Chapter 1: Nothing Is Going to Be Okay. Why? Because I Am Here!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Nothing Is Going to Be Okay. Why? Because I Am Here!
Thump!
Upu…
THUMP!
Upupupu…
THUMP!
Upupupupupupu…!
THUMP!
Junko Enoshima, known as the Ultimate Fashionista by most, Ultimate Analyst by almost no one, and just an hour ago, the Ultimate Despair by the entire world.
The absolute figure of the organization that plunged the world into a dystopia…
Was about to die.
THUMP!
A slamming sound was heard in a poorly illuminated room full of school desks every few seconds. The source of it was the result of what resembled a trash compactor at the end of the room. Hitting the ground again and again with so much force that it was a guarantee that whatever or whoever stood underneath it, will meet a crushing end.
Her crushing end.
THUMP!
Seated on the simplest of chairs, a battered Junko was hugging the plushie of a monochrome bear, and as if to mock her own situation, atop her head rested a royal crown. What once was a perfectly slender figure capable of entrancing people with just a simple gaze on it, was now full of scratches, bruises, and burns that not even her hair dyed in a strawberry blonde got spared of it. Besides, she was sure that one, or two…or a whole fucking lot of her bones weren't in the best of shapes, neither where they should belong.
That's what's expected to happen when you get attacked by a barrage of hundreds of baseball balls, being electrocuted while riding a bike in a cage of death, burning while a goddamn firetruck falls on you, an excavator pummels your head with no mercy, and having being launched into space before abruptly crashing back on earth.
You know, pretty normal―Who the fuck believes that crap!? Hell, not even she knew how she survived half that shit!
…
…Anyhow, where was she?
THUMP!
Ah, right! She was about to taste the most delicious type of despair one could experience!
The despair you can only feel once in your life!
The despair that once you have it, there's no going back!
The despair of death!
That's right…I am about to die~
Just thinking about it was enough to make her droll.
Feeling the adrenaline pumping in her veins as her demise was getting closer and closer, the dreading anticipation of experiencing the very moment in which she will become one with the void that was the absolute unknown.
How long had she waited for that moment?
To experience the despair that no other despair could compare to.
Not the one from when she ruined the school her friends cherished, not the one she felt when she killed her childhood friend with her own hands, nor when her classmates died one by one, either by their own hands or through the executions she personally designed while ordering that mechanic simp to make them a reality.
Sure as hell the end of the world wasn't a close contender either.
For fucks sake, not even the death of my goddamn SISTER, my own flesh and blood, compares to this!
THUMP!
If that wasn't enough, the faces her classmates 'Those still alive, of course.', were making as she relished in her own misery was the cherry on top of the cake.
Hobo Bonehead was looking at her as if he didn't truly believed she was going with this through the very end, thinking that she will jump out of the chair at the last moment to save herself.
It's just a shame I won't get to see his face when some of my remains fly into his mouth…Ha! Let's see if that works as proof enough of how serious I am about this for that dense dumbass!
Donut Slut seemed horrified at first glance, but Junko could see the dark truth behind it, the spite and satisfaction burning in her eyes as the strawberry blonde's demise was about to be.
Who knew she had it in her to be so resentful, huh? Well, the entire world now sure as hell does after the fourth class-trial fiasco.
The fact that she will live with the death of her best friend, along with the guilt of misinterpreting her last wishes, and almost killing her remaining friends always lingering on her mind makes it worth it that she has made it so far.
As for Bloody Tongue Twister? She wasn't giving two shits about Junko, being more busy drooling at the sight of the Heir of Jack Shit.
Ugh, if she wasn't miserable enough, the despair of that guy being the best she will ever aspire to is the punchline of that joke she calls life.
Speaking of him.
The bastard was having the gall of looking all high and mighty as if he actually brought any contribution towards her defeat.
For someone so prideful, he sure as hell played to my tune like a bitch chasing a bone for quite a while. I can't complain about him making it to the last confrontation seeing how much help he was to make the class trials more entertaining.
Following that loser, there was the person who truly carried this conglomeration of deadweight.
Crispy Hands.
Junko always knew her classmates were the dumbest group you could ever find 'Well, save for those losers of the 77th class. Those guys truly take the crown as gullible suckers of the year!', but HOLY SHIT these past weeks only reaffirmed their stupidity!
She did not doubted that if any of the blackeneds had actually used their brains for a moment, choosing to take out of the competition the only person who showed signals of having any brain cells, the Killing Game wouldn't have lasted past the first class trial.
I mean, it's good that it lasted. Killing everyone in one sweep move would've been less entertaining. I wouldn't have minded seeing Miss Daddy Issues kick the bucket, though.
Right now, the silver-haired girl was close to him, with a face whose emotions were so well covered that even Junko, loathed as she was to admit it, had a hard time getting a read of them.
Heh, I bet that once she recovers her remaining memories, she's gonna be soooo glad that psycho idol and my loser of a sis are outta the competition for the unluckster, lame prize as that is.
Flickering her gaze towards the last survivor of her Killing School Life, Junko caught sight of the chumpest of chumps.
Makoto Naegi.
Similar to Miss Daddy Issues, he was also a pain in the ass.
Only a hundred times worse.
Sure, the not-so-amnesiac detective was the one who solved the mysteries surrounding the killing game and set the path towards the last trial, but it was the Ultimate Unluckster who punched where it hurt the most.
With his pathetic optimism, always maintaining the morale high among the group.
His bullshit luck, saving his life no matter what you threw at him.
His filthy hope, coming victorious against the onslaught of her despair.
His disgusting eyes full of concern towards me even after everything I have done to him.
No matter how much underneath he was to her, in the end, it was him, the most average, unimpressive, loser on earth who put an end to her reign of terror.
For Junko, that was…
…That just was…
…Just was…
…It was…TOTALLY THE BEST~!
It wasn't the Detective!
It wasn't the organization of morons who were creating even more despair in their attempts to fight her despair!
Neither that other Luckster who didn't know anything else other than preach about hope!
Not even the fucking lab rat turned into an artificial god with all those talents!
The person who will put an end to her life is a simple guy you could find any-fucking-where!
How much more despairful than this could ya get!?
THUMP!
Upupupu…I am about to find out~
THUMP!
C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C―
THUMP!
Only three more slams!
THUMP!
With her giddiness reaching its peak, Junko couldn't help a cheshire grin as she waved a peace sign, rejoicing in how perturbed her classmates looked while doing so.
THUMP!
Come to me, sweet despairful release of death!
…
…
…
…
…
…
…Huh?
That's weird, she could've sworn―
CRUUNCH!
And so, the sound of bones and flesh turning to a pulp while blood spread in all directions signaled the death of Junko Enoshima. The seed of despair that tormented the world, finally met her end…
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…In this world at the very least.
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…!
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…?
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…? ? ?
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…What…what is this?
Why she was still breathing?
Why she was alive?
…Was she alive?
The fact that she could smell, feel, hear, and despair, told her that yes, she regretfully was very much alive. Or, hey, who knows? Maybe this was how the afterlife felt. Maybe it could be that she went to heaven and―PFFFFT! Hahahahahahaha! As if!
If this wasn't a parade towards the most despairful and deepest pits of hell, she ain't interested in that shit!
...
...But seriously, tho, where was she?
With her curiosity perking up, Junko allowed one eye open, and saw…
A blue sky.
Wait, wut?
Oi! Where's that beautiful toxic red sky that killed thousands on a daily basis!? Where did it go!?
Actually…why the fuck was she outside?
Deciding that being slumped on the ground wasn't going to tell her jack shit, Junko stood up to get a better view of her surroundings. Once she was on her feet, Junko began a scan of the perimeter.
Buildings. An ocean of them.
Everywhere she flickered her gaze towards, a different edification was erected. They came in all colors and sizes, with a few skyscrapers in the distance, and now that she had a better look at her more immediate area, she could see that she was on a rooftop. Most important of all, though, was the fact that…not a single one showed so much as a spec of damage.
No signals of a bomb being detonated in the vicinity.
No building was torn to shreds because a giant monochrome robot tore it apart.
No debris painted with dried-up blood.
No screams of despair.
No anything out of the ordinary.
It was almost as if you could ask someone here if they knew about The Tragedy and they would say something among the lines of The Tragedy? What's that? Can you eat it? And then begin to call the nearest asylum to lock you up for the rest of your life, having the solitude deteriorate your brain until you no longer know what's real or not.
She would know, all those weeks of zero face-to-face interaction with other people during the Killing Game screwed a few bolts in her head.
...
...
...
...She would know, all those weeks of zero face-to-face interaction with other people during the Killing Game screwed with the already messed up bolts in her head.
While confirming that her Monokuma pins were still there, her gaze went to herself, to her boots, her skirt, her black cardigan, then to her unblemished skin. No matter where she appreciated, everything was in perfect state, as if The Ultimate Punishment was nothing but a dream. Placid and beautiful, but a dream nonetheless.
Hmmm…
I see I see…
So that's how it is.
She can only come to two conclusions about what the shit was all this about.
Possibility one: She traveled back in time.
Possibility two: She's fulfilling those virgin weeb's fantasy and she was sent to another world…well, an alternate reality was also a possibility, but that's basically the same shit.
Did all of this relate to the compactor? If it were, then she sure as hell contracted some weird company for it.
Was her death a trigger for it to happen? If that span of a second where she felt her entire being getting crushed was any indication, then, yeah.
How that makes any sense? That's probably the best part.
It fucking didn't!
There wasn't a goddamn logical explanation you could give to this phenomenon! For all she knew, she's inside one of those shitty stories Yamada 'May his soul rest in despair!' loved.
Still…
Where was she?
It's in Japan, or a version of it, that much she could see from all those advertisements and the language they were written, but that didn't told her much beyond that.
…
...
…
…Welp, might as well do some exploration!
Fortunately, just beside her, there was a stair leading to a nearby alley.
Seriously, how freaking convenient was that?
When she was done descending, Junko couldn't prevent reveling for a moment in the disgusting smell of trash and dead critters surrounding her.
What a despairful way to begin this adventure~.
Nevertheless, that didn't stop Junko for more than a pair of seconds before strolling towards the main street. As Junko did so, she began rummaging through the endless possibilities that were beginning to form in her head.
If she was honest, the traveling back on time was having the lead on what possibility sounded the most alluring.
Depending on how much she went back, perhaps she's could do things differently. Like, making Muku sis survive the Spears of Gungnir and see where that leads? Nah, that sounds like a shitty plot device. What about...Oh! Maybe she could join the 77th class this time? Using them for the killing game instead and seeing how that goes? See how well her previous classmates fare as Remnants of Despair?
Wait, another version of her existed here? If that were to be the case…
Upupupu…
Maybe she should get rid of her? After all, this world is too small for two Junko Enoshimas.
Ah~, Killing myself with my own hands, that doesn't sound bad~.
Or could it be that she traveled just before The Tragedy began? Being too late to do anything, as the Junko from this timeline forces the original her to live through the real experience first-hand? There's also the chance that this was a future where people were just recently recovering from her despair, attempting to leave behind the damage she had done…Only for her to come back and crash down on their party!
God! Just thinking of all these despairful scenarios is gonna make me have an accident!
Although, who knows? Yeah, time travel sounds good and all, but…depending on the circumstances, this place being another world could present a greater opportunity.
Anyhow, she's about to know.
Taking one last step outside the alley, she was greeted by what appeared to be a regular shopping district. Both unsurprisingly and disappointing, nobody was wearing Monokuma's masks or tearing each other's limbs while chanting either to despair or her name. It was just people looking around the different establishments, brats nudging their parent's shirts because they weren't buying whatever crap they wanted, and boring students strolling around after a boring day of school.
A pretty normal sight.
Except it wasn't.
Even with all the bullshit Junko has seen in her life, she can admit that much.
After all, how could you call this normal when one of the randoms gazing at a shop had the face of a fucking lion? Or when the kid throwing a fit had a pair of small storm clouds just above him? There was also the trio of teenagers, where one of them had freaking water for hair, another a pair of extra limbs, and…well, the last loser didn't have any notorious change at first sight, but then he sneezed and his skin color changed to a green one.
Her surroundings were full of similar people, varying between people who no longer seemed human, those who had an alteration or two, and others who looked like normal individuals at first sight, though no doubt they had a particularity of their own.
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…
…
…So, a different world was it, then?
By the looks of it, this was an alternate reality in which an idiot who fell into a nuclear waste didn't die or became invalid for life, instead, he got a power, it became a trend with everyone being like Hey, that's so cool! Let me try! Then it propagated like wildfire until their society became one full of actually useful mutations.
Sounds about right.
Although I wonder…
What if they have already developed a supremacist ideology in which those with powers are the superior race against those who don't have one. Do they have a method to verify if someone counts as one of them? What happens then? Will…Hehehehe…will they begin to hunt her if they found out she isn't like them…perhaps even a public execution to reassure their lack of tolerance for powerless people!?
What a despairful end would that be~
While walking and fantasying about even more despairful outcomes, she instinctively stopped herself mid-step. Almost robotically, her head snapped at the building beside her.
It was a comic store.
The shop had a stand behind a glass wall where it highlighted all kinds of merchandise. Ranging between a muscular guy surrounded in flames, a man in his twenties with a yellow tinted visor and red wings, and a fucking orca in a white suit, among others.
There was also a bulky blonde guy labeled as 'All Might' whose unwavering grin was irking her.
Either way, it wasn't like she was interested in any of this stuff in particular, but…
Something at the back of her head was telling her to give a more scrutizing look, as if it were important to her current situation…which now that it falls into her that this is basically the X-Men's wet dream, with mutants and superpowers being a reality and a common thing, this means that this merchandise isn't for some fictional characters, is it? The shirts, the action figures, all this junk are depicting actual people.
Heroes.
Huh, so morons like that are a thing here? If that's the case, then there's no way that there aren't any―
The deafening sound of an explosion put her attention elsewhere.
Swirling to her left, Junko became a witness to a sight that made her grin ear to ear.
In the distance, some kind of mucus-made abomination crashed into a building, then, as if throwing a fit, it began to trash around into anything in its vicinity, vehicles among them, which in turn reacted to the impacts by setting explosions of their own, and if it weren't enough, those same detonations led to a chain reaction in which the surroundings of that thing made of slimy waste were beginning to set on flames.
"Uwaaah!"
"No way!?"
"A v-villain!?"
Speak of the devil and he shall appear, was it?
The once peaceful shopping district, turned into a warzone in the blink of an eye as the sludge thing continued to do as he pleased.
Setting stores on fire.
Making infants cry for their mothers and fathers.
The adults themselves screaming for their lives.
All of that was like music to Junko's ears.
Yet, none of that compared to another interesting detail about that 'Sludge Villain' or whatever the fuck was called.
It wasn't alone.
Glued to him in a vicious, gross, and slimy grip, was an ashen-blonde teenager screaming profanities left and right as he tried and failed to get free. All the while, he was releasing even more explosions from his hands.
He can release them just like that? Is there an actual logic behind it? Perhaps a substance within his body, like sweat, can turn into a chemical, nitroglycerin being the most likely candidate, and the palms of his hands have the ability to ignite the substance, which in turn allows him to generate explosions. That sounds about right, but whatever the case is, kudos to him for making an even bigger mess of this situation!
Leaving that train of thought aside, his eyes were bloodshot while erratically moving in all directions, as if looking for someone. He's wary…the sludge thing that is. Something or someone was chasing him. He must've found that hopeless fool by luck in his escape and is using him as a hostage…no, not exactly a hostage, the way his tendrils are trying to get into that loser's mouth means the sludge creepo has another objective.
Ah! He's trying to get inside that boy!
It's possible that like a parasite, that thing can control its host once inside of it, maybe even getting control of its power? Though judging by the sheer volume of that thing…there's no way that boy is gonna survive for long if that were to occur.
Something that thick and long…Upupupupu, like a high school girl in one of those sick and pervert animations, that slimy creature is gonna make a mess of his internal organs!
Junko didn't expect her welcome to this new world was going to be like this…but she sure as hell isn't gonna say no to it!
Entranced like a bug to a lamp, Junko attempted to get a better view of this spectacle. Getting closer and closer.
Until she had to sidestep to the left, just in time to avoid a web of wood launched from just behind her.
Then she did so to the right, narrowly dodging another bunch of branches.
Without looking back, Junko continued this dance for a few more times before staying still and sighing in exasperation.
Despairful as it would be, exposing myself this early would make things too boring…
Junko didn't even make the effort to do a fake scream as she was yanked by that same wood tendrils from before, towards the rest of the crowd.
"What are you doing, lady!? Can't you see you were in the middle of a villain attack!?" Once she was 'safe', the owner of that magic wood, which was a guy made of even more wood with a dark-blue bodysuit fumed in her direction.
Not like she was impressed "Ah! Whoopsies~, I was too busy checking some sick pictures for my modeling agency that I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings!" That was a big fucking lie; she doesn't even have a phone with her!
Woodman launched her a glare while rolling his eyes, but besides that, he left her be and focused on the giant snail reject. As he did so, a bulky buy rushed towards the sludge thing and tried to punch it, only for its liquid form making it immune to it. Not so long after, a giant blonde could be seen running towards the incident...only for the dumb bitch to stop dead in her tracks when she noticed that the street where the chaos was happening was too thin for her body to fit in, and finally, there was super Pinocchio once again, who thanks to the fire spreading more and more because of the ashen-blonde boy keeping the explosions going, couldn't do shit.
And so, they kept themselves doing nothing but dumbly staring at the villain with panicked and frustrated expressions on their faces
Well, at least this works as further proof that powers or not, most people here are gonna be nothing but schmucks.
As minutes tickled in, more people in ridiculous costumes came to the scene, but before any of them could do anything…
It happened.
It seems slime-boy became bored with the destruction and was ready to get things to the next level, because his next course of action was to finally pour his disgusting self into the boy's mouth.
Could anyone ask for a more despairful first kiss?
Just like she had already inferred, that worked to create a host-parasite connection where the sludge thing became capable of using the boy's power, which the villain used to make even bigger explosions and with free reign over how to use them.
"Huehuehue―HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Nothing can stop me now! NOTHING! You hear!?"
Basically, the heroes were fuuuuuucked!
"H-Hey, isn't that, like, a super dangerous villain?" Random crowd member number one said.
"Uh, now that I remember, All Might was chasing him this morning, so, maybe?" Random crowd member number two shrugged.
"All Might!?"
The immediate change in the atmosphere when this 'All Might' was mentioned didn't go unnoticed by Junko.
"All Might, here!?"
"Oh! Then everything is going to be okay soon, right?"
"All Might is going to come any second now and do something about that villain!"
"Yeah!"
Although she couldn't prevent frowning at the cheers they were giving to whomever that guy was, Junko opted to instead relish on the bizarreness of the situation. That is to say, the fact that a boy was getting eaten from inside out by a viscous monstrosity in front of their very eyes and while the so-called 'Heroes' were being next to useless, the crowd was acting all happy and dandy to such sight, almost as if celebrating such a gruesome soon to happen death. A society corrupted by their own powers, so far gone that they find pleasure in the senseless violence the dynamic of heroes and villains provide, no matter who gets in the crossfire of it.
That's a nice way to think about it.
That, combined with their self-imposed inability to do anything as a teenager was dying in front of them sure as heck was bringing first quality despair to her heart!
Content with that train of thought, Junko opted to watch with satisfaction the growing despair in the eyes of Bomberman as his struggles to get free were becoming more and more useless, while also knowing that no one was going to put their hands on the fire for him, both figuratively and literally speaking.
And the cherry on top of the cake.
With this All Might out of the picture, no hero was going to come and save―
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"
Junko quickly turned in the direction of the sharp cry.
On the other end of the crowd, a boy with a black gakuran uniform similar to Bomberman's, sprang like a maniac in the direction of the sludge mutant.
…Huh?
Besides that fluffy-green hair that was casting shadows in some areas of it, Junko could only use a single word to describe him: Plain.
Plain height, plain freckles, plain physics, plain looks, plain everything. Everywhere you looked about him, it was the same. Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain PlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlainPlain―
"Hey! Get away from the villain! Can't you see it's not safe!?" Ignoring the calls to back down, Broccoli Boy continued to rush toward the sludge mutant.
There was a flash of recognition in both that thing and the blonde's eyes when they caught sight of him, and judging by their glares, neither of them was a fan of his presence.
"You again!? W-Wait, does that mean he's nearby!? I should…no, it doesn't matter as long as I have this brat's quirk! Let's see if you like this explosion!"
Quirk? So that's what they call them?
Be that as it may, in a desperate attempt to counter the sludge abomination attack, the freckled boy threw his bag. That in itself didn't do shit as it fell in the villain's solid-proof body...although the same couldn't be said about that notebook that conveniently fell on his right eye, which, surprise! Surprise! It DIDN'T share the same freaking immunity, and if that wasn't enough, it made him flinch enough to release his tendrils from the ashen-blonde guy's mouth. A stupid stroke of luck that had one of her eyes twitching.
Uwah, how could you become so pathetic from one moment to another?
The silver lining, though, was that as Mop Hair tried and failed miserably to release Eternal Glare, who was cursing his name as if it was him who put him in that situation, the sludge mutant recovered.
"Y-You bastard…DON'T GET IN MY WAY!" The sludge thing snarled, and with the control, he still had on the ashen-blonde, threw a hand on Mop Hair.
Junko's frown from that previous pitiful display was about to turn once again into a grin.
That stopped in the middle of it when a flash of something went past her. It was so fast that not even her analytical eye could catch a detailed picture of it, the only details she managed to acquire were that it was big, bulky, and with blonde hair.
What the…?
Her attention went back towards the sludge thing when his explosive attack finally met a target, though Junko didn't hold any illusion that it actually hurt mop hair. Not because she thought he managed to dodge the attack at the last moment, but because…
…When the smoke from the explosion cleared out, a tall and just as muscular man stood between the sludge mutant and the green-haired boy, holding an arm up that saved said boy from turning into the second coming of Kirigiri's hands.
So, this is All Might, huh?
Judging by the body language, the now known as All Might and Mop Hair were having a conversation of sorts, though thanks to the surrounding sounds and their angles, Junko couldn't either hear them or do lip reading.
"A PRO MUST ALWAYS PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE!" Whatever they said to each other, quickly come to an end, because the next thing All Might did was to hold both Mop Hair and Bomberman's arms with a single hand and ready a punch with the other as his voice boomed for everyone to hear, "DETROOOIT SMAAAAAAAASH!"
Before the sludge mutant could react to that, All Might's unnaturally fast punch made contact…
And pulverized the villain.
The sludge mutant and the fire that was spreading, both disappeared out of sight as if absorbed by a vacuum.
Thought that wasn't the end of the attack.
All Might's punch packed so much force behind it, that the wind blasts generated as aftermaths of his attack joined until forming a whirlwind so big that Junko and no doubt people in a few miles' radius could feel it.
When the man-made tornado finally disappeared, absolute silence was the only thing that followed. No one dared to say a word, with most faces frozen in astonishment.
Then Junko felt something wet hit her head.
Looking up with a blank face, she observed as the sky began to darken with dense clouds.
That single drop of water turned into a million.
"E-Eh? It's raining?"
One punch.
One punch from this All Might could generate enough wind pressure to launch the remains of the sludge mutant out of the atmosphere and alter the weather.
...
"That's All Might for you!" Such a fact brought the crowd out of their stupor.
"All Might! Your awesome!"
"The best hero in the world!"
"As expected of The Symbol of Peace!"
"Our Symbol of Hope!"
! ! !
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…
...
…Oh?
Half an hour after the sludge mutant's defeat, police came just in time to do their jobs as garbage collectors and pick its still-alive remains. Along with them, came a pair of ambulances that were totally unnecessary thanks to no one getting seriously hurt.
So lame…
Meanwhile, reporters lunged like rabid dogs at any hero they could find, almost kneeling and licking their shoes in exchange for any answer that could allow them to maintain their miserable jobs. It was obvious they were looking for Superman on steroids, but the guy left as soon as he was done with the villain.
…
For those heroes who weren't distracted by the media, they were busy scolding Mop Hair for risking his life to save someone while praising Bomberman for making their own jobs a bigger pain in the ass with all those explosions.
Not that Junko was paying much attention to that.
Instead, seeing that everyone was too distracted to pay her any consideration, Junko took that as her opportunity to get closer to where the fight, if that one-sided massacre could be called that, happened. Humming a calm melody as she strolled and avoided bumping into someone. When she reached her destination, Junko stopped her pace to look at the concrete under her. Most of it has already been washed by the rain, but there was enough for that to be noticeable.
A speck of blood.
Junko witnessed the incident from beginning to end…which is why she knows that the only people who set foot where this little stain is, were the sludge loser, Mop Hair, Bomberman, and All Might.
Besides some bruises, Bomberman didn't presented any injuries that could bleed.
Mop Hair was only grabbed for a moment by the villain, but nothing more than that.
Sludge-man couldn't even bleed.
And All Might…
"…" It was for only a second, almost unnoticeable, but after defeating the villain and turning to the crowd to do a victory pose, Junko saw it.
The big guy wavered.
Not only that but as if bread out of a toaster, he was also releasing smoke. There would be nothing out of the ordinary, by this world's standards, with that if it was from just the arm that launched the punch…but it came from his entire body when the droplets of water fell on him and evaporated.
Like an overworked computer about to blow up…
"…"
Looking to the sides, making sure people still weren't paying her any mind, Junko trolled towards the most nearby alley. After finding what she was looking for, stepping in, and being confident that there weren't any prying eyes, Junko leaned against a wall, not giving two shits about how dirty it could be or the smell.
…
…
…
…Quirks.
Villains.
Heroes.
…
…
"…Pfft."
A Symbol of peace, they say?
Their Symbol of Hope…?
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Upu…
Upupu…
Upupupu…
Upupupupupupup…
UPUPUPUPUPUPUPUPUPPUPU―
"―HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, man! So, this is how it's gonna be, huh!?"
Don't worry! I got the message crystal clear, whatever the fuck brought me here!
What else it could mean!?
It's the sequel everyone has been waiting for! It's Junko Enoshima Time 2.0: There are fucking superpowers this time!
Where there's a Symbol of Peace, an antithesis for it is a must, doesn't it?
After all, where there's Hope…
There's always Despair.
Notes:
A/N: So, yeah…I made this.
It happened one normal morning where my brain just told me outta nowhere “Hey, seeing that you are already making a Mukuro-centric fic, why not one about Junko too?” So I told myself, sure, why not?
And this was the result.
Anyways, let me know what do you guys think!
Chapter 2: Let Never Be Said She Wastes an Opportunity When She Sees It.
Chapter Text
Let Never Be Said She Wastes an Opportunity When She Sees It.
There's not a single spec of doubt in Izuku Midoriya's mind that today has been the worst day ever.
Sure, his life for the past ten years hasn't been rainbows and roses…neither what anyone could call above average in any sense of the word…heck, just regular a lifestyle would've been a better alternative to the constant physical and mental harassment, the stares of disgust, disdain, contempt, and pity when they look at him and remind him day by day his lack of a quirk! As if he was some kind of defective and lesser human being! Nothing but trash and a Deku!
…
…The point is that today…today he truly got up on the wrong side of the bed.
Well, the part about seeing Kamui Woods and Mt. Lady in action against that giant villain in action wasn't bad, it gave him some good notes to write about in his notebook.
…Although it's not like he has use for them any longer.
Right, that's…that's what All Might made clear, didn't he?
Following that, that's when things truly turned south.
He was mocked for his desire of attending U.A. High School. Shamed for his will to give it a chance. Ridiculed for desiring to chase his dream. Humiliated for wanting to be a hero, and not for the first time 'While I highly doubt that for the last time, either…', looked down upon for being quirkless.
Then Kacchan…he…he―
If you wanna be a hero so badly, why don't you give it a try by jumping off a rooftop and hope for a quirk in your next life, eh Deku?
―Goddammit!
Just remembering Kacchan's words hammering into his psyche was enough to make him sick. Izuku knew that he and Kacchan weren't on the best of terms 'And that's putting it lightly…' ever since the ashen-blonde got his admittedly awesome quirk. The treatment Izuku received from Kacchan grew harsher with each year, getting to the point of…well, today happening.
Why would he say something that cruel…?
As if that wasn't bad enough, for how horrible all of that was, Izuku couldn't say that's where things touched bottom for him. Putting aside his near-death experience with the sludge villain…
…There was All Might.
When Izuku caught sight of his idol right in front of him, it gave him the best of feelings, thinking everything was finally turning into a new positive light. And for a few moments…it truly was. His most idolized hero saved his life and signed his notebook. It was all too good to be true, and knowing that that was probably his first and last chance, Izuku had to ask him.
Can someone become a hero without a quirk?
Pros are always risking their lives. It would be wrong of me to say that you can become a hero without a quirk…I'm sorry, kid. It is good to have dreams…but it is also important to set realistic goals.
Become a police officer. That's what All Might said, what he recommended Izuku go for. That's what those pro-heroes back an hour ago implied through those scoldings he received for his impulsive actions, and that's what Kacchan, his classmates, professors, and his own mother have reminded him for years is the best he could aspire for.
…
…
…
…Izuku knew.
He has always known in the deepest corners of his mind, that the chances of being a pro-hero when he is quirkless were next to zero. But…just once. Just one person. Before getting his dream crushed, he would've wished to hear from at least a single person those words.
That he could become a―
"DEKU! ! !"
Eh!?
Like a deer in headlights, Izuku twirled in the direction of a voice full of venomous fury with a far from a small amount of panic. It was then that he caught sight of his former childhood friend running in his direction while sending him a glare.
Although it's not like that last part is any different from the ashen-blonde's usual expression.
"K-Kacchan!? What are you―!?"
"LISTEN WELL, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Before Izuku could end that sentence, Kacchan stopped in his tracks before beginning to snarl while pointing an accusatory finger "Don't you dare think I owe you shit! I never asked you to save me, ya hear!? Least of all by a pathetic quirkless wimp destined to failure like you! Actually, fuck that! You didn't save anyone's ass! You are and always will be a fucking useless Deku with no right to look down on me! Do you understand, shitty nerd!?" The ashen-blonde growled with a look of absolute contempt, though just as fast, he began to walk in the opposite direction all the while whispering 'By Kacchan's standards…' what Izuku could barely make up as "Deku" and "Quirkless trash" as he kicked the ground every now and then.
And that was it. That's all Kacchan came here for. Rub into his face one more that Izuku's circumstances made it impossible for him to achieve his dream.
Only this time, Izuku understands he's right.
He finally knows that letting go of that goal is the best course of action he could take. It was time to focus instead on a future within his capabilities.
…
Izuku couldn't help an audible sigh at that "…At least the day couldn't get any worse, I guess…"
"Eh, I don't know about that. What I do know, though…geez, someone needs to retrieve the stick outta that guy's ass"
"W-Well, I-I can't truly, erm, disagree on that, but that's how Kacchan's always―"
Wait! Whom I am talking with!?
Turning towards where the voice of this newcomer was coming from, Izuku saw…Izuku…he…he…he saw…
…A girl.
She was taller than him, not like he had set the bar high for that, and try as he might, Izuku couldn't determine if it was because she was older, or it was simply because of her blessed genetics. Her face and body in general made it hard to guess. Speaking of which, she was without a doubt the most beautiful girl Izuku has ever met in his life. Granted, the repertoire of girls he has interacted with is not what you could consider impressive, but that didn't make his assessment any less true.
Her hourglass figure, whose skin, while soft looking, lacked any excess fat. Her legs which weren't left behind were a perfect balance with neither ripping in muscles nor excessively plump. There was also her massive pair of…strawberry-blonde pigtails which fitted so well with her face, that while being what one could easily label as 'Sexy', there's no denying her cute charm greatly supported by those round and large blue eyes that made Izuku feel as if she was staring at his very soul.
The attire she was wearing did nothing but boost up the grace she carried herself with. Her white dress shirt underneath a black cardigan, with both of them having their sleeves pulled up and left open enough to expose her black and red black bra, in addition to a red skirt so short that Izuku couldn't dare to stare much, and black boots. Even the small details like the black choker on her neck, her loosely hanging black and white tie, the red bow attached to her right chest area, or those clips of a bunny on her right pigtail and a red and white bow on her left one added to her sense of fashion that people all around the globe would kill for.
If someone were to tell Izuku that the girl in front of him was an acclaimed celebrity working as a model for a highly reputable magazine, he wouldn't doubt it at all.
Just being in her presence, Izuku could feel himself drawn towards the massive aura of confidence and charisma radiating out of this woman with unnatural beauty. Almost like, if she were to propose herself something, the masses would go as far as to move at their own will and act as step ladders for her sake. For any declaration she was to make, you could bet it was nothing but the absolute truth, even if it was yet to be proven, as the skies and oceans would kneel before her to make it a reality if necessary.
All in all, every single detail about the woman in front of him seemed as if it was assessed with scrutinous precision, and only until it got a seal of approval for flawless perfection, it was attached to her being.
Most important of all, though…
SHE'S A GIRL!?
E-Eh? W-W-W-W-Why is a girl talking to me!? A-A-And a beautiful one at that!? What could she want with someone like m-m-me!? Wait, hold on a second! Is she actually talking to me!? O-O-Or could it be that someone else is behind me and she was addressing that person, making me nothing but an idiot if I were to reply!? Ah! B-But I already replied back to her, didn't I!? Arghhh dammit! I'm such a fool! And I bet she thinks the same right now. Now she's gonna begin to loudly laugh while mocking my blunder! Then share the experience with her friends about that loser who directed her a word, and they too will see me as a laughing stock! Although she hasn't begun guffawing yet, m-maybe I can salvage this. Perhaps acting as if I too was talking to someone else? No, all she would have to do is to turn back to notice my ruse and it would make matters even worse! W-What about an apology!? That might work, or at the very least, it is the only path I can see with some chance of success. Depending on how I do it, it is possible that―
"Eh, I was talking to ya, so the apology is kinda overkill at this point"
"A-A…c…c…I…I-I…s-s…y…m-m…u…u…"
"Oi, it's too early in the story to break on me, don'tcha think?"
"A-A G-G-GIRL!?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm one since last I checked"
"O-Oh? I-I see that is good to―Eeeek! D-D-D-Did I said that o-out loud!?"
"Yep, you were"
"ACK! I-I-I'm s-sorry! I―"
"Hey, hey, you need to chillax, like, a lot. This routine of me saying something and you freaking out long since outlived its cheap comedy effect. Breath in, breath out, you can do that, right?"
As if a spell was cast upon him, Izuku stopped his stuttering with a hitch before complying with her instructions. Closing his eyes for concentration while dissipating any outer distractions, Izuku absorbed some air in until his lungs were full and then huffed that same air out. He repeated the exercise a pair of times more until he finally began to feel his nerves calming down.
Once he expulsed the residual carbon dioxide out of his system, Izuku began to slowly open his eyes, only to catch sight of the strawberry-blonde still standing there, now with her hands behind her and a tilted head where a slightly amused smile gracing her lips "…So, think you are capable of coherent speech now?"
"I…I, um, y-yeah, I…I'm fine now…" That's what he said, but he still couldn't avoid acting self-conscious as a dark tone of red formed on his cheeks while addressing the strawberry blonde. Can someone blame him? This is the most ANY girl has directed him a word in more than a decade! The fact that this girl was a world-class beauty didn't help on the matter "…Um, can…c-can I help you with something?"
Izuku internally winced at the awkward way he made that question, but it couldn't be helped. He was genuinely wondering if she required assistance on any matter and that was why he was talking to him. If it weren't because of her fluid Japanese he might've confused her for a foreign, but even if she isn't, perhaps she's not from around here. Maybe she was new in town and needed help with directions.
With that same smile plastered on her face, the strawberry-blonde girl began to eye him up and down, as she did so, the corners of her mouth began to stretch slightly upwards. Meanwhile, Izuku couldn't help but grew exponentially nervous as the seconds ticked by. Wondering if this was a signal that this time indeed, she was going to laugh at his expense for daring to suggest that he could be useful for whatever was running through her mind.
Just as he was about to sputter out another apology, the blue-eyed girl spoke up with a sing-song voice "Hmm, I wonder about that…" She said nothing else for a few moments as she taped her chin with a single finger, though before another wave of nerves could make a comeback, the strawberry-blonde snapped her finger with her other hand so suddenly that it made him flinch "Alright, come with me"
That was the last thing she said before turning on her heels and strolling forward.
"Eh…?"
Instead of explaining any further, the blue-eyed girl continued on her way without looking back, as if those words of hers were all the explanation he needed. This admittedly put Izuku at a crossroad, quite literally.
On one hand, he could ignore her as she now is apparently doing, seeing that she wasn't even checking if Izuku was actually following her, and continue his path back home. On the other, he could allow the curiosity bubbling within him to get the better of him and follow the mysterious strawberry-blonde girl.
He understood that the latter was the peak of recklessness. He had no idea who she was, what were her intentions, heck, he didn't even get her name! For all Izuku knew, this girl could be working for a group of kidnappers, acting as the bait for naïve fools like him who would follow her just because, only to become their next victim!
…Although…
It is also true that acting that cynical wouldn't sit right with him, less so when she hasn't given Izuku any signals to act like that. If anything, the blue-eyed girl has been considerably polite, at least more than what he was used to. When he was a stuttering mess, she didn't laugh at him. Sure, the signals that she found it funny were there but that was about it, there wasn't any mocking on her part, and when he began in one of his whispering ramblings, instead of giving him a look of contempt or being weirded out as he is used to, she took it in stride AND helped him calm down. That has never happened before!
If this girl were to truly need him for something, he doesn't think rejecting her request would let him sleep right. He may be about to give up on his dream of being a hero…but that doesn't mean he wouldn't help people if it was feasible for him.
…
…
…
…And, if by any chance, there was something shady going on, then someone needs to report it to the pro-heroes! He can always back down and run away at the first signal of true danger so he could leave it to the professionals.
Right?
He might not be sure about this, but...there was something about this person that he just couldn't ignore. He would like to say that it was because he would feel terrible if he were to ignore the possible need for help, but it just felt like there was something more to it.
...
...
...
...In the end, curiosity got the better of him, and Izuku deviated from his path as he followed the strawberry-blonde girl. All the while hoping he wasn't making a mistake.
Chapter 3: The Words He Always Wanted to Hear…From the Person He Should’ve Never Heard Them.
Chapter Text
The Words He Always Wanted to Hear…From the Person He Should’ve Never Heard Them.
Thankfully, the strawberry-blonde was going at such a calm pace that Izuku didn't have to go too far before catching up to her…which now that he was just beside her, some small corner of his mind couldn't help but wonder if this was on purpose from her part.
…
…
…
…Best to not think about that for now.
"Hmm~, Mhmhm~, Hmhm~"
"…Um…"
"Hmm~, Mmhmhmm~, Hmhm~, Mhmhm~"
"…Uh, e-excuse me…"
"Hm~?"
"W-Well, I…I was wondering…where are we going?"
"Where? Hmm…that's a secret~"
"I…I see…?" Not he doesn't, and even less felt any reassurance at those words "…Erm, by the way, miss―"
"Ew, don't call me miss" The strawberry-blonde girl protested, though it lacked any animosity "It makes me sound old, that, or the heir to a small European kingdom with customs so strange that you don't know if some of the terms they use are sexual innuendos or just simply weird!"
That…that was weirdly specific, but… "O-Oh, okay…t-then, how should I call you?"
A look of realization appeared on the blue-eyed girl "Oh, right, introductions. That's something the humans around here do, right?" Huh? Humans? She was just joking…right? "The name's Junko Enoshima! Don't get too attached or you will regret it~"
"I-I see…?" Again, he doesn't. If anything, he was beginning to question if that last bit was just part of the eccentric way she was or if there was some degree of veracity to it. It was hard to tell with how she presented herself "Um, well, I am―"
"Why I should care about your name? I didn't even ask for it, did I?" The now known as Enoshima said with a voice so cold and eyes full of dull disinterest that it was sending shivers all the way down Izuku's spine.
"…H-Huh…?"
"We just meet, why should I bother to know how are you called?"
W-What…?
Try as he might not to, the sudden change in the atmosphere caught him off-guard "E-Eh!? I-I-I…U-Uuh, w-well…look, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you in any way, I-I just thought―"
"Pffft! That was a joke!" Enoshima suddenly exclaimed as she playfully began to ruffle his hair…WAIT, WHAT!? A-A-A g-girl was ruffling his hair!? "I was just messing with ya! I saw the opportunity and I just couldn't miss it!"
"A j-joke…!?" Izuku couldn't prevent the pitch tone in which he ended that sentence…neither for his face not to turn red as a tomato because of the feminine contact.
WH-WH-WHAT!? A-A girl is t-touching my hair…and it is on purpose!? I-I-Is this some kind of d-dream!?
"Mhm!" Enoshima eagerly nodded. The coldness of just a moment ago was completely gone without a hint of ever existing "You've been stiff for quite a while now, so I thought of pulling those small ruses to get more familiar with each other!" She continued the shuffling of his hair for a few extra moments before moving her hand away, something Izuku was quickly beginning to miss "I'm not some wolf ready to prey on the poor green-haired rabbit, y'know~?" The strawberry-blonde girl said with a closed-eyed cheshire grin.
R-Rabbit…?
"O-Oh…i-it was for th reason, huh? I-I understand, haha…" For the third time, he didn't. Nothing about the blue-eyed girl beside him made any sense, and the more time he interacted with her, the more confused 'And nervous…' he got.
I'm already bad at interacting with girls, and the one in front of me not only is cute but also a total extrovert! That is the worst combination possible for me to deal with!
"Uh-huh! Now…" As if further proof of Enoshima's quirkiness was necessary, the cheekiness she carried herself with quickly shifted into a more regal one, and…was that crown on her head there all the time? "…Indulge us, mortal! How doth we calleth thou on these foreign lands?" Us? We? Is…is she talking about herself in third person?
Not only is she an extrovert, but her personality also shifts a lot too…
Nevertheless, even someone like him could deal with that question "R-Right…I-I'm Izuku Midoriya, uh…nice to meet you?"
"Midoriya is thou art known, peasant?" Peasant!? "Rejoice, the infinite sea of knowledge that we calleth brain shalt remember thy name for the eons to cometh!"
Seriously, why the British accent all of sudden? "Um…t-thanks…?"
The strawberry-blonde girl just nodded at that before resuming her cheerful humming, turning ahead as both of them continued their way towards…well, towards whatever it was they were going seeing that she refused to elaborate on that, which it was genuinely starting to worry Izuku.
They haven't walked that much yet, sure, but the orangish tint of the sky and the sun beginning to set showed that it won't be long before night comes out. Besides, there wasn't any signal of being close to their destination, because as pointed out before, Enoshima seemed intent on keeping where they needed to go a secret, and it was even more unsettling considering that neither had she told him what she does require his help with.
…
…
…
…Maybe…maybe this was a mistake after all…? Perhaps I should…turn back? I mean thinking more thoroughly about this, what does someone like me could bring of assistance to her? After all, just one look at me should be more than enough for everyone to see me as unreliable, and…as much as it paints me to admit it, they wouldn't be wrong for thinking like that. Sure, she may not know that I'm quirkless but there's no way that my looks in general could give anyone confidence to ask for something from me, even less so from someone with the looks of Enoshima. The more I mull about it, the more suspicious this gets…y-yeah, there's no way she truly needs someone as u-useless as me. It might be an awkward situation to deal with, b-but I should back down, though I should do it with caution and choose my words carefully, perhaps an excuse about an urgent matter that I should attend to, maybe telling her that I just remembered that my mom asked me to―
"Rough day, eh?" Enoshima suddenly said.
Which admittedly put Izuku's inner ramblings to a halt as he flinched before slowly turning to the blue-eyed girl with a far-from-small level of cautiousness "…H-Huh? What…what do you mean…?"
"C'mon, Zuzu!" Z-Z-Zuzu!? "Don't give me that, ya know what I am talking about, right?" W-Wait, s-she couldn't mean… "Don't tell that that incident with the Slug Reject and Bomberman already went past you?"
H-Huh…? "Y-You…d-does that mean that you―WAIT! W-Wait just a second! D-Did you just called Kacchan B-Bomberman!?" It is true that Enoshima may not know about him 'And she practically introduced herself insulting him, which kind of felt like a positive point in her favor regarding how I see her…', but even so! Not even once has he heard someone call him names!
"Hm? Kacchan? So, is that the name of that maniac with inner voice problems?" Enoshima asked as she tilted her head with an expression that screamed innocent. Izuku had a slight suspicion that such wasn't the case.
Regardless.
M-M-Maniac with inner voice problems!? "N-No, it's not! His name is Katsuki Bakugo, I-I just call him Kacchan because…um, t-that's not important! The point is, if you ever meet him in person, please don't call him that! I couldn't even imagine what would happen if he ever hears someone giving him such a name…"
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…" Please don't question it more! Please don't question it more! "…Alright, you convinced me…" Phew, he dodged a bomb there, almost literally in this case "…If I ever meet him, I will call him Angry Pomeranian for sure~!"
"Oh, sure that should be―AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! T-T-That's even worse, Enoshima! I'm serious here!"
Instead of getting worried, it seemed Enoshima only found it amusing, at least those giggles she was throwing seemed to tell that much "I'm kiddin'! I'm kidding! Hehehe~, I didn't mean it…or did I~?" N-No way…! This girl is going to be the death of him! "Anyhow, good try there, but I won't allow you to change subjects!"
Izuku winced at the reminder of the affairs from not so long ago. Winced and shifted uncomfortably as another wave of embarrassment threatened to invade him "S-S-So…you…you were there?
"Yep, I saw the whole thing beginning to end!" Enoshima excitedly nodded "Which is why I'm dying of curiosity. Tell me, didn't that incident give you any spec of stress? Or even a tiny bit of…despair?"
He could've sworn there was a hint of…something when Enoshima said that last word, though ultimately decided to wave it off as him overthinking things, choosing instead to mull over what she said.
Izuku didn't see any reason not to answer her question. To a certain degree, he can sort of understand Enoshima's reasons for wanting to interrogate him. If someone had an experience like his, Izuku would be lying if he said that he wouldn't be curious about that person, and with how straightforward the strawberry-blonde girl appeared to be, it was no wonder that she had no problem in asking away.
Although now that he caught onto this, he couldn't help a question of its own "W-Wait, erm, uh, E-Enoshima…c-could it this be the reason you called me for? To ask me about the incident with the Sludge Villain?"
At that, Enoshima turned to him…with an absolutely blank face. It wasn't the admittedly intimidating one from before but rather…it was just that. Blank, devoid of any spec that you could call emotion, doing nothing but owlishly blinking. It wasn't what Izuku could consider scary, but it was unnerving him to no end.
All those shifts in her personality…it is just how she is or is it rather the side-effect of whatever it is that Enoshima has for a quirk? It is hard to know considering that there isn't anything that could tell what IS her quirk in the first place…
Regardless, before Izuku could ask what was her deal, in his own awkward and shy way, of course, Enoshima's eyes shifted from him to behind them. The intenseness of it increased enough to drive Izuku's curiosity into following her gaze. There, he saw…
…Nothing.
There wasn't the whisper of a soul. It was a desert of people and animals enough that Izuku could almost imagine the ball of tumbleweed bouncing around. The fact that they were alone didn't worry him that much, if anything, it was the norm for this neighborhood to be this quiet at these hours, with students already done with classes and adults either already at their jobs or in their homes, finally done with their shift.
Although that didn't refrain Enoshima from keeping her stare there for a little while longer.
…
…Wait a moment…
Could it be that she's worried…about someone following her? A…A stalker!? If that were the case, it would certainly make sense. Enoshima is without a doubt someone who would gain the attention of the wrong people with her looks. Besides, I don't truly follow any fashion trends, so the possibility that she truly is a celebrity of some sort couldn't be discarded, so there's always the chance that some admirer isn't settling with just watching her from a fan-celebrity distance and wants to change that, even if it implies being willing to take more drastic measures. If all of this were to be true, then…is that the real reason to ask me to follow her? To scare off that individual? If that's the case, then I―
"Well, something like that…" Enoshima once again turned to him, only this time she regained her usual chirpiness 'Is it really? She has had too many shifts so far for me to be so sure about it…' with a more relaxed smile on her face "…There is the stuff about what happened back there and something else"
"Something else…?" Izuku echoed.
Is my theory on the right track then?
"Yep! Though first…you still owe me some answers, y'know?"
He cringed at that. Owning is a bit strong of a word, as he technically hasn't any reason to tell Enoshima anything. But… "…W-Well, I…I don't think despair is the term that I would use…I-I mean, even before All Might came to the rescue of Kacchan" And Izuku himself "The pros were already there, right? Regardless of what would've happened, they were ready to make sure everyone was fine, isn't that true? Nobody was in true danger in the end"
Right, I was nothing but a hindrance to the heroes…
"Hmmmm, if you say so…" So, she says, but Izuku could hear how unconvinced she was at what he said. What part about it? He can't say for sure, perhaps it was about everything.
Regardless, much to his pleasant surprise, Enoshima didn't make any remarks about his own actions during the incident, nor mock his actions or his pathetic recklessness…which in itself made his curiosity perk up "Um, by the way, Enoshima…"
"What is it?" The strawberry-blonde asked with a tilted head and a gleam of inquisitiveness in her eyes.
"Uh, I…I was wondering…what made you ask about it?"
"Ah, well, you see…" Enoshima's chirpiness turned into a knowing look that was making Izuku immediately regret asking "…It has come to my attention that something is nagging you, something far deeper than the incident with the Sludge thing"
Alarm bells rang within Izuku's head as he heard that, and try as he might, he couldn't control himself from widening his eyes or keeping his composure "E-Eh…? I…I don't know what you are t-talking about, E-Enoshima, I―"
"People underestimate me because of my looks, but I'm actually pretty smart! Contrary to what most would believe, not everything goes to my boobs, y'know?" …W-WAIT! G-G-GOES TO HER WHAT!? "I have a knack for figuring things out, which is why when I stumbled upon you, I recognize that look you had…it was one of broken dreams, wasn't it?"
! ! !
…
…
…
"…Huh?" Izuku's face froze as his left eye twitched.
"It truly is among those lines, isn't it~?"
"…"
"C'mon, why don't you confide it in big sis Junko?"
"…"
"No matter what it is, I won't judge, I can guarantee you that―"
"YOU'RE LYING!" For some reason, when Enoshima said that she would accept his circumstances, something within him…something dark, just suddenly snapped. Izuku couldn't give a name to it, but he knew that it was a bubbling feeling of all his grieves and frustrations freeing themselves against all the onslaught the only thing that has ever given him hope of the constant nightmare that he has to call life had received "Y-YOU SAY THAT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND, BUT…T-THAT'S NOT TRUE! YOU WON'T! NO ONE HAS EVER HAD! NO ONE EVER WILL! D-DON'T LIE TO ME! J-JUST…DON'T!"
That was a fact, no matter on whom he had tried to rely for it, he always had gotten the same answer, somedays with the sudden loss of his bento, or any other possession of his. Sometimes, it included a beat up, others, more often than he would've liked to admit, scorch marks on his body, heck, he could dare say that when it just stopped at cruel laughs at his expense, that counted as a good day in his book, even if those were by far the rarest. Regardless of how he received it, it was always the exact same thing, just with different words and delivery methods.
As Izuku vented that, he had his eyes closed shut in an attempt to keep the tears that threatened to flow away…
…Which is why the cheshire grin full of malice creeping on Enoshima's face went unnoticed by him.
After the green-haired boy took his time to take steady intakes of breath and allowed for the effects of that sudden outburst to recede, he gave a sharp breath as his gaze snapped open in Enoshima's direction with a look full of shame and regret "A-A-ACK! I-I'm sorry, Enoshima! I d-d-don't know what it came over m-me! I swear I didn't mean to shout at you! It w-was just―"
"It is because you're quirkless, isn't it?" While Enoshima's voice sounded kind, some would even dare say full of benevolence, that didn't make Izuku any less agitated "Your dream, I mean. It has suffered because of that, right?"
! ! !
"…H-H-H…H-H-How…?" Izuku stuttered, with the color from his face draining as a lump was forming in his stomach.
"Oh, that's an easy question~" If Enoshima was aware of his internal struggles, she didn't make a comment about it "Bakago wasn't even a bit subtle about it with all those screams"
! ! !
S-She…Enoshima heard…t-that…?
Izuku closed his eyes shut again to embrace the incoming humiliation.
…This…this was definitely it. There was no way Enoshima wasn't going to begin a round of mockery at his person, maybe just contempt or pity if he gets lucky. Sure, she had been accepting of his company in her own eccentric way…but that was before the quirkless part came to light. Izuku had already seen hundreds of times though his life how the perception of everyone he meets changes for the worst the moment they learn about this, without exception. Enoshima is about to insult him while looking at him as if he was an inferior being, just like it had always been.
Goddammit! This day has been already enough! I…I really hoped that I hadn't needed to go through this once again…
…
…
…
…
…Any second now…
…
…
…
…
…Eh…?
…
…
…
…
…Silence.
That was all his ears could catch. Complete and absolute silence. Even when he waited an extra minute, everything remained the same.
Some part of him was worried that Enoshima was just waiting for him to open his eyes to say something…but even if he was aware of that, the temptation was such, that Izuku couldn't help taking a peek with one eye, all the while trying to steel himself. When his eye was fully open, he caught sight…
…Of a serious-looking Enoshima.
Even though it lacked any amusement, it wasn't a cold expression, nor the blank one from just a moment ago. There wasn't any pity or contempt either, it was just…serious, al…almost…as…as if…as if understanding how much this meant to him.
"…Why aren't you laughing…?" It might sound weird for most people to hear someone ask that, but to Izuku it didn't. It truly was an alien experience to be in presence of someone who heard of the circumstances he was born with and didn't react negatively to it.
"Should I have to?" There was it again, the seriousness, only this time in her voice. There wasn't any sarcasm, venom, or cheekiness, or anything else. It sounded as if Enoshima was genuinely questioning why she was supposed to mock him.
As if wary of stepping into quicksand, Izuku chose his words with caution "Don't…don't you find it amusing? That…t-that I'm quirkless…?" Izuku braced himself, worried that he was about to receive an explosion on his face for asking that question out of instinct.
"So what?"
…
…
…
…Eh? "…So…what?" Izuku repeated, part of him refusing to understand what Enoshima was saying.
Not that that rerailed her from trying, though "Mhm, you have no power, true, but what about it? It's not like you carry a mortal disease inside you just because of that…you don't carry one, do you?"
"N-No, I don't…" Even if people act like he does all the time "…But, are…are you sure? You truly don't…mind me?"
"Eh, quirk or not quirk, it doesn't change my perception of you, so you don't have to worry about it"
No matter how hard he tried, Izuku couldn't feel a single spec of a lie within that sentence…which immediately led to him entering into a state of absolute and gobsmacking disbelief.
This…this has never happened before. It was true that not everyone that had become aware of him being quirkless hadn't reacted as strongly as his former childhood friend had done for the past decade, but there hadn't been a case like Enoshima's before. No one has ever looked him in the eyes without pity, contempt, or disgust ever before, and he sure as hell never saw it coming from someone of higher social status like the blue-eyed girl obviously was.
"So, Zuzu…why don't you confide your hopes and dreams to me?" Before Izuku could go deeper into his thoughts regarding this never seen before phenomenon that was not being judged negatively for being quirkless, Enoshima's question brought him out of his stupor.
His hopes and…dreams?
…
…
…
…Could…
…Could he truly…trust Enoshima with something like that?
Every single attempt before now had ended in a disappointing failure…
…Although…this was basically the first time in his life someone had shown this much…much understanding in him. Even after the stuttering, the nervousness, that outburst against her, or his lack of a quirk…all of that, and she had been nothing but nice to him. After All Might, Izuku firmly believed that the chances of finding someone like Enoshima were basically zero…but lo and behold, here it was someone who no matter what, had surpassed his expectations of what he could dare to find in a human being.
…
…
…
…He was already resigning to the idea of giving up on his dreams, but…
…Can he really?
Can Izuku allow himself to hope one last time?
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
"…I…" Is he really going to do it? "…ever since I was a kid, I…" Is he truly going to say it? Is he truly going to release his most intimate thinking to her? Is he truly daring to trust― "Ever since I was a kid, I've dreamed of being a Hero!"
And so Izuku blurted out his dream.
Not long after did so, he hastily covered his mouth, as if attempting to take back what he just said.
W-What I have just done!? D-Did I really just trusted someone with my dream even though I ALREADY was going to give up on it!? Sure, Enoshima has been nice, I would even dare say surprisingly comprehensive about the fact that I don't have a quirk…but! One thing is that and a whole different ordeal is to say I want to be a Hero under those circumstances. She might not be rude about it, but it is obvious that it will be a similar case to All Might, where she will say―
"I see, that's an interesting dream, so what's stopping ya from it?"
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…What?
When Izuku heard those words, it was like hearing an alien language, or at the very least, a combination of words that no human being had ever spelled out before. It was so confusing that his brain basically suffered from a short circuit and had to realize a whole reset of functions.
It wasn't after what felt like an eternity of hearing nothing but static within him that he finally had some semblance of a sentence "…What…what did just say?"
Enoshima for her part, just gave a nonchalant shrug "That is not a bad dream, but I'm kinda curious about what's detaining ya?"
"…I see…" There was a pause until her words finally registered in him, and then… "…WAIT WHAT!?"
"Yikes, you don't have to be loud. It is really that much of a surprise that I said that?"
Izuku was very tempted to look at the strawberry-blonde with a dumbfounded look "It is! You…you didn't hear the part about me being quirkless?"
"Ah, I did…but so what? Just because that jerk of All Might said so, it suddenly became impossible?"
"W-Well, calling him that is a bit…" Izuku's eyes widened when he caught on the bombshell Enoshima just threw "What!? H-H-How do you―"
"Geez, Zuzu! Didn't ya hear when I said I'm pretty good at catching on to things? It is rude to not pay attention to a girl, don'tcha know that?"
Yeah, she said that…just didn't expect her to be THAT good.
That actually made him feel apologetic, though. "…Y-You're right about that, sorry…but still, e-even if you truly are aware of that…you don't know what he s-said, he…he truly meant all of it…" Izuku was truly wondering why he was telling this much to someone whom he had just met. Is it perhaps because Enoshima had been the only person willing to hear him? Allowed him to release all those bottled-up feelings? It certainly felt like that.
"So what?"
Again!? "T-This is different, Enoshima, b-because…"
"Because your quirkless, so that means he's right?" Izuku gave her a weak nod "I see, and if you had a quirk, ANY quirk, you could become a Hero. I am getting this right?" Another nod, though this one was slightly cautious "Alright…then how about this. What if you had a quirk that allowed ya to bend your fingers a bit more than the average person?"
"…Eh?"
"Here's another one, what if your quirk could make you grow three more centimeters and nothing more than that?"
"Enoshima, you―"
"Or what about one that changed the color of your eyes and nothing else?"
"What are you―"
"What about one that increases the temperature of your body―"
"That one doesn't sound―"
"―Just hot enough to warm food?"
"W-Well, I―"
"And what how about this? What if―"
"Wait! Wait! Wait just a moment, Enoshima!" Izuku stopped Enoshima's rant hard enough to put an end to it "Where…where are you going with this?"
At that, the strawberry-blonde allowed herself a stern look "If you had any of those weak-as-hell quirks…would All Might have given you the same answer?"
Izuku was taken aback at that question, hard enough for his head to recede a little "H-Huh? W-What do you mean, Enoshima? Isn't the answer obvious? He would…"
…
…
…
…He…All Might would…
…
…
…
…Eh?
…
…
…
…All Might…he would have given him that same answer under those circumstances…
…Right?
…
…
…
…But…
…What about all those TV shows and interviews he appears and talks about how all quirks are good for heroism?
Or when he makes an act of presence on the news and people with quirks similar to the ones Enoshima described ask him the same question Izuku did to him, whereas for them he actually gives them an encouraging nod of approval?
Or about all that merchandise about him saying that everyone can be a hero?
…
…
…
…H-Huh?
Those questions in combination with Enoshima's words began to fly back and forth within his mind, slowly but surely mixing together into more questions and doubts, then those same interrogatives fused together while becoming louder and louder shattering preconceptions until shifting into uncomfortable conclusions, until finally…
Something clicked within Izuku's psyche.
Something that, for the first time since he has memory…made him frown at the image of All Might.
…
…In any case, Izuku choose to mull over those thoughts until when he was finally home, and instead addressing a more important concern, a last spec of doubt that didn't allow him to accept yet the hope that Enoshima was offering him "…Even…even if…if you have a point…he…All Might, I-I mean…he's right, don't you think? Being quirkless makes it im…i-impossible for me to be a hero, r-right?"
It hurt; it truly was painful hearing those words coming from himself of all people…
Your son lacks a quirk, so it would be best if he were to give up on that dream.
Quirkless wimp destined to failure!
Eh? Does that loser have not given up on that yet?
I'm sorry kid.
I'm sorry Izuku! I am so sorry!
…But that has been the only thing he had ever heard all his life. That…that must mean they all are correct about that assessment…
…R-Right…?
Apparently, Enoshima wasn't done breaking the prejudices he had experienced all his life "Is that so? Then, can you swear on that? Can you claim without a shadow of a doubt that there aren't heroes out there with quirks that practically make next to no difference from what someone like you is capable off if you put your mind and body into it?"
At that, Izuku was very much ready to point out that indeed, there wasn't a single case of a pro-hero that could work in the profession without the quirk they have.
Except there was.
Izuku wasn't sure if he counts as the human with the most knowledge of heroes, but he is confident that he could enter the podium for it, that is about the only thing he had been sure of himself with all those volumes full of hero intel and other trivia regarding them he had spent all his life gathering and memorizing…which is exactly why now that Enoshima has planted that interrogative into his mind, Izuku can actually recall some examples.
Vengogh the Colorful Hero, with his quirk paintballs, which allowed him to fire paintballs from his index fingers. Izuku wouldn't call it a bad quirk, but it certainly wasn't a game-changer either.
Or Native, who only had control of the feather over his head as a power, and from what he had searched, it wasn't even close to being as powerful as a single one from Hawks.
There was also Slugger the Baseball Hero, one of the heroes praising Kacchan back with the Sludge Villain, whose quirk was just turning his right hand into a bat.
Izuku could easily think of a dozen more heroes with similar cases on the spot. None of them were bigshots, or even what could be considered renowned in any sense of the word, being your local pro-hero who solves everyday ordinary and petty crimes instead…but nonetheless, thinking about it…
…Doesn't Enoshima have a point?
Proper training.
The right mindset.
Perhaps even with support equipment into the mix.
Like just a moment ago, beliefs and ideas, assumptions and conjectures. They all clashed together, and the more they did, the more his eyes widened, and something within began to spark, making his heart accelerate as this something that he thought would never see surge ever again was making its way from the pits of resignation.
Hope for his dream.
…
…
…
…
…
…
"…E-Enoshima, a-are…are you saying, that…t-that I..." With the caution of a puppy that has been already been kicked a million times, Izuku made that question "…I can truly b-b-become a…Hero…?"
"…Well, if you were to ask me…" With a smile curling on her lips, Enoshima spoke "…my answer would be…"
Is…is this really happening? Can…can he truly believe that Enoshima is going to say what he thinks she was going to say? This…this is truly real, right? Or, small chance as it might seem at this moment, it was a cruel illusion? Nothing but a―
"Yes, I believe you can become a Hero…"
! ! ! ! ! !
…She…said it.
…That sentence…
She…Enoshima truly went and said it.
Having those sweet words echoing within his head made him shake with barely contained exhilaration, and somewhere in between, he suddenly felt the wetness of the salty water coming out of his glands
Because of course, him being him, he had to cry in a moment like this? He had to humiliate in front of―
"There There. It was hard, wasn't it?" Those were Enoshima's conforming words as she approached him with a gentle hug while patting his back "All this time being denied of this, but…as long as it is a single person at the very least…that should be more than enough, right?"
Between sobs and tears trickling down his cheeks, Izuku gasped when he heard those kind words, only for the sobs and tears to intensify. Because…
…It was all true. Every single word coming from the strawberry-blonde girl he had just met today was nothing but an undeniable fact.
Just one person, that was all he had wished for all his life. That a single person was to believe in him in a way that not his classmates, or his professors, or All Might, not even his own mother dared to, but that Enoshima did.
She believed that he could become a hero.
Those were the words from the girl showering him with kindness and faith said with so much sincerity that Izuku couldn't help but believe more than what anyone else had said to him for his entire existence.
And so, after hearing the words he always wanted to hear, Izuku Midoriya accepted the seed of hope that Enoshima offered him.
By the time they had spent half an hour strolling around, Izuku recovered from what he admittedly recognized was a shameful display, more so in front of a girl as incredible as Enoshima. Fortunately, just as it had been so far when it came to the blue-eyed girl, she just waved off his worries, understanding that her words seemed to have held a lot of importance for him, something she couldn't be more right about.
Enoshima…the first person to believe in me.
Just thinking about her words made Izuku feel the giddiness running in his stomach, and when thinking of the strawberry blonde herself…well, there was a funny feeling for that too, but he couldn't 'More like refused to…' give it a name.
Be that as it may, and as much as didn't want to sour the mood, Izuku was truly beginning to wonder where they are supposed to―
"Alrighty! We have arrived!"
Like broken a spell, Enoshima's words brought Izuku out of his internal musings, and turned in the direction Enoshima was looking at. There, he could see four sets of danchi-like buildings surrounded by power lines. Each one was five stories tall and marked with a number.
Izuku slowly blinked at them…until it registered to him that he lived in one of these apartments…
…
…
…
…Wait, what!?
This sudden turn of events made him quickly swirl in Enoshima's direction "W-Wait just a moment! T-This is where you wanted to take me all this time!?"
"Yep~"
"Huh? Then, do…do you live here too?" Izuku couldn't prevent the slight hope from leaking within his voice.
"Nope~"
That admittedly disappointed him…though it also confused him "…How do you know I lived here? Could it be that…do you have a quirk that allows you to figure out directions?"
She did nothing but blink when that question came for a few moments, and then… "…Hehe, that's a secret~" Enoshima said before closing her eyes and playfully sticking her tongue out.
Izuku was very much tempted to pout at that.
Enoshima…she truly is a mysterious girl…
Despite all the interrogatives that the strawberry-blonde girl presented, Izuku decided that he had already degraded himself enough in front of her and that questioning Enoshima too much would be nothing less than rude after how good she had been to him. Instead, Izuku choose to inquire about one last thing "Then, can you at least tell me why, er, you wanted to accompany me all the way here…Ah! I-It's n-not like I am c-complaining or anything like that! I'm just curious is all, I-I swear!"
Much to his relief, Enoshima took it in stride, if that giggle sounding like music to his ears was anything to go by "…C'mon, didn't I told ya that it is rude to make a girl repeat herself? As I said before, you piqued my curiosity, and so I decided to satisfy it. Although seeing how things turned out, we both gained something out of this, right?"
Izuku only numbly nodded at that. It wasn't the greatest answer in the world, but really, what else should he expect? They didn't know each other at all before this, so there was no way for it to be a deeper meaning in all this. Besides, he couldn't deny that it was true Izuku gained something wonderful out of their exchange.
"Anyhow, this is where we part ways, so…bye! Bye!" Enoshima cheerfully said before suddenly turning away and walking from where they came from.
While the sudden farewell caught Izuku off-guard, he nonetheless was about to reply in kind…though, as he observed the figure of the blue-eyed girl strolling forward, guessing that this truly was going to mark their first and last goodbye…
"Enoshima, wait!" …Izuku couldn't prevent himself from calling her out.
To his relief, the fears that she would ignore him were declared unfunded the moment Enoshima refrained from giving one more step, although she still had her back on him.
However, that wasn't an impediment for Izuku to what he said next, even if his face was tinted red with burning embarrassment "Can…can we meet again!?"
At that, Enoshima did turn to face him, this time with a smile that Izuku could've sworn looked almost smug and victorious.
Before he could wonder more about that, Enoshima spoke "Take a notebook and a pencil out of your backpack"
Izuku was about to question how she knew that…though just as fast refrained from doing so, remembering that she was there during the Sludge Villain incident so she must've seen when he threw it out against him.
Though still confused about why she would want that, Izuku did as told "Um, now what―"
"Write up your phone number in one blank page and then rip it off" The strawberry-blonde said as she approached him, the upbeat tone she carries herself with most of the time still there…but Izuku could almost detect a spec of authority within it.
Even so, the green-haired boy abided by those words too, and once he was done ripping the piece of paper with his number in it, he looked up at the strawberry-blonde girl that had already cut the distance between the two "Er, what should I do with―"
In the blink of an eye, Enoshima snatched the piece of paper, gave it a look, and then looked at him "My phone broke during the incident with that Sludge creepo. So don't worry your freckled head about it, I will call ya when I get to replace it, alrighty~?"
"…Y-Y-Yes…" Was the only thing he could sputter.
"Okaaay~! Then this is goodbye…for now, of course, I'm pretty sure we will frequent each other from now on~. Now go, your parents might get worried if I hook ya any longer, right?"
"Ah!" His eyes widened in realization, acknowledging that his mom might turn into a crying and worrying mess if he takes any longer. Sputtering a quick farewell, Izuku hurried back home.
While doing so, he couldn't help reminiscing about the brief but eventful incident with the strawberry-blonde girl. How he talked with her, going as far as giving her his number and most important of all…the encouragement she gave him about his dream. The goal he thought today marked its last day, being renewed with hope thanks to her words, and faith where no one else had. Something for which he will be forever indebted to her.
…
…
…
…WAIT, WHAT!?
I…I-I talked to a girl…a real girl, and…and d-did I just gave her my number!?
Once those two facts finally registered in his mind…his brain entered into a constant series of reboots for every time he acknowledges those two facts again and again, with his body entering into automatic mode as he was led into his apartment.
Regardless…there was not a single spec of doubt within Izuku's mind 'The part of it still functioning…' that meeting Enoshima was the best thing that could've happened in his life and it marked the beginning of better days to come.
As Midoriya left towards his apartment with clear signs of a renewed spirit in comparison to almost an hour ago, bouncing on his pace with a smile bordering on a dumb grin formed on his face, Enoshima watched him go with a smile of her own, looking both serene and comforting. With both arms on her hips, almost as if proud of a deed well done.
When Mop Hair was far enough, Enoshima finally turned to leave.
And the smile got wiped off her face.
In its place, all features within her face turned into absolute neutrality, the warmth with which she encouraged the freckled boy. Gone too. Her lips formed into a thin line, while her arms lazily dropped to the sides.
When she turned into a new intersection, the neutrality formed into a scowl full of disgust.
Because that was all she was running through her mind, body, and heart. Her entire self was full of nothing but disgust.
Disgust towards the green-haired wimp she spent the last forty-eight minutes and thirty-two seconds with.
She was so filled with disgust indeed that she couldn't hold it any longer and ripped off the paper into a hundred pieces, and when those pieces fell to the ground, she took her time to stomp on them, as if their mere existence were an offense to her person.
While doing so, a thought came to her.
So, this is the despair of lowering myself to the lowest of insects, huh?
With the thought of the insect, her gaze flickered towards her shoulder, where she could feel the smears from the tears that came from the insect were still wet in her cardigan. That brought even more disgust, enough to make Junko play with the idea of ripping the attire off her body, and if she wasn't above it, throw up right then and there.
Instead, Junko settled with grinding her boots on the fallen pieces of paper with even more contempt.
When she finally deemed enough of wasting time with this, she briefly pondered about spatting on her handiwork, but it took her less than a thousandth fraction of a second to discard the idea.
Spitting on it would only give it some semblance of value.
…
…
…
…Izuku Midoriya.
Junko couldn't deny that during the incident with the Sludge mutant, and thanks to how things played out, she saw some semblance of him for a moment. She wasn't completely lying to the inse―Mop hair when she said that approached him with curiosity as the main intention.
What a disappointment that was.
Insufferable low self-esteem.
Null social skills.
How just a pair of nice words were enough to make him attached to her like a dog wanting to hump her legs.
How he dared to ask for even more, no different than a slave that had tasted actual food for the first time.
The nervousness.
The constant apologetic behavior for the most mundane things.
The stuttering.
The goddamn stuttering.
He wasn't him…
…He was a fucking Mikan Tsumiki.
Oh, how freaking tempting it was for the moment he asked her if he could be a hero to crush his dreams under the heel right then and there, no different than she just did a moment ago with the trash littering the ground. To push the right buttons and make him the next morning news of a boy who jumped off a rooftop. She sure would've done that…
…If it weren't because making him a long-time investment promised a higher reward.
When Mop hair launched a notebook at the Sludge mutant, and he brought one to write his disgusting number, on both occasions Junko caught sight of the title each of them had.
Hero Analysis for The Future. Vol.13.
Hero Analysis for The Future. Vol.12.
That in combination with the annoying ramblings he did from time to time told her that the guy was a walking encyclopedia of Heroes.
Although useful as that could be about him, his true value didn't come from that.
No, what truly detained her from dealing the finishing blow to his pathetic dream, and giving instead a seed of false hope was All Might.
It was just her luck that just before getting to Mop Hair, Junko saw him in the corner of an alley. You can say whatever you want about his power, but the big guy for sure sucks at concealing himself.
