Chapter 20: You are your own person!

Ochaco sniffed, not because of the pain, no that had already disappeared, like her chances. She lost, even while using everything she had, it wasn't enough. Ochaco lost.

Her phone started ringing again, the screen of the pink flip phone having the name of one of the people Ochaco felt she couldn't ever face again. Her dad's name seemed to burn her already dry eyes. After all the crying she did when Ochaco woke up in the infirmary after Recovery Girl healed her, it wasn't surprising.

There was a knock on the door of the waiting room where Ochaco was resting just after the ringing stopped, the call going unanswered once more. The girl quickly dried the tear marks, "Come in."

The door slowly opened, from behind it Izuku poked his head in and smiled at Ochaco. He entered the room and carefully closed the door, making sure not to make any noise. When he succeeded, Izuku let out a relieved sigh, "I made it."

Ochaco giggled behind her hand, "Why the sneaky entrance?"

"Recovery Girl wasn't too keen on the idea of letting us see you, so I took my chance when everyone was protesting, and was being chased away by a walking stick, to slip in here," Izuku whispered while making his way to stand before Ochaco. The girl, seeing there wasn't another chair for her friend, decided to stand up too.

"Aren't you scared of what she'll do to you with that walking stick if she finds out?"

Izuku's smile was blinding, "Terrified." He put his fists on his waist and bent closer to her, "But that won't stop me."

Ochaco blushed slightly even if a small quirk of her libs tried to break into a full-blown smile. The moment was short-lived though, the pain of defeat came crashing down into her right after.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Izuku's good mood also instantly changed, concern filled his heart seeing the tears piling up in his friend's eyes.

"I lost. I tried so, so hard! But in the end, it wasn't enough." Ochaco choked on the words.

"That's not true!" Izuku's voice raised, previous fear of being found forgotten, "You backed Kacchan into a corner, you pushed him so hard that he had to admit you are strong! Heck, he shouted it to the whole world to hear after the fight ended."

The idea was hard to understand, Katsuki Bakugo was one of the toughest people Ochaco knew, for him to say that she was strong even after she lost, "He did? And you… do you think I'm strong?"

Izuku held both of Ochaco's hands in his, pulling them together he enveloped them and looked the girl in the eyes, "I know you're strong, since the first day. You saved me in the entrance exam when the zero pointer showed up, you fought at my side more than one time, you proved out there, to every single person watching, that you are worthy."

Ochaco felt the weight of Izuku's words, be him speaking about being a hero or what else passed behind the bright green orbs locked on her soft brown ones. At that moment, so close and solely focusing on his eyes, she noticed a detail no one else had, "Blue."

"What?" Izuku tilted his head slightly in confusion.

"Your eyes, they have a little blue in them." They had a small outer ring at the edge of his iris, an sky blue that was almost impossible to notice unless you looked close enough.

"Oh, yeah." He chuckled slightly, letting go of her hands and scratching the back of his neck. Ochaco didn't say it, but she missed the warmth that covered her hands the moment Izuku let go. The boy shook his head and tried to get back on track, "Ochaco, I mean it, don't let anyone say you are not good enough, not even yourself, okay?"

The brunette nodded, "Yeah." She said softly, then with more energy behind it, "Yeah! You're right, I fought one of the strongest people in the school and almost won! If Katsuki hadn't pulled that big explosion in the end I'm sure he would've been toast."

"That's the spirit!" Izuku laughed, then he pulled his notebook from the aether and closed in on her personal space, "Can you explain that special move to me? For academic purposes." He chuckled weakly, begging with his eyes for more info for his journal.

Ochaco laughed, Izuku was a dork, "Of course, just don't go copying my stuff!"

"Wouldn't dream of it!"

"Better not, the Stairway to the Heavens is my-"

"̶̷̴̶̵̸̵̢̡͚̦͔͖̪̝̣̮̫̀͐̅͂́̿̇̿͌̚͘͝Ȳ̶̴̷̵̶̶̨͔̮̫͉̼̗͌̈́̊̏̐͘̚o̶̴̵̷̴̵̠͈̪͎̜̥͈͍̪̬̲͛̃̅̽̉͗͊̄u̶̸̶̶̷̵̢͙̖͖͓̞͉͚̮̰̅̾̉͋̆͋̕͝ ̸̴̴̴̴̸̶̡͎̮͍̲̳̤̣̦͎̝̐̂̈́̐͑́̽̆̕̕ͅȁ̵̶̸̷̷͉̙͓̙͙̠̣̑̅̔̽̌̃ŗ̷̵̴̸̴̴̢̼͙̠͍̣̥̼̟̹͒̓̏̽́̇̐́͑͗ę̷̸̴̷̴̵̷͖̰̥͉͙̖̖͉̱̯̞͛̑̏̋͌̅́̈́̑͜ ̵̵̷̷̴̡̘̙̻̠͚̗̿́́̆̉̈́ă̷̸̴̴̶̶̜̺̙̙̥̩̈́̿̌̈́̓̆̕̕͘͜͝͠ļ̵̵̷̶̴̸̸͉̦̺̩̩̖̦̫̰̌́̿̇̀͆̐́́͂̕l̷̸̶̴̴̷̩̼̫̺͖̙͚̲̻̈́̿̂̇̄̍̊̓̈́̕ͅ ̴̸̴̷̴̴̨̺̠̞̺̖̖̝͙̀͌̉̂̀͋̇̚̚a̶̶̴̵̸̸̡̱͈̞̮̜͖̘̹͗̄͐̎͑͊̏̀͂͝l̶̵̵̷̸̛͈̱̖̱̠͎͐̇͑́̀ö̸̵̸̴̴̧̳̜̙̤̝̘́̈́̓̃͋͝ͅn̶̴̴̶̷̴̢̨̛͕̙̤̩̹̣̯͚̍̿́̂́̈ė̷̶̸̵̶̶̡̳̟̺̲͚̹̫̈́͂́̓̆̒̀ͅ.̴̶̴̷̸̸̺̘̺̲̪͍͖̻̒̏͐̿̐́͗̌̂̕̚"̵̴̴̴̴̴̥͈͚͍̞̙͉̩͕̫̀̈́͂̆̀́̍͘ͅͅ

