Chapter 10: Midoriya Izuku X

A/N: Conversations galore this time around. I hope that you all enjoy!

Walking through the portal just feels like one step towards oblivion. But he still does it.

Stumbling right onto his usual entrypoint within Sensei's throne room, the first thing that Izuku's quirk catches notice of are a slew of sounds not native to the dark, intimidating room.

A puff of air, a motor pulling and pushing, and a steady, cold, metallic beeping. It's only as his eyes adjust to the darkness that he discovers its origins.

A massive ventilator is attached to Sensei's face — if you could still call it as such, that is. After all, the holes where his eyes should be are empty craters, his white hair is missing from his head, and his skin is crackling and scorched from the untold damage done to him.

Izuku's sure that if it wasn't for the plastic tubing attached to his face — and the stout, elderly man zooming around tending to Sensei's injuries — the so-called 'Bogeyman of the Underworld' would be dead.

"Ah, Midoriya," Sensei drawls, his voice muffled as it echoes past the breathing apparatus covering his mouth.

At this, the elderly man jerks around, his goggle-covered eyes staring straight into Izuku's direction.

Izuku gets a better look at the man then: a bushy mustache and a balding head, coupled with an unexplainable sense of vague familiarity that he can't quite place.

"What did I say about visitors!?" the man exclaims as he turns back around and continues to work on Sensei's damaged arm. "The potential bacteria on him alone could prove dangerous!"

"Oh, please Kyudai," Sensei says, "do you truly believe that mere bacteria could kill me?"

The man — named Kyudai in Izuku's mind until further notice — throws his hands up in the air in response. "I don't know anything at this point! The only reason that I find that you're not dead is because you're you!"

"And you!" He turns, pointing an accusing finger at Izuku. "You stay all the way over there! I don't need any additional infections exacerbating the wounds already here!"

Izuku mostly ignores the man's pleas, he being too busy scanning Sensei's wonders how such a powerful man had been reduced to such a state. It should have been inconceivable, impossible. And yet the proof was right in front of him.

"What happened?" Izuku asks, his mind already forming boundless theories.

Sensei lets out a low chuckle in return — an action that breaks off into a series of harsh coughs. Izuku isn't ignorant of the way Kyudai subsequently glares at Sensei, but he keeps his mouth shut on the matter.

Is Kyudai a surname or a given one? The two of them act quite lax around each other… Friends? Could it be possible for such a man?

"Isn't it obvious?" Sensei asks, interrupting Izuku's thoughts. "Why don't you take a guess?"

"Um…" Izuku bites his lip, unsure if he wants to know the answer. But he responds anyway with his first guess. "... All Might?"

Sensei nods. "That big blond oaf tried to finally do me in today. As you can see," he motions to his entire form, and Izuku can just feel the intended grin behind his mask, "he failed. And quite spectacularly so."

A multitude of thoughts race through Izuku's head. From the fact that Sensei survived a (likely) one-on-one fight against All Might, to how he's actually training under such a man. It only further drives how deeply entrenched he's become into this world.

Additionally, perhaps the most startling revelation; the fact Sensei's quirk has to be more than just some minor form of telepathy. It has to be something that's allowed him to control the underworld from the shadows for so long, and even allowed him the chance to escape a fight with All Might, even as badly scarred as he is.

"All Might…" Izuku's voice echoes, near inaudible. "He did this to you?"

"Indeed." Sensei reveals. "But nevermind that. Tell me, how goes the progress on your investigations? How much have you learned from my gift to you?"

Izuku blinks, taken aback by Sensei's sudden shift in topic. It's almost as if Sensei's current injured state is a mere inconvenience, the man willing to carry on with his normal day-to-day activities while he's strapped to a machine keeping him from death and being observed by a man working tirelessly to tend to his wounds.

Once again, the sheer power of Sensei fills Izuku in equal parts dread and awe.

"I…" Izuku eventually clears his throat. "It's ongoing. I'm having a bit of trouble actually combing through their systems, but it's nothing that I can't figure out by myself in time. The Commission's protections are nothing to scoff at, which makes sense considering they're one of Japan's largest bastions of authority. And like you said, I don't exactly want to get caught. Especially with such a veiled conspiracy surrounding the topic."

