punched the peerless white wall of Naminé's room, too angry to keep still for one more second, "And now Roxas…"
Naminé didn't need to hear more to know what end the Key of Destiny faced, it sprouted the feeling she came to know as sadness in what Izuku was certain was her heart. Even while it hurt, her friend needed her now, putting her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort Naminé said, "It wasn't your fault."
"Yes it-"
Cutting Izuku's retort before he could blame himself even one more time, Naminé said firmly, "No it wasn't, you did everything you could, don't blame yourself over other people's mistakes, wasn't you who told me that?"
Izuku's green eyes stared at Naminé's blue ones, he huffed and looked down, "Using my own words against me isn't fair." He said with a ghost of a smile and a wet voice.
Naminé pulled him into a hug, doing her best now that it was her time to cheer up her friend. Izuku returned it and let himself just feel, both the pain of losing someone and the relief of having protected one he held dear. In his heart he promised, he wouldn't lose ever again, whoever tried to take his friends would have to pass him first, and he wasn't going down without a fight.
Pulling himself together and away from Naminé, Izuku dried his eyes and smiled, "Thanks Naminé." The boy offered his hand, the girl grasping it without a moment of hesitation, "Now let's go grab the others, we have an evil Organization to stop and worlds to save!"
"Do you two have your bags?" Inko asked her children.
"Yes mom!" Both said while holding up their yellow backpacks.
"Your phones?"
"Yes mom!" Both showed her their phones, Izuku's old but well used one, and Eri's brand new phone she got after passing a magic test with a perfect score. Izuku not only broke into his savings as he even sold some of his hero merch for it, not of his All Might's collection, but still enough to buy a good phone and a casing with an apple design and a shooting star keychain.
"Your braids?" Inko knew she was stalling at this point.
"Yes mom!" Both laughed, Izuku flicking his small side braid Eri did every morning for him and the small girl her hair, now in a ponytail with red beads integrated in the woven strands.
"I think they're ready." Toshinori chuckled. While Izuku pulled Eri aside Toshinori asked Inko what was bugging him, "I don't have a problem watching over Young Eri today, but something happened for you to not be able to?"
Inko let out an exasperated sigh, "Nothing serious, only a board meeting."
Toshinori wasn't expecting that, "I think I'm missing something."
Inko frowned before realization flashed through her eyes, "I haven't told you yet? Sorry! Long story short, when I was younger my friend Mitsuki and her husband asked my help to start a fashion company. By helping I ended up with thirty percent of it. While not swimming in money it is more than enough to live comfortably."
Toshinori nodded, it made sense, some investments just paid off more than we expected, "And they need you for something as a shareholder?"
Inko sigh now was deeply annoyed, "Yes, Mitsuki and I have majority together so when someone is being particularly unreasonable she calls me to help teach them their place."
The way she said the last bit caused Toshinori to shiver, the phrase "Hell has no fury like a woman scorned" now made much more sense.
Inko then returned to her normal tone of voice that didn't promise swift and painful retribution to those that stood in her way, "Are you sure you can look after Eri? Won't it cause any trouble with your job? I doubt working at UA leaves you with much free time."
Toshinori waved her concerns off, "Don't worry, today I only have some paperwork to go through and Young Izuku told me Eri had her own assignment to complete so she will have something to entertain herself with. In any case, I'll call you if anything happens."
"Thanks, Toshi, I don't know what I would have done without you."
The casual use of a nickname that tugged his heartstrings caused the man to blush a bit. Since he started to spend time with his successor's family he felt more and more at home with them, more like himself, they didn't want All Might, they wanted Toshinori, the man not the hero. While he loved his work and the good it did, he also loved how he could unwind and just be himself with them in a way he couldn't with anyone else.
"Don't mention it." He shyly scratched the back of his head, "Now I think we should go, don't want to be late."
They all made their way out and to Toshinori's truck, the man quickly drove Inko to the Bakugos residence and then took off to UA. Hearing Izuku and Eri talking and joking and laughing while the soft hum of the engine filled the background gave Toshinori a sense of peace he rarely felt, the man caught himself wondering, 'Is this what being part of a family feels like?'