Regardless, it didn't take a genius to see he was waiting for a certain someone to cross through that same corner he was…what she did ended up seeing through her talent, though, now THAT for sure guarantees her this will be worth it.
The painful expression while holding a hand near his stomach area, looking no different than someone who knows he was past his former glory, and his days were countered.
The way he was looking at his other hand as if holding something of great importance.
The worthiness with which he gazed at a certain green-haired loser not so long after.
If her assessment is correct 'And of fucking course it is!', basically, Mop hair was a blasted Shonen protagonist, as Yamada 'May his soul rest in despair' would say, destined to become the successor of All Might.
How despairful of her to stumble into the protagonist of this story, eh?
"This will be the tragic tale of the promised hero who fell from grace before his journey could begin…upupupupu~, aren't despairfully fateful encounters the best~?" And so, his destiny was marked.
I will make you fall for me, so painfully hard that whenever you think of the friends I doubt you have, of heroes, of All Might, and even of your goddamn mother, I will always be there. First one, then two, and finally one thousand―NO! One million steps above all of them! Your despairful addiction towards me will not end until there is not a single hint of hope left within you, and then…when the moment of truth comes, when the bandages of sweet lies fall off your eyes, it will be too late for you to get out of the rabbit hole in which you fell, and when you finally understand that it was I who took it all from you, who plundered you into a husk of your former self, who ruined you and everything you hold dear in every sense of the word, I wonder…
…How much despair you will show me~?
Just thinking about it was filling Junko's heart with despairful excitement.
Be that as it may, though, those are despairful thoughts to savor later, her current biggest priority is to get a place to crash in, two phones, and a laptop. Neither of them should be a problem seeing that during the chaos of the sludge mutant she stole the credit card of some random sucker which she already used to make a quick purchase to replace her Monokuma clips.
By her estimations, she had about one hour, thirty-seven minutes, and eleven seconds before he notices that he had been stolen, nine minutes and twenty-one seconds before he is done with the panic and the furious rants while reconfirming eight times within his wallet that yes, he was a pathetic wimp that lost his card, ten minutes and eight seconds in which he calls the police to report the stolen item, and another extra four minutes and forty-six seconds before he finally gets to cancel the card, because again, he was a dumbass with his priorities all so messed up that his wife left him four years ago thanks of his impulsive and disastrous investments in the ostrich's eggs business his uncle with terrible management skills owned.
Anyhow, the point was that she didn't gave a shit about any of that and even if she was working against the clock, she will take her sweet ass time to get everything she needs.
Nobody ruled over Junko Fucking Enoshima, not even the space-time reality!
Chapter 4: The First Glimpse into Despair.
Chapter Text
The First Glimpse into Despair.
Not all men are created equal.
That was a lesson Nezumi Yasuda learned ever since the day he was born.
Well, saying since the day he was born would be a bit of a stretch, but, eh, technicities. The point was, since a young age, he had seen first-hand the difference in how you are treated depending on how you are born, and sure as hell it hadn't been a gratifying life for him.
The stares.
The insulting remarks at his appearance.
I would say whispers, but it's been a long while since people stopped giving a fuck about pretending.
The discrimination that seems will never reach an end.
All in all, the whole package of what a mutant would deal with in their day-by-day life.
Sure, some lucked it out and their quirks only altered their bodies to minimal degrees. His parents, for example, only had their mutations on their ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. Nezumi doesn't doubt that they get mocked by a goddamn random on the street every now and then, but hey, at least it stops at just that.
The silver lining would've been if his quirk made him resemble a popular or approachable animal like a dog or a cat or a rabbit, perhaps? There's this pro-hero chick who's kicking it hard on the news whose quirk gives her some traits of that animal, so maybe even if he had a full mutation unlike her, there could've been some leniency, right?
In the end, though, that was nothing but wishful thinking for a rodent like him, and no, he wasn't speaking of the cute kind like a mouse or a hamster. At least for those, he would receive some pity and backhanded acceptance.
Nope, instead, he was a repugnant beast in the eyes of society, someone undeserving of the sweet side of their hypocrisy and should do everyone a favor and hide his ugly and large face from their eyes.
A rat, in all its ugly non-glory.
And if that wasn't enough, his parents, for whatever the fuck reason, decided that a single of his child suffering in this world wasn't enough and conceived other fives brats before closing the business. To nobody but his parent's surprise, each one of them was as ugly as him.
…Well, save for Yuta, but the kid was an old case of monkey's paw.
Nezumi would've liked to say his youngest brother got spared from the same fate, which he did…but it was more among the lines of escaping from one hell only to land in a deeper one. The poor bastard was quirkless, and if there was one thing society despised more than mutants, it was those who didn't had even that. He can't even allow himself to hope it won't be the same for the kid, that he won't suffer. After all, the reality was always ready to give him a slap outta those fantasies.
I checked the numbers on the internet again and again for fuck's sake. These people no longer make it past fourteen years old before it becomes too much for them.
…
He…he really tried. Nezumi truly fought tooth and nail into attempting to turn on a clog within the machine, or an 'exemplar citizen' as this hero-infested society would refer to.
Going through kindergarten all the way to junior high, he tolerated the hate his mere existence caused which, as time went on, shifted from crude and hurtful insults 'Kids can be so damn cruel when they set their minds into it…' onto people getting more and more physical with their methods of torment.
Despite that though, he persevered and brushed off 'More like attempted to…' all of it, proving to everyone that regardless of their expectations, or their lack thereof, he could strive. No matter what, no matter how much society worked against him, he could prove everyone wrong.
Then everything went to shit when high school came.
There was always an excuse. They didn't wanted a potentially delinquent to become a bad influence for their 'prestigious' institution, there were better options out there for him, or on the rare occasions that he got in, he didn't lasted more than a pair of weeks before they threw him out for whatever reason they could pull outta their asses. More often than not they hid all of that under polite words, but the implications under each of their words couldn't had been more obvious.
Yet, with a higher education out of the picture, he attempted to think it was for the best, that it would be more productive of him if he had all his focus into getting a job. After all, the next oldest of his siblings had a ten-year gap in-between, so it fell upon Nezumi to provide for the family.
Because expecting to rely on my old man for that was like asking melons to an orange tree, seeing that it was becoming harder for the bastard to leave the bottle.
Though for all those good intentions he had, that too went as badly as the education part.
Even for something like a cashier for a convenience store, a job among the lowest of the low, he was rejected of an opportunity. Not so surprisingly, for the same goddamn reasons as ever.
I…uh, sorry! This vacancy is already taken!
Someone with your qualifications doesn't have what we are looking for in our company…
I don't truly have any issues with giving you the job, but…erm, when it comes to our clients…
So, with all other bridges burned out, and the despair of not knowing what it would be of him and his brothers if he didn't acted fast looming on the horizon, he recurred to the last retort available.
Villainy.
Nothing grand, just your regular thief 'And yeah, the irony of it isn't going past me…', but then again, with this world's current system, he falls into the same category as the worst pieces of shit living out there.
But in any case, it had been four years already since he took into this lifestyle. He had wasted enough time recalling how things had come to this, which by this point, it was nothing but pointless shit.
More so when he should keep an eye out for his next target.
Most people would believe that four years of robbing people wasn't something worth flaunting about, which while he could partially agree, nowadays it was a big deal nonetheless.
Although Nezumi couldn't truly say he was proud of it, the reason he had thrived so far was that over the years he had learned to pick up on some things. Said some things include when to work, where to work, and knowing how to choose your target.
When to work might seem like the easy part, with most thinking the smart choice was always going for night scouts…which while technically true, things were more complex than what one might think at first glance.
Both day and night crimes had their pros and cons. The most obvious counterargument against going out at day was that even if there were more options where to choose from, not only one does get more exposure, but it was also the time when pro-heroes have the majority of their patrols. Meanwhile, while it was true that at night there wasn't anywhere as near as many heroes hanging on the streets, the thing most people forgot to tell you was that those few people consist mostly of underground heroes, and the problem with those type of pros was that they take they work way more fucking seriously than their counterparts.
Besides, apart from heroes, one has to take care of their fellow villains. Sure, more often than not heroes compete with each other with the intent of acquiring popularity, but it rarely goes too far.
With criminals, though? Now that was a fish-eat-fish world right there. The fact that villain's organizations were rarely heard of, and when they do, they don't last more than a month before disbanding, should tell you more than enough about how things run between them. Which brings him to the point of where the best places were and which ones should avoid.
It was true that these days the chances of finding a functional villain organization were lower than U. A's acceptance rate, but that didn't mean there weren't people up to the idea of teaming up with fellow criminals and forming their own turfs. There was also the Yakuza, which even if those bastards were almost extinct, they still were a force to reckon with when near their headquarters. Finally, it was also important to take into consideration which pros were working wherever you planned to make your moves.
Until a few weeks ago, Nezumi would say that his current spot on the border between Shizuoka and Musutafu was the ideal location. It was a highly developed area, the crime rate at night was low even without the presence of pro-heroes at said hours, which meant more opportunities for him, and although Endeavor's agency was located at the very heart of Musutafu, just behind Tokyo, that city was the largest in Japan, meaning that guy and his lackeys couldn't be everywhere. Besides, as pointed out before, this location in particular wasn't highly patrolled. It was a blind spot of sorts for the pros so long as he played it safe and didn't went around making unnecessary noise.
Although, just like everything in his life, it appears life was once again intended to mess with him…
The reason why?
All fucking Might.
Save for a few crazy bastards, ever since news got around that the big guy himself was establishing in Musutafu and villains began to fall like fireflies, in combination with knowing that All Might was a full-time day pro-hero, had made not only for villains of Musutafu and the surrounding cities as well, to prefer committing their crimes on the night, it also had led to few of them already beginning to fill the lack of competition his spot usually had. With said competition growing each passing day, Nezumi knew that it was just a matter of time before this gets into the radar of the pros and begin to relocate their attention here.
Sooner rather than later, he will have to move on to another city, perhaps another prefecture depending on how bad things go from now on.
My first option was Hosu City because it is still close to home, but…well, if at least half of the rumors circulating that city are true, then I should look somewhere else. Shit, these following months are going to be difficult, eh?
Whatever other grim thoughts could've plagued Nezumi's mind were put to a halt as he perked when the sound of a bell rang, and someone came out of the electronics store he had been stalking.
It was an admittedly attractive girl with large and fluff-looking strawberry pigtails.
Or alternatively speaking, tonight's target.
He had been following her all night, assessing whether he should go for it or not. Regarding what he had observed so far, he had already confirmed that she was alone, he also saw how from time to time she brought out her phone to mess with it without paying attention to her surroundings, sometimes going as far as attending a call while crossing the streets.
Based on that, he couldn't help but categorize her as naïve. A daddy's girl that had never suffered a complication in her life and was ignorant of the dangers the nocturnal cities' lifestyle leave for people like her…which in its own way was a good signal, as that would mean a good enough loot to make this long as hell chase worth it.
Although there was still the issue of self-defense that was bothering him. One of the small blessings his quirk had left him was that his rodent's nose wasn't big just for show. It worked just as well to detect and differentiate a variety of essences at large distances without a problem. Between one hundred all the way to two hundred meters if he puts in the effort for it and the smell was strong enough. Thanks to that, he already confirmed that she didn't have any pepper spray with her, and besides those bags from her purchases, it didn't seem like she had any pockets big enough to carry something like a stun gun.
So, leaving the self-defense equipment out of the picture, there was still the dealing of her quirk.
Just to make sure, he already discarded the possibility of her being quirkless, she looked too damn happy and full of hope to be one. However, that still left the problem that there wasn't any detail about her that could tell him a clue about what was her quirk.
So far, it was hard to believe it was a strong one. Something about how she carried herself…while confident, her posture and facial expression did not carry a superiority complex that usually comes from those born lucky in the genetic lottery. Besides, those with powerful quirks never miss a chance to flaunt about them. Even though public quirk usage was illegal, people always turn a blind eye so long as those who use it don't go over the top 'I have known this since way back to elementary school…', which is why the fact that this girl hadn't done even a minimal demonstration at least once, makes him confident in his assumption.
Whatever the case was, the time for observing and planning was over, seeing that she began to move.
Allowing an audible sigh to leave his mouth, he patted the right pocket, psyching himself up as he confirmed the feeling of his gun still with him. Then he waited a few seconds to gain some distance between himself and his target and began to trail behind her once he was away enough to not be noticed, but with her still within his line of sight.
It was time to get this done.
Today's most probably my last crime in this city, so let's hope it's worth it.
What's up with this girl?
Thirty minutes later and he couldn't prevent the frustration building up as that question rattled his head.
It's not like he wasn't used to playing the long game, but this girl was getting ridiculous! Every time he was about to make his move, she turned into a street where it had enough people to make it impossible for him to rob her without getting too much attention while at the same time it wasn't convoluted enough for him to discretely snatch her belongings. Worst of all it was always at the exact moment he felt confident in going with it. How goddamn convenient was that!?
…
…Does her quirk have something to do with it?
She hadn't looked back in his direction even once so she couldn't have noticed him through any conventional means. His footsteps couldn't have given him away either. As previously pointed out, with the number of people wandering around, hearing something like the steps of a person in specific was impossible, even for him, who had enhanced hearing thanks to his ears. Hell, he could barely keep up with what the strawberry-blonde was talking about on her phone.
Seriously, how careless can you be!?
In any case…
Should he call it quits, then?
This was becoming more problematic than what it was worth it and at this rate, he was going to end up chasing her way outside his comfort zone, which was a big no in his book. Besides, today he wasn't feeling particularly needy about the money, so he could afford it to spare one person.
…
…Yeah, he should give up on this brat, look for an easy sucker even if it wasn't as profitable as what this insufferable girl looked like and―
"Hm? Sorry, what did you say? Gee, there's too many people here! I'm gonna look for a spot where I can hear ya, 'kay?"
True to her word, as soon as he heard the strawberry-blonde say that through her phone, the girl took another turn, only this time he perked when he saw where did she go. With years of experience scouting these streets, he had already memorized them like the back of his paw, meaning he immediately recognized that his target had just made the mistake of entering a back alley. It would feel slightly ridiculous to go around praising something as banal as a backstreet, but this one in specific was one of the best spots there was. With its thick walls surrounding it, people could barely hear the noise going outside…or inside of them
If tonight he was only going to get one chance to assault this girl, it was now or never!
Allowing himself to throw away some caution for the benefit of making use of this opportunity, he picked up his pace and rushed towards the same alley his target went. Once he was about to get in, he looked to the sides and when he was sure he wasn't getting any interferences, he went in.
You caused me quite the trouble, bitch, but no more of that. I got you now.
The backstreet looked just the same as he remembers. As dirty and full of shit as ever that is. A pair of trash cans over there, some half-full bottles of either booze or piss varying on the sicko that left them.
All in all, it was a truly contrasting sight when you compare it to the girl further ahead of all this miserable view.
Speaking of her.
Just as expected, the strawberry-blonde back had her back turned on him meanwhile she was still using her damn phone, unaware of his presence. He briefly wondered why he wasn't hearing anything on the other end of the line even though he was this close to her, but as soon as the thought came, he waved it off and instead pulled the gun out. The sooner he finishes this business, the better.
"Alrighty you brat, make this shit easy for the both of us and gimme everythin' ya got!"
The first signal that told him something was off, was that instead of flinching, throwing a yelp, and snapping her head in his direction as he expected for someone to react in her position, she…just stood there. There were a few seconds in which it appeared time froze for her.
Did she enter in shock, perhaps…?
The second hint was that before he had the chance to snap at her to hurry up, she finally began to do as told, although she was taking her sweet ass time to turn towards him and pull down her phone.
Nevertheless, she was complying, so might as well make use of that "Good…now come here nice and easy. If ya know what's good for ya, I won't have to pull the trigger"
"…Fine" The third thing that was making him grow concerned was what she said. Nothing explicitly wrong with that…at first glance. Say what you will about him, what he was and had done, but how so sure of herself she looked as she walked with total calmness while being held at gunpoint was anything but normal.
He knew it was ridiculous, but with every step she took that put her closer in his direction, he couldn't help becoming anxious about it. There was just this…something, that every second he spends with her, more and more strands of his fur were standing on end. As if an instinct of sorts was telling him to run away from her and never look back.
"A-Alright, that's close enough!" Once she was at an arm's reaching distance, he snapped at her.
While not enough to do something as nonsensical as running away, he followed this gut feeling screaming inside him.
Even so…
This…this is bullshit! That's what it is! Why did I stutter like that!? Why…why I'm feeling so scared of this stupid girl, huh!?
Waving those concerning thoughts off and focusing instead on the task at hand, he gave her the final instruction "Now…hand over your things, but begin with that phone of yours. We don't want any funny business, do we?"
The final thing that told him something was wrong, was that the moment he said that…a smile, a goddamn smile of all things began to creep up her face.
"Sure thing…you can look at it" Was the response of this creepy girl as she offered her phone to him.
Any other time, he wouldn't had ignored the alarm bells this was sending him or the way she worded that. The thing was though, that he wanted to get this done with more than he had ever done in his life, so instead, he ignored all of that in favor of hurrying up and picking up the phone.
He understood too late what a mistake that was.
The moment he put a paw on the device, the strawberry blonde, with a speed and dexterity he could swear only someone with an enhancement-like quirk was capable of, turned the screen on and pressed her ring finger on an app that he briefly noticed had a monochrome bear as an icon.
Not like his mind was focused enough to understand its true meaning though.
T-This bitch! She's ditching me out to the cops!
Deciding that it was all or nothing now, he pointed his gun at the girl's head, put his index finger on the trigger, and prepared to…
…Prepared…to…
…to…
…
…
…
…What…wha is this…?
Rather than painting the walls with her brain matter like he thought of doing just a second ago, his hand just stood there. Hanging in the air and refusing to press the trigger. That wasn't all there was to it though; his entire body was following suit as if it was paralyzed by some unknown force.
But for all the bizarreness of it, he wasn't truly paying attention to that. Rather, his entire self was distracted by something else.
More specifically, his eyes were glued to what the screen on the strawberry-blonde's phone was showing. It was a mixture of colors rapidly shifting from one to the next one, giving it nauseous rainbow touch to it, with shapes of all sizes and forms interwinding with each other, though doing so without interfering with the strange figure claiming the most attention on the center of the screen. It was the head of a teddy bear, no different from…from what this had for an icon. Each detail on its own wouldn't be worthier than just brow-raising at best, but…as he basked in all of it together, he could feel something inside him going through a metamorphosis of sorts.
S-S-Seriously, what…w-what the fuck is this!? W-W-What is happening!?
Some inner corner of his mind tried to desperately fought whatever this was off, attempting to pry his gaze away from this and murder the blue-eyed girl…try as he might though, the harder he struggled, the more transfixed he became with it.
First, it was that.
Not so long after, the fixation turned into an addicting obsession mixed with a far from a small amount of horror that was doing nothing but increase exponentially with each passing moment.
And finally…
"Eh~? Did ya truly believe for a moment that it was fine for a rat to try to play the game of the cat and the mouse as the chaser?" The dread and terror reached their highest point as the strawberry-blonde began to mock him "Upupupu, you shoulda know that breaking the natural course of things was bound to have consequences~"
That was the last thing Nezumi Yasuda heard before his eyes laid upon the most despairful…and WoNdErFuL of SiGhTs~
Welp, that went as boringly well as she expected, much to Junko's inner dismay.
Such was the case, she had to make it known to his 'Assaulter' "…A lone girl in the middle of the night, without any clear signs of being equipped to defend herself, going without a care in the world into a shady alley, as she feigned talking with someone, which by the way, I know for goddamn sure you noticed with those ugly ears of yours…ALL those freaking red flags and more, and you still went with what that greed of yours told ya to do. You aren't doing any favors to those stereotypes people have your kind, you know?"
At first, the ugly abomination in front of her didn't do anything else other than blink with a dumb look on his face. After a while, some semblance of lucidity came back to him, and then…
"Ah! T-To I think just a moment ago I was thinking of shooting you…What was wrong with me!? I beg you to punish me, my goddess!"
Oh? "Goddess, eh? You're the first one to call me like that. At least around here. Considering that I'm using a waaay inferior version of it…Upupupu, you truly are amongst the lowest of the low, aren't you~?"
At that, Junko was greeted with a wicked ear-to-ear grin. As expectingly ugly from those yellow and deformed tooths of his "Yeah! I'm the scummiest piece of trash you could find! Should I kill myself to make up for that mistake!?"
What a tempting proposal…
"Now, now, while I like the initiative, I'm pretty sure I can get some use of someone as pathetic as you. Although…what to do with you? I could assign ya into one of the distraction squads, but…" While his enhanced hearing might seem useful for it at first glance, Junko knows that by the time this loser hears him, he already would be on his way to prison…or dead, depending on how fast he reacts. Those groups were already designed to be extra expendable, so another individual into it would be a waste of an already wasteless individual "Hmm, no matter how hard I think it, nothing comes to―Just kidding! I had your role ready way since the moment you began to stalk me like a creep! Don't tell anyone, but…your gonna be of help for a prank I'm working on~"
"A…prank?" The beast stupidly repeated.
"Yep!" Although it didn't do anything in souring her mood. After all, just thinking about what she had planned for a certain someone was filling her with a sweet doze of despair "It's gonna be a little, innocent jest from which you, I, and that person will end up laughing, so loud and hard that our brains will come out!"
"…Oh! I get it!" The dumb fuck didn't get it.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say…" While she did have the heart to break it to him, she didn't wanted to waste much of her time with this useless schmuck "In any case, let me give ya the instructions for it. There's some time left before it happens, so make sure to memorize enough of this stuff to not embarrass me in front him, yeah?"
Ignoring whatever eager response he would've given her, Junko pulled out a note and threw it to the ground.
As if I am gonna touch that thing's paw. Just recently I had enough contact with a low-life for the disgust to last me for a lifetime!
Like the obedient pet he was now, the mutant hurried to pick up the piece of paper as if it were the most valuable thing in the world. Then, he began to enthusiastically read the insides of it. Although, with every moment that passed, and he digested more of the contents within the letter, his eyes widened exponentially. A mix of elation, surprise, and despair flashed through his eyes "…W-Wha…this is…"
"Are ya liking what's written in there enough to be speechless? Can't say I blame you for it. Reading through every line of it is already despair-inducing enough!" She would know. It was written by her, duh!
"It is, my goddess! The despair this would cause me…hehe, I can't wait for it!" The fact that he fell this deep and so quickly was certainly unexpected when compared to the others. Sure, she picked him up because he was an easy prey, but…could it be that him being a mutant played a role here? It was because of the specific race he mutated into? Or was it something about how mutants had their genetics further altered in comparison to the other variations of quirks? Although maybe the cause was simply that mutants in general were more miserable.
…
…Meh, she will figure it out later down the line. Or not. She doesn't give enough of a shit about it, to be honest.
"Upupupu…just make sure the excitement of it doesn't gets to that ugly and stupid skull of yours. Oh, and to get rid of that note, yeah? You can eat it for all I care, so long as it's gone. For now, lay low, and…I dunno, do things your kind does in their free time. Like eating your relatives or something, you rats do that, right?" Or was she confusing it with hamsters?
...
Eh, whatevs.
"…Relatives? Oh, I…I…Hehe…Hahahahaha! I see! Of course, my Goddess requires a sacrifice with despair worthy of her despairful magnificence! I will make sure to not disappoint you, mistress!" That got him pumped up, eh? Good for him.
Anyhow, Junko didn't bother to hear more of this doofus, leaving him to his own devices to ramble for a little while more. If that leads towards a chain reaction that results in her plans ending this early…well, that by itself would be despairful~.
For now, though…
It was time to go home!
Chapter 5: Even Monsters Look Up at The Stars Wondering About the Future (Or the Lack Thereof)
Chapter Text
Even Monsters Look Up at The Stars Wondering About the Future (Or the Lack Thereof)
"I'm baaaaack~!" Junko cheerily announced.
Of course, no one replied. The echo of her own voice was the only response she got.
There used to be a time when that wasn't the case. A time when Muku sis would have come and greeted her, with Junko throwing some non-committal murder attempt here and there. It didn't matter if it was a thrown knife, a poisonous dart, a bullet aimed at her head, or whatever the fuck else. Her big dumbass of a sister always dodged or blocked it, resulting in Junko rightfully pointing out how much of a disappointment her sister was for doing that. An activity both of them would enjoy regardless of it turning into a routine, the type of thing she would hate in any other circumstances.
But those good times were nothing but a fleeting memory, weren't they? Mukuro, one of her two biggest confidants, was gone forever, with not only the barrier of life and death separating the despair sisters, but a whole alternate reality altogether breaking their bond apart, making one thing certain.
She will never see her sister ever again.
…
…God, the fact that it was I who killed Muku and her final moments were full of despair only makes my own despair taste ten times better as it could have been!
Mentally shaking her head to put aside the reminiscing of those fond memories, she put tonight's purchase on a near table. It was important junk, yeah, but she won't work on that until later, next week maybe. Not out of procrastination, mind you. It's just that she will be busy with…let's leave it at other stuff.
Freeing herself from her boots, she made her way through the living room, towards the kitchen more specifically. There, she went and picked up some bottled water along with a toothpick and a box of Takoyaki balls, poured half of its contents on a plate, and inserted it into the microwave just beside the fridge, humming along the rhythm of the now-started-up device as it heated her…well, she would call it her favorite food, but that would imply she liked its taste in the first place. Rather, she got a kick of the despair this devious snack caused her.
How many calories would she have to burn up in exchange for each one of these round and far from nutritional fuckers? The effort she had to sacrifice so otherwise they don't ruin her stunning figure and turn her into a damn whale. All those hours wasted in what might as well could have been used for more despairful plans…
Truly, whoever came up with this was one hundred percent Remnant of Despair material.
Once the beeping informed her dinner was ready, she brought everything back to the living room, and after slumping onto the only sofa within the room, she grabbed the remote control and began to browse through the channels.
"Are you the laughing stock at parties? Do guys not pay you the attention you obviously deserve? Fear no more! Uwabami recommends this brand-new―"
"Lame!" Besides, it wasn't as if a bitch with snakes for hair could have any idea about beauty and fashion.
"Ten Villains apprehended this morning by―"
"Boring!"
"Pro-Hero Wash announces charity event for orphans in which―"
"Super boring!"
"The Nigata and Gunma prefectures report a decrease in crime rates of thirteen and fifteen percent respectively, making it their lowest records in the past five―"
"Omega boring!"
"All Might―"
"Blegh! Isn't there any good shit on the TV!?"
"Multiple deceased at Esuha city!"
Oh?
Perking up at what she was hearing, she chewed a spicy ball while turning the volume up "…At least a dozen civilians lost their lives when heroes confronted a powerful Villain whose details other than his acid-related quirk were restricted for public safety. We recommend putting minors away from the TV, as the graphic pictures we are about to display aren't fit for the general public"
Fiiiinaaaaally.
Those were the news worth looking for!
Seriously, for a world full of all kinds of weird and dangerous shit at the disposal of bastards, psychopaths, serial killers, and all other examples of stellar citizens, the amount of depressing and tragic news was disappointing bordering on straight-up sad.
And now that it was brought up…
She would have liked to say that the past two weeks in this foreign land were one full of struggle and unknowns that made her adapt to her new life a living hell…but there would be at least three lies in that sentence. Suffice it to say that by the morning of the second day in this place she already got the gist of things.
Even without her being the flawlessly awesome self she already was, it wouldn't have taken her that long to figure out the basics. After all, even though this place was a different reality, there were signs of certain parallelisms here and there. For example, while the Novoselic Kingdom didn't exist here 'Well, there wasn't any Kingdom left back in my world either, but…eh, semantics', the Otheon Kingdom was a thing.
A small European nation bordered by other small nations, whose government system was still a monarchy and their culture was a cut apart from the norm. A.K.A they were a bunch of weirdos. Perhaps not to the degree of the whore princess and her innuendo-filled home, but a bunch of outcasts nonetheless.
Those and other similarities were easily found with some quick navigation through the web. Heck, there was even an artificial island where the latest technological developments were made. It wasn't governed by a single family, and neither it was secretly controlled by a cute and moldable eleven-year-old with several daddy and brother issues, but…
Upupupu, I definitely will have to keep an eye on that place.
Although, leaving aside that for later…
Quirks.
The capacity to make even the most plain of losers into a god if they were lucky enough.
While her assumption about its origins coming from a group bathing in nuclear waste ended up being a bust based on some official sources 'Meh, I will hold on the belief that that woman took a quick peck during her pregnancy', they were admittedly a change in the paradigm she was used to if only because unlike talents, everyone and their mother had one. Sure, she knew of a few freaks of nature before coming here, but all of them would easily pass for someone with an enhancement quirk at best or merely quirkless with some minor hereditary mutations at worst.
Just further proof of how much of a game changer they presented as…even if the magic about them didn't lasted her past a single week. Nevertheless, they still were the selling point of this world.
It certainly wasn't that it was the year 2148.
For real. Just a few days ago, back when she had to forcefully make her way through the servers of the birth registries to input her data, she gave them the honor of taking things slightly more seriously than what she would usually do to make up for whatever futuristic bullshit they would have as cybersecurity…just to end up accessing their databases without a hitch in less than ten seconds. More or less the same amount of time it would have taken her to do it in the first world with just as much effort.
Even if she gave them the benefit of the doubt 'Which I didn't' of that not being an organization that would take such stuff as a priority, like the freaking Military, the HPSC, or that place, you would believe that an alternate reality which takes place in the far future would have better security measurements against traditional hacking even for the most standard locations. But nope. Instead, and from what she observed on that brief cybernetic adventure, they took priority on protocols against quirks who do that.
It was pretty much the same for everything, be it Programming, Medicine, Engineering, or 'Support Industry' as these buzos call it 'Laaaame!'. There were some things that would drop some jaws back 'home', like holograms and hovering boots, but save for those and other few exceptions, this humanity was so despairfully codependent on their genetic lottery, centering everything around them, that one hundred years later, and they were still stuck on the early 21st century, with a far from the small chance of regressing further if they kept the status quo.
All in all, it made them look so pitiful that Junko almost considered sparing them.
…
…
…
…
…
…
…Pffft! As if! Did anyone believe that bullshit for a second!? If her former world could see the despair she had planned for this one, they would enter into a fit of despairfully jealousy!
After all, what she found out about the 'Dark Age of Quirks' and its consequences was an eye-opener for her.
Entire decades of death, suffering, and misery. Sufficient despair to be a major accountant in holding back entire generations of development that could have been used for the benefit of humanity…Whoever was responsible for that 'Because you can bet your ass that there was a mind behind it…', she was a personal fan of it!
I will have to step up my game, don't I? More so because putting the quirks into the equation…I wonder if the bogeyman is just a child's horror story, or if they are still lurking under the bed~?
"While we all would like the grim news ending at just that, another major incident was reported in Shibuya!"
…Oho? Shibuya? That could only mean one thing.
"Just ten minutes before reaching six in the evening, a major incident took place around its commercial district where a group of individuals began to shoot at its passersby. While this unfortunate event resulted in the death of two civilians, both caused by stray bullets, the evildoers didn't go unpunished! Not so long after they attempted to escape the combined force of police and nearby Pro-Heroes, All Might of all people came to our aid! Giving them chase and eventually capturing them in a brief but heart-bumping pursuit, ending this tragic series of events by this evening! Regarding the Villains, the only thing we can comment on is about the wave of rumors about one of them perishing somewhere in between the happenings of this incident, with some anonymous testimonies that claimed it was their only female member, though its cause of death is an enigma so far. Besides that, each one of the Villains are shrouded in mystery too, with their behavior accounted as bizarre at best, as there isn't any confirmation of a purpose behind their crime. The police refused to free any details after their detention, and before we could obtain an interview from All Might to give his version of the events, he left the scene once he defeated the Villains, no doubt to keep working in favor of our society!"
As the news went on, Junko did nothing more other than watch them with a mask of absolute neutrality. Not giving even the tiniest speck of a hint about what was running through her head. It was only after the reporter moved on to other news that she allowed a reaction.
With it being a lip-shattering ear-to-ear grin.
Past afternoon you say? Not before?
"Upupupupu~, took ya quite a bit, don't ya think, big guy? And to leave so suddenly…Tsk, tsk, tsk, borrowing time once again, are we?"
Tuning out the TV as best as someone who acquires a flawless understanding of everything just by being around it could, which was close to nada, Junko lazily put the half-eaten food aside and opened the drawer beside the sofa and reached out for its only content.
A laptop.
The thing was, contrary to what most would believe if they were to see her right now. The past two weeks weren't only used on getting a basic understanding of this place and lazing around eating cheap food while having her eyes glued to a monitor.
What was she? Yamada 'May his soul rest in―Alright, enough of it. That joke is already more burned than Celeste's corpse' on a productive day?
First, there was the obvious, like acquiring a living space. A permanent one, if only because a proper place of residence was a requirement for her plans. It wasn't that hard―scratch that, it was soooo fucking easy to find the correct person, that would sell her what she was looking for, make it a quick process, and do all of that at the cheapest price possible without asking questions.
The benefits of being so damn hot and always knowing what to say, huh?
Save for some extra decorations she picked up; the place was pretty standard in most aspects, with a living room, a kitchen, and a bedroom with a bathroom included. It wasn't like any of that was worth giving two shits about it anyways, with their only purpose being selling an image and other lesser issues, like her basic survival. The only actual pickings she had for this apartment were the drawer for her mountain of clothes, and that every single one of the walls was soundproof.
That made it extra costly even with the discount, yeah, but with her generous donors spread thorough Musutafu and other nearby cities, it was no problem.
Besides, even if right now I have no use for that…it is just a matter of time before I have~.
There were some other things she occupied herself with, like the birth registry ordeal, building up a cover story, and other varying stuff.
Like the registration of her Quirk.
For that one, she didn't even need to work her techno-magic! All she had to do was go to a quirk registry center, telling to the staff some sob story about how she received a wrong assessment at a young age and how she wanted that mistake rectified, do some tests with her Quirk to verify everything coincided, and Ta-Tah!
Junko Enoshima was quirkless no more!
…Heh, what a bunch of dumbasses.
In summary, it was just her filling some checkboxes here and there to ensure her existence didn't raise some eyebrows…so long as they didn't do enough homework, of course.
After all, where's the fun in having a perfect cover~?
But leaving aside that. Once her laptop was turned on, she quickly went to see the notes of what had consumed most of her stay so far in this world.
It was a variety of tables packed with all kinds of info. From names, Quirks, and other useless data dump about the individuals in it. Each was neatly organized based on the roles these people had and their status.
Speaking of which.
It appears to require some updating.
[ Distraction Squad No. 0001
Yashamaru Nidai / Oni / Captured.
Naito Yoshiro / Silent Walk / Captured.
Sayaka Nakamura / Snake Fangs / Dead.
Yamazaki Kunio / Knife Arms / Captured.
Minamoto Kazumi / Eagle Sight / Captured.
Tahara Osamu / Sluggish Wave / Captured. ]
Welp, there goes the first batch, as pitifully disposed of as they were meant to be. Besides how disappointing it was to see how few causalities there were, things went despairfully exactly as she expected. Yeah, even the death of that woman was within her assessment.
I mean, with that name and quirk, it was BEGGING me to make a scenario in which she was the first one on the chopping block as a tribute of sorts.
Once done with that segment, Junko scrolled down until reaching the very bottom, where she had the only set of notes worth a damn.
[ Findings On the Symbol of Hope.
Hero Name: All Might.
Real Name: Unknown (Anything I came up with was either a red herring or just bait to satiate the curiosity of those who dig deep enough)
Quirk: Transferable Body-Enhancement (There's more to it, but the data is insufficient to figure out things further)
Notes on his Quirk: It is getting weaker both in potency and duration. The cause is injury related. By who? Unlikely to be a lucky strike, and had to be caused by someone just as powerful at the bare minimum. Based on the massive decrease in crime rates half a decade ago in correlation with All Might's decline in his public appearances…did he and the bogeyman fight? The current limit is four hours and five minutes around three hours and fifty-four minutes (Besides the vapor and the incapacity to use his powers, what happens when the quirk runs out of time?). Its user is looking for a successor (Which he will get, just…not yet~)
Family: Non-existent. No info on parents, possibly orphan. Neither has children, and the closest thing to a living relative is a mentor figure of sorts going by the Pro-Hero name of Gran Torino, which quickly led to making the correlation with the civilian name Sorahiko Torino, (Duh!) (A.N: The name Nana Shimura came a few times on what I found about the old fart. Possible relation with All Might too?)
General Notes: Fifty-six years old. Self-sacrificing traits. Personality speaking, the image he shows to the world isn't precisely a mask (At the very least he is as naïve as he presents himself as). He is 84% responsible for Japan not being a crime hellscape (Under the right circumstances, his death will create a massive influx of despair). Watch out for his former sidekick. ]
Much to her slight delight, he had his bases well hidden, and figuring everything about the big guy wasn't as easy as one might expect from such a musclehead. Although she knows that the honeymoon period won't last her for much.
After all, I already possess the medium from which I will get everything I'm missing and more. Much, much more~.
Apart from info on him and those expendable groups, her notes contained intel on other branches, like her 'donors', those in charge of the 'souvenirs', a stray dog here and there whose purpose was keeping an ear on the underworld, among other lower levels of mobs that they weren't even worth a mention. All of this was shit she had already memorized of course, but having everything appointed and catalogized gives a, shall we say, professional vibe to it.
Although…Arere? How's it that she had so many minions already, you wonder? Well, it was just simply that one of the first things she worked on as soon as she had the chance to was the magnum opus of a certain feeble, anime-obsessed animator.
That's right people! I, Junko Enoshima, have the brainwashing video in all its despairful glory!
…Or so she would've said if that was the case.
Instead, rather than being either an upgrade or the same as the original, it was more akin to an alpha version.
Yeeeah…the thing was, for this stuff to reach its full potential, it required a despairful catalysator of sorts. The massacre of Hope's Peak student council, where each one of them was considered a walking god by the general population, or the death of…of…what was her name? Nakimi? Chinami? Eh, who the hell cares? The point was, that recorded events with intensive levels of despair while also being meaningful for the individual were necessary for the proper development of a fully functional brainwashing device.
As it was now, if she were to try it, for example, on that always burning head of the most relevant yet secretly dysfunctional family in Japan 'Oh yeah, I know~', some other high shot, or practically anyone whose psyche had been tempered enough, the results would vary between developing the sensation of just having a shitty day at best and feeling slightly sad at worst, following by Junko getting beat the shit out of her the moment they realize what the hell was happening on either scenario.
Plus, although she hadn't tested it yet, she highly suspects that people with brainwashing-related quirks were going to be straight-up immune to it, regardless of how hypothetically completed the video was to be.
Anyhow, long story short, it does work exactly like the original one…but only for the lowest-level doofus whose will was so fucking pathetic that it was not even worth her time. Which was fine for her, the way it works now was in all but name a skip button for trash mobs and boring dialogue, and sure as hell the handicap 'Because calling it a challenge is not even worth a laugh' this leaves for her was welcomed.
Besides…
Every single one of them was nothing more than cannon fodder. Eventually, she will require actual competent minions capable of 'independent' thinking, and with the brainwashing video as defective as it was, the idea of recreating the Remnants of Despair could be thrown outta the window. Which again, worked perfectly for her. After all, what was the point of having a whole new world full of despairful opportunities, only to go for the old same path your went through in your former boring home?
When it came to the bigger fishes, she already had the potential candidates in mind, she even knew the order in which each of them would submit to her. Oh, they will~, whether aware of it or not, they will all do so in the name of―
Ding.
"Hm?" Picking up her phone 'The one that actually worked as a phone…' with a quirked eyebrow, Junko's face contorted into a deadpan as she looked at its contents.
[21:48] [ M.S.R?: H-Hey, Ju―I-I-I mean, E-Enoshima! H-How…how's it g-going?]
[21:48] [ M.S.R?: Um, f-first I wanted to thank you for fulfilling your promise about contacting me as soon as you got a phone back. I'm truly glad you didn't forget about me…Eep! I-It's not like I doubted you for a moment! N-N-Not at all! It's just…]
[22:02] [ M.S.R?: A-Anyways! Uh…I understand it might be past bedtime for you. But…erm, I wanted to confirm that what you texted me this morning about the plans for tomorrow after school were still on the table]
[22:17] [ M.S.R?: A-Ah! And don't worry! I-I know this isn't a date or anything of the sort! And I-I promise to be on my best behavior! Haha…]
[23:36] [ M.S.R?: Um…l-like I said, I know it's kinda late, so I don't expect a response. J-Just hope you saw all of this…]
…
Was this guy seriously stuttering on the damn phone!? Just how further your patheticness can reach?
I know I compared ya to that slut of a nurse, but it was meant as an insult, not a damn challenge! That's it, I'm not even bothering to give ya a response! Let's see if you grow a backbone when you spent the entire night despairing about whether I'm pulling ya a leg or not.
Leaving that wimp aside, and after all this inner pondering of heroes and villains, it was time to address the elephant in the room.
U.A.
The closest thing this world had as an equivalent for Hope's Peak.
Making that comparison was a little unfair…unfair for U.A. that is. During her time on Hope's Peak, she could do whatever the fuck she wanted without facing consequences, so long as she wasn't that obvious about it. On the most prestigious Hero School, however…
Regardless of her view on it, it was a fact that getting into U.A. was a high-risk, low-reward endeavor. She was sure that, unlike Hope's Peak, the educators and staff in general, did give the slightest bit of a shit about their students. Sure, she didn't doubt that if a quirk was good enough they would look the other way for certain things like the School of 'Hope' used to because of her talent. But for the worsts stunts she pulled back then? That was a whole different story. On top of that…if what she found out about a certain someone was at least half as true as it implies, then one of the only three individuals who represent a genuine threat to her plans was going to be there.
Basically, every logical assumption pointed towards Junko benefitting more from acting under the shadows than exposing herself in such a place, where her actions would be exponentially limited and monitored.
…
…
…
…Although…
…
…The Despair.
The despair of the population from learning that the U.A., the school that gave birth to their shiniest of hopes, was also the place that nurtured the darkest of despairs. The despair on the school staff from learning too late that someone like her went under their nose. The despair each one of her potential classmates would feel the moment she puts them into a―Alright; she was sold! Onto U.A it is!
Now pumped up, Junko's gaze inadvertently went towards her phone, where the messages of Mop Hair were exposed in all their deplorable glory. It wasn't like she had a change of heart and was about to give him a response, but as she looked at them, a new train of thought came to her.
There are ten months left before the entrance exams begin, aren't they? I wonder…
"…How much can I do with him in that time frame~?"
Chapter 6: Abandon You? Silly Boy…Your Chance to Run Away from Me Has Long Since Expired.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Abandon You? Silly Boy…Your Chance to Run Away from Me Has Long Since Expired.
Izuku was a nervous wreck.
Now, he was grateful he didn’t thought that out loud, as no doubt that would’ve led to either becoming the laughing stock of his classmates ‘More so than I usually do’, or for Kacchan to snap at him ‘More so than he usually does’, and at a worst-case scenario, a combination of the two.
In any case, he was getting sidetracked. By nervous wreck, he didn’t mean it on the traditional way he was used to…at least not entirely. Rather, what was gnawing at him from the inside out was a bizarre combination of dread and anticipation at what was ‘Most possibly’ waiting for him once classes were done.
That was to say, his meeting with Enoshima.
It wasn’t like he didn’t wanted it to happen. Far from it! Leaving aside those confusing feelings, he couldn’t help the butterflies in his stomach at the idea of hanging out with someone for the first time in a long…very long while. Although for all good that could be, truthfully speaking, he had no idea what to expect about their incoming encounter.
Following the day when they met for the first time, Izuku dedicated every moment it was possible to check his phone so as to make sure he wouldn’t miss that fateful moment in which Enoshima was to contact him. After all, it would disastrous if because he missed a possible call for her, she was to interpret it as him no longer being interested in talking with her.
So, time went by, and with each day that passed with him keeping a zealous watch on his phone whenever possible, his faith that he would get in contact with the strawberry blonde wavered more and more. He truly wanted to keep his optimism strong, but unfortunately, the lack of any answer for so long became a fatal blow to his faith in her, loathe as he was to admit it.
Then yesterday on his way home, just as he was about to give up on that call from ever coming true by the second week of waiting, his phone vibrated. Even so, not wanting to get his hopes up, he checked its notifications with his expectations set as low as possible.
Suffice it to say, they were gratefully subverted.
Heya Zuzu! Been awhile, huh? Sry! I woulda called zner but ngl, Iws 2 busy with sme urgent stuff. Like, OMG! Moving has bn such a pita! Smh, 2se n charge of unpackin’ my junk r total mrns! Even 2day they will keep me busy till 2nite…Anyhow, wna hng out tmr once we r done with schl? If so, lmk, yeah? Ttyl! Xoxo!
Receiving a message from her was an exciting…and confusing experience at the same time. Thankfully, he more or less got the gist of its meaning, which allowed him to give a quick reply before she could believe he didn’t see her message. Be that as it may, that didn’t quit that most of the terms she was using eluded him. At first, Izuku thought that it was merely him being his socially inept self…but color him surprised when following a truthfully far from quick search on the web told him that Enoshima was using pre-quirk era slang!
It was very early to judge and he was admittedly getting way ahead of himself, but part of Izuku wondered if this was mere coincidence or if Enoshima was an enthusiast of such a period of time in the same way he was to heroes and quirks.
Having someone to share your passions with…that would be nice.
Most important of all though…She wanted to meet him again!
The idea that he would encounter who Izuku deep inside thought as a savior of sorts ‘Perhaps not literally as if actually saving my life, but certainly ideologically speaking…’ made him so excited that it wasn’t until past evening that he realized Enoshima never told him a place or hour for their encounter. She told him after school, that was true, but it was never specified if she meant her school of his, with that also being another problem in itself seeing that neither of them told each other’s exit periods.
Which is why he decided to message her. Firstly, by confirming that their plans were still on foot, hoping to not come as too straightforward. The problem was though, that no matter how much he waited, she never replied black…and that distressed him to no end.
Like sure, Enoshima told him beforehand ’Or at least I interpreted it like that based on what I found about what all those acronyms meant…’ that this business from moving onto her new home was going to keep her busy pretty much all day ’Whoa, so I wasn’t that off the mark with her not being from around her, was I?’ which was understandable because those things truthfully could take some time. Not like he and his mother have moved before, but it was the logical conclusion to make, right? Although even if that was the case, there was this morning to take into consideration. After all, surely by now Enoshima has already seen his messages, wasn’t that so? Some basic reply affirming or denying anything wouldn’t take more than five minutes, and even that would be giving a little more leniency than necessary. But if she didn’t do as such, then what did that meant? Could…Could it be that she saw them but chose to ignore them? No…No, she, Enoshima wouldn’t do that, right? After all, this was the same person who fueled his dream more than anyone had ever done in his entire life! Just thinking of her as capable of that was the same as insulting her name. Instead, it was likely that her battery simply died out somewhere before he sent those texts, sleep all night without noticing because of how tired she was, and wasn’t until just about now that her phone was in the progress of charging. Yeah, that sounds about right, that was most likely what Enoshima―
“Midoriya, I don’t know who this Enoshima is, but I hope she stops being a derailment from you paying attention in class” Understanding too late that he was saying all of that out loud, Izuku’s mumbling came to an abrupt end with the stern voice of the teacher singling him out.
Urging himself to ignore the surrounding snickers from his classmates, Izuku addressed his teacher “A-Ah, y-yes! I... I-It won’t h-happen again, I-I promise!”
The man in question gave him a skeptical look, but nonetheless, he nodded, clearly not caring enough to genuinely prod about it “Mhm, all that rambling about her is disturbing my class, so keep it to yourself. Is that understood?”
Not wanting to keep being the center of attention he merely gave a shaking nod.
With that, the educator shrugged and turned back to the whiteboard.
Although before Izuku could sigh in relief that such a brief but stressful exchange was over, the voices of his classmates didn’t wasted a second to make their opinions on the matter known.
“Enoshima? Who the fuck is that?”
“Heh, I bet that wimp wants to make us believe he actually has a friend! What a loser!”
“And a girl no less! Hahaha, not even guys want to hang out with him. Who does he think he’s fooling with that crap!?”
“I know right? The poor bastard hasn’t accepted yet that he will die alone! Hilarious!”
Although the insults and cackles were way louder than what his muttering might had been, the professor wasn’t even bothering to look back, content enough to keep writing on the board. Despite that, Izuku couldn’t say he was surprised, as far as every staff member and student within this school was concerned, he wasn’t worth the trouble of standing up for.
So, while upset and clearly loathing every moment of it, Izuku had some confidence that he could bear with it… or at least that was the case until the last person he wanted to enter the fray.
“Heh, deluding yourself with an imaginary girlfriend, Deku? Geez, I knew you were a lost cause what with being a quirkless trash…but this? This is a new low even for you, nerd!”
Izuku flinched on instinct and inevitably threw a yelp when he heard the gruff voice of his childhood friend joining in the mockery at his person. The first week following the incident with the Sludge Villain, Kacchan was content to leave him in peace, not even bothering to recognize his existence, something for which Izuku was glad…and also somewhat hurt at the same time. Regardless, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth when such an outcome was making his life slightly easier.
Clearly, though, Kacchan had deemed enough of that grace period.
Having the blessing of the ash-blonde to have a free game in jabbing him as much as they wanted, along with the pathetic display he just showed a moment ago, the rest of the class didn’t need to ask twice before more cruel remarks and howling cackles came forward, all of it at his expense.
Izuku, knew he should’ve expected this, that he should’ve long since become used to seeing that this wasn’t the first, and most likely far from the last time his classmates would act like this…which was precisely why, with the addition of his meeting with Enoshima becoming an uncertainty, somewhere deep inside he couldn’t help but wonder…
Was there no hope for him?
If there was one thing he looked forward to within Aldera Junior High, was the very moment in which its classes ended and he could get out of there. After all, in the three years he had spent in this place not even once a good thing had awaited him within its halls.
As such, and with a hurried pace so he wouldn’t meet with his once-upon-a-time childhood friend, Izuku made his way to this place’s exit. It was such a bizarre way of thinking, he knew, but Izuku could only be grateful that today his classmates were satisfied with only turning him into a laughing stock rather than…other physical means they usually recur to.
Somewhere in between though, just when he was about to cross the gate that separated these tormenting halls and the outside world, his ears perked out at something in the vicinity.
“Holy shit dude, who is that chick?”
“I dunno, but she’s smokin’ hot!”
With a quirked eyebrow, not only because of that commentary in specific but also because he was hearing dozens of whispers with similar exchanges happening, the green-haired boy shifted his gaze to the commenters he was closer to.
“She’s such a game…do you think I have a chance if I were to ask her out?”
“Are ya delusional, dude!? She’s way outta yer league! It’s obvious she would only go out with absolute winners, like that dude with the explosion quirk from that other class. Tch, I bet she’s here waiting for him, the lucky bastard”
“Aw shit, for real? I kinda expected that, but still…”
Interest reaching its peak, Izuku followed where their gazes were pointing at, wanting to figure out who was this enigmatic figure apparently half of Aldera stopped to gawk at.
When he did though, he became incapable of preventing his jaw from dropping to the ground, only for a different set of reasons than everyone else.
The person gathering everyone’s attention was reclined on a wall, browsing through her phone with an expression of complete boredom painted on her still undoubtedly flawless features, almost as if ignorant of the stares sent her way. As far as fashion goes, she decided to go with an unbuttoned blanched brown cardigan with two white circle marks on its lower right edge, with a pure white tie loosely hanging between her neck and chest area. Along with that, the person just a few meters ahead of him also wore a deep ocean blue skirt just an inch larger than her contrasting pleated red one from two weeks ago.
Save for the lack of a ribbon on her left chest area, it was more or less an altered version of her previous outfit, with her hairpins, boots, white dress shirt, and her bra being of the exact same design as the outfit she wore the last time they met, but different or not, there wasn’t a single hint of doubt in Izuku’s mind about who this was.
“E-Enoshima!?” Which is why he couldn’t help crying out her name in shock.
Much to his misfortune, that gained for the second occasion today the entire focus of everyone in the vicinity, only this time with stares varying with pure skepticism and contempt.
Just when some of them were preparing a new round of insults for daring to suggest he knew her, their attention went back to the girl when she made a questioning sound and turned to where his voice came from.
Such attention turned into confusion when her eyes flashed with recognition and an ear-to-ear grin formed on her lips.
“Ah, Zuzu! There ya are!” The confusion into incredulous disbelief when they saw the strawberry blonde rush in his direction until landing just in front of Izuku…and then trapped him in a bear hug.
This, and considering the height difference and the angle at which Enoshima began the embrace, resulted in Izuku being suffocated between her bosom.
Apparently, that was the last straw for everyone watching.
“T-That guy!?”
“What the hell!? That bullshit about knowing her was real!?”
“Hey, isn’t that wuss Midoriya from 3-A?”
“H-How does he know her!?”
“I wanna be hugged like that too!”
Leaving aside that last statement and the other dozens of choruses in outrage that came after, this series of events left Izuku with such a wild rush of emotions that he didn’t knew whose to attend. First of all, while flustered at hearing her use that nickname, he was delighted to see Enoshima once again. He was confused too, considering what put this possibility in doubt in the first place. Of course, he was also internally short-circuiting from the fact that a girl was being this…intimate with him.
As he pointed out before, it was a complete storm of mixed thoughts to deal with. Because of that, his mind prioritized the most urgent matter in an attempt to set things straight.
I-I need…a-air…!
Although he wouldn’t necessarily say he hated this situation ‘Quite the opposite in fact…’, not only feeling the stares full of jealousy piercing his head without him looking were making him uncomfortable, but he was sure his skin tone was changing to purple by the lack of oxygen.
Even so, he didn’t wanted to come out as rude by outright rejecting the hug ‘A hug! A girl was hugging me! She was…she was also asphyxiating me though…’ Enoshima was giving him. So, he resigned to merely tapping what he hoped was her shoulders and not somewhere inappropriate and waited for Enoshima to understand what he meant by such a gesture.
Thankfully, his prayers were heard and Izuku could feel a wave of air entering his lungs once he was finally free from the strawberry blonde’s embrace.
“Hehe, I ended up overreacting, didn’t I? Whoopsies~” So she said, but her tone of voice suggested that she wasn’t that apologetic.
Still, he couldn’t find any ill intent in her words, so he didn’t thought much of it. Besides, how could he hold any grudge at that when it was merely a hug…a warm, soft, with a strawberry fragrance hug which he was quickly beginning to miss, but a hug nonetheless.
“Hah…no…no, it’s okay” Izuku managed to say, even if only barely due to the still lack of air in his lungs. After a minute of recovering though, he accomplished a more coherent response “Still…Enoshima, w-what are you doing here?”
That earned him a confused look from the blue-eyed girl “Huh? Don’t tell me you forgot about that invitation to hang out I sent you yesterday?”
“N-No, of course I didn’t! But…um, when I asked you for more details regarding that, you didn’t answer, so I…” He trailed off, unable to hide how that hurt in its totality.
“Ah, you thought a forgot about it because of that, didn’t you?” While Izuku didn’t gave a verbal response, his involuntary wincing delated his thoughts “Sorry! Sorry! It’s just that I wanted to surprise ya”
“Surprise me?” Izuku echoed. The negativity from just a moment ago dissipated in exchange for expectant confusion.
The strawberry-blonde eagerly nodded “Mhm! I thought that our reencounter shoulda been something special, and what better way of making it unexpected than with you not expecting it at all!”
“I-I see…” It was admittedly a bit weird to have such a swift change in mood, but given the circumstances, Izuku couldn’t help moving from happy at encountering Enoshima, to sad when reminiscing about not hearing from Enoshima last night all the way to this very moment, until finally standing on delighted that there was an explanation for her actions ‘It might sound like a weird excuse, but seeing that she is here, it must be true. Right?’. For all good that was though, there was one thing that confused him “Uh, although…not that I doubt what you are saying or anything at all! But, erm, how did you figure out you would find me here?”
As far as he remembered, he never told her at which school he went.
If Enoshima felt caught off guard by that question, she made a flawless job in not showing it “Oh that was easy, I just had to browse through the web which school your uniform came from, check some small details about it once I had the location figured out, like its schedule and stuff, and that was it…Uwah, saying that out loud sounded a bit weird. I didn’t come out as creepy, did I?”
Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable, Izuku quickly went into reassuring her “Oh, not at all Enoshima! If anything, I am grateful you put this much effort to make sure this meeting happened”
Best of all was that he entirely meant it. For the good of him, Izuku couldn’t recall the last time someone was this enthusiastic about spending time with him outside of his mom. Had it ever happened before in the first place? He certainly can’t remember nor imagine Kacchan ever doing all of what Enoshima did even before the revelation of their quirks, or lack thereof, came to light.
Before the remembrance of such times along with the always stinging reminder that he was quirkless became capable of throwing him into a spiral of self-contempt, Enoshima’s voice brought him back to reality “Hehe, why of course I would go this far for my dear friend!”
Her…what?
Izuku couldn’t believe what she said, so dumb as it might sound, he wanted to make sure he didn’t had misheard that “E-Enoshima, do…do you consider me a friend already?”
“Yep!” The strawberry-blonde easily confirmed “And I have the feeling that we will eventually become the best of friends. Our bond will be such that not even death will make you forget about me!”
While phrased in a way that was admittedly concerning, by this point Izuku knew Enoshima was just being her eccentric self. He may not know her by that long ‘Really, just about a single day…’, but in the brief time he had spent with her, it wasn’t unusual for her to make those kinds of exaggerated remarks for any subject you could think of.
This is why he took what she was saying as her way of showing how much she wanted this friendship to work, and that in itself felt like such a nice gesture that made him want to cry out of happiness.
Of course, being a Midoriya, that meant he could already feel a few tears threatening to roll down his cheeks “I-Is that so? I…I don’t know what to say…”
“Well, for now, let’s wipe out those tears, yeah?” Enoshima said, her voice filled with that understanding and sympathy that made Izuku develop…an enormous admiration for her back on the day they met “I mean, you don’t wanna for your friends to look as you are right now, do you?”
Before he could question what was she talking about, a bulb of realization lit up along with a sentiment of dread.
Discretely looking around, he could see that the audience he forgot about not only was still here but their looks were filled with envy that grew darker than he last remembered.
Although problematic as that was, that wasn’t what had him still shifting his gaze on the lookout.
He’s still not here, but…we…we have spent too much time here, i-if we don’t hurry up, he will…
Agreeing with that train of thought, he quickly nodded at the blue-eyed girl “Y-Yeah, you are right, Enoshima. Also, I-I think we should be on our way. After all, w-we don’t want to be late, right?”
“Eh? I don’t remember telling you an hour at which we needed to be there, though? Neither to where are we going in the first place, did I?” Enoshima questioned with a quirked eyebrow that while not accusatory nor annoyed, still threatened to give Izuku a panic attack for its unexpectedness. Before he could concern himself giving an excuse about that though, she did a nonchalant shrug “Eh, whatevs. Your right, let’s get going!”
Sighing in relief, the green-haired boy gave the strawberry blonde another nod in agreement before turning to leave along with her. Grateful that they managed to avoid―
“DEKU!”
Izuku could’ve sworn his heart came to an abrupt stop for a moment when he heard the hoarse yet always recognizable voice of his once childhood friend in the company of loud stomps that promised Izuku he won’t get out of this one without some heated words and public humiliation in between, and only that if he was lucky.
Turning around, he confirmed being right in the money when Kacchan, along with his two lackeys, Aoki, a messy dark-haired boy with a quirk that allowed him to extend his neck, and Denchi, a dirt-blonde with hair reaching down his chin whose quirk allowed him to extend his fingers, approached him. His two ‘friends’ had amused looks on their faces, and the ash-blonde himself carried his trademark glare that held every time he was displeased with Izuku, which was an incident that happened much more than what the green-haired boy would’ve liked to.
Worse of all, Izuku couldn’t help grimacing when all three of them fully noticed Enoshima, with the ash-blonde’s cronies gawking like hyenas in front of a meat buffet, and Kacchan developing a confused look, obviously wondering why someone like Enoshima would bother to talk to him. It was likely they came here in the first place when they saw him talk with a girl, but seeing Enoshima up close no doubt was a whole different ordeal. It for sure was him and anyone who had seen her so far.
That didn’t matter at this moment though, what was eating Izuku from the inside out was the possibility of losing his friend the very day he made it.
He didn’t wanted to doubt Enoshima, far from it. He hated that there was still this lingering speck of doubt when time and time again she had proven to be a greater company than what anyone else in the entire world could claim to, all thanks to his insecurities whispering to him the possibility of Enoshima dumping him and feigning ignorance about him to keep public appearance because this time there were other people around.
Considering she hugged him in front of half the school, it was also a beyond illogical worry, but…what if Kacchan proves to be such a better prospect that Enoshima decides that her time was better spent with him? It wasn’t that crazy of a theory, was it? There was a reason Izuku, despite their relationship no longer being what it used to be, still admired the ashen blonde to no end. Kacchan was strong, smart, and confident. Besides, his quirk was perfect for Heroics! In every single aspect, save for personality perhaps, he was everything Izuku could only hope to be.
What could Izuku offer Enoshima that Kacchan didn’t had already?
Briefly glancing at the strawberry-blonde, hoping to get a hint of how she would react to this predicament, Izuku raised a brow at what he saw.
Nothing.
There wasn’t expectancy, fascination, curiosity, or something of similar sentiments that would indicate that Enoshima was interested in Kacchan. Neither was anything on the opposite end like wariness, distrust, or annoyance. There wasn’t a hint that could give away what Enoshima was feeling at seeing the trio approaching. The only detail on her face breaking protocol from complete stoicism, was a minuscule smile that almost made her look…amused?
Try as he might, he couldn’t make heads or tails of what that expression truly meant. So, whether he liked it or not, Izuku knew that his worries won’t be placated until the very moment of truth.
Said moment of truth came sooner than he would’ve wanted to when Kacchan and his two companions finally reached him and Enoshima.
Only sparing him a short impassive look, the ashen blonde turned to the blue-eyed girl “You, who the hell are you? And why are ya hanging with that piece of trash?”
“A-Ah, Kacchan, you see, she is―”
“Shut the fuck up, Deku! I wasn’t talkin’ to you, so keep yer shitty mouth shut until I say so, ya got me!?”
Izuku didn’t want to comply with Kacchan’s demands, now less than ever seeing that Enoshima was with him and he could only imagine how humiliating it would be to submit to the red-eyed boy in front of her.
Gathering all the courage he could, Izuku held his gaze firm with his head high against Kacchan’s glare…for about ten seconds before Kacchan went from annoyed to murderous.
“…Well? Did yer tiny skull got it, or do ya need me to ingrain it into yer shitty head by force in front of everyone here?” The ashen-blonde said darkly, tiny explosions and smoke sparking within his hands.
And that was as far as his bravado could take him.
“…N-No, Kacchan…” Izuku muttered, looking away as to ignore the mocking gazes Kacchan’s lackeys were most likely giving him…and because he didn’t dare to see what look Enoshima was giving him.
“Thought so…” The red-eyed boy snarled, then his gaze went once again to Enoshima “Don’t make me repeat myself. Who the fuck are you, and why are ya hanging with Deku?”
Much to Izuku’s surprise, he didn’t heard Enoshima giving an immediate response. Wondering why that was the case, he dared to go throw a glance in her direction. Suffice it to say, Izuku became even more bewildered by what he saw.
The small hint of merriment she had a moment ago was gone. In its place, there was…nothing.
That…what does that mean?
Never being one to tolerate even the tiniest lack of respect for his person, the lack of an immediate response made Kacchan throw Enoshima a growl while releasing some explosions “Oi, didn’t ya hear me!? I asked you, where―”
“Ah, how silly of me! Where are my manners?” Resting her right hand on her bust, Enoshima gave an amicable smile that wasn’t reaching her eyes before doing a forty-five-degree bow without departing her gaze away from the boys in front of her “Junko Enoshima, destroyer of worlds! Nice to meetcha!”
The other three teenagers…along with Izuku himself admittedly, raised their brows at that unusual introduction, though already ‘Somewhat…’ used to her antics, he quickly waved it off as Enoshima acting as usual. As for Kacchan’s cronies, their puzzlement only lasted until their eyes went down and caught sight of Enoshima’s bust, which thanks to its angle her current position was exposing more of it than what her attire already did, making the two of them develop lecherous gazes that Izuku wasn’t liking one bit.
Kacchan wasn’t an exception ‘About being weirded out by Enoshima’s introduction, not the peeking at her part’, even if he quickly recovered as his confusion rapidly shifted onto his usual rough self “Whatever…you still haven’t told me why you are with that waste of space”
“Yeah babe, why don’t ya ditch that loser and come with us? I bet we can prove way better of a company if you just…” Daichi trailed off, and much to Izuku’s horror, he noticed how his extendable fingers were discretely approaching Enoshima, and based on their direction, they were aiming at her chest!
Just when he was about to warn Enoshima of the boy’s intentions, the strawberry blonde raised her hand…catching two of Daichi’s fingers with ease, putting a swift end to his scheme.
“What are you doing?”
For a moment Daichi had an expression of panic at being caught red-handed, but one quick glance at Kacchan made him regain confidence. Izuku knew that Kacchan fought for no one else but himself, so depending on him was a futile endeavor. Apparently, the dirt-blonde thought otherwise regardless.
Wrongly assuming that the ashen-blonde had him backed up, Daichi turned to Enoshima with a smirk on his face.
“Hehe, oh you know, those knockers of yours looked heavy, so I was just trying to―AAAAAAAAH! I-It hurts!” Whatever poor excuse he wanted to give her, died out in exchange for a cry of pain as Enoshima’s hold on the still-captured fingers tightened. Izuku had no way of knowing, but judging by Daichi’s face contorted in agony and how no matter he tried to pry his arm away with his other hand she wasn’t even budging a bit, Enoshima’s grasp on his digits must be no joke.
“So, they can extend but their density stays the same? Huh, curious” If these were other circumstances, Izuku would’ve entered into his ‘Quirk Nerd’ mode at that sudden revelation. For now, though, he could only watch with some growing concern what was happening in front of him “Anyhow…you were saying? I could’ve sworn you were about to confess your attempt of harassment, but could ya confirm it for me?”
“W-What? No, I-I merely―AAAARGH! O-Okay! I-I get it! Yeah, I was trying to cup feel, a-alright!?” Daichi howled out for everyone within Aldera to hear, earning frowns in disapproval from the guys, and looks of disgust from the female population watching the ordeal “T-There, I said it! Let me go, please!”
Impressive as it was discovering how strong Enoshima must be to make such a painful grip, Izuku was worried for a moment that she was going to make deaf ears of Daichi’s request. Some force was justified seeing that he was trying to molest her. But if she were to go beyond that? Perhaps crushing his digits until they became useless? That would be taking things too far.
Fortunately, his worries were unnecessary. As soon as Daichi made his confession, Enoshima didn’t wasted a second in letting go of the boy, who once free put his finger on his mouth in an attempt of mitigating the pain.
Apparently too stunned to regain his senses until now, the second of Kacchan’s lackeys, Aoki, approached the ‘victim’ to make sure his friend was okay.
Kacchan, on the other hand, didn’t gave them more than a brief glance before turning to Enoshima with a snort “Alright, pigtails. I will give ya that you got some balls…” The amusement quickly dissipated in exchange for a dark snarl “…But I’m getting tired of your bullshit about avoiding the question again and again. If ya know what’s good for ya, answer me…what’s your deal with Deku?”
There were a few seconds of tense silence in which Kacchan prodded Enoshima for a response with an impatient glare, with the strawberry blonde being the peak of impassiveness, not faltering in the slightest under it.
A second before Kacchan’s tolerance for Enoshima’s reticence reached its peak, Enoshima spoke up “Oh, Zuzu’s my friend! What about it?”
A warm feeling swelled up in Izuku’s chest when the Enoshima said that out loud. She already said the same thing to him just a few minutes ago, but for her to do so in front of others, forget that, to Kacchan of all people? His already enormous feel―admiration for Enoshima went up to eleven.
Such a shame the others didn’t share his sentiments.
Disbelief would be an understatement regarding how the three of them took Enoshima’s words, with Kacchan’s cronies having their jaws hanging open, and the ashen-blonde going as far as making a choking sound.
Whatever the case, there was no doubt that Enoshima’s declaration threw Kacchan for a loop “Zuzu…? Your…friend…?”
The way the ashen-blonde said that almost made it sound like he couldn’t understand those terms, as if he couldn’t believe that someone would regard him as anything else other than Deku or any other degrading name, and even more confusing that anyone would consider Izuku his friend.
It hurt…it truly was painful to see how lesser of him the red-eyed boy thought of.
Insensitive to Kacchan’s incredulity, Enoshima continued with an eager nod “Yep! I mean, can ya blame me? When a girl is surrounded by loud brutes and sexual harassers…” There wasn’t any doubt as to whom those remarks were aimed at, Enoshima made sure of that by the way she looked at each of them “…She needs a retrieve of that crap, y’know? Speaking of which…”
Before Izuku could react, an arm coiled around his neck and glued him to Enoshima’s side, and as if that wasn’t enough to make him a sputtering mess, he felt a hand pinching a cheek with a firm yet gentle hold.
And with that Izuku entered into an emergency shutdown.
“I hit the jackpot with this cinnamon roll, didn’t ya? Yep, of course I did! Isn’t that so, Zuzu?”
“A-A-Ah…E-Eh…ah…h-huh…t-that’s…”
“I will take that as a yes~”
Upon hearing that, the ashen-blonde looked as if he of all people would turn into sputtering incoherent words. Although for all interesting that could be, Izuku came back to his senses when he noticed Kacchan growing a dangerous smirk.
“Oh? Is that so? He’s such good company…even if he’s quirkless? You were aware of that, right?” At the mention of that, his two companions gained just as vicious grins as his leader, surely believing this was the angle they were looking for.
That made Izuku grow concerned…for about five seconds. After all, if he was honest with himself, by this point he wasn’t that surprised by what Enoshima said next.
“Oh yeah, since the first day of knowing him actually. Why?”
If this wasn’t Kacchan they were talking about, the green-eyed boy was sure he wouldn’t have resisted a chuckle at the face Kacchan was making. It couldn’t be helped; he was looking no different than a globefish opening and closing his mouth.
“Y-You…are ya hearing yourself!? Deku is a Deku! How the fuck does that not get through your empty head!?” At this point, Izuku couldn’t help but wonder why Kacchan was being so insistent on his attempts to ruin his friendship with Enoshima. Could…could it be that he does see Izuku as that unworthy of having at least one friend? Was that it? And to talk to Enoshima like that only to prove his point…
…
…Taking advantage that neither he nor his companions were paying him any attention…Izuku dared send an indignant frown at the ashen blonde.
“Whoa…” Enoshima began, her voice monotone “…I must say, you are like, the most insecure guy I’ve met in my life”
It happened so fast that Izuku barely noticed it happening.
A moment his eyes were about to bulge out at what Enoshima said, and the next one Kacchan was holding the strawberry blonde by the collar of her tie, leveling her down considering that even if it wasn’t by much, Enoshima was also taller than Kacchan.
Not like that mattered. What was about to give Izuku a heart attack were the murderous eyes of the ashen-blonde in combination with his free hand readying an explosion aimed at Enoshima’s face.
That was also the last straw for him.
He might tolerate the cruel remarks, the jeers, the punches, and all other kinds of abuse directed at him. But endangering his friend? That was something that no matter how much he feared the ashen-blonde at this moment, he couldn’t tolerate it.
“K-Kacchan, you can’t!” Izuku cried out as he rushed in their direction, hoping to pry the ashen-blonde away from Enoshima.
“Shove it, nerd! I will deal with you later!” While doing so though, he didn’t account that it was Kacchan of all people Izuku was dealing with, so even with a single hand, the red-eyed boy was capable of shoving him away.
Regardless of the apparent futility, Izuku didn’t give up, he just couldn’t let Kacchan hurt Enoshima. Once again, he urged himself to approach the two of them.
“I told ya to wait for yer fucking turn, Deku!” Unfortunately, a single yet rougher push was all it took to drive him away for a second occasion while this time also landing on his butt “Once I’m done with pigtails over there, I’m gonna take my sweet time putting you in your place!”
“You really love to bark, don’t you? What are you, some angry Pomeranian?” She wasn’t kidding about that!?
“What the fuck didya just call me!?” Wait, that wasn’t important!
“E-Enoshima! Y-You shouldn’t―”
“Izuku”
Of all things he could expect while looking up at the voice that spoke, seeing Enoshima showing him her open palm on a stop signal at his direction wasn’t one of them.
Before could wonder what was the meaning of that, Enoshima raised her voice “Izuku…do you trust me?”
“Y-Yeah, I do!” The green-haired wasn’t surprised when the answer to that question came instantly “B-But Kacchan, he…”
“Ah, don’t ya worry about that. I got this covered” Enoshima said, sending him a grin and a wink.
“Got this covered?” Deeming the chat time as over, the red-eyed boy spoke up “Don’t make me laugh, bitch! I dunno what your quirk is, but you can bet your ass it doesn’t stand a chance against mine! There’s no fucking way someone willing to hang out with Deku has a strong quirk, ya got me!?”