"̵̷̴̵̷̸̴̧̛̞̻͕̫̱̰͓͔̼͓̜̈͐̅͑̀̽͒͐̌͝͠N̶̵̷̵̷͓̹̞̮̽̉̂̒̀͊͜ǫ̶̸̵̸̴̸̨̲̫̭̻̤͈͎̃̉̃̏̆̃̒̈́̚̚͝ͅ,̴̵̶̶̵̷̸̼̮̜͓͚͈͔̳̳͕̺̏̌̈́̏̽͂̇͋͠͝ ̷̸̴̸̷̷̬̩̹̖͕̗̖̤̰̇͑̍̐̋̿̑͆I̶̸̵̷̸̶̡̧̛̻̤̲͈̤̦͊͒͆̍̒̓̾͆̿'̵̴̶̶̷̶̧̡̢͍̺͉̭͔̭̊͑̽̒̄̈́͒́͜͝ĺ̸̶̷̵̶̸̢̡̧̖̗͓̠͛̇̑͗̋̌͋̕͝ļ̶̸̶̸̴̵̶̢̢̢͔̙̞̰̳̰̘̲̏̌͂͊͗̓̄̌̊̍͆͝ ̴̴̵̷̵̷̶̧̨̨̛̤̜̼͔̗̠̼̑̐̆̅́̈́̀̎̽͝s̶̸̴̶̷̡̬̩̯̤̹̩̾̉̾͛̌̚e̸̵̶̶̶̡̞̱̮̘̘̦̋̅̀́͋̾͘ȩ̶̷̴̵̸̶̷̧͉̣͇̲̠̱̝͉͓͆͌̊͗̿́͑͛̌̕͜͠ ̶̷̵̷̶̷̶͍̹̹̜͎̩̰͉͓̦̖͇͈̽̾̋̍̒͋̂̌̅͝t̴̶̷̶̶̶̨̨̻̞̯̘͍̲̞̜͈̆̓̒̓̐̓̽̕͘ḣ̵̴̴̸̶̷̵̫̙̯͚̙̜̺̹̞̓͗͊̈́͊͗̎̕͜͜͝ẻ̵̸̷̸̴̶̡̨͉͚̟̯͇̭̹͌͗͌̄̓̚͝m̶̴̴̴̶̷̬͈͉̪͉͙̬̞̀͑͐̿̾̀̊̿̏̕ͅ ̷̷̴̴̶̷̡̧̯̤̦̟̜̺̞̫̊̊͗̑͊͌̋͗͝ã̷̴̷̵̴̵̮̼̙͍̟̱̜̞̖͆̂̅̚͘͜ͅǵ̷̶̸̶̶̨̱̱̮̟̂̄̔̊͝͠ͅạ̸̸̸̷̴̷̰̹̲̺͓͚̳̼͓̓͒͑͆̏͋̔̎͋̾̚i̵̷̴̵̴̴̧̡̗͈͈͍̹̒́̈̾͊͒̈̚ņ̴̸̴̴̴̗̭̘̥̦̉̋͂̂̀̃ͅ.̵̶̴̴̶̵̺͉̹̺̲̙̞͖̩̥̋̂̈͊̈́̾͝ͅ

