[Midoriya Izuku ~ 05]

A/N: And alas, we continue following along with Izuku's life. What twists and turns will lead him down the path of villainy? Well, the road begins here.

P.S. I'm just noticing this now, but I guess the system doesn't recognize greater/less than signs. Which, in hindsight, actually makes sense. So, as of now… Things Izuku hears through his quirk will be surrounded by en dashes ( – ). Retroactive changes have been made.

The lights shut off, engulfing the classroom in darkness.

"As you all know, our society is brimming with heroics." The teacher pulls out a remote and presses a button, causing the overhead projector on the ceiling to flicker on.

"With villains on the loose wandering the streets, harming innocent civilians like you and I, there stands the need for a force that can fight back and put scum in their place."

The projection focuses an image at the front of the room, displaying the distinct likeness of All Might posing for the camera shot.

"All Might stands above the rest, a hero unlike any other. His position as #1 is well deserved. He very rarely ever allows a villain to escape, his success rate being the highest in recorded history. But there is one important factor that you all need to consider: he doesn't do it alone."

The image flickers again. The smiling, hope-inducing outline of All Might morphs into a scowling, imposing figure. The one and only: Endeavor.

Izuku hides his face behind his sleeve, scowling as the image of Japan's #2 shines up at the front of the classroom. He can't help but feel as if Endeavor's pointed glare is staring right back at him, almost like a curse that doesn't want to leave him alone. And it utterly disgusts him.

He drowns out the teacher's lecture, suddenly uninterested with the impromptu talk of heroics now that he had been mentioned.

Unfortunately for Izuku, it's not the first time this has happened. After all, with his unwarranted popularity and unjustified position as Japan's #2, it's only inevitable that any talk of heroes would eventually turn towards Endeavor.

With such an ongoing trend, heroics had been soured for Izuku. Though, that doesn't mean that he's stopped writing in his notebooks, of course. Seventeen volumes strong and ongoing, Izuku devotes day after day analyzing quirks to the best of his ability.

It's just that now, he delves differently. Delves… deeper.

Rumors of bribery from back alle lots, reports of misconduct swept under the rug, signs of abusing the responsibilities given by having a heroic license — finding such things is a hobby by this point in his life.

It's how Izuku knows that the photogenic Uwabami spends more time smiling in front of the camera than going out on rescue missions, or how the brash Death Arms has received countless complaints for property damage and has a tendency of rough-handling civilians.

One of the worst offenders yet is Yoroi Musha. It's an open secret that he's been subsidizing a small branch of the yakuza for years. It's not a big operation, its members pedaling only soft drugs to a single neighborhood. Unsurprisingly, it's the same neighborhood that Yoroi Musha frequents during his patrols. With the area basically under his protection and watchful eye, and with a hefty sum of the funds heading towards certain government officials, most turn a blind eye. Those who don't… best left unsaid.

All of it has been kept from the greater public eye — all due to the efforts of the Hero Public Safety Commission, the so-called 'defenders of the innocent' and 'upholders of justice.' It stands to show that the rot of corruption spreads far past just Endeavor, and the reality sickens Izuku to his core.

But he doesn't let it fog his vision. After all, like a light at the end of a tunnel, for every two or three bad apples, there exists a shining example of excellence.

The Water Hose duo are a selfless bunch, often overexerting themselves on the myriad of rescue missions they go on. And through his years Fat Gum has stayed stringent to his efforts in taking down Japan's ever-bustling drug market, never once delving into the shady underside that's common around such a sought-after goal.

And of course, the premier example above all, All Might himself. Staying at the tip of the iceberg for years, with not a single complaint nor a single word of wrongdoing that didn't originate as just some words from a vengeful villain or a spiteful individual seeking attention.

The limited existence of such people is what truly gives Izuku hope for the future, however bleak it may seem.

"That's all for today, class!" The hollering voice snaps Izuku out of his thoughts. As the lights blare on, basking the classroom in light, Izuku averts his eyes as they work to adjust.

"Remember!" the teacher yells, "I want that essay in by Monday!"

And with that, the class at large stirs from its previously idle state, various students awakening from their poorly hidden naps while others are already packing up for the end of the day.