—
Eri looked from her notes to the half-eaten apple on the desk, trying to figure out how to pass her test. Izuku gave her something simple to do while Toshinori watched over her, not that it was easy but the idea was simple. If she used her quirk along with her magic to set a time loop on an apple so every time she bit it the fruit would rewind to before it was bitten then she would have an infinite apple to eat.
The glorious promise of an endless snack was all the motivation she needed, using everything that she learned she came up with dozens of plans, none of them successful as her dwindling stock of apples and the remains of her attempts attested. There was everything from a half-formed fruit to a seed in the pile of failures but they only served as fuel for Eri's desire to succeed, her snack was on the line!
Her new idea might just be what would accomplish her goal, making the math as Izuku all but beaten on her head, Eri concluded that the best way to cause the loop is to make a glyph of Time magic and infuse it on the fruit itself. As long as she didn't bite the marked part, the magic circuit would sense the apple's change of state and rewind it back to the previous one. Of course, it would have to power itself as it would be separated from her, but to make it draw ambient magic was simple, the tricky part was to make it drain only Time magic and the right kind of Time magic, if it also absorbed the Slow or Stop aspects then bite it would be like biting a rock.
Toshinori watched from the side, doing a small break to give his aching fingers a rest, the battle against the paperwork was still going but the mountain of papers was now only a small hill so he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The man knew when his advice was wanted and when he didn't have the slightest idea of what someone was doing, so he only observed in silence as Eri manipulated one of the primordial forces of the universe in hopes of making an endless snack. Ignoring how what she was doing could solve world hunger, as he didn't think he could handle any more miracles any time soon, the idea of using magic so she would always have an apple at hand was cute.
He was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of the door of the teacher's lounge being thrown open, Present Mic and Midnight entering while in the middle of one of their daily fashion arguments.
"I'm telling you, my hair is iconic!"
"I think you mean comic, really Hizashi. There are so many better styles that would fit with your costume."
Present Mic was about to retort when he was loudly shushed by the six-year-old in the room, the girl successfully ending the argument before going back to whatever she was working on.
The two heroes traded confused glances before looking at the only other adult in the room, "Friend of yours?" Hizashi asked.
"Yes, I'm looking after Young Eri as a favor for a friend." Toshinori hoped the quick and simple answer would cut off any following questions, but it actually only stoked the other two's curiosity.
"Really? And who would that friend be?" Nemury gave him a smile that was a mix of simplistic and predatory. Before Toshinori could come up with anything that could placate the gossip-loving Midnight, a neon green glow lit up the room.
Eri had floating above her open palm a fluorescent green with pale golden accents glyph of a clock the size of a golf ball, circular in shape with small arrowheads in the four cardinal directions, roman numerals marked the disk while the two pointers slowly traveled counterclockwise. Nodding in satisfaction the young magician waved her hand and the ephemeral construct flew at the apple before marking itself on its side.
"I don't know why, but I'm almost sure who the little listener is related to," Hizashi said smugly, even if it wasn't that hard to guess when a certain green haired student of theirs used something that looked exactly the same just the last day to stop time for a bunch of robots in one of the training groups he was part of.
Eri was not even paying attention to what the heroes were talking about, her full focus on the marked fruit in her hand, it didn't Stop so she was safe to test her theory. Taking a small tentative bite she felt the fruit skin breaking without problems, she stared at the teeth marks while munching, waiting for it to be a great success or another one for the pile of failed tries.
To her delight and the other room occupants' awe, the apple gave a slight glow before it was once again restored to its prestigious condition. Eri threw her arms up, her dreams of unlimited snacks had become real! She couldn't wait to show Izuku.
"What we just saw?" Midnight asked, hoping it wasn't only her that was lost.
Toshinori just shrugged, he wouldn't try to explain something he didn't know heads or tails about, having learned that it was better just to accept and go along with the impossible things his successor (and now that he stopped to think about his successor's successor? Thoughts for later) did every other minute.
Hizashi took off his glasses, confirmed that yes the fruit in the currently hopping and happy child had indeed restored itself, but then back and shrugged along Toshinori.