"̴̴̴̶̵̷̶̳͔͚̦̭͓̘̭͎͇͇̀̅̿̓͛͑̃̈̑D̷̴̶̶̶̸̛͉̠̰͎̹͉̪̠̦͖͗̉̍̉̾̿͐̐o̷̶̷̴̵̵̡͚͔͕̗̖̩̪͋̔̈́̇̿̾̅̀͜͝ ̸̵̴̵̸̷̪͚̫̥͕̝͖̘͗͒͒͑̚͜͠y̷̴̵̸̴̷̢̢͈̮̮̳̻͓̻̗͐̈͆̓̌̿̉̈́ò̵̴̶̷̴͉̬͓͕̻̝̟̙͐̾́͌͒͘ụ̴̵̴̷̸̧̧̧̜͈͉͓̿͐̆̈́̕͠ ̴̶̵̷̵̷̸̢̺̰͉͎͖̙̬̫͔͈̿̍̃̒̾̓̓̇̔̿̄̆͜ṛ̸̷̴̵̸̵̷̨͔̙͙͍͙͍͙͔̫̏̇̓̾̉̏̾̌̄̿͜͝͝͝ȩ̷̶̸̸̵̶̷̛̱̹͙̪͙̳͕͎̖͋̈́̔̊̏̀̑̊͘͝a̷̴̵̶̵̺̥͉̠̠̤̺̅̽̓͐̈́̂̓͠ḽ̵̶̴̵̶̷͖̜̫͇̫̭̤͒̐͗̐̒͗̒͒l̷̵̴̴̷̶̨̢̖̖̯̱̘͓͌͛̆́̈̋̊͘͝͠͝y̴̷̴̸̷̘̜̻̤͔̹̆̉̑̿̏̀̑̕͜ ̶̴̵̸̶̷̨̢̣̙͕̝̟̘͛̌̄́̊̀̋̔͘͝t̴̶̷̸̷̶̛̯̖͔͓̼̮͓̝̖̦̏̆̄̒͂̍̄͜h̶̷̷̶̶̷͙̱̫̫͓͖̠̜̊͐͆̈́̆́͂́̈́͜i̵̶̴̷̶̸͔̲̼̮̫͚̼͕̐͗́̂͆̽̒̚ņ̴̵̵̴̷̶̵̧̰̞̰̭͕̗̺͆͋̍̈́̿̈́̾͛͆̅͑͝k̵̵̷̴̷̸̨̻̣͇̖̹̥͕͈̉͑͌̀͐̌̑͆̚ ̵̶̷̸̸̨̯̖̖͓̭̋̽̒͊̃̕͜ͅś̷̷̸̵̷̷̻͍̪̳͙̝̘̆͛̓͑͊͝ǫ̵̴̶̴̴͍̟̦̥̦̤͑͑͊̓̆̉̃͘?̵̴̸̷̶̧͈̠̻͍̩͇̫͕̄̏̉͌̀͘͝"̸̴̷̶̷̷̧̛͉̞̮̤̞̬͊͂̂̾́̂̃̌̚

"̷̵̴̷̴̵̧̫̟͔͇͆̇̾̍͛̋̿̋͛ͅͅĮ̷̶̵̵̴͚͖̼̳̞̿͆̋̈́͘͝ͅ ̴̶̷̷̷̨̙̜̱̳̠̲̂͂̊̕͘͝ḵ̴̶̶̶̵̶̢̢̗̤͉̼͇̙͂̽̌̒̅̽̊̑̽͑n̸̵̶̶̴̵̢̢̛̛̞̝̜͕͙͔̥͊̌̑̓̋̔͝ợ̶̶̵̵̸̧͍̲̝͈̲̱̄̑̈́͛̈́ẅ̵̶̸̶̴̤̤̘̥̙̜̲́̎̈́̀̕̕͝ ̷̴̶̶̸̢̟͔̳̦͆͐͗͑̆͠ͅs̵̶̷̴̵̶̺͉͖̜̩̳͉̥͈̰͋́̓̀̋͛̍͆̂͌͝ȯ̵̷̴̶̸̶̴̲̹̮̱͕͎͈̥̰̳͉̣̀̾͑͛̔̈́̇̈́̒̉͠,̸̵̸̶̸̸̨̗̗̙̣͕͒̆̐̍̀̀̚͠ ̵̸̶̸̴̷̨̫̳͉̙͇̥̗̟͌̐̄̈́̈́͒͒t̷̵̶̴̶̵̯͚͎̺͙̤͈̥̘̼͊̿̌̾͐͆̆̚͘ḩ̴̵̶̷̸̸̱̠͍͔̘̭̠̫̙́̒͗̒̄̓̍̍͐á̶̷̵̶̵̺̘̬͉͍̺̩̈̋̽̒̎̒t̶̶̵̶̵̡̼̣͎̦̯̮͔̂͒͑̃͑̾̍̚'̷̸̴̵̶̵̢̧͓̦̭̣͙͉̭̠͒͒̓̀̑͝͠͠͝ș̶̸̵̷̵̷̢̢̱̤͍̫͔͙̈́̓̆̋̿́͛́̒ ̷̸̸̵̷̵̸̢̬͕̘̭̠̗̯̘̱̓̓̀̉̈́͗̈́͂̓͘͘͜ẃ̶̴̷̸̸̶̴̳̙̤͚̩͕̯͖̮͍͍͈̂̊̐̀͗̊͑̽͜͝͠h̴̸̵̸̸̷̸̛̲͍̜͇̫̥̗̺̗͉̟͊̿̊̽̇̇̅̋̓͝y̶̸̸̴̵̴̛̛̹̠̱̯͍̭̮͙͚̠͒̊̑̀̅̓́͛ ̵̶̸̸̸̷̰̘̗̩̹̮̙̋̈́̑̀͌͊̆̀͘͜I̶̴̶̷̴̛̲̳͈̝̼͙̘̒́̓̒̕'̴̴̸̷̶̷̷̡͈̠͔̘̟̹̟̖̗͉̠̊̄͌̀͑̄̋͑͌́̚ͅl̶̷̵̷̵̵̩̘͖͙͎͕̦̜͖̤͑̉̓̇̑̋͂̓͝l̵̶̷̷̶̷̢̡̬̙͓͖͔̠̣̓̀̈̀̅̒̃̈̚͝ ̸̵̵̵̴̜̹̰̪͈̹̑͐̿͛̇̊b̶̸̵̷̸̶̗̖͓͓̺̦͎̔̅̈̓́̽͛͘͘͜ư̶̵̸̸̶̸̵̧̨̤̠͎̫͔̤̜̺̙̋́̆̾̓̽̓̂̚i̶̶̸̸̴̶̧͈̩̙̜̹͕̇͐͛͂͆̓̇͠͝͠ĺ̵̷̶̶̴̴͚̭̫͎̰̬̖͓̖͒̊̅̈́͛̃͝d̷̴̸̵̷̛̙̮̥̼̞̼͍́̓̀͆̽̚͠ ̴̷̴̶̸̡̤͖͚̬͙̝̀̆̀̚͠t̴̶̶̷̵̸̢̠̯̯̭̻̥̉̓̒̆̃͌̽͋̚͝h̸̵̷̸̷̴̶̡͍̻̹͔̪̥̟̗̦̜͗̀̑̂̈́̌̀̃͘̚̚̚͠ͅe̶̴̵̴̶̷̢̫̪̹̦̫͎̳̲̝͆̆́̽̑̏̑̃m̸̸̶̷̸̵͕̲̰̝̪͖̘̟̝͚̂̀̽͒̎͋͒̔̂ ̴̷̶̸̷̸̴̨̨̣̖̩̥̯̣̞̻͐̈̓͗͌͗͑̾̊̉̕ͅá̸̷̶̶̴̷͚̲̫̺̣̣̗͍̐̇̽͑̀͋͘ ̷̴̶̸̷̵̨͇͉̩͍̻͎̝̪̜̱̎̐̂̃̅̓̕s̷̶̷̴̴̸͉͇̣̳̘͎̩̰̈́̾̏͑͒̈̏̍̓͜ͅả̷̴̵̴̵̵͕̳̪̹̹̫͉̫̗̃͂̍̄̾̎͂n̸̵̷̶̸̷̢̯͖̻͍̭̮͇̈́̎̃̀́͌͆̐̕͠ç̴̴̶̷̶̶̵̟̪͈͓̰̹̪̙͎͊̄̃́̌̒͌̀͜͝t̵̵̴̶̴̷̵̢̻̙̪̘͉͖͖͚͔̤̙̓̒̓́̎̋̈͋͛̚̚͝ủ̸̴̶̶̶̸̗̦̠̲̠͉̖͈̉̅̔̄̔̽̾͐a̷̸̸̷̴̸̧̛̞͔̞̲̘̥͕̟͙͒̆́́̓̊̏̾r̸̵̵̶̵̢̩̟̹̓̋͂̔̊̑̅͜ỳ̷̵̸̶̶̸̭̞͎̭̠̯͚͍̦̈́̍͌̀̓̿̍͂̂,̶̴̷̸̸̶̞̣͍̻͍͔͍̣͖̏̊̅̋̄̍̀͜"̷̻̄͐ ̷̮̈́̔ͅ