“Hmmmmm, well you aren’t wrong about my quirk…” Before Kacchan could bask in victory at her admission, Enoshima continued “…But! But! It isn’t that what you should concern yourself with, y’know?”
That made Kacchan raise an eyebrow “The fuck does that mean?”
“I meeean…I dunno if you have noticed but we are surrounded by people. People who love to upload on their social media whatever big topic happens in their everyday life and if they have the chance to take pictures or record evidence of it? Even better for them! That would allow them to talk about it without anyone being capable of calling them out about being liars, isn’t that so? And if the math doesn’t fall me…A loud and aggressive boy hurting me, a cute girl who isn’t even from this school, with something as violent as an explosion sounds like the kind of stuff that would classify as big for those watching us right now”
While Kacchan was looking at Enoshima with a quirked eyebrow, no doubt wondering where she was getting at…Izuku’s eyes widened when he understood the implications Enoshima was making.
The testimonies…
The evidence on social media…
There was also that important point she made near the end.
Enoshima wasn’t from this school.
Precisely because she wasn’t a student here, Enoshima was outside the jurisdiction of Aldera, and that made her an unknown factor that the school couldn’t deal with like they would with someone within the institution. They couldn’t silence or threaten her about her educational future if she wanted to present charges against Kacchan.
All of that meant that if Kacchan were to make an act of aggression here…
…
Despite the current circumstances, Izuku was truly hoping that Kacchan didn’t make a mistake. Now not only for Enoshima’s sake…but for Kacchan’s own too.
The ashen-blonde’s fury towards the strawberry-blonde didn’t allow him to see the big picture though “Why the shit should I care what a bunch of extras think of me!? They can talk whatever the fuck they want about behind my back, but that doesn’t change they are nothing more than stepping stones on my path to glory! And if they frame the beat-up I am about to give ya? Pfft, that’s your shit to deal with, not mine!”
“Alright then, do it”
It took Izuku’s brain almost a minute to register what Enoshima just said. When it did though, a single thought came to him.
What…?
“What?” Apparently, it was the same case for the red-eyed boy.
“Didn’t ya just hear me? Do it” Enoshima repeated, her volume controlled enough that only those close to her could hear her, but…there was something that Izuku had never heard before on the strawberry blonde’s voice, catching him off-guard, and not in a good way “It will feel good, won’t it? After all, you wanna do it, don’t you? To scorch up my annoying face with one of those explosions of yours and put me in my place, right? Who cares about the consequences? Even if it does have a far from small chance of ruining your future, who gives a crap? Set your fury free on me without restraint and forget of worrying about what comes afterward. C’mon big boy…do it~”
With that statement made, the whispers of the surrounding audience wondering what was going on were the only thing preventing an absolute silence as both blondes went into a staring contest of sorts.
Kacchan seemed relatively calm, as on his face there was nothing else other than an irked frown…at least at first glance. Izuku knew better though. Friends or not, just beside the ashen-blonde’s parents ‘And that would still be up to debate…’, Izuku had spent more time with Kacchan than anyone else in his entire life to the point that he could pick up on certain details.
Like the fact that he was nervous.
Perhaps that would be too big of a word, but the point was that Enoshima’s words hit the right spot just enough to not allow Kacchan’s ego to dismiss what she was saying now, at least not right away. After all, not even once Izuku had ever seen anyone in Enoshima’s position lasting as much as she had done without being on the receiving end of Kacchan’s…far from gentle retaliations.
As for Enoshima, well, Izuku was sure that from most bystanders she wasn’t giving Kacchan anything but a cheerful if somewhat taunting grin. Up close was a whole different ordeal though.
All in all, it seemed almost identically to one of those cheshire grins Enoshima was apparently fond of doing, though how it was a bit more stretched than usual, the look in her eyes, along with her voice and what she said…he didn’t want to say it was disturbing, but Kacchan’s lackeys obviously thought otherwise with how unnerved each of them looked while having first-row seats at Enoshima’s expression. Even Kacchan of all people seemed bothered by it if that bead of sweat Izuku could swear wasn’t there a moment ago was anything to go by.
Perhaps he would’ve pondered about all those details in other circumstances, but right now he was overwhelmed by concern for the wellbeing of his first friend in more than a decade.
After all, whatever the outcome of this may be, Izuku knew that this confrontation couldn’t continue forever.
“Well, what’s it gonna be?” Clearly, Enoshima thought so too “Time’s ticking…Kacchan”
Much to Izuku’s dismay, that was all the ashen-blonde required to get riled up once again “THAT’S IT BITCH! YOU ASKED FOR IT! GET READY TO―”
“W-WAIT! B-Bakugo, erm...dude?” Just when Kacchan was about to lunge his hand on Enoshima’s face, Aoki cautiously spoke up loudly enough to get the red-eyed boy’s attention. That made Izuku admittedly confused…at least until he saw how the dozens of students watching this ordeal from afar were growing more and more angsty as the ash-blonde was still aggressively holding who was as far as everyone was concerned, a pretty girl who hadn’t slighted anyone…Daichi not counting. While Izuku didn’t approve of unnecessary violence, Enoshima was defending herself from being groped, so it wasn’t a baseless act.
For once, I was sure everyone agreed with me on that one.
With a quick glance, and if those slightly widened eyes were anything go by, Kacchan noticed it too.
“Wow…is he really gonna hit that chick unprovoked?”
“I knew the guy was rough, but…Uwah, scary…”
“Midoriya I could understand…but that girl, dude? I dunno…”
“Tch, that bastard better not dare ruin her face!”
“The girl’s so hot…what if she’s a model? I mean, just look at how she wears those clothes! It has to be, right? Wouldn’t that get him into trouble?”
“I bet not even the principal would get him outta this one if he does mess with such a beauty…”
“Yeah, if he does something to that girl with this many people around as testimonies, he can kiss his chances of getting into U.A. goodbye…”
“…Eh?” More or less hearing the same warning that Enoshima gave him from the multitude, only this time with the name of the most prestigious hero school in Japan involved, Izuku could see that was the bucket of cold water that placated Kacchan’s fury and softened his hold on Enoshima.
With an audible gulp, Aoki once again turned to the red-eyed boy “B-Bro? P-Perhaps we should let her―”
“Shut it, will ya!?” Kacchan snapped at the boy before glancing at Enoshima for the briefest of moments, with a look on his face that Izuku just couldn’t figure out what it meant. Whatever it was though, it was replaced with a glare as he threw a snarl “Tch…this shit ain’t worth my time” Kacchan growled as he let go of Enoshima, stuffing his hands in his pockets afterward. Then, the ash-blonde turned to him “Hmph, it makes sense this whore is your friend, Deku. Only someone just as fucked up in the head as you are with that delusion of becoming a hero while being quirkless would want to hang out with you”
“Y-Yeah, she’s such a crazy bitch!” Daichi exclaimed though it didn’t go unnoticed by Izuku how he nervously got closer to Kacchan as he said that.
The only signal that showed Kacchan heard that was a dismissive scoff, but besides that and one last glare at Enoshima, he didn’t say anything else as he finally left the scene, with his cronies trailing close behind.
That also worked as the cue for everyone watching that their diversion came to an end, thus leaving too, even if some of them did so not before sending either a longing look at Enoshima or an envious one at him.
Once the coast was more or less clear, Enoshima turned to him with a sigh while offering him a hand “Sorry ‘bout that Zuzu”
Hesitating for just a fraction of a second, out of surprise at hearing her apologize more than anything else, the green-haired boy accepted the hand and got himself up with her help.
“N-No, y-you don’t have to apologize for anything, Enoshima. I…I get why you did what you did” Izuku could admit that some of Enoshima’s behavior from a few minutes ago was…unusual, even for her own eccentric standards. Regardless of that though, everything she did was overall in self-defense.
While it was true that he didn’t wish for Kacchan to lose his chance of attending U.A., Izuku also understood that attacking Enoshima like that was wrong and it was bound to have consequences, which would understandably lead also to some heated words in between.
As for his cronies? It was more of the same. The boy was trying to grope her without her consent, and Izuku wasn’t ignorant of the existence of pepper sprays or stun guns. By all means, making Daichi’s fingers hurt for one or two hours was tame in comparison.
So yeah, it was strange…but it was just as concerning the scenarios in which Enoshima ended up involved against her will. The stress could make you do and say the weirdest of things on impulse, Izuku would know a thing or two about that.
“Still…” His words seemed to have reached her, although that didn’t mean the small hints of remorse were gone “I know I was being weird back there, but it’s just that that guy and his minions were acting like a bunch of absolute morons, y’know? So, I just felt like they need a good scare” Shaking her ahead, almost as if attempting to dissipate those negative thoughts gnawing her away, Enoshima then faced him with a tender smile “In any case, thanks for being so understanding, Zuzu. It’s hard to come by with people like you these days”
He knew that any response on his part to such a heartfelt statement would’ve ended in an incomprehensible spur of incoherent words. This is why he hoped Enoshima could ignore his no doubt crimson red face as he gave her a nod in acceptance.
…
…
…
Even so…
While part him was over the cloud at the fact that someone for the first had stood up for him while also not minding him being quirkless in the process, a lump of guilt was beginning to form in his stomach when he thought of everything Enoshima had to go through.
Those leering gazes, the way Daichi tried to touch her, even Kacchan calling…calling her with such names. Because of my weakness, Enoshima had to fight her and my own battles. All because I was too useless to do anything about it! Because I am such a Dek―
“Oh, and let me tell ya this before you get too deep into your own mind: I don’t wanna see you sulk for something so banal as feeling you owe anything or believing something out of your control was your fault, you get me?”
“E-Eh!? H-How did you―…no, I shouldn’t ask that. You…you are just that smart to easily figure it out, aren’t you?” For now, there wasn’t any reason to not be playing along, but he was almost sure that Enoshima’s quirk was related to some sort of super intuition.
Perhaps it is straight-up mind-reading!? I seriously need to test it out at some point…or maybe I should just ask her about it? Y-Yeah, that seems like the most sensible option.
“Heh, aintcha a sharp cookie too?” Enoshima said with a smirk. Then, her features turned a tad less playful “Seriously, tho. I dunno if you have noticed by now, but I’m a certified magnet for trouble. You can rest assured that your chance to save my butt will eventually come, alright?”
Part of him still wanted to lament his uselessness. To berate himself for not being able to keep her friend away from harm, and honestly speaking, he will most likely continue to do so. Although…it was admittedly harder than he expected when you have someone keeping you in such high regard as she does even after all that had happened.
“W-Well it’s not like I’m wishing for those circumstances to occur. Even so, I…I get what you are trying to say. So, thank you Enoshima, I appreciate the sentiment” He truly did. Izuku knew he had been repeating the same thought time and time again ever since Enoshima told him those magical words two weeks ago, but no matter on how many occasions he does it, Izuku still wanted to thank whatever deity that decided bring someone as amazing as Enoshima to him.
Besides, she is right about the possibility of another incident occurring, whether we want it or not, or if it involves Kacchan or something worse. Because of that…next time, no matter under which circumstances we find ourselves, I will make sure of being the one to protect her. Not for self-satisfaction, not out of debt, but merely because she is my friend!
“Of course, buddy” The blue-eyed girl said with an appreciative nod, before developing a more contemplative expression “Anyhow, seeing that that jackass is gone. What do you say of getting on our way now?”
“On our way? Oh, y-yeah…” The whole ordeal with Kacchan almost made him forget about why Enoshima came here in the first place “Yeah, let’s go…” Despite all of that, Izuku managed to fight his nerves to send the strawberry blonde a fond smile.
After all, with everything that had happened so far, there was less doubt than ever on his mind that Enoshima had come to stay into his life.
Notes:
A/N: Meeting Izuku at the entrance of his school, displaying her friendship in public, standing up for him against Bakugo, and encouraging him to not blame himself. Aw, wasn't Enoshima such a good pal? Material for friend of the year right there, people!
If only she wasn't intended on charge such generosity with a million percent interest...
On other news...Whoa! My first work to surpass 100 kudos! Really appreciating all that support, it helps a lot in keeping up the motivation to continue these stories! Let's keep those numbers up!
Chapter 7: Upon This Broken Rock, I Shall Build the World Ender.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Upon This Broken Rock, I Shall Build the World Ender.
About half an hour later of following Enoshima, they finally found themselves at what apparently was their destination.
Its open entrance was a metallic grey hallway lined up with fluorescent blue lights giving it that futuristic vibe they were clearly intending for their spatial theme. At least that was Izuku’s assumption, what with the outlet’s name in big bold yellow letters being Big Bang Burger, with a burger in the shape of an oval spaceship just above.
Just to make sure though, Izuku decided to confirm it with Enoshima “So this is where are we going, right?”
“Yepperoni! I thought it was good to indulge us one last time before we begin our new diet” That made sense…wait, we? Was she talking in third person again? “Anyways, I know it is kinda late to ask this, but did you bring some money?”
He will ask what she meant by that later, for now… “Ah, you shouldn’t worry about that, Enoshima” Izuku reassured, although he couldn’t help getting embarrassed by what he said next “When I told my mom I was going to be late because I was hanging out with a friend, she, um, thought it was appropriate I received some extra allowance in advance just in case” …With some ‘More like a fountain of’ tears in between, forgot to add Izuku.
Of course, he kept to himself what else his mother told him.
My baby has a friend! Ah, I’m so happy…Izuku! Make sure to invite this person for dinner within the next days. The sooner you do, the better! And don’t worry, I will make sure to have prepared extra Katsudon when they come. This is worth celebrating!
At least until later…and to stall when Enoshima could come home as much as possible. He had to prepare his mom ‘And himself…’ beforehand after all.
Izuku can only imagine how his mother would react if she were to see his friend was a girl…and one as pretty as Enoshima at that. The far-from-small possibility that she would begin to make crazy assumptions out loud about the true deep of his relationship with Enoshima was a terrifying thought.
“Oh, is that so? She sounds like a charm of a woman” She had never shown any hint of being the type of person to be bothered by stuff like his mom lending him some money or her having an emotional burst in the process, but it was still reassuring to hear Enoshima confirm so with her own words. That added some extra points to the already high opinion he had of her “Besides, I just wanted to make sure. In case you weren’t prepared I woulda lend ya some cash anyways. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with a girl paying these days, y’know~?”
“Y-Yeah…” So he said, but he would still have felt terrible at having Enoshima covering up anything for him all because he didn’t had the forethought to be properly prepared.
“Welp, we have dilly-dallied enough as far as I’m concerned, so how about making our bellies go big bang, eh?”
That…was a terrible joke.
Of course, Izuku didn’t had it in him to point it out. Rather, he merely gave Enoshima an awkward nod before both of them made their way inside the establishment.
By the time they did so, the last batch of clients ahead of them were already on their way to pick up a table, fortunately allowing them to be immediately addressed by the employee behind the counter.
With a practiced smile, the female cashier addressed them “Welcome to Big Bang Burger! Open twenty-four hours a day because there isn’t anything like day or night at space! Would you guys be interested in participating in the Big Bang Challenge?”
“Big Bang Challenge?" Raising his brows in curiosity, Izuku was the first one of the two to speak "What is that?”
If the woman in front of him was bothered by his question, she did a perfect job in hiding it “Oh, you guys are imparting on your first journey through the galaxy of salty yet also sweet meat and crunchy fries? Then let me do a brief explanation! The Big Bang Challenge is an individual contest in which you daring traveler will compete against the galactic contenders our menu has to offer. Each one bigger than the other with each success! Seeing that this is your first time, you would begin with the Cosmic Burger! Do you believe in having what it takes for this challenge?”
Those were quite a lot of space-related terms. They truly were intended of sticking to their theme, weren’t they? “So, uh, just out of curiosity…What does this Cosmic Burger look like?”
“Well, that would be…” The woman trailed off for a moment. Then, her eyes gleamed with recognition at something somewhere within the tables “Ah! That young man over there is just about to start one of them. So long as you can consume it without the use of your quirk as an advantage, you are free to participate too!”
The mention of a quirk would’ve stung if Izuku wasn’t overwhelmed by shock the moment he saw where the cashier was pointing at.
Sitting in one of the corners by the window, was a teenager with messy black hair and glasses, with his only company being…a black cat?
That pets were allowed here would’ve become some food for thought if it weren’t because what truly had his attention was the monster of a burger the boy was about to eat. Sure, it was a single-stack cheeseburger, and it was accompanied by a drink to help pass down the food…but the whole thing occupied half the table!
That’s the easiest one!?
“Hmmm, meh, doesn’t seem like a big deal…” Enoshima said nonchalantly “Why don’t ya give it a chance, Zuzu?”
“W-What are you saying, Enoshima!? I would explode before finishing half of it!”
“Eh, are you sure don’t wanna give it a try? Not even for me~?”
Guh!
“Y-Yeah, I...I-I’m pretty sure about this one!” Izuku then rapidly turned to the cashier before Enoshima got any other strange ideas “Um, w-we won’t take on the Big Bang Challenge, miss!”
Clearly a professional in her job, the woman at the counter continued as if the exchange between the teenagers in front of her didn’t happened at all “That’s a shame. In that case, are you interested in our couple-exclusive combo: The Honeymoon Trip?”
C-C-Couple-exclusive combo!? “No no! E-E-E-Enoshima and I, w-we aren’t―”
“Honeymoon Trip? What does it include?”
…
…
…
…Eh?
While his mind was reeling with the fact that Enoshima was not only not rejecting the cashier’s misunderstanding, but also furtherly prodding about what caused it in the first place, the employee wasted no time in replying to her question “Ah, you see, our offer includes two moon burgers, two Saturn fries and a pair of supernova sodas, only that with the Honeymoon Trip discount its price goes down as if you were only paying for a single one of each!”
It was pretty decent for a discount, Izuku could admit that…but it was only for couples! There’s no way they could― “Sounds great! We will have that!”
…Huh?
“Excellent! That would be 1600 yen, please!” HUH!?
“B-B-But…you…me…b-but…” Shaking his head so he could regain his bearings and stop this before it got out of control, Izuku turned to his friend with growing panic “W-Wait a moment, Enoshima! W-We, uh, w-we aren’t―”
“Zuzu!” Enoshima exclaimed, in a strangely stern yet cute tone of voice while doing a pout of all things “I know ya can be quite shy, but this isn’t the time to act on it and deny what we have. Understood? Now don’t make the nice lady wait and pay up, alright?”
W-What…we…have…?
Izuku didn’t knew at which moment it happened, but somewhere in between what Enoshima was saying, his brain short-circuited.
The last thing he remembers though, was a single thought that developed in his mind before losing it.
Enoshima…she can be terrifying sometimes.
By the time he regained consciousness, the cashier was already done registering their order before handing him the change.
“Alright, please take any of the tables available and wait for your food. It will be ready to be served at the speed of light…Oh, and enjoy your Honeymoon!”
To the surprise of no one, Izuku let out a squeak at that.
“Thank ya, will do~!” And Enoshima wasn’t helping at all!
Still, it wasn’t until they were out of earshot that Izuku hissed at her “W-W-W-What w-was that about!?”
“Hm? Oh, that was me getting us food at a killer price. Pretty smart, isn’t it?” Enoshima admitted with a bold smile.
“I-I know that! B-but…uh, t-the cashier, she…s-she could get the wrong idea…”
Something flashed through Enoshima’s face for a fraction of a section, though faster than Izuku could get an idea of what was it, the strawberry blonde spoke up “Meh, who cares about what some person we won’t meet ever again thinks of us? There’s her opinion and then, up above, what we know is true. That’s what truly matters at the end of everything, doesn’t it?”
“I-I…I guess so…” Ignore what others said of you…it was easier said than done. At least it was for Izuku, considering he had been judged by people almost since he learned to walk. Not only with harsh words, mind you. As Kacchan had explicitly demonstrated, getting those opinions through physical means wasn’t out of the table either.
Of course, Enoshima could allow that pragmatic way of thinking with such confidence, she’s not the quirkless one here…
Izuku’s eyes widened and his stomach twisted with shame when he came to his senses and recognized the horrible thought he just had for his friend.
What…what was that about…?
“Regardless, don’t think too hard about it, yeah? For now, let’s focus on getting a seat before they are done with our food”
Hoping to somewhat clear his mind in the process, Izuku hurriedly nodded at the blue-eyed girl before getting on the lockout of an appropriate spot.
Thankfully it didn’t took him long to find one, with some of his composure recovering in the process when he did so.
On just the opposite corner from where that black-haired boy from earlier was consuming his food, which surprisingly enough was already a third away from finishing it ‘H-How!? It hasn’t been more than three minutes!’, there was a spot available. What made it special though, was that it was filled with memorabilia related to Thirteen, the Space Hero!
There were pictures and newspapers attached to its sage green walls, with even a real size cartoon figure of the Pro-hero with some of her catchphrases on text bubbles just beside the table!
Without thinking twice about it, and quickly forgetting what had him so concerned a moment ago, he turned to his friend with an excited look on his face “Enoshima! Quickly, let’s sit over there!”
A moment before he could enter into panic mode once he realized how he was acting in front of her, Enoshima spoke with a shrug and a smile “Sure thing, I don’t see why not?”
Thanking for the umpteenth time his fortune at having someone like Enoshima as a friend, he took her consent for granted and hurried up, with the strawberry blonde following close behind.
After taking his seat, Enoshima did the same on the opposite side…and that was about it. With neither of them having something to say.
“So!” For three seconds more or less “Tell me about yourself, Zuzu”
“Huh?” Was the smartest response Izuku could come up with.
Enoshima apparently deemed it enough to elaborate on what she was talking about “I mean, is good and all that we have made our oaths in camaraderie official, but having an understanding of each other would be a plus, wouldn’t it? Communication is essential after all. Otherwise, you could stump with I dunno, the physical incarnation of despair or something crazy like that, and it would go past you! Wouldn’t that be terrifying?”
Leave it to Enoshima to make the strangest of comparisons.
Putting that aside though…
Being put on the spot was admittedly making him a tad self-conscious. Still, Enoshima already knew most of the things people were the most judgmental about and hadn’t been bothered by any of it so far.
That in itself gave him the necessary push to go with her request “A-Alright then…” Steeling his nerves one more time, the green-haired boy continued once he felt confident enough “Well, I am Izuku Midoriya, fourteen years old, I live in Musutafu with my mom. I go to Aldera Junior High…but, uh, you already knew that, didn’t you? Haha…” Honestly, the only reason he wasn’t further panicking was because of Enoshima’s encouraging smile telling him he still had a chance to correct this mess of a presentation “I, um, my favorite food is boiled Katsudon, and I guess I can be considered a big hero fanboy. While my interest in them goes for them in general, I admit I have some favorites. There’s, um, Thirteen, as you might have noticed, hehe…uh, there’s also Eraserhead, and of course, there’s obviously the number one hero! All…Might…”
…
…Was he just imagining things or did the mention of his idol didn’t come with the reverence he initially expected? That’s weird, why would that be the―
“All Might, huh?” His eyes widened in realization when he saw how the mention of the number one hero had apparently soured Enoshima’s mood, making her develop a conflicted look on her face.
That’s…that’s right. How could he forget that he met Enoshima on that very day? On the very same date where that incident took place. When he and All Might…
I’m sorry, kid…
The very same day when his idol put an end to his dreams…only for Enoshima picking up the pieces, putting them together, and then bringing them back to him as whole as they could be.
Sure, Izuku would be lying if he told himself that the Symbol of Peace wasn’t still the hero he looked up to the most. Even if in retrospect it truthfully wasn’t with the same fervor as before ‘That the last two weeks I haven’t thought of getting new merchandise of him should be telling enough about that…’, but again, given the circumstances in which they met, it makes sense that Enoshima wouldn’t be the biggest fan of that declaration.
He didn’t even attempt to fight the guilt that caused him “I-I…I’m sorry Enoshima, it’s just…”
“Nah, it’s cool. You don’t have anything to apologize for, Zuzu. Regardless of…what happened that day” Even without getting into specifics, Izuku couldn’t resist wincing “I guess it makes sense you still hold some respect for the big guy” Enoshima said, although her expression was still filled with mixed emotions “However, and although it isn’t precisely related to him, seeing that we are touching this territory…there is something I want to ask you”
It was interesting how the sensation of both relief and wariness felt when they occurred at the same time. While grateful that they were moving from talking of All Might ‘And wasn’t that a crazy thought? If someone had told me that I would have been glad for that more than two weeks ago, I would’ve given them a weird look’, he couldn’t hide his reservations at what Enoshima was saying “Sure, I…I guess it’s okay…”
“Alright, then…” Her expression was still somber, but that didn’t detain Enoshima from sending him a grateful nod “It’s about that thug of Bakugo. Why do you call him Kacchan? Sounds like a way too kind of a nickname for a cretin like him if ya ask me”
Saying that topic was uncomfortable for Izuku would be the same as saying he had a passion for quirks. Both were true by a wide margin. Worst of all was that the only surprising part about Enoshima bringing it up was that she took the consideration of doing so until they were out of earshot from any familiar faces.
That didn’t mean it was easy though. As the silence drawled on following Enoshima’s inquiry, he could hear the beating of his own heart, how his hands clenched and unclenched, and even the beats of sweat threatening to trail down. All of them that it was more likely than not he would end up clamming up from giving any answers.
And yet, when he looked at the blue-as-sky orbs of the person in front of him, carrying no intention of pressuring him into anything along with a smile, that while it had hints of concern, was filled with all the patience in the world, for him and only him…Izuku knew he couldn’t keep this particular detail about his life a secret, not to her at least. If it wasn’t addressed now under controlled circumstances, it will eventually do so in a position he most likely would regret in the future for allowing happening in the first place. Today’s encounter between Enoshima and Kacchan, in which the former didn’t cower at the might of the latter under no circumstances, already gave him a glimpse of something he would prefer to avoid.
So, with that in mind and after gathering his thoughts while calming himself down, he looked up at Enoshima “Y-You see, the truth is that Kacchan and me…we used to be childhood friends. I guess you could say that I’ve known him since I have memory, perhaps even before that. We…we used to do everything together. From playing heroes and villains, not missing when every time a big pro appeared on the news, all the way to acquiring collections of our favorite heroes whenever we could” His lips twitched up at the remembrance of that. Of those times when their mutual goal of becoming Heroes wasn’t some sort of a personal offense to the ashen-blonde “More or less that would be it. Kacchan had been an important part of my life, so the nickname has kind of, uh, stuck with me”
When Izuku was done with his explanation and looked up at Enoshima, he was concerningly surprised to see that rather than a look of understanding, she had her eyebrows furrowed even further.
With that same wary expression, she spoke up “I…see. And if I am getting this right, it was around the same time that he came up with the Deku nickname for you, am I wrong?”
It was merely a passing mention, she obviously wasn’t at any moment addressing him like that…but the moment the word Deku came out of Enoshima’s mouth, something twisted and uncomfortable crawled up all the way through his body. His arms itching to the point the skin itself was becoming uncomfortable. The walls suddenly getting so oppressive to such a degree that his chest hurt, feeling how his lungs begged for some liberty. Meanwhile, his stomach was becoming a volcano, making it all too tempting to hurry the waitress up. Not for their food, but for the refreshments so he could appease the inferno raging inside him.
All of this transpired just in the span of a few seconds. As soon as they happened, he could already feel those aforementioned symptoms receding to the point of unrecognition. Nevertheless, the memories of them lingered for a while longer. Enough that whatever that was about, it made one thing crystal clear for Izuku.
He hoped with all his might that Enoshima would never desire to call him like that.
Wanting to forget of that weird and uncomfortable feeling, he hurriedly addressed Enoshima “N-No, you aren’t wrong. He, erm, he has always called me like that, but…um, why do you ask?”
There was nothing wrong with asking that much…right?
“Weeell…” Enoshima didn’t look nervous, but it was just as weird seeing how cautious she was acting “…We haven’t known each other for that much, and it’s not my place what you should do with your life…still, don’tcha think it’s wrong to hold him in such high esteem?”
“Eh?”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming ya or anything” Enoshima reassured, even if that wasn’t precisely what was worrying him “It’s just that, former childhood friend or not, I don’t feel like a detriment in your dream like him deserves your appreciation”
…
…
…
…A…what…?
If Enoshima didn’t had his attention before ‘She obviously did’, what she said in the middle of that statement for sure acquired it “D-Detriment…? No, I-I think there’s a misunderstanding here” He felt bad at correcting Enoshima, but he was determined beforehand at clearing any misconceptions, so there was no harm in keeping doing so now “It may be true that he doesn’t go out of his way to lend me a hand and sure, Kacchan is, uh…erm, rough around the edges. But calling him an obstacle to my dream? I feel like that’s a bit much. B-Besides, I know you haven’t seen it to its fullest, but Kacchan’s quirk has a potential that I have only seen on the most famous Pros! Plus, he doesn’t stop at that. He has dedicated himself since he was four years old to not only master everything his quirk has to offer but also to train his body and mind, all with the purpose of turning himself into a perfectly oiled machine capable of reaching the very top…no matter how you see it, he has everything it takes to easily become a top ten Hero. It may not be an easy road, but I don’t believe there’s any harm in taking inspiration from someone like that, is it?”
It was longer and more passionate than what he would’ve liked, but nothing of what he said was a lie. Izuku could truly see Kacchan becoming one of the greatest heroes this world had ever seen.
Surely Enoshima could see where he was coming from based on that, right?
“Hmmm, I dunno…” Just as she had become used to doing ever since she came into his life, the blue-eyed girl subverted his expectations by doing the exact opposite “As I said, I might not know the entire history between the two of you, but something tells me that the crappy behavior I saw on him towards you is a common thing rather than a coincidence of the moment, isn’t that so?”
“W-Well, I-I mean…”
“Then you say that he stops himself to act like a bystander and nothing more, but those harsh comments he said before leaving tell me he does more than show antagonistic behavior towards you and your goals. I mean, you saw how he acted with me, and I didn’t even know the guy! I find it hard to believe he isn’t worse with someone he’s familiarized with”
“Um…t-that’s…”
“And I know I’m basically beating a dead horse with this, but that nickname? Maybe it was just kids being kids a decade ago, but if the guy still keeps at it while going around with the derogative comments in relation to your lack of a quirk, that’s a whole different and problematic ordeal. He’s big enough to understand how inappropriate it is, don’t ya think?”
“…”
“Zuzu” Looking straight into his eyes, Enoshima spoke up with a significance that offered no room for argument “You pointed out that his apparent ‘Awesomeness’ is what draws you in, and that you can actually acquire something out of that. In that case…can you confidently say it? Can you swear without a single hint of doubt that this guy has something remotely positive to offer you? Did he ever had it?”
Just like him, Enoshima wasn’t content to leave her words short and simple. There were so many things to pick up on what she said, and yet…every single one of them surrounded themselves on the same subject.
His relationship with Kacchan.
Izuku wasn’t as naïve as to believe they were still friends, less so when his former childhood friend made sure of remarking it every now and then…
But was it truly that far gone?
Izuku told Enoshima that his insistence on keeping some sort of link with him came from his expectancy of getting something out of it, as if with just standing near such talent some of its crumbs would stick to him. And while the truth was that Izuku admired all the potential to become a hero Kacchan had, he still held some fondness for that friendship he used to have with him…
But a decade had come and gone, and shamefully as he was to admit it to even himself, Izuku hadn’t been capable of reaping anything other than cruel remarks at his existence, the occasional scar hidden underneath his clothes, and…and…
Why don't you give it a try by jumping off a rooftop and hope for a quirk in your next life, eh Deku?
A part of him. A tiny, minuscule fragment of his subconsciousness wanted to retort at the implications Enoshima was making. Wondering what right she had to meddle with something she herself admitted lacked the time, experience, and context of its circumstances.
The rest though, besides feeling guilty for those dark thoughts, couldn’t find a way to argue with what she was saying. Time and time again Enoshima had done nothing but look up for his sake, and that just an hour ago she had already done so without a hint of shame at his person for the entire world to see proved that she meant business, no matter how his self-depreciation might try to twist it.
So, without any biases, or second thoughts that put in question Enoshima’s integrity or intentions toward him…could he do it? Could he prove to her ‘And himself…’ that there was something worth rescuing from the past glory that used to be his link with Katsuki Bakugo?
…
…
…
“…I…I will think about it, Enoshima…about calling Ka―…um, about no longer using that nickname” And about what he has been doing his whole life apparently.
In its own way, it was impressive. Observing how many of his perspectives on all kinds of subjects have been changing so fast in the short period of time he had met Enoshima. He practically dodged her final question with the answer he gave her, and yet…that didn’t mean it lacked an impact on him.
“Mhm, as long as you are considering that much, I believe that’s a step in the right direction” Even if he didn’t gave her the response she most likely wanted from him ‘Although I do not doubt she has a gist anyways…’, Enoshima still conceded with approval gleaming on her eyes “After all…I don’t believe there’s anything to gain for people like you and me from individuals like him”
What? “You…and me? Enoshima what do you mean by―”
“Sorry for the wait!” A waitress happily exclaimed as she put his and Enoshima’s plates on the table “Two moon burgers landing right into your atmosphere!”
“Cool, I was starving!” Enoshima grinned at the employee, with the previous tension gone without a hint of ever existing. Then, she turned to him with one of those endearing smiles he couldn’t help feeling drawn to each time she did them “What do you say we bury the doom and gloom from a moment ago and check out if these burgers precede their reputation, Zuzu?”
Izuku would admit it, regardless of the somber and soul-piercing conversation they were having a moment ago, Enoshima’s mood was contagious. Perhaps not to the point of him recovering in his totality. Heck, he would have to be far too optimistic to say he was feeling legitimately fine…but it was enough to allow leaving those negative thoughts for later “S-Sure, let’s do that”
Still…
When she said that…what does she mean by ‘people like you and me’?
“Welp, that hit the spot~” Enoshima cheerfully announced “I woulda preferred it to be accompanied with some butter, but eh, it is what it is”
Izuku could admit that the food was good enough that he almost forgot what they had to through to acquire it in the first place…almost. Leaving that aside though, something of what she said caught his attention “Do you like butter on your burgers, Enoshima?”
Perking up at the question, the blue-eyed girl spoke up “Ah, it’s not about having this food accompanied with it in specific. It’s just that I know of this special recipe for corn butter that is sooo good that I even came up with its own name. I call it Mondo Butter!”
“Mondo Butter, huh?” Izuku never heard of it, but if Enoshima was saying it was that good… “Well, maybe we could try it on some other occasion?”
“Perhaps. Although, I admit that the ingredients required for it might be next to impossible to come by around here”
“I-I see…” She just moved recently, didn’t she? “Was it a specialty from your past home before moving, then?”
“Yep, from back there…” There was a wistful look on Enoshima’s face as she said that. It was almost nostalgic if Izuku was honest. Although before he could feel remorseful for reminding her of home, Enoshima shifted back to her usual sparky self “Anyhow! There’s one more thing I want to address about you~”
“…I-Is that so? I…uh, I don’t know…” Considering what it involved the last time, Izuku couldn’t help feeling a bit wary, even if it was Enoshima they were talking about.
Easily noticing his concerns, Enoshima spoke up “Ah, you don’t hafta worry about me bringing up another uncomfortable topic. Sorry ‘bout that by the way. This time around it is about something I get the feeling will enjoy talking about!”
That admittedly put some of his guard down “Really…?”
“Yeppers!” His friend confirmed, “You see, back when you were introducing yourself, you talked about your enormous interest in heroes, correct?” Izuku nodded, unsure of where this was going, but nonetheless feeling reassured that just like Enoshima previously said, this was a topic he could get behind “I take it that quirks come included in the package, right?”
“Yeah…yeah, they do. Why do you ask, though?” Now also a bit pumped up at where this conversation was going, he felt daring enough to make another question of his own “Do you, uh, perhaps…also have an interested in them?”
Izuku released a breath he didn’t even knew was holding when Enoshima gave him a nod “Something like that. Remember that notebook you brought out when you were writing your number? If memory doesn’t fall me, its title was―”
“Hero Analysis for The Future” The words came out of his mouth before he could control himself.
Much to his relief though, rather than getting annoyed at being interrupted, Enoshima gave him a knowing smile “The very same. Do ya have it with you?”
At this point, Enoshima was becoming an expert in making him feel contrasting emotions simultaneously. She didn’t directly asked for it, but Izuku understood Enoshima was requesting to show her his notebook, or at least the one she knows of. And while Izuku was excited at the prospect of sharing what was undoubtedly one of his biggest passions…he dreaded it just as much.
Would she like it?
Would she think it’s lame? Weird? Gross perhaps?
Maybe it was a dumb worry, seeing that it was Enoshima herself who asked for it in the first place, which meant she already had a gist of what it could be about.
That didn’t stopped him from worrying though.
Still, as concerning as it was, he already told himself he wanted an opportunity like the one Enoshima was giving the initiative to. He will have to hope that, just like she had already proved time and time again, Enoshima won’t be disappointed in what she saw.
“Yeah. I, um, have it with me” Izuku said before grabbing and putting his backpack in front of it. It took him just a moment to find what he was looking for and then handed it to Enoshima “Here…I, erm, hope you like it”
Enoshima didn’t said anything to that, doing nothing else other than giving him a silent nod, picking up the notebook, and then giving its cover a look over.
“Hero Analysis for The Future Volume Twelve” Enoshima read aloud and then turned back to him “Oh? You have twelve of these then?”
Izuku couldn’t help blushing at the appreciative tone Enoshima used when she asked that “W-Well, there are actually thirteen, but the last one is, um, going under some edition”
More like a whole remake though, seeing how Kacchan saw fit to practice his quirk on it.
Seriously, what was his problem? He didn’t obtain anything out of that other than push for the umpteenth occasion his superiority over me…as if his ego required more of that…
“Is that so? What a shame then” Enoshima’s voice brought him out of those…strange thoughts.
Although Izuku didn’t reply to that, and neither dared to pull about that thought a moment ago. After all, he was more interested in seeing her reaction to what was practically the work of his life.
Holding out a breath, he saw when Enoshima opened the notebook, gave it a glance at the first page…and then flipped through its entire contents in a matter of seconds, not sparing a single page more than a fraction of a moment as each page fell faster than cherry blossoms on autumn.
Before he could understand what was going on, Enoshima reached the last page, then closed the book with a loud thud, and offered it back with a smile on her face “Well, I admit that was an interesting read, Zuzu”
Izuku numbly took it back. It was more of an instinctive reaction rather than being conscious of it. With his mind being way more occupied with far more distressing thoughts.
What…what just happened?
The way she only spared it a few moments, it was almost as if she were disinterested in his notebook…
Was this a…a way to mock him? No…there was no way, is there? Enoshima, she wouldn’t dare be so cruel to him, right? Then again…what other explanation could be for what Enoshima did?
“Hm? Why the long face?”
Snapping his head upward, an amalgamation of mixed emotions surged up within in the moment he saw that a grin was still plastered on her face.
Regardless of those sentiments, he still spoke up “I…w-well, it’s j-just…”
“Ah, let me guess. You thought I didn’t do anything more other than give it a glance over, didn’t ya?”
“…Wasn’t that what happened?” Izuku winced at the way he said that. It wasn’t what one would call hostile, but there was a hint of accusation that he couldn’t keep under control.
Although most surprising, rather than feeling offended or developing an apologetic look, a smirk of all things formed on Enoshima’s lips.
“Alright then, why don’t ya test me?”
What?
“Test…you?”
At that question, her smirk only grew wider “Just as ya heard it. Put how much attention I truly put to your notes to the test. Pick whatever page ya want, say its number out loud and I will tell ya a summary of its hero. Its name, quirk, description of its power, and other stuff like that. What do ya say ‘bout that, hm?”
He gave the strawberry blonde a skeptical look for a brief moment, wondering if this was part of an elaborate prank. He wasn’t finding it funny…but he saw no option other than comply and see where it would end.
Flicking his notebook open at a random page, Izuku did as Enoshima told him with some cautiousness in his voice “Page…seventy-six”
“That guy goes by the name Backdraft. Rank one hundred and twenty-two on the Hero Billboard Chart. While he’s a full-time pro, his quirk allows him to work as a firefighter whenever his main job allows him the time for it. Speaking of his quirk, it’s called Water Pump, which not only gives him the appearance of a humanoid fire hydrant, but also allows him to generate water from the metallic outlets that he has for hands. Oh, and your notes also mentioned that while his quirk has it referenced in its name, you point to the possibility of including actual pump pressures as support gear, which in theory should allow him to exponentially increase the potency of his quirk by at least forty-three percent. Regarding that last part, that’s kinda obvious if ya ask me. Ah, before you say anything, I’m not discrediting your work though, it’s just that I am wondering why that doofus who has been a pro for more than two years hasn’t also thought of that already. It’s so weird! Isn’t it? Anyways…what do ya say? Did I miss anything?”
The way she said that last part made it sound like a question. Her face though, told him she already knew the answer. He was also sure that his jaw dropping to the ground and his eyes bulging out of his sockets were helping build said confidence.
Just like Enoshima promised, she did a summary for the Pro of his choice, with a brief yet compelling recompilation that covered the entire segment for that Hero.
But how?
That was the new mystery at hand that Izuku couldn’t find the answer to, no matter how much he racked his mind about it. Was it a trick? Could it be that she studied beforehand and lucked it out with the Hero he asked her about?
That is unlikely. I have about two hundred different summaries in each volume!
In the end, Izuku came to the only conclusion that could give some enlightenment on the matter.
“Enoshima…do you mind if we give a few more tries?”
At that, Enoshima’s grin did nothing but grow even smugger.
Impossible.
Izuku couldn’t simply believe it.
But…despite how much could he want to deny it…
Half an hour had already passed since he asked her about the first hero, and right now Izuku was just finishing questioning Enoshima about another aleatory Pro by the fortieth occasion.
The results were just as extraordinary for each one of them.
Eel Boy.
Mister Blaster.
Snatch.
Ryukyu.
Fourth Kind.
Ms. Joke.
Recon, Patrolling, Rescue, Support, Maritime, Underground. He asked Enoshima all varieties of Heroes from every field he could think of, and on every occasion, the strawberry blonde was capable of instantly recalling the details he wrote on his notes. Sometimes he dared say the page while also adding an erroneous name of a Hero as to throw her a curveball, but all that did was to make him be on the receiving end of an even more boastful Enoshima who not only didn’t fail for those traps but once she was done with her flawless summary, she went as far as making her own observations!
His previous worries about Enoshima not having the tiniest bit of interest in his notebook were long since placated. In its place, his mind began to swell with joy at the prospect that he could not only share his notes without being looked down upon, but also for the person in front of him to easily keep up with his fountains of hero trivia while bringing her own contributions!
How…how long I’ve wanted to meet someone like that in my life…?
Still, given how said concerns came in the first place, a question pierced through Izuku’s mind that he just couldn’t ignore anymore.
“Enoshima, this may sound a bit bold, but…can you tell me what your quirk is, please!?” His brain was quickly racing with dozens of theories about it “Is it some sort of photographic memory? Of course, there’s the possibility that it enhances your thinking process. Oh, could it be that it is similar to the principal from U.A.? I’ve heard that his quirk grants him inhuman levels of intellect. Others come to mind, but from what I have seen so far, these are what I believe to be the most likely candidates! Did I get it right with one of them?”
Or could it be that it is something even more amazing!? Izuku didn’t doubt that, seeing that apparently a quick scan at what he humbly thought counted as a decent-sized encyclopedia for quirks was all she required to consume all its contents.
Whatever the case might be, Izuku was confident that Enoshima had a great quirk!
…At least…that was what he thought until he saw the face Enoshima was making.
She still had a smile on her face, but it was a restrained one. Certainly not one meant to express happiness if the look in her eyes was anything to go by.
“So, you think like that too, huh? Can’t say I am surprised…”
H-Huh? What happened? Did…did I insult her somehow!? A wave of alarm set on Izuku’s psyche at that possibility “S-Sorry! I-I don’t know what I said that offended you Enoshima, but I-I swear I didn’t mean―”
“Ah, you don’t have to be Zuzu” There was an apologetic look on Enoshima’s face as she said that. That at least allowed him to calm down a little bit “This was on me. I mean, it was my own volition to make it seem like that in the first place”
“Make…it seem like that? Um, what are you talking about?”
She didn’t give him an immediate response. Instead, it was until a regretful look tainted her features that she spoke up.
“…I haven’t been completely honest with you, Zuzu” She confessed, the same guilt on her face smearing her voice “I can’t say I have lied to you, but neither I have revealed the truth, so that isn’t an excuse”
To say this was making Izuku anxious would be an understatement “Enoshima…?”
Having enough of dancing around the subject, she spoke with a firm voice “What I did just now wasn’t because of a quirk. Rather than that, I was born with a condition that allows me to process information at a broader and faster pace than what humans usually do. That stuff with your notebook? It was me reading through all its contents and memorizing it, and then analyzing the data whenever I brought out a suggestion. Just me and my brain, with no power whatsoever involved at all”
“I…I see…” Sort of. It was admittedly quite a lot to process. That Enoshima was some sort of genius wasn’t that much of a surprise for Izuku, and neither it was hard to believe. He had already seen first-hand how analytical and sharp she could be. It just so happened that he was looking at those details from the wrong angle. That such intelligence came because of an extra well-developed brain rather than a quirk…well, it was still impressive nonetheless. Besides, it wasn’t as if she was the first prodigy in the brain department to ever exist in human history, right?
Still, while it was a relief that his worries about Enoshima confessing some sort of grave affront at his person were wrong…there was one thing that was one last mystery without a proper answer “…What about your quirk, Enoshima? What does it do then?”
At that, Enoshima only gave him a long stare.
That earned her a quizzical look on Izuku’s part. For the good of him, he couldn’t figure out why the sudden silence. The way she was looking at him made it seem as if she already revealed the answer at some point. That was ridiculous though. She already said that that powerful mind of hers wasn’t a quirk, and so far, she hadn’t shown him anything else that could at least hint at being part of a power. That meant she was yet to reveal what was her quirk, wasn’t that so?
Unless of course, Enoshima was implying that she…that she…she…
…
…
…
…No…there’s no way she was implying what he was thinking. No matter how he thought about it, the possibility of that being the case was abysmal.
But…
With a shaky grin, more a nervous tick than an actual smile, parting up his lips, he dared prod for an answer “E-Enoshima, you…you can really mean that, r-right? I-I mean, no matter how you see it, t-that’s…”
“I am not messing with you Zuzu,” Enoshima said, earning her an involuntary sharp breath from his part. Then she followed with a mirthless chuckle “Heck, if I had it with me, I would even show ya the x-ray picture where it shows I have two joints on my pinky toe”
…Two joints?
That was the magic word for Izuku to understand Enoshima wasn’t likely messing around “W-Wait…y-you know about that too?”
“It was about the first thing they told me once they were done with the medical checkup,” Enoshima said with a resigned shrug “Hard to forget something like that, y’know?”
“…Yeah…” It truly was. Not a day had passed without him remembering that tragic day in which he was told for the first time how different, how much of a pariah he was to the rest of the world.
And yet, here he was, with someone stuck in the same boat as him.
Then…was that what she truly meant, didn’t she? When…when said people like you and me…
“I take it you are surprised?” The strawberry blonde asked, no doubt seeing the shocked look on his face.
Surprised? That was putting it lightly. An explosion of emotions was flowing through him at what already was a mind-blowing revelation. With his thoughts running a million miles per hour, unable to formulate a coherent response with the chaos that was his mind at this very moment.
At least, until something about this discovery made way to an uncomfortable possibility.
“Is that the reason, Enoshima?” Izuku asked. With a contrastingly serious tone smearing the voice of the just a moment ago shy boy.
“…What?” While Enoshima sounded taken aback at the sudden change in his tone, Izuku could see her body language was impassive.
It wasn’t like that stopped him from saying what his heart was forcing out though.
With his head held down, he continued “That day, when you told me I also could become a Hero…it was because you are in the same position as me?”
Was that the true reason? Not out of genuine belief for him, but because…because of…pity? Izuku didn’t want to believe it, and yet, what else could explain that someone, anyone, would believe someone as miserable as him?
The green-haired boy raised his head to look directly at Enoshima, hoping that her face would give him any hint of what were her honest thoughts on the matter. Hoping that his accusation was the delusion of a naïve boy. Hoping that…that…
…
…Eh?
With a blank look on her face, Enoshima was doing nothing more other than sending him an owlish blink. That was all he required to suspect he should’ve worded that better.
Much to his misfortune, Izuku was proven right with what she said next.
“Zuzu…are you implying that my opinion has less value because I am not like them? Like those who do have a quirk?”
Whatever bravado he had to question Enoshima was crushed under an iron heel. All of it was replaced with pure horror.
W-W-W-What the heck I am doing!? The only person in the entire world to ever believe in me and what do I do? Spit on her face because she is the same as me! What the hell!? How does that make me any different that every single person that has rejected my dreams!? Oh god, w-what have I done!? How could I be so stupid!? I-I need to apologize! No, that wouldn’t suffice! The least I could do is to kneel, beg for her forgiveness, and hope that she accepts it!
With that resolve made, Izuku prepared to rise up from his seat.
“It’s okay, Zuzu. I am not mad at you. Sorry if I made you believe that for a moment” Only to be interrupted by a sentence he couldn’t have hoped to hear anytime soon.
Still, his instincts honed from dealing with Kacchan made him approach the conversation with caution “You…aren’t? R-Really…?”
The cold neutrality of a moment ago quickly melted away with a serene yet sad smile. It was only when the impassiveness in her features was gone, that Enoshima spoke again “No, I am not. Given the circumstances people with our…condition have to deal with day by day, I can’t say I am surprised you felt I was either tricking or pitying you” When Izuku was about to stutter a bunch of apologies at that, Enoshima raised her hand “As I said, you aren’t at fault here…if anything I think it would be better if I elaborate in why I agreed that you could become a hero, as a reassurance of sorts. After all, I told ya you could be one, but I never gave ya my reason as to why I believed it, did I?”
“Huh? No…I don’t think you did…” Izuku himself didn’t give it much of a thought back then if he was honest, more than satisfied at hearing someone believing in him. So, discovering now that Enoshima apparently had a special reason for said faith in him…
Bracing himself, Izuku prepared to intently hear what Enoshima was about to say. This time, making sure his biases couldn’t get in the way.
Enoshima also prepared herself in her own way. Placing her elbows on the table, and then resting her head on both hands in a way that was making it practically impossible for Izuku to not notice how adorable that was making her cheeks to puff out.
When she looked comfortable enough, Enoshima addressed him again.
“You do remember that I was there during the Sludge Creepo incident, yeah?” He gave Enoshima a nod “Alright, and you recall what those who already carry the mantle of heroism did during it?”
“Well… they prioritized the safety of civilians and once done with that, the Heroes focused their efforts on defeating the Villain” Granted, he wasn’t there when they did the former, but the fact that no person resulted majorly injured makes it an easy assumption to reach.
“True, true…but eventually all of them gave up, didn’t they?”
Huh?
“U-Um, saying it like that is…”
“The truth,” Enoshima said, flatly enough to make Izuku wince “The crowd saw it, I saw it, and I am pretty sure you also noticed how the very moment their quirks failed them, they didn’t do anything else other than sit and stare like a bunch of ducks. All the power and proper education in the world and they raise the white flag because apparently, they don’t like the matchup. I dunno about you, but that sounds quite irresponsible, doesn’t it?”
“I…well…”
“Couldn’t they have used that time for something? Anything?” Enoshima prodded further “Maybe thinking of a distraction, or looking for a weak spot. They teach stuff like that a hero schools, right? I have never set foot in one of them, but with how common hostage situations occur during Villain confrontations, it would make sense to be a topic to be taught, yeah?”
“…” What can he say about that? Try as he might, he couldn’t see how Enoshima was wrong on that one. Sure, she was being a bit crass about the subject…but just as true was that Kacchan was suffocating in the clutches of the Sludge Villain, most likely a minute or less before dying from asphyxiation, and the Heroes just stood still, almost as if entranced in morbid fascination.
Seemingly taking his silence as an agreement, Enoshima spoke again “So yeah, that day nobody was willing to do what was necessary for the sake of what was right…save for a certain green-haired brave boy~”
While he was having some mixed feelings about what she was talking about ‘I couldn’t say I disagree with them, but…’, what Enoshima said near the end in combination with the look she was giving him took his entire attention “…M-Me…?”
“Bingo! While all those people were chickening out of doing the right thing, you were different from all of them. Regardless of the consequences, no matter how much danger you put yourself in, you did what you believed to be right. I’ve read enough comic books to know that’s one hundred percent hero material!”
Hero…material?
Izuku truly wanted to believe her, bask in those sweet words coming out of the strawberry-blonde, but… “I…I still interfered with the work of the Pro Heroes, didn’t I? No matter how you see it, what I did was wrong”
“Is that so?” If that raised eyebrow on her face was anything to go by, Enoshima wasn’t thinking as such “From my perspective, you were the only one who actually put that hamster wheel to work and did anything at that Slimy Creepo. Best of all things, it worked! You might see it like a futile endeavor, but weren’t those precious seconds essential for All Might to make his appearance? As I see it, the only one who made a difference that day was you and only you”
“I…did?” It was true that aiming at the Villain’s eyes allowed Kacchan some precious moments to regain his breath, and also that All Might came not so long after he distracted the Sludge Villain. Still… “I…I don’t know what to think of this…” All this time, he saw that incident as him being nothing but an obstacle on the job of the Pro Heroes. Thinking his instinct to save Kacchan was a mistake…
Could Enoshima be right though? What he did was what any true hero should have done?
“Take it for what it is, Zuzu. My sincere opinion. The why I believe you can become a hero and why I will make sure to help you become one”
At this point, the only thing preventing him from turning into a fountain of tears was that they were in a public space and he didn’t want to shame Enoshima. Because otherwise? Izuku was confident that he would’ve long since become a wailing mess.
Leaving aside the rush of emotions that he had felt in the last hour, and even though it wasn’t the first time, it was like music to his ears hearing Enoshima reassure with absolute conviction her faith in Izuku having what it takes to become a hero. All the while also going as far as being willing to…to…
…
…Wait, what was that at the end?
“Enoshima, did you just say that you will…help me become one?” He didn’t heard that right, did he?
“As ya heard it!” He did, apparently “With Enoshima’s training program you will take Hero Society by storm!” Enoshima declared with a thumbs up and an ear-to-ear grin “With proper guidance granted by my analytical abilities I’m sure we can figure out the most optimal path for your dream!”
Before Izuku could manage some weak retort, brought no doubt from his lack of confidence in himself, he clapped his mouth shut. Instead, his brain took the opening to mull over Enoshima’s proposal. Growing exponentially optimistic the more he thought about it.
He already saw the potential of the talent Enoshima was born with. If he took his time to think about it, wasn’t she the ideal candidate to give him a chance? Proper diets, ideal exercises to begin with, how to progress with them as time goes on, what goals to achieve, and their timelines, among other details that she could easily figure out. If Enoshima genuinely intended to help him…wouldn’t she be capable of developing a plan that could work with even someone like him?
Then…it was possible after all, wasn’t it? Izuku, he could really…
…
“…I…I, Enoshima…I-I don’t…I don’t know what to say…” Seriously. What could he tell to someone who was going beyond and above what was expected of them? Someone who not only brought his dream back to life but was also willing to put her own effort into making it a thing?
Was it true, then? Dreams…they can become a reality?
“Well, I think it’s obvious there’s only one way to answer this…” With a pleasant smile now adorning her face, Enoshima made what was likely the most important question he would answer in his entire life “…Do you accept, Zuzu? Will you become my hero?”
Ignorance.
If there was one thing humanity had always sinned of since the dawn of time, was ignorance. From not knowing that fire burned as a kid, to going as far as causing a cultural misunderstanding that ended up escalating into a war between nations. Your ignorance could be for the simplest of things…or for details that could make difference between saving or condemning yourself.
That day, I, Izuku Midoriya, sinned of ignorance.
At the time, I was ignorant of what Enoshima was truly proposing to me. I didn’t knew what the difference between becoming a hero and becoming her hero meant. I noticed the slip on her declaration, yes, but I dismissed it thinking of it as Enoshima meaning very much the same thing.
I couldn’t have been more wrong about that.
One thing was clear though…
With tears of gratitude trickling down, the green-haired boy gave the strawberry-blonde the only answer ś̷̢̛̬͕̀͋h̴̦̜̓̎͛̇̏̔e̸̜͖̯̊̆͘͜ ̵̢̮̳͖̫̬̈́͆͐͛́̄̕ͅw̸͎͖̔͆̌͋͆͜o̸̘̝̼͒̈́̑͂̿̀̑u̵̮͙̽̍l̸̢͓̜̼͇͕͆d̶̨̥̫͇͇͕̲͗̽̿̈̍̄͝ ̶̢͚̙̠͛̑̉a̸̙̲̲̲͈̲͋͊͗̾̅ḽ̴̈́̑̈́̌͆̀̕l̵͔̐o̵̭̝̱̱̐̅̀̍ẇ̸̡͊̀ ̵̨̧̩̪̻̒͂̈́̕ he could give to that question “Y-Yes, Enoshima, I…I accept!”
Even if my destiny was already decided two weeks prior to it, much to my ignorance that day officially marked the beginning of it.
The story about me becoming t̶̘̯͍̀͂͗̊̈́͌h̵̦̭̻̭̪̹͋e̸̦̾̅̌̽͂͠ ̷̘͈̭͉̗̙̝̓͆ẃ̴̹̰͑̇̓͗̆͝ŏ̷̧̫͎̪̪̱̂́͝r̵̭̈́̔̓̍̕l̵̢̟̱̺̍̓̐̆͜d̴͓̭̳̻͈͈̓̉̉̐’̵̛͔̃̒̍̚s̵̥͒̎̔̏̽͊̕ ̷̥̏̓̀̕͜͠͝m̸̞̤̳̺͗͂̇ŏ̸̧͙̥͓̱̭͐̄̅̽̉͂ͅs̸̻̃͒͑͑̇̄ṯ̶̝̳̂͊̔̂͛ ̷̡̡̟̩̙͙̭͆̀̾̏̈́t̶̖̩̝̗̤̄͂͆e̶̱͂̔̾͋̒̊r̵̮͈͕̖̪͓̫͂̚͝͝r̶͙̎͂͐̊̾͠i̶̧̺͈͕̫͚̜̾̑̕b̵̰̱̣̈́̕͝ĺ̶̞̝͕̟̻̎ͅe̷͉̊ ̵͕̊͑̈́̇̅̿͛h̷̩̪͌͂e̷͈͍͛̎̈́ͅr̴͖͊̆̓͛͝o̴̦̲̺͇̅̂́ Enoshima’s greatest hero.
Notes:
The summary of these last two chapters be like:
Of course, one more chapter means a step closer before that 'harmonious' and 'wholesome' friendship between those two reaches the inflection point. If I had to give you guys an estimation, I would say we are past half into the story for this fic to finally earn its M rating.
Anyhow, hope you people enjoyed the chapter, and don't forget to review and give it kudos if you do!
Chapter 8: If Trees Won't Give You Corpse Warblades, Then Make One Yourself from The Scratch.
Chapter Text
If Trees Won't Give You Corpse Warblades, Then Make One Yourself from The Scratch.
Izuku knew that it was inevitable to gather some attention after his far from a plain friend left an impression like the one she pulled yesterday. The thing was though, that it wasn't until the very next day that it dawned on him what he truly had to deal with because of that.
When he stepped into the classroom, each and every head within the room snapped in his direction, and the very moment in which he took a seat he ended up fenced by his classmates, each one of them asking about the same topic.
"What did you say was her name!?"
"Erm, it's Junko Enoshima."
"Hey Midoriya, how did you two meet?"
"We, uh, stumped by chance a pair of weeks ago."
"What is your relationship with her?"
"Huh? J-Just friends."
Those who didn't get to hear her name, or didn't even know of her until the rumors 'Which apparently already spread through the whole school…', asked for it. Some inquired about that other rumor on whether she was actually a model, while others wondered from which school she was. For that last one he had to make up some lame excuse to avoid the question, after all, ashamed as he was to admit it, he kind of forgot to ask her about that and some other details he was curious about his friend.
After yesterday's conversation with Enoshima and her proposal to him, and save a few other relevant details, he was so engrossed in the idea of finally seeing a light for the road towards his dream that it was near impossible for his mind to focus in anything other than that.
Still, leaving aside the novelty of being cornered by his classmates without them having any particular malicious intention towards him, they kept themselves at only asking him some basic questions.
At least at the beginning.
"Midori! What do ya say about introducing me to her?"
"I, um, w-well…"
"What about her number? You must have it, right?"
"Eh? I-I don't think it is my place to hand it over without her permission."
"Midoriya, about her…"
Eventually, someone brought up the idea of meeting her, and ever since then, more and more people became bolder with their inquiries and requests. Girls who up until now had never directed him a word were putting on their best smiles while wondering if he could pass Enoshima their invitations to hang out with them. Meanwhile, the boys, some of whom Izuku remembered them stealing his lunch or, more often than not, doing worse stuff, acted as if they were long-time friends while asking if he could talk about them with her, a few being as bold as straight up wondering if it was possible for him to set them up for a date with her.
It was weird, and while Izuku might be a lot of things, he wasn't hopelessly naïve…at least not to the degree his classmates were making him up to be, less when they were so upfront about it. The strained smiles, how not a single one of them looked him in the eyes when they spoke to him, among other small details which told that, for all intents and purposes, he still was a quirkless nobody in their eyes.
And that was his main motivator to refuse their approaches to know her. Not for something like spite, but because as he discovered a day ago, Enoshima was the same as him.
Quirkless
He could only imagine how would they react, and the grim consequences that could have for her. How far they would go in their harassment if the word were to get out about that…well, it wasn't something he was willing to test.
Izuku could see the ramifications of his hesitation to reveal anything too personal about her was having. The 'magic' that made his classmates act so friendly with him was fading further away with each rejection, with a few of them already giving him the stink eye.
Sooner rather than later, things will return to how they already were.
On a brighter note, though! Kacchan wasn't among those ambushing him for answers. Which was admittedly surprising, as Izuku was without a shadow of a doubt sure that the ashen-blonde would've cornered him as soon as he did so much as to step inside the school.
It wasn't like Kacchan was acting like yesterday didn't happen though. Every now and then he could feel the glare of his former childhood friend burning with an intensity that Izuku couldn't remember feeling in, well, ever. But, weirdly enough, on the few occasions that Izuku dared to discretely look back, there was…something strange on his expression. His first guess was hesitation, but Izuku quickly discarded that. Kacchan never hesitated about anything. If he wanted to do or say something, he would do so without thinking it twice.
Although, if it is not that, what is it then?
Curious as he might be, he didn't want to poke the hornet's nest. Instead, Izuku decided to count his blessings, let the explosive boy be, and allow the matter to rest without further prodding.
Besides, it would leave a bitter taste in his mouth if he were to ruin what was potentially one of the most important days of his life. The day that he―
"And that concludes our summary of the peace treaty between the Otheon and Klayd kingdoms. Any questions?"
Huh?
Izuku gave a long stare at his professor until his eyes widened at the realization that he practically daydreamed through the entire period.
Although if that brief sigh of exasperation as his eyes darted everywhere was anything to go by, not only he didn't notice Izuku doing that, most of the class was in a similar position.
"I know you kids are busy with your incoming admissions into high school, with some of you aiming at quite the reputable hero schools," His teacher tiredly said, not without giving a brief glance at Kacchan. "But remember that if you do so without actually worrying about getting out of junior high, all that preparation might as well be for nothing, okay?"
Nobody said anything to that, with only a few people nodding at his words. Although Izuku had the suspicion that they were doing so out of the desire to wrap up the lesson more than anything else.
"Alright then. If you have that clear, that would be all for today. Class is dismissed."
Not having to be told twice, and neither being in the mood to tempt fate, Izuku was among the first to rush out of the classroom, even if he did so at a controlled pace to avoid claiming any attention.
After all, the last thing he wanted was to mess up the day he finally takes his first step into becoming a hero.
Soon after leaving the unnecessary baggage in his locker and picking up the bag he brought from home, Izuku quickly made his way out of the school.
Thankfully, he managed to leave without any strife whatsoever. From there, he walked on until reaching the Tatooin station. Doing his best at gulping down the bad memories this place brought, and instead focusing on the positive ones, he continued on his path.
Just a pair of minutes moving through the station later, he finally found whom he was looking for.
"Enoshima!" Sitting on a bench while also playing with her phone, Izuku could see his friend was there just like she promised. Not like he ever doubted her a moment though. Curiously enough, she was carrying luggage similar to his.
Maybe it is necessary equipment for my training? Or, could it be that…
Perking up at his voice, said strawberry blonde's gaze flickered in his direction with an excited smile as she got up, "Oh? You came sooner than I asked ya to be."
He couldn't help an embarrassed chuckle at that, "Well, classes ended a bit early, and I already had everything you asked for with me." He patted his duffel bag to make his point, "Besides, I, um, didn't want to risk the possibility of making you wait."
"Heh, aren'tcha a gentleman?" Enoshima chirped, making him flush in embarrassment if those red cheeks of his had anything to say about it. "Teasing aside, it's good to see you made it here. I woulda loved to meet up with ya at the school gate, though I bet things still are heated up, isn't that so?"
At that question, Izuku suppressed the urge to grimace or show any other reaction that would reveal anything.
At the time it took him to come here from school, he debated on whether or not to tell Enoshima about how things were going in school. Halfway through he settled on avoiding telling her the most concerning stuff. She was already doing so much for him. Burdening her with more issues on her plate would be straight-up abusing her generosity.
"Ah, it's not that bad, Enoshima. Thankfully, it doesn't seem that Ka―…erm, Katsuki is out for blood." He began by telling her what as far as he was aware, was a complete truth. Still, saying his name out loud after so many years felt…weird. "Sure, a few people asked about you, but it was just some basic stuff."
"Hmm, I find that hard to believe, y'know?" Izuku's heart nearly dropped when he heard Enoshima say that. Although, just before he could sputter an excuse, she continued, "I mean, are ya seriously telling me that guy isn't acting like a frightened chihuahua after I messed up with his ego?"
He mentally sighed in relief. So that's what she meant? Leaving aside the insult, Izuku could see where she was coming from, "I-I know it might be hard to believe, but I guess that with the entrance exams coming up, he believes spending his time doing just about anything else is worthier of his time."
"Well, now that sounds like that guy alright," Enoshima said with a smirk. "Upupupu, yeah, just as expected of him…"
"U…pupu?"
"Ah, it's just how I laugh when I'm super excited about something!" Enoshima cheekily replied, "Speaking of which, are you so for what is coming?"
Now that made him perk up, "Yeah, I can't wait to begin! Although, uh, where are going? You only told me to meet up at the station, so I am drawing a blank on our options."
"About that," That amused smile plastered on her face already told him he wasn't going to get any concise answers. "It is a surprise~."
"Oh…can I at least guess?"
"Sure, suit yourself."
"Okay, perhaps…is it a public park that we will use for our training grounds?"
"Nope, with too many people around in a place like that, we would be constantly disturbed to do anything worthwhile."
"Hmm, what about a gym with state-of-the-art equipment?"
"Nah, they ask for our medical registries in those places. Both to check everything is in order about our health and to make sure we don't rip them off about our quirks, or lack thereof in this case. The moment they see our quirkless status we will be lucky if they kick us out without laughing their butts off."
He winced at his friend's brutal honesty but accepted her logic nonetheless. If anything, he was glad she was thinking this through, which shouldn't come as a surprise considering she was some sort of super genius.
"Then, how about…Oh, I got it!" Izuku exclaimed with a snap of his fingers, "I heard of this beach somewhere in Takoba that was on an unofficial closure of sorts due to being filled to the brim with trash. Cleaning up the garbage could work up for―"
"Bzzzt! Third strike!" If it weren't because of Kacchan, Izuku would've wondered how someone could sound so cheerful at pointing you to be wrong. At least Enoshima was going good-naturedly about it though, "That stuff can be useful to build up muscle and some stamina, but that's about it. Nothing bad on their own, but we are gonna require more than that given our circumstances."
"I-I see…" Again, Izuku couldn't disagree with Enoshima.
"Hehe, there goes your last chance to figure it out! Too bad~."
"Eh!? There was a limit? Since when?"
"Since I sayeth so, mortal! Or, doth thee wish to defy the rules our sacred game has established? Know that we would put thy flames of ambition to rest if such were the case!" Game? Ambition? And from where did that crown come!?
"I, uh, well…"
"Kidding~, kidding~, it is too soon for that anyways." Too soon? What for? "Seriously tho, you don't hafta eat your hair 'bout it. You will see where are we going when we arrive. Speaking of which…"
"Attention, a train with a destination towards Shizuoka will arrive shortly. Please don't overstep the yellow line."
"…It appears destiny awaits. Ready to take the first step?"
Izuku allowed to drop the confusion caused, not for the first and doubtfully the last time, by his friend. Then, with a warm smile, he gave his response, "Sure, let's do this!"
At that, Enoshima returned the gesture in kind with a nod. That alone was enough to make him fuzzy…and for the guilt that was eating him to fade away.
Yeah, while the prospect of hiding something from his friend made him feel terrible, Izuku was sure that was the right decision. He had already spent more than a decade dealing with that problem on his own, and he was confident he could have dealt with it for an extra pair of months before his fateful encounter. Now adding into the formula that the realization of his dream was on the near horizon and he had Enoshima at his side illuminating said road?
Just that alone will be enough to make it a piece of cake!
Much to Izuku's relief, their destination wasn't that far away. They neared the border with Shizuoka, but that only took three stops, that's just about forty minutes away from home. He could work with that.
So, after exiting the train and with a skippy pace, he allowed himself to be guided by Enoshima to their destination. Excitement building up with every step.
At least, until halfway through their travel.
There wasn't anything out of the ordinary at the beginning, but with each passing minute after leaving the sights within the heart of the city, Izuku noticed how the houses and other occasional edifications began to lose their luster. After a while, their path was nothing but dirty streets and rusty buildings. Going as far as moving through some alleys Izuku wouldn't be surprised if, at night, they worked as gathering points for people with less-than-stellar intentions.
Still, it was by then that Izuku couldn't help voicing his concern. "Enoshima, are you sure we are going in the right direction?"
"Yep, just a few more turns and we will be there!"
He was still concerned, but with how confident Enoshima sounded, Izuku saw no reason to distrust her words. Perhaps this was a shortcut?
Whatever the case may be, he decided that his best course of action was to distract himself from his worries. He already had a topic in mind, and although it was an embarrassing one, he supposed that in itself could redirect his nerves towards healthier concerns.
"So, I think this might come a bit out of nowhere, but, uh…w-will you be busy this week!?"
At that, Enoshima gave him a deadpan expression.
Does that mean she will be?
"I mean, even the most basic of workouts takes more than a single hour, and doing so only every now and then would be of no use to us." His friend pointed out, "Both of us will be quite busy with this hero training stuff for the incoming months."
…Oh.
"R-Right, now that I think about it, yeah that was a dumb question, sorry..." Sure, he was over the clouds at understanding that from here and now he will spend that much time with Enoshima, but it still stung that something that should have been obvious went past him.
"Eh, I haven't given ya the schedule I made yet and I was a bit vague about this, I guess that justifies it." Enoshima waved off his concerns with a shrug.
"Alright then." Izuku sighed in relief, although he also perked up when he realized what else Enoshima said, "Wait, for real? You have one done already?"
"You can bet I have! I will require some extra data about you to adjust the finer details, but that can be solved after I watch your performance today." Enoshima explained, "Anyways, back to your question. Why do ya ask about whether I was free or not tho?"
"Well, you see," He couldn't hesitate about this, as delaying it will only make it harder. Enoshima already invited him somewhere else of her own volition, so it should be fine, right? Besides, he already dropped the ball so might as keep rolling with it. "U. A's sports festival will be this incoming week and, um, my mom wanted to meet my 'mysterious' friend. I-I was wondering if we could reserve one of those days both to watch the event at my home and to present you to her. Is that okay?"
Rather than an immediate reply, Enoshima gave him an impassive stare. Before long, that stoicism turned into one of those grins Izuku knew couldn't mean anything good.
Uh oh.
"Oh my~. Presenting me to your mom already? I didn't know our relationship went that far and beyond, Zuzu."
"Eeep! N-No, I-I would never think of―ack! That's not what I meant! I-It's just―"
"Hey, hey, relax! I am just messing with ya! Gee, if you kept your reactions like that, I'm gonna worry I will give ya a heart attack one of these days." Enoshima chirped.
And honestly? He was beginning to fear that too.
"In any case. The sports festival, you say? It is from Friday to Sunday, with each day reserved per class year, right?" Still trying to shake off his nerves from her previous teasing, he only nodded at her question. "Welp, I have no problem for the first or second years. For the third ones though, well, I know I told ya we will be busy with this stuff for a long while, but I admit I will be occupied myself on that day."
Hearing such news was enough to bring him out of his stupor, "You will?"
"Indeed." His friend confirmed, although her expression turned unusually serious and for some unexplainable reason, she covered the lower side of her face with a half-open fist while also touching the forehead with her middle and index fingers, "To further guarantee the success of my nefarious schemes, it is of essence to acquire some vital intel during such period of time. To attempt as such any other time would simply not do."
"I…see?" Not exactly, but he got the gist about her being busy with something important on that day.
Although Izuku could accept that, it was still a tad disappointing to hear that. Personally speaking, he would've preferred to watch the last event with her in specific because it's the third years who have the most experience, which usually made them the most interesting.