Thirteen entered the teacher's lounge to the scene currently ongoing and coughed awkwardly, "I'm interrupting something?"
Nemuri shook her head, "You don't want to know."
Thirteen decided that no she didn't, "Okay. The classes are about to go to USJ to make up for the lost rescue class, are we still going with the side plan?"
Toshinori nodded, "Yes, we just need a 'hostage'..." He paused, slowly turning to Eri, the others following.
The girl stopped her merry commemorations seeing everyone was staring at her, tilting her head Eri asked, "What?"
—
Izuku sat on the border of the newly repaired fountain in the center of USJ's plaza, "Man that was tough!"
"Deku you didn't even break a sweat while carrying that car!" Ochaco pouted, feeling spent from all the rescue work she had to use her quirk for, one of the disadvantages of being such a good fit for it.
"Damn weak ass building going down with just a weak ass explosion!" Katsuki fumed, he now hated the Ruins zone with a passion, any time he used his quirk it ended bringing something down.
Tsuyu poked Katsuki's cheek, earning a glare from the bomber, "You should have stopped and let us help instead of keep doing the same thing when you saw it wasn't working, kero. I'm almost sure our group would have failed that exercise if Ochaco didn't clean up your mess in time."
Katsuki barked back, "She caught one crane! ONE!" He raised his pointer finger menacingly before pointing at Izuku with it, "And Deku almost sank a bus!"
The boy in question defended himself, "But I stopped and asked for help when I saw things were going south, why didn't you?"
Katsuki was a breath away from going on a rampage, or a rant, but before he could say anything the sound of the alarm flooded the plaza, drowning the scattered groups' conversations.
Izuku and Katsuki traded a glance, a nod, and jumped into action, "Get here extras!" The blonde's voice raised above the alarm, all quickly following the order.
Izuku made a quick count, everyone was in the plaza and rushing in their direction, and a quick scan showed no Darkness in the building. Not Heartless then it could only mean one thing, "A villain!" Someone yelled while pointing at the entrance, Izuku's head snapped in the direction, and what he saw made his heart stop.
Eri, trapped inside a cage of iron bars, the girl gripping them tightly. Beside her was a towering figure using a black leather costume that covered everything but his bulking arms, in his face was a gas mask with a glowing red lens.
Izuku didn't hear what the villain or anyone else said, his gaze locked in his apprentice, his friend, his sister. Red eyes met green, "Izuku help me!" As her plea reached him, the world snapped back into focus.
Izuku didn't think, he moved. In a second he crouched, feeling 12% of the most powerful quirk that ever existed flow through his body he lunged at his enemy. In a flick, a whirlwind of light, and the sound of power, a Keyblade manifested in his hand. Not Heroes Rising, but Sky and Storm, the crystalline weapon carving a glowing trail through the air.
Izuku brought his blade up and smashed it into the one who dared to go after Eri. The villain raised his crossed arms to block, but the power of one of the strongest Keyblades he ever saw in his visions cracked the ground below him and hammered the man down until almost his knees were buried into the floor. The shockwave created by the impact sent every loose stone flying, with them Eri's cage also was sent into the air, but a long tongue quickly snatched it away.
Izuku didn't have time for the villain to try to get it back, planting his feet on the gas mask so hard he could hear and feel it breaking the boy kicked back, gaining distance but more importantly, cleaning the line of fire.
The sound of explosions announced Katsuki, the boy flying like a missile of pure rage. Izuku backflipped in the air at the exact moment to let Katsuki pass him. Red eyes met green, a simple thought conveyed. Make. It. Hurt.
With a manic grin, the blonde reached his still trapped target a second after. Palm glowing like a supernova, he shouted one word with all his being, "DIE!" The attack that followed wasn't a simple blast, it was a cone of pure force, flame, and destruction that engulfed the villain and continued until the new and reinforced steel doors of the entrance (doors Izuku still wasn't impressed with).
Katsuki was slingshotted back the way he came at terminal velocity by the laws of physics, but luckily Deku didn't give a fuck about physics. Blinking was all it took for him to miss the transition from flying through the air and be safely in the ground, but that was the last of his priorities at the moment, "Go! I'll make sure to give that asshole another dose if he isn't dead yet!"