"O̵̧͖̍͜͝u̷̖̳̙̓́̊͊̀̒̔r̶̲̱͖̜̹̬̼̅́̿͛̈́̎̈́͊ ̸̡̺̭̞̝͔̻͋́̈́͝͝õ̵͙͇͔̠̬̓́͒̌̄̈̓̋̈́ͅͅŵ̵̡̘̳̰͐̌͌͜n̵͔̈́̃̈́͗͝.̵̖̫͈̱̮̾.̸̡̗̗̞͙͐̀̎̈́͒͑̈́̃̉̂̚ͅ.̸̼̜͔͔̳̋͂́̅͋̚"̸̘̖̟͔̎

"Stairway to the Heavens."

Izuku blinked his eyes open. He was on the ground, his journal had fallen beside him.

Ochaco was with him, sitting on her legs and resting Izuku's head on her lap. She hovered over him, concern and worry all but emanating from her form. Ochaco's face was right over his, close enough to show how afraid she was for him.

Izuku blinked again, "What happened?" Even their close estate couldn't distract the boy from what had just occurred, embarrassment not registering in face of the current feeling flooding Izuku, even if he couldn't name said feeling.

"I don't know." Ochaco's voice was low, in fear being too loud would cause Izuku to blackout again, "You zoned out again, I thought it was another vision but…but then you fell. I tried shaking you awake but you weren't…" She trailed off, tears started to fall, "Why did that happen?"

"I saw something, it was like seeing a corrupted video, everything was sorta glitching out." Izuku slowly sat up, Ochaco helped him, "I was talking with someone and… Scala ad Caelum."

"What?" Ochaco tilted her head, not understanding what Izuku had said, what language even was that?

"It means Stairway to the Heavens, it was…" What? What was there, just over Izuku's reach? Which forgotten memory was trying to resurface, only to fall apart?

"Sca-, Scala ad Caelum." Ochaco repeated, stumbling a little on the pronunciation. The words, they had a certain something, an immaterial heaviness to them that invoked a sense of reverence.

Izuku picked up his journal and started sketching in it. Ochaco watched over his shoulder as the greenette drew the rough outline of a mountain covered by houses and other constructions, at its top a tower with a seven-pointed symbol dominated most of the page.

Izuku stared at the tower, it meant… something, something important that Izuku knew he should know, but it didn't matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember.

And wasn't that a recurring theme? There were many things Izuku should remember, wanted to remember, but for a reason he couldn't, he didn't. Was that what Vanitas meant at the USJ? The "suicide mission" that Izuku partook the cause of his shattered memories?

Ochaco's hand on top of his broke Izuku out of his thoughts, "Are you okay?" Her voice was scared and concerned, but it still was filled with such kindness the key bearer just had to say truthfully.