Izuku does the same, but without hurry — he doesn't have anywhere to be today, after all. He packs up his stuff and leaves the classroom, and whilst ignoring the few isolated whispers and mutterings that mention his name.

Like many things in his life, it's nothing new; they're just the result of Bakugou's cronies and the cascading slew of rumors that follows in their wake. It's made Izuku as a sort of outcast — someone to avoid if you want to avoid the wrath of Bakugou Katsuki, and a prime target used to sate bullies' need to exert their authority and superiority.

In other words, he's the school's punching bag and scapegoat. After all, how else would the staff keep their abrasive, loud-mouthed star pupil in line?

And worse, it isn't as if this is an isolated thing contained to his school. Izuku's not sure if it's something to do with the prefecture, or if it's an expansive problem across the country (Izuku's leaning towards the latter) but the problem exists much farther than the walls of Illume Elementary.

Curious, he skipped school one day to go around stalking the grounds outside Aldera Junior High — the school he's aimed to attend due to the location of his abode. Within just an hour of listening in to its attendees, Izuku's hopes for a peaceful future were dashed.

Discrimination runs rampant there, supported by not only the students but even the staff themselves. Like with his own situation, the bullying is centered on only a select few, those with quirks either deemed weak or 'villainous.' If anything, after all he's seen and heard, Izuku's glad that he isn't quirkless. He could only imagine how much worse his life would be in that case.

Izuku breaks out of his thoughts as he descends the final step of stairs and arrives at the school's lockers. Everyone's gone by now, the few people left being Bakugou and his cronies a little ways around the corner. Izuku sighs at the discovery.

Probably waiting for me, then.

Not wanting to let them wait (lest they grow more agitated) Izuku walks up to his locker, intent to switch out his shoes. He lifts his arm up and turns the combo, ready to pull the door open. But he stops, just at the last second before he can swing the piece of metal open.

I heard something… A wire?

Izuku retracts his arm, tilting his head in throught. After a moment, he bangs his fist against the lockers.

Based on the vibrations… Glass vial, around three centimeters in length. A small amount of liquid is sloshing around inside… Must be another stink bomb. Because of course I can't catch a break.

"Seriously?"

Izuku holds back another sigh, backing away from his locker. Thankfully for him, this isn't the first time it's happened. And as such, he has a backup-plan. Izuku switches aisles, turning around and eyeing another one of the lockers. He moves towards it and repeats the process of opening it. The door swings open — without incident — and right inside is a clean pair of shoes.

Thanks, Tsubasa.

Izuku puts the pair on and makes his way out. That's when he hears Bakugou and the others approaching. He doesn't even try to avoid the upcoming confrontation.

"Out of the fucking way, Deku. I'm not in the mood," Bakugou mutters, shoving his way past Izuku. "I'll let you off easy today, seeing as you avoided those extras' cheap tricks."

"Yeah!" Garou agrees. "Get ready for tomorrow, punk!"

Bakugou and Garou turn the corner of the wall surrounding Illum Elementary, leaving Izuku's sight. They don't take note of the fact that they're leaving Tsubasa behind, nor that the winged boy is awkwardly standing before Izuku with a look of apology.

"So," Tsubasa begins, rubbing the back of his head, "looks like you ended up having to use my extra pair again. Was it something with your locker then?"

Izuku nods. "Stink bomb... Again. And it doesn't look like I can get away with not setting it off this time. I'm probably going to just get it over with tomorrow. I don't really feel like smelling today."

Tsubasa hums. "Dang, that sucks. Are you… Are you sure that you're fine with that? I could always try to get one of the others to—"

"It's alright Tsubasa."

Tsubasa crosses his arms. "And you say that everyday. But you really aren't, are you?"

Izuku begins rubbing his forehead. "Look, Tsubasa—"

"Sorry, sorry," Tsubasa quickly retorts. "I overstepped again. I know that you like dealing with your own problems. But I just don't get it, you know? I mean, it's not like you're quirkless or anything. You just—"

"It's not that," Izuku interrupts. "it's just that—"

"HEY! WINGS! WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GO!?"