Izuku just nodded before bolting to the group reunited in the fountain. Tsuyu had put the cage in the middle while it could be easily protected and Momo was trying to lockpick the padlock keeping it closed. The green lightning that was Izuku landed at the side of the cage and with two quick swipes, the bars came falling down, sliced cleanly in the top and bottom.
Eri didn't waste a second in throwing herself into Izuku, the boy quickly scooped her into a hug, "Everything's gonna be fine now, I am here."
"Izuku he is-" she couldn't finish before Izuku passed her to Ochaco. The brunette held her more from surprise than anything.
"I'll handle him, Ochaco and the others will keep you safe!"
"Izuku wait!" Eri tried to stop him but in a flash, the aura-clad Master was already gone.
Izuku landed beside Katsuki, both staring at the smoke cloud slowly dissipating, "Plan B?"
The bomber raised an eyebrow without taking his eyes off the partially revealed villain who was finishing getting his legs free, "You mean…?"
"Yup!"
Katsuki considered for a second before shaking his head, "Nah, we still have the Festival tomorrow, and we don't need it to beat this loser!"
Izuku shrugged, "Fine by me."
"You brats sure are rude! Speaking like if I wasn't here, I'll teach you both a lesson!" The villain marched out the smoke. His outfit was heavily burnt and the mask was almost falling apart, from a piece that tore open a long, blonde and familiar bang poked out.
Izuku and Katsuki deadpanned, hard. Dismissing his Keyblade the boy said with a completely flat tone, "You know when I asked you to make Eri company, I didn't mean like that, All Might."
"WHAT?! I-I don't know what you're talking about I'm-" The man stumbled into his words, but Katsuki cut him before he could bother to deny.
"Save it old man! Everyone knows that hair and whose head it's attached to. If I was you I would start running, or else…" Katsuki indicated the now extremely angry Izuku with a tilt of his head.
"Wait, it was all a test, Eri was perfectly safe!" Seeing his cover was blown, All Might try to go for damage control.
Unfortunately, Izuku wasn't the only one that was having none of it, "Izuku." The extremely annoyed voice of Nana sounded in the boy's head.
'What?'
"Beat some sense in this beef head thick skull for me."
'Yes ma'am!' Izuku gave a mental salute to Nana before cracking his fingers, which caused All Might to panic even more.
"Wait, you don't want to do this that way, right?"
Izuku stopped and hummed before nodding, "Right," For a second All Might had hope, but it quickly died when Izuku turned to Katsuki, "Kacchan, would you kindly?"
A grin that promised and craved violence was his answer. Both boys started to walk to their victim, who was still talking in the slight chance he would be forgiven, he wouldn't.
At the fountain the rest of the class plus Eri watched two teenagers make the world's greatest hero run off screaming, before following him like hunting hounds after their prey.
"I tried to warn him." Eri's voice broke the rest from their shocked state.
Ochaco asked, "All Might or Izuku?"
"Yes."
No one knew who started laughing, they only knew everyone followed. Everyone but the bichromatic boy who watched Izuku like a hawk, another evidence of his theory was just handed to him.
"I know who you really are, Midoriya." Todoroki whispered to himself, no one hearing it with the sound of their laughter.
—
Inko finally walked back home, throwing her shoes off and everything that wasn't necessary too, a day full of dealing with idiots made her tired to the bone, "I'm home!"
She followed the sound of greetings to the kitchen, where Izuku and Eri were eating and Toshinori was slumped over the table.
"What happened?" Inko asked worriedly.
Toshinori raised his head, "Mistakes were made." He said before letting it fall down again.
The elder Midoriya looked at her children for an explanation. Izuku and Eri both gave her the exact same brilliant smile and response, "It was fun!"
Well, at least they enjoyed themselves.
It's done, after one year, the first 'season' of this fic is done. Now we can begin with the next phase, the Sports Festival and the chaos, joy and drama it will bring along with my own twists to it all. If things had gone well the amazing keeperofhounds had edited all this 10k+ monster in a week so it could be posted for the first birthday of this fic so a round of applause to this awesome human being, if not then do a round of applause anyway, he deserves it!