"I don't know. I don't… I don't know anything anymore." Izuku's smile was as fragile as glass, something Ochaco was shocked to see. The boy that seemed unafraid of anything, that fought monsters and villains without skipping a beat, looked so uncertain now. Izuku shot the notebook another glance, "There's a piece of me that knows, but the rest? I just want this pain in my heart to go away." He put his hand over his chest.

Izuku grasped the fabric of his uniform tightly, wondering to himself, why did it hurt so much to miss something he couldn't even remember? To lose something he didn't remember having?

Ochaco surprised both of them with what she did next, she pulled Izuku into a hug, nestling his head on the crook of her neck. They didn't trade any words after that for a long minute, only just staying like that in a mix of shock and comfort.

Izuku felt the pain in his chest become a little more bearable.

The pink phone rang again, breaking the moment and dispelling the spell that permitted the teenagers to ignore their embarrassment about their closeness. They jumped to their feet with nuclear blushes and painfully not looking at each other's eyes.

"A-aren't you gonna answer that?" Izuku, for the first time in a while, stuttered.

"Y-yeah!" Ochaco followed suit. She picked the phone and saw it was her father again, "It's my dad. I… I'm not sure if I can talk to him, not when I-"

"Hey!" Izuku poked Ochaco's cheek, awkwardness forgotten, "What did I say? No sad talk! You did amazing and your family is calling to say exactly that!"

Ochaco let out a chuckle, "Yeah, you're right."

"I'll leave you to it." Izuku waved and started to make his way to the door. Stopping just short of it, he glanced back, "If Recovery Girl asks, I was never here." He got a thumbs up from Ochaco and made his stealthy escape.

The brunette took a final deep breath and answered the call, "Hey Pa."

"Chaco! Finally! I've been callin' for a while." Her father's voice was filled with such joy it wasn't lost even through the line, "Me and ya Ma saw everythin'! Ya were amazing! Ya put that boy through the ringer, and that finale, I almost gave ya Ma a heart attack with how loud I was cheering!" Her father laughed, in the background, Ochaco could make her mother say something exasperatedly at her husband's antics.

Izuku was right, again. He helped her, again. Ochaco promised him and herself while talking with her parents that she would repay him, she would give the boy all the help he would need to find the answers he was looking for.

Inside her heart, unnoticed by all, including Ochaco herself, a mote of Light appeared.

In Izuku's heart, Nana watched with a soft smile as on the right upper blank space, the one in the second disk in the glass pillar, an image of Ochaco formed.

—

Izuku was lucky no one saw him making his way to his assigned waiting room. The battle between him and Todoroki would be next, right after Cementos finished fixing the arena, and Izuku had a million and one thoughts crossing his mind. There are many ways that could go, but the only one Izuku would be satisfied with was if in the end, he could make Todoroki see the truth.

For that, Izuku had an idea, something that any other person would call completely insane, and to be fair even the boy thought he had finally lost it.

But if it worked, then Izuku would be able to free Todoroki from the dark grasp of his past.

The buzzer sounded, and with it, Izuku made up his mind. Getting up the boy chuckled humorlessly, "Hey, it worked with Eri."

"That's not even close to what happened that time and you know it." Nana sighed softly, even then she didn't reprimand Izuku for his choice.

"Let me fool myself just a little bit? It makes me feel better." Izuku, after skipping through all the stages of grief directly to acceptance, said with brutal honesty.

"You are the one that wants to go through with that, so man up Zuzu! Face your approaching doom with your head held high!"

"Was that supposed to make me feel better?" Izuku groaned while leaving the room behind. He barely took three steps when he felt it, first the Darkness festering inside a heart, then the heat.

From a corner came a mountain of a man covered in flames, a titan that was certainly one of the most powerful men in all of Japan and even the world. A man that didn't mind the sacrifices that his cause cost, a man that made children suffer for his goals. Endeavor.

Izuku felt the static again, muffling his every sense and filling his mind, the rest of the world was being covered by it.

I won't let you hurt them anymore.

Just like the first time, the focus that cut through the static left Izuku's mind as sharp as a blade. He kept walking, not remotely intimidated by the burning colossus in front of him.

"I was searching for you. Your power was similar to All Might, enough for what I need. You'll give my Shoto a challenge-" Endeavor started to say, only to be interrupted when Izuku's form simply blurred and faded.

Behind him the boy kept walking but stopped just to deliver the words burning in his heart, "I'm not All Might." Before Endeavor could say anything, Izuku tilted his head just enough to show an eye almost glowing a radioactive green with the desire to bring this man that dared call himself a hero to justice, "And Shoto isn't you."

Izuku left Endeavor behind after saying his piece, not bothering to wait for an answer. Any surviving doubt of his plan burned away into nothing in the path of what transpired. He would save Todoroki from his Darkness and that of his father.

—

Eri suddenly got concerned, a bad feeling in her chest making her look from one side to the other worried. Katsuki noticed that, and he also felt how the girl was concerned, somehow.

"Don't worry, Deku's gonna win."

Eri looked at the blonde bomber with watery eyes before nodding resolutely, "Yes! Izuku's going to win!"

Katsuki nodded, even while inside he was worried himself, what was the bad feeling he had out of a sudden? Why did he have the slightest impression (read complete certainty) Deku was about to do something extremely stupid even for his standards?

—

Izuku walked up the arena steps, the roars from the crowd and Present Mic's voice barely registering. Across him Todoroki stopped on his side of the arena, both boys looked the other in the eye. The staredown could have lasted an hour or a second, neither was sure of how much time had passed, but then the crack of the whip came.