"In any case," Enoshima spoke, this time back to her normal personality. What counts as such when it comes to her at least, "Aside from that day, we can reschedule our training for either of those other options available."
"Hmm, okay," Still, while disappointed, he quickly saw the bright side of things, that being Enoshima accepting to come home this incoming week. "I will talk with my mom about which one she would prefer, is that fine?"
"Sure, just let me know beforehand, 'kay?"
"Of course!" Following his confirmation, the two of them continued on their way, and although Izuku was still wary of their surroundings, he could feel his talk with Enoshima helped a great deal in calming him down.
Or at least, to not think too much about it.
"See? I told ya we were near!" Just like Enoshima promised, after crossing a pair of admittedly shoddy-looking alleyways until finally reaching an open area, Izuku saw in the distance the edifice meant to work as their training area.
Well, that was what she was guaranteeing him.
Broken windows.
Rusted pipes.
Brick walls that were more grey than reddish-brown in certain areas, along with the occasional graffiti.
Debris and other varying types of trash covering its sides.
And as a finishing touch, all of it was surrounded by a metal fence that clearly had seen better days.
No matter how he saw it, rather than a proper training area, what Izuku saw was nothing but your average abandoned building.
For a moment, he thought Enoshima was playing a prank, but when he saw that his friend not only wasn't stopping but was intending on crossing through a hole in the broken fence, panic ran through him as he hurried to prevent her from committing a mistake.
"E-Enoshima, wait! We can't do that!"
"It's fine! It's fine! There's nothing to worry about~." Enoshima reassured him.
Not like he couldn't find himself reassured in a situation like this one though, "I-It's not! Abandoned or not, getting through that fence would count as trespassing, a-and that's illegal!"
"Actually, it is only illegal if it's owned by someone."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I read about this stuff on the internet," Making use of his momentary confusion, she continued, "Buildings like those, even if forsaken by God, fall into the hands of the government after no one else demands ownership over them. But," Enoshima smirked as she pointed at the aforementioned structure, "This beauty, in particular, is a special case that isn't owned by a person, private company, nor claimed by those old guys in the higher echelons."
"That sounds overly convenient, don't you think?" Izuku tried to insist.
"Doesn't quit it from being the truth though," Enoshima shrugged, "From what I gathered there was some legal mumbo jumbo around it, something about dozens of parties claiming being the legitimate and absolute inheritor of this property. That mess lasted for so long and the defense for its claim became more costly than it was worth it, so everyone said 'Screw it! I don't wanna deal with this crap!' and left it be ever since then. Years went by, and this poor thing was damned to be forgotten…until it was found by moi, of course."
It sounded like a reasonable enough argument, or at least he could see plausible a scenario in which too much greed ended up ruining everyone involved. Still, while the irrefutable logic in Enoshima's words was there, he would be lying to himself if he said that he was comfortable with them. Working in technicalities that fall into a grey area like what Enoshima was proposing wasn't how Izuku would've imagined beginning his dream.
However…
Based on the explanation she gave him…he supposed that as long as they weren't committing any crime, undermining, or hurting anyone, then they truly weren't doing anything wrong.
Right?
Nervously, Izuku darted his sight towards the building as he bit his lower lip, "Enoshima…are you sure this won't get us into trouble?"
"Yep, you can confirm everything I said by yourself once we are done here for today. So long as we don't do stuff like turning it into a selling spot for drugs, the headquarters for a money laundering operation, or the gathering point for the illegal market of guns or support equipment, we have the green light to use this place as we please."
Izuku paled at hearing all of that, but after a few moments, he calmed down. Enoshima was only giving those crude examples so as to show him straight facts about where the line was actually drawn. Obviously, they would never do something so villainous, so it was fine to go with this. That's what she was meaning.
I wouldn't have come this far if it weren't because of her. If Enoshima is saying that this is okay and that even I can verify her claims on the internet, then there is nothing to be worried about.
"O-Okay," With a shaky sigh, he looked up to his friend, "I trust you."
Enoshima smiled at him upon hearing that, "You won't regret it, Zuzu."
With the issue dealt with, his friend continued on her tracks, kneeling down before going through the open spot within the fence. Only hesitating for the briefest of seconds and with an audible gulp, he followed suit.
As the duo got closer and the details of the building became clearer, some of Izuku's hesitation about this made way for curiosity when, what a moment ago he thought to be nothing more than garbage littering on the sides of the building, upon closer inspection was more organized than he expected. The tidy tires, the hung-up net, a large pipe with enough width for a person to crouch through, among other stuff that apparently was more than meet the eye outside the fence. Inspecting it all, it gave the feeling as if he was looking at an―
"Ah, I will properly show ya that later, for now, let's focus on the inside, yeah?" As if reading his thoughts, Enoshima spoke up while giving him a side glance.
Without any reason to refute her, he accepted to leave that be until he saw whatever it was that Enoshima wanted to show him.
Given where they found themselves, and as much as it pained Izuku to admit, he wasn't expecting much of what was going to be from today onwards on their working grounds.
As such, he couldn't prevent his mouth from gaping once he stepped in and caught sight of what the insides actually looked like.
Sure, the place appeared to be as old as it did from the outside, but that was about the only thing that hinted at being abandoned. The occasional webs, or half-spent bottles of alcohol one could find when buildings like these became forgotten or reconditioned for less pleasant purposes weren't anywhere to be seen. Neither could he find the stench that comes from dead critters, decaying materials, or other varying smells that surge when nature takes what was once theirs.
Yet the lack of that was nowhere near as worthy of his attention as the actual sight before him.
Far from being a deserted space, there were all sorts of equipment lined up around. Weights of varying sizes, leg racks, and even something as basic as a punching bag in the corner. Opposite of that, there was a boxing ring of all things, with its corresponding accessories hanging on one of the separators. That wasn't everything though, as further ahead and above him, he could see chains hanging up on one of the catwalks leading to the second floor with multiple couches lined up just below them.
As if that wasn't enough, this place was as big as it looked on the outside, with other entrances leading toward rooms whose existence alone was already making Izuku's imagination run wild with the possibilities about what else he could find in there.
It wasn't the rumored training grounds with cutting-edge technology that U.A. boasted to have, but considering what other options he would have been forced to pick up on his own? This was dozens if not hundreds of times better than what he could've hoped!
"This is…" Izuku trailed off, still in trance at the wonderful scenery before him.
"Heh, a take it you're liking it?" He gave her a numb nod, prompting her to continue, "It isn't mentioned in the information I found about this place, but when I stumbled into it, this and other more stuff was sprawled everywhere within the edifice. My theory is that this building was intended to be a warehouse of sorts, with some exclusivity for training-only material, but with the whole legal mess everyone was dealing with at the time, just like the building itself, they left it all to rot."
"All of this?" Izuku asked, giving it a concerned glance at the equipment.
"All of it." Enoshima pressed, "Some of this stuff looked way crappier than it does now what with the dust and other stuff smearing them in the past. You know, one man's junk turns out to be someone's else treasure or something like that. Additionally, let's face it, this neighborhood doesn't scream rainbows and free hugs. I suppose those facts made people wary of either touching any of this or even approaching the building in the first place."
Upon hearing that, Izuku raised his hand.
"Yeah, it is fine to use it. No one has claimed ownership over any of this. Besides, I haven't taken anything I found here. I either moved the equipment around the building or repurposed the dispensable stuff to better fit our conveniences, but there's nothing illegal in that."
Izuku lowered his hand. With that newfound reassurance, he took it upon himself to bask in his surroundings once more. His chest swelled up with excitement at the prospect of everything he could do with all of this.
Then he stopped midway when a thought dawned on him.
"Enoshima, when did you find this place?"
"Hm?"
"You said you found everything straggled everywhere, and that you tidied it up to make it look presentable," Which while in retrospect was such a touching gesture on her part that could make his heart explode with gratitude, something about that wasn't adding up, and this last inquiry prevented him from fully bathing in the sentiment, "But there's no way you could've done that in a single day, right?"
From what I've seen, this place is enormous. It should've taken more than a single week, perhaps two, and even then, it was barely reaching the feasible. If that was the case, then…how?
His friend blinked up a pair of times before a smile creep up to her face, "My, you already noticed, eh?"
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"Well, remember when I sent that text about me being busy with my relocation?"
"I do," He confirmed, even if he was still confused about what was going on, "From what you told me, we couldn't hang out sooner because you were dealing with that ordeal, which took you around two weeks to―" Izuku stopped midsentence, with his eyes widening in realization, "That wasn't true, was it?"
"I declare myself guilty!" Enoshima cheered, although just as fast it turned apologetic, "Sorry 'bout that white lie. The truth is that only took me a single day. What truly had occupied me was this training course stuff. I really wanted to surprise ya though, which is why I kept my true intentions a secret!"
"B-But...that would imply…"
"That I've been dealing with this since the very day I meet you?" Enoshima completed for him, hands on her hips and her chest puffed up in apparent pride, "What I told back then and yesterday, neither of them was a bluff. I will make outta you something that the world will hardly forget."
No words.
Try as he might, he couldn't get himself to let something, anything out of his mouth. Enoshima's admission left him speechless.
After all, it was too much. Time and time again his friend had conceded him miracle after miracle. Each occasion he had spent with Enoshima had brought levels of happiness he couldn't have ever hoped to reach on his own, with her most recent exploit making him see the place they were in with newfound admiration.
She…she prepared all of this…just for me?
Izuku was never arrogant enough to believe life owed him something, but every time Enoshima furtherly brightened his life, he couldn't prevent himself from wondering if this was karma's way of making up for everything he had gone through his life.
Will I ever be able to pay her for everything she has done for me?
"Come on now, Zuzu. You can cry about how awesome I am later, there's some important stuff we need to get into, right?"
Despite how emotional he was feeling, a chuckle escaped his lips at his friend's commentary. Obviously, the Midoriya genes had to hit now of all times. It took him a pair of minutes, but eventually, he managed to do as his friend suggested, calming himself enough to control the ducts within his eyes.
Once he was finally composed, he looked up at his friend, "I…I am okay now, Enoshima. Thank you, for everything really."
"Don't mention it, buddy." Enoshima reassured him, "Now, I bet you are eager to see that schedule I've cooked up for you, isn't that so?"
"Oh, right! Can I see it?" He immediately perked up.
With a smirk, Izuku watched as Enoshima put down the duffel bag she was carrying, unzipped it, and began rummaging through its contents.
Said excitement quickly devolved into confusion as Enoshima threw out of the bag everything that apparently was in the way of her notes. Beginning with that crown she occasionally wears, followed by a pair of glasses, a tablet, and a pen. She also discarded…a bunch of mushrooms, and…some fake weaver teeth?
What?
"Aha, there it is!" Finally, she managed to pick out what she was looking for. Lifting it, Enoshima brought a decently sized notebook and presented it up close to his face, "Behold!"
Doing as told, Izuku awkwardly took a few steps back to get a proper look at it, picking up a few things worth noticing about it in the process. The first of them was that on each side of its title, there was a drawing of what resembled a monochrome bear, with one side white accompanied by a single button eye, while the other was a contrasting black along a weird red eye that resembled a bolt of lightning, with a large grin plastered on its face. There was also the notebook's headline itself, which was, well…
Junko's Despairful Road to Heroism!
It was something.
He supposed that the bears were cute. They were a bit unusual but that certainly fitted his friend's eccentric personality.
Although the title weirded him out, "Why despairful? I, um, don't think that is something I would use to describe a training schedule to become a hero."
"I needed a word that would give flavor to this program's title," Enoshima explained with a shrug, "That, and something to make it clear that the routine within it is no joke. I put two and two together, and I found out that word was the best fitting."
"That makes sense, I guess?" Izuku tried to say. Truthfully speaking, his mind was more interested in what he could find in those notes Enoshima has been teasing since quite ago. With his excitement reaching its peak, he reached for the notebook so he could finally get a proper look at its contents.
Only for Enoshima to pull the training schedule away from him at the last second.
"Eh?" Wondering why she would do that for no apparent reason, Izuku looked up from where he was gazing at the notebook a moment ago. There, he became the witness of one of those rare occasions in which Enoshima wasn't her usual bubbly self, but rather her features were smeared by a non-nonsense facet.
The sudden change in mood certainly concerned him.
"Izuku," That she used his actual name instead of that nickname he had grown fond of only reinforced she meant business, "The hero school you're aiming for is U.A., correct?"
For a moment, he became perplexed at his friend knowing that without him ever telling her about it. His surprise was only momentary though. Anyone worth their salt and who was genuinely determined into becoming a Hero had the most prestigious hero school in Japan aimed as their future alma mater. That plus in combination with Enoshima's sharp mind should've made it easy to figure out.
"Yeah, that is where I am aspiring to," Izuku saw no reason to refute something she obviously already knew. Besides, maybe her schedule would require changes depending on which school he was aiming at and that was why she was making sure everything was in order. "After all, if I genuinely want to prove to myself that I am capable of becoming a hero, that's as high as I need to aim at."
"I see, now tell me, do you know what is U.A.'s acceptance rate?"
He was confused at where this was going, but still gave his answer regardless, "It's…thirty-six people out of two thousand for the Hero Course."
"Right, and do you know what advantage every single aspirant will have over you?"
With an audible gulp, Izuku gave his reluctant response, "…Quirks…"
"Yep, and all of them have, at the bare minimum, around a decade of experience training said powers. Combine that with a possibly similar ambition fueling their mindset, and you get―"
"Enoshima, what are you getting at?" He couldn't help but ask. Izuku knew she wasn't trying to discourage him, not after everything she had done for him, but just as well, he wasn't able to figure out what was trying with pointing out all those hurtful yet brutally honest facts.
Concerningly enough, he didn't receive an immediate answer. Although, if his friend was insulted at his interruption, she did a flawless job at not showing it, instead keeping herself as an intact sculpture of impassiveness. Reaching to the point he was squirming, becoming self-conscious about his rudeness from a moment ago.
Just when he was about to ask Enoshima to speak to him again, she did so on her own, while at the same time giving him the reply he was looking for.
And what a reply it was.
"The training program I have in my hands will guarantee your chances of success into passing regardless of what kind of entrance exam they bring on exponentially further than any other method you could think of. There's no room for what ifs or maybes about that."
"Really? That's―"
"However," Enoshima continued, her momentum clearly too strong to allow any interruption, "You must know that effective as it might be, it is just as unorthodox. I wasn't kidding when I mentioned before how ruthless it will be, as in more ways than one, it will ask of you to give it your eleven thousand thirty-seven percent to make up for the disadvantage you will be put at. Besides, backing away in the middle of it isn't an option. For this to work, we have to go through it to the very end." Then, Enoshima's features stoned into the deadliest serious face she had ever shown him in the brief time they have known each other, "That is my warning in courtesy of our companionship, and seeing that we haven't started yet, this will also be the last chance to back off. So, with all of that being said…what will it be, Izuku Midoriya? Will you submerge of your own volition at the bottom of despair in search of what you have yearned for your entire life? Or you will reject this opportunity and hope for the best somewhere else?"
Understanding finally blossomed in Izuku's mind after Enoshima gave him that ultimatum. This wasn't about discouraging him or twisting old wounds. Rather, it was a test. The final obstacle he had to go through before his road to becoming a hero could even begin.
Her expression, everything Enoshima told him, everything she warned he will have to go through to just barely have about the same chance as everyone else. All of it resumed to a single interrogative:
Was he capable of going plus ultra?
Unsurprisingly, he had the answer ready as soon as the question came.
"…I will do it, Enoshima." Izuku finally declared, pure determination leaking in his voice and body language, "Whatever it is waiting for me on the other side, I will face it head-on! Both for my sake and for everything you have done to allow me to get here in the first place."
Indeed, he has been waiting years for an opportunity like the one she was offering him. To shy away from it would be an insult to him and especially to his friend who had invested so much for his sake.
Enoshima gave him a long stare after pouring his commitment out, with her eyes boring into his own. It almost felt like she was looking for something in there, maybe the deeps of his resolve, perhaps something else. Whatever the case was, this time Izuku didn't squirm or backed down in any way whatsoever, as he knew she would've disapproved of something like that at a moment like this. Such song and dance continue for a pair of minutes, and when she saw that he wasn't going to waver anytime soon…
She grinned.
It wasn't like anything he had ever seen before. It wasn't teasing, or cheerful, and neither it was the crescent one he became accustomed to seeing the most on his friend. Instead, it was vicious, accompanied by a fire within her eyes, and, for the first time, it allowed Izuku to notice the slightly overdeveloped canines within her mouth.
"Exuberance, let us begin then~."
Chapter 9: White Despair and Black Hope, In the End, Both Lead to The Same Destination.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
White Despair and Black Hope, In the End, Both Lead to The Same Destination.
After Izuku passed what he decided to call Enoshima’s test of will, she guided him onto a set of doors, which turned out to be some made-in-the-spot equivalent for locker rooms. Surprisingly, and while he couldn’t say it resembled a state-of-the-art changing room, it was tidy enough that Izuku didn’t feel uncomfortable around it.
Although it did remind him that the state of the room, and the entire building in general, was Enoshima’s doing…all of it by herself.
Just how much time did she spend on this?
How much of herself has she invested for my sake?
Gulping down the guilt, Izuku hurried up into getting changed. Once set and done, wearing an outfit consisting of a light-blue tracksuit with white lines on the sides, an ocean blue shirt just beneath, and one of his favorite pair of red shoes, Izuku left the room.
There, he was greeted with a surprising sight. Just ahead of him, Enoshima was stretching her limbs. What made him feel bewildered about it though, was that she was using a tracksuit of her own, with a black left side and a white one on the opposite one, obviously going for that monochrome theme his friend was an apparent fan of.
Before he could say anything, Enoshima noticed his presence. Taking that as her cue, she got done loosening her limbs and beat him to the word while pointing an accusatory finger, although her face and voice gave it a lack of severity, “Those were two minutes and forty-three seconds!”
“H-Huh? What are you talking about?” Asked a confused Izuku.
“Your changing time,” Enoshima elaborated. “When the real deal comes, it will be expected of ya to take much less on your swapping between civilian clothes and hero costume. Y’know, every moment counts and stuff like that.” Even though Enoshima said that so casually, Izuku’s eyes widened in realization.
He was so fixated on the fact that he was finally walking the road into his dream that he kind of spaced out about what was the true meaning behind it. Most important of all, she had a point. A mere second could be the difference between saving a life or not.
Just because this is training, it doesn’t mean it will be a walk in the park or that I could allow myself to take it as such. When Enoshima said we are beginning now, she truly meant it. I can’t allow myself to slack off in any area whatsoever!
Mentally chiding himself, Izuku addressed his friend with his features steeled. “You are right. I will halve how much I take by the next time; I promise!”
“See that you do,” Enoshima said with an approving nod. “Besides, if you continue proposing that each session, like a challenge of sorts, I’m sure it will do you wonders regardless of the results.”
“Hmm, something like mentalizing my body, right? Regardless if the goal I set is feasible or not, I would still perform better than if I hadn’t given myself one in the first place. Like, uh…I know! A fish still jumping in a frying pan even after death!”
“I dunno about that example, but yeah let’s go with that!” Enoshima confirmed with a chirpy voice. “You wouldn’t believe how many wonderful things beyond their own imagination people are capable of when they have their brain properly wired for it.”
Izuku made a mental note about bringing out his notebook for the next session. He didn’t want to mix it up with his training baggage, but it was clear that, besides the training schedule, his friend would be dropping some important tidbits of advice every now and then.
However, that would have to wait for another occasion, now it was time to get into business. “So, what am I going to begin with? I will pull some weights? Or…” As he trailed off, Izuku’s gaze darted onto a curious sight. “Now that I think about it, what’s up with those doors, Enoshima?”
Previously, he didn’t pay that much of an interest to those entrances, but with his attention on them now, Izuku couldn’t help noticing that unlike the exit where they came from and the locker rooms, they were locked with a padlock each.
“Those you say?” Following his gaze, Enoshima also saw what he was talking about, with the glimmer in her eyes as she did so not going unnoticed by him. “Those are the advanced areas.”
“Advanced areas? How so?”
“It is something you will get a better grasp on once you get the schedule, which by the way, I will give it to ya once we are done with today’s session,” Enoshima reassured him. “The gist of it though, is that you should think of them as worlds you unlock once you clear certain thresholds within the training.”
“Oh, okay. Like some trials of sorts?”
“Yes, I couldn’t have described them better than that,” Enoshima confirmed with a pleasant smile.
“T-Thanks,” Izuku said, happy at the praise but also with a contemplative expression on his face. Eventually, though, he awkwardly attempted to bring back the main topic at hand. “So, uh, about my training…?”
“Someone is eager, isn’t it?” Enoshima teased, making the temperature on his face rise up. “Don’tcha worry tho, the moment ya have been waiting for is here. Beginning with…one hundred consecutive squats followed by the exact same set for push-ups!”
One hundred push-ups and squats? I see! Thought an excited Izuku.
Only for his eyes to widen and shatter like vases when understanding about what she said dawned on him.
“W-Wait! One hundred for each!?” For all the bravado of a moment ago, he couldn’t prevent himself from having a slight panic attack. Quickly though, his features softened accompanied by a nervous laugh, “O-Oh I get it. This is one of those ‘psyching my brain for it’ moments, isn’t it?”
“Upupupu…I will give ya seven minutes for each of them.” Enoshima said, with lips forming into an enormous grin that did nothing more than stretch further with every passing moment.
At that, a mere dreading thought formed in Izuku’s mind.
Oh…she is being serious, isn’t she?
For what it was worth, the expectations Enoshima put in his first task did help him reach a performance far greater than what he could remember being capable of. For example, the last time he tried something similar, he did about ten squats before feeling on the verge of collapsing. With the extra motivation, things were different.
…Still, that wasn’t the same as saying reaching his expected goal. Sure, even someone with an average physique should have been able to complete at least one of two exercises within the time frame that Enoshima gave him.
“Sixty…Two…”
The thing is though, that Izuku couldn’t even boast that much.
“C´mon, Zuzu! You can do it!”
“Sixty…Sixty…Three…” Izuku grunted, long since at his wit’s end, as he crouched down until his knees properly bent down, regardless of how they burned while doing so.
“You’re past the first half, keep it up!”
If someone had told him three weeks ago that a cute girl like Enoshima would be acting as a personal cheerleader of her own volition, he would’ve chalked it up as a cruel prank alongside an awkward laugh, all the while sighing in self-depreciation on the inside. So, to see with his very own eyes that reality had long since surpassed fiction helped a great deal in getting second winds every now and then.
“Sixty…ugh…Sixty…Six…” However, as much as the right mentality and Enoshima’s motivation helped in surpassing his own limits, there was just how much that could favor.
As of right now, the only thing keeping him from not stumbling on the floor was his desire to not disappoint Enoshima.
I can’t let her down! It doesn’t matter how much my body hurts right now, I can’t spit on the precious opportunity she has given me and give up now that we are just beginning. The least I could do is to go plus ultra and break my own limits.
Ignoring the way his muscles were screaming for a moment of respite, Izuku pushed himself up. Then, with a shaky grin, he abruptly forced his legs to buckle down. He winced at the pain that caused him, but nevertheless, he felt confident in his capacity to continue.
This… isn’t so bad. It might hurt a bit, but if I keep this pace, I am sure I could―
His entire concentration along with his balance met an abrupt end when a loud and pitched sound reverberated in the vicinity. Stumbling on his own feet, Izuku fell on his stomach.
Looking up as he let out a pained groan, Izuku saw his friend approaching, with a whistle in her hands answering from where that sound came from.
“Enoshima?”
“Sorry Zuzu, but time’s up,” Enoshima told him with her lips parted into a thin line.
Along with the pit in his stomach those words formed within him, they also worked as the last zap of energy that allowed him to regain enough of his bearings and get up with a panicked look on his face.
“I-Is that so? But, uh…ah! What about that time remaining for the other set? I know it’s not that orthodox of a decision, but―”
“I already did that.”
“Huh?”
“The fourteen minutes, we already used it.” Enoshima began elaborating. “I thought it would be unfair to not transfer the time I gave ya for the push-ups so you could give it your all. So, I just did that when the time for the first set ran out.”
“…Really?”
“Really.” His friend confirmed, much to his disappointment. “We will take a ten-minute break and then you will follow me outside so we can get onto the next stage, alright?”
Part of him wanted to protest, although whether it was because he wanted another chance to prove himself or just simply that he doubted ten minutes was enough to recover, Izuku couldn’t know. That brief frame of hesitation in combination with Enoshima’s blinding self-assurance in her voice made it impossible to choose all but a single option.
“I…of course, Enoshima.” He conceded, barely managing to not hang his head down in defeat.
And shame.
Now that he knew what he was supposed to expect from this place, Izuku was able to confirm that, sure enough, what just about an hour ago thought to be nothing more than trash littering the vicinity, what waited for him on the outside was an obstacle course.
“Seeing it from up close, it kinda reminds me of those obstacles movies show when soldiers go through some training.” From what Izuku could observe, the entire course consisted of a series of obstacles that circumvented the entire building. Each side around the warehouse was filled to the brim with all kinds of contraptions, gimmicks, and mechanisms that, if Izuku was honest with himself, made him trepidant about what was to come.
“Well, your thinking process isn’t that far away from the truth.” From just beside him, Enoshima spoke. “Although rather than movies, I got this as accurate to the real deal as possible.”
He perked up at that bit of information, “You did? How so?”
“There was this someone I used to know.” Enoshima began, with a faraway look that seemed both nostalgic and melancholic. “She was obsessed with the military and, even though more often than not it was easier talk to a rock than get a word out of her, when it came to that stuff, she would lose herself talking for hours so long as the topic remained about that world. Naturally, I learned a thing or two out of that.”
“I see, she sounds like an interesting friend.”
“Friend?” Enoshima questioned before releasing an amused snort. “I dunno, counting my own sister as a friend sounds like cheating, you get what I mean?”
Izuku couldn’t prevent his eyes from widening at that, “Wait, you have a sister?”
It wasn’t what he would consider a groundbreaking revelation, but it certainly was big enough of a reveal regarding Enoshima’s life.
“Yep, a twin one supposedly,” Now that was more of a surprise. “Although if ya ask me, we don’t look anything alike.”
Leaving aside that last comment, and for some strange reason, hearing the confirmation that this person was a family member rather than something else, it felt like having a weight lifted off his back.
How weird, if he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought that remaining as Enoshima’s only true friend was a relieving idea. Not only that was ridiculous, but it was also an unnecessary and concerningly possessive way of thinking.
Right?
Not wanting to deal with those confusing thoughts, Izuku mentally shook his head before quickly addressing Enoshima, “Still, at least she’s a good sister, right?”
“…Who knows,” The strawberry-blonde said, although there was this…detachment in her tone. Faster than he could address what was that about though, both her voice and what she meant by that, her usual chirpiness returned to Enoshima’s face. “Anyhow, enough chit-chatting! Distracting me ain’t gonna buy ya more time, y’know?
There was more to it than what Enoshima was letting on, Izuku had no doubt about that. However, if she didn’t want to dwell further in what was surely a deeply personal matter, then Izuku saw no reason to prod further about the subject.
Besides, right now his biggest concern was the alarm he was feeling at his friend’s accusation. “What? It wasn’t like that, I was just curious, I promise!”
“Right~, right~, I believe ya.” So she said, but Izuku was having his doubts about that. “Derailing back on track, this obstacle course won’t have a time limit. You just hafta successfully clear each one of its stages and tata! Level completed! Easy, right?
Izuku nodded in understanding. Only that, unlike the previous workout, there was a speck of grimacing within his features. Rather than a reassurance, that mention of not having a time limit felt like a trap intended to make him fall into conformity.
Perhaps it was precisely that? Not for the first time, he had to remind himself that this training was meant to force everything out of him and more for every single aspect of it. Besides, Enoshima was a rather clever person and it wouldn’t be out of his friend’s usual antics to pull stunts like those.
“On the count of three, you will be able to move out of the starting line,” Enoshima began, pointing at a chalk-made white line in front of him. “Once that happens, you will hafta go through the entire course and, just like I pointed out a moment ago, surpass the obstacles. Not moving from each of them until they are done as they were meant to be. When you fulfill those requirements, I will mark your completion time by the exact moment you cross that finishing line over there.” His friend concluded, pointing at a black and white mark found opposite from the starting line. “That’s pretty much it. Any questions?”
He tried to think of any, but try as he might, nothing came to him. For all his wariness about it, Izuku couldn’t deny that the essence of this exercise was very basic and wasn’t that hard to understand, regardless of how difficult it could or not be in practice.
With that in mind, he shook his head at his friend’s inquiry. “No, I don’t have any.”
Nodding in acceptance, Enoshima spoke. “Alrighty, then get into position and wait for the signal.”
Doing as told, Izuku walked up to the starting mark, not stopping until landing just behind it. Bending down while getting into a sprinter position, Izuku readied his ears in wait for the very moment at which Enoshima finished the countdown.
“Time is on! Go!”
Eh?
Far from being the countdown he was expecting, Enoshima’s announcement threw him for a loop. As such, rather than bidding by the sudden command, Izuku snapped his head in Enoshima’s direction, an expression full of surprise and disbelief on his face contrasting the slight amusement on her features.
“Sorry, Zuzu, but here’s another piece of advice coming straight outta Enoshima’s well of wisdom: A hero ain’t gonna get a proper signal to spring into action!”
He let out a small gasp as her words resonated within him. After all, his brain couldn’t disagree. Enoshima had a point and a very important one at that.
Once again, I underestimated what was at stake in the training Enoshima prepared for me…I need to stop letting my guard down like that!
Not wanting to let his stupor ruin his record worse than it was already doing, Izuku gave Enoshima a sharp nod before rushing into action.
In the beginning, keeping his focus steeled bore its fruits. Not so long after he crossed the starting line, he found himself with the first obstacle. That being a bunch of tires ordered in a zig-zag order.
Izuku began by planting his sole inside the first of them. Then with a tad bit of caution, as the last thing he wanted was to begin with a miserable failure, he launched his other feet onto the next tire, and so on he proceeded with each one of them.
When he finally landed past all the tires and was once again on clear grounds, Izuku controlled himself from wasting time celebrating his accomplishment, however small as it was.
Instead, he moved forward into the next section.
Not far from the previous tires, he was met with that large grey pipe. It was the one he already saw when he followed Enoshima to the warehouse for the first time.
Already knowing what had to be done, Izuku came to a halt the moment he stood mere inches away from the gigantic tube. Following that, he quickly put himself to the task of crawling inside the pipe and following the light from the other side of the tunnel.
His elbows stung by the end of it, in no small amount thanks to the ground being nothing but concrete. However, it wasn’t anything he hadn’t already dealt with before so Izuku didn’t bother to complain about it.
If anything, with two obstacles cleared without a hitch, Izuku couldn’t prevent some hope from swelling inside him. With his mind quickly into far more optimistic thoughts than those he began with.
Could it be that I truly am ready for this?
He should’ve known.
Known better than to jinx when he already chided himself about it a few moments ago.
Sooner than he would’ve liked to, the constant shifts between climbing, crouching, hanging, and jumping took its toll upon his untrained body. The same applying to his confidence that was swiftly and surely fading away with each anguishing moment.
It didn’t help at all that following the first two obstacles, the difficulty shot up at such a sudden degree that Izuku simply wasn’t ready for it. Hanging through monkey bars, climbing walls, either solid ones or made with ropes, among all other stuff that was already physically demanding on its own.
If that wasn’t already bad enough, Enoshima’s conditioning about not moving further from each obstacle until properly clearing it wasn’t making things a walk in the park either.
At some point, it became too much that Izuku didn’t even bother to count how many times he failed in each of them. Especially for the last one.
The laser cage, or as Enoshima dubbed it with a wood signal above it, the laser ‘Funhouse’.
It wasn’t as elaborate as it might sound, but that didn’t make it any less of a nightmare to go through.
The gist of it was that consisted of a rectangular structure filled with ropes in all sorts of directions, obviously working as a replacement for the real lasers. The objective, also written in a wooden sign, was to cross the obstacle without being touched by said ropes.
Not even once.
While that in itself was already difficult on its own, it wasn’t like Izuku could call it quits and move on to whatever followed it after a certain number of attempts. No sir, every time he failed to fulfill the clearing condition of this obstacle, he had to go all over it from the very beginning, no matter how close to reaching the goal he might be.
Basically, out of all the sequences, this one abused the most of Enoshima’s golden rule.
By some miracle Izuku was certain he won’t be so lucky to replicate ever again, he eventually managed to get out from that tangle of faux lasers. Still, if it weren’t because he could see the black and white mark near of where he was, Izuku was certain he would’ve collapsed only to never move again.
As such, with ragged breaths, full of bruises, and almost failing on his knees with every step, Izuku put in one last-second wind until reaching the finishing goal. And it wasn’t until he heard the whistle that signaled the end of the exercise, that Izuku gave up on his legs and fell on his belly.
Although for all good it could have been to accomplish that, by the time he did so, Izuku was greeted by an Enoshima whose expression, while not pitying or, heavens forbid, disappointed ‘I don’t think I could’ve endured her looking at me like that…’, it certainly was solemn.
“Completion time…three hours, forty-two minutes, and eleven seconds…”
Any will to still look up vanished upon hearing that, and so he buried his head on the floor when the shame became too much.
Some delusional part of him wanted to believe Enoshima wasn’t telling the truth, that she was making him hear that dreadful announcement for the sake of some elaborate and cruel ploy she designed with the purpose of tormenting and discouraging him from going through his goal of becoming a hero.
Leaving aside the ridiculousness of such claims and the underserved accusation it carried, the orangish glow from the sun beginning to set was the definitive proof that no, Enoshima wasn’t making anything up.
Izuku performed that terribly at the exercise.
He didn’t know for how long he kept himself like that, drowning on his own misery as he refused to part his face from the ground. By the time he began to hear footsteps approaching his way, Izuku was already feeling that the tears trailing down his cheeks were dropping and tainting that same concrete.
Yet, he continued to reject any offer his brain gave about looking up and face Enoshima. He…Izuku just couldn’t. After all, how could he face her following that pathetic demonstration?
How could Izuku look Enoshima eye to eye when after everything she had done for him, after all the promises he assured her, he only reciprocated her efforts with failure after failure?
He couldn’t. Izuku wasn’t worthy of his friend’s favor. Much as it would hurt him to admit this, it was obvious Izuku didn’t have what it took for this. He should apologize for wasting Enoshima’s precious time and―
Whatever other self-depreciation thoughts were about to come from the most miserable corner of his mind, they met an abrupt end when he felt something soft touch the corner of his chin.
While that wasn’t enough to make him look up, it was for his curiosity to get the better of him, give a side glance to see what was the source of such warm, and for him to notice that the entrancing feeling came from an effeminate hand caressing his chin.
He knew that hand, and as such, he was unable to not squeak out its owner’s name.
“E-Enoshima?”
At first, she didn’t say a thing. Apparently more comfortable in continuing with her caressing. Something that, deep inside and hidden between the misery and despair, Izuku was fervently enjoying.
Eventually, though, the stroking came to an end, with Enoshima using that same hand to finally bring his face up to face her. As soon as she did that though, Izuku wasted no time in averting his eyes. While the shame of showing his currently miserable state was enough of a reason, the guilt that was eating him from the inside out was far from gone.
Not like that derailed his friend from speaking with a soft voice that was doing nothing but soothing him into blissful comfort.
“Humans…they are simple creatures that can’t help being shaped by outside factors, y’know?”
“…”
“Sure, every single brain is already born coded to work under a pattern, and it’s true that too can be imitable by another individual if they are talented enough. However, imitate isn’t the same as replicate.”
Izuku didn’t say anything to that, but the way his eyes were finally faltering on her person, even if only momentarily so, was enough of a sign to indicate he was paying attention.
That prompted his friend to continue further, “At the end of it, a person gifted since birth in aspects like family, friends and even genetics, they would never understand what it is to be born in the pits of despair, the same way the opposite applies.”
“Enoshima, why are you telling me this?” At long last, Izuku finally found the courage to speak up, if only to reinforce his self-depreciation. “Not only I don’t get where are you going with that, but…but you saw it right? That was terrible, pathetic even. There’s no other way around to describe how badly I did.”
“Hmm, I can’t deny that your performance was indeed even below average parameters.”
Even his only friend in the entire world had admitted it.
He truly had no hope at all did he?
“However,”
Huh?
That objection alone put a momentary pause to his hesitation between looking or not at his friend, with Izuku’s orbs finally centering on Enoshima for more than a second.
Almost as if noticing that mere gesture was a boon to her mood, her voice became livelier than before, “Considering this was the first time in your entire life going through any training, that wasn’t as bad as you are making it out to be.”
A choking sound of sorts came from his throat upon hearing that. Izuku would be the first to admit that his body screamed untrained, but hearing that white elephant finally being addressed was something he had hoped to never deal with.
Clearly, I was naïve about that too.
For that same reason, and after he calmed down from the initial shock, rather than feeling better about himself, Enoshima’s words only prompted him to keep his spiral of despair with a dry and mirthless chuckle, “Isn’t that the more reason to give up? I had years to put some, any effort to build up some condition in my body. No matter how you see it, that has no justification.”
“Oh, but it has.”
“…What?”
Rather than saying anything immediately, Enoshima removed her hand from his chin. Then, she put her arms around his armpits and while Izuku was debating whether to enter into a state of absolute stupor at the bold move or wondering what the heck was going on, he let out an involuntary gasp when Enoshima lifted him as if he was lighter than a feather.
“Enoshima!?” Understandably, that shocked him to the core. More so when the surprises didn’t end there.
Again, rather than saying anything, Enoshima opted to do her own thing. This time around by giving moderate pats at his sportswear to clean it from the accumulated dust. Earning him a new wave of surprise and disbelief as his cheeks burned.
With how much care she was putting into it, there was this…motherly sensation in her movements. As if she was taking care of something precious to her rather than the absolute loser Izuku reaffirmed himself to be just minutes ago.
“Not all the fault of what transpired today is yours, Zuzu.” Through different words, but Enoshima gave him the same reassurance from before, although the elaboration of what truly meant by that wasn’t what Izuku could call comforting or pleasant to hear. “Rather, it was natural that through the years, your survival instincts led you to look for cognitive alternatives for your dream, instead of physical methods when you had someone like Bakugo around to disapprove through violence of those means at every chance available.”
At that, Izuku couldn’t prevent himself to look at Enoshima with mixed emotions.
Although they hadn’t known each other for long, he had resigned to the idea that she will never see Kacchan in a positive light. Not like he could blame her, objectively speaking. However, the way she was bringing him now of all times…
“I don’t think this is the moment to shift blame from something only I should be accounted for, Enoshima.”
“This isn’t about shifting blame, Zuzu. I am merely stating the truth. Grim and hard to swallow, but a truth nonetheless.” Enoshima declared with a tad bit of force in her voice. “Didn’t I talk a moment ago about how we are shaped by circumstances outside our control?”
“You did, but―”
“But what? You have known the guy almost since you have a memory, have you not? I know we have already talked about him not offering anything to the table, but now I need you to answer me this…has he or not always discouraged your attempts at making any progress towards your goal of becoming a hero?”
Honestly, something about this gave him a feeling of Deja-vu, which was understandable when one compares this topic with some of those brought upon just yesterday. Just like the previous day, even if Izuku opened his mouth to reply back at his friend’s inquiry, he found himself unable to give any rebuttal.
The silence lingering between the two only made it easier for his consciousness to recall whatever memories between him and Kacchan it could, and eventually come to the conclusion that…concerningly enough, what he was remembering wasn’t giving him any material to protest against Enoshima’s accusation.
And for the umpteenth occasion ever since meeting her, Izuku wondered a single thing.
Had things between him and Kacchan truly deteriorated that badly?
“That silence answers my question, you know?” Enoshima said, a somber tone coming back to smear her cheerful features. “As a quirkless myself, I don’t hafta be a genius to get a picture of how things are with everyone else. Kids, adults, strangers, classmates, professors, even the damn neighbor. You have heard your entire life from all those people that you can’t, that it is ridiculous, impossible even. The mere fact that you have kept your dream alive for this long is a herculean feat worth of praise.”
On one hand, the new perspective she was offering him did help a bit in making him feel better about himself. After all, not even he with all his pessimism, could deny that he had kept his dream strong until his encounter with All Might.
Quickly dismissing the conflicting emotions the reminder of the number one hero was causing him, he put himself to the task of musing about the other side of the coin.
And it was that, for all intents or purposes, he and Enoshima were similar in more ways than what Izuku could’ve recognized before.
The reveal about her being quirkless was still recent, which meant that Izuku hadn’t digested its entire implications…at least not until she said all of that. Nevertheless, it brought into perspective the far from the small possibility of, for all that talk of protecting her from his own classmates, just like him, being quirkless had already brought Enoshima its fair share of problems before the two met.
Then, a thought hit him.
That’s not all. The way she’s ranting about this…
“Enoshima,” Izuku began, as his mind formed a dreadful possibility that it only had occurred to him until now. “Has…something like that happened to you? I mean, believing in a dream only to have someone else opposing it?”
It was hard to imagine someone as amazing like his friend going through anything nearly as similar as what he had experienced. But again, Enoshima lacked a quirk, and no matter how much he can idolize her, that was a harsh reality that neither of them can deny or remove by any means.
Much to his misfortune, the answer Enoshima gave him wasn’t what he wanted to hear, even if it was the one he expected.
“I have,” Enoshima admitted, and it took all of Izuku to not gasp and interrupt her with a blur of apologies for daring to ask about the topic. “Not long before meeting you, I was working on my own dream. Actually, by that time I was this close to making it an absolute reality!” There was some clear fondness in the way he spoke about it, Izuku could see that. It quickly died though, in its place, and for the first time ever since knowing Enoshima, there was some genuine frustration, even if it was combined with this…something that Izuku couldn’t place, “Just that close and then outta nowhere comes this guy and makes it all to crumb down to dust. Years of effort, planification, and sacrifice and he ruined it all in a pair of hours.”
Izuku winced at hearing that.
True, that didn’t sound like a one-by-one replica of his own circumstances…and yet, it was enough to still hit way too close to home for Izuku to not sympathize with Enoshima. The time invested into achieving your goals, and how it all could easily fall by the hands of someone else while being unable of doing anything to prevent it were concepts Izuku was familiar with.
“I’m sorry you went through all of that, Enoshima,” Izuku said, a crestfallen expression on his face. “I couldn’t even begin to imagine how that experience could make you feel.”
Perhaps he could, but it would leave a bad taste in his mouth to make those kinds of assumptions.
“Oh, c’mon now, Zuzu. You’re talking as if I have already given up on it.” Enoshima waved off his concerns with a chuckle. “Yeah, I faced a blunder, but so what? I am sure this world will offer me plenty of opportunities to go for it once again.”
Izuku was nothing short of relieved at hearing his friend was still holding her head high regardless of the detriment she faced. Although at this point, curiosity got the better of him, “That dream of yours, if you don’t mind me asking…can you tell what it was, I mean, is?”
“I will, but not today. I will do so when you are ready, I promise you, Zuzu.” Was his friend’s response, along with a warm smile that made his heart flutter, even if the sentiment was only momentary as it was replaced by more contemplative thoughts.
He couldn’t say that what Enoshima said was what he wanted to hear, but neither could he find in himself to be angry at the discretion. It was understandable, really. If it was something that took a hit as recently and as hard as she was implying, she had all the reasons in the world to clamp herself in regard to that subject.
In retrospect, that she had gone through something of affairs similar to his own should’ve been obvious to figure out. Or at least it should have been for him if he wasn’t so busy lamenting about how miserable he was all this time.
If he wasn’t so selfish to the degree of disregarding all of Enoshima’s efforts at the first instance of hardship, whining like a toddler because things were going smoothly after she warned him this training was unlike anything he had faced before.
All of that made one thing certain. If he were to continue with this stunt of letting his own insecurities get the better of him while dragging Enoshima along, it will be a matter of time before she gets tired of dealing with him and decides that her efforts were better deserving somewhere else. Worst of all? She would be in her absolute right to do so. Even she has to have an end to her seemingly infinite patience.
No, he couldn’t keep going like that, and it was too late to back down. The only thing he could do now that he was on this side of the road, was to reaffirm his convictions to her.
However, before Izuku could do that, and even though he wasn’t deserving of it at this point, there was one thing he had to know.
“Enoshima.”
“Hm?” His friend turned to him, her face a pillar of understanding even after all the trouble he had caused her.
“Please tell me, as objectively and impartially as possible, do you…do you truly believe I can go through this?” Was his question, meanwhile gesturing at the obstacle course behind him, even if he was referring to the entire ordeal in general.
That he didn’t receive an immediate answer, did wonders for Izuku in reassuring him that Enoshima was thinking this through rather than giving him the first biased response she could bring out.
Entire minutes went by in absolute silence between the two, and it wasn’t until the earliest signs of concern were gnawing at his heart, that he finally heard Enoshima finding her words one more time.
“It’s just like I warned ya about the training program itself, this ain’t gonna be easy, Zuzu.” Enoshima began, a chiding tone in her voice that he certainly deserved at this point. “I can’t promise ya there won’t be occasions like this one ever again. Moments in which your faith in this training and yourself will falter, where the idea of giving up will run through your mind. They will come to haunt ya every now and then, more times than you could imagine even now.”
“I…see…” It would be an absolute lie to say that Enoshima’s foreboding words weren’t scaring him, but worrisome as they might be, Izuku didn’t have any complaint about them.
He understood that after facing reality like he did just minutes ago, he had to hear this.
“Today was your first taste of what awaits you here, so it’s understandable it took such a toll on you as it did. Unfortunately, tomorrow, the day after, the day after that one, and so on, they will all be the same, perhaps even worse on some occasions.” Despite her words, and no matter the circumstances, Izuku knew merciless wasn’t a trait that described his friend. After swallowing this bitter pill, he found himself rewarded in the form of an encouraging smile touching Enoshima’s lips. A smile that filled Izuku…with hope. “However, if you don’t give up, if you fight tooth and nail to go with the training through the very end, no matter what might linger ahead. Then, I assure you Izuku, that what awaits you at the other end of the road will be worth the sacrifice.”
“Enoshima…” Tears were already threatening to leak out of his eyes. This time around though, he fought them back, as what he was about to say required his utmost resolve along with a face that truly conveyed his feelings. “I know that today I started things on the wrong foot, but I promise…no, I swear to you that I won’t disappoint you from here and now, this time for real!”
“Alright, I will hold you onto that, buddy.” Before he could celebrate that though, his friend continued, “Additionally, and to prove to me that you really meant it, I want ya to, in thirty days from now, be able to complete the obstacle course in fifteen minutes!”
“Fifteen minutes!?” Izuku sputtered in disbelief. Realizing how did that sounded, he quickly shook his head as he attempted to correct himself. “That’s…I-I mean, I will do my best to fulfill those expectations, it’s just that…”
“You don’t think it’s possible, is that it?” Enoshima said with a knowing smile. That he didn’t do anything beyond turning his lips into a thin line only made it grow wider. “How about I show ya I ain’t messing around?”
“Eh?” Before he could say anything else, Izuku felt Enoshima pressing something down on his chest. Looking at it, he noticed it was the stopwatch she used to mark his record.
“I already put its counter back to zero. Just press the big button whenever ya want me to begin.” Enoshima said as she strolled towards the starting line as if anything of this was making any sense.
Although still overwhelmed by what is and was about to happen, Izuku knew that the least Enoshima deserved was for him to trust she knew what she was doing. With that in mind, he followed her at a safe distance away from the course.
Besides, part of him could admit he was curious about how well she would do in comparison to him. Unlike Izuku, Enoshima did give the feeling of being in form.
Once he made sure both were as ready as they could, Izuku prepared to count down to the three. Only, he remembered how did her friend opted for the element of surprise instead.
Could it be that she wanted him to do the same?
…
“…Time is on! Go!” Pressing the start button with more force than required, Izuku exclaimed the same words Enoshima told him during his own attempt.
Unlike him though, she wasn’t caught off-guard by that. Instead, as soon the words left his mouth, Enoshima sprinted in the direction of the tires.
If Izuku doubted for a moment that Enoshima would do at least any better than him, such hesitation died once he saw her performance on the first obstacle.
Whereas he took brief but meaningful pauses on each tire so as to not get his feet stuck or trip in the middle of his march, Enoshima didn’t hesitate for even a moment. On each step, she only planted her soles within the tires by such a minuscular fraction of a second that it almost seemed she was floating through the entire section.
Then, during the tunnel obstacle, rather than stopping herself to properly get through it, she took advantage of her own momentum to launch herself at it! Unsurprisingly, that allowed her to complete that one way faster than him. What was worth some brow-raising though, was that she wasn’t looking the slightest bit of agitated even after pulling that stunt.
And, well, it was the exact result for every other section.
When it came to the monkey bars, she had enough arm strength not only to complete it without a hitch but also to skip a few handlers which decreased her completion time by a considerable margin. Even as she went through a ramp and found herself facing a bunch of vertically-placed logs standing between her and the ramp on the other side, rather than stumbling in any of those platforms and falling on her rearguard like he did more times than he would have liked to remember, for Enoshima it was as if she was playing hopscotch, with her swiftly jumping from log to log as if she was some sort of ninja.
No matter how exhausting or hard an obstacle should have been to her, be it balancing through a tight rope or climbing a plain wall that required you to gain some velocity beforehand to reach its edge, not even once she hesitated or stopped for the sake of taking a break. By all means, her performance surpassed his already high expectations to the point that if someone were to tell him Enoshima was the Ultimate Gymnast, he would’ve easily bought it.
However, by the time she was about go through the laser cage, even Izuku had doubts about how well she would do. After all, out of all the obstacles, this one was the hardest.
Of course, he should’ve known the concern was unnecessary.
With a dive of all things, Enoshima entered the funhouse, and from there onwards she made use of her rather…impressive flexibility to maneuver through the entire ordeal. Although at times it looked like she was about to graze through one of the ‘lasers’, just the right adjustment of either a leg or an arm, be it stretching, raising, or lowering them, was all she required to correctly reposition herself and avoid failing the obstacle.
With a seemingly unnatural precision, she made her way evading rope after rope, almost as if she already had memorized where everything was.
As if the cherry atop the cake, Enoshima came out of it with a flip jump, swirling midair twice before landing on her two feet. Even going as far as l doing a victory pose with her arms launched in the air as if basking in the praises of a crowd only she could see.
However, she only spent a few moments doing that. Focusing back on the track, she made her way through what was left of the course until, finally, she crossed the finishing line. With a frantic smile plastered on her face that didn’t leave her ever since the very beginning of the obstacle course.
It was mere luck that his thumb didn’t fail to press the pause button on time. The rest of his body was frozen in absolute stupefaction, with his mouth hanging open to a degree that someone might worry about the possibility of a fly getting in his mouth.
“So, what’s my time?” Enoshima asked.
With her voice bringing him out of his daze, Izuku did as told…only for his eyes to almost drop out of their pockets at what he saw.
“Eleven…eleven minutes with fifty-two seconds…” A quick math revealed an uncomfortable truth about that reveal.
Twenty.
Enoshima performed twenty times better than he did.
That’s just how far the difference between the two reached.
Izuku hated himself for it, more so after the conversation he already had with Enoshima some minutes ago, but even if he didn’t dare to feel something like envy towards the person who has brought so much good into his life, he could feel how his usually low self-esteem was already crawling with problematic thoughts.
Do my promises hold any value with such a large gap?
Am I truly that inadequate at this?
Perhaps Enoshima should be the one aiming―
“Hey hey, I know that face and tone of voice.”
“Huh?”
“That demonstration wasn’t meant to discourage you,” Enoshima chided with a frown, and Izuku didn’t doubt she already figured out what was going through his mind. “Rather, it’s nothing but the definitive proof that if I can do it, you can as well!”
“I…”
“I am as quirkless are you are, remember? My body doesn’t holds something like a body enhancement or anything similar for that matter that could make it impossible for you to do the same.”
That…that was true, Izuku could admit. Enoshima was good, there was no doubt about it, but she was more among the lines of a pre-quirk era Olympics athlete in terms of good rather than, let’s say, The Rabbit Hero Mirko.
When making the comparison between the two, the difference was as big, if not larger than how it currently was between him and Enoshima.
Although the talent she was born with…No, I shouldn’t think like that. The training schedule she prepared for me obviously was designed with that in consideration while still being a golden ticket to get into U.A.
After considering for a good minute, Izuku was beginning to feel how the tension was leaving his body. It was just like he already told himself, he wasn’t going to reach his peak condition from one day to another. He had to build up muscles, planning beforehand the most optimal path to clearing the obstacles, among whole lists of details he had to deal with. Whether he likes it or not, that was going to take time.
I-Island wasn’t built in a single day, wasn’t that how the saying goes?
Still, I really need to stop having moments like these.
He will have to reflect on how to deal with his constant shifting of attitudes between acting self-depreciative and resolved. Izuku himself was self-aware enough to notice that a great number of his problems originated from that alone.
But that will have to wait once back home. Now there was something of greater urgency to deal with.
“When you put it like that, it truly seems like I was throwing the towel far too quickly.” Izuku admitted with a reflective voice. Then he looked up at his friend, an optimistic expression far from the previous gloominess on his face. “However, so long as I give it my all, the expectations you have put on me will become true!”
“’Course they will be!” Enoshima cheered as she patted him on the back, much to his embarrassment. “Sure, I have the edge of spending half my life living on the streets to build this rocking body, but I’m confident that with proper effort and dedication, you can get there and even surpass me.”
“Yeah!” Izuku gave her an enthusiastic nod in agreement.
Only for his blood to run cold the very next moment at the nuclear magnitude bombshell Enoshima just dropped.
A nervous laugh escaped his lips. Nevertheless, the way he made his next inquiry was filled with nothing but caution. “…I think I didn’t hear you right, Enoshima, what was that about the streets?”
For her part, Enoshima was content with doing nothing much other than blinking slowly as she observed him. Then she tilted her head in a cutesy way that didn’t match what she said next, “Ah, didn’t I tell ya? I was homeless most of my childhood and some extra years.”
Homeless…?
No matter how he wrapped his head around it, Izuku couldn’t see his friend in a situation like that. Honestly, ashamed as might be about it now, he imagined her living in a mansion with a life full of luxuries, her family being CEOs of some important company or maybe influential politicians, and…heck, the idea that Enoshima might be some sort of model had crossed his mind on more than one occasion!
But that was the thing, wasn’t it? How could he be capable of beginning to figure out what was the truth when despite how fond he has grown of Enoshima…Izuku knew next to nothing about her.
It is time, isn’t it?
He had delayed this conversation enough, and if he didn’t act now, it was just a matter of when before he stepped blindly on a landmine that could potentially harm his friendship with his only friend.
Before opening his mouth again though, he took some deep breaths with the intent of calming his nerves. The last thing he wanted was for his psyche to get the better of him and begin sputtering apologies and the like.
He might not know her that well apparently, but even under these circumstances he could see that receiving pity for a lifestyle Izuku had the barest idea of and that molded her into the incredible person she was today would be nothing short of an insult.
As such, he decided to begin with the first positive thought to occurred him.
“Going through something like that…You truly are something else, Enoshima.” Izuku said with no small amount of admiration.
“Oh? That reaction was far different than what I expected.” Enoshima admitted, with her brows slightly raised cementing her surprise.
“Y-Yeah, I just figured that you had dealt enough with the hysteric Izuku already.” He tried to joke. And while he was glad that earned him a brief amused snort from her, he had to remind himself what was the point of this conversation, “Um, Enoshima. I was wondering…”
“Hm?”
“Could you tell me about yourself?” That came out faster than he would’ve wanted to, but at least he managed to say it. Now all that was left was to press forward. “I just realized that I know so little, and it doesn’t sit well with me to leave things like that when you have already done so much for me. I won’t force you to say anything, of course! But I would be glad if you shared even the tiniest of details.”
Izuku waited with a held breath as Enoshima began to internally debate whether to concede to his request or not. At least it seemed she was doing that with her pensive face and how she was holding a finger on her chin.
“Yeah, sounds fair.” To his infinite relief, Enoshima’s response was a positive one. “I can’t make such a reveal and then leave ya hangin’ on, can I?”
He didn’t know how to reply to that, so he merely gave her a shrug and a grateful smile.
Deep inside though, he was filled with a sense of anticipation. He knew this was a big deal. What little had already learned from her all but assured him that Enoshima wasn’t someone who went around talking about her, at least not for the most personal details of her life.
And yet she was willing to share them with him! How can that mean anything else other than her considering Izuku worthy of gifting him such a valuable token of her appreciation?
There was only one way of showing his thanks for this.
Eagerly readying his ears, he prepared to capture everything Enoshima had to say.
“Hmmm, where do I begin…Ah, I know!” Enoshima exclaimed with the snap of a finger. “Hey, Zuzu. Let’s find a seat, yes? This might take a while.”
“Huh? Alright then,” Trailing his eyes around, they eventually landed in what happened to be the best spot available in the vicinity. “How about that tube from the obstacle course? It’s large enough to fit both of us but not tall enough to impede us from sitting comfortably. It should be fine, right?”
After receiving her approval, both of them went to sit there, with Enoshima energetically dangling feet up and down, and him being careful of resting at a respectable distance away from her.
And then, with nothing around to act as an impediment, Enoshima began.
“Let’s start with the day I was born…”
The talk he had with Enoshima that day was…enlightening. Yeah, that was the word that best fitted it considering it resolved most of the inquiries he had about her.
Enlightening.
However, Izuku couldn’t even begin to count on how many occasions he was this close to offering apologies in the name of…he didn’t even know for whose name he should even begin to apologize for. The series of events that Enoshimma presented him simply were that…grim, as if the entire world had as a personal goal to make her life as miserable as possible since the day she was born, and what he had gone through was mere child's play.
It almost got to the point of making him wonder if either she was making it up, or if that cheerfulness Enoshima carried herself with was nothing but a mask. Of course, even if such thoughts occurred to him, he never took them seriously.
How could he after everything she had done for him?
There’s no way someone who has offered me this much in exchange for too little and has been nothing but good to me could be hiding a dark and sinister side of sorts, or something just as ridiculous.
However, not everything was gloom and doom. If anything, one could say that day carried some sort of a good omen for him.
The following days were by no small margin the best of his life. Just as he suspected, having heard her story was the next step in the development of their friendship. From that day on, their interactions became more proactive. Even better, it was something both of them reciprocated. They shared histories, laughed, and even hung out whenever the occasion allowed it. His awkwardness around Enoshima decreased with the passage of time too, and the occasions in which he became a stuttering mess occurred only whenever Enoshima’s teasing became too much.
Like when she finally visited him and his mom.
By all means, that occasion couldn’t have gone any better than it did, but that didn’t quit him from wishing it hadn’t involved dealing with a two-front-teasing effort courtesy of her mother and Enoshima.
When it came to training, just as Enoshima suggested, each passing day was what could have been considered unfairly taxing, requiring nothing less than everything out of him to make it through. However, the results it yielded were as plentiful as it was demanding. Just halfway through the time limit to complete the obstacle course, and Izuku was noticing the changes that the training was causing him. With how his body rapidly began to take shape, and even the earliest signs of abs developing began to show!
All in all, in just a pair of weeks, Izuku reached a level of happiness and fulfillment he would’ve never hoped to achieve without meeting Enoshima. And with how much joy he was accumulating, Izuku began to wonder if it was all too good to be true.
He will forever curse being up to something in regard to that.
Obviously, that came from the place that, not even once, had brought him a single positive memory.
Aldera Junior High.
“May I have your attention class?”
Izuku along with the rest of his classmates, looked up at their professor. Either genuinely wondering what could he want or not wanting to stand out under his gaze.
When he noticed he had the whole class’s eyes on him, he spoke up, “I know this might be a bit sudden, but most members of the faculty, including me, have been tasked to attend a meeting in regard to the educational material for the upcoming semester. It is likely you will have the next two periods free.” Before people could begin to celebrate that, he raised his hand. “I suggest spending this time wisely. Either use it for a study session or to finish any pending assignments you might have. Is that understood?”
Several heads nodded.
“Good. Don’t make a ruckus while I am gone.” Seemingly satisfied, his professor left without waiting for a response.
There were some moments of silence following his departure. More or less at the minute mark, one of his classmates left his seat to look through the window.
“Oi, the teach’s truly gone!” He eventually announced.
Sure enough, that prompted the class to begin a ruckus.
As for Izuku? He didn’t have any subject that required immediate revision. Besides, he highly doubted he could concentrate under the noise his classmates were making, which also meant that even if he had any pending homework, which he hadn’t, trying to make any progress here would’ve been just as fruitless of an endeavor. Basically, there wasn’t anything, in particular, he could busy himself with for the upcoming two periods.
Well…there was one thing he could do.
Bringing his backpack up to his lap. he reached for its contents until his hand landed on what he was looking for. Before picking that up though, he threw a cautious glance to the sides, making sure no one was paying any interest. After confirming the coast was clear, and with double the wariness from before, he looked ahead of him, in Kacchan’s direction, with the red-eyed boy busying himself with a notebook of his own.
It’s been two weeks and through the entire time, he has practically acted as if I don’t exist. Perhaps…maybe if I am discrete about it, he will continue to ignore it?
…
Without wasting any time, Izuku hurried to bring a black and white notebook out of his backpack. A fond smile growing the moment he saw its cover.
Junko Enoshima’s Despairful Road to Heroism.
Despite the name, Izuku couldn’t deny he had grown attached to the notebook, enough to consider it his most valuable possession. How could he not? It was the first present someone outside his family had offered him. It came from his best friend of all people, and it had poured into it who knows how much effort for the sake of helping him achieve his dream.
By all means, it was the best thing anyone could have ever gift him!
Not only that though, but it was just as useful.
Just flicking it open at any random page was enough to be met with an encyclopedia’s worth of information. That wasn’t the same as saying he was looking at walls upon walls of intel though. Rather, every piece of advice, schedule, and diet recommendation within it was neatly organized to bring the best out of him in every single aspect.
It was to the point that Izuku couldn’t bring himself to worry about it being enough. Whether it was or not, Izuku was confident that nowhere else he will find something that could offer him higher chances of passing the admission exam into U.A.
And that was saying something, considering his records of hesitation and self-doubt.
Although, for all good it already was, not everything was as informative as he would’ve wished.
Admittedly, he still hasn’t figured out what these ‘Transition Phases’ that show up every thirty or so pages mean, as they lacked any details beyond that name. His only clue was that they were the trials he will have to go through so he could move on to the next stages of the training, just like Enoshima said. But what he will have to do when the time to face them comes, remains an absolute mystery. At this point, he could only assume that―
“Oi, Deku.”
His warm chirpiness froze like a tundra, and the hair in every part of Izuku’s body stood up upon hearing that voice. A voice that Izuku hadn’t heard addressed him in quite a while.
Until now that is.
Looking up, his worst fears were confirmed. With his hands between his pockets, and his eyes intently staring down at him, Kacchan was standing just in front of him.
“K-Kacchan, what…what do you want?”
“Hmph, I was just wondering if that bitch…” Before he could begin to figure out why the renewed interest in interacting with him, all of Izuku’s instincts screamed at him when Kacchan’s gaze sharpened, with his eyes locking nowhere else other than his notebook.
Crap! I need to…!
But it was too late, before he could hide it from him, the ashen-blonde beat him to it, snatching the training schedule from his hands.
“W-Wait, Kacchan! That’s―”
“Shut the fuck up, nerd!” Kacchan snarled, halting Izuku in his tracks when he launched a warning explosion that caressed his face enough to feel the heat coming from it. Then, he shifted his attention one more time to the notebook, giving it a curious look over.
Only for his eyes to widen when he noticed the cover’s title.
Oh no…
“Junko Enoshima’s despairful road to heroism…” Kacchan read out loud, enough to gather the rest of the class’s attention, and with his face twisting further into barely contained fury and disgust with each word that came out of his own mouth. Then, sending him the harshest glare Izuku could account for his entire life knowing him, the ashen-blonde addressed Izuku, his voice full of venom as he spoke. “You fucking piece of trash, you haven’t given up on that shitty dream of yours, have you?”
At that, Izuku could only give an audible gulp. All the while, a sense of dread about what was to come churned in his stomach.
Notes:
And so, it begins...
Chapter 10: The Cure for Heroism (1): Sneered at by Reality, The Boy Takes Refuge with A Girl of Black and White.
Chapter Text
The Cure for Heroism (1): Sneered at by Reality, The Boy Takes Refuge with A Girl of Black and White.
Under the searing climate the sun in the middle of June provided, the sunset rays shined with a seemingly distinctive intensity above two figures in particular. The taller of the two, a girl with blonde pigtails and piercing icy-blue orbs, stood from behind the shorter figure as her gaze locked in that brush of green he called hair, assessing its owner in scrutinous detail. The way only her talent allowed her to. Whatever thoughts were running through her mind, though, they all were safely kept under the deepest corners of her mind.
As for the second individual in question, he glared ahead with a steeled gaze at the assortment of obstacles that easily resembled an oversized Goldberg rube machine if looked at from an outsider’s perspective.
It’s been a long and tedious road. Entire weeks of sweat, tears, and blood being exhausted from noon until dawn. Working every workable aspect of his body to the point of almost losing consciousness on each and every occasion. So tedious and unforgiving, there was no doubt someone of lesser mental resilience would’ve given up within the first days.
And today, he was to prove it all had been worth it.
Today, he was to take one step further on the path toward his dream.
Today, he will―
You goddamn dipshit!
Following a sudden flash of colors he couldn’t even begin to make heads or tails about, the very next instant he blinked was Izuku no longer in the not-so-abandoned building he had come to see as a sanctuary. Far from it. With tears trailing down his cheeks, he was now on his knees in an enclosed room and a multitude of shadows looking down on him. With a red-eyed one standing out among all of them.
You are just looking for any scrap of an excuse to get in my way, aren’tcha? That’s all this is about for your greedy and obsessive ass, isn’t it!?
His body was shaking, whether out of fear, righteous fury, or from the self-indignation caused by his impotency, he didn’t know. Perhaps it was all of them. However, there was one feeling which without a doubt accompanied him right at this very moment.
Despair.
Just because some random bitch you recently met is having her fair share of fun while playing along with your delusions, do you think you can still keep at it with this shit!?
More harsh words were thrown at his person, either from the loud one leading the charge or from the dozens more that accompanied it. However, his mind had long since lost the capacity to herd any genuine attention to them. Not when every thought, sentiment, and sense within his existence was focused on the floor.
The recent littering of ash tarnishing the floor, to be more specific.
I’ve been getting soft on yer pathetic self, haven’t I? It appears I have to remind ya why, no matter what some blonde pigtailed nutcase says, you will never be a hero!
Among the cacophony of snickers and jeers, the only thing his unfocused vision allowed were sudden flashes of black and tanned-ivory stained with red. With every and each occasion they transitioned; the same sound could be heard.
Thud…
Do you get it now!?
Thud.
Am I finally getting it into your dumb skull!? Am I making you understand how worthless you are!?
Thud!
You are and will ever be nothing more than a Deku!
Thud!
YOU. ARE. NOTHING!
THUD!
With his eyes closed shut, Izuku quickly bit the inner bottom of his lips, with enough force to feel the coppery taste of blood. However, instead of feeling concerned about the crass course of action, he was grateful for the income of pain that brought him back from his nightmarish stupor and put an abrupt, if only temporary, silence to the voices.
He knew they would come back. How could they not if tomorrow first hour in the morning they will be more alive than ever, and will continue to do so six out of seven days each week. For the incoming months before he could consider himself free of their torment. And no matter how much he tried to, he couldn’t even convince himself that they wouldn’t harm him.
If there was something he was sure about them, was that the owners of those voices absolutely intended to hurt him.
“Zuzu.”
Like an umbrella parting away the discordance of despair and doubt raining down upon him, that was how big of an impact her mere mention of his name had on him. Thus, when he looked back and saw his friend giving a nod in assurance and an encouraging smile, it was as if his inner demons were never there in the first place.
No matter how many occasions he repeated it to himself, it would never cease to amaze him how much of a light Junko had become in his life.
And yes, Junko. As in her first name.
It had taken him a while to refer to his friend on a first-name basis. And although it still was somewhat embarrassing, her constant insistence that she had long since been doing it already while also taking a step further with that nickname, eventually made him relent.
However grateful he may be for the reminiscence of such good memories, though, he knew there was no time to waste. After returning the gesture to his friend and taking one last deep breath, Izuku moved a pair of steps forward and crouched down on the starting line. If only this time with his posture properly fixed the way only constant practice would permit. And, unlike two months ago, he was as ready as he could ever be.
“At the count of one…tw―Time’s on! Go! Go! Go!”
Long since accustomed to such sudden callouts, Izuku turned into a blur of sky-blue and green until he reached the first obstacle. Although, this time around, his momentum diminished by only a marginal degree, only enough so he could properly land on within the first tire. Besides that, he essentially ran through the rest without wasting a single step. Something for which he was grateful. Over time, he had come to learn the hidden trap that was sacrificing his pace for the sake of securely clearing the tires.
With his speed not taking much of a hit, he made use of the breach between them and the tunnel obstacle to both regain and accumulate some more of it.
The moment he was strands of hair away from crashing his mouth into the pipe’s layer, he abruptly crouched his body down until he was gliding across the pipe’s entire passage. It was a risky bet, especially one that his past self could’ve never hoped to accomplish even in his wildest dreams. However, when a new wave of sunrays assaulted him from the other side of the tunnel, he knew it was definitive proof that it all had paid off.
Sure, the side that had to deal with the concrete for such a maneuver stung a bit. Although it was nothing more than that. If there was one thing his body could boast of ever excelling at, was pain tolerance.
Rather than allowing such a train of thought to deter him, Izuku put his mental efforts into commanding his legs to get him up and continue with the obstacle course. There wasn’t nervousness in his features, nor childlike pride at seeing the night-and-day disparity between the past Izuku and the current one.
Instead, he was fulfilled with feral determination doped in adrenaline. With a single order coursing through his mind.
Reach the finishing line in less than fifteen minutes by any means necessary.
It was as such, that Izuku made his way to the monkey bars and, doing honor to its name, tightened the muscles in his arms while skipping through its handlers the same way he saw Junko did all those weeks ago. It was also following in Junko’s steps that he was capable of leaping from log to log without losing his footing or falling from any of them. How he balanced through a tightrope. Climbed a ten-foot wall made of net without tangling himself. Reached another wall, only this one solid and of a pair of feet higher, surpassed with just as much ease and, without a hint of hesitation, jumped off it and rolled to the ground. Just the way Junko showed him so he could soften the fall. For every single challenge set in his way, he followed in the steps his both mentor and friend had taught him.
Junko had set the bar, and Izuku Midoriya was very much obliged to reach and even surpass it.
With just a few droplets of sweat even under the unforgivable heat, and his breathing showing nothing more than the earliest signs of exhaustion, he jumped from the last of a series of ropes hanging from a metallic platform. He swiftly landed on his two feet with his knees lowering just the necessary amount to not hurt himself in the process. Rapidly shifting his gaze up, he suppressed a shiver at the sight that greeted him.
The Laser Funhouse.
On his very first attempt at it, this obstacle was responsible for at least half of his time spent within the obstacle course. One of many humiliation marks still blazing on his person. With his ropes aligned in such intricate means and at a massive rate that its completion without brushing with one almost fell on the impossible.
At least at first glance.
He saw Enoshima doing it.
He had analyzed and practiced this obstacle more times than any other by at least a tenfold.
He also reduced the time it took him to successfully complete it on each of his attempts.
With his fists clenching and unclenching, Izuku took deliberate steps back all the while his orbs became fixated on his last challenge with a calculating gaze. The moment he felt the rough texture from one of the jumping cords caressing his back, Izuku confirmed he had gained as much distance as he could, or needed for that matter. There were a few seconds of silence, with only the sound of birds singing up ahead daring to interrupt what was undoubtedly the moment that would determine his success…or failure.
Not seeing any reason for a second more spent in preparation, Izuku sprinted ahead with such intent, that most people would’ve thought his next move was to bulldoze through the last challenge.
They couldn’t have been more wrong about that.
In a manner not that different from his experience with the second obstacle, he waited until the very last moment to maneuver himself. Only, instead of repeating the same stunt during the tunnel obstacle, he turned on his back, crouched just half as much as he previously did back then, and angled himself a few degrees in the direction of the jungle of ropes waiting for him.
And then pumped every bit of strength within his legs to jump, with his arms harpooned straight above him.
The combination of the extra push of kinetic energy gained from the lower part of his body, the trajectory of his own calculated choice along with his extended arms cementing it had all but assured a displacement that allowed him to get inside the laser funhouse without any issues whatsoever.
It was done with such expertise that, in Junko’s own words when he taught him about it, could put a veteran ballerina to cry in envy while also making her consider changing her current profession towards…well, Izuku could admit that his friend’s crude sense of humor was still a subject he was yet to get entirely used from her.
Regardless, such a jump wasn’t without that single purpose. No, there was more to it other than access to the structure. When Junko did something similar in her demonstration, he thought it was just par of the course with the eccentricities that defined his friend. However, through a combination of trial and error along with his own deductive abilities, he eventually came to understand that instead, it was part of the course with the sharp mind that also defined his friend.