Sensei nods. "That's to be expected. Still, as impressive as ever, even if you have not yet reached the truth." He turns his head towards Kyudai. "How about you, Doctor? Your thoughts on the boy so far?"

Kyudai scoffs. "Seems like a handful. He's hardly been here a few minutes and already he's spoken more than 'Machia has in months."

"An unfair comparison," Sensei counters with unabashed mirth. "Does that mean that you'd like him onboard?"

Kyudai nearly drops his scalpel. "When the hell did you get that impression? And from what part of your imagination did you fancy that fantasy up, hmm?"

"Midoriya," Sensei says, turning towards the boy in question whilst ignoring Kyudai's quip. "What are your thoughts on biology? Specifically, topics such as genetic engineering? Biochemistry and the like?"

"Uh…" Izuku rubs the nape of his neck. "I don't have any strong feelings for or against them, I guess?"

"You can't be serious," Kyudai retorts, putting down a syringe as he turns to face Sensei. "What good could he do?"

"I'd say that you'd be surprised," Sensei says. "He's certainly surprised me."

"Wait wait wait," Izuku exclaims, brows furrowing. "You want me to… help you with something?"

Sensei nods. "In a manner of speaking."

"Um…" Izuku crinkles his nose. "What exactly does… Kyudai-san—"

"Uh-uh!" Kyudai interjects. He doesn't turn around this time, still focused on working with Sensei's treatments. "That's either Doctor or Garaki to you."

"Right." Izuku reasserts himself. "What exactly does Garaki-san do? If you don't mind me asking," he adds quickly.

"Well," Sensei begins, "you see, the Doctor here is working on a special project of his and my creation. It's years in the making, and because of that, I'd like a fresh set of eyes on it. With you onboard, I'd want to see if you spot any flaws that our eyes have turned blind to."

Izuku crosses his arms. "But why me?" he questions with a frown, face contorting in unease. "Don't you have someone else you would trust more?"

His mind shuffles through some of the more recent bits of conversation he's heard. "Like… that 'Machia' guy, right? He's that big guy who was here the first time you brought me here, I'm assuming."

Sensei lets out a chuckle. "Correct you are again in your observations. But, you should know: Machia doesn't have the delicate touch that people like us do. He's much too…"

"Brash? Large?" Garaki interrupts as he's placing some salve over a patch of Sensei's skin. "A bit dumb? Don't forget your hand in that part."

Sensei waves off the Doctor's words, focusing again on Izuku. "But that's besides the point Midoriya. Haven't I already said it? You remind me of me from my youth. I'm highly interested in wherever your path leads you. Nothing wrong with wanting to present you with some potentially fruitful paths in life now, is there?"

"And this… what?" Izuku asks, his voice tight with bitterness. "You think that I'm worthy of such a prestigious project?"

Sensei quirks an eyebrow (or at least Izuku assumes that's what he is doing, since it's a bit hard to tell considering the man's current lack of eyebrows) and leans back in his seat — much to the consternation of Garaki. He wraps his fingers together, humming in thought. "Something is bothering you right now, correct? What is it?"

"Well, I don't know," Izuku drawls. "I just came back from the scene of a sixteen-part homicide. Which included the murder of the pro hero Slugger, even if he was a unforgivable bastard! I'm sorry if it seems like I'm worried that I'll get caught!"

Sensei chuckles knowingly. "You're misdirecting."

"The heck is that supposed to mean?"

"I… Tell you what; let's go back a few steps." Sensei leans his head forward. "You've taken biology classes in school, haven't you?"

One of Izuku's eyes twitches. "What does this—"

"Humor me," Sensei interjects.

Izuku hesitantly shuts his mouth.

"Good." Sensei nods. "As I was saying: biology. Such a complex subject, yet with the basics of it being taught even years before middle school. One of those stepping stones is an insight to the predator-prey dynamic that encompasses the natural world. Ecology; the food chain. Are you following so far?"

Izuku nods.

"Splendid. Now, take me for example." Sensei spreads his arms out. "My mere presence makes you tingle in anxiety, frightened by the mere fact that I could squash you like a simple bug on the sidewalk."

"But you wouldn't hurt me," Izuku interjects.

"Oh? And are you sure?" Sensei laughs.

The sound sends a tingle down Izuku's spine, his hairs rising in unease.