"Start!"

A tidal wave of ice rushed at Izuku. The Keyblade Master took a deep breath, this was it, no more holding back! The world slowed to a crawl.

Focus was quite an interesting thing, it was energy made purely by the mind, but it affected everything. The body, the heart, even the world around could be influenced by Focus, that's how in a second that for Izuku took minutes, he counterattacked.

Todoroki blinked, one moment the ice created by his mother's power seemed to swallow Midoriya, the next the glacier crumbled, sliced apart cleanly. Before he could try to understand what had happened, Todoroki got struck on his back. The impact sent him rolling to the middle of the arena, he turned while getting up and saw the one responsible.

Izuku had his Keyblade still outstretched, Heroes Rising glinted in the sunlight, seeming almost eager for battle. The greenette had not only crossed the field to attack his opponent blindspot, he also needed Todoroki away from the edges of the arena. His plan was what a few would consider risky and many would consider complete madness, for it to work he needed to make sure he would have the space to set it up.

Thrusting his blade into the ground, Izuku set things into motion, "One down, three to go." He muttered before being forced to dodge another surge of ice. The young Master dashed to the side, shooting some aura blasts to keep Todoroki distracted.

The only reason Izuku was willing to try his gamble was because, after analyzing his fighting style, he knew Todoroki didn't move during his battles. He preferred to stay still and overwhelm his adversaries with his quirk. That would allow Izuku to circle the arena and plant his Keyblade in the four cardinal directions without fear of missing his target.

"The nodes are set, you guys ready?" Izuku whispered.

"All good on our side. Good luck Izuku."

He stealthily nodded at Nana's words, "Thanks, I'm gonna need it."

Todoroki traded shots with Midoriya, his anger boiling at how the green-haired boy kept running around while dodging all his attacks. If he had been in a more stable state of mind he would have realized Midoriya was plotting something, but unfortunately, Todoroki had been too enraged since his conversation with his father.

When Midoriya stopped to plant his weapon on the ground a fourth-time Todoroki was about to throw everything he had at his opponent, but the next words made him stop.

"Are you done playing around?" Izuku asked, voice dead serious.

Todoroki only got angrier, "I'm the one playing around?!"

"Yes. You use half your power while everybody else gives their all, you reject yourself while there are so many people here fighting to be accepted." Izuku's voice got louder and louder until he was practically yelling at Todoroki, "You're not even looking at me while we fight!"

Todoroki bristled, "Did my old man put you to it?!"

"Shut up!" Izuku snapped, "See?! You're thinking of your father even here! You're fighting me! Not him, so stop looking away, stop running away from yourself." Putting everything in his next words, Izuku prayed they would reach Todoroki.

"You're not someone else's tool! You are your own person!"

Todoroki felt his heart ache at those words, but the dark feeling that weighed in his chest drowned it. He lashed out, sending mountains of ice all around.

If someone looked closely, they would see that the ice was darker.

Izuku gritted his teeth and put his plan into motion, he wouldn't lose someone to the Darkness. Never again. Burning through all his Focus Izuku moved, appearing right in front of Todoroki. The Keyblade hero thrusted Heroes Rising between them, in the exact center of the magic circle he created.

Below the ice, hidden from all, a green matrix of complex symbols formed, in its center, a seven pointed emblem. Izuku turned his Keyblade, like turning a key inside a lock, and heard a click.

Izuku was falling through the darkness, a cold void encompassed him, trying to swallow him whole. In his pocket, a star-shaped charm glowed, its light pushing the shadows away.

Green eyes with the faintest trace of blue snapped open. Izuku called to the power inside him and dived deeper, parting the blackness with a bright green.

His feet collided with black frost. All around, the pillar he found himself was completely covered by a boreal Darkness that tried to seep into his bones, tried, the power of One For All and his own Light was more than enough to resist its chilling touch.

"You want him? Too bad! I won't let you take anyone from me again!" Izuku's voice echoed through the infinite limbo, borne from a wound in his heart that could have broken it, but instead only made it stronger.

The ice cracked, from within its cold depths a monster created from old suffering emerged. It was a tiger made of black frost with purple markings covering its form and eerie yellow eyes, towering over Izuku like a two story house. Inside its chest, fighting against its prison, was a light that refused to go out, a flame that wouldn't die out against the cold night it faced.

Izuku summoned his Keyblade and gripped it tightly, it wasn't a Heartless, somehow. The Darkness for a reason that Izuku couldn't comprehend had not truly manifested.

What Izuku did was forcefully open Todoroki's heart so he could dive inside. He knew there was a real chance the Darkness inside it would call for more and Izuku would have to save Todoroki's heart from the claws of a Heartless. Thanks to the stars, while in front of him was clearly the Darkness that festered inside Todoroki's heart, it was only it.

It was alone. The abyss hadn't answered its call, and for that, Izuku had only one thing to worry about. Pointing his weapon at the monster, the hero said with a calm voice.

"I will save him from you." With that, Izuku moved.

The Darkness answered in kind.

Both enemies pounced at each other, the ice beneath them cracked and burst from the force of their lunges. With 12% of One For All, Izuku was faster. He slashed before the monster could, carving into the monster's flank before it could do the same.

But Izuku wasn't ready when the tiger roared and a blizzard all but exploded from its form. The boy was sent flying while hail petered his body, crashing down he slipped on the ice until the edge of the pillar.