While the laser funhouse might look equally difficult from beginning to end, it only seemed that way from an outsider’s perspective. The truth of the matter was only the first half possessed a web of ropes hanging in a ridiculously complicated manner, and it was only because of the ropes tied on the sides and near the entrance that it gave an illusion about the second half being just as harsh. In reality, the ropes within that segment were fewer by a wide margin and positioned in less compromising areas.
Overall, the solution was quite simple.
All he had to do was to skip the hard section.
After all, things didn’t end there. Besides the trick regarding the real difficulty of the funhouse, there was one extra detail one could notice if they stopped in front of the structure to carefully look at it. While at first glance it might appear the ropes were arranged without a song or dance, the truth was that at the very center of the entrance, the ropes formed an octagon-shaped hole which, through an archway-like bridge, led to the second half of the course.
Basically, all the tools required to simplify what he thought to be the roughest of all obstacles into something way more manageable had always been at his disposal…if he was willing to invest sufficient brain matter.
That was something else he had come to learn about his friend.
She was a big fan of loopholes.
Back at the moment at hand, though, just when he felt he was about to descend, he shifted his horizontal body by the remaining two hundred and seventy degrees that made up his back flip. With just a momentary moment of vertigo, his arms crawled back to his side in a practiced manner, and with a loud thud reverberating through the soles of his feet, Izuku landed on his feet. It was nothing but a further testament to how effective Junko’s training had been for him that he succeeded in his endeavor without any repercussions.
While the hardest part had been conquered, he didn’t stop himself to cheer in celebration. Instead, with just as much caution, he slowly but surely stood straight. Carefully doing his best to not fall victim to overconfidence or any strand rope in the process. With just as much caution, he turned in the direction of the close yet so far finishing line.
By the time he began his first steps forward, and with how intense it was, he felt Junko’s presence catching up to his position, with her gaze lingering upon him. However, rather than allow a misunderstanding that could break his concentration, he knew better and understood that she was merely making sure he wasn’t breaking this exercise’s only rule, intentionally or not, by ignoring any cord that might’ve touched him.
Controlling the small voice that urged him to go faster, Izuku snaked his way through the faux lasers. With his eyes patrolling every inch in front, on the sides, above, and down as well. Never letting any hazard break his guard.
For the umpteenth occasion, he controlled his nerves when he had one foot outside. Out of extra caution, he continued with the slow pace until he was a few feet away from the last obstacle.
The very moment he confirmed the coast was clear, Izuku ran as if his life depended on it. Once again, something his body already carried extracurricular experience.
Not like he thought too hard about that last statement, much to his fortune. Instead, Izuku had never been any more relieved of hearing a whistle too close to comfort than he did when he crossed the finishing line.
He had done it.
He completed the obstacle course without failing at any of its stages. Not even once.
When footsteps began to echo in the vicinity, Izuku turned just in time to see his friend approaching. Her face was stoned in neutrality, no doubt it was on purpose so he couldn’t read her expression to get an early answer. The stopwatch in her hands was the only source that would reveal to him whether it had all been worth it or not.
Some moments of tense silence passed between the two. Despite that, he didn’t let it get the better of him. This in itself was one of many tests Junko threw in between what usually counted as the ‘real’ training.
Junko brought the clock piece up to her face, and with a voice just as stoic, she finally spoke up.
“Twelve minutes and eight seconds.”
Izuku blinked once, twice, and it wasn’t until the third one that Junko’s words registered to him. His brows shot up and his entire body reverberated with barely contained euphoria screaming to be released.
That didn’t stop him from wanting to make sure though, “Junko, could…could you repeat that.”
“Twelve minutes with eight seconds,” His friend did as was asked, a proud smile parting her lips. “It looks like that last stunt in the laser funhouse paid its due.”
Twelve.
Twelve minutes.
That was less than fifteen minutes, wasn’t it?
“I…I did it…” Izuku whispered, almost not believing the words coming from his mouth.
“You did.” Thankfully, Junko was there to put a swift end to any trail of doubt running through his veins. “Not only that, but you did so with some extra minutes to spare. You surpassed the expectations I initially put in you, Zuzu.”
He truly did, didn’t he? For a multitude of reasons, it wasn’t the ideal victory he had hoped. However, it was just as Junko said. The condition was to surpass the obstacle course in fifteen minutes, and he did so even with less time than required.
A feat only possible because of Junko’s guidance.
Even though he no longer was keeping any effort in it, Izuku knew that at that point it was impossible to maintain any composure.
Unconsciously, and surprising even himself, the first thing he did once the gates of the dam containing his feeling were set open, was to rush towards his friend.
“Junko!” And then trapped her in a hug. Pouring as much gratitude as it was possible for him into it.
“Upupupu,” His ears perked upon hearing Junko’s trademark laugh. “My, you sure have gotten quite daring in these past weeks, haven’t you~?”
Eh?
With the dullness caused by the rush of joy he felt a moment ago coming to a sudden halt, it only took him a fraction of a second ‘And a soft feeling near the chest area…’ for a realization about what he was doing to hit him. With his eyes shattering like glasses, Izuku jumped away as if Junko suddenly was made out of acid.
“S-Sorry!” Despite getting better at it, Izuku knew it was inevitable to fall into the old habit of stuttering after doing something that would’ve left him in a short-term coma not so long ago. “It’s just that hearing you say that made me so happy that I, uh, well…”
“Ah, it’s okay,” Junko said with merriment in her voice. Waving her right hand back and forth to further wave off his worries. “There is nothing bad in getting a bit excited upon hearing good news. Much less when they come from the accomplishments your efforts reaped. Actually, now that we are on the topic of effort and its benefits…”
Izuku tilted his head when he saw his friend eagerly reaching for one of the pockets within her pants.
Whatever next move he could’ve expected out of his friend to be, temporarily blinding him with a sudden flash was certainly not one of them.
“Junko!?” The green-haired boy groaned. Although sensing that there was no other movement from his friend’s side, it made him relax, if only to a minimal degree. With no small amount of confusion etched onto him, he rubbed his eyes. Intent on clearing his vision as soon as possible so he could question what was that about.
When the colors came back to him, the very first thing noticed was the eager smile adorning Junko’s lips. The second was how her hand was reaching out to him with the responsible for his temporal blindness.
Her phone.
Most prominent of all though, was the picture it was showing.
It was a person, standing still while looking ahead at something the image simply didn’t show. The short boy in the picture was wearing a jumpsuit that his scrawny legs and arms made it look anything but decent on him. Far from carrying any reassurance in his body language, his nervous expression, the bobbly cheeks, and the posture he emitted. All of it combined presented nothing else beyond a boy full of insecurities and fear of his own shadow.
Regardless of how someone painted it, no one ‘Save for a single person…’ could look at the stick of a boy in the picture and take him seriously if he were to say that he was determined to save them when they needed it the most.
“That was you on your very first day of training,” Junko said, all the while also answering when did she snuck that picture. “An adorable rabbit, that while set on seeing his goal achieved, it lacked the proper guidance. Yet, said puffy animal held a fire within. One that was, is, and will ever be inextinguishable. With nothing else beyond that on his person other than a little push in the right direction, his resolution eventually took him to what he is today.”
Swiping aside the previous image, Izuku nearly let out a gasp at what he saw. Out of necessity, he looked at himself in the mirror every day, even if it was an activity he tried to avoid whenever it was possible. However, it wasn’t until this very moment, in which Junko showed him this picture, that he finally realized how far he had changed from the feeble kid he was.
The excessive meat on his face was gone. All of it was replaced with sharp features that made it look as if he grew a pair of years older. His cowering posture was set straight and even though it was a picture, the growth spurt was noticeable.
Yes, he was still shorter than his friend. Only they had to be compared side by side for the now minuscular difference to be noticed.
Muscles. That was something he couldn’t avoid catching up even if he tried. His once loosely bodysuit now seemed a size tighter than it should be considered appropriate. The collar of his attire hung down just enough to expose some of his now-toned chest. Down below, the hints of three pairs of squared muscles around his no longer squishy belly could barely be hidden. He was also capable of feeling in this very moment the callouses in his hands whenever his fingers rose with one another.
Overall, and ignoring the face filled with surprise ‘Or the still healing cut near the left cheek…’, what greeted him was no longer a fragile kid, but instead…
“A young man,” Junko said, stealing the words out of his mind. “This is what you have become now, Zuzu. No longer a youngling that could only daydream, but rather a man, and a handsome one at that~, whose actions will speak louder than words. His, or others for that matter.”
“I…sure, Junko.” His face turned a scarlet red at the passing compliment, taking for what it was. And, just maybe, a little more.
Now, Izuku doubted he would be anytime soon as vain as to assure himself of now, or ever, falling into the category of attractive. However, accepting that his image had improved to the point of no longer being considered a nuisance to gaze upon at? That was something he could get himself behind.
Besides, what else could explain why those harpies back in Aldera have stopped using his looks for material for their insults?
“Your welcome, even if I was just stating facts.” Was his friend’s response, with a self-assured smirk gracing her face only furthering his embarrassment. However, it quickly was replaced with a joyful and satisfied smile. “I mean it, y’know? You have gotten closer towards your goal, and you earned the right to be proud about it.”
“Of course!” Izuku nodded at her words, with small drops of salty water developing in the corners of his eyes. “I wouldn’t have come this far without your help, Junko. Thank you!”
More than anything else, he meant that last part. From beginning to end, and even beyond what he had been reassured of time and time again, she had been invested in making sure the training bore its fruits.
It even came to the point she joined him in most sessions!
Sure, perhaps she does so to keep her figure intact too, but reaping benefits of her own wasn’t something I could even begin to frown at. Much less after the miracle in all but name that she has bestowed upon me!
Still overwhelmed with her words and the rampaging thoughts acclaiming within him, a new massive wave of euphoria threatened to come through. This time he knew better though, and instead of daring himself to lunge at his friend for a second occasion, he saw it fit for instead to pump both of his fists while the urge to leap into the sky called out for him.
And so, he did. Izuku pushed himself up and down. Jumped and fell with the childlike glee he suppressed during the race through the obstacle course, with nothing else other than sheer happiness guiding his moves.
“Ngh!”
At least he did so until a sharp pain surged from the area near his left kidney. With his now wide eyes mixing with understanding and grimacing in a way he only had come to constantly experience until recently, he realized with ease what was the cause.
Goddammit, I thought I could’ve kept it to myself for a little while more…
“Izuku? What’s…” Junko trailed off and, unsurprisingly for him, her eyes quickly widened with realization. Just as fast, they narrowed with scorn. “It was that ashen-blonde bitch, wasn’t it?” At that, Izuku winced.
Not at the fact that she insulted Bakugo, mind you. That wasn’t anywhere near what bothered him about what she said.
Rather, it was the act of swearing in itself that made him frown. Despite all the out-of-tone humor and general language that Junko carried herself with, she rarely if ever recurred to straight-up throwing curses. That she did so right now and with such venom in her voice spoke volumes of how much she was seething for this development.
As such, a spark of irritation way close to anger than what he would’ve liked to admit flickered toward a certain red-eyed boy.
Of course that guy finds a way to be a pest even without his direct presence.
Be that as it may, he didn’t wanted for the good mood shared between him and Junko to come to an abrupt end at such a sudden notice, so he tried to salvage it. Clutching one arm around the source of his pain, Izuku did his best to feign he was no longer hurting as he spoke, “Don’t worry, Junko. I think I wasn’t careful with my breathing and that caused me some momentary pain in the area. But it is nothing serious, I promise! Just some rest and I should be as fine as ever.”
It only took Junko’s narrow gaze to further lock on him, for Izuku to understand he wasn’t fooling her for a moment.
“Leaving aside that acting or lying isn’t simply your forte,” Enoshima said, and although he was glad there wasn’t any hostility sent his way for the lie, he could tell his efforts to calm her down did as much as splashing a bucket of water at Endeavor could have. “Izuku…this isn’t a first-time incident.”
Yeah, that was the main reason his plan lacked any hope of surviving contact. Or why he knew chalking it up as him hurting himself during the tunnel obstacle was just as hopeless of an excuse.
This wasn’t the first occasion he came to Junko with a souvenir that had his classmate’s firm plastered somewhere on his body.
He could only be ironically grateful that today wasn’t the worst it could’ve been. Perhaps he would’ve completed the obstacle course much faster if he were in complete shape, although…ever since that incident, days like these, where he was capable of hiding how much the targeted area truly hurt, were the best he could hope for.
Let’s see if that ‘despairful’ training of yours is any good after I’m done with you, shithead!
He involuntarily flinched at the remembrance. Something Junko easily picked up.
“Sorry for bringing up that memory, Izuku.” His friend said, an apologetic voice and facial features smearing her face. Before Izuku could have time of reassuring her he accepted the apology, her face quickly shifted into one of righteous indignation, “However, enough is enough!”
Enough is enough?
“Junko, what do you mean by that?” Izuku asked, with no small amount of wariness at what he suspected was running through his friend’s mind at this very moment.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m gonna have some far from kind words with those scumbags, and tell them that―”
“NO!” Izuku, with enough force to surprise both him and Junko.
“No?” The pigtailed blonde repeated with disbelief. “I’m your friend, Izuku! Isn’t it obvious that I would care―”
“That’s not it, Junko,” He quickly denied, with his voice now a tad more controlled. Although no small amount of shame ran through his body at having interrupted his friend twice in a row. “Believe me, I know you do.”
Of course he knew.
If there was a truth in this world that absolutely no one will be ever capable of making him retract from believing, was that Junko Enoshima cared about him.
And it was for that very reason that he couldn’t allow her to go with that idea of hers.
Izuku knew that if he were to allow Enoshima to confront them, the topic of his condition as a quirkless person would be brought up sooner rather than later. And while that in itself was an injury that had lost most of its sensitivity, the possibility of Junko finally revealing herself as one in the spur of the moment to share part of the burden was a real fear that, under no circumstances, he wanted to see happening.
Her discrete threat towards Bakugo was effective at keeping him and his goons at bay, sure…but he knew that only worked so long as everyone believed Enoshima had a quirk.
After all, as far as the entire world was concerned, there wasn’t a single quirkless individual on the planet worth the effort of saving. It might sound spiteful and condescending, but it was a truth Izuku had lived with far before meeting Junko. And one that the aforementioned wasn’t spared from.
Her own school was no different. It was only through a combination of the principal and those of similar levels in authority not giving enough of a damn to do proper check-ups, some luck, and her own wits that so far, Junko had managed to trick her classmates into believing she possessed one.
If word were to get leaked out from his own school, the repercussions Junko would suffer wasn’t something Izuku could forgive himself for if they were to become a reality.
“Just…please, it’s seven months before U.A.’s entrance exam,” And two more before actually getting to attend there, but Izuku thought better than to bring it out. “I’ve been dealing with stuff like this for a decade, I can for a little while more. Besides, tempting luck by trying to break the status quo at his point is a risk I would rather avoid.”
Junko made a face that clearly showed his disapproval of how he was approaching this. Although rather than voicing her opinion straight away, her mouth shifted into a thin line, with no doubt that brilliant mind of hers going over her options.
They kept at it, without anyone uttering a word for quite a while. Or at least it felt that way. Perhaps it was a minute, maybe it was an hour. It was hard to measure when neither bothered to check it. Regardless of how much it passed, though, nothing was spoken between the two in that timeframe.
Until, finally, it was his friend who broke the silence.
“There isn’t any way to convince you to change your mind about this, is there?” Junko said, carrying a resignation that hearing on her felt straight up wrong.
However, that didn’t deter him from shaking his head, “No, there isn’t. I…I’m sorry.”
“…Tch, I understand where you are coming from, so I trust you know what you are doing, Zuzu.” Junko relented. Before he could sigh in relief, though, she continued, “However, and sorry if I’m bringing that junk again, if they ever take things as far as they did that day, there ain’t nothing you could say to convince me not to go and demolish that place with my own hands, ya get me?”
For some reason, Izuku couldn’t help imagining the exaggerated picture of her releasing her fury upon Aldera. With a giant Junko making fire rain down upon the foundations of his junior-high school and bears of black and doing weird dances upon its debris.
“Hehe, of course.” Which is also why a small laugh ended up escaping his mouth. It lacked mirth and was also restrained, but that didn’t quit the authenticity of one of the rarest gestures he showed ever since…well, for most of his life.
“Sheesh, what am I gonna do with you, buddy.” Similarly sensing the mood coming back to more amicable terms, he saw how most of the tension left Junko’s body. “I suppose you will want us to move onto different topics, won’tcha?” Izuku never nodded faster in his life. “Fiiine…then how about the next stage of your training?”
“Sure!” Not even the lingering pain around his lungs was an impediment from him setting straight at the excitement Junko’s proposal provoked. Izuku was far from surprised that she knew what subject would’ve been the best one to bring his mood up.
As expected of the most important person in his life.
Walking through the passages of the warehouse-turned-training facility, Izuku let out a sigh filled with fondness. The worn-out stand in the corner, filled to the brim with theory-crafting notes. The decorations, like posters and such, brought in to give a personal touch to the place. Even the weights that almost choked him had Enoshima not been there to notice it and lift them out of his collar.
Everything about it brought a smile to his face.
He couldn’t believe his past self’s hesitation at using the accommodations this place permitted. Now Izuku didn’t know what would’ve become of him if he didn’t have a safe haven like this one, where he could be himself without fear of being pitied, judged, or tormented. A second yet more familiar home where he was always welcomed by the responsible for finding this place and guiding him here.
How many good memories had he made here?
If his math was right, the amount surpassed half of the total memories he could recall as positive or acceptable in his whole life.
By a wide margin, mind you.
He wasn’t allowed to daydream further, though, with his strode coming to a halt the very moment Junko also stopped in her tracks. Looking down was enough for Izuku to see she had cut her stroll short in front of her duffel bag.
Bending down, Junko unbuckled her bag before beginning to rummage through its contents. In the meanwhile, Izuku waited patiently.
While looking away to avoid gazing upon anything or anywhere inappropriate, of course!
“Alrighty, here it is!”
Prompted by her voice, Izuku turned just in time to see what Junko was holding in her hands.
Junko Enoshima’s Despairful Road to Heroism 2.0.
Just like every time he looked at it, a flash of emotions flew over him. Among all of them, three, in particular, stood out for him.
Fondness, for the responsible of its existence.
Melancholy, for the object in question.
Disdain, for the individual that forced Junko to create it.
He didn’t lingered much on those feelings, more interested in his curiosity about what was to come in their plans. While yeah, the schedule for the development of his body was lined up in both versions, he knew that those ‘Transition Phases’ would be the pillars of his training in the same way the obstacle course was.
Izuku had a feeling he was about to know what the next of them would be.
“I know I don’t hafta tell ya, less so when I already did a pair of minutes ago,” Junko began. “But you have grown by leaps and bounds in the time undergoing this training. Running large distances without losing a breath. Enviable gripping strength that only those with enhancement quirks could look down upon. The capacity to swiftly leap through obstacles at the pace of your liking. Acrobatics done with such flexibility that would put most girls in shame. Each one of them are feats the past you would’ve considered impossible.”
His back stood up straighter at the achievements Junko listed. Unable to hold the pride he felt at how far he had come.
“And while that is wonderful…”
Huh?
While that conjunction caught him off-guard, he didn’t let his mind become too distracted by it. Rather, he saw it more beneficial to pay rapt attention to what his friend was about to say next.
“All the training in the world isn’t anywhere near enough to prepare for what could await you out there.”
“Junko, you…you aren’t implying everything so far has been for nothing, right?” He carefully asked. Izuku had long since learned that when it comes to her, barking at each spark of concern would be like running a marathon the very moment a referee brings out a starter pistol.
“Nope, that’s not what I’m sayin’.” Junko easily denied, much to his relief. “What I am getting at is that everything I’ve taught you so far is the basic requirement for you to begin with the real deal.”
“The real deal,” Izuku repeated. “And, that is…?”
Instead of an immediate verbal response, what Junko did was to gently push the notebook onto his chest.
“Check out the page thirty-one.” Was everything her friend said, with a pleasant smile gracing her lips.
Not like she had to say more, he easily recalled that was where the first Transition Phase was written.
It truly is as I suspected…
Without wasting any time, Izuku quickly accepted the schedule before flicking through its pages. Although, by the time he was on the 25th one, he began to do so at a slower pace. It was almost as if this sense of foreboding he was feeling told him that whatever he found there, would change his life forever.
The very moment in which he reached the page instructed by Junko and assessed its contents, Izuku understood that his instincts hit the bullseye. Whether he considered that a good or a bad thing, Izuku…he simply didn’t know.
That wasn’t to say he lacked a reaction. That couldn’t have been more wrong. His eyes widened. His mouth let out a gasp. The strands of his hair, both in the head and arms, stood up on end. Heck, his entire body was shaking, and he couldn’t even begin to describe what exactly was the cause of it.
The variety of emotions he was feeling towards what he was seeing was just that much.
What once was a page with nothing else other than two words, now had an addition. Within a recently attached stick note, a new sentence could be read.
Condition for Graduation: Take Down a Villain!
Fight a villain.
Defeat and capture said villain.
That was what a Hero did.
What Izuku saw day by day those powered people in suits do.
What most of Earth’s population understood heroism was about.
There was no easier way to explain to someone what a Hero was. Even a four-year-old could understand that much.
He would know. Even before the video of All Might that cemented his dream, that was the first type of exposure he got from heroes as a child.
And yet, when he read that sentence time and time again. Izuku’s brain refused to make sense of it.
He couldn’t even question if this was some sort of prank. Izuku knew Junko wasn’t joking about this, that much he understood.
His friend was a natural prankster. Just one minute with her could tell you that she was a free spirit of mischief and extravagance. That wasn’t to say it was a bad thing. Izuku found such a trait endearing, as it did wonders in countering his own introvert nature.
Despite that, there were occasions in which she would say or present something that most people would consider madness, and much to those people’s further disbelief, they would find out that, no, Junko was one hundred percent serious about it.
Izuku was well aware that this was one of those moments.
This is why, rather than question whether she truly meant what was written here or not…
“Junko, are you telling me to commit vigilantism?” He asked for the sake of clarification. However minuscule chance as it was, there was the possibility of him missing some context. Like this villain being Junko disguised as one, or hiring a person, and Izuku would have to defeat said individual.
You know, something that didn’t enter the lines of breaking the law.
Junko stared at him; the same expression with which she handed him the schedule petrified on her face. A few moments later though, it broke with her releasing a sigh full of relief, “You have no idea how glad I am you aren’t freaking out about this, Zuzu.”
“Right…” Freaking out? Yeah, that was a way to describe how he would’ve reacted if Junko had dropped this bombshell in their first days of knowing each other. Granted, what was likely happening right now was less him accepting things with ease, and more among the lines of his brain unable the resist the urge of seeing how deep this rabbit hole would go.
“This was supposed to be a much later thing, but, well…the truth of the matter is that we are behind schedule.”
Izuku resisted the urge to flinch at that. Junko didn’t deserve to feel guilty about something which, between the two of them, only Izuku laid at blame.
Originally, their plan involved him completing the obstacle course in May. However, due to that, they were forced to make some adjustments. With the biggest changes revolving around the weeks his body wasn’t capable of giving it his all.
However, what Junko said didn’t answer his question. At least not in its entirety, “Then, this Transition Phase, it truly is about committing vigilantism?”
“…It is.”
An uncomfortable silence passed between the two following Junko’s confession. His mind was a turmoil, still trying and failing to figure out how he should be reacting to what was written in the schedule that, previously to this, had brought him blessing after blessing.
As for her friend…
There was awkwardness in her body language, but that was about it. She didn’t seem ashamed, less so regretful about her proposition. The time they have spent together had been enough to make him understand that she truly saw him going against a villain without a hero license, or at least being part of a hero school for that matter, as the most logical course of action.
That prompted him to make his next question.
“Why?”
“Combat experience,” Junko answered without missing a beat, neither requiring any clarification about what he meant. “Like I said, having a fit body ain’t gonna cut it. You need to learn how to fight against real people. Understand how it works. Feel it.”
Izuku nodded, slowly, in reluctant acceptance of the logic before speaking again, “Couldn’t we…you know, have you teaching me about that? Like acting as my sparring partner?”
He disliked the idea of fighting Junko and straight-up hated the possibility of hurting her. Still, no one could deny that was a healthier alternative.
“Not really,” One that Junko deemed unfit apparently. “I mean, I am gonna teach some moves, you can count on that. However, there’s just how much I, as a quirkless myself, can impart to you that would be useful in practice against people with quirks. Within U.A. you will be put against people with all sorts of them, and considering that school is le crème de la crème, it is unlikely they will be shrubs on their own turfs.”
Again, he nodded, not out of accepting her proposal, but rather because he was getting her thinking process. “What about asking someone for help?”
Before the question left his tongue, Izuku already understood there was a fatal flaw with that idea.
“Who?” Obviously, Junko saw it as well. “For it to work we would need to reveal our lack of quirks, and those who wouldn’t stop at only mocking us would go out of their way to dismantle what we have been working here.”
There wasn’t anything he could say to refute that. Izuku knew Junko was right about it.
What you are doing is too dangerous!
Impossible!
A loser like you would only get himself killed!
You could hurt yourself!
I'm sorry, kid. It is good to have dreams…but it is also important to set realistic goals.
He had known for a long while…
“Believe me, Izuku,” Seeing his silence, Junko saw it fit to continue. “I did a thorough search for alternatives, but in the end, the only viable way you can get that essential exposure is through those schmucks. If we go smart about it, like picking up our fights, doing it at night, and in low-criminality areas, the risk would be minimal. It…it is our best, to not say only bet, I’m afraid.”
Izuku had to admit, this was without a doubt the hardest pill Junko had made him swallow. While nowhere near as frowned upon as villains, a vigilante still was someone who fell outside what was considered legal. It would be temporary, only until his entrance exam into U.A., but that didn’t exempt it from what it would represent.
It didn’t make things easier that this wasn’t coming from a delusional girl that had no idea what she was getting at. Even without falling at the same level as most of its inhabitants, Junko spent entire years living in the world she was intending for Izuku to confront.
If there was anyone who could say they knew what they were doing and meant it in regard to this, it was her.
Is this truly the only hope someone like me can have in becoming a hero?
…
…
…
“…Can I have some time to think about this?”
Two months ago, he would’ve outright rejected this. Even without what was obviously wrong about going with such a plan, the idea of him acting behind the law in the middle of the night to stealthily knock down villains one by one was as far as it could be from the gallant and flashy hero that saved people by the thousands he imagined himself to be.
Although, two months ago was also more or less how much time had passed since All Might told him he could never fulfill that ideal. Yet, here he was, with his dream of becoming a hero stronger than ever.
All thanks to Junko.
Junko, who had become his friend. Someone who could genuinely be considered a friend, for the first time in his life.
Junko, who saw potential in him where no one else did, and worked day and night to see it flourish.
Junko, the only other person who could understand the burden of being born different like he did.
Junko, who made sure his dream still prevailed.
Junko, the one responsible for him to still have hope.
Having enough faith to thoroughly consider this idea of hers was the least he could do.
Junko had never disappointed him, why this time should be any different?
“You can,” His blonde-haired friend said, understanding leaking through her voice. “Perhaps tomorrow we should take a day off. You know, so both of us deal with this on a clear head.”
His stomach twisted in a knot at the prospect of having a day spent without seeing her. However, and as much as he disliked it, he understood that course of action was the best. For both of them.
Reluctantly so, he accepted. As such, and with nothing else of importance to discuss, they spent the next pair of hours talking about trivial matters. Doing their best to leave the tension behind them else and enjoy their time together.
They keep doing so until, just when he was forgetting all of his problems, the time for departure rang and a shadowy cloud above his head began to develop all over again. There was some small comfort in the fact that they took the train together, but even that didn’t last when they parted ways at the last station.
With heavy steps, he made his way toward his apartment. Once at home, he greeted his mother and even had dinner with her.
All the while doing his best to ignore the looks she was giving him the whole time.
True, Junko also gave him concerned stares whenever there was an incident. Today was a prime example of it. Only that hers never were filled with the pity someone should only give to a critter incapable of surviving on their own.
He had a long while of experience dealing with that, so luckily for him ‘If it could even be considered that…’, things didn’t go beyond being utterly uncomfortable. The norm as of late within the Midoriya’s residence.
When he was done with his food, he picked up the trays, washed them, bid his mother goodnight without waiting for a response, and hurried towards his room. Perhaps it might look like a rude gesture ‘Which in fact, it truly was…’, but Izuku knew that if he were to spend a minute more than necessary near her, she wouldn’t resist the urge to take some initiative and bring up a conversation he truly didn’t want to have.
Beyond the pity, he had seen what other looks she gives him. Each one of them told him that it was just a matter of time before that brief and reluctant boost of faith Junko renewed in her reached its expiration date.
There were a pair of hours left before his usual sleeping schedule, but for the good of him, he couldn’t think of anything else to do. Under that ratiocination, once he was done changing his clothes into a sleeping attire, he forced himself to sleep. If only because being alone with his thoughts was among his least pleasant activities.
Well, Junko had instructed him about the benefits of properly resting, so there was that too.
As his consciousness began to fade off, he tried his best to imagine himself and Junko in the warehouse. Of them training. Planning for the future. Even her playing him a prank for which she would later tease him about. Whatever it would involve the two of them interacting with each other.
Of whatever that would replace the nightmare my reality was.
He didn’t dare hope tomorrow would be a good, or decent day for that matter. The futility of it was obvious.
He knew that without Junko for the whole day in his itinerary, the entirety of it would be all hopeless.
Chapter 11: The Cure for Heroism (2): The Desperate Boy Confides His Wish on Her. The Answer He Receives Is…
Chapter Text
The Cure for Heroism (2): The Desperate Boy Confides His Wish on Her. The Answer He Receives Is…
Much to his non-surprise, as soon as Izuku's eyes fluttered open and began scanning his room, now filtered with dim morning light, a lethargic sense of emptiness cursed through his body.
It didn't help in the matter that he could hear his only window being hit with what resembled thousands of small pebbles. Either those people got even more shamelessly bolder, which would be a feat in and on itself, or it was raining outside.
Not like either option comforted my mind, though…
At that thought, Izuku slightly shook his head. When did he get that pessimistic about things? It was a rhetorical question, of course. He knew since when, or at least when the figurative cord finally snapped. It was something that had been cooking up from his early years up to that incident.
Regardless, that wasn't much of an excuse. Izuku was self-aware enough to understand he wouldn't be feeling this down if he were to meet up with Junko today. What would she think of him if he were to allow this to get the better of him? After everything she had taught and done for him? He had to step up his game. If not for him, then at least for her.
Surely, he could survive without her company for a single day, right?
Slightly fearful of what answer he would get if dwelling too much on it, Izuku concluded it was time to get everything ready for school. And so he did, gathering up his essentials and preparing to take a shower once done with that, all the while doing his best at ignoring the sense of dread the notion of attending classes was filling him with.
Today was going to be, well, it was going to be a day, he knew just about that much. How further would that deteriorate was going to depend on his luck.
No sooner he entered the dining room, uniform and backpack ready, he was greeted by his mom giving him an earnest smile.
"Good morning, Izuku. I got us some breakfast ready. Care to join in?"
Looking down at the table, he saw it filled to the brim with all kinds of meals. Bowls of rice with tea poured into it, each accompanied with either salmon, hijiki seaweeds, umeboshi, or a healthy mix in between all three. Chicken onigiris as side dishes. And as the main plate, a soba noodles salad for each of them.
An assembly of food both varied and balanced, made up of common ingredients that could be easily found in convenience stores at an affordable price. Just like Junko's schedule recommended.
It wasn't hard to convince her mom about this change in their diet, specifically so because it was his friend who took care of that. While Izuku back then wasn't the biggest fan of revealing much, to not say anything, about his training to his mom 'I can't say I am now either…', Junko made him see the futility of hiding it. At least when it came to the most general details. And so, among other specifics discussed on her first time visiting his house, Junko saw fit to do a sales pitch about the benefits it could provide for both their bodies and wallet to follow such transition in their eating habits.
That his mom lost some weight and she seemed less worried about the bills when compared to a few months ago, spoke of the results by itself.
I suppose that, in its own way, it also said she had been supporting me so far.
"Of course. Thank you, Mom." Izuku finally replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Seemingly encouraged by his compliance, his mother made her way to one side of the table, with Izuku following her steps and sitting on his own spot while placing his backpack on the chair's back. Giving in their own thanks for the food, they both dived into their plates.
While he couldn't say the mood was the greatest there could've been between the two, it was by leaps and bounds better than their dinner last night.
Still, that wasn't the same as saying her mother welcomed the silence.
"Yesterday I forgot to ask, but how was your day…with Enoshima, I mean." She quickly clarified. "Did you two have fun?"
"…Yeah," Izuku said, unable to hold back his grimacing at her mother's inquiry. Especially for the implications of what she was about to ask before correcting herself.
The school had always been sort of a taboo subject between the two. For years he had been trying his best to hide how bad things truly were in his educational environment. Even if he always suspected she already knew. Following that incident, though, it no longer was a suspicion but instead a fact. After all, it was either coming forth with the truth or shifting the blame of his far-from-subtle injuries towards Junko's training. The choice was obvious, regardless of how much he disliked it anyways.
He could only thank Junko did some damage control patching him up before coming home. That, and that she was there to talk things down with her mother. Preventing her from overreacting and reaching a conclusion everyone involved would regret.
Nevertheless, he tried his best to act as if that incident didn't occur within the Midoriya Household for the following days. Eventually, her mother got the hint about his intentions of wanting to leave the white elephant in the room at peace.
Just the same way she easily caught up now on the fact that Izuku wasn't eager to share more about his time spent with Junko. It wasn't like he could 'Or wanted for that matter…', considering whatever other topic brought regarding that would eventually lead up to Junko's next stage for his training.
With a disappointed sigh, whether on him or herself Izuku couldn't know, her mother raised her hand pointing at a near counter, using her quirk to attract the TV's remote control lying in there. Following that, she turned it on, most likely hoping for the background sound to dimmish some of the awkward atmosphere.
And it certainly did, just not in the way either of them expected.
"A tragedy struck in the Kofu prefecture last afternoon!"
Both of the Midoriya's attention got drawn to the screen, in which a brown-haired woman in his late twenties and a giraffe horn on her forehead was talking. Although the interest lasted less for the older one, seemingly intended in changing channels once she recovered.
"Wait," Izuku quickly intervened, though. "Can we listen to it?"
His mother gave him a look before consenting to his request. Leaving the remote aside as they both listened intently to the news.
"Yesterday, between the sixteen and sixteen and half hours, a group of Villains terrorized the streets of the Kofu prefecture, near the agency of the Pro-Hero Takeshita. They arrived at the scene and without any warning whatsoever, they began firing what was undoubtedly illegal weaponry in the vicinity. While it is an incident already covered last night, we now bring you this news with a most recent update of the events."
As the woman on the screen continued with her narration, Izuku developed a thoughtful expression. Pondering about the information she provided just a moment ago.
Six villains.
Acting in the afternoon.
Within the south-central region of Japan.
Their objective was not clear beyond generating panic and disarray among the population.
It filled all the blanks Izuku suspected he would hear the moment he saw the news.
Could it be…?
"Eventually, their evildoings were put to a swift end when the miraculous appearance of All Might himself came to the scene! And although it is an enormous relief that our greatest Hero saved the day one more time with no civilian casualties, we regret to inform this succession of events didn't end on a positive note."
Izuku grimaced at that. Having a decent idea of where the reporter was going with that.
"Just a few minutes ago, we got confirmation that before the arrival of All Might, and in a heroic and successful attempt of keeping the danger away from the citizens, Takeshita, along with one of his sidekicks, Hanae Spring, perished in action. Our most sincere condolences to the friends, coworkers, and family members of such outstanding heroes. To all of them, know that the citizens of Kofu will not forget this unrepayable service. This is NHK-World Japan, and we wish everyone a prosperous day."
With that dismissal said and done, the news channel went into a commercial break. He absentmindedly noticed that her mom was still staring at the screen. Yet, his own thoughts were somewhere else.
More specifically, on the fact that it happened again. Or at least he suspected so.
In the beginning, Izuku didn't pay attention to these incidents beyond the heinous acts of a villain. Or Villains in this case. However, as time went on, he began to notice there was a consistency in how they were all reported to the point it sort of became a side interest of his to follow related news and look up for further correlation. As a future hero, he had to keep up to date with the latest developments concerning cases such as these.
Which weren't zero, to say the least.
Shizuoka, Musutafu, Hosu, and Kofu. Only the south-central region of Japan had fallen victim to these attacks. As far as Izuku was aware, it was always a group of six individuals that never did anything else other than coming out of nowhere and briefly assaulting everyone in their vicinity before being arrested. Finally, they all had an itinerary between the fourteen hours at earliest and nineteen as the latest.
That was not all though, on some forums he had navigated, there have been surfacing rumors that it was the work of a villainous group coming out of the shadows. Izuku couldn't see a way to immediately discard such a theory, however, that still left some questions. These people have clearly gathered enough attention from the pros for quite a while. In that case, if this theoretical organization was real, why nobody had done anything to stop these incidents? Surely with how loud they have been acting, there was a trail to follow. If not, did it actually exist then? Was it truly a monumental coincidence that involved a bunch of mentally unstable people who decided to terrorize the population because they could?
Again. Not assaulting a store. Not robbing a bank. Neither claims of a vendetta against a hero to force out a confrontation. Never once showing a clear goal in-between.
Almost as if their objective was chaos for the sake of it.
Then what, it was just despair for the sake of generating more despair? That didn't make any sense, not even by the usual standards of a villain. Otherwise, a group would've become public to claim credit for those actions to acquire some infamy. Neccesary for their growing influence and the recruitment of more followers. Yet, not even that had happened.
It was all too confusing, and the more Izuku banged his head about, the more it hurt the lack of any answers whatsoever.
The only silver lining Izuku could find among this wave of terror assaulting Japan was that these occurrences never happened at night. The 'Transition Phase' was enough on his plate that dealing with those people added into the mix would be a situation Izuku didn't feel ready for, less so if his friend could fall into the line of fire.
If something were to happen to Junko…I could never forgive myself for it.
"Izuku."
"Mom?" Popping out of his thoughts, he turned away from the screen his eyes were distractedly gazing on and towards the direction of his mother's voice. "What is it?"
His mother for her part, didn't say anything immediately. As her eyes darted between him and the screen, she shifted her hands down the table, and Izuku could practically imagine how she was rubbing her fingers with each other in a futile attempt to calm her nerves.
"Izuku…please be careful out there, alright?" His mother pleaded.
"I will," Izuku said, with a controlled voice that didn't betray anything. Despite that, he was incapable of keeping the churning feeling that was forming in his stomach at bay.
After all, she was doing it again.
His mother was giving him those pitying looks she sends him regardless of circumstances. No matter he had made a friend as amazing as Junko. No matter how much his resilience had prevented him from giving up. No matter how much his body and mind have matured ever since meeting his friend. No matter everything, for her, it was as if he was still that miserable boy that asked her if he could be a hero, only to receive nothing else beyond more pity from her.
No matter what, she sees me as a Deku.
And with that last thought, he lost whatever appetite he had left. For nothing else other than for the sake of the training and not wanting to disappoint Junko, Izuku did his best to leave his plates without any trace of a leftover. Regardless of the sand-like flavor his food suddenly had.
Almost robotically, he thanked his mother for the food, picked up the plates, and washed them up. He went back to pick up the backpack he left hanging on the chair and strolled near the entrance to grab an umbrella before opening the door. The sound of rain now intensifying while its strangely pleasant smell reached up to his nostrils. It almost helped improve his mood.
Almost.
Izuku was about to take a step out, only to remember something at the last moment.
Hesitating for the briefest of moments, Izuku turned back to his mother, "Today I will come home early. Junko believed it was for the best we should take the day off after yesterday's session."
"Oh, is that so?" His mom said, trailing just behind him by a few inches and with her face perking up by a considerable margin. "Then I will make extra sure to have something ready by the time you are here!"
"Mhm," Was his non-committal response before departing, this time for real. Once out of his mother's sight, he couldn't prevent himself from frowning.
Izuku wasn't a fan of how relieved his mom sounded at the prospect of him not attending his training.
He wanted to hope it was because of the intense rain.
However, reality had ingrained into his head to know better.
The walk toward his school felt like taking a step closer to his graveyard. That wasn't as much of a metaphor as he would've liked it to be. While it was true the essence of petrichor covering the streets of Musutafu was an enjoyable distraction, the scenery, with its darkened clouds and the null visibility the intense rain provided, made it for a depressing sight that only worked in a despairful harmony with his already decaying humor.
Far from a fan of dealing with those thoughts, Izuku saw fit to use this window of opportunity to make his mind wander somewhere else more productively. That was to say, pondering on Junko's proposal.
One of his biggest concerns about it was the legality, or the lack thereof, of going with it. Although…
Now the he had time to think about it at his own leisure, and as far as he was aware, what the law specified as vigilantism was someone's unlicensed and proactive use of their quirk to stop a crime. However, neither he nor Junko were possessors of a quirk. Was it a loophole, then?
The regulation was made just a pair of decades ago, through the time the Rhode Island New State Statute implemented in the U.S. was gaining popularity around the globe and the people with quirks were already an overreaching majority. Add in the fact that with the declining quirkless population, the laws have been steadily updated around a fully quirked society, making it so that flaws in the system regarding individuals without a quirk turned more and more common by the day.
While certainly not what could be considered an expert, Izuku had done his fair share of investigation. Most notoriously to make sure there weren't any laws against quirkless people partaking a chance into a hero school…which there wasn't, although there wasn't one saying he could either. Whether it never existed or was considered outdated and thus unnecessary, Izuku wouldn't know.
He supposed it was just further proof of how little people care about it nowadays.
The only reason he wasn't paranoid, now or before, about the possibility of being denied a chance into his high school of choice was that U.A. specified that so long as a person had a perfect conduct record and fulfilled the technical requirements any other school would ask of you, if only standardized to the level of the best hero school in Japan, everyone was free to try their chances at it.
Izuku was part of everyone, even if Junko seemed to be the only one aware of it.
Although back at the topic of committing vigilantism, or not-so-vigilantism in his case…A pair of months ago he would've shivered and paled at this train of thought. Yet, nothing of what he was thinking was ethnically, or legally if his suspicions were proven true, wrong, and, if anything, he would be committing a service to society.
All in all, every single bit of information he had gathered about it told Izuku that he could go for it. Still, that left one important question. One that he couldn't ask the law or Junko, but only at his heart.
Should he do it?
With no small amount of disappointment, by the time he reached the gates of Aldera Junior High, he came to the conclusion that he couldn't reach any clear conclusion regarding that specific interrogative.
Letting out a sigh, already feeling tired of what was likely to come, Izuku crossed past the gate. It didn't take more than a pair of steps inside to feel the change in the atmosphere.
Specifically in the way the passersby were looking at him. He felt their stares piercing through his skull. Each one filled with a negative aura, be it contempt, sharp jealousy, or disgust. No one was an exception. Perhaps one or two were pity, but even those had this sense of dissociation with his existence.
He would've easily gotten here earlier to avoid gathering too much attention, but Izuku had long since learned that only prolonged whatever plans his class had for him.
At least getting as late as possible without infracting the entrance period saves me a few extra minutes of peace.
While his reputation among Aldera was never what Izuku could categorize as popular, there used to be a time they all were comfortable with pretending he didn't exist. Nevertheless, just like most of all his recent tragedies, following that incident, it appeared his own class put themselves to the task of guaranteeing no one stood neutral in this fiasco.
Speaking of his tormentors, none of those he passed by had eyes filled with profound and intended malice, which told him that all of his classmates were already in the classroom.
Before any of those in his surroundings could get any ideas, Izuku did his best to ignore them all and continued on his way.
He skipped the locker section. Izuku no longer used it after all. While his own backpack wasn't what he could consider safe, at least there was a chance he could salvage its contents in it. Or, in his lucky days, to be left ignored by his classmates prioritizing having him as the preferred target.
Izuku shook his head in exasperation. Overthinking the inevitable or reminiscing about it wasn't going to do him any good, only to stress him more than what he will already go through. Besides, the first period was about to begin. He couldn't waste any more time on that stuff.
Climbing up the stairs until reaching the second floor of the building his classroom was found, Izuku only had to turn a corner before reaching his destination. Taking one deep breath, and closing his umbrella before depositing it in a waterproof bag inside his backpack, he turned the door open and…
…
…Something was wrong.
With only a few seconds since he got inside the classroom, Izuku knew that something was very wrong. It was the atmosphere; he could immediately tell. There was a lack of hostility when he made an act of presence, which wasn't normal at all. By now everyone should have bombarded him with stares far worse than the average student within Aldera did. They would've also groaned and whispered with each other how much his presence bothered them.
Instead, everyone was doing their absolute best to avoid looking at him.
The dead as a grave silence surrounding the room also unnerved him. If there was a trait that described his class, Izuku could guarantee whomever it asked that quiet wasn't one of them.
With careful steps, he proceeded to his desk. His senses were on high alert, and he keep his gaze sharp while looking at his surroundings to avoid any nasty surprises.
"Pfft."
Izuku's eyes quickly snapped in the direction where he heard that. Although he only grew more concerned when the only thing he saw where he would've sworn that sound came from was one of his classmates, with his face stoic while gazing in the opposite direction. The pit in his stomach only furthered with each occasion a similar incident repeated itself.
What is going on?
Out of all the red flags gnawing at him, though, Bakugo's expression when Izuku moved past him was the most alarming. Sure, he wasn't hiding his eternal scowl like everyone else was trying to with their own features, and when the ashen-blonde threw him a glance it was one with a burning hatred. As per usual. However, with years of experience dealing with him, it wasn't hard for Izuku to notice the fraction of amusement gleaming in his eyes.
He knew they all had something planned for him, but just what could it―
Izuku's breath got caught in his throat, his eyes widened with dread, and the strands of his hair stood on end while the blood cursing through his veins ran cold. All of it occurred at the same time his orbs locked on the answer that had been eluding him ever since he set foot in the classroom.
Sucker for bimbo whores.
On his desk, through bold and black characters, the very center of his working space was tainted with a message carrying nothing but putrid malice.
It was already bad enough to cause a sense of vertigo on him. Yet, that wasn't the only one written on his table. Far from it.
Quirkless nuisance.
Getting too high on yer horse after meeting that bitch, eh?
Are ya threatening her to hang out with ya? Pathetic.
Is she any good? If ya catch my drift~.
How much does she charge?
Waste of space.
Can I have my turn with her~?
Useless Deku!
Is she as used as she looks?
How many diseases does she carry?
Did you infect her with your quirklessness?
You will never be a hero.
You are an eyesore. Do us a favor and off yourself.
Maybe if you ask her nicely, she would join you.
They didn't even were near as close to ending there. The usually brown desk had practically turned black with each space carrying obscenity after obscenity. Each one grew bolder and with insinuations that were making Izuku want to throw up.
At this point, his body began to shake, and Izuku picked up how some of their badly-hidden giggles turned into shameless laughter. His classmates were probably thinking it was their nervous of a wreck Deku once again shaking like a leaf, feeling nothing but pure terror at this and whatever else his classmates would do to him.
They couldn't have been more wrong though.
Izuku was trembling, yes, but that wasn't the cause.
Rather, it was out of pure and unfiltered fury.
He could take with stride them throwing profanities left and right at his person. He had done so for more than ten years, and even if it recently intensified, he could've continued to do so without raising his head.
But falling as low as involving Junko too?
The person just a few weeks ago they all still were drooling about like starved animals?
His friend?
His savior?
His hero?
Are they seriously writing all those terrible things about her only because their deplorable selves were filled with envy at not having someone as awesome as Junko in their lives?
Izuku wanted to scream. Ask…no, demand which one among these pieces of shit did this.
And yet…
Izuku knew that he couldn't.
Not because he was scared of them. He wasn't.
Not because he was worried about their quirks. He wasn't.
No, the only source of restraint preventing him from taking any impulsive and emotionally-fueled actions was the undeniable truth that doing so would ruin everything.
After that day, he had been on probation. Because of course, even if they had no option other than to send him to the infirmary back then, somehow the school's staff concluded it was Izuku who got into trouble for that. The one who, one way or another, instigated that to happen and deserved getting a warning call.
So, unless he wanted to ruin his perfect conduct record required to attend U.A. and throw away everything he and Junko have worked for, he couldn't do anything else beyond swallow his desire to defend his friend's honor and shut them all up.
Saying that Izuku despised every moment of it would be an understatement.
Grinding his teeth, clenching his fist using enough force to make his bones hurt, and growing more and more infuriated with the derogatory laughter around him, Izuku pretended there was nothing wrong with his desk and took a seat.
"Whoa, is he seriously going to act as if everything is okay after everyone wrote that stuff about that chick he hangs out with?"
"Some random whore pays him attention and now he feels like acting all high and mighty, huh? What an arrogant creep…"
"Perhaps the wimp doesn't care? It's likely she finally got tired of him and dumped the weirdo."
"Hmph, serves him right."
Which apparently only furthered the amusement of his class.
At this point, one of his eyes was constantly twitching and his head was beginning to hurt with how many veins have been popping on his forehead.
If only because it worked as a distraction, the sudden entrance of his teacher was a welcomed diversion. Minuscule as it was. He didn't even care that his educator couldn't dignify himself to recognize Izuku's existence, or that of his desk for that matter. It was probably for the best, Izuku didn't doubt the bastard would have laid the blame on him and either ordered him to stay after class and clean his table, or straight up notified it as misconduct on Izuku's part.
The rest of the class was without much of a hitch. Izuku would almost describe it as peaceful. At least by his most recent standards. There was the spitballs thrown at his hair every now and then. A passing provocation here and there. Someone smacking the back of his head whenever he was busy taking notes. There was also his occasional need to dodge whenever a foot was set on his path with the intention of making him trip. Overall, though, it seemed that the first 'prank' was going to be their stunt of the day.
Although every time he gazed down and saw the scribbles, Izuku seethed and his frustration grew bit by bit.
The wet sound of rapidly dripping water hitting the porcelain texture of a sink echoed within the school's restroom. In a surprising turn of events, it wasn't his uniform that Izuku found himself drying.
At least not the standard one.
Once classes came to an end, rather than hurrying out of the school like he would've preferred to, Izuku put himself to the task of cleaning his desk. That today he wasn't called out about the state of his working space didn't mean he was off the radar. Sooner or later, some adult was going to notice it and Izuku didn't doubt for a moment that he was going to be their first and only scapegoat.
Unfortunately, he didn't come prepared with a cleaning rag at hand, so Izuku found himself needing its closest alternative.
Which was to say, his P.E. uniform.
'At least I won't need it until next week…' Was his poor attempt at an optimistic thought. Seeing the futility in it, Izuku released an exasperated breath and put himself to finish the drying process.
When he was finally done, he stored it in another waterproof bag, and then into his backpack. Izuku tended to carry more than one of these after he learned that having bento in places with multiple sources of water such as the restroom was a terrible idea. Just as bad as it was bringing any bento to school in the first place.
Not in the mood to tempt fate, Izuku picked up his backpack and hurried out of the room.
He should've known even his cautiousness was going to bring trouble to him one way or another.
When he was about to make his exit, the restroom's entrance swung open and, well, seeing who came through it made Izuku wonder for the umpteenth occasion if he truly had spent all of his luck meeting Junko.
The three individuals opposite of him seemed just as surprised at seeing him, although quickly enough the brief stupefaction morphed into predatory grins for two of them. Meanwhile, the head of the group looked as if his day had just been ruined.
Can't say the feeling isn't mutual.
He knew the chances of succeeding at what he was about to do were as likely as Junko's constant joking proclamation of being a multiversal world destroyer turning out to be true. Nevertheless, he opted to play dumb, pretend he wasn't in front of Bakugo and his cronies, and continued on his way out of the restroom.
That plan crumbled the moment he felt a hand fiercely tugging the strap of his backpack, putting his poor attempt at an escape to a sudden halt.
"Oi, Deku. Who said you could leave?"
Again, Izuku knew that what he was about to say was the height of foolishness. However, he also knew that whether he said it or not, the end result was ultimately the same. Besides, with how much Izuku had required to bottle things up so far, he truly wasn't in the mood to stay shut.
With that conclusion reached, he decided to go for it.
"Well, nobody told me I have to stay either."
Izuku was sure the pain on his back when Bakugo slammed him against the wall would've hurt twice as much if hadn't seen it coming.
"Being snarky doesn't fit ya at all, Deku." The red-eyed boy snarled. "Although I suppose that is another mistake we can owe to yer friend, isn't that so?"
"For real," Aoki saw fit to chime in. "What? Are the heads of that bimbo so good that it sucked the meekness outta ya~?"
"Take that back."
"Oh? And why should I…eh?"
If Izuku was asked to list the number of things he had learned under Junko's tutelage, not even an entire day would be enough to point out all of them. Proper diets, working routines, meditation, breathing exercises, proper reflexes, etc. He could go on and on.
Out of all of them, though, Izuku could admit that being capable of shaking someone to the core with nothing more other than the proper expression for it, was certainly not one he expected to come in handy at any point.
He should've remembered there was always a purpose behind his friend's actions.
His irises constricted, his mouth contorted into a thin line, and if he was doing it as Junko taught him, which the way Aoki and Denchi flinched when his gaze lingered on them confirmed to him, he properly adjusted his hair so a shadow grew over his eyes. As a final touch, he was supposed to release killing intent to cement his upper standing over the other party.
It wasn't that hard to do when you were genuinely feeling something akin to it.
I guess that me now being taller than them and far from the skinny boy from two months ago helped on this too…
However, there was a reason they say that humans were the only creature that trips twice over the same rock. Or over the rock you already saw someone trip to in the dark-haired boy's case.
Aoki's nervous stare lingered on Izuku for a few extra seconds. However, it began to exponentially calm down when it moved on Bakugo's back. Eventually, he recovered enough that his smugness came back in full force.
"Hah? I ain't gonna listen to pipsqueak like you. Rather, why don'tcha―"
"Shut the fuck up, long face." Which quickly bit Aoki in the back when Bakugo turned to glare at him this time around.
"Huh? B-Bakugo?" Aoki asked, dumbfounded. Izuku, however, had an idea of where this was going.
"Don'tcha think I didn't notice how you and fingers over there almost pissed their pants when Deku showed the barest hint of a backbone." Just as Izuku suspected, signs of weakness were a sin that Bakugo didn't forgive. Whether it was an ally or an enemy, he didn't care about the difference. "Now, unless you are eager of being next, zip your damn mouth and let me do the talking, ya got me?"
If Aoki had any protest, they all died in his throat while he took a few steps back and made himself look smaller. His dirty-blonde friend falling in line as well without saying a word.
Izuku's hostile gaze flickered between the ashen blonde's minions before addressing him. "What do you want, Bakugo? Do you truly have nothing better to do other than this?" He practically spat the words
He was partially aware he was poking the short-tempered tiger with a sharp stick. That being said, if Bakugo thought that Izuku felt an inch of gratitude towards him for stopping Aoki from keeping his badmouthing of Junko, he was deluding himself.
"Look, Duku, I'm gonna be real with ya." Bakugo sneered, and how the arm locking him against the wall tightened around his neck confirmed Izuku was truly playing with fire. As if it wasn't obvious already. "I couldn't give less of a shit about the love life between pigtails and you. Whatever you do or don't in your relationship with her, it's not fucking business."
Izuku couldn't prevent the scoff that escaped his mouth. "You say that, but what about―"
"However," Bakugo interjected, and whether it was just because he felt like it or out of irritation at the derisive way Izuku was addressing him, his scowl deepened. "That bitch has been poisoning your mind and giving ya weird ideas. Building up your body. Growing up a spine. Thank God she also made you quit that stupid nickname. However, you also have quitted those annoying stutters, and now you even talk back to me and those who slander your girlfriend. I know it's all bark and no bite, still…all of those thoughts about believing to be made for something far greater than you are things a good-for-nothing Deku shouldn't be even thinking about."
Izuku didn't do anything else beyond giving an owlish stare at the red-eyed boy, and it wasn't until his face was beginning to contort into irritation that he spoke up, "I won't stop my training, and neither I will quit from giving U.A. a chance."
"You will," Bakugo quickly countered. "Didya forgot? In order to become the best hero this world will ever know; everything has to be perfect. Having ya in there, even if just as another extra that won't stand a chance of passing the entrance exam, will ruin the part about me being the only candidate within this cesspool of a school. That is a taint on my legend that I won't tolerate!"
"I see, that is a shame," The darkened expression on Bakugo's face told Izuku he wasn't buying the apologetic tone, so he decided to drop the act. "A shame that you will have to learn to live with. I am not giving up Bakugo. Junko believes in me, and no matter what you or this school throws at me, I will honor her faith."
"It's all about that blonde nutjob for you nowadays, eh?" Izuku only growled in response. "I ain't gonna ask if that is your final answer. I know it is. However, answer this other question. The last time we had a similar conversation…did I beat the shit outta you through your left ribs, or was it the right ones?"
Acting in self-defense was not an option. Not only because Izuku doubted he could defeat Bakugo, but going with that idea was a sure way to get that red mark on his record that everyone in this place awaited with bated breaths.
So, with no option available, rather than dignifying the self-conceited asshole he used to call childhood friend, Izuku merely closed his eyes. If the best he could do was to steal Bakugo the satisfaction of watching him squirm like he used to, then so be it.
"Trying to save face, huh? Well…we can't have that, can we?"
Hating was a relatively novel experience for Izuku. It was so recent in fact, that he wasn't entirely sure if this feeling burning within him whenever he was in the company of his classmates, Bakugo, or within the school's walls, in general, was actually hate. He knew it was something above mere dislike, although it was hard to measure how above that was. Perhaps it was the second or third next thing to genuine hate?
One thing was for sure, though.
He could add rain to that list.
The way it repeatedly hit the top of his head as he walked through the streets. How it was wrinkling his wet clothes wet, making them uncomfortable to wear. Let's not even talk about his favorite shoes and how it was making Izuku want to get rid of them at his first opportunity. Besides, that it emphasized how colorless his life was whenever Junko wasn't around was straight-up irritating.
Some passersby gave him the occasional weird glance. No doubt wondering why that kid isn't using an Umbrella? Or something along the lines. They probably were also staring at his face far longer than what counted as respectful.
As if needing a cherry atop the cake that was today's tragedy of a day, at some point he passed by an electronics store, and from his peripheral vision, Izuku saw his own reflection through a glass window.
The scorch marks on his clothes.
The messier than usual hair.
That black eye standing out on his left side.
Although, what truly had most of his attention was beyond that. Beyond the glass reflecting his misery and what each single one of the screens was showing.
All Might Saves the Day.
Villains Stand No Chance Against The Symbol of Peace!
Number One Hero in Japan, Also the Most Popular in The Entire World?
Amidst The Recent Wave Of Despair, All Might Shines Like A Farol Of Hope!
Everywhere Izuku looked, he was occupying a corner on the screen.
A far from small part of him didn't want to. He hadn't thought about it in a long while and he would've preferred to leave it like that. Nevertheless, against his own will and that storm of mixed emotions brewing inside him, Izuku began to ponder about the number one hero.
It had been almost three months since his fatidic encounter with All Might. While Izuku remembered that day with fondness, it was only because it also was the very same day he met the most incredible girl in the world.
As for the number one hero…
Izuku couldn't help but wonder if All Might had already forgotten about him. It wasn't as if Izuku expected him to suddenly visit him every week to have lunch or something crazy like that. However, what he told Izuku…what he told Izuku about his injury, was some big stuff, wasn't it? The kind of thing you would visit whomever you told it at least once. Either to see how were they doing after hearing a bombshell of that caliber, or at the very least, to make sure they were keeping themselves quiet about such compromising information.
And yet, nothing of that matter had occurred.
Almost as if All Might truly and utterly thought of Izuku as a footnote within a titanic encyclopedia.
Just some random boy among thousands of others at which he gave a smile and a practice speech about how could he be a hero like him.
"…Ah, that's right."
It wasn't even that, was it?
…
…
…
…That was for the best. Probably.
If your name wasn't Junko Enoshima, chances were always fifty-fifty in which people either forgot he existed or if they didn't, it was only to feel pity for him all the way to straight up hate him.
So yeah, it certainly was better than the alternative.
Izuku continued on his way home, caring less and less about the rain descending on him with each step closer to his destination. Around the same time the rain calmed down and the skies began to regain their blue tone, Izuku acquired sight of the five-story building he was familiar with since as far as he had memory.
As he continued on his path, Izuku briefly wondered how he was supposed to explain the clear-as-day injury in his eyes or the state of his clothes. When arrived at this doorstep, Izuku came to a definitive conclusion.
He couldn't.
Releasing a long and tired sigh 'I've been doing that a lot lately, haven't I?', he stepped inside.
"Welcome home, Izuku," He could hear the footsteps of his mother coming out of the kitchen. "Since you told me today you were coming home directly from school, I was worried you weren't arriving yet. However, I am glad you finally―OH GOD, IZUKU!?"
Izuku winced when his mother lunged at him. Not because it was tight to the point of hurting, which it was, but because he saw that reaction coming from a mile away.
"Mom, I―"
"My poor baby, are you okay!? No, what am I saying, of course you are not!"
"Look, if you just let me―"
"Where does it hurt!? Is it everything, isn't that so? This is terrible!"
"What? No, it isn't as bad as it―"
"A-A doctor, we need to call a doctor! Tell him this is an emergency and that you need immediate surgery for your poor body and―"
"Can you stop!?" Izuku raised his voice. It wasn't an actual shout, but that didn't make it any less of a shameless behavior on his part. As such, the regret came instantly when he saw his mother backing away with a flinch and a surprised look on her face.
"I-Izuku? You…you just…"
He raised his voice against his mother. For the first time in his life.
If he was feeling guilty before, now he was downright ashamed.
Izuku took a few breaths to calm himself down. When he felt he could continue the conversation without reacting as badly as he already did, he continued. "I am okay, mom. You don't need to make a fuss about it. That's all I wanted to say, but I became overwhelmed and ended up overreacting. Sorry."
Her mother still had a shaken look haunting her face. However, seeing that he did calm down, she swallowed her hesitation and got closer again. Only this time with some caution on her steps.
"Izuku," Her mom began, carefully, as if dealing with a ticking bomb rather than his own son. "You say you are okay, but, how do you expect me to believe that? A mirror should be enough to understand you look anything but okay!"
"Maybe," Izuku conceded, although he followed up before his mom could regain any ground. "It's not like in the past, though. I am not as weak as you think I am. Not after Junko's training."
"Junko's training…" There was something strange in the way his mother whispered that. Although before he could question what was that about, she continued. "In any case, even if you truly are alright, which I'm sorry but I find it doubtful, who did this, Izuku? I know it was at school, but…" No different from Junko's face of realization last day, his mother's brows shot up. "It was Mitsuki's boy, wasn't it? I bet it is like two months ago. I knew I should've done something back then! Don't worry, Izuku, I will make some calls that not even the principal at Aldera can ignore!"
"W-What? No, you can't!"
"I can't?" His mother repeated, with her brows knotting in confusion and giving him a look as if wondering if he grew a second head. "And why is that?"
He didn't want to bring this up. Last time he had Junko at his side to jump around this topic without arousing suspicon. Besides, Izuku simply didn't trust his mother in the same way he did Junko to even talk about this, no less to the extent he was about to do.
But, without his friend here and forced into a corner, he knew he had to reveal this much.
"Because the entire school has their hopes in Bakugo attending U.A., meanwhile, they won't bat an eye to ruin my own chances," Izuku admitted. Revealing this to his mother felt both like having weight lifted off his shoulders, and a new one taking its place. "If I do something, anything, that could compromise the prospect of having their star student be their first alumni into U.A.'s halls, they will do everything in their power to make sure no Hero School ever accepts me." He explained. "I know I am asking you much, but the only way I can get into U.A.'s Hero Program is to endure what was left of the school year. I'm sure this is not ideal, but it is my best shot. Besides, this is U.A. we are talking about. It is obvious my classmates in there will be better by leaps and bounds, so things will finally improve once I attend there." He lied; he had no idea what kind of people he would meet there.
Sure, Bakugo might be one potential candidate, but they couldn't all be any worse than in Aldera, right?
His mother didn't give an immediate answer and, surprisingly enough, neither did that small and seemingly frozen smile he didn't know she was capable of leaving anything to guess. However, with each passing moment in which she wasn't giving any protest, the optimism of, just like Junko did, his mother acquiescing to his plea grew more and more.
Maybe he had been precipitated by those pessimistic thoughts about his mother this whole time. It was his own blood they were talking about, there was no reason for her to no understand how much his dream meant to him the same way Junko did.
When a pair of minutes went by without him hearing his mother opposing his proposal, a beaming smile touched his lips.
"Izuku, there is something we really need to talk about."
And that shattered all hope of having reached his mom.
"Talk," A sense of dread filled Izuku upon his mother's words. Nevertheless, he dared inquire about it. "...About what?"
There was a brief moment of hesitation in his mother's eyes. As if knowing that what she was going to say next wouldn't be an easy conversation.
That wasn't a good sign.
"You have no idea how glad I am you met someone like Enoshima." That she began with that sentence only made him more cautious. "Ever since you two know each other, you have always come home with a beat on your feet that I had never seen before. Your smiles feel more genuine than ever. Overall, I can see that she had brought hope and goodwill to your life, Izuku."
"…" He didn't utter a word; his long history of deceptions made him understand that there was a but incoming.
"Indeed, I am happy you have met her. However," Izuku stiffened upon hitting the bullseye. "That same happiness blinded me from what else she represented."
"Are…are you saying that I should stop meeting her?"
"Goodness, no. I couldn't do that to you…although," He itched a breath. "I need you to bring her home in the incoming days. I need to talk with her."
"About what?" He already knew the answer. He knew what she was going to say. After all, he already experienced it before.
"About the training you two have been undergoing," His mother revealed without a hint of hesitation. "I am intended on telling her to cancel any future plans you two might have about it."
…
…
…Ah, it truly was happening all over again, wasn't it?
"You have no intentions of letting me aim for the Hero Course, have you?" Izuku said, in an eerily calm voice.
"I don't," Whether she noticed anything wrong with that or not, his mother decided it was not worth bringing it up. "At first, I couldn't have it in me to oppose the idea when Enoshima brought it and I saw how enthusiastic you were about it. Plus, I thought that some exercise was a healthy and recreative way for you to spend time with a person around your age. That being said, after everything you just told me and what I have seen with my own eyes, I just can't keep supporting this!"
Yep, it was. It was almost an exact parallel if Izuku stopped to think about it. He came home after experiencing one of the worst days in his life, and when he needed to hear he had the support of his mother, the person who should be his most trusted confidant, all he got in return was one massive load of dissapointment.
Just like ten years ago, history repeated itself with her giving up on him.
"Maybe your friend's plan will truly get you into that course, but then what? It is already hard enough for me to watch how you come full of bruises and injuries here at middle school. Just how much worse it is going to get in a place where they encourage kids to use their quirks to their full potential? With that Bakugo boy around no less? Or in a worst-case scenario, when your turn to fight villains who won't hesitate to do more than hurt you comes!? I…I'm sorry, Izuku, I am truly sorry things had to be this way…"
The same way she gave up on him when he begged her for the barest speck of hope as a child.
The same way Bakugo gave up on him the very exact moment when Izuku confessed to him the results the doctor gave him about his lack of a quirk.
The same way his not-so-childhood friend encouraged every single person his age Izuku had met to treat him like trash. With all of them, save his only light in this world, giving up and conceding to his whims.
The same way his father gave up on him. How he went to work overseas under the pretense of a better salary that could further support his son and wife. How he discreetly made a new family there and prepared for the divorcing process until it was too late to do something about it. Leaving him and his mother to their luck.
The same way All Might gave up on him.
The same way things had turned out his whole life.
"Izuku, you don't have to be stuck on that ideal about becoming a hero. It's not the only way in which you could help people. From what I've heard of the school, heroism isn't the only program U.A. manages. I think the support department was one of them? Perhaps you and Enoshima could c̷̢̢̨̛̤̮͙͖̼̞̘͕̠̼̪̮̬̹͎͙̠̙̥̙͉̼͚̗͎̫̤̈̓̔͊̆̾̊̈́̃͜ͅo̵̧̡̢̲̣̭̮̤̟̹̜̙͙̺͈̥͕̫̞̹̥̬͈̺̻͉̰̼̥̩̪̟͚̚ǔ̵̧͎̠͔͔͍̲͈͓̲̹̲͉̝̥̣͆̈́̒̅͋̎̂́͑̊̆͒̾̂̾̽̉̃͌͊́̀̍̄͆̈̂̂̕̚̕͝ļ̸̨͚̫̘̭̱͎͛̔͊̓͑͒͘̕͝͝ͅd̷̡̧͕̗̲̺̘͇͙̗̮̱̈́̉̓͋̀̉͛̈̾͐̔̀͑̿́͘͝ ̷̡̛̳̱͕͇͎̬̼͙͚̏̋̊̂̈́̀͆̃͊̔̀̐̕̕̕͜͜͝ͅǎ̵̢̛̪̠̮͖̯̥̳̮͙̘̤͔̥̲͚͇̦̝͓̟̅̉̉̐̅̇̔͝ͅǐ̶̡̦̻̭̫̲̮̳͉̌͂̈́̽̔͂̆̅͊͗͗͒̈́̕͝͠ḿ̶̧̛̩̗͕̫̩͔̻͙̦̹̤̼̥̦͔̣̖̓̏͂̒̈́̄́̽̇̔̐̈́͑ ̵̢̢̡͙̜̩̞̜̠͇͖̭͙̰͈͈̤̫͎̳̤͇̜̺̔̉͌̆͛̾͌̂̓̈̊̈̓͊͆̈́̽͒̄̽́͂̇͌̀̿̿̉͌͜͜͝͠ͅf̶̧̞̝͈͔̮̮̬͛̃͘f̷̟̯̜̊͛́̚͘͠͠r̵̨̛̝͔̯̥̖̝̤͙͇̙̟̱̘̭̬͚̘̱̪̩̼̘͖͚̱̰͗̋͐̎͛̌̎̾̍̿̈́̌̈́̇̈̃̇̅͗̒̔͜͠͠͠͝͝͝ͅͅ ̴̢̢̛͎̘̥̞̪̖̥̣͖͉̙͓̯̣͕̙̝̗̭̖͙̀́̀̑͌̓̌͌̍̉́͛͒̅̎̏͌̈́̊̍̀̇̕̚͝ǭ̶̢̧̨̫͓̤̜̤̫̞͈̣̭̘͈̝͙̣̫̪̻̝̤̰̜̙̺̫͓̇͆̆͐̈̆̌̂̉͆͌̋͑̔̂͐̍̿̉̉̆̆̇͆͘̚̕͜ͅn̸̡̦͖͍̿͆͛͊́͒̐̌͗͑̽̈́̂̔̾͂̑̉̿̈́̋̾͑̚͠͠n̷̛̻̼͈̐͗́͐̽͑̇̇̊̌̈́̔͂͐̓̅̊̍̐͑̋̈́͋͋̇̐̊̚̕̕͝ ̵̧̰͉͖̮̖̦̬̺̞̞͒̔͊͆̓͑̾͋́̾͘͘t̶̨̢̺̱͚͙̱̼̙͔͖̬̭̲̬̠̹̟͍̘̟͍͖̩͇͇̦̫͇̆͌̐͑̄̐̍̀̓̏̓͂́̃̈̌̇̐̔̿͗̀͆̚͜͝͝ţ̵̨̢̨͍͙̺͖̙̙̤̟̪̹̩̤̘͔͈͌͑̇͌̓̀̋̓͆̾͊͐̆̀̑̒̈́̔͐̿̀̏͝͝͝ṣ̷̡̛̖̖̪̺͖̓̀͐̾́̆͗͑̀̀͠ȩ̴̨̛͖̪̗̳͈̲͕͖̯̜̰͕̙̫͈͕̺̲͔̬̪̝̲̖̊̈̈́̏̈́̇͂͆̉̍́́͊͐̐͂̐̊̕͘͝͝͝ę̴̨̬̣̝̤͇̭̤̮̘͇̪͔͇̭͍̥̗̺͔̤͙̳͖̗̂̽̅͐̀͑̄͊̀́͛̍͆̑̉̋̔̑̽̓̚͘͜͜͝ͅͅͅ.̸͉̯̙̫̳͓͖̺̜͔͔̞̖͙̘̤̻̪̖̙̳̓̈́͒̎̐̈̚ ̵̧̧̨̨͇̲̩̗͓͚̬̞͈̙̱͕̻̤͉̣̝̤̩͇̬͎͔͚͙̩͌͂͗̎̈́̈̅̒̋̐̃̈́̒̈́̎̋̀̉͌̕͝͝͝ͅĄ̵̛̦͇̼͚̘̜͇̩͕̹͕͕̳̻͚̺̪̬͔̞͎͈͌̏̔͋̿̈́͆̓̃̈́̽̾̿̽̑͒̇̽͘̕͘͜n̷̡̧̻͚̪̻̥͓̯̙̮͓̩̪̙̲̥͇̩͈͚̄̈͗ ̴̡̲̪̦̹̯̟̼͖͕̥̱̝̺̹͕̱͙̳͖͍̤̰̭̉͆͑̾͂͂ͅś̶̢̛̛̜̯̪̭͍̥̓̅̓̒̀̑͒̌̉̓͛̐̿̄̚͘̕͝͝p̷̬̮͈̫̻͍͍̩̬̗̫͈̦̥̦͔̮͎̤̽̏̉̃̌͐͌̅̆͒̄̈́̐̎͊̚͠ͅp̷̛̗̈́̂̎̀̍̀͌̽̑̂̃̍̈́̚̚p̵̧͖̱̦̜̯̱̝̪͔͎͕͉̑̋̑̽͐͑̓͐̈́̋́͘͜c̷͖͌͛̎̈́͒̑͐͑̏͠t̴̨̧̡͈͚̩͓͕̖̬̰͉̫̠̫̀̌̀͆c̴̢̧̨̲̠̹̺̝͚̳̲̯͍͕̫̹͕͕͚̬͇̱̥̲̹̻͙̳̲̟̉́̃̓͑̀͌̐̊̇̄͛̽͐̋̆͒̀͊̾̀͘̚͘͜l̶̢̢̛͙̜̻̣͇͓͉̩͙̯̝͖̹̲̰̺̥͔̈̐̓̂̽͒̿̉̀̔͛̑͂̄̒͌̂̈̀̔̆́̔͛̓̊͂̈̚͘͜͠͝r̴̨̡̢̡͈̺̭̤͈͖͙̫̭̠̗̻͇̓̂̑̅̈̂͒̒̏̅́͊͌̈́̄̇̇̀̅̚̚̚͠͝ ̴̢̡̢̢̰̲͍̰̘͈͚͎̙̘͚͎̯̫͕̝̫͓̱͓̮̦̼̠̤͇͇́̚ḑ̸̭̦̮͎̮̗͕͖̺̫͔̖́̐̊̈́̒̀͆̔̕͜d̶̨̝̻̭̗̻͇̤̬̱͔̤̠̙͕͚̟̺̼̐͜ͅį̶̢̡̢̪̖̯͖̻̮͕̼̠̖͈̪̲̝͎͚̙̥͕̺̯͖̐̅́̅͐̋̈͂͂̿̇̐̍͊̍̓̓̕̕."