"But that is exactly it," Sensei says. "From your plentiful writings, your bountiful mutterings, your exquisite analysis… They are all something that place you higher up in the food chain."

"The robbery today in Shimane was a preemptive attack," Sensei says before Izuku can say his own part. "Slugger was getting out of hand, threatening to go big — to work with things that he wasn't ready to face."

"Because he wasn't under your control?" Izuku asks.

"Of course," Sensei smiles, "but that's besides the point. You were accompanied by Kurogiri and Tomura; you watched a mere two individuals take down a room of how many? Just over a dozen? And a pro hero too. Why?"

Izuku shrugs. "Because they're good at what they do?"

Sensei shakes his head. "Because we are the big fish in the pond. We are the lionesses that stalk their prey. We are the owls hunting in the dead of night. Just as are you."

"You see, this applies even to your school life." Sensei crosses his legs, ignoring the panicked pleas from Garaki. "The dumb ones — the prey, the bottom of the food chain — they attack you out of malice or some misguided, childish sense of superiority. But aside from them, there are others. Surely, you've seen them: those that stalk the shadows, keep to themselves, but aren't the targets of bullying?"

"Of course I have," Izuku brushes off. "But they don't care to help me, so why should I care about them?"

"Because they are frightened by you," Sensei explains. "Not because they can't fathom you, but because they know what you are. For all intents and purposes you are a superior being, lording information over their head but never acting upon it. Of course you would unnerve them, seeing as you can act on said information at any time. Because if you were to, just like that, their lives would be in your hands."

Izuku crosses his arms. "Bullshit."

"Could you, or could you not kill any of your classmates with the drop of a hat?" Sensei asks in response. "Have you, or have you not ingrained in your head the ins and outs of their quirks? Do you, or do you not know their strengths and weaknesses and everything in between?"

Sensei leans forward on his throne. "And have you not ever wondered, no matter how deeply you tuck it away in the recesses of your mind, what it would be like to strike back at your tormentors? To make them feel what you have, to experience every bit of pain and humiliation ever inflicted upon you?"

Izuku doesn't have a response for that.

"You question your place among us. You question if you are even capable of playing in our league," Sensei persists. "But the truth, as I see it? You have a place here, whether it's by bringing down justice on those who deserve it, or by working on projects that I oversee."

Izuku doesn't immediately respond, and simply lets the words dance in his head.

Meanwhile, the mechanical pumping of the ventilator continues to work, and Garaki continues to shuffle around with his tools.

Not a moment of silence to think.

"I'm…" Izuku begins, "I'm now sure how I feel about this."

"And that's fine," Sensei says. "I'm merely stating my view of things. An individual makes their own decisions, after all."

"Great. Wonderful. I'm glad for you both. You two done now?" Garaki suddenly asks.

Sensei laughs. "Well, it is pretty late." He looks at Izuku. "Anywhere that you would like to go?"

Izuku shifts his eyes to the ground. "I'd like to go to my room."

One of Kurogiri's portals appears beside Izuku.

The grin behind Sensei's mask widens. "Your wish is as you command."

Izuku has two green-haired individuals who are present in his life.

Inko Midoriya is a contrast to what a mother should be, ignoring her son and not showing an ounce of compassion towards him.

Izuku has an understanding of the reason for why she is how she is; he knows that it stems from the incident from his youth that took his father from the world.

But that doesn't excuse her neglect.

Izuku supposes that he should be grateful, however. There are far worse ways that she could have relayed her anger and pain over the years.

And then there's Ibara Shiozaki.

The complete antithesis of Inko, Shiozaki cares about his well-being. She listens to Izuku's tales and problems, provides tactful and meaningful advice, and is just always… there.

She provides to Izuku the type of comfort his mother should have been giving for all those years, the attention and care he's been missing for all his life. She's become Izuku's one and only true friend, the only person he has come to trust and care for. She's the most important person in Izuku's life.

Which is why he once again finds himself in the depths of Honmoku City Park, the day after his talk with Sensei, lying against a boulder underneath the shade of a tree, eyes glistening over the rippling waters of the lake.

Shiozaki sits over him, lounging atop the length of the rock. Her vines creep down over the side, ending into bundles that cascade over the ground. A few embrace Izuku's form, providing comfort with mere touch alone. To him, they provide the gentlest touch in the world.