Tsubasa flinches at the noise, his head looking back and forth between Izuku and the origins of Bakugou's roar.

Izuku saves him from the worry and waves him away. "You should go. You know how he gets when he's angry. And you don't want him getting suspicious, either."

"Yeah…" Tsubasa mutters as he backs away. "Sorry that I can't do more for you. But, um… Uggh, Sorry for this, again."

Tsubasa clears his throat. "AND YOU BETTER LEARN YOUR PLACE, DEKU!" After one last apologetic look, he runs off to join Bakugou.

Izuku moves to lean against the wall of the school in wait, allowing the trio to get far enough to leave the range of his quirk. He delves back into his thoughts in the meantime, thinking about the recent occurrence with Tsubasa. It's become a common occurrence in recent months, the boy going behind Bakugou's back to help.

Izuku isn't really sure if it's some sort of guilt that Tsubasa feels that's making him act, or some revelation that's come along with age, but if anything he's thankful for it. It's lifted some burdens off of his back, giving him some breaks in between the bullying implaced onto him. '

But despite how much of a relief it is, it doesn't stop him from questioning it.

Izuku doesn't really think himself naive. Would Tsubasa really be helping him if he was truly quirkless, like Bakugou always spouted out? No, not likely. But he still helps him out, and that's what matters to Izuku.

He drifts in these thoughts. Pondering once more his role in this world, right until the sound of Bakugou's voice leaves his awareness. Satisfied, he sets off towards home.

Ever since his father had died three years ago, things were never really the same at home. As time passed on, Izuku noticed the way his mother had become different — seen the way she'd grown distant.

Gone were the days where she would stress over him and worry about his health. Gone were the bright smiles and the cheerful attitude that graced her everyday demeanor. Now, all that fills their apartment is a sense of gloom. His mother's bouts of joy are ever rare, and no longer does she fret over him before he goes on his way to school.

Most interaction between him and her is strained nowadays. Izuku does his best to just skirt on by in ignorance, but sometimes it just grows too difficult for him to ignore the atmosphere. And unfortunately for him, today just seems to be one of those days.

He feels it the second he walks through the door, the familiar sense of dread filling the air as his mother calls for him from her room. With a moment's trepidation, Izuku makes his way towards the voice.

"Yes, mom?" Izuku answers as he arrives in the doorway of his mother's room. He peeks in, spying her resting in bed as she watches television. She looks his way once his presence is known.

"Izuku." Her voice takes on a familiar tone. It's one Izuku recognizes far too easily — and it's not one he likes. She sits up from her bed, reaching over to her bedside table and holding up a piece of paper. "What is this?"

Izuku takes a breath. He recognizes the sheet; it's one that he picked off from one of those human billboards he came across on his way home last week. It doesn't necessarily mean anything, aside from some longing aspirations that have been barred for him for over a year. The fact that his mother has it means that she was poking around in his room — again — considering it was hidden away in his desk drawer.

Izuku narrows his eyes, crossing his arms together before answering. He's ready for a repeat of the same condensation. But that doesn't mean that the outcome still doesn't anger him. "What of it?"

The paper suddenly lifts up into the air. With a wave of Inko's hand, it crumbles into a ball and shoots towards the bathroom trash can. "This better not be you getting ready to ask me to sign you up for martial arts again."

Izuku frowns, awaiting an answer already known to him. "And… what if it is?"

"No matter how many times you ask," Inko asserts, her voice firm, "the answer won't change, Izuku."

The same excuse as always.

"But why is that?" Izuku can't stop himself from asking, a tinge of long-held irritation seeping into his voice. "Why is me going off to learn martial arts such a bad thing to you?"

"Because I don't want you to!" Inko retorts, her voice rising.

The. Same. Thing.

Izuku's hands curl up into fists, a deeply entrenched anger rising from within. "You say that everytime. And yet, you never explain any further. I don't understand it!"

Inko huffs. "What's there to understand?"

"You don't care whenever I get home late," Izuku begins. "You don't care that I skip school sometimes. You give me a bank account to do whatever I want with! But I could care less about any of that!"