It was too much.
Too much, and there was too little time to process it.
"Į̴̠̞̟̳̪̝̖̰̹̭̏̃̀̈́̀̉̃̎̂͛̒̂̊̈̚͝ͅ ̵̛͖͙̫̟̪̱̖̩̦͈͒͝h̴̢͖̗͎̖̹͛̈́͋͗͑̄̌̿̐̆͌͂̂̕͜͜͠͝͠ẋ̵̧͇̝̎̀͑v̵̰̪̯̖̉͊̐͐̇͂̅̕̕̕ͅy̶̥̗̦̤̮̖̆̾̀͋͊͝ ̷̧̧̦̰͖̘̥̬͌͋̇̆͆̄̈́̊̏s̴̡͚͚̰̣̈̄́͘x̷̢̧̝̩̻̰̖̗͇̯̲͕̟͙͍͔̖̐̍̇̃̐̾̇x̶̨̡͙̣̬̙̥̺̖̳͉̫̗̲̃̆͗̈́n̷̳̤͎̺͍̱̤̬͎͖̬̩̟̋͗͌͌͛͆̀̀̎̈́́̏͂͜͜ͅ ̸̛̘̋̈͂̅͌f̴̨̭̰͉̙̬͉͍̪̥͇͕̳͖̂̾̂͌͊͑͛́̑̐̈́͗̉͌̂͌͝ͅỵ̷̡̛̻̭̙̖̭̼̲̣̮̼͕͉̥̩̿̃͗̀̑͒̈́̅̌̔͌͘͜ȑ̸̢̡̨͍͍̯̼͎̖͍̠͇͈̬͔̈̆̿́̑̍̈̾͌̆͒ͅs̸̡̢̧̛̳͉̝͙͚̠̺͕̯̥̄̂̂̓̈́̎̄̓̿̍̓͑̃̽̒̚t̴̞̻̱̗̭̥̫̬͍̿̇̾̂̋̈͒̓̀͝͠ ̴̧̛̳͇̯̰͛́̅̉͊̆̄̋́́͘h̵͔̲̤̱̩̣̦̱̟̎̐̏̊͌͋͌̍̈́̚͝͝͝x̴̡̧̡̘̗̺̞̰̜̗̤̝̰̱̤̠̣̀̎̀̌̽̇̋̿̌͗̾̈́̀̇̈́̽v̶̧̨̳̯̹̫̍̔͘͝x̵̛̩̖͙̜̘̬̻̓͐̀͐̇̓̕͜͝ ̶̨̛͔̗͙̺͚̖͖͕̱̌̒͑͌͐̆̃͑͂͑̀͌̕͠h̸̞̝̦͎̺̥̰̾̈̆́̃͂͑̽̒͠ͅx̵̛̛̙̍̐̄͛̄̈́͆̍̈̔̕̚͘͝͝ẉ̷̦̯̞͎͉͆̀ ̴̩̹̺͉̥̣͕̼̒́̑̉̈̿̎͒̾̿͒͑̚͝͠b̷̛̭͍͉̲͚͑̒͂̌́̂͗͑̍̚̚͜ŕ̵̢̢̜̲̖̠͓̪͙̱̊̑͜x̸̨̨̤̪͔̠̙̙̤̩̟́̀͘͝ĺ̸̛̪̪̠̻̺̜͎̳̟̫̭̩̎͂̂̎̿̐͛̏͆ļ̷̝̰̠͋̈̃̇͑͐̊͊̒͝x̴̧̛̞̤̯̘͒͌͛̀̌̃͊͌̈͑̾͜͝y̵͚̆̂̐n̸̡̦͖͔̘̜͙̺̖̝̝͎̫̝̼̏͛̊̓͐̈́͗͌̋̀̕͠͝ͅt̸̡̧̧̰̖̣̣̟͍̻̗͉̔̊͊͗̑̆͒ ̸̛̰̙̤̽̐̔̇̈́̈́͆͗̋͠t̷̢͕͕̤̼̰̭̺̦͕̊̀̀̇̃͛́͑̎̃h̷̢̨̨̘̙̘̝̙̤̥̻͖͕̗̹̠̼̊̊͌̓̂̆̄́͘͘y̷̨̢̭̥̹̟̜̝͙͇̻͇̼̺͂̅̃̄͛̇̈́̄̓͘͠ ̴̰̥̻͎̘͈̲̯̋̓b̴̢͇̱̣͖̖̾̈̐̀̉̾̋̅̎̄̇̕͝ͅͅx̷̢͔̼͙̹͇̹̥͎̟̦͉͙̳͙͋̂̑̏̃̀͘ͅt̶̨̲̮͖̯͖̩̻̝̝̩̮͔̥̘̄͋̒́͌́͌̈̑͌̄̏̆͘͝ḩ̵̇̀̋͒̅̽͋͒̆̎̏͛̚ ̶̧̡͇̯͈̪̯͚͎͎̤͓̍̒̀́u̵͈̘̦̘̻̲̫͑̌̋̀̐͗̍͆̎̏̇̕͝f̴̨̡̛̛̝͎̬̠̻̟̫͚͕̮̼̍̈́̉͗̓̽̈́͒̏͘͝͝͠ ̷̢̡̛̛̳̩̯̫̪͎̪̰̲͈̻̺̔̌̋̓͊̚͝ŷ̵̡̧̼̠̖̠͓̤̫̬͕̘͇̦̄̈ͅx̵̢̨̛̛̖̮͓̼̠͍̲̯̥͓̗̩̮̏͌͊̑̾̿̅̂͛̄́͛͝ÿ̶̭̳̺̩̮̩̦͙̮̫̯͕́͛̚͜͠ͅͅͅ ̷̡̫̜̠̩͔̖̘̙͍͎͈̯̘͛̄̈͗̑̓̍͗͐̐̐̓̽̎͝x̴͕̫̤̥̜̳̰̬̤̏͌̾̃͜r̷̛͖̗̺̹̀̀̏͆̐̇͛͆̄̊̚y̷̙̮͉͍͚̔̇̓̊̐̑͑̐̔̏̆̏͘͝,̵̟̹͖͈͉͉͕̙̯̳̑͌͂ͅ ̶͈͎̟̘̄̑̔͛́͒̑͗̇͘I̵̡͈̺̲͓̺̩̦͚͔̭̳̹̟̦̓̂̈́̐̍͑͌̀ẓ̶̢̗̙̪̗̙̣̞̼̪͚̺̋͛̀̄͐͊̓̍̎̑͗̇̃̇͘͝x̸̞͉͓̠̑̽̏́̊̓́̒̔̚̚̚͠k̷̨͚̗̦̫̜̲̳̮̤͈̗͓͛̈́̿̍̌̇͊̀̈͂̆̀̒̉̓͒͜x̷̙̹͉̞̼͖̝̼̺̭̩̮̝̖͎̟̖̑̽͘̕͝!̴̧̡̰̉̀̑͋̂̀̈́̏̆̌͝͠ ̷̢̩̭͚̯̙̝̟̱̤̓̓͋̌͘̚͝Y̷̨̢̘̜̠̻͖̼̹̹̖͉̖͂̔͊̋̕͝͠ͅx̷͖͓̩̮̜͕̯̠͖͇̞̝̀̈́ḯ̷̧̘̰̩̈́̍̿̉̎̊͘͝ ̴͍̏̾̒̀͊͐ͅt̷̲̺̙͙̤̟̍̎̾̆w̶̥̤̲͇̺͖͇̖̠̋͜x̶̧̡̢̼̱̠̳̖̙̝̐̂̕͜ ̴͎̜̙̮̩́̔̇̂̋̂͝ẉ̵̤͓̻͍̭̹͐͝x̸̨̺͙̗͕̞͛͜͜ŗ̴̧̧̢̻͕̭̼̪̬̭͎̘̫̪̟̾̾͂̄̾͑͒̊̚͠ͅḱ̶̢̨̢̛̯̤͉̠͍̱̮̼̱͎̔̊̒̈́̐̈́̐̈́͜x̵͓̖͕̿̍̃̑̇͑́͆̌̐n̷̨̢̻͖̤͍̹̳͍̱̝̈́̅̓͋̾ͅg̸̡̬̳̟̱͈̙̤͚̋̕ ̸͎͑̎̔́͛̈́̽̆̉̃̆̋̚͘͝͠t̶͉̟̟̰͇̪̪͓̞͖͈̬̳͕͖̃̏̀̈́̈́̍̚ͅx̷̢̨̧̡̧̛̰̖̼̩̝̟̼͚̻͇̐̔͋̊̒̇̈̾̓̃͋̔́͆͜͠ǧ̷̡͈̖̌̈́̈͐͗̀͌͑̉̒̉̈́̃̚̕x̷̢͇̬̮́̿̌͂͋̈́̿̚̕͠t̴̗̜̦͖̤̙͗̿̾̐͐̕̚ͅh̸̛̛̭̞̺̥̖̏͛̔̂̔͌̆̒̀́̕͘͘͝y̷̛̠͔͇̦͉͇̽̎̆̈́͊͊̓̿̾̔̏̋́̚͘͝r̶̢̧̛͙͉͚̗̩͓͈͉̠̈͑̀̉̀͒͘͠ͅ ̷͖̱̫̪̟̠̱͎̜̯̯̻̂͌͋͐̀̀̍̋̀͛̊i̵͓̱̝̋̋̓̄̽̓̚ņ̵̜̤̝͈̲̪̪̖̝̱͔̓̾͂̎̚ ̸͔̹̲̰̘͓̲̈́͋̀̈́̈́̿̊ẋ̵̖̮̳͈̰͗͌́͂͂̍͋͝ ̸̡̨͇̮̣̟͔̜̙͉͎͎̝̖̥̉͋̎̇̓͂̓̊̐̃͆̎̓̒̚ͅs̴̡̨̛̝̖̯̹̭̰̥̮͔̱͖͒̌̈̂̊̇̏͜x̶̬̥̆̒́͊͗̈́͆͑͌͝f̴̜̉̃̈́̒͊̑̅̀̽͂x̶̨̻̯͚͕̩̱̝͕̳̯̲̥͍̎̇̾̚͜r̸̛̬̜͓͈͙͓̣̃̌̑͑̃̃̅̈́̎̈̓̌̉ ̶̡̛̦̖̻͙̠͚̖̊͛͑̎͛̓̊͒͜͝y̸̛͙͗̏̈́̔̓͊͆́͝͝n̷̡̢̨̨̲̯̙̻̥̫͉̂͒̈́͆́́͂̑͛́̊̆̔̊̚̕͠ͅv̸̗̊̅̑̋̆̒͋͌͌̽x̵̦͖̭̹͙̗̬̲̣̮̦̪̥̠͝r̷̨̢̛͓̟̼̠̥̰̒̔̇̅̄̈́̓̽̕͘͝x̶̧̢͕̜͈̥̻̞̗́ñ̷̳͖̘̰̄́̀̓̂͒m̷͖̪͕̣̈́ͅÿ̸̛̩̖̣̣̯̯̞̝̳̃̄̽̀̈́̈̄̕̚ñ̴̨̡̡̰̤̙̞̤̳̫̘͖̊́̈́̅̀͆͗̔̉̅̒̐͋͜ẗ̸̖̙̟̱̼̟̰́̒̐̆̌͒͛͌̉̚͠ ̵̡̰̗͙̳̺̎͜w̵̢̝͔̥̫͎͔̗̋̿̿̀͛̎́̋͂͛̽͜x̶̡̲̲̣̩͒̌̈́̒̒͘̚x̸̢̬̲̥̮̺̱̹̱̩̹͔̫͔͇̒̏ļ̵̨̗̟͙̳͓̭̟͙̱̺͇͑ͅd̷̨̨̪̰̮͉͕̮͓̱̣͐́̈́̀͂͂̔͆͌̚ ̴̨̨̧̧̛̝̮̱̳̘̗͎͎͓͉̥͔͙͋͋͛̈́̂̈́̑̋ḍ̴̹͖̞̥͎̭̰͍͐͑ý̵̥̣͚̣̞̖̫̉̄͂͋̈̿̒́̉̆͘̚͜ ̵̛̳͎͚̺̳̱̬͎͍̗̻̊̂͑͑̂͝ͅw̷̧̧̼̯̗̩̭̮̣̜̞̣̤̍͒͝͝x̴̧̪̓́̋͌̒̚͘n̸̟̱͈͒ḋ̴̥̰͈̣̹͍͎͍̒̀̋͊́̄́̆̄̾̉̔̍́̅͝ͅy̷̧̗̘̗̥̲̤̞̳͇͓͍̋̆̂̋̿̑̅̓ͅͅr̸̢̨̡̹͓̖̲͚̞͈̰̰̻̞͈͒s̶̩̪̾́̀̅̅̈̓̃̊̔͋̉͝ ̴̘͉̱̪͔͍̩̥͍̫͛̾̉͊͑́̄̌̅̚x̶̖́̍̈̑̈́̉͒̍̆ņ̶͙͕̝̫̥̰͔̟͈̜̯̙̠̲͉͂̄͌̓͊̇̀̉̀͐̀͛̕͜͝ ̸̧̨̛̯̠̞̮͖̝̖̙̪̻̰̜͛̐̽̈́̆̓̿̚g̶̼͐͂̿͛̿̊̚͜x̵͈̪̐̈́͒͗̉͋̔̎́̐̈̓̽͘̚r̵̛̹̝̭̖̲̻̞͌̄̂̇͒̓͘̕͝r̷̡̧̛̦͖̻̪͍̭͈̻͚̆̿̐͛̚͜ͅͅͅu̴̜̭̞͍̮̬̘̱̺̩̬̘͂́̀́̾̋̀̏͛͛̕͝ͅn̴̢̻̘͎͔̟̏̋̕͝ť̵͍̺̃̽̿̈́̕̚͝͠x̷̡̜̝̩̮͉͉͚̹̱̜̥̩̤̺͇̅̀͊̔͗͌͆̏̿͊ͅx̵͍̜̟͓̤̦̳̫̿̌̈́͗̄͂̉͠͝y̷̧̟͎̟̳̯̫̺̩̠̭͙̲̜̿̅̈́̎̋͗̎̾̿̈̈̓̅̓̕ͅn̷̡̢̝̩̫̼͙̯̟̮̓͑̈̀̃̄̉̄̊̅̾̿̀͐͘͠͠g̵̣̜͚̟̱̥̰͂͌̑̏̽͝ͅ ̸̣̗̮̦͓̜̳̱̦̳̟̙̜̟̼̐̽̓̈̈́̉͑̿͂̾̽̆x̶̻͈̦̠͚̠̫̳͔̤̓̓̀͛͑̇̎ ̷̭̹̖̬̝̪̫̹̅̃́̇̂s̵̛̺̆͌̂̍͗͗̏͘͝x̷̢̧̣͎̞̯̼͙̲͎͋̓̍͆̃̋͂͋͌̑́̆̕͘͘ͅͅf̵̡̪̺̣͓̱̭̱͔͕̰̹̹̥̓̈́̓͌̋͆̑̾̅̕x̷̢̧̧̡̛̜̭̲̱̪̯̜̯̹̖̙̳́͂̊̾̈́̍̃̇͗̑̾̀̈́͠͝͠ͅ ̵̨̛̞̳͚̰̜̮̪̼̏̂̎̂̉͆̋̕f̷̡̬̤̜͕̠̣̪̹͍̤̝̠͖̭̩͌͂̽̓͜x̵̡̪̬̹͙͑͋̃̐̈́̐͝t̶͕͓̜̤̯̥̫̃̄̉͛̏͐̓ͅy̷̢̧̧̢̛͖̲̞̤̞̟͇͖̗̘͠ͅr̷̳̰̮̼͔͈͂͋́̈̄͗̀̀̇̂͒̓̚̕͠x̵̖̋͂̀͒̌͗̈́̕͝."
Day after day.
Week after week.
Eternity after eternity.
He really was right about All Might. Things would've been so much better if people pretended he didn't exist. At least that way they wouldn't be wired with this weird and obsessive sense of purpose that forces them to go out of their way into acting like roadblocks in his life.
Seriously, did these people have nothing better to do with their lives?
There had to be more fulfilling and entertaining things to do other than playing at messing with the quirkless boy, right?
Izuku knew he assured Junko and, just a moment ago, his mother that he would've been fine with his school life until his admission to U.A., but…how to put this…
It truly was a hassle, wasn't it?
.
"Ḍ̷̡̭͎̙̜̙̠̤̻̬͚̇̍̅́x̷̡̡̧͈͈̫̮͕̰͉͓̮͖̤̪͉͊ͅs̴̢̡̤̟̟̞̞͉̙̞̞͇͙̝̟̀̆̅͑̀̎͑̈́͐̀̎̀̄̚͜͠͝͝p̶̡̟̝̥̯͈̠̺̐y̴̝̩̮̦̠͈̣̪̰̎͋̒́̀̔͐̂̓̽͆̑̉̚͜x̵̢̥̭̙̱͛̾́̐͌ṙ̷̩̲̝͋̓͒ ̶̹̮̹̜̝̟̱͎̪͈̼̫̆͌͜͠x̸̧͖̣͉̰̩͉͜͠ş̶̡̝̖̻̹̤̠͇̲͍̪͚͉̣̭̹͗͗̈́̅̇̊̎̏̉̕ ̸̼͓̘̥̝͇̙̻͓̥͇̮͖̝̆͋͗́͗̇̆̀͒̐̋̄̇͋͋̕͜h̶͇͍̺̙͈̯͉̟́͑̒x̷̗̜͇̜͍̗̺͓́̐͐̑͑̑̅̏̓́̔̀͗̈́̍̈́̂p̵̢̭͓̗̼̘̖̭̹̻̥̐͊́͊͂͐̽͐̓̊͝ỵ̷̤̞̓̓͜'̶̢̗͈̦͌̀̈́̋́̾͒͒̔͋̿̈́͠ş̶̢̠̱̱̲͇̪̯̰̩̗͖̀̀͐́ ̶̡͓̰͓̪̘̲̠̩̥̪̝̭̹̲͚͍̿̋̌̇̆̂̀̅͑̓̏̌̂̅̚p̵̧̟̭͝x̵̞̱̦̙͈͔̘̙͇͉̻̜̤̮͑̂̈́͑͠͝l̵͕̀͊̎͒̽̂͌̎̉͒͌͘͘y̷̢̡̳̞̘̠̅̀̍̆͆̋̔͐̏͋̎̎́̍͘r̵͓̪͖̻̙̳̻̝͈̪̯̭̬̜̆̉̒̅́͑͝ ̵͚̪̫͙̞̈̾̉̏̃̏̎͑̒̈́͘͜x̷̧̨̼̯̜̰̝̤̐̀̌̈́̕ͅͅp̷̢̨͇̣͚͕͓̞̱̠̼͚͈̂̉ͅp̵̲̝̖̩͍̣͔̎̍͐̀̿x̶̢͔̙̬̗̰̥̤̬͙͓͓͔͕̋͊̽̎̅̉̿́͆̊͝͝͝͠ͅs̴͇̜̋̔́͒̚y̸̹͇̗̱̥̏̉̒̊͛̕͜t̴̢̢̨̻̪͚̳͚̟͍̖̠̂̄̈̈̄̈́̔͗͆̆̇̓͑̍̿̚͘x̷̛̖̮͔̖͍̤͔̣̀̽̅̎̊̃͗̊̎̎͊͗̕͝ͅ.̸̛͎̜̬͕̮̻͙̠̾̈́́̑͋̓͝ ̷̧̯̮̥̖͙̦̲̯̏̿͗̉́̽͘ͅY̸͉̭̼̦̟̫̤̑̐̀̽͐̑͑̏̄͆̌̚͝͝͝ͅt̵̫̼̭̘͚̼͈̤͇̦͐ ̵̛̟͎͓̯͕̪̼͉̤̹̻̳͒͊̊̐͋̌̋̀̚̕͘͝x̵̞͓̜̙́̋͂s̵̢̧̜͕̬̲̝̥͙̰̣̤̽́́͗̆̓͌̎ ̸͉̗̗͓̪̦͎̩̙̳͚̬͎͖̹́̍̂̅̔m̸̗̤͕̦̗̩͚̦͇̜̲͍̖̹̍̓y̵̧̧̛̜͍̣̳̤̟̥̥̼̯͖̗͍͖̆͑͊̇͗̆͌͆͛͒͠ͅs̷̨̻̟͚̘̩̖̝̺̤̝̯̫͙͈̒̍͂̏̌͑̈́͒̊͒͘͘͜ͅś̴̢̢̧̧̞̙͙͓͈̩̖̞̲̋̊̇̏̀̋́͂́̐͘ͅx̶̛̩̪͍͗̈́͊͋̆̏̑̎̉͂̀̾̓̚̕ ̴̢̡̢͎̼̰̪̟̼̭̰͑̀͂̈̈͂̂̅̃̽͋̅̎͘̕͜͝ͅx̵̼͒͛̊͊̈̕̚̚͠ͅņ̵̡̥̞̲̭̪̙̰̯̰̠͌͗̔̾͗̋̍̈̍̉̏́̄̇̔͝͠ď̴̃̑̏͂́ͅ ̷̛͓͐͑͋̊͂̉̿̽̓͝͝c̶͎͆̎x̴̡̛͚͔̺̻̳͎̯̳̤̩̣͓̮͖̼́͋͌̆̑n̷̡̜͍̝̱̩͉̥̟̆͐̄̅̌̀̇̇͛̕͝͠͝f̴̨̢̪͓̙͕̫̱̳̫͍̓̓͑̈̀̓̄͒̚y̷͔̣̎̅̆̽̕s̴̡̬͔͈̠̬̯̹̮͊́́̽̋͌͌̈́́̓̚y̸̛̺̖͎̘̙̤̱͍͐̓͋̀̒̈̈́̐̈́́͒̂͘͜͠ņ̸̡͎̲̲̣͖̗̖͚͌̆̊̑̋̆̈́̽̃̔̀̓̚ģ̷̣͈̲͚̤̲̬͎͍̖͓͇̗͐̆͂̓̄͗͑̚̕͜͜͠͠͠.̶̟͎̦̔͊͂̂̀̅̚ ̶̛̱̙͓̗̝͖͚̹͓̦͕̭̥͐̐͋̓̂̉͑̓̀̀̚̕̚͜͝Y̶̗̠̙̹̥̊ͅṫ̸̨̧̗̫͖̟͖̠̗͉̼̿̔̄̕͜ ̷̛̼̯̯̞̤̫̺̭͐̌͌͊͗̈͋̎͊͗̿̎̚͠ś̶̢͍̭̫̜̯̣̗̬͍̙̈́̚w̵̢̧̛̜̥̠͈̗̠͚̦x̵̨̛͓̝̟̤̰̠͗͑̎̀̃̎ļ̵̩̙̞̲̜͒̓͊͆̀̉ļ̸͕͛͂̄̑̄̆̿͛̃̂̋͝y̵͎̟̜̤̹̟͒͠w̸̞̘̓̽̔͐̑̔̑͂͝͠s̸͓͑̂̂̒͋̓̈̏͝ ̸͉̠̱̮̜̗͎̬̝̜̬̂̈́̂̿̆͊͐͝͝x̴̨̛̲̝̳̯͉̪̰͎̟͖͎̩̊̈́̇͆͐̐̊͒͘͠͝͝͠ͅͅp̶̡̭̳̱͕̥͖̱̘̦̳̮̟̽̍ͅ ̷̡̛̫̫̞̮͈̮̹̯̥̹̘̹̞̆̇͘l̸̢̻͋̾̃͑̇͠ẋ̷̡̬͉̺̭̘͉͈̠̞͎̩̽͠v̸̛̗͚̩͋̏͂̽͆͛̓͠ÿ̵̧̢͉̻̟̹͙̦̻̗͓̝̯̃͂͆̀̈́͜ͅͅ,̶͍̗̞͍͉̭̤̼͍̫̦̳͖̰̤̑̆͐͆͌̽̃̏͂́̃̈́͘ ̵̡͙̺̮̺̣͕̇̅̐̄̊̔̾́͛̈́͠h̴̨̧̛̠͉̞̆̍͋͆͊́͗̅̾̋̔̔͘͘ỳ̷̨̢̮̥̥̮͍̤̰̬̲̠̰̰̘͇̀͂̀͆́́͒̇͘͝t̵̨̩̺͕̻̰͚̹̘͍͇͕̤̱̲̑̾̆́̑̂͂ŗ̵̱͉̙͇̬͇̹̞͚̬͖̼͋̒̈̀͐̑̓͌̍͗̃͘͝͝y̸̼̦̹̰̪̿̅̆̉͒́͛̈́̈̒͘̚̚ͅḑ̶͕̫͙͊̈́̐̉̅̉̈̓̚̚,̴̡̡̩͖̥͇̞͙̪̗̓̓̓́̆͌ ̷̝͚̥̻̲͓͌͂̑̌̈́̑ͅx̷̗̜̎̔̄̅̈́̌̓ͅn̶̡̧͓͕͓͉̤̝̤̣̫̠̓̒̔̑̈̍̍̋͐͐̃́͝ḑ̷͇̰͓̘̝͉̙̞͎̹͋̑̋͛̾́͌̉̿͗̂̔͜͝͝ ̴̢̨͔̹͈̙̯̠̤̔̃̅̚y̴̢̛̯̼̽̏͐̏̓͂͋͒̋̇̂̈͋̕̚v̷̠̟͔̬̮̤̗̱͙̞̣̙̙̊̑̋̈̈̐̒̉͐͂̑̍͘x̶̡̰̠̣̹̪̤͇̠̠̠̒r̴̨̳̖͎̼̬̳̳̺͍̆̿́̉̒̚y̶̭͖͎̲̲̟̩̺͗͂͌̐̏͜t̵̡̢͉̳̖̱̭͓̝̼̝̓̑̄̿̌̆̿͛͠h̷͓̼̜̬͙͚̥̮̤͎̥̰̬͖̙̐̾̕x̶̟̜͎͊̃̈́̕ͅn̶̛̳̈́̉̔̒̀̎̾̕͝g̴̡̮̑̅̉͛͛͋̀̔͊͝ ̶̧̞̮̫̜̥̰̱͙̤̮͉͎͕͎͚͋̎y̷̡̩̩̘̝͖͉̱̦̮̋̍̐̎̇͌̌̔̓͊̆l̷̘̺͖͇̣̞̠͒̍̀̎͌́̌̏͌̇̽̿͠͝ṡ̶̘̲̞̭̠̗̥̌̋̏̊̑͆̊̍͒̂̊̏͝͝ẏ̷̡̹̝̟̻͕̭̮̝̭̩̩̟̩́͆̋̄̍̈́͠.̴͍͔̝͙͓̳̘̮͈̙̳̬͕̝͛ ̵̠̹̰́̇̑̋̀͋͆̃͐̾̍̿̿͘͘̚B̶͇͖̠̥̥̅x̴̨̻̗̹͓̲̠̊͒́͋͒̎̋͠ć̶̨̹̼͇͓̥̻͕͛ͅx̶̢͔̜͓͕͚̞̜̉̈̈́̓̏̈́͑͗̂̚y̶̻͇̯͉̻̝̌͐͘͜s̵̖̆͛̏̾͗͌̃̉̈́̀͝ẍ̴̨̤̻̞̝̥̙̝͈͉͙̜̙͕́̌̿͑͌͑̈̄̀͊̇̕̚ ̸̩̆͐̀ņ̸̤̲̦̯̗̠͕̹̖̻̊̈́̅̍̍͐͘y̴̹͐́̍̎͑͐̿̈̍̑̓̕̚t̸̠̭̘͛̾̎̿̍̇̍͊͐͒͌͋͂̕͜ ̷̪̠̙̟̬̖̻̟̥͌͆͌̓͑͋̚͠͠k̴̪̜̘͍̦̞̻͕͖͖̻̀̈̾̌ͅņ̷͓̥͍̟̙̬͉̱̙̬̝̫͍̅͜͜y̸̛͇͙͗̈́̂͛̐̏͆̽̽̄̀̑̕̚͝ẉ̸̦̲̥̽̍̐͋̿̓̇͒́́̍̓x̷̨̺̫͕̩̖̫̩́̀̌́̑̏̈́̊̈́̒́̉̈́̚͠n̸̜͙̙̯̬̦̯̓̃̐͑̓̋́̾͝g̷̛̯͕̙̈́̀̍̊͂̎̈́ ̵̛̛̘͚̠̪̲͍͍͉̰͈̝͖̆̑̒͒͒̐͗̄͛̓̀͗̍͜͝ͅẘ̶̧̢̛̛̤̱͚̠͖̗̘̪͉̫̙̼̣̜͍͛̑̀̌́̀́̂̇̏̚h̸̡̧̭̭̟̣̣̻͇̖̫̊̽̐́̾̓́̋̆̕̕͜ͅx̴̤̘̮͉̺͕̯̝̯̼̯̻̂̀͂̂̅̊̍̀̚͘r̷̳̦̪̣̼̻͉̱̉̽̂͜y̸̧͎̝̳̦̿͐̐͛̿̇̅̿̿̉̾͝͝ ̴̧̫̺̖̳̳̫͖̣̰͕̯́͊̒́̀̊͑̆̓͋̓͝y̷̡̢͉̰̘͕̘̜̳͙̓̊͊̆̀̆̀̊͑͝ͅx̴͉͙̰̞͖͚̞͍̖͔͓̻́̄̓͊̐͐͋̈̇̌̊̌̑͐͋̓ͅx̸̟̟̬̙̙͙̤͍͓̓̏͆͘̕͜ ̶̨̛̠̞̙͇̭̦̼̗̞̞̬̪̆͊̏̈́̽͛̌̐͗̓̌̍͘̚ͅw̷̜͛̊̇̍̈͑͆͐̀͋̽͆͂̎x̸̡̜̯͎̞͊̌͆̎l̶͙̤̯̰̳̀̓͑͌́́̌͗̎̋̉̐̂̅̄͗̈͜ͅl̶̨̛͇̺̹͖̝̲͚͖̯͓̟͓̘̑͒̄͛̽̀̒̓͛͝ͅͅ ̴̢̤̞͎͖͍̟̞̻̙̹͆͌̃͒̌̓͐͛͛͜y̶̡̟̬̱̘̆̽̃̈̐͋͋̑͆͋͘͝͠͝͠n̶̢̛͓̙͛͋͒̑͒͑́͛̈̉̚̚͝͝d̷̜͕̘̯͕͙͉̱͔̳͉̜͓̪͇͍̃̆̄́̏͂̅͝͝ ̵͚̼̜̪̓̒͐̐̿̄͂͑̈́̀̐̕͠͝͝x̶̧͇͉̥̪͕̗͔̤͓̹̝̦̩̀̉̈́͛̓́̊p̴̹̹͓̲̪͆͊̏̒͋̆̊ ̵̨̗̖͉͔̦̣̪͕̠̩͉̲̻̝̞̀̿͐̋̂̓̿͊͊̕͠͝͝͝ͅx̸̙͖̰͈͉̎̀̽̉̿̐̚͜͜š̷͉̳̖̬͈̦̫̞̞̍͜ ̶̧͎̞̠̺̋̂̽̏̋̑̎̈́͗̍͐͂̕͝d̵̨̨͈̯̖̖̟̯͓͈̈́̉̈͜ͅy̶͙̣̪̩͖̙̙͓̲̮͑͛s̷̡̤̝̤̪͖̏̌̍͆̍̀̇͠p̶̧̨̨̞̩̘̠̖̮̪̙̳̬̟̖̾̃́̽͋́͌̍̈͋̓͆͋̒͋̕͠x̷̫̠͈̲̘͉̙͓̭̣͔͉̪͍̩̠͑͆ͅx̵̢̢̛̣̗̫̔̄̎̓̋͆̓͊̔̈̀̉͜r̸̟̤̜̱̻̦̺͉͚̣̓͗̕͝.̷̢͓̩̫̳̦̌͋̔̍̋̋̐͒̌̋̆̎͂́͗̚͠ ̷̧͚̙̳͔̯̠̣̭̠̲̩̍̎͑̽̕ͅD̴̢̢̢̥̬̜͙̣͎̝͉̹͕̠̹̮́̒̄͋̄̾̔̒̈̎͑͝͝ͅx̶̨̭͙̠̼͇͍̣̱̪̼͇̩̭̟́̄͒ͅs̴̺̀́̀͗́̇̓̌̀p̵̛͙̟̪͓̯̹̞͓͒̂̈́̌͊̑̉͋͊̿͜͝͠y̷̮͐̉̉̄͒̇̆̀̆̓̅͝͠͝ẏ̶̧̨̘͙̥̟̬͕̭̮̥̮̳͔͆͒͆̒̍͊̌̓͋̈́͂̅̿͂͝͝ṟ̸̡̛̘̖̞͓͇̼͌̈́͛̊̆̾́͛̃̓̅͝ ̸̧̛͎̣͎͇̞͈̼̪̲̺̬̦̣͕̐̏̆͌͑͑͒̑̔̆̂͘x̷̧̡̙͕͓͓̹̖͓̙̝̤̗͓̯̤́͘s̶̢͕̞̥̙̪̦͎͕̙̽́ ̴̢̨̰̘͔͈̯͎̼͈̈́́́̇̈́́̈́͝y̴̨̛̹͖͉͉̞̲̦̯̤̤͍̽͗̉̆̎̅̿͗̑͂͝v̷̢̬̰̘͓͚̩̫̲̯͕͕͓̹͔̝̼͌̅̌͐͆͊̃y̶̹͔̱̟͖̲̣̗̙͉͙̦͛͜ņ̶̺̖͍̬͉̩̫̟̱̰̙̗͔̇̈́̎͜ ̶̧̧̡̪̯͍̳͉̫̪͇̮͕̺̠̅́͋̆̏̔̎̀́̂ẅ̴͈͙̺̟̱̝͎̻̞́̅́̄͌̇̋͛̽̈́̍́̐̒̚͜h̶͇͎͋̿́́x̴͍͍̝͎̬͋͂͒̌́̏̒̚ṯ̸͔̭͙͈͓̽̃͋͆̆͂̌̌͊̓̀̏͠ͅͅ ̸̢̛̭̳̘͕͕̝͉̥̣̣̪͉̥̝͔̓̀̃̂͒̆̿̅̐̄̋͝y̷̛̠͓̫̜̟̞̩̤̜̙͖̣̟̏͌̓̅̆̈́̌̚x̷̨̻̘̯̗̟͓̹̄͑̎̈̑̾͋̒̀̊́͘͝x̵̛̛̼̙́̒̀͑̾̎̇͌̈ ̴̖̭̼̘̞̤͓͍̤̰̣͚͌͜c̶̹̬͍̝̠̽͑͂y̴̨̢̛͙̰̦͓͎͐͊̇̾̌̄́̌̎̂̈́͘͘̕͝ń̶͙̗͔̿̿̋̆̽̒̀̾́͘͘͝͝ņ̵͚̼͓͕̈́̾̋͐̓̈́̎͒̓͆͌̃͆͛̈́͝y̵̛̺̪̗̔̿͘͜ț̵̢̢͇̭̭͔͚̺̺͉̌̾͗̀͐̋̿̋̐͗̍̑͊̍̕ͅ ̶̡̡̧̱͔͎̘̩̞̭̖̯͖̗̦̣͒̈́̄̀͋̿͑̍́͋̀̓̚̕͠͠ͅp̸̖̯͇̭̜̼͚̪̱͔̥͎͉͔̟̦̉̅̍̈́̊̅̋̚͘̚r̵̥̬͈͓̞͉̱̖̙̖̺͂̄̾̓͊̈́̍̽͋͝ͅx̷̢̮̞̹̬͆̓̉͊͊́̈́̎̈́̎͑͒͑̎͘͜d̴̟̘̪̤͇̞͈͐̀̔̈́͂̉ͅỳ̶̛̲͍̓́̾̍̅̓͋̊͐͑̇͘͝c̵͙̜̭̮͚͈͉̙̞̰̭̻͇̘͙͚̚͜t̸̫͚͇̟̮̦̗͍̭̲͙͓̘̖̥͚̓̽́̄.̷̛̺͕͇̘͙̙͈̂̉̃͒̓̏̍͗͒͝ͅ ̷̨̧̢̰͓̱̘̟͍̠̻̥̈́͘X̴̺̘̟̱̲̺͔̭̖̘̺͎̘̾̿̐̊͑ͅn̵̛̲͚̜͚̣̭̤̤͇̳̲͓͖̪̼̂̆͑̎͊̂̇̋̅̄͑̍̄̚͠ͅl̷̨̢̨͕͓̦̭̹̖͉͇̗̝̹̍͊͂͒̀͐͂̀̄̔̄́̾̏̌͠͠ͅͅy̴̺̜̜̣̰̠̗̭̌̑͑̋͋̏͠ͅ ̸̡̡̟̦̤͍̦͖͔͉̀͒̂̓̎̈́̊̆̚̕͝ͅḓ̵̤̬̗̺̭̼͚̯̰̔̅͆̔͌̾̆̓͋̏̉̉̿̌̚͝x̷̨͉̣͖̻͙͈̪͈̎ṣ̵̢̰̻̬̰̰̱̪̲͚̜͎͈͊́͆̑̓̆̈̑̍̐̚͝͝p̸̧͇̫̰̤̱̦̳͓̦̯̦̄̈̽̋̂̑͑͝ͅy̷̢̨͓̮͈̜̻̹͔͖̗̙͙̹̟̼̅͛̇͂̀͊͂̈́̐́̓̈̐̇̃̈́͠ẏ̷̢̧̘̝̲̱̫̞̠̘̦̣̲̙̣̥̐͆̔̌͌̕͜͠r̵̨̨̺͈̥̫̠̪̫͍̬̳̝̗̀̇̉̽̈́́͘͜͝'̸̡̟̮̰̪͎̱̓ͅş̴̢͎̩̬̹͖̓̓ ̶̛͖̖̥̲͚̜̱͔̏̋͠ͅx̴̢̦͈͋̃̋͋̓͌̈͘n̶̢̼͕̩̻͖̯̱͍̣͗̽̈́ͅp̵̨͇̬̮̹̫͚̖̠̝̼̲̄̅͒̂͊̃̂̆̄͘̚͘̚r̷̦̙̖͚͕̺͇̺͙͔͔̲͚̞̭̅̈́͌̐̒͌̏̀͋̂͆̚͠ͅͅx̵̢̠̮̲̼̬̹̠̙̖͐͑͒͒͒̂̆̽̕̕͝͠͝͝͠d̸̛̻͓̟͙̱̩̙̰̒̔̃̂͒͜͠͝͠ͅx̵̮̪̫͚͗̊̏̿̃͊̈́̀́͂͋͂̔́̈́͛͝c̶̡̛̟͉͙̥̗̩̠͓̟͕̙͇̭͎̫̈́̈́̃̆̃̎̽̚͠t̸̡̧͎͔̦̬̮͕̪̫̗͗́̔̽͜ẍ̶̭͈̻̻̤͙̭͍́͒͌͆̎͐̄̏͝b̷̢͙͈͓̺̺̙͍̺̓ŷ̵̧̨̛͙̦̦̬̥̺̈́ͅl̴͕̞͕̪̤̭̻̬̗̲̓̋̍͗͗̀̚y̶̰̠͔͎̪͖̹̩̿̏͌̊͗̅̒̀͆͐̉̃͗͂̌̽̚t̶͔͉̀͛͗͗̈̕y̵̺͇͓͒̀̄̓̊̀̍͂́̓͠ ̶̧̩͉͉̹̖͇̯̠̺͇̓ͅç̶̨̙͎͕̖̂̎͛̐͗̂͘y̷̧̧̡̻͔̦͙͇̲̪͚̘̰̹̣̻͍͋̃ņ̴̨̰̰͈͉͚̲̩͓̻̟͒̅͐̒̈́́̉̈́̄́̾̂̋̚͜ ̶̡͙̰̱̣̜̲̬͔̠̮̿͐͋̑̊̾͒̀̎́̆̓̚͝͝s̵̨̡̨̬̪͎̭͉̊̊̽̇̃́̅͊̅́̉̆͜͝y̵̢͛̔̑̀͋̓͠v̶̧̢̰͇͉̯̻̣͇̘̤͈̏͜x̸͇͒͐̎̾̂̽̎̀̄̈̎̀̕͘͝ ̸̛̟̓̎͐̓́̓̿͌̇̍̕͘ẏ̶͇̥ẍ̶̻͍̟̥́͛̀̈́̓̒̆̄̽͘x̸̧̪̦͓̭̮̤͌͋̇̿͌͛͌͊͛̇͂̾́̎ͅ ̴̹̝̣̻̣͓̥͒̇͒̿̍͐̓͋͋̇̓̅̕͝f̵͎̫̣͕̹͍̹̠̲̺̜̖̼̥̼̌͆r̸̡̧̛͔͖̮̗̦̫͕͛̉̇̀̂̅͊̐͑̍̓̅̍̅͌x̴̡̼̮̘̥͔͉̿̀̋͂̅̅̑̉̏̑͆͌̿̆͜͝m̵̩̄͛̚ ̴̹́̒ỹ̶͈̠̯̟̾͛̈́͌̀̅́̈͌́͐̕̚ ̷̞̙̪͎̼͔̯̳͓͎̹͇̩͒͌̂̇͜b̶̨̘̤̱̥̠̣̐͂̈́̃͑̄̏̀̒͊̕̚͝͝͝ͅx̸̧̡̛̛̯̤̼̣̱͍́̒́̽̔̉͊̎͗͑̚̚͝͝r̸̟̄̀̏̀͑̄̊̈͠i̸̡̞̰͓̥̫̯̰̯̣̩͍̔̂̿̅̋̚͜͝n̶̡͈͇̖͇̘͐͗̓ǧ̶̲̤͙̯̤̞̭͔̫̱̞̂̋̊̌̌̈́̕ ̸̢̩͎̯̗̾̊͑͒̐̍͑̒̇̄ͅf̸̨̨̙̝̥͉͙̩̻̖̩̙̳̞̃̏͆͑̿x̵͔͓̼̣͎̗͖̱̻͐̐̇̽̉̆͆̕͜ẗ̴̰̻̙̗͉͑͂͂̾͋y̷̡̿̎̿̏̇̓́͝͝͠r̸̨͕̤͕̼͍̝̮̞͕̪̻͕͍̻̻̪̂͌x̷̪̜͔͇̲̭̻̜̠̰̲͉͇̰͓͊̅͗̀̈́͑͗̑̄̈́̊̄ͅ.̴͚͓̫͓͍̠̬͓̎̓͝"
.
Try as he might, Izuku couldn't begin to figure out such radical a change. He was supposed to use the goodwill confided on him to keep his heart strong and jump above each bump set on his path. Instead, it had been less than twenty-four hours without her beloved friend, and just that much was enough to make him unable of tolerating the bullshit he otherwise would've handled just fine.
He knew it was somehow his fault. No doubt his classmates, especially Bakugo, had some of the blame to account for. Not Junko though. It would never be her fault.
But that still left a nagging interrogative.
What would happen if, for whatever reason, Junko needs a whole week off?
Would Izuku be capable of hanging on through any adversity during such a period of time?
Would Junko be disappointed in having such a hopeless friend?
Each one of those thoughts was utterly terrifying.
.
"Ḭ̴͔̤̘̘̣͙̓̄̈̀̈̾̊̀́͒͌̋̉̈́͝ ̴̧̮̱͕̪͇̫̙̜̜͙͎̟̜̑̋͐͆̈̽̈́͌͒͐̓̀͗̆́̈́͝ẋ̵̨̢̖̣͓̫̌͗̆͛̈́̋̋̂͆͌̍̔̓͆d̷̻̂̓̈́̒͑̓́̿̈́͘͝m̸̡̖͇͍̉̄x̷̡̛͙̯̹̗̱̓̀̋̋̄ṱ̴̡͓͙̣̭̿̈̿͂͘̕͠ ̵̬̩͈̜̀́͊̂̂͐̍̏̑̈́̆͐̑̏̓̈͘Į̶̧͓̬̟̼͚̭̯̙̏ ̷̡̻̳̬̱̣͒͌̀̅͒̕͜d̴̡̢͔͇̲̗͇̠̣̿̔̿̿̽̿̂͊̉͛̓͘̚͜͝ͅx̷̣̬̒̌̋͛̐̊̓͌̏͝ͅń̶̢͈̱̤͚̥̜͙̑̂̂̋̀͆́́́̿͜'̵̨̢̧̞̘̝̙̤͇̝̼̹̞̻̣̯̍͊͋̈́͂̏̇͘t̸̗̝̹̘̹̮̖͇̦̜͇̻͎̟͚́̐̔̓̈̊̓̊͜͝͝ͅ ̷̯͕̘̺̟̩͉͉͖̖̱̀̌̽̈́̑͗͂͜k̷̢͙͈̜̘̖͍̱͎͚͚̏̉̆n̵̢̨̛̖̫̘̩͇͖̯̜̭̭̯̈́͆͒ͅy̸̩̟̘̗͗̓̉͊͑̃̐͗̂̎͜w̸̧̧̡̡̟̲̓ ̸̙̯̥̱̞͆̇͑m̶͖̣̗̱̥̳̘͉̏̂͒̿͐̌̂͐͛͋͐͠x̸̢̤͇̥̩̤͓͖̗͒̈́̂͐̆́͘͝͠ĉ̸̤̆͗̀͗̑̒͋̾̋͌̒̋̀̈̂͝h̸̢̰̟̭̼̘͖̹̖̹̑͊͊̾̋̔̈̀̋̈́̌̋͘͠ͅ ̸͈̂̓͑͗͒̋̑̎̽̀̒̇̕͝ä̷̛̼͉̤̖̬̥͖̩̹̯̻̝͕̒̂̿̆͂̄͌̈́͋̅̈́͝͝ͅͅͅb̵̧̫̪̙̭̰̦̪́̀̒͒̀̈́́̉̆̉̃͗͘̚͜ͅx̴̨̞̫͔̟̼̼͂͊̾͌̇́̓̌͑͐̈̈́͘͠y̶̛̛̝̠̦̞̎͋̉̈́̈́̈́̽̿̾̅̐̎̃͠t̶̨̛̠̦̠͍͔͓͎͎͚̩̟̪̭̭͂̔͐̌̐̈̀̊͌͗͘͘͠ͅ ̶̧̢͓̱̣̹̬̱͖͇̪̲̳̘͌̀̉̈́̽̓̀̈́̎̿͘͝ͅͅx̴̢̢̢̼̯̤̟̽̽̇̓̉̽̉̽͠t̴̢͕̻̲͈̮͐͑͠,̴̡̟͍̞͎͈̗̓̐̐̔́́̄ ̸̛̤̹̼̆̒̓̓̌͛͑̈̄̎̓͂n̸̞̹̤̘̊͋̑͆́͝x̷̯̝̠͔͚̗̦̃̈̔͌̽̀̿̾̿̒͑̈́͑͘͝y̴̠̳̞͖͈̻̮͙͚̘̻͎̯̫͆t̵͙̦̖̭̉́̆̒͒̓́͐̽̌͝͝͠h̸̡͙̲̗̞̞͖̫̙͋̉̃̒͋̇̈́̽̉͆͛͑͛̈͝͠x̶͕͑̐̆̍̄̅̔͛͆̔̔̈́̋̽̿͝͝r̵̛̙̗̜͓̩̝̲͔̰̞̩͉̼̈̽͌́̓͆͜͜ͅ ̵̛͙̯͎͂ͅͅḧ̴̢̛̟͚̻́́̑͗̈́̏̓͂̔̕ͅẍ̴̨̨͓̫̬͖̠̜̞̩̜̺͈̺͍͘͜w̵̻̼͙͖͗͌̅̊͋̈́͛̐͠ ̸͔̯͈̦̊̾̂͝Y̷̧̨̧̹̰̻̰̺͎̻͉̗͋͛̂̋͆̈̋͝ț̴̪͈̹͖̓̅̒̾͐͜ ̴͈̅̀͆͋̍͂̏̚̚͝c̶̙͈͇̻̺̝͕͕̼̩̥͙͖̾͑͝x̷̛̙̺̣͒̐̌̾͗̑͆̌̔̕m̷͉͉͚̪̮̠̬̟̟̜̰̮̉̄̋̉̕ͅp̵̡͎̆̽͒͆́ȳ̷̨̛͓̣̗͎̟̹̦̓̀̉̄͑͛̋͊͆̀͝r̸̨̨̡̰̠̠̻̪͔̟̈́͒͐͛̓̽͆̓̇̄̊͜ͅy̷̨̫̹̠͉̘̒̈̃͋͘͜ś̸̢͎̤̮͚̰̙͙̞͇͉͎̤̒̍̀̂̇̊͂̍͆͠ ̴̩̋͝w̶̡̡̨̠͎̰͙͕̭̩̮̣͇̝̖͈̋͗́̿̂̎̊̑̊̔͘͜͝x̵̧̧̰͎̪̹̱̝̲̀́̎̒͊͗̊̂͘̚͝͠t̵̢̧̡̛̗͎͚̗͍̪͖̪̼͇̟̬̘͆́̋̄̓̈͐̀̀̕͝ͅh̶̡̻̯̗̙̣̼̙̠͈̝̓̀̀̔̿ͅ ̵̡̳̖̠̯̪̝͕̩̤͉̙͒̐̀̀͋̏̀̚̚̕͘͝w̶̢̢͉̞̯̜̘͎͔̰͎̝̐̄̈́̀̕͜ͅͅh̸͙͓͉̹̣̬͇̄́̐͐͑̎̓̋̃͝͠x̷̨̻̮͓͎̽͊́͛̃̑̾̓̓̈́͝ț̶̹̩̋́̓͌̎̚͠ͅ ̵͖̯͉͙̖̠͚͕͎̠̆̈́͗̈́ͅy̶͕̟͖̞̘̼͕̯̖̖̤̙͎̯͕̔̎̒͗̈̀͒̋̎̿͘͘͜͠͠͝ͅx̶̧͓͇̼̜̜̞̲̝̘̪̥̑̉̑̽͋̚͝y̷̡̟͇̣̹̤͕̜͕͈̰̣̞̮̭̞̯̋͗ ̸̢̝̱͇̝̦̜̰̟͕͇̱̍̏͒̍t̷̨̧̫͇͔͇̳͎̀̀̅w̵͈̗̩͖̫̘̳̣͙̖̐̄ͅx̷̩̺͍̳̍̃̑̂͂̃͗͊̑̂̚̚͘̕͝ ̴̢̪̰̬͔̱̖̖̗͍͔̐͐̔̅̆͑̀̽͘k̸̨̰̤͍̘͎͍̯̞̑̆̇̚͜͠n̴̛̙͇̩̜̟̭̍͌͂̂͑͒͐͋̍̓̒x̴̡̬̬̩͔̰͓͖̘̠̬̋̊͋͘ͅͅw̴̡̮̱̠̮̰͎̩͕͉̦͔͐͗̓́̈̃́͘͘͘ͅͅ,̸̫͚͉̙͈̙̰͋͋̀̓̽̈́͊ ̴̺̩̉̇̇͗́͐̍͑́̀́͆̚̚͝b̵̠̳̰̻̙̃̈́̋̾͒͘͠x̶̢͙̼͔̻̺̯͚͇̼̹̣̲̰͒̽t̸̰̫̘͍͈͒̔̿̍̏̓̽̇̑̀͑ ̴̢̯̪̮͖̟̭̝̮͓͚̠̬̙̳̯͊̅̒̒̍̌͛̌̋̏͜͠͝ĥ̵̛͇̼̙͈̲̦͍͔̺̀̔̚͘͜ͅx̵̨̳̺̠̺̝̺̼̤̭͚͒͑̐͋̏v̷̨̰͔͕̲̭̭̞̈́͌̈́͗͛͜x̴̩̋ ̸̢̧̫̥̻̳̜̘̖̰͖͎̳̝̾̉́̉̊̓̃̈́̆͠ͅy̴̛̖̘̖̝̥̪̝̣̔́́͛̓x̴̟͔̳̹͚̦̊̋y̴̨̰̮̙͕͙̜̝͙̻̼̎̔͋͝ͅͅ ̵̛̮̘͍̲͎̖̺̤̭̮̝͕͂̒͆̇̈́̿͘͝͠ͅͅt̷̢̛̾̾̏̇͒̇̃͝h̷̥͚͍̞͓̯͈͛͒̔̿x̴̡̡̧̬̮̱̼͇̮͖̱̙̻̼̺̊͋̈́́̾͒̀̋̑̊͛̈͛̇͘ͅͅy̴̡͔͍̪͉͍̩͓̞̐̆͗̉́̚g̷̤͖̎̃̏͌̄̍̒̂͒͒̃̅̅ḩ̷̫̣̼͍̰̮͉̺̮̜̖͔̞͕̼̿̾̊̍͆̌̈́́͋͐͋t̸̢͇̯̜̾̃͌̈́ ̴͔͖̦͚̈́̾̀̋͊̑́̈́̇͝a̶̡̦̮̥̲̮̻̬̻̍̌͐͜b̶̡̡̛̘̗̫̘̜̼̞̬͔̹̻̎̒͑͒̕͘͠͝x̷̫̝̠̖̪͙̩̼͇̣̘̦̲̞̑̂̾͂̅͂̍̔̑̓̆̆͂̚̚͘͝ͅy̴̛̥̗̭̫̣̳̺̩͉͇̞̌̀̀̉̏͂͆͊̚͘t̶̨̝̬͍̯͍̯̘̮̥̱̼̙́̌͜͠ͅ ̷̼̫̗͍̉͊̎́͋͆̊̃̃͘̕͠ẗ̶͓̭̱̰̞̞͙͈̗̹̮́̀̒͋̌͒̃͗́͘͜h̵̢̩̬͙̗̦̹̠̯͇̱̄̀̀̈́̀͂̇̅̔̂̊̅̀͂̕͘x̸̪̻̔̃̔͗͛̔̂́̔̓͑͘͝ ̶̨̤̝̲͈̙̈́̀s̷̳̰̪̬̘͔̲͇̤͇͚̻͋͐͛͆̈́̉̈́͝͝ẙ̸̠̔̍͒͐̈̂̄̇̕͝p̷̨̡̦̤͉̥̦͉͇̻̓̍́͌̈́̀͊̓̚͝p̸̨̜͔͙͉̘͑̉̔͋̾͠͝ͅx̷̡͖̼̦͈͔̦͈̗̯̞͑̄͗͗̈͆̇͛̈́̈́͐̽͘͠͝͝ͅr̶̢̗̲̼̰̳̔̓̕̕ͅt̷̛͍̙̽̈́̒̍́͋̅́̄̀̆̀̕͝ ̴̢̳̤͔̣̑̉̓͛͐̾͋̐̔͛͐͗̽̾̓c̸̢̧̝͇̠̯̜̈͗̔͋̊̈́͘͝͝͠x̶̧̖̬͕̹̱̀͒͌̋͐͘̚y̸͓͒̔̿͂̿͂́̈̓͗̚r̵̡͎̙̺̰̲͍̟̞͉͌̀s̸͔͔͎̹̠͔̼̉̓̆x̵̡̨̩̜̝̲̭͕̤̲̻̄̐͑͆̉̂͂̐͆̒̚͜͝ ̴͇̭̫̼̹̟̦͕͚̾̈̋̈́̈́̈͐̏͜͜͝ͅp̵̹̪̞̗̯͑͊̒̒͑͆̇̿͝r̶͈͚̩͉̣̲̲̫̣͙̄̒̋̆̅̊ý̵͇͚̝̘͖̊̊̕g̷̲̿̾̽̈́́r̸̡̡͍̗̹͔͚̱͓̣̙̥̟̪̥͙̘̈́x̵̺̭̓͑̍̽̅͗̃̓̌̕͝m̴̦͓̫̻̺͓̜͓̞͈̤͕̉̓?̵͕̖̙̲̪͙͉̠̝̖̙͆̅͒ ̴̡͔͚̞̫̲̠̝̟̬̟͉̻̮͛̓̈́͗̀͑̈̌̽̾̀̉̆͒͛̀ͅX̷̧̯̦̦̆̇̈́̒͌͊̎͊̆̿́͝ţ̶̡̣͇̭̫̖̼͓̥͕͇̤̍̃̒̈́͑͗̈́̃̑̾̾̋́̌̍͘̕ ̸̮͓͖͖̾̐́͒͐̀͋́̌̃͝s̷̰̦̯̠̥̰̙̼̭̘̓̽͗̄͌̓͑͋̚x̵̧̢̧͇̘͖͉͈͎̳̮͈̗̣̭̜̦̂́̄̊̒̄̎͗͆̕y̵̨̗̤̟̗̭̻̘͒̃̆͂̊͋̈́̔͒̇̂̊̓͐̃̚ͅn̸̨̼̘͔̹͉̳̺̗̈́̽̽̉͑̌̅̃̃̉̕̕̚̚͜d̷̬̝̝̩̼͚̈́̂̍͐̔͊̀͘̚͝͝ͅs̷͇͓̲̱̲̮̦̭̣͙͋͊̅̓ͅ ̶͇͈̼̠̔͊̂̓̓̏̆͂̈́͘͝͝x̷̨̹̙͔̳͈̖̝̣̜̯̤͇̺͎̎̈͑̍̊̒̿͊̈̆͐̌͌͛̕͜͠͝ ̷̨̧̛̬̳͍̩͙̳̖̩̰͍͈̓̔͐̐̋͆̽̉̓̀̐b̸̮͈͇̯̤̔͑̂̈͑̾̈̃̌̇͗̆̾͘͠͝ḭ̷̡̣͉̟̤͐̍̇͌̕̕͜͝ţ̴̥̠̪̂͛̃͋͒͋͐̉̊̓̒͗̂ͅ ̵̥͚̘̖̱̅̆̉́̾͌͠ṭ̵̡̘͍͉̪͖̼̪̍̌͆͗̈̀x̷̧̳͓͚̘̣͚̱̪̀̀̋̋͒̒͂͠y̸̡͙͍̲͔̪̭͙̩̭͖̬̩̋̚ͅ ̶̨̢̛̰̲̠͇̺̞͙̙̜̣̗̥̈̃̃̍̒̆͒̇̉̂̾͊͜͠m̶̛̫̯̲͖̼̭͕̘̺̗̘̥̺͂̏͌͒̇̈͛̉͂̕͜x̸̨̱̟̩̞̻͍̺̳̬̘̻͎̝̘͎̖́c̷̡̢̛͉͕̟̮̳͚͍͙̬̱̋́̊̆̽̈́̂̀͑̒̚͜͠ȟ̴̡̢̢̘̪̉͗̈́͆̎̊̋̕͝,̷̡̯͇̙̩͉̼̻͕̦̪̪̥̰͊̍̑̔͌͑͌͐̍͊̆͝ ̶̨̡̢͈͙̝̦̲̙̲͔͖̺̈̈́̒̒̉̐̇͆͆͆̃͒̕b̶̛̞͂͆̀̀́̾̀̕͝x̶͕̪̮̿̉̑̐̂͐̒̅̎́͝͠t̷͇͛̋̈́̐͠͠ ̴̩̗̥͙͓̟̭̣̙̆̊̾̐̅̀͂̐̽̀̚͝I̴̧̪͓̹͇̱̱̩̮̙͙͚̭͍͋̾͐̾͗̾͘͜ ̶̧̪̥̥̗̼̻̐̚ͅư̶̙͉͙̯̲̲̞̗̯͇͖̖̻̪̜̼̽̇̈̎̌̒͐̎́͋̾́͌m̸̲̞̫͍̦̃̈́͌̽̓ ̴̣̱͈͓̝͎̳͎͙̞̣̻̤̅̐͌̀͌͗̐͌̈̐̽̅͒͋̕s̷̞̻͙̺̹̼͌͋̾͐̈́͌x̷̧̤̣̖̦͑̂̈́̑͛̕͝ṟ̶̩̺̤̜͈̻̻̝̣̮̞̓̔̐̐̆̈́̈́̍͑͝ͅṷ̴̡̨̱̯̳̖̝͖͉͙̖̯͎̩̪͎̇̀͆̀͋͋̍ ̵̧̭͓̯̣̭̺̰̞͎̲̻̦̬̤̦͒̏̍͊͊̃͠x̸͉͎̽̿̒͂̎͊͒̄̊͒̽́͘̚͠t̷̢̨̫͔̼̻̩͕̺̜͔̼̠̹̬̂̃̅͛̓͌̀̆̆̂̒̆͜ͅ ̸͎͈̙̖̌̆̉͊͛͂̎̈́̓́̚͘͝͝͠x̴̧͇͕͓̺̣͍̭̖͒̄̊̅ş̵̢͈̩͎̱̼̣̏͛̈̌͋̇̂͜͠ͅͅ ̷̡̧̛̛̭̮̤͕͙͉̥̦̫̲̱̩̩̒̀̑͋͋̾̌͜͝ñ̵̩͔̂̏͌̊͌ẍ̷̨̧̬̺́̐̐͛͊̾͝ẃ̵̡͚͓͚̙͖̘͇̪h̷̯̭̞͎͕̤̞̝̩͍͓̥̳͔̱̀̃̉͛́́̑̒̋̓̕͘͝ͅy̴̜̱̩̼̘̦͊̔̃̂̄͊̔̉̏̿͆̊̀͠ř̵̗̘͕͕͎̥̥̝͚̥̪̤͋̅̊͆̊͗̿̈́̂̾̑͘̚͘͜͝͝ͅx̶̩͇͎͉̙͚̖͇̟͉͂͐̏͐̆̀̿̈͝ ̸̨̧̥̞̜͕̺̮̺̦̞̦̌̓̽͆͐̐͌̄̾́̎̅̕n̴̙̥̟͍̭̗͙͕̗̹̖̞̅̓̔̆̐͘͜ẋ̵̢̛̱̗̼̯͖̬͔̜̬̘̗̖͊̈̐̃͆̍́̃̔̓͌̄͘͠y̷̧͖̥͑̾̓͑̓͒̿̂͊̌̚͝r̴̡͔̠͔̙̓ ̶̹͓̩̥͈̬̦̯̥̠̥̟̟̯͚͚͛̀̐ͅx̴̨̬̺̠̣͚̥̻͓̯̗̦͍͙̋͊̅̾̔͊̽̄̌̂̓̌͋̾̽̅̚ͅs̶̢̢̮̣̘̯͈̗̞̬͓͙̬͇͔̐́̍̉̊͜͠ͅ ̷̢̯̭͂̒̽d̴̨̗̺͓̬̰̺͉̣̭̔̑̆̕͠͝x̴̨̛͙̠̙̹̺͖̞̣͎̺̖͓̉̓̊͂̄͒̍̎̈́͋́̾̕̚͘n̸̨̛̻͎̝̘̯̩̬̖͐͐̃̍͆̾͂̔̾̾ͅg̵̹̪͚͍͖̫̜̝̀͌̆̿̅̚x̷̭̠̄͝͝ŗ̴̖̯̮̤͉̯̓́̅͑͋̈́̈́͝y̷̧̧̛̲͓̭̳̘̜̣̅͒̐̆̓̀̍̇͋̿̈͌̀̑̚͝x̶̨̛̗̮͍̙̦̯̰͔͔̣̮͓̭͈̜̿̔͋͑͘s̴̨̫̺̲̜͈̩̮̖͎̿͘͝ ̶̢̪̟͖̣͍̰͎̥͎̫͕͌̽͋̈́̕x̵̧̢͔̯͈͔̯̥̭̙̬̰͈͚̺̃̓̇͐̚s̵̩͔̉̈̀̓̄̒͗̂̑̒̋͑̕͘ ̷̢̛̬̥̪̜͎̻͓̟̹̣̩̳̱͐̆̾̀̕͝͠b̴̛͎̭͖̣͕̒̾̉̽̎̌̏̀̇̍̑̾̈͘͝ý̷͍̰̐̆̕x̶̧̡̹̼̲̺̻̞̱̩̠̯̳̱̖̏̋͒̈́̀͘n̸̛͖̦͍̙̻̱̺̳̞̜̲̜̳͂̌͗̾̃̑͗̈́̓̚͘̚ͅg̷̨̬͉̖̥̟̲̜͕̪̝̞͖̜̩͔̦̃ ̷̯́̏̋x̷̢̗̳̺̪̩̉̔ͅ ̴̛͕̝̩͆̒͂͌̊̆̀͋͘͝h̸̭͙̩̙̱̮̫̻͙̘̻̩́́͛̀͑͆̆̀y̷̨̡̨̢̧̮͉̼̠̘̪̬͎̗̗̩̙̋̔́̀͗́̊͂̔̈́̒̌̊r̵̨̧̢͈̯̯̘͇̦̝͉͌̂̓̆̐̆̔͑̓̓͆̈́̄̚̚x̷̧̱̮̪̺̣͙͎͚́͐̂̾̌́̋̿̂͋͗̇̚ͅͅ.̵̨̯̯̭̼͔͉̗͉̓́̊̔͜"
.
Izuku certainly hoped that neither of those cases were put to test.
Junko was the taste of paradise he had longed for an entire decade. A longing that had deepened the older he grew and the more depressing his life became.
Could he even confidently say he was capable of living without her at this point? Because if he had to answer that question right now...
...
...By the way, was it just his imagination or his ears have been picking up nothing but static for the past three minutes?