Of course, that's without the consideration that they are one of the few things that he allows to touch him. He never dwells on that fact. Only allows himself to lose himself in their succor.

Well, as much comfort as his mind can afford, that is. After all, no matter how much he just wants to hang out, he can't. Not this time.

Right now, Izuku utterly needs to talk about his worries — even if it's without actually talking about them at all. He leaves out the context of Sensei, Kuogiri, and Tomura. Leaves out his steadying comfort with villains, and his growing appreciation for their ideals.

He can't have Shiozaki know the truth, no matter how much Izuku wishes he could tell her. So he spins an amended tale, without the fatalistic woes of his future or the bouts of bloodshed in between. Something innocent enough, and yet still reflects his worries. It's a frustratingly difficult measure.

"What have I told you about having a negative self-image?" Shiozaki asks, interrupting Izuku mid-rant.

"That it's hypocritical of a person who supposedly accepts themselves to see themselves in such a negative light," Izuku mutters knowingly. "But it's a bit hard not to think such things when you go through the stuff that I do."

"Experiences make the individual," Shiozaki says, matter-of-factly. "What's important is how you let those experiences shape you."

That's what I'm worried about.

Izuku sighs. "Yeah. I know."

Shiozaki isn't convinced. She wraps her vines around Izuku's shoulders, enveloping him once again in lighthearted grace. "I know that it can be difficult, going through what you do. I saw firsthand the unjust treatment bestowed upon you when we first met, all those years ago. And I can only imagine how much that sort of treatment has magnified in intensity until now."

Shiozaki leans forward from her spot, peering over the boulder's edge and looking down at Izuku. "But the fact that you are here now, pondering your life and persevering through all the hurdles thrown your way despite the weight you carry on your shoulders? It sheds the light of truth on your hardened will of iron."

"The ruffians who terrorize your life chose their own paths, and are responsible for their own moral wrongdoings," Shiozaki remarks. "They have fallen to their basest desires, and allowed their sins to cloud their judgement. One day they may realize their mistakes, wishing to purge the taint of their sins. Others may not."

"But you — you still have the freedom to shape your path. Despite your mother's mistreatment or your hatred from Endeavor, you try your best to overcome such hurdles, to lessen the impact they have on your life. You go out of your way to aid the Todoroki boy, and even submit yourself to your school's bullying to save others from your own pain. You've sustained a fair heart, readily steadfast in your compassion. And that is what truly makes you special."

"Follow what you believe in," Shiozaki coaxes. "Follow what you think is right."

She reaches down with her hand, moving to pull at the strands of her friend's hair. Izuku momentarily freezes upon the unexpected contact, but easily relaxes into the touch as he realizes what's happening.

"But most importantly," Shiozaki continues, "don't change yourself, Izuku. Be yourself. Let your passions be you. And don't let worry shroud your mind. That is all I can say."

Izuku smiles, tilting his head up to face Shiozaki's gazing look. Their eyes meet, and they maintain the stare for a time.

Eventually, Izuku's the first one to break away, closing his eyes and breathing out a relaxed sigh. "You know, I—" Izuku's eyelids shoot open, eyes nearly bulging out from his skull. "Wait… Izuku?!"

"I, uh…" Shiozaki blushes. "It's just… I believe that we've reached the point in our friendship where we should be on a first name basis, no? If not, I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. If that's the case—"

"No, no. No," Izuku interrupts, shifting his eyes to the surface of the lake. "I… I don't mind."

The two bask in a comfortable silence, eyes scanning over the glistening water and absorbing the relative peace of nature surrounding them.

"Thank you," Izuku whispers, "for being such a wonderful friend and conversationalist, Ibara."

Izuku senses the slight motion of her lips, slowly curling from a smile to a frown. "My words and my friendship are all I can offer to ease the burden off your shoulders. I only wish that I could do more to alleviate your pains aside from providing solace after the fact."

"That's more than enough," Izuku mutters. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"You lived," Ibara intones. "And you continue to live your life despite what you face. That is what you've gone through to persist and reach this point. "Don't forget that."

"I won't."

A/N: A bit of a reprieve from last chapter's action. Instead, you all get some talks between the characters to build some stuff up. But don't worry! Next time around, there's a pretty eventful occurrence planned. Till then.