"Izuku—"

"No! You've been doing this for years! This is the one thing that I want, the one thing that requires parent permission. But you won't give it to me!"

"I don't want you getting hurt!"

That gets Izuku to pause. But not for Inko's intended purpose.

"Don't want me getting hurt?" Izuku scoffs. "Despite the fact that you never call on those days when I don't even come home? You just take my word that I'm with Shiozaki! And you don't even care when I come home with burns! And you say that you don't want me getting hurt?"

Inko grimaces at the remark. She raises her head to speak. "I—"

"Why can't you understand?! I just want to do something worthwhile for once! You're just sitting around brooding all the time! I don't want to be like that! And you're just stopping me from—"

"Enough!" Inko quik flares up, various objects within her room haphazardly floating into the air. "I won't have you arguing about this! This is the last I want to hear of this, and that's final!"

The objects slowly begin to set back down, all while Izuku glares back.

"Fine," he mutters, disappearing from the doorway.

Inko rises from her bed. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"Yokohama!"

And with that he slams shut the door to their apartment, leaving his mother alone to sulk in her thoughts.

Many times he's found himself boarding the train to travel from Musutafu to Yokohama, and each time he does it gives him an immediate sense of comfort.

Of course, it wasn't always like that. The prospect of going by train to visit a friend a whole prefecture away had Izuku fraught with nerves. As things went, his first visit ended up being completely impulsive, strewn together after a rather bad case of Bakugou's explosive anger.

However, with just a single encounter with Shiozaki's soothing words and the partnering calm atmosphere of the park, Izuku was hooked. The visits gradually grew in frequency, sometimes stretching far into the night before he had to head back home on the midnight train.

And unlike Shiozaki's initial worries, Izuku isn't exactly stretching his wallet thin by such numerous trips from one prefecture to the next. It is true that the tickets aren't exactly cheap. But when a pro hero wants you to stay quiet and is willing to go through immense monetary lengths to ensure as such, suddenly things like recurrent long-distance train tickets are no longer something to worry about.

And even if it's just adding to all the excess cardio he's already receiving whenever he's running away from his tormentors, the thirty minute walk from Yamate Station to Honmoku City Park is well worth it. Yokohama is a much quieter cityscape than the bustling Shizuoka, and traversing it's landscape is always something Izuku looks forward to. The inbetween is always interesting, but the real gem is the park itself and the accompanying Sankeien Garden, complete with their large expanse, opulent structures, and their overall embrace over nature.

That's where he is now, skipping stones down the surface of the park's many bodies of water as in his mind he contemplates his life. He doesn't know how long he spends there, taking in the surrounding sounds as he dwells within his thoughts. By the time he hears the familiar sounds of moving vines approaching him the sun's already below the horizon, twilight gracing the land.

"Hey there, Shiozaki," Izuku mutters just as he skips another stone across the pond.

"Hello Midoriya." Shiozaki sits herself down beside Izuku, crossing her legs together as she lets loose her vines, the tendrils spreading all across the grass. "This is the third time this month that you've directly visited me, don't you know? It's rather unusual, especially since we're barely entering the month's second week. Perhaps… Life back in Musutafu has been a bit more harsh to you?"

Izuku stops, sitting himself down beside his friend. He doesn't say anything at first, and Shiozaki doesn't push. By now, she knows that sometimes, it takes time for Izuku to collect his thoughts.

Eventually, Izuku lets out a sigh. "I'm not… Bothering you, am I? By coming here all the time?"

Shiozaki answers with her vines. The appendages wrap around Izuku's shoulders in a familiar way, a gesture that she's turned to multiple times throughout his stays.

"Of course not," she finally says, a small smile gracing her features. "You're my friend, Midoirya. And your presence will never bother me. But if there is one thing that does, it's when you aren't feeling well. So come. Tell me what's clouding your thoughts."

Izuku sighs, leaning his head back towards the sky. "It's just… my mom."

"Ah, yes." Shiozaki breathes. "Your troubled mother, Inko Midoriya. What was your conflict with her this time?"