Just when he was about to fall off, three rays of light, three stars of power, smashed through the emptiness. The magenta one flew at Izuku while the yellow and red one descended into the tiger.

The magenta star flashed, "Need a lift?" Nana smiled while grabbing Izuku and carrying him away from the edge, "You should be careful, this place is really slippery."

Izuku chuckled, "I noticed." A bang got their attention. The other two stars had crashed on the monster with groundbreaking force, sending it reeling back.

They flashed and before Izuku and Nana were two men. One had his hair tied up in a spiky ponytail, with a black bandana covering his forehead and wearing a combat jacket. The other didn't need a description because he was known by the whole world and especially his successor, even then he looked younger, back in his prime when he carved his name in history.

All Might looked back, his smile radiating confidence, "You're alright Young Izuku?"

The boy couldn't help but open his own smile, "A lot better now!"

The other man barked, "While I would like to meet little Ninth properly, we have an angry cat to deal with!"

Izuku nodded, "You're right! Hum…" Realizing he didn't know the man's name took the wind out of Izuku's sails.

"Just call me Third for now."

"Okay!"

Nana chuckled while hopping up and Floating, "Introductions made, now what's the plan?"

Izuku quickly went over what he had to work with now and grinned, "Let's try cracking that ice cube, maintain the pressure, and try to free the Light that thing stole!"

The Vestiges nodded, All Might's smile widened, "Then let's not waste any more time!" The four heroes threw themselves back into the fray.

The frigid tiger roared in challenge at its enemies before pouncing on the glowing red one. The Third dropped down and slid below the claw that tried taking his head off, with a leap he punched the monster in the chest, slightly cracking the ice. All Might followed up by punching the tiger in the face so strongly it was sent head over paws.

Nana got an idea and grabbed Izuku, "Get ready!" She flew up and spun to get more momentum.

"And you complained about my ideas!" Izuku laughed from the irony, then he was thrown at the monster downed form. The young hero hit the tiger Keyblade first, cracking even more of the ice, but not breaking it.

The Darkness of Todoroki roared again, this time making ice spikes shoot up from all around. Izuku leaped away to safety while All Might smashed any icicle that got too close to him or the Third.

Nana was about to try her hand at defeating the boreal monster when it bounced at her. She only had time to put her arms up in a hasty block when the solid ice paw crashed into her, making Nana crash into the ground.

"Nana!" Both Izuku and All Might yelled her name in worry, the Eighth user rushing at his Master's side. The boy was about to do the same when the monster tried to get him next.

Thanks to the Third, who grabbed Izuku and jumped out of the beast's way, he didn't get injured.

"Kid, we need more power if we want to bust that damn thing open."

Izuku's head snapped in the man's direction, "What?! But can't you use One For All at full power?"

The Third shook his head, "Of course not, if we could then Eighth over there would have obliterated it already." He pointed at All Might, who was helping Nana up, with a thumb, "We are bound to you, that means we can only use the power you can use."

Izuku felt a rush of panic before stomping it down in favor of asking, "Then how can I use more?"

The Third was about to say something when the tiger decided to interrupt, it slashed at them with its frost-covered claws. Izuku put himself ahead of the man and raised his Keyblade to block the attack, the Third held him and helped keep the boy steady.

The strike fell and Izuku felt his bones creaking from the force, thanks to the Third's support they're only sent skidding away. When the two heroes stopped they were at the edge of the pillar, the tiger growled while stalking closer.

"That's bad." Izuku groaned.

"Yes it is, so it's time to do something stupid." The Third grinned.

Izuku looked back at him and saw it, the man's red aura and his green one were bleeding into each other, almost like… Izuku blinked, "They're fusing." He whispered in awe.

"Yup. We wanted to explain it before trying it out but screw it." The Third's grin only grew, "Kid, do you trust me?"

Izuku got startled before nodding, "Of course, we're together in this!"

"True." Giving a last chuckle the man glowed a bright red, "Then let's beat this thing together!" With a flash, a red star spun around Izuku before touching his chest. The star fused with his aura, and something clicked.

Izuku opened a wide smile, shooting the monster a challenging look he shouted, "Let's do it! Fa Jin: Second Form!" He spun Heroes Rising before crossing it with an arm and letting the power that had been built up explode.

All Might had just helped Nana to her feet when they felt it, the shift within One For All, then the wave of force that washed over the whole pillar.

"They did it." All Might's ever-present smile became even more brilliant with the pride that filled his soul, his successor had just taken the first step.

"Damn, I wanted mine to go first." Nana chuckled, but it was clear she was filling exactly like All Might.

At the corner of the pillar entombed in ice, Izuku stood, but now he was so much more. He felt as if every muscle had become twice as powerful, his every cell filled with energy, and the aura of Full Cowling was as bright as the sun. Izuku closed his first with a smirk, "Twenty percent? That's more than enough!" Pointing his weapon at the tiger he taunted, "C'mon kitty! Let's have some fun!"

Izuku gave himself one second to feel how now he had more power in a finger than his whole body contained only a moment ago, then he moved. The ice below his feet turned into powder as the Keyblade Master zoomed into his enemy's face, "Surprised?" He threw a punch with the handguard of his weapon.

With a sharp crack half of the tiger's face splintered and snapped to the side violently. The boy didn't let up, his blade glowed before he smashed it into the ground.