"B̶̨̰̭̝̝̜̭͆̂̾͋̽̿̐̈͋͋͘͝l̴̨̢̛͙͍̻͓͙͓͙̤͍̝͓͉͚̬̼̀̅̾̉͊̾̀̆̅̿̈͌̃̕x̴̧̼̙̲̦̘̞̘̓̔̎͑͌̐́͆͜͝h̵̰͙̓̂́̎̉̅̽̐͐̆ ̵̝̗̬͎̠̘̠̙̞̗̝̈̈́̄̂̉͂̇̂̚͘͝ͅͅB̷̨̧̳̭̠̗̝̘̩̭̬̩̳̙̮͋̋̕l̸̢͇̥̮̟͓̥̱̜̝̤̻͙͙͉̜̒͝͝ͅx̸̡̡̪̺̯̟͉̲͍̤͎͎͒̈́͌͑͗̓͊̾͐͑͒̾̒̅̋͛͘͜͜h̸̻̰̦̻͖̞̪̜̟̖͍̿̋̊͊̇̎͐̅̆͌̓̏̉͜ͅ ̸̮͚̗̮̼̳̠̳̦͚͇̻͊͌͛̉͋̋̀͗͝B̵͓̖̙̲̥̠̮͙̟̫̦͎̦̖̓̊̽l̵̳̰͇̮͇̹̄͆x̵̧̛̛͚̦̗̪̰̠̤͉̘̗̩͕̖͑͂͐͊̎̊̈́̾̚͠h̶̨̢̘͕͚̬̹̜̜͓̻̻͗̆͌̓̇͝,̴̦̲̺́̈́̄̐̏͒̌̓ͅ ̵̢͎̘̮̭͔͔͖̈́̀͝Y̴̧̠̭͘ ̸̛̤̣̑̈̈́̐̒̆͘͠y̷̨̟̪̜̻͈̟͙̱̠͖̘͌͒̏̏̅͛̆̏͆̀͌̀̃̚͜͝ṃ̸̢̣͙̫̱̥̹̫̌͊̐͑͂̌̍͝͝ ̷̢̧̢̯̹͇̱̙̙̝̫̝͉̣̈́̾͑͗̄̅͝͠ͅx̸̢̧̺̯̰͔͈͎͇̭͑̍̓̉̐͊͒̅̌̎̓̄̇̈́͝͝ ̷̼̲̥͔̟̗̮̘͔͈̥͔̎̀̈̌͌̐̅̈́́̈́͐̾̊̓͗́f̶̪̤͙͇͚̗̉̈͐͛̿̓̀̐̈̔̓̾̾̈́y̶̛̫̙̆̈́̃̈́̑͛̅̔̑͐̏͒̈́̕͝ť̶͍̠̜̞̯̤͉͈̜͛̈́̈̄́̐͐̆̊͋͋̓̂̽͝͝ ̵̨̹͚̬̬̪̺̝̟̘̻̪͔̖͌͆ẃ̵̛̮̮̩͚͉̫̞̬̯̼́̑̀́ḩ̸̝̘͙̤͕̪̅̀̐̊̏̏͌̊̈́͌̔͌͌̎̕y̶̢̧̢̼̺͉̪̜͍͇̼͈͓̆͒̍̀̇͑̀̉͌̍̍̃̊̃̅̚͝ŗ̴̪͙̜̬͍̖̦̳̩͓͍̠̟̀̎͊̈́̂̕ͅý̴̡̢̨̭͍͔̠͙̤̜̏̈́̃̃̾̃͌͌́̉́̏̉͜͜ ̵̨̛̱̤̹̪͎̞̫͖̲̜̥̼̹͙͚̈́̂̓̐́͌̃̎̎̄̒̌̕͠t̶̡̰̞͖̘̠̹͌́̇̎̐̃͌̋͝ḧ̵̡́͐̈́͋̆̔̈́̈́̓͒̾͋͊̌̑ẏ̶̛͍͚̘͕̻̍̌̂̀̂̈́́̈́̚͝ẗ̵̢̩̠͍̖̻̼͉́ ̶̛̙̻̞̘͇̪̠̜̭̗̭͖̮c̴̨̛̱̳̭͕̳̟̳̭͉̟̲͓̘̹̲̈́̇̀͐̌͋̄̀͘̕͝ẏ̵̧̨͈̗͒̉͛̚n̸̡̤͚̯̪̝̥̺͕͙̣͛͐̍̇'̷͖͇̘̪̪͓̲͎͒̿̐̅́̊̆̓̀̽̀̇̊̄̆̽̚͜t̵͎͓̫̘͎͈̣̜̱̥͇̬̪́̋͂̋̽͌̌ ̷̡͙͚̬̩̘͚̣͉̓̋̓̅͗̌̓̓̈́͛́̈́̉t̷̡͙̣̮̠͙̣͙̮̃́̀x̵͍͉͙̪̼͉̥͔̝̮͇̻̯̘̑̽̏͜l̷̙͎͈̪͎̘̹͎̺̖̠͎̘̜̐̈́͋͝y̷̛̛͔̠̾͑̈͛̆́̂̾̉̏̚̕̕͝͝ŗ̵͈̞͙̬͉̞̜͌͂͠͝x̵̛̩̪͇̪̬̹̞͎͍͖̲̰͎̻̤̎̇̋ţ̶̛̛͉̝̭̣͈̰̳͚̖̬͉̜̝͋́̈̽̍̈̓̋̇̿̕͝x̷̨̨͎̜̜̜̜͚̭̹͖̚͜ ̵͖͎̠͖̬̹̜̞͛͂̓t̵̬̟̰̦̩̀͂͒͒́̓ͅh̶̛̖̞̺̹̯͖̙͒͆̔̃̾́̆͊̔͋̉̄̈́̔̍̚y̶̛͉̣͎̮̰̻̠̖̜̙̠̮̟͈̪̖̆́͒͑̈́͆̾͝ͅ ̸̡̫̱̗̯̊́̍̿̈́̑̐̑͠ỳ̵̖̗͖͕͓̰̠̹̳͙͍̹͕̗̘̠̯̊̕d̷̛̩̣͕̎̈́͌̈́̾̄́̿͝ͅx̶̖̩̱̞̮͍̜͎̻̪͋̾̍̑̃͂̈́̎̑y̵̧̭̹̣̻̆̍̀ ̷̜̟́͋̀̔͂̌̈́͌̇̓̇̾͛̉̈̌̎x̶͕̟͇̤̟̫͎̲̪̘̪̲̥͓̤̑̑̾͒̊̽̌̆̒̒̽͑̃̀̀f̸̙͙̮̞̜̎͆͌̐̊͆ ̷̨̩̫̖͓̮̖̬͍̪̲͍̫̟̋̓̿́̋̒̈́͝͝h̴̟͓̓̾͛̒͒̑̓́̄̅͆͌̑̚͝͝y̵̧̡̛̦͔̞̱̥̘̣̯̻͔̑̔́͑͌̌̈̆̌́̚͠͝ͅs̴̡̡̲̖̊̂̒̈́͆̊̔̑̅͆̕̚͜ ̷̳̐͠s̸̟̼͊́̆́̔͒̈͛͊͗̈́̇͋̈y̶̨̢̖̝̰͇̣̦̺̦̦͇̜̗̙͖̾̀̽̊̇̓̕n̶̢͂͒ ̸̳̖͚̰̻̞̥͇̘͈͙̐͑́ͅḑ̷̧̨͙̲͇͉̣̙͕͇̠̟̫͍̟͊̒͌̌̎̋̽̆̄̕͘͘͠x̸̨̦̦̰͉̙̻͗i̴̛͎͓̞̙͋͋͌͂̈́͒͒͗̀̑̕̕n̸̠̮͓͙͖͆́g̶̜̫̠̟̬̟̖̥͉̙͍͋̋ ̴̨̣̼̫͓̠̫͈̐̀̽̈́͂̎̽͑̊̀̾̓͂x̶̥͓͇͍̝̲͇͓̟͉̞̩̫͒̓̎̐̔͆͐̐̂͐͒̀͜͠͠ņ̵͙̟͇͙̝̋̆̈́̈́̋̕͝y̸͖̼̼̟̪̺͎͔̟̤͒͒͐͋̕̕͘͝͠ͅt̷̪̱̦̭͉̆̊͋̈́̔̊ḩ̶̱̦̰̟̥͖̀̂́̔͐̀̎̔͝x̷̢̛̮̝͓͊͐̇̈́̋̚̚n̵̡̺̫̗̜̲͔̬͙̹̹̞̞̦͍̓͌̓̀̽̀̆̀̃̍̈̔͂̕̚͘ͅģ̸̹̣̲̦̪͈͂̇̋̈́̆̃̋̈̐̑̍͑͊̋̿͘͠ ̵̧͎̹̅͆̆̿̓́̀̓̿̓y̸̡̗͔͖̫͙̻͒̈͋̑̿͌̔̀̾͘͜ļ̴̫͇͎̟͉̫̭̣̫̜̽͋̈́̉́̍͘͜͜ş̴͚͖̞̺̝̱̭̼͍̱͈͖̦͋̅̀͐̇̓͆̈́̊̊̚̕͘͠ͅy̶̨̻̲͖̜͕͓̦̠̜̤̞̝͌̊̾̀̉̚͝ ̵̧̻̠̣͓̝̪̗͉̫̞̖͔̖̀̓̒̿͘͜ͅb̵̧̨̨̨̛͍̙̺͇̈́̒̑̄͂̚x̶̙̤̀̾͂̔̉̆̃̾̆͘y̴̛̛̠̣͂̋̽̾̑̎̓͑̽̀̎͒͌͝x̵̯̙͕̖̠̖̻̉̈́ͅn̸̨̧̡̨̹̣͙͇̪̜̄͂̉̈́̍ͅḑ̴̨̡̟͚̙͎̙̩̭͕͆ͅ ̵̧̡̬̪̳̹̮͕̮̤̖̱͑͜s̸̖̪͊̓̌͂̈́͆͗̕͝ͅh̴̢͙̫͖͍͈̽̎͋̓̓͌̎̈͆̂̓̉̿y̷͍̫͈͎͒͌̇̊̊͌̊͊̍̓̿̉̿͛̓̽̓ẗ̷̟̘̮͈̥̤́̅̓̀̋̂̅͛͗͌̑͛̐́͋͜͝t̴̛̤̿̇̌̈́x̵̢̱͚̘̭̠͉̏̑̄̀̓͜͜ń̶̢̞̰̥̭̣̭̜̹̻͖̱̯̞ġ̶̛̲̪͇͔̮̞̫͆̐̔̔͛̃̒̆͌̏̌̕ ̶͈̬̑͛̌͘x̷̢̦͙̫̯̱̰̠̟̑͑̂͌̄̆̌̀͗̑́̚ͅn̸͖͓͂̀̂̈́͘ ̸̢̛̛̯̹̟̬̣̩̖͊̓̒̃͌̌́̕̚ḣ̴̨͎͔̭͍͇̪̉͒͒̈͆̋͊̿́̓̾̚̚x̴̳̹̩̼̯̖̗̙̹̏s̶̨̰͐͐͆͑̐͗̆͑̆͂̒̆̓̉͛̅̆ ̵̡̡̬̺̹̪̗̘̮͔̝̭̱̲̗̲̆͒́̈̇̊̕̚͝d̵̡̡̡̗̣͇̩̤̫̖̹͎̊̈̍͑̅̄̓̅̒̐y̴̧̜̮̙̼͇͝͝x̸̢̢̟̼͍̘͙̥̰̠͇͕̰̂ͅp̷͚͔̳̙͕̰̙͈͔̰͕̫͎͍̉́̊͌͛͠ͅx̵͚̜͆͗ŗ̵̙̠̰͕̜̝̣̝̱̗̅́́͊̆͗̌͌͊͐̿̈́̍̓̒͝ ̴̛̰͓̝͈̞͙̩͙̫̱̱̥̇͐͛̈́̔͊͐̏͂̀̄̐̏͗͝y̸͉̱̺̲͎̲̏̈́̂̍̏̔̍̿͗͒͆̄̌̚̚͝͝n̵̛̦̗̗̜̫͇̼͚̳̝̉̾̅͒̓́́̃̔̀ͅd̶̡̧̧̛͎̺̳͇͖̯̹̠̼̖͎̂̀̓̓̌̇͂͒͗̓̇̚͠ͅ ̵̭̃̿̓̑͑͆̍̏̇ẏ̵͙͔̣̹̹̟̾͝s̴̨̢̢̖͇̥̠̬͚̥͙̄͂͑͌͌̅̀̏̄̿̀͑̀̏̾̑͌k̶͖͆͊̕͝x̸̝͈̩͉͔̉̔̒̋͗̄̓n̶̨̨̟͙̹͚̲͖͚̹̾͗̿̎̒̔̑́͐́͘͠g̴̜̘̭̰͖͇̫͐̀͛̍̈́͋̐͗̔͌̿̕͝ ̷̡̦̮̲͉̻͙͉̝̀͂͗̈́̏̈́̂̄h̴̡͇̠̖̟͍͖̺̅͊̉̉̇̈́͗̓͘͜͝͝x̴̨͇͇̏͝r̶̨̨̧͈͚̩̹͎̝̻̠͚͔̭͑̈͐̆̃̓̇̈́́̑̚̚͜ͅ ̵̢̨̧̛͙̻͓͕̗̘̘̌̊̅̒̾͐̒̽̉̈́̑̓̔̽̃͜f̵̫̜̱͓̭̤͚̱͕̣̦̥̦͍̲̤̑̈́̃̎͊̉ÿ̶̢͎͉̘̗͔̖̺̥̝͓́͌̉̈́͝ŗ̸̛͍̮̞͇̙̻̘̗̱̀̉͑ͅ ̵͕̗̘͚̯̭̜̝̊̎̌͛̀̿̾̀ͅh̴̹̳̖̭̟̃̋͑̃̋͌x̷̠̜͍̝̲͚̩̋͑̅̏̏́̌̐͑̀̕͘͝l̸͕̰͔̺͚͇͛̾̒̈͊̀̂̀p̸̝̙̟̦̽̈́́̌̄̓̋̉͂̾͒͒ͅ.̴̧͔͔̮̣̖͉̲͖͔̙̗̌̋̏͂́̅́̑́͑̄͘͘͘͘͠ͅ"
Anyways, there was one thing he was sure of.
He just couldn't take it anymore.
"I know this isn't what you initially wished for, but I am sure you will get to like an alternative like―"
"HAVEN'T YOU HEARD ANYTHING OF WHAT I SAID!?"
"E-Eh!?" His mother fearfully gasped and, at some point he never noticed, she separated a pair of feet away from him. "I…Izuku, you…shouted…"
Whatever expression was fixed on his face during his deranged howl, it all contorted back before shifting one more time, with Izuku's eyes widening, and a terrified gasp leaving his mouth.
I truly did that?
What is wrong with me?
Today truly wasn't his day, was it? And now he was taking it on his poor mother. He will have to reflect on that between the afternoon and evening.
After all, reproachable as it was, that and him regretting his opposition to what she was suggesting were two whole different matters, and one of them was required to be addressed right at this very moment.
"I…I did. It fills me with regret doing something like that. It was wrong of me to react like that…but I really, really, need you to listen," He tried to sound diplomatic because at this point it was the best he could aim for. That being said, he also knew this was a disaster and that he had long since reached the point of no return. With his emotions finally snapping, despair and unvented anger courting with each other, Izuku saw no option other than going all in. "All…A-All my life, the only thing I've longed for was someone, anyone, to believe in me. For a person to look at me directly in the eyes and told me without any falsehood whatsoever that I could do it."
"B-But," His mother began. "Izuku, sweetheart, I do believe that you can be something in your life!"
"Yeah…everything but a hero." The way she looked away was enough of an answer. "Well, you know what? Against your and everyone else's expectations, I found that person. That someone who saw beyond the frail and useless Izuku that couldn't even stand on his own two feet just two months ago. It wasn't Bakugo, any of my classmates or professors, All Might, or anyone who had some influence in my life for the past fourteen years. Not even you, Mom. I truly wish it was you, but…No, it was who just a few months ago could be considered a total stranger. Her name is Junko Enoshima, someone who had the least reason to give me any chance, and yet, she has done more than all those people combined…including you."
"Izuku…"
Hearing that was everything Izuku required for the realization of everything he said to dawn on him. Looking down, his heart ached at seeing his mother's current condition. With tears trailing down her cheeks, all the while looking at Izuku as if she couldn't recognize that person who resembled his son.
"Mom…I'm sorry…"
This probably was, no, it was undoubtedly their first big discussion, and the guilt it was causing him felt like a thousand thorns cruelly wrapping all around his body.
"I'm really sorry…"
It was the accumulated stress, Izuku didn't doubt that. Dealing with his classmates ended up being too much, and regretfully, his mother ended up paying for the mess those despicable worms caused. Nevertheless, Izuku knew that wasn't an excuse.
"I…I'm sorry, but," Even so, despite it tearing him apart from the inside out, the resolve Junko tempered on him was far stronger, "So long as my friend supports me, I am not going to stop. Even if you try to forbid it, I will find a way to continue with my dream. I can't defraud the first and only person who had ever believed in me."
His mother didn't say anything at that, she just stood there while holding her face in her hands, whimpering. That only made the remorse twice as suffocating.
One of his hands reached out for her…only for the other to hold it. As things stood now, Izuku feared the small but not impossible chance of his mother convincing him to retract everything he said.
He couldn't, not when he had come so far.
Without saying another word, he left her mother be and strolled towards his room. His steps morphed into a shameful walk as the cries of his mother intertwined with sobbing apologies that echoed in the hall.
Out of all the despairful successions throughout the day, this was likely the one that hit the hardest.
Was he in the wrong?
Izuku wondered that while lying on his bed, with his unfocused eyes lingering on the ceiling. Almost as if hoping for the edges of his room to talk and give him the answer he was looking for.
Of course it was wrong to snap at his mother like that. No son should address their mother with such disrespect.
That being said, his doubts about whether he was wrong or not came from the fact that, for the first time in more than a month, Izuku questioned his dream.
Although he told to himself that Junko's reassurances build an impenetrable armor around it. The truth of the matter was that the assaults the entire world seemed intended on making at his carapace left its fair share of dents. Today's helplessness to do something about the scribbles on his desk, to defend himself against Bakugo, and most recently, his mother losing her faith in him for a second time. Combined, the three of them hit the hardest.
Was he truly destined to be anything but a hero?
He keep himself slumped in his bed while that question gnawed at his head. Doing nothing else beyond pondering and staring. His mind was so numb about the whole ordeal that, without Izuku noticing it, the moonlight began to caress his face.
Time sure flies when you have your mind occupied.
Izuku still lacked a satisfactory answer, though. In one last desperate attempt for it, he decided that reminiscing about his whole life might hold the hidden answers to his dilemma. Like separating all sorts of stuff on a balance and letting it be its unbiased judge of which side weighted the most. Or something like that, perhaps?
At the very least, it sounded like a decent enough plan in his head.
With that course of action in mind, he began to reminisce like he had never done in his life.
He reminisced about his childhood.
About his first big deception at the age of four.
About the first time he was called Deku.
About the moment his father accepted that job offer for the sake of the family. That other family Izuku wasn't part of.
About every occasion he was told his dream couldn't be fulfilled.
About the day Bakugo suggested putting a definitive end to everything.
About the disappointing day he met All Might
About the glorious day he met Junko.
About that day… when Bakugo burned the first training schedule Junko made for him, punched him until losing consciousness, and perhaps some more. All the while his classmates mocked the authenticity of his friendship with Junko, laughed at his near-death experience and contributed at it with the occasional kick at his sides.
About every single moment he had spent with Junko, and the day and night difference that it was when compared to any other time of his life.
Finally, and way easier than he thought it would be, Izuku acquired the conclusion he was looking for.
"Screw it."
That was a word Izuku wasn't used to include in his vocabulary. Curses in general weren't for that matter. However, that was a norm his thoughts had already been breaking as of recently, hadn't they?
Besides, Izuku would be lying if he denied how…liberating that felt.
It truly was, wasn't it?
Screw it.
Screw them.
Screw everyone who looked down on him.
Screw the teachers who always turned a blind eye at his existence.
Screw the doctor who diagnosed him as quirkless!
Screw his classmates!
Screw Bakugo!
SCREW ALL MIGHT!
SCREW ANYONE WHOSE NAME WASN'T JUNKO ENOSHIMA!
Was that how things were going to be between him and the rest of the world? With it despising him and him being forced to take it in stride?
Fine!
Whether they liked it or not, he will become a hero who, whether he hates them or not, will save them if the situation requires it so!
Because, just like Junko assured him, that was what a hero was all about. Doing the right thing regardless of circumstances.
Regardless of whether people around him preferred it or not.
Regardless of whether society deemed it illegal or not.
With determination running through his body, Izuku jumped out of his bed and rummaged through his nearby backpack in search of his phone, in the secret compartment he made specifically for it. Once in his hands, and with no hesitation whatsoever, he dialed up the number of the only person he could trust in this world.
Never being one to let him down, the person on the other side of the line didn't waste a moment in picking up his call.
"Zuzu?"
"I will do it!" Izuku said without a hint of uncertainty. "I will go with the clause for graduation the transition phase mentioned."
"…Upu…Upupupupu~,"
"Junko?"
"Ah, sorry Zuzu, I'm just so excited! It is good to hear you came to this decision!"
"Right," His voice turned even more confident, encouraged by hearing his friend's own enthusiasm. "I had the whole day to think about this and…well, I received enough insight to know this is for the best."
"Of course. Welp, that settles it!" His friend cheerily declared. "On two weeks from now, after we make the proper preparations, we will do it. We will take one step further into making you what you always were meant to be~."
"Yeah!" Izuku exclaimed, just as pumped up as his friend. Although he couldn't help feeling a tad awkward about what he had to say next. "Ah, um, that was about the only thing I had to say for today. Sorry for calling you all of sudden, Junko."
If it were up to him, Izuku would stay all night talking with her. However, he didn't want to be an inconvenience.
"Eh, don't sweat it! If it's for my best and only friend in this world, I will always be all ears," Junko happily said, unbeknownst making him shiver in delight. Her following words turned gentler. "'Night, Zuzu. Make sure you are properly rested for the incoming days. You will need it for what awaits you."
"Mhm! Goodnight, Junko." Izuku hummed contently in agreement. He put his phone away from his ear and stared at it with a fond expression for a few moments before ending the call.
With a firm grip, he held the device close to his chest and slumped in his bed. The frustration, the pent-up anger, the despair. Every single demon that tormented him thorough the day was gone, and the only thing it took for him to feel renewed with optimistic vigor was a single call and hear her voice.
And so, with the sense of purpose cursing through his veins, his smile turned into a resolved thin line before making an oath to himself.
For his sake.
For the sake of the only person who ever believed in him.
For the sake of the only person that mattered.
He will do it.
He will become a Hero worthy of Junko!
Chapter 12: The Cure for Heroism (End): Wait, Your Dream Is to Be a What? Upupupu, Sorry, There’s No Cure for Stupidity.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The Cure for Heroism (End): Wait, Your Dream Is to Be a What? Upupupu, Sorry, There’s No Cure for Stupidity.
Hope is harmony. A heroic heart, moving toward the light. That is all. Despair is hope's polar opposite. It is messy and confusing. It swallows up love, hatred, dreams, and everything else. Because not knowing where you will end up is despair. Despair is even what you cannot predict. Only despair's unpredictability can turn you into my ideal hero.
- Junko Enoshima, ? ? ?.
“What do you make out of this?”
“What do I make of what in specific, sir?”
The confusion of his partner was genuine, Naomasa Tsukauchi could tell without his quirk already confirming as much. He turned to the brown-haired man beside him, barely one in his mid-twenties, and gave him a deadpan expression. He suppressed the urge to sigh, but his stare lasted long enough to make his junior show signs of being uncomfortable. A feat in itself, considering Aoto Watanabe’s quirk, Steel Nerves, granted him high resistance to these types of demonstrations.
Still, even the head detective of Japan’s police force had to admit he was being somewhat unfair given the…uncharacteristic circumstances of this case.
Once they were back at the office, Naomasa will remind him that answering a question with another question to a superior instead of a proper response, regardless of being right or wrong, was unprofessional. Being a detective didn’t excuse him from that.
Nevertheless, that will have to wait. For now, he will throw him a lifeline.
“The crime,” Naomasa began, quietly so as to not disturb his peers in white protective suits who were busy examining any possible evidence and taking pictures of it. “How long since being committed do you believe it to be?”
There was some mild solace on Watanabe’s expression upon hearing his new line of questioning, with his quirk making him look reserved despite most likely being brimmed with relief on the inside. Although it was a momentary cheer in victory before he put himself to the task of thoroughly examining Naomasa’s inquiry.
After a minute or so of looking around with critical eyes, it appeared Watanabe found his answer, “I would estimate to be some weeks now, between two or three months perhaps, judging by the smell and the state from…what is left. At least that much I can deduct bare-handed, sir. We would require to let those on forensics finish their jobs here and then in the labs before getting a more accurate estimation.” Naomasa made a non-committal humming sound at that.
A by-the-book response, huh?
Not necessarily wrong, perhaps even accurate, but his partner in this case was not paying enough attention to the quirk factor. Any quirks involved by the hands of the assaulter, or the quirks of the victims themselves could potentially cause disruptions in the variables.
As far as they were aware, whether it was as their quirk suggested or an unknown side-effect of it, any of the involved could’ve been possessors of one capable of releasing chemicals like sodium hydroxide or any other reagent with similar effects on the human body. That would throw any theories and conclusions they make here for a loop.
In a society with all kinds of powers at their disposal like the one they lived, the answers to scenarios like these could be found where they least imagined, and might as well be impossible to decipher if one lacked enough creativity.
That being said…
One detail about what Naomasa’s partner said was ringing in his head.
From what was left.
The police-force detective couldn’t help grimacing at that. Well, the truth of the matter was that he had been doing so ever since setting foot in this house.
It all began with multiple calls to the police from neighbors and passersby alike. All of them complaints about an unbearable smell coming out of a nearby residence. Added to the fact that said house was already the bearer of past allegations regarding the disruption of peace, especially in the category of noise violations, the nearest commissary saw fit to quickly delegate a pair of officers to investigate the issue.
Not a moment after arriving at the scene of the crime, it became apparent that this was way above their paycheck. Naomasa could confirm that much now that he was looking at it with his own eyes.
The only illumination in the living room before their team brought their own equipment was a bunch of candles placed around. Additionally, each and every other possible source of light the police had come across in their preventive search had been confirmed as non-functional, or with clear signs of being broken. Purposely, Naomasa suspected.
Barricaded windows. Grey and decaying walls. The furniture such as counters, cushions, and a TV screen with cracks in its corners, among others. Each one of them with clear signals of struggle like scratches, claw marks, and the occasional debris littering around. If none of that was proof enough of a violent crime taking place here, then the blackened stains of dried blood spreading all over the room was.
All of it combined made for a macabre scenery. And yet, Naomasa deeply wished that was the most disturbing of details. Looking down at the floor, there was a sight that even a detective with fifteen years of experience like him could put his hair at the back of his neck on end.
Bones.
Loads of them scattered around, some of them still with remnants of meat lingering on their remains. Even if all of them were big enough to fit human proportions, they came in varying sizes, and the black-haired adult gritted his teeth in impotence at suspecting it wasn’t only because they were different types of bones.
Swallowing the brief and seemingly unnoticeable release of emotions down, Naomasa focused on a particular detail most of them shared. That was to say, the notable teeth-shaped dents on them. Disturbing as the implications were, the detective couldn’t deny that was likely one of his most important clues so far.
And about the last one in their current location.
“Let’s keep looking.” Was everything Naomasa said before finally getting his feet to work. With nothing more than a hum in agreement, Watanabe followed diligently behind him.
Despite his previous spiel about quirks and unknown variables, Naomasa had a good knack for what happened here. After all, the crime scene’s resemblance with previous works of the now fugitive Rank-A Villain, Moonfish, matched to a degree. It was far from identical, but it still coincided just enough to not be ignored.
However, just because there were parallels, it didn’t mean Naomasa had already got his suspect. What occurred here was seemingly clear, yes, but who was responsible and how? That was yet to be determined, even if he suspected he would be finding the answers he was looking for, so long as he continued with his search.
Whether he liked those answers or not…well, he already hated what he had seen so far. Besides, that part came with the job. Complaining about it wasn’t going to change what had been a grim truth for almost two decades.
As he strolled through the corridor, and with the reassurance that the police have already secured the perimeter within the house, Naomasa decided it was as good time as any to reflect on the testimonies he gathered.
Leaving aside the unnecessary remarks about the appearance of this house’s residents, it was consistently informed that the family consisted of a couple and their six sons and daughters. Save for the youngest, each member had some slight variation of the same mutant quirk. Its member ratio was three females and five males with, as far as everyone was aware, only three out of them being adults.
They had an infamy of being the black sheep in the neighborhood, with daily and easily heard discussions taking place within their household, suspicions of domestic violence, and rumors of each and one of their children showing problematic behavior, with the couple’s eldest son suspected of already being on the steps of villainy.
Some also pointed out that they couldn’t remember seeing them come out of their house in a few months, almost as if they suddenly disappeared ever since that long ago, which coincided with Watanabe’s assumption.
While it certainly sounded like concerning information, none of that gave him a helpful hint about what he had seen so far. The closest scenario he could imagine with that information alone would be that their oldest son ended up messing with the wrong people and he and his family paid the consequences for that.
Although even if that was the case, not even the Yakuza, who were infamous for their lack of empathy for those who wronged them, compared with the brutality that took place here.
This being the work of Moonfish didn’t add up either. The part of doing that to their victims along with the excessive blood certainly did. The rest, however? Subtlety wasn’t a known trait of the villain. Even if six months without knowing his whereabouts suggested otherwise, his handiwork would’ve left the entire house in shambles, not just its interiors. People would’ve reported something just moments after happening, hours in a bad scenario, and perhaps one or two days at worst. Not months late and only after the perpetrator finally let his guard down and overlooked an opening.
A third possibility briefly came to mind. That being said, he thought it was better to put the idea on reserve until he had at least one hint that pointed at it.
Only I know how big of a headache I would suffer if this had any correlation with that.
The walk towards his next destination was relatively short, understandable considering the house wasn’t very large, so Naomasa was forced to cut his assessment of the case short. How the smell in the vicinity worsened helped in that endeavor.
Ahead of him was the open entrance of what he assumed to be the kitchen. Only the pair of officers blocking the sight prevented him from fully confirming it.
“Ah, Tsukauchi!” One of them, a man looking in his early fifties whose face was the perfect resemblance of what everyone first assumed a police officer looked like, spoke. All the while doing his best at hiding how uncomfortable he was. “It is good to see they sent someone who earns his salary for this mess.”
Naomasa’s quirk confirmed he was indeed relieved about his presence. Not like it was hard to assume what was the actual source of his tense body language.
That being said, he wasn’t here to waste time overthinking those details.
“Anything I should know before taking a look?” He decided it was best to be brief and get to the point.
“It’s a goddamn memory trip to the stories my old man used to tell me from far before All Might came to patch things up.” The older man said before letting out a gruff scoff. “If your buddy over there has a sensible stomach, I suggest you leave him here. There’s no shame in that when one considers what’s behind me.”
Naomasa gave a brief look at his companion who, true to his nature of only speaking when deemed necessary, in response gave a reassuring nod.
That was good enough for him, “I appreciate the warning, but we will be fine.”
“Your call, lad.” The officer shrugged. “One more thing I can tell ya, though. Whomever scoundrel is responsible for this, you won’t see me shed a tear when they get assigned an all-paid trip to Tartarus followed by the chair. Hells, I wouldn’t even mind a first-row seat to see the bastard pay.”
Crass, but apart from having no interest in making a spectacle out of it, Naomasa couldn’t have it in him to disagree. If the smaller bones in the living room truly belonged to whom he suspected, a lifetime sentence to Japan’s prison for its worst criminals would be the least of the culprit’s problems.
After giving an even thanks for the prompt for a second occasion, the officers moved aside and Naomasa, with his partner following at his side, walked inside.
A single step into it forced him to cover the lower half of his face to prevent his nostrils from burning. The change was just that radical. While the living room was a combination of rustiness and rotten eggs, in the kitchen the only scent one could discern was that of death and decay.
He heard Watanabe letting out small coughs, and Naomasa would’ve asked if he was truly okay, but at this point, most of his attention was on his surroundings.
If Naomasa was grimacing before, now he was fully scowling.
The living room was a trip onto a movie scene bordering between thriller and horror.
The kitchen, however, was a direct journey into a slaughterhouse.
Everywhere he looked, there was at least one noticeable spot of red and green miss mashed into a nauseous dark brown. Solidified sanguine fluid painted the floor in what was once puddles leaking out of the fleshy masses littering the table, the cabinets, and the counters. Each and one was malformed beyond recognition, with only a very specific set of quirks having a chance of figuring out to whom belonged what.
A sight so revolting and wrong, that only the flies lying around, so ignorant and uncaring of its origins, could feast upon it.
It all made him question a single thing.
Why?
Why would someone go at such leaps and bounds to commit something like this? Something that goes beyond grudges and hate?
He truly did his best attempt at finding any justification behind this, but despite how much he tried, every train of thought met a roadblock. There were quirks that changed someone’s diet, that was common knowledge, but one that made you crave human flesh? And to these extremes? He never heard of one. The closest thing would be those with vampiric-related quirks, where it wasn’t unheard of stories where abstinence from blood had severe psychological ramifications on its user.
That didn’t add up either, though, even under the mental gymnastics that was assuming the residents were affected by their mutation after years of not showing any issues whatsoever. Not only because every single member within the Yasuda’s had a rat mutation quirk, with his youngest member being the sole exception through quirklessness, but a quick assessment of the building would also easily tell you that it wasn’t blood that they were after.
Otherwise, what would be the point of ‘wasting’ so much of it?
Naomasa would only admit it to himself, but these cases were logic and common sense was nowhere to be found, they truly were the worst of all.
“How should we proceed?” It was for moments like these, that he was grateful of choosing the brown-haired detective to accompany him. Naomasa didn’t’ doubt Watanabe was feeling as much righteous fury as he was, but the young man’s quirk was doing wonders at keeping his head straight.
“Despite the looks, no, precisely because of how it looks, we can’t discard the possibility that something of importance has been hidden here.” Naomasa briefly gazed at the fridge. Half-open enough for him to see that despite being broken beyond repair, whoever was responsible for this unforgivable crime, didn’t see a problem with making use of it regardless.
It also was about the last spot he would want to touch. However, that in itself made him suspicious of it.
Watanabe must have picked up on the look he was giving at the kitchen equipment, with how his brows raised up by a degree and his voice had a touch of disbelief as he spoke, “Are we seriously…?”
“Having reservations about doing this should be motivation on its own to go with it, don’t you think? We can’t discard the idea of the culprit keeping something of relevance in there for those exact reasons.”
His partner seemed reluctant, nevertheless, he didn’t attempt to disagree with him. Naomasa briefly wondered if the fear of having Watanabe appointed to be the one to do it was an extra motivator to not bring any protests.
Shaking his head out of those distracting thoughts, he gave one brief and hesitant look at the now useless freezing device. Seeing no reason to delay this, he proceeded with his self-imposed task, thanking like he had never done in his life for wearing gloves.
With cautious steps, Naomasa walked down to the other end of the room, all the while having one hand once again covering his nose, as impossible as it should be, the odor worsened with each step he took. Once face to face with the hellish compartment, his hand reached for its insides, and with it about to touch the nearest slab of flesh, he―
“True Man! S-Sir, it’s an emergency! You…you have to come and see this!”
The head detective didn’t waste a second in parting away from the fridge before turning back to see the officer who entered the scene.
“What is it?” Naomasa raised his hand to stop the previous two uniformed men from wasting time berating the newcomer’s abrupt appearance. “Has the culprit been spotted in the vicinity?” He asked with urgency. While he couldn’t want anything more than catching the Villain, that this was Moonfish they were talking about hadn’t been entirely discarded.
No one in the police force was near to have a quirk with enough firepower to fight someone like him. It would require at least two middle-tier Pros, and even they would need quirks that properly countered the Rank A Villain.
They simply weren’t prepared to fight someone of that caliber.
A ton worth of weight was lifted off his shoulders when he saw the young policeman shake his head in negation, “It’s not that. In the backyard, some of our people noticed something weird around the bushes, and after giving it a look we noticed that there was a trapdoor leading down a basement of sorts. We got inside to take a look, and…well…it would be best if you saw it by yourself, sir.”
At any other time, Naomasa would have reproached him and the other members of the police for acting in such an impulsive manner. What if opening the door without doing so in a specific manner triggered a trap that got rid of any relevant evidence? Or worse, if it was booby-trapped against intruders?
It was neither the place nor the moment, though, as there were far more urgent issues to deal with right this very instant.
As if his life depended on it, Naomasa rushed out of the house, shouting quick apologies every time he nearly stumbled with the forensic personnel. Although his lungs thanked him for the intake of fresh air once outside and under the setting sun, he continued without letting that distract him.
Turning around a corner, he finally caught sight of a dozen men in blue circling around something in the back of the house. At the sound of his footsteps, they all turned with cautious stances that quickly relaxed once they noticed it was him.
“Tsukauchi,” His feline-looking coworker and longtime friend, Sansa Tamakawa, greeted. “Apologies about the trapdoor. By the time I came to warn them about not touching anything, some were already inside. Luckily, it was just in time to stop them from altering any evidence. Speaking of which, anything we could work with inside the house?”
“Don’t worry, I understand that these abnormal circumstances might’ve triggered some of our guys to act under different priorities,” Naomasa briefly glanced to the side, where Watanabe caught up to him, before addressing Tamakawa, “About the house. I didn’t get to explore it thoroughly, but based on what I did get to witness, beyond reasons to add extra life sentences to whoever is behind this, there wasn’t anything particularly useful.”
“Hmm, is that so?” The feline officer mused thoughtfully; one could almost confuse it with uncaring thanks to the impassive face his quirk granted him. However, Naomasa knew better. After all, with similar years of experience to Naomasa, he understood Tamakawa was prioritizing processing the given information with a cold mind rather than letting emotions get the better of him. “If there were no leads inside, then it appears we had more luck on our side.”
“Really?” Naomasa asked, understandably perking up at this new development. “What is it?”
“…It would be for the best if you saw it with your own eyes.”
It was something big.
Even if his friend wasn’t repeating the exact same warning as the junior officer, or his quirk wasn’t telling him already that Tamakawa truly considered it the most efficient course of action to look by himself instead of any bias staining his perspective, Naomasa could have understood that this was something beyond an already nefarious crime. That even Tamakawa, who worked alongside him during the ‘Villain Factory’ case, seemed uncomfortable with what they found down there was telling of how important this was.
Just what in the world have we stumbled into?
Whatever it was, Naomasa was about to find out.
The walk down into the basement was straight and short. While that prevented any suspense from building up inside his head, it also gave him little time to prepare for whatever he was to find down there.
As such, in a morbidly ironic way, he could thank the insides of the house for preparing him against what had everyone so restless.
And for a just reason, he could see now.
The scene before him reminded Naomasa of the Creature Rejection Clan, a recently formed zealous anti-mutant cult known both for their violent behavior towards those who present any non-human traits and their constant involvement of religious memorabilia in interest in standing out among other groups.
This, however, made them look like children playing house.
For the sake of not altering any evidence, everything was left as it was found. That included illumination. Which, not so different from the building above, was mostly made out of half-used candles. Although with the single exception on the other end of the room, where a bulb was enlightening a table with all types of assortments he couldn’t clearly define from his current position. Despite working, it was barely what could be defined as functional. Its constant flickering and low potency didn’t help any more than the candles already did. That wasn’t much, to say the least.
Also similar to what he had discovered in previous instances, the walls were tainted with life liquid. This time, though, its tone was clearer, with a more tolerant coppery smell and a humid taint to it.
Fresh blood. Naomasa noticed with concern.
However, despite the implications of that last detail, what truly put him on edge was what else decorated the sides of the room.
Despair!
Despair Over Tomorrow!
Despair Over The Unknown!
Despair Over Your Memories!
Despair For The Sake Of Despair!
Upupupu!
He had to squint his eyes while looking at each side to properly make sure he wasn’t missing or misinterpreting anything, but eventually, after picking up one of the candles as support, he confirmed that those exact same lines repeated time and time again all around the room, like a sick mantra of sorts. And if that wasn’t already having him enraptured, then the last detail plastered around those lines made sure of it.
Three circles, a large one and two smaller ones to the upper sides, all adjoined together. Symmetrically divided in two, with one side the purest of whites, while the other was a contrasting black. The first half resembled a child’s drawing, with a simple black dot representing an eye and the first half of a snout pictured in it. The second, however, was a bastardization of the first. There was a snout, yes, but rather than mirroring its other half, it possessed a cartoonish and out-of-place grin that almost reached up to its ear. A similar case with his left eye. Rather than attempting to imitate the simple black dot, in its place, there was a jagged red lighting of sorts, and for the good of him, Naomasa couldn’t figure out if it was paint or more blood.
Given the circumstances, he leaned towards the latter.
In any other context, Naomasa would’ve found all those poor attempts of a panda merely weird, perhaps even funny. Here, as a mocking contrast with the death and sorrow in his surroundings. As if revered like an Idol figure? It only demonstrated that whoever was behind this carried a darkness in their heart even some of the worst Villains he had the displeasure of meeting would be wary of.
Besides, that constant mention of despair…
Could it be?
Was this another reason why Tamakawa was being so discrete?
Because they have finally found a lead for that case?
“Sir, I think this might be of interest.”
Naomasa suppressed the urge of flinching and abstained from snapping at his partner for surprising him. It was his fault after all. Watanabe’s quiet nature wasn’t a justification to get so entranced and let his guard down like that.
Instead, he turned and noticed Watanabe was near the only piece of furniture, with its light turning on and off giving him an eerie aura.
Seeing that there was nothing else requiring his attention, Naomasa did as he was asked and walked towards Watanabe.
An action that any lesser detective would’ve come to regret.
Getting closer to the table and finally acquiring proper sight of it made him realize two things.
One, in there laid down what was likely the most important lead in the entire house.
Two, he was beginning to envy Watanabe’s quirk.
Constantly relying on raw experience to become unfazed at the worst sights this world had to offer wasn’t as pleasant, or simple, as one might think.
Regarding the evidence lying on the desk…If there was any doubt that the Yasuda’s were indeed the victims of the tragedy that took place in their own home, the seven skulls in front of him were the definitive proof no one could refute.
From the largest rodent’s skull Naomasa had seen in his life, all the way down to the smallest and only human-shaped one. They all were lined by size in descending order. Worse than that, on each forehead was the same red bolt that bear had for an eye, almost as if presenting them like trophies, taunting him and the police for being far too late to do anything.
“Just when one might think they couldn’t stop any lower, we stumble into something like this.” Watanabe lamented, his gaze lingering until settling on a frown while looking at the smaller skull.
Naomasa didn’t bother with a response, even if he agreed with the sentiment in its totality. Both because he thought it unnecessary to make idle talk, and because there was one…no, two details that had him occupied.
“Where is the eight one?”
“Sir?” Watanabe tilted his head in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“The eighth skull,” He elaborated. “You were with me when I interrogated the neighbors, right? Everyone I asked about it confirmed that the Yasuda’s were a family of eight.”
Watanabe’s eyes quickly rose up in realization, “And yet, there are only seven, even when Captain Tamakawa pointed out that no one had added or removed anything. Either it is missing because the culprit had other plans for it, external circumstances made them lose it, or…”
“Or, we have found our first solid suspect.” Naomasa finished for him.
“Right,” Watanabe nodded in agreement. The older detective found himself approving how his junior’s brows scrunched up in confusion, likely figuring out that things weren’t so simple. “It is still strange, don’t you think so, sir? Judging by the difference in size, we can assume the skull we are missing belongs to one of the three adults. With our current information, the most likely assumption we can make as of now is that it would belong to their eldest son.”
“However,” Naomasa began, following the same trail as his partner. “Even if we take at face value those rumors of him being a Villain, they all paint him as a petty thief, including the most vocal and controversial ones. So how do we go from that to doing all of what we have seen so far? Apparently, there were domestic issues going on, yet, it doesn’t compare to this. The change still is so sudden and of such astronomical proportions to make any sense. How do we explain that, then?”
At that, Watanabe didn’t utter a response. Despite that, mere moments passed before his eyes lingered on the second detail within the desk that had earned Naomasa’s attention.
Surrounded by the skulls, almost as if in reverence, a bloodied notebook could be found.
A knowing look passed between him and his partner before Watanabe stepped aside to let him grab the item in question. A wave of relief passed over him when contact with it reassured him this was an actual and normal notebook, even if battered by the environment, not some…abomination that Naomasa wouldn’t put past the responsible of all the misery around him.
Flipping it open, he began a thorough examination of its contents.
Reading the first page was sufficient enough for some alarm bells to grow in Naomasa’s head. Things only worsened from there, with each passing page growing unnecessarily descriptive of details that, were he not a detective, would’ve thought better not knowing about.
It was quite informative, there was no denying that. Answering some questions he had been making to himself for quite a while, all the while it brought new theories to light. However, also made him realize that the situation was worse than he initially assumed. Especially because of that last page. A sense of panic and urgency filled him somewhere in the middle of reading it.
In conclusion, this notebook contained the best and worst news he had become aware of in the past months.
“I…I don’t understand…” Watanabe, who consumed its contents alongside him, lifted the veil of silence that encompassed them for the last few minutes with the most confused voice Naomasa had heard from the young man. “All that talk of…of despair, of what this person did, and…what was that moniker? The Ulti―”
“I know it is a lot to process, but now is not the moment,” Naomasa quickly interrupted his partner. It wasn’t an exaggeration to suggest that, if the last page could be taken at face value, every second was of essence, if not already too late. “Go up the backyard, and inform Tamakawa that we need to set a perimeter in Shizuoka, Musutafu, Hosu, and Kofu. If he brings any complaints about being too much ground to cover on such short notice, then tell him that we could begin with the borders between Shizuoka, Musutafu, and Hosu so long as we get it done. Understood?”
Watanabe had a moment of hesitation towards the sudden command. Fortunately, he decided knowing better than to question his superior in a matter of sudden emergency like this one, and hurried out of the basement.
With his partner finally out of sight, Naomasa let out a tired breath. His eyes turned spent as they swept around the room until settling and narrowing on one of the many portraits of that monochrome bear he was quickly growing to dislike.
There was no doubt about it now. This incident was related to one of the largest cases in Japan’s recent history.
Between three and four months ago, there was a sudden increase in crime rates that began spreading through Japan. At least a certain region of it. With a considerable number of villains growing bolder and more daring, terrorizing people on plain day regardless of All Might’s increasing presence near the zone.
At least, that was the official version of events.
The truth though, while didn’t dismiss anything of what was already known to the population, was more concerning and went far deeper. Each and every lawbreaker captured who coincided with the identified patterns shared one detail in common that only the necessary amount of people was aware of.
Mind control.
The source of all his and the police’s most recent and biggest problems came from what was undoubtedly the strongest brainwashing quirk Naomasa had ever heard of.
Firstly, while in most brainwashing-related quirks it was only required to surpass a certain pain threshold to snap someone out of their daze, this case had been the exception. Worse than that, up to this date there hadn’t been a method capable of neutralizing its effects.
Ideas have come up, but their lack of morality had made everyone wary of even suggesting the possibility of testing them.
That wasn’t all, though. Besides the undying loyalty to follow any given order they all showed, this mysterious and extremely dangerous quirk had as a side effect pouring levels of insanity that made the victims unable to interrogate. Either because of the incoherencies they sputtered or their self-destructive tendencies made it preferable to leave them as restrained as possible.
Naomasa couldn’t begin to count how many of them have tried to end their own lives moments before and during their capture…and he would prefer to not recall how many succeeded.
Neither the sudden and abnormal transition in their eyes while cackling in their last moments, as if relieved of their misery reaching a conclusion…
Finally, and what made it such a threat, was the lack of a limit on how many could fall under its clutches.
Six hundred and seventy-nine individuals deprived of any free will, and none of them were any less affected with each day that those numbers grow. The only reason panic hadn’t settled on the streets was that, as far as the general population was aware, the number of ‘actual’ victims was relatively low.
Out of them, five hundred and thirty-four participated in the public displays of Villainy. Meanwhile, the rest were involved in profitable and illegal activities such as drugs, money laundering, trade of illegal weaponry, and support equipment. All in all, part of the meat and bones that sustained the operations that have taken the lives of seven Pros, twelve sidekicks, and fifty civilians.
With no whereabouts of the responsible despite looking through air, ground, and sea already, it was like facing off a hydra. As if with each individual arrest and raid at a facility, found out of nothing else other than lucky coincidences mind you, the mastermind behind all this brainwashed two more victims and grew new operations as if they were flowers magically spurring out of the ground.
It was sickening. A tragedy of monumental proportions. Beyond the deaths, which was already despicable in itself, the use of human lives in such massive numbers as if they were nothing but disposable tools that one could lay waste without any shame whatsoever was an affront of the highest caliber.
Yet, the lack of progress in their investigation forced Naomasa to admit that what at first glance might look like a brazen misuse of resources and human lives, was the careful investment coming from a sharp, pragmatic, and ruthless genius who thoroughly considered where to play even their less valuable pieces.
And for what? Along with such working methodology reminding Naomasa of him far too much for his liking, that question plagued his mind day and night ever since taking upon the case.
At least, until today.
While he had his reservations about blindly trusting the bloodied notebook, Naomasa couldn’t ignore the breakthrough in the investigation that it potentially offered. Not after what he had learned from it.
First of all, and although they couldn’t put a face yet, the notebook heavily implied that who was currently the most wanted person in Japan was a she.
That constant involvement with the concept of despair seemed to go beyond the correlation it had with her quirk. Admittedly, that was a piece of information he had already been suspecting for a while.
Most important of all discoveries, though, the hundreds of victims, the collateral damage, the web of illegal sub-operations that would make most villains drool, all those lives lost…
They had been nothing but a distraction.
A red herring for a plan that he didn’t know anything beyond its existence and that it was taking place this very moment.
Both as a detective and member of the police, it was against everything he believed to stand idle when a crime was in the march and he carried the knowledge of its existence.
That being said.
Even if it was against his principles, and only because, hard pressed as he was to admit it, they likely were past the point of interfering, Naomasa Tsukauchi dared to hope beyond hope that whatever this Ultimate Despair was up to, fate poured its hands in and didn’t allow her to come triumphant tonight.
“Achoo!”
“Eh? Are you okay, Junko?” Izuku asked in concern. “That was the second time now. You didn’t catch a cold all of a sudden, did you?”
“Nah, this girl ain’t gonna catch anything apart from a Villain! Well, you will, but you get what I mean.” Walking at his side, Junko reassured him with a wave of her hand and a grin. “I think someone is wishing me ill, though.”
“You think so?” Izuku grimaced at that. Superstitious as it might sound, he wouldn’t put it past his classmates to not have anything better to do with their lives other than badmouthing him and Junko. Not even this late into the day.
“Maybe,” Never being one to let others’ opinions affect her, Junko gave a nonchalant response with a shrug. “More importantly, tho, how are ya feeling?”
His friend didn’t require to elaborate on that; Izuku couldn’t know what she was talking about any better than he already did.
Izuku’s eyes went up to the sky, to its profound blue with a hint of a greyish palette. It was half an hour, maybe even less than that away from suddenly changing into the deep dark that would signal the coming of the night.
Normally, under no circumstances his mother would have ever allowed him to be out this late and as far from home, in addition to giving him an earful for even suggesting such a thing. It didn’t help at all that, following their…disagreement on his future, things haven’t got any better between the two.
Yet, for the hundredth occasion, Junko backed him up, coming up with an idea that allowed him to do as he pleased while his mother was incapable of doing anything about it, neither to suspect he was doing it in the first place.
About what said idea entailed, let’s just be said that summer break couldn’t have come handier.
Leaving those thoughts aside, unless he desired for his cheeks to burn in embarrassment at reminiscing about such implications, his gaze went down until landing on his surroundings, especially on the people he passed by. Noticing their chatty and energetic nature as they interacted with each other, and despite the reason why was quite obvious, it was almost…fascinating in its own way, how unaware they all were about what he, a quirkless boy, was meant to accomplish tonight.
Eventually, his sight lingered far ahead as they left the bright lights and conglomerated multitudes from Kofu’s commercial district while nearing its less-visited corners, where their destination neared.
Where the test that will determine whether he truly was made to be a hero or not came closer with each step he took.
“I…am prepared as I can be,” He finally settled on an ambiguous truth.
“Hey, c’mon now, Zuzu,” Junko said, nudging his side in an encouraging manner. “You say that as if you were the total opposite of prepared.”
“Sorry,” Izuku apologized with a wince. “I guess the nerves were getting the best of me.”
“Hmm, I guess that’s to be expected.” Junko conceded. “However, you hafta remember I have sewed ya up properly for this challenge, and I ain’t only talking of all those months of training.” She added with a smirk.
Some confidence came back to him when Junko reminded Izuku of that. The training was a godsend, of that there was no doubt. Plus, in addition to his growth, both mental and physical, and everything he had learned under her tutelage, these past weeks Junko erupted a new pillar with the addition of a hand-to-hand combat regimen.
However, beyond that, his friend had made sure of him not lacking in the equipment department either.
Beginning at the very bottom, his red shoes were replaced by lightweight blackened combat boots with red laces attached to them. Dark-grey cargo pants covered his legs with knee pads attached to each one, while midnight-tainted gloves with white spots on their knuckles made up for his handwear. His upper body, under an unveiled black hooded jacket with milky lines sketched on his sides, concealed a black V-neck shirt along with the sturdiest part of his attire. A chest protector that assured the safety of his vitals within the thorax.
Additionally…
His eyes went to his friend, appreciating the way she was dressed. A corset-waist hooded jacked, only without any extra protection whatsoever. Fingerless gloves, made to guarantee the safety of her pearly hands ’At least partially so…’. Her usually flashy crimson skirt was now dim black…and just a pair of inches larger. As for the footwear, it was a pair of boots similar to her standard ones, only without the heels. Same as him, Junko carried a duffel bag filled with essentials.
Matching the same colors as him, it was obvious such an outfit intended to parallel his own, only prioritizing far less the practical utility, while focusing on its fashion style. As expected of his friend, Izuku supposed.
It wasn’t the everyday attire one would expect from teenagers, but with Junko’s beauty and, as his friend had put it in the past, Izuku’s natural non-threatening features, they didn’t gather any more attention beyond the usual looks of fawning or envy thrown respectively.
Long since used to such glances, Izuku ignored it all without batting an eye. Far busier with the fact that having her at his side, almost as stacked as him in preparations, was a boost to his morale.
“You are right, Junko.” Izuku began, a smile tugging at his lips. “I got this!”
“Now that’s the vibe I am looking for!” Junko cheered, patting him on the back with enough force that would’ve caused the old him to stumble. “Give it your all, and before you could spell ‘Monokuma!’, you will be catching U.A. with its pants down!”
“Uh, I don’t think schools wear pants in the first place, Junko…”
“’That so? In that case, we just hafta get one large enough all around their campus…then I pull it down and you catch the crime scene. Ha! They ain’t seeing that one coming!”
Despite the weirdness and lack of any sense whatsoever in that commentary, Izuku couldn’t help an enthusiastic hum in agreement while giving his friend a firm nod.
I get what she is trying to say. If I get to complete this trial by fire, the rest will be a matter of keeping up my pace without not letting my guard down. That way, I am sure I will succeed at getting into U.A., where Junko and I…Junko…
Izuku’s thoughts came to a sudden halt. A sudden sentiment of dread surged, and only sheer will in combination with the awareness that this moment was amongst the worst to let it get the better of him, prevented Izuku from turning his mind into a chaotic mess.
“Junko,” Izuku began, cautiously and with a hint of guilt in his voice. “Can…I ask you something?”
“Hm?” Junko raised an eyebrow before her entire face shifted into a concerned frown. “What’s wrong?”
“Well…this whole time, you have done the impossible and more for the sake of making sure that my admission into U.A. is nothing but assured. I am grateful for that like you have no idea, but I was wondering…” Izuku licked his lips, suddenly feeling as if exposed to the harshest of deserts, before speaking again. “What about you, Junko? I’m sorry I am considering this until now, but what are your plans after that?”
He truly felt ashamed that he had been so inconsiderate that it took him such a long time to ask her about that. Sure, he had already attempted to inquire about her dream and had easily agreed to wait for the answer until she felt ready. However, this and that still felt like two different matters.
Besides, Izuku would be lying if he told himself that the idea of his and Junko’s paths drifting away once he was officially a hero in training wasn’t a terrific one. A scenario where, as years go by and his dream becomes more and more real, the existence that was Junko Enoshima becomes nothing more than a footnote in his story.
A world like that…I don’t think I would ever be ready for such a possibility.
“Ah, didn’t I tell ya? I will be aiming for U.A. too.” Junko commented, in such a casual manner that it took him a full minute before realization of what she said to hit him like a California Smash.
“What!?” Izuku exclaimed, both confusion and excitement leaking out of this voice, even if it quickly tempered when he noticed it gathered some curious looks. “You will?”
“Hey hey, don’tcha remember what I told ya when we made our friendship official?” Junko questioned; an admittedly cute pout filled with fake annoyance forming on her face. “I didn’t spend the last three months, and neither I will the incoming seven ones, training ya into my ultimate fluffy-haired villain-knocker machine just to throw ya at the first chance. As if!” His friend exclaimed, suddenly shaking her head to the sides with enough intensity that her pigtails were smacking her in the face. “No, nope, negative, denegado. I won’t allow for our story to end that soon, and if me getting into Japan’s most prestigious and demanding school is what it takes, then so bet it!”
“Junko…” Izuku whispered with fondness in his voice, and his already high estimation of his friend did the impossible and went further beyond by a tenfold. Boosted by the enthusiasm of hearing U.A. won’t be the end of their relationship, he felt prompted to make his next question, “In that case, which course you will aim for?”
Chances of it being the general education department were abysmally low. Not to throw them any dirt, but Izuku highly doubted Junko would settle for something so, well, standard.
Junko was a natural for the administration of duties and handling of numbers, Izuku himself was living proof of that. It wasn’t that hard to imagine his friend thriving in the management department.
Perhaps it was the support course? It might not seem like the perfect example, but the obstacle course was a testament to Junko’s proficiency in tinkering. Besides, the chances of her amazing brain being capable of picking up essential subjects for the fabrication of support gear, like engineering and programming, were far from low.
It was so easy to imagine it, with Junko coming up with all sorts of gadgets and inventions that helped Izuku thrive, bringing out his entire potential in the hero course. Even further beyond that, once both graduated from U.A. their bond would go to such lengths that, together, they would set a precedent in Japan’s history by acting as the founders of the first quirkless Hero Agency. A symbol that would assure, no matter who you were or how you were born, being a hero was at hand reach for anyone who put the effort for it.
It practically was a personal fantasy of his. No, an extension of his dream would be more accurate.
Either way, whichever alternative his friend felt like aiming at, Izuku would give it his entire support, just the same way she did the very day they met.
“Which one you ask? Well…” Bringing him out of his contemplations, Junko mused aloud, softly tapping her soft pink lips with her index finger while doing so. Her face began morphing into a mischievous one, and it wasn’t until Izuku knew where things were going that Junko spoke again. “Sorry, Zuzu. I’m afraid that’s gonna be a surprise for the time being~.”
“Can I at least get a hint?” Izuku tried asking, even if he already suspected what she would say.
“Nope,” Junko denied, with extra emphasis on the last syllable. “You would easily figure it out if I gave ya even the smallest of them.”
“Right…” That forced a pout on Izuku’s face. Leave it to his friend to have him hanging in anticipation of something like that. In hindsight, though, he should have seen it come from a mile wide.
Besides Junko teasing him for his reaction, their interactions settled down into far quieter ones. Bringing mundane topics back and forth for nothing else other than not letting their stroll be a suffocatingly boring one.
Time went by, and the last glimmers of sunlight died down. Fewer and fewer people occupied their once busy walk. Shops had their closed signs put at the front of their doors. And, as they continued on their stroll, their own voices became clearer for each other to hear as silence took overall control of Kofu’s streets.
While Junko didn’t disclose their exact destination, she made it clear they needed to reach somewhere that showed hints not being ideal to walk as late as they were doing, although without screaming immediate danger at the same time. His friend proposed Kofu as their optimal search point. Even if it was also a victim of those recent incidents, the city still had one of the lowest crime rates in the area, meaning only the least dangerous of villains, ergo those Izuku safely stood a chance against, roamed the vicinities.
Izuku would admit he wasn’t that familiarized with the streets to a degree he could confirm how truthful such assessments were. After all, it was Junko, who did have years of experience in the subject, who proposed it.
That being said, this is Junko I am talking about. Of course the information can be trusted!
Reassured enough with that, he left those concerns to rest.
It wasn’t until the moon, in all its full glory, took its rightful place at the sky’s highest point, that Izuku noticed Junko slowing on her steps until finally stopping.
“Hmm, yeah, this place will do,” Junko said, eyeing their surroundings with sharp eyes.
Izuku followed to do the same, carefully grasping what was likely meant to be his battlefield.
The most immediate detail he noticed was how isolated the location was. Beyond the occasional bark of a dog, there wasn’t a single sentient soul in the vicinity. They were surrounded by buildings that were at least four stories high, covering the sides and the front. Making their current position a dead end.
Speaking of the edifications, none of them gave signals of being occupied. That wasn’t to say Izuku doubted anyone lived in the perimeter, but every single window and door he laid his eyes upon was closed or covered from the inside out be it with curtains or a combination of grime and placed furniture, as if to purposely putting extra effort in blocking any light from leaking outside. The environment was far too quiet and empty when taking into account that they weren’t that far into the night.
Overall, while it certainly gave the feeling of being a place unattended by Heroes and with its fair share of warning flags, Izuku would also admit the sights were far less concerning than the route to their Warehouse made base. Considering what they were looking for, Izuku supposed Junko was right about pointing out this was the ideal location to work with.
“So, what now?” Izuku asked, doing his best at keeping the bubbling nerves under control.
“Now,” Junko began, with her gaze flickering at something in the distance. “I need you to follow me.” Without waiting for a response, his friend began moving.
With no other streets besides the one that would turn them back from where they came, Izuku followed Junko onto the opposite lane, and down the only other pathway available, where he noticed the entrance to an alleyway.
No sooner they both were out of the street’s sight, Junko crouched down while setting the bag on the ground. Similarly, Izuku did so as well with his own bag.
“This is it, Zuzu,” Junko spoke, the sounds of her bag being rummaged all the while. “There won’t be a parade, rather, it might pass without glory or recognition. However, what happens tonight will be the undeniable proof of what you are destined to be. You will go far and beyond what anyone dared hope from people like you and me.”
“Of course!” Izuku exclaimed, his blood trembling with the anticipation Junko was pouring on him. “For both of our sakes, I won’t disappoint you, Junko!”
“Mhm, I know you won’t.” His friend said, a fond voice welcoming his ears. “Now, where I put it…ah, here it is!”
At practically the exact moment, both he and Junko pulled the object they were looking for. Far from being a coincidence, it was the same item too.
Looking down, Izuku couldn’t help taking a moment to appreciate it. Taking the shape of a bear, or a Monokuma as Junko nicknamed it, the monochrome mask in his hand was a symbol of the few good times that had just so recently come into his life. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had grown almost as fond of it as Junko apparently was.
It was more than a trinket made to remind him of his friend and her blessings, though. Looking up at Junko, Izuku noticed she didn’t waste her time.
“Upupupu!” With the mask already put on, Junko continued giggling with a pitch tone meant to mimic somebody else. The monochrome bear, if he had to guess. “Ready for the lesson, Mr. Midoriya?”
“Junko, I don’t think this is the time to play around.”
“Huh? Who’s that? Sounds like a blast of a person, but can’t say I’ve heard of her before.” His friend continued, her voice childish and surprisingly leaning into sounding far more boyish than female. “No, no, I am Monokuma! And also, your―”
“I am serious, Junko,” So he said, but Izuku’s puffed cheeks gave away he was stiffening a laugh.
“I know~, I know~,” His pigtailed friend said, finally dropping the act. “Although I suppose I don’t hafta repeat to you the importance of these masks, have I?”
“No, you don’t have to,” Izuku shook his head, the seriousness of the situation dawning upon them once more.
He talked at length with Junko about his theory regarding how his quirklessness provided a loophole in the law regarding vigilantism. While she did agree with his logic, she also argued that it was best to play it safe and use the Monokuma masks as a means of concealing their identities. Junko also added that it was for the security of said identities, as there were many dangers with letting a villain know their faces.
Izuku saw no reason to argue against any of those points.
Although, if he had to point out a complaint, it would be that liking it or not, the mask certainly didn’t scream heroic. Izuku would go as far as consider it bordering on villainous with how the black side and its red thunderbolt-like eye stood out in the middle of the night. Not like that was much of a problem though, he had long since accepted that using every tool at his disposal, all the while crossing the ambiguous line between inside and outside the law that most underground heroes ventured was going to be part of the course given his circumstances.
So long as it gave him a chance of throwing a helping hand at those who needed it the most…and Junko supported him, he was willing to partake in this shifty road.
With his mind readied, Izuku quickly stretched the straps behind the mask before pulling the face conceiver on him. While the design was a precise replica of the monochrome bear, same as his friend, on each of its eyes there were holes that allowed peering through without losing any visibility.
He wasn’t done, though. Going back to his duffel bag, Izuku picked up a pair of things more.
The first of them. A burner phone.
The second. A set of brass knuckles.
“Alright then,” While he was setting himself up, Junko took it as an opportunity to continue talking. Meanwhile also covering her strawberry blonde hair under her hood until only her pigtails peeked out of it. “Before getting into it, we need to clarify some stuff.”
Izuku clenched and unclenched his fists, getting a feeling of the new equipment in his hands. Once satisfied with it, he hummed in contentment before straightening up and turning his gaze back to his friend. Waiting with rap attention for her to continue.
“For the past quarter of a year you and I have been a killer team,” Picking up on the untold prompt, Junko spoke up. “And while I would love to say this occasion will also be a co-op exercise, this isn’t the case. It is time to prove yourself. This is the moment for you and only you to shine, Zuzu.”
“Right,” Izuku gave a sharp nod. He wasn’t surprised to hear all of that in the slightest. If anything, he was glad Junko wouldn’t expose herself to danger.
“Of course, this isn’t to say I am abandoning ya.” Junko continued with a smug voice that quickly morphed into a far more serious one. “I will follow ya while keeping myself some distance away from you so as to not interfere. However, if things get outta control do not hesitate to call for help. Test or not, living to fight another way is a hundred times better than not, ya get me?”
“I…” He was about to protest, however, and even with the mask covering her face, one look at his friend and the aura she released told him there was no way to make her back down on that. With a sigh, he spoke in resignation, “Yeah, don’t worry, Junko. I will shout if I need any assistance.”
He will also have to give it his all and make sure he doesn’t require said assistance in the first place.
“Hmm, I will take your word for it then!” Izuku could practically see the grin splitting on her face, that in itself making him sigh in relief. “Go make me proud!”
“I will!” His momentary spur of concern vanished with her words of encouragement. As motivated as he could be, Izuku grabbed his bag and hung it on a shoulder, turned on his heels, took a step forward, and―
“Ah, one more thing!” He almost stumbled at the sudden callout.
Quickly recovering, Izuku turned back to his friend one more time, “Yes…?”
There were a few moments of silence that made Izuku wonder if she would really say anything else. However, such doubts turned unfounded with an enthusiastic voice coming from his friend. “Have faith in your own skills. Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by what may linger out there. And do not forget to take every lesson I’ve taught you to heart. Do that, and I know you will come out victorious.”
This time, he didn’t say anything. With no more words necessary to be told, Izuku felt it would only ruin the emotive moment. He steeled his nerves and, with the most confidence he had ever felt in his life, he reassured his friend with a nod before departing into the darkness where his objective lingered.
Where he will make use of the hope Junko had deposited in him to fulfill his dream.
While the sound of steps muffled away, a voice spoke up.
“Haah, it was far more enjoyable than what I expected, but…this is it, huh?” The voice asked, at no one in particular. “Heh, to think I could still hold feelings like these. How…despairful.”
No one said anything to that. Not like they expected to, anyways. They knew such words will be carried away by the wind until disappearing, with only their cursed mind, forced to never forget, keeping the bitter reminder as one amongst many others within the almost immeasurable lists of sins thorning their blackened heart.
“This is the moment you and I…we both bid farewell to all futures. Our futures.”
Their eyes, filled with a storm of mixed emotions, lingered in the far distance. Where a naïve boy was, unbeknownst to him, about to destroy his hopes and dreams with his own hands.
As Izuku traveled through the maze of corners and turns that made the alleyway he and Junko got in, he came to the realization that even the localization where he had trained for the past months, was part of the training in itself.
Tall and imposing buildings, with their own shadows obscuring his path even with the few working sources of light stationed every now and then. Besides the rancid smell of wasted food and rusted materials coming from the occasional trash bin and junk littering the streets, which bothered his senses to no end, there was also the silence, turning more and more asphyxiating with each moment that passed.
The overall eerie sentiment such a place was causing him would’ve been enough for the old Izuku to jump and cry in fear at the slightest notion. Right now, though, they only put him on edge, with his guard ready to retaliate at whatever might come his way.
While neither Izuku nor Junko have ever suffered any incidents on their way to the warehouse, traveling back and forth through its passages and near streets, especially on those days when the skies obscured earlier than usual, had got him used to his current sights.
Involuntarily, his gaze went behind him, hoping to thank Junko for her insight into even the most inconspicuous of details.
Only to be met by a desolated pathway. With no soul in sight to make any movement or sound.
…Right, she said she was going to keep some distance.
Izuku took a moment to mentally praise his friend’s stealth skills before shaking his head. There was no time to waste.
He walked and walked, losing the notion of time while doing so. How long did he keep at it? Minutes? Hours? Part of him was glad he hadn’t encountered any evildoers yet. The fewer of them active, the more people were safe from their misdeeds. That being said, wasting all the training and preparation he had gathered for this very moment felt wrong in its own way.
By the time the first seeds of doubt began to creep up his body. He heard it.
It was muffled, barely noticeable from his current position. However, the sound was unmistakable.
A cry for help.
Increasing his pace as best as he could without making his presence known to everyone in the area, Izuku hurried in the direction where that came.
“…He…m…”
After taking another turn, he was beginning to make a degree of sense from the sounds. With it, a primal instinct that felt as if just awakened from a long slumber, made him dismiss some of the caution in favor of attending the distress call at least one moment faster.
It wasn’t until turning a pair of corners later, where he had to force himself into a sudden halt before hiding behind a wall, that Izuku could not only hear the voice but also see its owner.
A few feet away from him, in a large and seemingly open area, a redheaded woman in his late twenties was being pinned against a wall. A gloved male hand holding her in place by the throat.
“Don’t make me repeat myself again, woman!” The culprit in question, a blue-haired man of similar age, perhaps some extra years older than the assaulted judging by his voice, demanded. “You will come with me without putting any resistance, or else you will get to see me truly getting rough.”
“P-Please, no…” Hearing such helpless plead made him seethe with indignation. What was worse though, Izuku noticed how the man was beginning to growl at such a response. Clearly, that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
Unfortunately, it seemed he also arrived at the worst possible moment. There was no telling what the villain would do now after receiving that rejection, and with the vulnerable position the woman was already finding herself in, Izuku had no time to go with the slow and smart route.
Quickly leaving the bag on the floor, Izuku ran with loud steps out of his hiding spot, successfully making the villain pause when he was about to retaliate against the redheaded lady.
“Y-You,” He mentally chided himself for the stutter. Rapidly recomposing himself, Izuku raised his voice. “You! Leave her alone!”
“Huh!? Who the shit is…” With his head now snapped back in Izuku’s direction, the blue-haired adult trailed off. Having a closer look at him, Izuku could see that beyond his scruffy blue hair, there wasn’t anything remarkable about the man in front of him. Nothing to point out about his face beyond how badly shaved it was. His attire was more or less what anyone would expect from a thug. Disheveled brown cargo pants along with an open grey jacket that covered his dirtied tank top. Concerningly enough, nothing about him gave a hint regarding his quirk.
Although, there was something else beyond the physical details.
It was the way he was looking at him.
Actually, watching carefully, both the adults were staring at him. He supposed it was normal to be the center of attention when he presented himself like that. However, Izuku couldn’t quit the idea that there was…something off about their gazes. They felt empty, yet so intense at the same time, weird as that might sound. Izuku felt twice as unnerved by the woman’s sudden stillness.
“Hey, who the heck are you?” The villain’s sudden callout brought Izuku out of his stupor, making him look back one more time and notice that, at least in the villain’s case, his stare shifted back to normal.
How weird…
It didn’t matter. It was better to chalk up what just happened as both being caught off-guard by the mask. Chances are the woman suffered a shock at seeing it. Even with his bias, Izuku already admitted it could be somewhat unnerving at these hours.
Steeling his gaze, Izuku retorted at the man, “Who I am doesn’t matter, just let go of that woman!”
The villain’s eyes narrowed, then they lingered between him and the woman. He drawled the gesture for what felt like entire minutes. When Izuku was about to snap at him one more time, the blue-haired man did something he admittedly didn’t see coming.
He did release the woman.
Without saying a word, the redheaded lady gave a still impassive stare at her assaulter. Then, just as silently, she stormed off away from both him and the villain, disappearing into obscurity.
Some small part of him thought it was a bummer that his first person to save didn’t even consider it fit to say a brief thank you. The rest, however, was giddy at the prospect of actually saving someone!
That didn’t quit what was bothering him, though.
“You…let her get away?” Izuku couldn’t help asking, dumbfounded. Sure, it was good that the man did so, but he didn’t expect it to be that easy.
As if the piles of oddities weren’t big enough, the villain’s eyes widened, looking like he just realized doing so.
“…Ah, I did.” He nonchalantly said, as if the villain doing so wasn’t strange at all. “I had plans of taking her to have some fun, but y’see, one could say I have this…fixation of sorts.”
“Fixation?” Izuku asked, both wary and disgusted at hearing what he intended with that poor woman.
“Mhm, y’see, heroes are already bad enough, but young and delusional pretenders like you? They disgust me to no fucking end.” The evildoer sneered. “Oh yeah, with that voice, you ain’t fooling anyone. I know what ya are too, brat. Some good-for-nothing kiddo who let himself be gaslighted by all those spandex-obsessed doofus into thinking they could take the world in the palm of their hands, rushing headfirst towards danger, facing death when they just barely have learned to shit without a diaper. Glorified child soldiers in all but name…it ain’t’ fucking hilarious?”
Although some of his words made Izuku stiffen for a moment with how they hit some nerves, Izuku didn’t give him a response. Instead, the green-haired boy readied into a combat posture.
Izuku wasn’t going to bite the taunt. If he didn’t fell for the provocations of his tormentors back at school, he sure as hell wasn’t going to do so under this stranger who was in no position to point out rights and wrongs.
“Not hookin’, huh? Shame. Ya think to have what it takes to play hero then, kiddo? To face their daily struggles and the consequences of failure?” The villain mocked with a grin, which quickly enough shifted into a vicious snarl. “Well, enough chit-chat then,” With one hand, he rummaged the insides of his jacket until bringing a pocket knife out of it. “Let me give ya a taste of bitter reality and its despair!”
With his body tensed and his gaze sharpened to not miss the slightest of movements, Izuku waited for his opponent to take the initiative. While for normal circumstances having the offensive in his favor seemed ideal, he lacked any information about the villain’s quirk to do so.
Following the minute mark, with the villain deeming that enough was enough, he finally went on the offensive, making Izuku’s patience pay off.
Or so Izuku would say if the villain’s first move hadn’t been to snap his fingers and suddenly disappear.
What!?
Frantically, Izuku’s eyes darted in every direction, trying and failing to locate the villain. His mind just as well going haywire.
What kind of quirk I am fighting against!? Is it invisibility? Shrinking himself to the size of an ant? Molecular even? Perhaps something more complicated, like hiding in the shadows? Do I watch my step, or focus my hearing so I can―
It was through raw reflexes developed in the past quarter of a year that allowed Izuku to duck in time when he saw the first hint of movement in front of him, preventing his face from getting smeared with a knife.
Without wasting a moment, Izuku slid his left leg against one of the villain’s shins, hoping to throw him off balance.
Such hopes crumbled when, as soon as he appeared, the blue-haired man vanished with a snap before Izuku could make contact.
Again!?
Quickly standing up, Izuku took some steps back while eyeing his perimeter. This time around, trying to notice any distortion within his surroundings in hopes of anticipating where the next blow would come.
Unfortunately, while he managed to barely avoid a slash on a second occasion, he once again missed his opportunity to attack. One moment the man was there, and the next he popped back into inexistence.
He did it thrice by now, so I am confident his quirk activates when he snaps his fingers, but he’s fast…way too fast to take any advantage of that!
The mortal dance with his opponent kept at it for some minutes more.
Shifting his body left and right, barely avoiding the front stabs sent at him. Jumping and ducking whenever his opponent showed the barest hint of creativity. Each and every occasion with far too little of a time window before the villain could make contact for Izuku’s liking.
It wasn’t until a pair more of close calls later, after noticing how the villain disappeared, followed by either closing or making distance at his will, that Izuku finally understood what he was working against.
Teleportation!
Not what could be considered a flashy one, but nevertheless it was a quirk far more powerful than what even his least optimistic assumptions dare think for a first battle.
When that realization finally registered to him, self-doubt began to creep up his brain through the continuation of the fight. Flopping his reflexes, hesitating in his attacks, and getting distracted with unnecessary thoughts, among other small details that dimmed his performance bit by bit.
And, eventually, such faults turned into costly mistakes.
Following a misstep that made him unable of reacting fast enough to dodge in time, Izuku let an involuntary hiss when he felt something roughly reach the upper area of his body. He threw a hand in retaliation which, much to his annoyance, did nothing else beyond scurrying his opponent away, if only because he disappeared once more.
Looking down, Izuku grimaced at his clothes torn across his chest area, some thick plate poking out of it. If Junko hadn’t acquiesced to him with that chest protector, he would have already been one foot out of the fight.
“What’s the matter, kiddo?” Snapping his head up, Izuku saw the villain already some noticeable distance away from him. “It ain’t longer fun and games, eh?”
“It never was.” Izuku sneered back. However, for all the bite he could show on the outside, he couldn’t deny he was beginning to grow frustrated with his current situation.
“Hm, ‘that so?” The teleportation user said, his voice full of disinterest. “No use in holding back then.”
For the umpteenth occasion, Izuku lost sight of the villain, and with that, his struggle resumed.
His overly defensive stance was becoming less and less favorable. With each successful evasion, he was forced to pay a taxing cost in his stamina. His breath became growingly erratic, with beads of sweat tickling his face, and his entire body was increasing in temperature.
However, despite his growing exhaustion becoming notorious, what Izuku truly considered most unfortunate was that with each failed attempt, his confidence suffered a hit. Turning his psyche more and more into a turmoil of confusion and desperation.