Izuku shakes his head. "She got on my case again for my desire to be studying martial arts. But I wasn't even going to actually ask her! It was just a piece of paper that I had in my desk drawer. Which she was snooping around in, by the way!"

"Martial arts?" Shiozaki questions. "I see. It is a common contention point between you two. It makes sense that she would react negatively to such a sheet of paper."

"A piece of paper that—"

"But," Shiozaki interrupts, "that's not what you're truly mad about. What is it that is currently inciting such rage in you? And don't lie to me. You know how that goes."

Izuku takes a breath. "She's stuck in the past, and she's—"

"Rather hypocritical of you, seeing as you still let your anger for Endeavor's actions stifle your worldview and daily life."

Izuku doesn't have a comeback for that.

"It's alright," Shiozaki continues. "One step at a time. Your problems won't go away overnight; I'm willing to help you through this for however long you need."

Izuku takes a moment to compose himself, tapping his fingers twice on the vines around his shoulders. The vines retract, and before long Izuku's standing his way up onto his feet, staring up into the twilight sky.

"You know, I kind of just went here because I needed some fresh air and some time to think. And this park really helps with that, you know? There's just… something about it. But then here you come along out of nowhere and just… get me talking. I just... You're the only one who ever listens to me, you know?"

"And I'll gladly do so whenever you need. I am your friend, afterall."

Izuku lets out a sigh. "Yeah… Thanks for putting up with me, Shiozaki."

Shiozaki lets out a small laugh. "You're lucky that I live so close by. Imagine if I wasn't around to take my nightly walks? How long would you be sitting around here all alone?"

At the remark, Izuku begins rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah…"

"Are you going home now, then?"

"I—" Izuku pauses. "I don't really think that I want to yet. I kind of just want to walk around for a bit, find somewhere… quieter."

Shiozaki frowns at that. She knows what Izuku means — the park's still well within the center of the active city, after all. But considering what happened last time...

"I know," Izuku says. "I'll try to pay attention to where I'm going this time. I'll make sure to avoid any hero fights all night."

Shiozaki nods in response. "As long as you do that, I'll be happy. And remember, if you end up missing the train again, my family and I will gladly host you for the night."

"Thanks," Izuku mutters as he begins on his way. "I'll keep that in mind."

Izuku can't help it. He lets his feet guide him as he sticks within the confines of his thoughts. He's not entirely sure where he is now, except for the fact that he's traveled into the more… dilapidated sections of Yokohama.

He's not entirely worried — he can hear any potential trouble from a whole kilometer away, after all. And in the case of potentially crossing the paths of people with speed quirks, well, there's plenty of abandoned buildings he can duck in and hide in.

If anything, Izuku's almost certain that he naturally gravitated to such an abandoned section of the city due to how quiet it is. It may be a bit seedy, but aside from a few stray snores from the homeless or the hushed conversations within drug labs, there's barely any noise within his range at all.

Everything's up to par for Izuku, a time and place away from the louder sounds of the world just so he can think in peace.

That is, until he hears… something else.

–Kurogiri. What did Sensei want?–

–Just a few new things he wished to discuss with me. I'll debrief you later on the specificites, Tomura. The master wishes asked me to do something else, in the meantime–

Another voice cuts in, one not originating from a present individual. After all, Izuku can only hear two heartbeats.

–Kurogiri. As I said it seems that we have a listener. And I'd rather deal with him sooner, than later–

–Of course, Master. Please, relay their location–

–Two hundred and fifty eight feet from your current position, twenty-four degrees to your right–

That's exactly how far I am to whoever's… talking…

Izuku can only watch as the misty black portal opens up beneath him, swallowing him whole.

A/N: And there we have it! What's there in store for Izuku? Find out next time!

Also, just some fun facts for those who are interested:

Shiozaki canonically lives in Kanagawa.

The Kamino Ward Incident canonically occurs in Yokohama - which is a city in Kanagawa.

So. Putting these facts together, if we were to infer that Shiozaki lives specifically in Yokohama, Izuku can feasibly walk aimlessly from Honmoku City Park and accidentally stumble upon the League of Villains' bar. And yes, I spent an unnecessarily inordinate amount of time making sure of this.