A wave of power so strong the pillar shook sent the beast flying before it crashed at its side. Izuku pointed Heroes Rising at it, "Firaga." With his words alone, the magic of his heart came forth as a mass of pure flames. The tiger barely had time to look at it before being consumed by a tower of fire.

All Might gave an uneasy glance at Nana, "Should we even…"

"Nah, let him have his fun." She waved his concerns away as if she could physically brush them aside.

The beast borne from Todoroki's Darkness stumbled out of the pyre, its body melting and dripping down, looking more like tar than water.

Izuku gave a last splitting grin, "Time to finish this." He spun his Keyblade in a full circle while dragging his right foot back planting the left forward, lining his blade horizontally beside his head in the height of his eyes, Izuku gripped the weapon firmly with two hands, "Zantetzuken!"

There was a single flash where reality seemed to be slashed apart before it realigned itself, when it did Izuku was behind the monster, having bisected it from head to tail. The two halves started to fall away from one another before the Darkness burst, dark smoke washed over the pillar before fading away.

The flame trapped inside slowly descended. Touching the ice-covered floor it grew and shifted before taking the form of the person Izuku came to save.

The flame-covered Todoroki turned to Izuku, he bowed deeply, "Midoriya, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I know how it hurts to forget an important memory." Izuku put his left hand over his chest, grasping the fabric of his uniform in a tight hold. He pushed that hurt away, focusing on the present, "But that's in the past now. Let's finish our fight, the right way now, after that we can start again." Izuku offered the fire manifestation his hand, the one that was over his chest, his left, "Then we can be friends and stop the declarations of war, Shoto."

The flame-covered boy didn't hesitate, without letting the pain of his past stop his left hand anymore, Shoto accepted it, "I would like that, Izuku."

Both boys smiled, their hearts wounded from mistakes long past, from them and others, finding a kindred spirit that understood their pain. The fire grew, glowing brighter and burning hotter, vanquishing the freezing dark.

Izuku got scooped up by Nana, the golden yellow star of All Might flying at her side. They flew higher and watched the flames eat away the frost that imprisoned Shoto's heart.

"We're done here, now let's go back, I have a festival to win!" At Izuku's words, the golden star touched his chest and fused with his aura, the feeling of a strong hug and the courage to smile washed over Izuku.

"That you do." Nana chuckled impishly, "But why not do it with style?" Izuku responded in kind.

At the stadium, every person watched with bated breath as the glacier that now covered the arena kept silent, no one could see what transpired within it. Just when Midnight was about to call the match and call for help, something shifted in the air, the winter cold that permeated the air suddenly turning into a hellish heat.

The core of the frosty mountain glowed a blinding orange-red before it happened, a wave of pure brilliant flames burst out melting away the tons of ice. From within the fire, a green star shot out.

Izuku stumbled through the air, spreading his limbs, he forcefully stopped himself with the new power trusted to him, the remnants of magenta completely fusing with his aura. Floating above the stadium, staring at the flames and the person within them, he laughed, "That's what I'm talking about! C'mon Shoto! Give me everything you got!"

Shoto looked up at the floating aura-clad hero that he somehow knew had just fought for him, the friend that understood him and made Shoto finally remember his dream. With the smile of his mother in his mind and her words warming his heart, the fire-covered boy joined in the laughing, "You're insane, helping your opponent like that, don't complain later Izuku!"

Both traded a last smile before gathering the power burning inside. Like children playing and having their fun, they threw their all at each other, too exhilarated to do anything less.

Shoto raised his left hand up, the inferno beneath his skin finally finding freedom.

Izuku saw the colossal amount of fire closing in on him and felt his lips parting into a smile so big it hurt. Twisting his Keyblade he focused all the energy at his control into it, "Comet Blade!"

The world watched as a shooting star and a supernova collided, the resulting explosion blinded every single person that witnessed it right after while shaking the very earth.

Shoto was sent flying, thanks purely to reflex alone he created an ice wall behind him to stop before going out of bounds. He looked up, at the steam covering all the eye could see, just in time to see it being parted away.

"Missed me?!" Izuku laughed, surging right in front of Shoto with both legs springing into a dropkick that hit the bichromatic boy right in the chest. While earlier that day Hanta didn't have the strength to do the same to break through one of Shoto's ice barriers, Izuku had enough to send his opponent through one.

Shoto fell to the grass, breathless, crashing into it on his back. He looked up, at the clouds lazily crossing the sky, and chuckled, "That was…"

"Fun?" The voice made him look aside, at Izuku who sported the same fulfilled grin on his face.

"Yeah."

Izuku helped Shoto up and slung one of his friend's arms over his shoulder, "Here, let's go see Recovery Girl, I'm pretty sure I have second-degree burns."

Shoto limped along, "I think you broke some of my ribs."

Their wounds weren't a matter to laugh at, but even then they did, carefree and happy.

Inside Izuku's heart, the past wielders of One For All watched as in the right lower corner of the slowly filling disk an image of Todoroki appeared.

Looking from it to the one of Ochaco right above Nana couldn't help but smirk, "Two in one day, that's my boy."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I know, I know, a lot of stuff happened this chapter, don't worry that there will be explanations soon and more importantly, there will be some bro moments between Izuku and Shoto now that he accepted the word of Friendship in his heart.

As usual I made this and Silverbits (aka Beribits if you're on AO3) made it a good literary experience, so go check her stuff! It's good! Trust me!

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