Damnit! How can I beat this guy!? No matter where, when, or how I try to hit him, he always disappears. Do I even stand a chance against a quirk like this one? What can I―AAARGH!
With a shout, Izuku was forced to recognize the grim consequences of his incessant overthinking. A sharp pain with no comparison to the previously mitigated hit flared all his senses. Glancing at his side, Izuku couldn’t help a wide stare at his right shoulder, where blood began leaking out through a clean and not-so-small cut.
Worse of all, that distraction in itself was another mistake.
“GAH!”
Rather than teleporting one more time, the villain took advantage of his temporary stupor to land a heavy kick at the center of Izuku’s stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs while launching him a few feet away. With a ponderous thud, he slammed against a wall, hitting his head with it in the process. Multiple clanking sounds made themselves known when Izuku slumped with some nearby trash cans before falling to the ground.
In a single combo, the teleport user all but defeated Izuku.
This villain, is he truly this strong, or…am…am I that weak…?
His head became fuzzy. His breath labored. He wasn’t able to trust his now-waning senses, and he could feel protests all around his body.
This entire time…were they all right about me…? Was Junko…in the wrong?
With his still ringing ears, he noticed the faint sound of steps coming his way. Weakly shifting his gaze up, emerald eyes meet crimson ones.
Huh…were his eyes always that color?
However, when Izuku became obscured by his opponent’s shadow, rather than throwing some speech to bask in his victory or closing the distance and finishing the job, the villain stood there.
Shaking.
“Why…?” Izuku barely heard the villain whisper. It sounded…distressed. As if he was the one in Izuku’s position. “Why someone like you…why not me, or…or any of us. The most glorious of all despairs, why…you…” Despite how mortifying that should be sounding, Izuku couldn’t bring himself to dwell too much about it. Not when both body and mind demanded to already give up.
Was this really it?
Was this as far as someone like him can go?
…
…
…
…No.
This can’t be how his journey ends.
How could he surrender when it was just about to begin?
I refuse to accept that!
Not so far from here, there was a girl who already refused to follow what this society considered the natural laws of the world. For the past three months, she had defied everyone’s expectations time and time again for the sake of giving him a chance at realizing his dream.
How could he dare to even consider failing someone like that!?
Even if it was the last thing he did before breathing his last breath, he won’t defraud her!
“That…no, nothing of those things matter, what’s important is to…to bid their will and follow the scr…the…Yeah, that’s right.” Seemingly coming back from…whatever nonsense the villain was babbling about, the blue-haired man shook his head before looking down at him. “Alright, kiddo. It was fun, but I ain’t feeling like playing around! Be a good brat and allow me to kill ya nice and easy!” The teleportation user shouted, rushing at him with his knife at the ready. Whether at Izuku’s throat, through his mask, or anywhere else, it didn’t matter.
Izuku wasn’t going to let him.
“THIS IS NOT OVER!” With his second wind at its peak, Izuku released a euphoric shout that made the villain flinch.
Have faith in your own skills.
He made use of the precious moments that stunt bought to grab one of the trash lids that fell with him and threw it with all his strength, aiming directly at the evildoer’s head.
Unsurprisingly, the blue-haired man recovered fast enough to teleport away from the round projectile. Far from discouraged, Izuku counted on it.
Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by what may linger out there.
Rapidly, Izuku got on his two feet and without a moment of pause began to run as fast and as far away from his previous location as possible.
“Did ya finally shitted yer pants, brat!?” The villain shouted from behind him. Coming to a sudden stop, Izuku turned back and saw where did his opponent reappeared. He also noticed the teleport user was no longer near the trash bins.
However…
Rather than having him on his talons like Izuku initially expected, there was some considerable distance away between the two.
And do not forget to take every lesson I’ve taught you to heart.
So far, Izuku had been looking for visible clues that could allow him to see the attacks coming.
But, what if instead of doing that, he attempted to figure out patterns?
Do that, and I know you will come out victorious.
“Not gonna dignify a response, kiddo?” The teleport-user asked, seemingly done with Izuku’s silence. “I’m hurt~.”
“…” Although that didn’t make Izuku say anything either. He was satisfied enough with the only gesture for the villain to receive being his narrowed eyes.
“Tch, trying to act the silent savior? Here I come then!” The blue-haired man shouted until, with no warning whatsoever, he disappeared.
He did it again!
No sooner he disappeared, Izuku restarted his sprint while counting on his head.
One second.
Nothing.
Two seconds.
Nothing else beyond the sound of Izuku’s own boots.
Three seconds.
And that was when Izuku heard it.
A second set of soles hit the ground, following immediately with a snap of fingers.
Sure enough, just a side glance behind him was enough for Izuku to confirm the villain had reappeared. However, that wasn’t enough. He had to test his theory a pair of times more.
With his mind and body prepared, he repeated the process.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Thud. Snap.
One, two, three.
Thud. Snap.
“Stop running and fight me like a man, bastard!” Izuku almost had to suppress a grin upon hearing the villain’s protests.
It really is as I suspected!
Izuku had no doubt about it now.
Three seconds. His blinks have a set duration of three seconds.
It couldn’t be any less than that. Otherwise, he would have long since shortened the time between his blinks. Anything past three seconds was also unlikely. In that case, no doubt the villain would have used the prolonged periods of faux-invisibility to ambush him.
There still was something bothering Izuku, though. Why was he yet to close the distance between the two?
Could it be that rather than teleportation, his quirk was some sort of quick step with a set limit of speed, or…
Was the limit on how far could he travel with his blinks?
Only one way to find out.
With his feet firmly set on the ground, Izuku came to a stop before turning back and waiting until the teleport user landed at a safe distance away from him.
“What’s your deal, huh!?” With signs of frustration and a ragging in his breaths Izuku could’ve sworn wasn’t there moments ago, the villain snapped. “Was all that gung-ho about being a righteous vigilante just a ruse to experience first-hand how it felt to be chased by a villain? Those are some weird hobbies, I tell ya!”
Again, Izuku didn’t bother with a response. This time around, though, he raised his fists and a knee.
“Hmph, at least it seems you are done running away.” His opponent said, no sooner blinking into non-existence again.
First, I have to let him close the distance.
With his posture intact, Izuku waited.
One second.
Two seconds.
At two seconds and a half, he ducked down, dodging his attacker’s sharp strike with a larger window of opportunity than he could have previously accounted for. Predictably, just as he had always done and without waiting for any retaliation from Izuku’s part, the teleport user disappeared away.
Now let’s try one meter.
This time, rather than standing still, he jogged backward until reaching his wished range. He might not be at Junko’s level of smart, but calculating a meter of distance without any measurement units at hand, even in the middle of combat, was within his capabilities.
He should appear just about…now!
Izuku sidestepped mere moments before reaching the three-second mark.
“Die!” It was fortunate that he did, otherwise, his opponent’s knife would’ve gashed his back.
Too close, then what about two meters?
“Perish!” The knife almost grasping his ear told him that no, he wasn’t there yet.
Not enough. Three meters, perhaps?
“SUBMIT TO THEIR WILL AND DESPAIR!” It was through a tuck jump, with his legs clutched to his arms, that Izuku dodged that one. He would admit the biggest factor that allowed him to avoid that third attack was sheer luck.
Taking the initiative, rather than fruitlessly attempting to counterattack, once he landed on the ground Izuku began reverse jogging as rapidly as he could. He was practically running in all but name as the villain blinked for the umpteenth occasion.
Four meters…I have a good feeling about that.
By that point, his legs were already burning with fatigue. Sudden bursts of speed took far more of a toll than if he was just sprinting at a controlled pace, and his shoulder being a constant source of pain wasn’t helping in the slightest. However, there was no denying that for this match-up, it was the only card he could effectively play.
He could still keep at it for a little while longer, though. After all, working under stamina-burning sessions had become a norm through Junko’s training.
And, most important of all…
When he finally heard the characteristic pair of soles signaling the reappearance of the villain, and Izuku saw where he currently was, it made him understand all that effort had been worth it.
Seeing the teleport user one meter away from him, Izuku was glad the monochrome mask was able to hide the ear-to-ear grin that formed on his face.
Bingo!
A teleportation-type quirk set on a three-second timer that allows free horizontal movement within a max perimeter of three meters. Perhaps it lacked utility for traveling, but his recent experience had cemented for Izuku to not underestimate it at close-quarters combat.
That being said, renewed confidence crept through Izuku’s body with the acquisition of such knowledge.
This information…yeah, I could work with it.
“Aaargh! God fucking dammit!” Just in time, apparently. It seemed Izuku had wasted most of his opponent’s patience. “Run! Dodge! Run! Dodge! Are ya planning to keep this damn catch-and-flee game all night!? Doin’ nothing but chickenin’ out like the coward ya are!?”
“…No.”
“Huh?” The teleport user blinked, tilting his head in slight curiosity. “So, you finally bothered to say something…”
“I have,” Izuku said, straightening his back while resting his clenched fists on the sides. “I will also stop running away. No more fleeing, not anymore.” He declared with all the conviction he could muster. “Not from you. Not from those who look down on my dreams. Not even from my own fears and insecurities. For my sake and that of the girl who always believed in me, never again! I will no longer back down on my ideals!”
Restrictions or not, his blinks could occur anywhere within his kill zone and happen with a regularity for which I don’t have the superspeed, muscle enhancements, or anything for that matter that could help me reach him on time if he sees it coming. He doesn’t know that I know his exact limitations, but that means I will only catch him off-guard once. After that, it will be a battle of attrition where, with him moving as he pleases, his upper hand during the first half of the fight, and my injured shoulder still hurting, I don’t hold any hope in coming victorious from.
All of that intel set together, made Izuku reach a single conclusion.
If I don’t finish this in a single hit, I am a goner!
“Come at me!” Izuku shouted with renewed vigor. “Whatever it is you want to throw at me, I will face it head-on!”
“Hah!? Didn’t ya already try that bullshit?” That made Izuku tense. However, before panic could begin to set in, the villain continued. “Y’know what, whatever. Let’s chalk it up as your little pretty speech convincing me to bite it. Not like it will help ya anyways. Besides…if ya fluke it again, I have permission to properly punish ya for it~.”
Permission? Punish me? What does that…no, it doesn’t matter.
If someone else was with him, they would have already interfered. Either he was trying to intimidate or distract him.
Shaking those thoughts away, he refocused on the fight at hand. For what was likely the last occasion tonight, Izuku readied his upper body into a combat stance. Meanwhile, he began to carefully slide his feet backward.
“Peh! You goddamn one-trick pony. As if I didn’t already know that was your signal for fleeing like a bitch. So much for those last precious words, eh? I would say our short meeting was pleasant,” The blue-haired man said with a smile, although soon enough it morphed into an irritated frown. “But you were an insufferable and squirmy piece of shit from beginning to end. There won’t be any despair in turning your face into a knife block. That being said…don’t waste my time and die for good!” With those last words, he disappeared.
It was good that Izuku also took them like the firing of a starter gun, shifting his legs in their totality and taking a turn, bolting on the villain’s opposite location at the very exact time he disappeared.
Burning his legs without an ounce of care, he burst as far as they could take him in as little time as possible.
One and a half seconds. Three and a half meters.
Satisfied with how much distance he made, Izuku spun around. There was no time for proper techniques, stances, or for any flashy moves of the sort. Instead, Izuku did nothing more other than stretching his right arm as far back as possible while clenching his hand into a fist.
An ordinary punch, at the hand of an ordinary boy.
Two and a half seconds. This is it.
In the name of his dream.
Yes, I believe you can become a Hero…
In the name of his friend.
Give it your all, and before you could spell ‘Monokuma!’, you will be catching U.A. with its pants down!
In the name of everything she had represented in his life…
TAKE THIS!
“Ha! You didn’t get far e―”
“Monokuma Smash!” With a roar, Izuku launched the strongest right hook he could muster, hitting bullseye dead center in his opponent’s nose. He punched as he had never before. Ignoring the protest in his still-open injury. Ignoring how he poured so much strength that his shoulder dislocated.
There was a muffled scream in pain, and with a combination of the power used in the strike along with the extra hit coming from the brass knuckles, a cracking sound followed before the villain was sent flying. Landing some feet away into the ground with a resounding thud.
For a moment, the only sound that interfered with the otherwise silent surroundings was that of his labored breaths.
Did…Did I get him for good?
Izuku waited and waited some more, and it wasn’t until he deemed having let enough time pass by, with the villain still not doing so much beyond a twitch here and there, Izuku allowed a sigh of relief.
“Hehe…” He quickly came to regret doing that upon hearing the laugh escaping his opponent’s mouth.
It’s not over yet!?
Despite the dread building up in his body, Izuku attempted to maneuver his arm like he previously did. Attempted, as in his arm did nothing but protest against it.
Damnit! I can’t repeat my previous stunt with my shoulder as it is. I would waste some precious time fixing it up, and he could teleport back into action anytime now. Worse than that, there’s no way he will fall for that again!
What was he supposed to do now!?
“The…ors…”
Just when Izuku was about to wrack his head for any ideas, every thought came to a halt when he heard the villain speak. Looking down, he itched a breath at the sight.
With his head now raised up, the villain’s crimson eyes were gazing directly at him. Izuku could practically see the eerie aura they carried while doing so.
“Hehe…oh, the horrors that await you, how…hehe…envious I am…” As soon as those words ended leaving that man’s mouth, his eyes rolled up before his head hit the ground.
…Huh?
It seemed like he truly was done for good, with that strange declaration spending his last bits of strength.
Not like Izuku stood still to confirm it.
Firstly, he used his healthy limb to take hold of his dislocated one and stretched it above his head until a satisfactory pop was heard. Basking in the temporary relief that brought, he rushed to the corner from where he came before his fight with the villain. Once coming upon sight of his duffel bag and wasting no time in reaching down for it, he rummaged through its contents.
Setting aside a set of spare clothes, he grabbed a first aid tape and stored it in his jacket. Izuku knew he should be using it right about now to stop the, even if now considerably slow, still ongoing bleeding on his shoulder. However, there was one more thing he needed to do before Izuku could officially claim everything was over.
“For that, I am going to need…ah, here they are!” Izuku said after picking up what he was mainly looking for. A pair of ropes. With them in hand, he hurried back towards the villain, glad at seeing his momentary absence had cost him.
Gazing around, further relief washed over him when he spotted a pair of solid-looking pipes creeping from one of the surrounding buildings.
Dragging an unconscious teleport user and using a pair of ropes on him later, the villain in question had its upper body and arms completely bound through the ducts. Plus, to guarantee he didn’t were to get into any funny business, Izuku cut part of the second rope with the knife the villain left, used the larger part to tie the still uncovered areas of his arms and the shorter one to bound his fingers in a manner that prevented him from flexing his fingers in any manner whatsoever, thus disabling his quirk. There was the possibility that his quirk didn’t allow him to move past solid objects, but neither did Izuku have the chance to prove it during the fight nor he was tempted to do so now.
It wasn’t perfect, but he had to make do with what he had. With his unconscious state, in combination with the bounds keeping him in place, that should buy enough time for the police or a pro in patrol to find him.
Now that I think about it, I should―Ow!
With adrenaline finally wearing down, not only his accumulated exhaustion began to creep in, but his luckily only real injury sent him a jolt in agony. Izuku’s wince in pain turned into a sheepish expression when his eyes flickered to his shoulder and all that blood smeared most of his right arm.
Junko is going to chew me out for this, isn’t she?
While bringing the medic tool out of his jacket and rolling its tape around his shoulder Izuku stared down at his handiwork, both cautious of the man still being up to something. One last trick, anything. It just so happened he still had a hard time grasping it.
The idea that he, Izuku, the quirkless boy no one but a single person had any hopes for, had done what this world considered impossible, was still registering in his mind
But…it was true, wasn’t it? The man in front of him was the definitive evidence that without the use of any quirk, with the right coaching and training regimen, Izuku had proven himself capable of doing exactly that.
There were so many things Izuku wanted to do at this very moment. He wanted to scream in euphoria. He wanted to laugh and celebrate what he had achieved tonight. He wanted to cry and release the pent-up frustration accumulated for more than a decade.
And yet, before he allowed himself to go with any of that, a memory came back to him.
It’s not only their quirks you should worry about, Zuzu. Even if they seem defeated, checking for hidden gimmicks in their belongings is never a waste of time. One can never be too cautious when it comes to people like them.
It was one of the first words of wisdom she gave him today after leaving her apartment. Simple, yet the importance they held was not to be undermined.
And I almost forgot about them anyways…
He supposed that it could be justified by the recent chaos he faced. Nevertheless, now that he remembered it, Izuku couldn’t let something like tiredness and an injured shoulder stop him now. Restrained or not, Junko was right.
There was no way Izuku would be making a mistake by taking those extra cautions.
Once satisfied by his self-ministrations ‘I’m sure Junko could do a better job, but this will have to do for now…’, Izuku stored back the tape and approached the villain. He began with his shoes, taking them off and shaking the footwear with the intent of dropping whatever hidden content they might store. When that didn’t give any results, he began feeling up his pants, beginning from his ankle, all the way to the pockets in his thighs and rearguard. Surprisingly, that also ended in a negative. Izuku was sure he was going to find that lady’s wallet, seeing the assault looked like having some time underway already. Neither there was the villain’s own wallet, although Izuku wasn’t sure about how often criminals had them or not on their possessions. He would have to ask Junko about that later. Finally, he reached for his jacket.
Izuku didn’t know whether consider it bad or good news, but it didn’t took him long to find a bulge there. Carefully inspecting the insides of the jacket, Izuku noticed the lump came from a zipper pocket on its left side. Most concerningly, even hidden underneath it, he could see that the mysterious object was far from small. With a sense of foreboding creeping up to his psyche, he unzipped the pocket and rummaged inside it.
“What the!?” He visibly recoiled and drew his hand back when he felt the general shape of the object in question. Izuku hesitated pouring his hand in there one more time. At least, until he remembered why he was doing that in the first place.
If that was what he thought it was, Izuku had all the more reasons to make sure it wasn’t in the villain’s possession. With an audible gulp, he quickly shoved his fingers forward, grabbed the metallic gadget, and retrieved it out of the blue-haired man’s pockets.
Even if it was amongst his greatest suspicions, Izuku was unable to prevent an audible gasp from escaping his mouth. Beginning with a black handle, the curved object was followed by a series of mechanisms, with a six-holed cylinder in between. The second half of its composition finished with a large tube accompanied by a single hole at its forefront.
A handgun.
Millions of questions raced through Izuku’s mind. Convoluted and confusing to the point they were making him dizzy. However, among all of them, one stood further than the rest, it was so loud he had no choice but to address it first and foremost.
Why didn’t the villain made use of it?
Don’t get him wrong, Izuku was glad that he didn’t. With how much of an advantage the villain had at the beginning of the fight, forget about winning, Izuku wouldn’t have lasted half as much as he did.
That was the thing, though. There was nothing stopping that man from rather than going melee, to get some safe distance away and firing before Izuku had any hope of doing anything about it. Izuku was sure not even the protector in his chest would have saved him from that.
Now that he had some respite to think clearly about it, Izuku was growing concerned with his overall interaction with the teleport user. Strange wouldn’t even begin to describe him. Sometimes he had this smug attitude only for the next moment to get hysterical, shouting curses at Izuku.
As if he was trying to force himself into a character of sorts.
It wasn’t only his overall personality. Didn’t he even wonder for a moment why Izuku did not use a quirk at any point? With how conversational the villain presented himself, along with his distaste for ‘reckless’ youngsters like him, Izuku was expecting at any moment for the man to begin taunting him about the possibility of having a useless quirk, or accurately assuming he was quirkless.
And the cherry atop this mystery cake was without a doubt those weird instances in which he began mumbling to himself. Both when he had Izuku cornered, and with those… ominous last words.
Hehe…oh, the horrors that await you, how…hehe…envious I am…
Involuntarily, Izuku’s gaze went down to the man, trepidation growing with each moment it lingered on him. He talked of a terrible fate awaiting Izuku yet also said how he longed for it.
What kind of threat was that? Why did it feel like something dangerously important about this was going past him? Could it be that he had stumbled into something far larger than an ordinary assault?
It was all too confusing, and as much as Izuku wanted to get answers about it, he had overstayed his welcome in these streets. In the best scenario, some underground hero will discover him like a child with his hands in a cookie jar. At worst, he could expect company of the same kind as his previous opponent anytime soon.
For now, I should retreat, then have a talk with Junko about this. It’s likely she will have a better idea about what to do.
Satisfied with that plan, Izuku brought his free hand down to his own jacket and picked up the burner phone he brought with him. Before moving away from his handiwork, it was important to have the proper authorities take care of the villain.
While he was dialing up the numbers for the police, a smile tugged Izuku’s lips. Despite his most recent concerns, it was hard for him to deny how excited he was with tonight’s overall results.
I did it!
I saved a life.
I defeated the villain.
I completed the graduation clause.
No, more important than that, I…I…I became a―
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Izuku flinched and his senses flared with alert upon hearing that ear-piercing scream. Whatever joy he carried with him died a quick death, and nausea churned in his stomach with how easily he discerned the fear and despair leaking out of such eldritch sound he barely recognized as female.
Wait a moment…female…?
For a moment, his mind wandered to the possibility that the lady he rescued some minutes ago had the misfortune of finding herself one more time at the clutches of an evildoer. However, such an idea died with the fact that the scream was heard in the opposite direction from where she ran toward. Rather, its true origins came from where Izuku…where…where he…came…
The mother of all shivers ran down his spine and a primal surge of horrific realization crept through his body.
JUNKO!
The bag and everything not already in his possession being damned, Izuku ran as he had never done. Not even when his life was at risk some moments ago. He stumbled and crashed against walls and littering debris each on every occasion he took a turn, but he couldn’t bring himself to care beyond cursing the time they wasted him.
Tell me this isn’t happening. It can’t be what I think what it is, I…that’s it! Am I just dreaming, right!?
Delusional as his mind was turning, his body was doing its absolute best at working on autopilot. Jumping obstacles. Taking turns only when needed. Whatever was necessary to get closer to the origin of that scream as fast as possible.
Eventually, though, he was forced to a halt we he reached a crossroad, with three different roads opening up before him.
Shit! Which path do I take!?
“Wh-Where are ya takin’ me!? Let me go, dipshit!”
But…but…a nightmare…
It took every ounce of Izuku’s will to not become paralyzed when he recognized the now clearer defiant roars of his friend. Instead, he went beyond what someone in his condition could have and rushed in the direction he heard her.
I am just having nightmare. I am just having a nightmare. I am just having nightmare. I am just having a nightmare.
Each following shout acted as a torturous anchor. Their deterioration from fierce protests to frightened whimpers was a growing ache thorning his heart with each passing moment.
Y-Yeah, this…this is nothing but a nightmare from which I need to wake right about now!
Izuku knew he was getting closer, if only because the sickening screeches of gurgling laughter joined into the nerve-breaking symphony. He could practically hear the taunting noises just around the corner.
They aren’t real! Once I take a turn, I know that I will meet Junko leaning against a wall waiting for me, with a beaming smile gracing her lips before it turns into one of pure delight and pride once she hears what I have achieved. Both of us will cheer, we will laugh, and with the moon shining upon us, we will walk shoulder by shoulder, to celebrate our future.
Unable to distinguish reality from fantasy, Izuku’s lips began twitching upwards. Regardless of the fear and the anguished tears leaking out of his sockets, Izuku allowed a hopeful smile while spinning around a corner. His lifted lips turned a tad more genuine when, just as he suspected, he caught sight of Junko.
“Z-Zuzu…?”
Only for his grin to shatter the very next moment, with any naïve optimism he held beforehand turning into a hollow void of hopelessness.
His friend was there, yes. At the same time, though, she wasn’t.
At least, Izuku wasn’t capable of recognizing the face with which she was looking at him.
In the time he had known Junko, Izuku had seen hundreds, if not thousands different facets coming out of his friend. He had seen her happy. Teasing. Beaming with joy to the point of laughing. Each one, although with notable differences whenever Junko had one of those personality shifts, illuminated his otherwise gloomy day by day.
Just as well, Izuku had also seen her sad. Getting worried. Growing angry. Among many others that showed the other side of the coin. He wasn’t foreign to the concept of his friend expressing both positive and negative emotions of all kinds.
Her monochrome mask was thrown aside, with eyes wide and shaking accompanied by dilated pupils. Tears trailing down her cheeks. Trembling lips turned inwards. The individual in front of him was the human embodiment of fear. Someone who abandoned any hope for the future.
This wasn’t the Junko he knew. Regardless of her mood, his friend always carried a glimmer in his eyes. A burning passion for life itself that allowed her to be a pilar of confidence in which he could always find comfort from the misery and despair of the outside world. It wasn’t the girl he had grown to respect, admire, and, adamant as he might be to deny it, love.
Who was this person? Where was Junko? Why was this happening?
More important than all of that…
What had he done to her?
“Kek kek kek…what do we got here?” Izuku flinched hearing the voice of what was the crux of this disaster. Him. The third wheel on what should’ve been an emotionally packed yet celebratory reunion. “My hearing wasn’t messing around, eh? It is another chump for the grinder…KEK! Ain’t this my lucky day!?”
Izuku could barely count the person a few feet ahead of him as one. His entire attire was thorn with holes and scratch marks. Beginning with brown and broken shoes from where paws leaked out. His once light-blue jeans, tarnished with dried brown spots Izuku had a grim idea of what they originally were. It was more of the same for the upper area. What was once a long-sleeved grey shirt, had its sides thorn apart, revealing bloodied, unkept, and bald spots on its white fur,
He was the possessor of a heteromorphic-type quirk, Izuku noticed, with his physical traits belonging to a rat. Feral was also an apt word to describe the man, with crooked yellow teeth morphed into a weird combination between a head-splitting grin and a snarl. With chew marks on his own ears and those unfocused bloodshot eyes Izuku became more angsty the longer he stared.
Accompanied by the nauseous smell of grime and death, it was a nightmare-fuel material made reality.
Yet, far above all of that, a single detail was responsible for draining the color out of Izuku’s face since setting foot in this alley.
And it was the way he was restraining Junko while aiming a gun directly at her head.
“S-Sorry, buddy,” Junko’s voice, however wrong it felt hearing her like that, brought some semblance of composure back. “One moment I let my guard down, and the next this chewerhead sneaked on me from behind. I…messed up big time, huh?”
“Oi, Godd…Chick, ya know this wimp?” The heteromorph grunted in that strange voice of his, poking at his friend with the tip of the firearm, causing Junko to flinch while leaving a small whimper.
That flipped a switch on Izuku. Paralyzing fear turned into barely contained rage. “You son of a bitch! Let her go!”
“Ah, ya got a voice after all, then? And quite a mouthful one too. Thought for a moment that pissing yer pants was the only thing you were good at, kek!” The bastard mocked, his sneer showing even more teeth, which made Izuku see they too had some bloody spots. Soon, however, his sadistic grin turned into a vicious snarl. “Not like that matters shit. I mean, are ya blind, dumbass? Don’tcha dare think for a moment you are in a position to ask me crap. The only one with a chip to bargain here is me. Your friend here knows what I meant, ain’t that so!?” Izuku itched a breath when the heteromorph pushed the gun further at Junko’s forehead, making his friend release more and more tears accompanied by sobs. “I just hafta pull the trigger and BANG! That pretty face of hers will be decorating everywhere around these dirty streets! Kek kek kek!”
His brief boost of bravery dwindled upon that threat. The reality of their situation was sinking in. Junko was too frozen in fear to come up with any ideas. Either that, or she figured out that putting any resistance would be a fatal mistake. He didn’t know what alternative was worse. As for him, similarly, Izuku couldn’t make any demands against this person while he had her at gunpoint. Besides, antagonizing him any further would only make him enraged and irrational, more so than he already was.
Izuku had no idea if this guy was a trigger-happy individual, and testing whether that was the case or not was the last thing Izuku would ever want to try.
It was time to change to the only other path that could let him and Junko walk unharmed. Abysmally small chances as it had of working.
“I…I understand,” Izuku began, using a herculean effort in holding back the hate and resentment that was quickly growing against the villain. “If it’s money, or…or what we have, we will give everything we got. Just…please don’t hurt her.”
It was humiliating. Being on the verge of self-proclaiming as a hero just a few minutes ago only to beg at the very next evildoer he found. However, Izuku couldn’t bring himself to give any damn about his own pride and beliefs if it gave him a glimmer of hope for Junko to make it out of this mess alive.
Some extra ticks of silence passed before the villain dignified a response. “…This girl, she means a lot to you, huh?”
Izuku blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected that question, less in such a calm manner.
“Yes…yes she does,” Izuku said, pouring as much sincerity and meaning behind it as he could. As things stood, though, they couldn’t get any worse. His only shot was to hope Izuku’s words reached this person.
“Hn, I can’t see your face, but your eyes and voice give away a lot of stuff,” The white-furred adult mused aloud. “Your loneliness. Your fervent dependence on her warmth. You are desperate for not losing the only person you give a crap about AND the only person who gives a damn about you, ain’t that so?”
Hearing that from an outsider’s perspective gave him a confusing series of emotions that made him feel a headache. Still, Izuku ignored them in favor of giving a cautious nod.
“Hmm,” Izuku waited with a held breath for the rodent-like man to make his verdict. “…Alright, ya convinced me!”
Both Izuku and Junko, with the latter finally snapping out of her stupor, perked up at his words. “I did?”
“Yep, here’s what’s gonna happen,” The villain began, with a kick in his voice that was making Izuku wary. “Y’see, I am quite hungry.”
“Hungry?” While still worried, Izuku could admit the barest crumbs of tension threatened to leave his body. If it’s food what will get them out of this… “Then, if we get you something to eat, will you leave us be?”
“Oh no no no, you misunderstand,” Within the madness corroding in his face, there was now a glint in the heteromorph’s eyes that was sending Izuku an infinity of alarm bells. “It is true that I am in need of a meal to fill up my stomach, but how do I put this…this meal I long for, I already have it with me~.”
For a moment, Izuku blinked in confusion, soon enough though, his eyes widened in horror once an understanding of what he meant by that dawned on Izuku.
“What the fuck!?” Junko cried out, just as well getting what were the plans of…of whatever monstrosity the thing in front of him had become.
“Sick bastard!” Izuku roared. “What the hell is wrong with you!? What…just what do you want out of us!?”
“What do I want? Oh, that is quite simple,” As those words left his disgusting mouth, something on his face began to change. His eyes…there was no other way to put it other than they began turning into a bottomless pit for the purest of darkness. His pupils and iris morphed into an endless vortex that had long since consumed any life they held. His orbs carried an evil Izuku never had the displeasure of meeting before. “All I want…is despair.”
“Despair…?”
“Yeah! No money, no possession, and no whatever fuck else you could bring to the table.” The thing enthusiastically declared. “Did ya think for a moment this shit was going to have a happy ending? Let me give ya a reality check with the only options ya have! Stay where ya are, let me and your friend go, and allow her to breath whatever extra time among the living that brings her. Or…try getting to me and I blow her head! How’s that sounding, eh!? Ah, ain’t filling ya with despair already!? Kek kek kek!” While the thing was distracted with his manic laughter, a sense of nausea invaded Izuku.
He wanted to throw up. The longer this miserable experience lasted, whatever crumbs of hope he still keep disappeared.
What have they stumbled upon?
Did they really deserve to go through something like this?
Just…what was he supposed to do now?
Yet, even though everything seemed lost within this muddy swamp of despair, one of Izuku’s hands twitched.
Huh…?
Focusing on the sensation within his hand, Izuku’s eyes widened.
What the…? Am I really still keeping this with me?
However, thanks to that same possession at hand, an idea came to him. It lacked any complexity. Far from that, it was both simple and radical. And if he wasn’t as desperate, Izuku would’ve never considered it.
This is the bottom of the barrel. If it doesn’t work…everything will be over.
“Let her go.”
“You truly are a lost cause, eh? How many times do I…” The heteromorph trailed off while his eyes widened. “It seems I wasn’t paying you that much attention. To think you carried that in your hands this whole time…”
“I-I am not going to repeat this again, drop your weapon and let…l-let her go!” With shaking hands and the burner phone tossed aside, Izuku took aim with the only other item he held since his run here.
The handgun.
His last gamble.
The brief surprise disappeared from the villain’s face, his eyes narrowing with suspicion, “Do you even know how to use that thing?”
“Pointing it at you and firing the trigger should be enough.” Izuku declared, with as much false confidence as he could.
Considering how little distance there was between each other, nothing beyond four or six feet, it wasn’t a lie that even someone like Izuku could aim somewhere dangerous, possibly lethal too.
Besides, with the heteromorph having his gun pointed at Junko, there was no scenario in which the rodent thing harmed Junko without paying for it.
It was all a hypothetical scenario, of course. His plan revolved around the villain having the bare minimum of situational awareness to reach that same conclusion.
That, at the very least, should grant Izuku some talking ground.
Nevertheless, it all boiled down to a single question.
Did it work?
“Hmm, if that’s how’s it gonna be…Kek, fine by me. Give it your best shot!”
…Eh?
Izuku blinked a pair of times before absolute disbelief took over his face. He couldn’t believe how casually this monster was taking this. “What?”
“The despair of my own death doesn’t sound half bad, don’tcha think?” The rodent’s lips twisted into a malicious and knowing grin. “Or what, you ain’t gonna tell that was just a bluff, are you~?”
“I-I…that is…no, but―”
“Are ya deaf, then? DO IT!” Izuku flinched at the sudden shout. “As I told ya already, the only thing that awaits each one of us at the end of this is despair! Do you have a gun? Congrats, now your choices are to kill me or to let me kill her. So…what’s gonna be? Blood will be spilled tonight, and it is your hand that will decide whose.”
By this point, he doubted his face showed anything else other than dreading panic. He wanted to rip off the mask from his face and freed himself from the asphyxiation imprisonment it brought. His mind was a turmoil threatening to make his head explode.
Whatever grain of composure he had left, it just suffered a swift and cruel death.
Shit shit shit shit! Unlike me, I don’t doubt that monster is serious about his ‘proposal’. I was dumbass for expecting some psychotic man-eating killer to give a crap about his own life! What now!?
“Izuku.” Like cutting through butter with a heated knife, the voice of his friend put things in a temporary stalemate.
Save for the most shocking moments within this mess, she had been quiet. Not that I could blame her given the position she was in. But, if she was willing to talk now…
“Junko, are you…” As if to deal the killing blow, faster than he could dare hope she had come up with something, Izuku’s heart sank at what he saw.
At the resignation smearing Junko’s face.
No…
“Whatever happens now, I want you to know how glad I am for the chance of meeting someone I could connect to like I did with you.”
Stop…
“Far beyond the concepts of hopes and dreams, there were those moments in which we laughed, cried, and, well, we enjoyed our life like no one believed people like you and I could or deserved to, didn’t we?”
Don’t do this to me, please…
“All those memories made ever since knowing each other…they are something I will never forget. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
Rather than feeling any comfort from those words, it was like getting stabbed with a stake through the heart, and that tender and grateful smile decorating her lips was the hand that twisted the injury.
Why are you making it sound like a farewell? This…this isn’t the end yet! I-I still can think of something, a-anything! Perhaps I―
“Oi oi, who said there was time for pleasantries? Ain’t ya two forgetting about me?” Before Izuku could muster a proper response, the cursed thing complained in a falsely offended voice. Quickly enough, the most deranged of all faces possessed his features. “Can’t have that now, can we? After all…playtime is over!”
“W-WAIT!” The hair on Izuku’s back stood on end. This can’t be it, right!? “Don’t do this, please! There has to be a way for―”
“Too late!” Izuku’s eyes rose up with soul-crushing horror when one of the monster’s digits began traveling down to the trigger of his weapon. “If this doofus ain’t invested enough to make a choice, I will take the shot for him! GOODBYE, MY GODDESS!”
NO!
B̸̗̤̒͘A̵N̴̡͎̼̚G̷̡̪̮͊!
The only sound Izuku’s ears were capable of catching was that of an uncomfortable ringing. As if a thousand bells were shaken just beside him.
It was far from his biggest concern though. No, the one deserving of such a title while also responsible for why he was shaking like a leaf and refusing to unclench his eyes, was what he had just heard.
The sound of a bullet being shot.
There were a pair of frantic moments in which Izuku’s mind simply refused to elaborate beyond confirming that it had occurred. His brain went into override, showing him thousands upon thousands of different manners in which Junko’s corpse would be lying on the ground.
But that wasn’t right. Deep down, he knew that hiding from the truth was only delaying the inevitable.
That…that’s right, whatever is out there, sooner or later I will have to face it. Ripping the band-aid as quickly as possible was for the best.
After a few moments, he gained the courage to bring his eyes open and look up.
No sooner Izuku did as such, he came to regret it.
Along with the sight, his hearing recovered just in time to catch the characteristic sound that came from small droplets hitting concrete. It wasn’t raining, though. No, its origins were far more sinister.
Blood.
Falling down into the dirty streets. Trailing from dirtied jeans. Through a teared-sleeved shirt while continuing at someone’s furry collar. Crossing a just as hairy-white face, all the way up…to the villain’s forehead.
Where a bullet had made its way deep into his cranial cavity.
The bullet Izuku had just fired.
Izuku wanted to do something. To scream. To blurt a million useless apologies. To cry. Just…anything.
“O-Oi…kid…” In the end, the barely still-alive heteromorph beat him to it. Izuku watched in a trance of sorts, how this…this person used all of his remaining life into forcing his now normal-looking ocean-blue eyes to trail down toward the figure he had in his clutches until just recently. His eyes widened with something Izuku simply didn’t have the grey matter to figure out. Following that, those intense eyes turned back to Izuku while tears traveled down his face. “U…un…a…ay…” Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, the very moment those words left his mouth, the tears stopped leaking, and his eyes rolled up before his entire body fell on his back.
There wasn’t any twitching, nor the rising and falling of his lungs that would give any hope for the man.
Without a shadow of a doubt, he had breathed his last breath.
No, that was a pretty way of putting it.
He had been murdered.
Killed by no other than Izuku Midoriya.
…
…
…
…Wh…
H-Huh…?
That…
That wasn’t…supposed to…
“…Why…me…?”
That was the question of his life, wasn’t it?
Why?
Why did he fail in keeping Junko away from any harm?
Why did he insist on that dumb fantasy of being a hero?
Why did that person have to die at the stake of it?
Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why W―
WHY DID THINGS TURNED OUT THIS WAY!?
HOW COULD HE LET THIS HAPPEN!?
WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HIM!?
“AAAAAAHHHH!” Finally snapping out of his daze, his wide eyes shot down where his hands still held the weapon with which he murdered someone. With a horrified second scream, Izuku recoiled. Tripping over his own feet, he fell on his rear. No sooner he noticed he was still holding that cursed gun; he threw it aside as if it were set on fire, its awful form torturing him with clattering sounds that furtherly twisted his psyche. He scampered as far as possible from it. As if that somehow made him any less guilty of what had just transpired.
But that wasn’t how things worked.
Of fucking course they didn’t, dumbass!
He had committed one of the greatest sins any person could do. One of the biggest taboos a hero could get involved with.
Hero? Don’t mess with me! I would be lucky if I had been born like a bunch of trash for people to walk through!
He wasn’t a hero.
He wasn’t a proper citizen.
He wasn’t even a Deku.
He wasn’t anything else other than some cold-blooded murderer of a villain.
I am the scum of society!
“AAARGH! W-What I have done!?” While tormented screeches escaped his mouth, Izuku clutched his hands to the sides of his head with enough force for it to hurt. Whether a futile attempt of keeping some sanity intact or the need of crushing his own head in atonement, Izuku had no idea.
He didn’t want to have any idea.
All he desired, the only thing Izuku deserved, was to dig himself into a hole and die there, making him incapable of hurting someone ever again.
“IZUKU!” And yet, while the clouds of uncertainty and discord didn’t become clear, that unmistakable voice was just enough for them to part slightly away and give him the sight of a Junko rushing toward him. By the time she reached him, the strawberry-blonde crouched down and hastily took his mask off before holding him by the shoulders with a worried face he didn’t deserve. “Goddamnit, are you okay!? Did you get hurt somewhere!?”
Izuku couldn’t deny seeing Junko coming unscratched was a relief of titanic proportions.
A temporary one, however. Soon as it came, the fog of self-loathing and anxiety pushed it away in favor of making the misery return with vengeance.
“Junko…” Izuku began, a fountain of tears jumping out of his glands like the pathetic crybaby he never stopped being. “I-I ruined everything, I…I-I’m sorry! What I just did is terrible. Not only I-I have tarnished all of what you taught me, now I can’t ever be a hero,” What did that matter now!? This wasn’t about him; it was about the victim of his stupidity! “T-That man, I…I…w-what if it had a family!? Goals!? A dream of his own!? Shit, I didn’t even get to know his name! I killed a total stranger as if it was nothing! A detention center would be too good for someone like me. I deserve to be sent to jail, a-and not any prison, I should be sent to Tartarus and then straight into the chopping―!”
SMACK!
The sound of flesh hitting against flesh echoed through the otherwise eerily quiet alleyway. Izuku’s head was spun to the side, and his ramblings, both vocal and internal ones, came to a sudden halt thanks to the burning feeling on his left cheek. Alarm and dread were replaced with shock at being slapped by Junko.
Darting his eyes back to the front, he caught sight of Junko with a grin threatening to split her face in two.
What?
Izuku blinked and saw his friend looking at him with a mixture of concern and disbelief.
“Izuku, how could you say that?” Junko began, indignation clear in her voice while some remaining tears trailed down. “Talking about deserving a penal sentence, going as far as considering something worse than that, just…are ya hearing yourself!?”
The momentary confused pause from his friend driving away his panic attack with a slap along with the puzzlement of that weird optical illusion he saw a moment ago, each was quickly replaced for the umpteenth occasion with the gut-wrenching reminder of his actions.
“O-Of course I know what I am saying, but…Junko, I…I-I just took a person’s life!” He all but shouted, declaring his crime out loud making twice as dreading of his actions as he already was. “There is no scenario in which that was the correct thing to do!”
“…Is that it, then? Are you going to deliver yourself to the nearest police station and ask the police for the longest sentence possible?” Just when Izuku was about to reply to that, Junko beat him to it with one last question that made his entire argument crumble down with a gasp escaping his throat. “Are you…going to abandon me, Zuzu?”
Hearing that question, along with how devastated she sounded, made Izuku hesitate. Admittedly, he hadn’t thought about that.
I’ve been telling myself over and over how much losing her would crush me. This tragedy occurred precisely because I couldn’t bear such an idea. And yet, I am talking of doing that to her. Isn’t that… hypocritical on my part?
However, one wary glance at the still-fresh body some feet away from them, not only renewed the horror that haunted him moments ago, it put his mind into a stalemate.
“What I am supposed to do?” Izuku asked, practically begging for anything that could set his mind straight. “M-Murder is still murder. I committed an unforgivable mistake.”
“Perhaps you did in the eyes of the law,” Before resignation could begin to set in, Junko continued. “But, was it really the wrong thing to do?”
"J-Junko…?" He couldn't prevent the trepidation leaking in his voice. Izuku knew Junko had seen some gruesome stuff in her early life, and that just so recently had gone through a traumatic experience, but was she really implying what he thought she was?
“Look, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying this is the always-go-for answer, however,” Junko paused while a thoughtful frown developed on her face. “You heard what that monster admitted having planned for me, didn’t you? Izuku, he was proudly talking about eating me for flip’s sake! Whatever dream he might’ve had, I doubt it was any good. His family? You also saw his appearance. All that blood covering head from toe…there’s no way all of that was his. I don’t wanna be pessimistic, but in a worst-case scenario…” Junko trailed off for a moment before shaking her head and staring back at him again. “What I’m trying to say is that if you hadn’t gone with the choice you made, the repercussions would’ve been far more terrible. I am not talking only about me. Tomorrow. The day after. I assure you the longer that guy was allowed to walk unpunished, the more victims he would’ve accumulated into his body count. Perhaps tonight was far from what you imagined it to be, but that doesn’t quit the good you did.”
By the time his friend was finally done speaking, his inner conflict paused in favor of digesting what she just said.
To some degree, Izuku…saw the logic in her words. The way that villain acted. How he took Junko hostage. The atrocities he had and was planning to commit. Try as Izuku might, he wasn’t capable of imagining a scenario in which not confronting that man would make him feel any better, or lead to a more favorable outcome for that matter.
And yet…
“I…I don’t know what to do, Junko,” He admitted. “I-I think I understand what you are trying to say, but what if―”
Once again, Izuku was interrupted. However, rather than receiving another mark in his cheeks, he gasped when one of Junko’s hands pulled his face down to her bosom while the other began making circles in his back.
“Shhh, it’s okay, Zuzu,” Junko whispered, a voice both sultry and comforting tickling his ear. “I understand this is confusing and scary. Nevertheless, you must know that your actions today were nothing less than heroic. I am alive because of you, aren’t I? At the very least, you are my hero.”
“J-Junko, I…”
“I know, I know,” His friend continued in that angelic voice of hers, with her touches turning impossibly more tender. “It is not something that will be easy to digest anytime soon. It will be a matter of time, but you will get to see things the way I do. That is one of many reasons why I am here for you. No matter how bad things might get, I will always be there to make sure you recover from this and become what you are meant to be.”
Junko’s ministrations were a godsend. The fact that his arms clutched to her sides for dear life while repeatedly whispering her name between sobs was the definitive proof of that.
I killed someone.
However, the guilt refused to budge even an inch. Izuku felt like it was the same as trying to fix a cracking dam with a band-aid. It wasn’t anywhere near enough to calm the hurricane of self-loathing, guilt, and grief. Perhaps it was just like Junko said and with enough time, those sentiments would change. Maybe it was a matter of days, months, or even years.
My hands carry someone else’s blood.
He didn’t know, and he couldn’t even begin to care when the thought of reaching inner peace seemed like a disgustingly greedy idea.
I…I am a murderer and nothing will change that.
It was with that realization, he understood there was no force in the world capable of bringing him any hope tonight. Leaving him with a single alternative.
With the moonlight gazing down upon him with judgmental scorn, caressed by what should have been the soothing embrace of his friend, Izuku Midoriya despaired like he never had in his life.
Junko Enoshima despaired.
In truth, there hadn’t been a moment in her existence in which she hadn’t done so. It was a natural state of being for her.
However, there were certain occasions in her life when she did so with an intensity that went beyond her expectations.
When the first words she heard after being born was her mother telling her she was a mistake.
When her mother grew tired of her and Mukuro, throwing them both into the streets to fend for themselves.
When Mukuro abandoned her at the first opportunity after finding a family willing to adopt them.
When her sister came back years later and saw in a mix of disbelief and horror what she did to their adopted parents.
When Class 77-B’s light breathed her last breath.
When the man she loved more than anything in the world died at her own hands.
When she put the entire world into a state of chaos and disarray that would take entire generations to recover from.
When she betrayed the trust her beloved sister poured on her and executed Mukuro, then desecrated her body as part of a plan that almost resulted in the death of the guy said sister came to develop feelings for.
When one by one, each of the classmates she did come to cherish succumbed to despair and perished under her machinations.
When all of what she worked so hard for crumbled at the hands of the guy who represented everything she hated.
Then there was Izuku Midoriya.
Izuku Midoriya, the boy who, no matter how much the world scorned him, wanted to be a hero for nothing else other than the sake of doing the right thing.
The first person who greeted her into this world.
An individual that, every single day since knowing each other, tempted her with the possibility of a future beyond what she was meant to be.
Her friend who was nothing but good to her…and who now had a permanent black mark in his conscience that will forever be there to remind him of what he had done. Always ready to shut down the flames of ambition whenever the idea of being a hero, an actual hero, does so much as cross his mind.
It was all her fault, and Junko Enoshima despaired for that.
It was just as well, in between the storm of conflicting ideals and sentiments, tormented with the sight of her friend shaking and crying while in absolute despair, and aware that his hopes and dreams will never recover because of her, that a single thought echoed within Junko’s most pure and sincere corners of her mind.
DING! DONG! BING! BONG! A BODY HAS BEEN DISCOVERED! GYAHAHAHAHAHA!
Bohoho-ho, feeling sad, buddy? Cry me river if ya want, but I won’t do shit to make the pain go away!
Regretting your actions and hating their consequences? Upupupu, flash-fucking-news, dumbass.
That despair worming into the core of your heart is there to stay!
A flipping three months plan. Entire days in which she had the hear those obnoxious declarations about saving everyone while giving them hope. Week after week going against her most basic instincts, building up mutual trust, nurturing him with the compassion and understanding no one else dared give him, and finally, being responsible for making the hero-aspirant improve himself beyond his wildest expectations.
All of it with the intent of making sure this inflection point was a success.
That I got it done without throwing up at least once is a testament to how fucking awesome I am!
The last time Junko had invested that much effort in a single individual was with her beloved Matsuda. Admittedly, just as back then, she held the same opinion regarding the reaped results.
It ended up being absolutely fucking worthy.
Everything leading up to this moment was.
The worst meeting by chance.
Passively messing with Izuku’s perception of what was right and wrong.
Meddling with his school life.
Pushing the buttons of that ashen-blonde Buckethead.
Blackening the already putrid hearts of Izuku’s classmates with envy and contempt.
The e-mail that was sent to Aldera’s principal from a ‘committee member’, asking for a last-minute meeting to happen.
Poisoning his mind with half-truths and lies.
And, of course, the cherry atop the cake.
Creating a scenario in which either he took a life of his own volition, or saw his precious, beloved, and only friend get her head blown up!
Y’know… just a little harmless incentive to spice things up~.
Unsurprisingly, Dumb and Dumber fluked it here and there, especially the latter with those last-minute stunts. Despite that, the harvested results were far more delicious than her initial expectations.
How long had she thirsted for first-quality despair like the one her beloved friend was offering right now? Day after fucking day he refused to entirely cower at the despair his pathetic life provided ‘Yeah yeah, that exactly was part of the plan, but god-fuckin’-dammit! Did he really had to edge me for this long and this much!?’. His resilience forced Junko to sustain herself with third-hand scrappers which was the occasional incident caused by the villains. Hers or whichever others volunteered for the cause.
Until now, that is~.
At this very moment, though? It was exactly what she had been longing for ever since breathing her first breath in this world. The build-up, the gradual ascension in hopes of reaching nirvana, and just when the gates of paradise were within the reach of Izuku’s hands…
Psych! All the effort both she and Izuku poured for the sake of his dream burned to cinders! With ten thousand pounds of tragedy ready to drag him down into the deepest pits of despair!
Ah~, despair like this is once in a lifetime experience. Such a shame that I won’t have anything near as good anytime soon.
All that friendship mumbo-jumbo from the last months was good to build up a decent appetite, but alas, what was done was done. Besides, from now on she will no longer have to settle for small doses.
After all…with phase one completed, the time for her to stop pulling any punches and begin firing the big guns has come.
Sorry not sorry, Zu-cker-zu~! You had entire months to figure out who the fuck was ruining your already miserable life. Not only you didn’t measure up to the task, but also killed a person in the process. That, my blackened friend…has consequences~.
No chance for any mercy!
The audience begs for it!
Give me a P!
U!
N!
I!
S!
H!
M!
E!
N!
T!
What do we get!?
PUUUUUNISSSHMMMMEEENT TIIIIIMMMEE ~!
Notes:
Phew, more than twenty thousand words! That is by far the largest chapter I have written for any of my works, and I do no doubt it will remain as such for a while. I was tempted to split it into two parts, but as the epilogue of this arc, I thought it would feel incomplete if I left part of its contents for a later date.
Speaking of which...
R. I. P. Izuku's Hope, the moment he allowed Junko to come into his life was the exact moment in which he gave up on it.
Everyone expected it. Everyone dreaded it. And, unfortunately, Junko's first major (And far from the last one.) victory had come to be. That wasn't all, of course. As you saw at the beginning, Junko is no longer playing a single-player game. Introducing a detective as the first real major antagonist not only felt like the natural thing to do, I believe it is a proper tribute to the franchise where Junko came from.
He won't be the only one, of course! The next chapter will introduce two more of them. Then a mini-arc will follow in which...things happen. Finally, following all of that, the next major arc will begin. I bet most of you had an idea about what it will involve, nevertheless, I will leave you guys free to guess about it anyways.
That being said, let me know what you all think. Did you liked the chapter? Hated it? Made your skin crawl with despair!? Whatever the case is, I would like to hear about it.
Until next time!
Chapter 13: Intermission: Monochrome Bears Cannot Dream of Static Worlds.
Chapter Text
Intermission: Monochrome Bears Cannot Dream of Static Worlds.
“This is some sort of an elaborate joke, isn’t it?”
“…That’s not it. I do mean it when I say that―”
“No, no, I understand. The punchline is about to come, right?” Within the confines of what could be presented as an average office room, where it not for its decorations, a tall and smooth dark green-haired man with a grey suit hung on his last bits of composure to press with the narrative that someway, somehow, that ridiculous statement he had just heard was a prank. Not a funny one in the slightest, unfortunately, but one nonetheless. “Please do present it, I am eager to hear it.”
Both for his sake and that of the man on the other line.
“I am not messing with you, Nighteye.” Much to the suited man’s dread, the seriousness within that voice killed any of his hopes. “I’ve made up my mind about it, and now I am merely making this decision known to you.”
Mirai Sasaki, known by most as Sir Nighteye, had his lips shifted into a thin line as he processed what he had been told. It wasn’t until he was confident that he correctly assessed the pros and cons of the information acquired, that he spoke again.
“Sir, with all due respect…” He tried to begin calmy, but the implications were too much for him to keep any hint of false calmness on. “WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!? What kind of harsh and irrational decision is that!? Don’t you see the repercussions choosing someone like him might have!?”
“You are making it sound as if I have made a bad choice.”
“It is a terrible decision!” Talking to him like that felt like tasting sand in Nighteye’s mouth, and yet, if that could help him make that person understand the gravity of what he was saying, then so be it. “Out of all the possible prospects, someone like that is by far the worst option.”
“I am sorry to hear you think like that, especially given that you know my circumstances.” That made Nighteye wince. “I didn’t make this call for you to be the final judge of my choice, even if no doubt it would’ve lifted a weight off my shoulders if you had approved of it.” And that made what corroded Nighteye’s body turn into full-blown shame. “It is true that I’ve reconvened with him only a few days ago, but―”
“Wait, you said days ago?” That made Nighteye’s brows scrunch up. He began doing some quick math before his eyes widened in realization and his concern returned with vengeance. “That would only give you four months, perhaps five or six if considering less optimal alternatives, to prepare him. It is not enough for someone with no potential!”
Nighteye hoped that presenting such irrefutable truth could have a better chance of convincing him. Perhaps with him feeling somewhat insulted at Nighteye’s blunt words, but again, a worth price to pay for the sake of making him see the truth in his words.
Hearing him letting out a light laugh was not among Nighteye’s expectations.
“Ah, that is where you are wrong. My chosen one is no slouch!” There was a pause, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Nighteye that some of the voice’s mirth diminished by a degree or two. “I admit my reasoning for choosing him was nothing else other than his selfless heart. However,” It was only that word that prevented Nighteye from snapping at him for making a decision of that magnitude with such low criteria. “He has surpassed each one of my expectations by leaps and bounds. Why, I would say he has as much talent as I had at his age!”
That made Nighteye’s eyes rise in slight surprise. He knew the person on the other line wouldn’t be lying about something like that in a feeble attempt of convincing him. He would’ve been fine with just that initial ‘requirement’ of his, irresponsible and foolish as that might be.
Nighteye was reluctant to admit it, but a statement like that made him go from hating what he was proposing down to just not liking it.
Obviously, that wasn’t enough to be on board with the idea.
“I believe you…All Might,” Nighteye began. Before the number one hero could take those words as a seal of approval though, his former sidekick continued with a grave voice. “However, that is not enough. The person you choose could have twice as much talent as you had, but with that fundamental part lacking, he will never be ready to surpass the standards you set. Even in the best scenario in which he turned out to be as good as you, we both know that an exact replacement will simply not do.”
They never were able to confirm whether he was truly defeated or not. If their worst fears were to be confirmed one day, a second All Might would only lead to tragedy.
I will never allow that day to repeat ever again.
No, they needed more than that. Someone capable of being better than All Might was.
“…It is true that my successor requires the potential of surpassing me.” That reluctant admission was all Nighteye had to hear for him to see a glimmer of hope.
Trying his best at making his point as clear as possible, he swallowed any unnecessary pride he had left and made his voice as pleading as possible. “Then please, reconsider this. If it is talent and goodwill you are concerned about, I assure you that I already got a far better alternative. He has each of them in abundance, an immeasurable amount of charisma, and with his own quirk into the mix, the potential of making him one, if not the greatest hero in history is at hands reach. No one could ask for any better than that!”
There were a few moments of silence between the two. Waiting with a bated breath, Nighteye’s mouth began turning dry with the anticipation the lack of All Might’s response was giving him.
When he was about to prompt for an answer one more time, Nighteye heard his idol speak.
Although the answer he received couldn’t have been worse.
“Like I already told you, I am set in my choice. I have faith that once he takes the torch, he will kindle its embers into a dazzling and hopeful flame far brighter than I could ever dare imagine. No force in the world will make me think differently.” There was a loud cough that made Nighteye flinch. Imagining the blood coming out of it making him grimace. “I don’t see either of us budging out of our terms, and prolonging this discussion would only severe our already damaged ties. I…am sorry, but ending the call now would be for the best. Goodbye.”
“All Might!? Wait just a―!” However, his words fell on deaf ears. Just like that, before Nighteye had to opportunity for one last attempt of convincing him, the symbol of peace suddenly cut the call off.
Slowly putting the phone in front of him, Nighteye gave it a long stare.
“Dammit!” In an untypical burst of emotions, he threw the phone aside before abruptly accommodating his head between his hands, meanwhile rubbing his temples. Trying and failing to calm himself down. “Why doesn’t he understand that we can’t allow sentimentalism as a factor for such an important resolution!?”
Despite his frustrated rant, part of him understood he was fighting a lost battle the very moment All Might told him about it.
When it came to decisions like these, Nighteye was well aware the symbol of peace truly meant when he said nothing will make him retract from his position. He was stubborn as he was strong.
Still…
All Might…how could you? Out of all the potential prospects, why was it that you chose someone like him? Someone with no―
“Here I am, making a powerful entrance!”
“There was nothing humoristic in that.” Nighteye snapped, his face still looking down between his hands.
“R-Really? Let me try it again then...” The individual that recently entered his private room said. He disappeared through the wall, and no more than five seconds passed before he re-entered that same spot accompanied by a jovial voice.
“Here I am, making a powerful and funny entrance!”
Nighteye waited in silence. His posture not changing one bit, neither daring to give the other person a hint about whether he approved or not his barely altered second attempt.
It wasn’t until he heard some beats of recognizable nervous sweat trailing down on the floor and the shuffling of feet, that All Might’s former sidekick had his lips twitched upwards.
“That will do…for now.” Nighteye conceded, earning him a sigh of relief from the person on the other side of the room.
“Phew, I guess I’m finally getting the hang of this…” That other person whispered, likely to prevent Nighteye from hearing him.
Such a shame he did so anyways.
Leaving that aside, it was then that Nighteye finally decided to give a proper look at his sudden visitor. Cowlick blonde hair, dot-like blue orbs, and a round nose that heavily contrasted with the bodybuilder physique he carried.
Admittedly, the sight of his protégé was enough to calm some of his previously acquired stress. Both because his presence alone gave him hope for the future and, paradoxically, his resemblance with the responsible for his most recent headaches.
I suppose I am kind of a hypocrite for complaining about sentimentalism…
“Lemillion,” Nighteye began, doing his best in swallowing down those distracting thoughts. “Is there a reason for your abrupt entrance?”
The blue-eyed boy blinked a pair of times before letting out a gasp and planting a fist on his open palm. “Oh, right! Sir, Bubble Girl told me some people came to talk with you.”
“Is that so?” Nighteye raised an eyebrow. “Did she tell you who they were?”
“Nope, but I caught a brief look of them. Judging by their uniforms, two of them appear to be officers.” Lemillion said, not without frowning with a thoughtful expression afterward. “There is someone else with them, but because of the uniformed guys blocking him, I wasn’t able to get a proper sight of him with Bubble Girl urging me to catch up with you, sir.”
While on the outside he kept an image of perfect stoicism, on the inside Nighteye couldn’t help growing curious about that last tidbit of information. Was there a hero with them? Or could it be that they brought a civilian as a witness for a case?
Whichever case was, there was only one way to approach this.
“Bring them in.” If nothing else, there was no reason for him to reject the police and hear what they had to say.
“Sure.”
“Not enough energy.”
“Immediately, sir!” The blonde boy saluted before turning on his heels.
“One more thing.” Only for the sudden call out making him to almost fall on his feet.
Swiftly recovering, Lemillion turned back to address him with a sheepish smile. “Yes?”
“Put on some clothes.”
It only took for the dot-eyed boy to finally look down for a look of surprise to smear his fate as, sure enough, save for that specially designed underwear, he noticed all of his attire was missing.
“Ah! Shucks, it appears…my foresight is not up to your level yet, eh?”
“…”
“…I-I will get to it!” With that bashful declaration, the blonde boy hurried out of the room. Through the wall as per usual. His briefs too, much to his and everyone within the building’s relief.
Some moments passed, and it wasn’t until Nighteye was sure he was alone, that he dropped the stoic image.
And allowed a brief chuckle to escape his lips.
Mirio Togata…you truly are worthy of inheriting One for All.
No more than a pair of minutes after, which he made use to pick up his phone from where it landed and set it aside on his desk, he finally picked up the sound of someone knocking at his door.
“Come in.”
With the doors opening, they quickly revealed a single member of the police force which, unfortunately, he wasn’t a stranger to.
“Oh, it’s you.” Nighteye deadpanned.
“What? Not happy about reuniting with a familiar face?” The smug smile Tsukauchi gave him only made his eyes narrow further.
“Considering what dealing with a familiar voice did to my mood mere minutes ago, I doubt whatever you intend of talking with me is going to be an improvement,” Nighteye said, voice still as dry.
Tsukauchi quirked an eyebrow, although that detective brain of his quickly put the pieces together, with his eyes exponentially widening as he spoke. “Wait…Are you serious? After all these years, you finally went and spoke―”
“It was him who called me,” Nighteye quickly cut off. “I would prefer to not bring up the topic we talked about again. I am sure sooner or later he will tell you about it, anyway.” The yellow-eyed adult shook his head before refocusing his attention back on the detective. “What are you here for? Also, Lemillion told me we had three people coming in. What about the other two?”
“That bad, huh?” Tsukauchi sighed. Noticing the look Nighteye was giving him, the detective raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. I won’t pry further. Regarding your questions, well, I didn’t want to bring my partner and our…guest, before we addressed what I came to you for.”
“And that would be…?” Nighteye asked, already feeling a headache for where was this coming to.
Taking only a brief pause with his hands clenching, which in itself were signals that made Nighteye more wary, Tsukauchi spoke up. “I need you to see into someone’s future.”
Tch, of course, it is about my quirk.
“…I am correct to assume my target will be this guest you brought up, right?” At Tsukauchi’s nod in confirmation, Nighteye, with his voice giving nothing but absolute neutrality, continued with another inquiry. “Let’s say that I agree, how far into the future do you want me to look at?”
“Well, a year, perhaps two would help in―”
“No.” Nighteye quickly cut in, his voice barely containing the venom demanding to come out of his voice.
“What?” Tsukauchi almost sputtered. “Weren’t you just considering it just now?”
“Yeah, and although looking into people’s future whose actions I have no idea of assure beforehand is something I am vehemently against, because it was you, I was willing to make an exception by some days, perhaps even a week or two,” Nighteye said, allowing his voice to show some irritation. “A year, though? It is madness. The consequences of doing so at such a large scale have the potential of being catastrophic. I don’t have to remind you that not even once I have failed in seeing the future correctly, do I? Whatever I get to glimpse on that person’s future, it will become an incorrigible reality.”
“Look, I understand the risks, but―”
“Oh, do you, now?” Nighteye interrupted him one more time, with no hesitation in the slightest. “While calling us each other friends would be somewhat preposterous, we have known for a long while. Long enough for you to know there isn’t anything you can use to convince of pulling a similar stunt like I did all those years ago.”
While Nighteye wouldn’t precisely consider himself vindictive by nature, there was an ounce of satisfaction at seeing Tsukauchi wince.
Good. That meant the man at least understood this was dangerous territory he was dealing with.
After he laid out his stance on the matter, Nighteye waited in silence. Daring the detective to prove him wrong.
Minutes passed, and with nothing else coming out of the detective’s mouth, Nighteye was all but assured that there was nothing else to be said.
At least he thought so until Tsukauchi landed the lowest of blows.
“…Even if this involves All Might’s safety?”
It took all of Nighteye’s will to only raise his brows by a small margin and suppress a gasp of surprise. However, in exchange for that, his eyes narrowed shortly after while sending an unamused glare at Tsukauchi.
“I truly hope you have something in your hands to back that up. Otherwise, I am afraid this meeting has come to an end.”
“I do,” Tsukauchi said, voice and eyes reassuring this wasn’t a desperate stunt, at the very least. Rummaging through his jacket, the detective eventually brought up a folder stacked with a decent amount of paperwork and handed it to him. “Tell me, have you heard about the crime wave that surged in the south-central area of Japan?”
“I haven’t followed it in its entirety, being busy with my operations, but I have the gist of it,” Nighteye admitted, eyeing the folder in his hands with a critical eye. “It was a weird period. While yes, there was a sudden increase in Villains acting in plain daylight, the victims were…I suppose minimal is a way to put it.” His voice was impassive, but soon enough his features turned into a grimace. Only allowing the show of weakness because he was, indeed, only in the company of a familiar face. “Don’t get me wrong, those losses were a tragedy, but when one compares them with the number of incidents, even the most optimistic expert would’ve assumed for those numbers to be far greater. Admittedly, the whole case is strange. More so when last I heard, they have recently receded without a clear explanation. Although I…suppose All Might’s involvement helped in that.”
And wasn’t that a bitter pill to swallow?
To see that, even during what should have been the greatest era to live in, the Symbol of Peace still was a key piece in keeping a modicum of stability in their society.
“I would say that last part is an understatement.”
“…What?” Not only the statement in itself was what caught Nighteye’s attention, but how Tsukauchi said it, the concern in it, that made his stomach churn in confusion and wariness.
“What I mean is…look, you should check those files and see for yourself. Some details are missing, those that I’ve kept only to myself, as an additional measurement. However, I am willing to share them if you see fit.”
Nighteye gave Tsukauchi a look, but once he confirmed he wasn’t going to get anything else out of the detective until he looked at the folder’s insides, he put himself to the task. Gazing down upon the folder’s cover one last time, Nighteye adjusted his glasses with his free hand before flipping the container open.
One of the many benefits that being All Might’s sidekick granted him was dealing with Japan’s most requested Hero’s accountability and general desk work. As such, he had enough experience that devouring the folder’s contents with scrutinous detail was a matter of few minutes.
And yet, the very moment he finished the last page, he went back to the first one and began reading its contents all over again.
Two, three, and it wasn’t until the fourth time being done with the files that Nighteye confirmed he didn’t imagine anything of what he had just read.
He long since had theorized they were dealing with a recently founded villainous group.
He knew All Might was involved in the case.
Nevertheless, what he had discovered was far worse than he could’ve imagined.
For the past months, Nighteye and his agency became involved with a case regarding a Yakuza group known as the Eight Precepts of Death. The investigation was in its earliest steps, however, just that much granted them enough data to suspect something big was brewing in the shadows.
And it has, only I’ve looking at the wrong side this entire time…
It was as such that, save for his intern, Nighteye and his sidekicks have been putting most of their efforts into the case while relying on different news outlets to keep up in date with the ongoings around the world.
What a grave mistake that was.
“Is it true, then?” Nighteye asked, eyeing Tsukauchi with all the gravity this was worth. “Rather than a participation rate of thirty-five percent like most outlets made it seem, All Might has been involved in every single one of those incidents?”
“Yeah,” Tsukauchi affirmed, his voice solemn. “Don’t blame yourself for not knowing. That All Might has at least a major participation in every attack hasn’t been made public. Not even in the Hero Network. Only a scant few underground heroes that have been helping in our investigation have been made aware of most details, and even then, it was disclosed in a manner that didn’t compromise One for All.”
Nighteye didn’t feel reassured by that. Rather, he was grinding his teeth while frustration bubbled in, and the implications of what he had been made aware of dawned on him.
While the fact that his idol didn’t trust him enough to share this information was gnawing him from the inside out, what truly mortified him was all that extra effort All Might was forcing upon himself.
Effort that dwindled bit by bit what remaining power he had left.
All Might, you stubborn fool...
Nevertheless, after gulping down his distaste, Nighteye hummed in understanding while a mask of professionalism covered his features. It wasn’t ideal, but he was beginning to get the picture and with it the benefits of keeping anonymity about this.
Like avoiding the growing panic at the fact that someone had All Might, and the police force for that matter, in a morbid equivalent of a wild goose chase.
Besides, with this information in hand, it was painfully obvious that the mastermind behind these incidents aimed precisely for having All Might involved in all of them. Making it seem as if things weren’t going according as planned could’ve incited the villain to move things up, possibly giving the police and heroes an opening.
At least that was how it should have occurred in theory. In reality…
“You guys haven’t made any progress, have you?”
There were a few moments of hesitation on Tsukauchi’s part, but soon enough he let go of it with a heavy sigh. “…Besides some superficial stuff, no, not really. Two months ago, we thought we had something,” The detective paused, then shook his head in frustration. “However, the only result we reaped out of that were three corpses found in an alleyway, and even then, it is only because of one of them that we can confirm we didn’t meet a roadblock. We know that something happened that day, but nothing about what in particular was meant to occur beyond the murders. However, considering that around a month later, the incidents that coincided with the usual pattern had a sudden halt, and we have no longer found any other victims of the brainwashing quirk, I suspect that whatever the mastermind wanted to achieve…she succeeded at it.”
That was both good and terrible news.
On one hand, this person not pushing a strategy that was working on exhausting All Might’s time limit, meant that the secret of his powers was still that, a secret.
Maybe they thought they had been exploiting All Might’s unrelenting desire to always save everyone whenever possible. Making the Number One Hero wary of overextending for any possible hunts at the risk of compromising the lives of civilians. It wouldn’t be precisely a false assumption, besides…otherwise, it wouldn’t make any sense.
No one is anywhere near figuring out their identity, much less their hideout, and they have no reason to believe that isn’t the case. They could’ve exploited these attacks for far longer and definitely would have if they knew what effects is having on him.
On the other though…Nighteye couldn’t begin to imagine how was it that three murders were that important for someone capable of messing with the Number One Hero without being given a swift accommodation behind bars. Hell, he couldn’t guess how could that require half as much of the time they bought with those attacks.
That is definitely only the tip of the iceberg, but then…what is that person hiding underneath it?
He could make theories all day, but just like with Tsukauchi, it would be the same as poking a fish in hopes of hearing it bark at some point.
I lack too much information to make an educated guess. I…suppose I will have to take Tsukauchi’s words for granted and ask for any details he might leave unsaid in this briefing or the reports.
Smart, patient, capable of developing multiple-layered plans, ruthless, and a powerful quirk to back up their already worrisome strengths. It was like a recipe for the worst villain imaginable.
Subconsciously, that made way for a newfound worry.
“She,” Nighteye repeated the word, and for a multitude of reasons, it left a bitter taste in his mouth. “Are you sure this is a woman we are talking about? I know that the reports suggest so, but…have you considered that perhaps all of this is a signal that he has returned? Based on what I’ve read, that person fits the profile just as well.”
“We never confirmed his death, that is true.” Tsukauchi conceded. “That being said, knowledge of the villain’s gender is one of the few details me and anyone else working in the case is the most confident about.”
“Oh, how so?”
“Remember how I mentioned a lead we acquired some months ago?” Tsukauchi began. “Said lead came in the form of a journal belonging to one of the victims found in the alleyway that day. While most of its contents consist of blabbering which we haven’t managed to make any sense of, something that showed consistency was the reverence to a figure for which the owner of the notebook always referred as either Ultimate Despair or Goddess.”
“Goddess?” Nighteye quirked an eyebrow. While Ultimate Despair he could understand for a villain moniker, and he didn’t doubt that person had such high delusions of grandeur to consider himself a holy figure, a female euphonism was weird even by his standards.
Still, that wasn’t the same as saying he wouldn’t take unorthodox methods for the sake of his nefarious plans.
The look on Tsukauchi’s face told Nighteye he shared his sentiment on the matter. “While that wasn’t concrete evidence to make any conclusions, we decided to run an experiment with it. The basis for it consisted of separating a group of brainwashed victims into two separate rooms, secluded and apart enough that the experiment didn’t run any risks of being polluted. For those in the first room, we began calling names such as Ruler of The Underworld, King of Darkness, and various similar titles one could relate to him. For the other group, we worked in a similar manner, only the used monikers referred to someone as a woman, and the word despair was always involved. Goddess of Despair, Queen of Despair, among many others.”
“I am assuming the experiment brought up some results, yes?” Nighteye inquired.
“It did,” Tsukauchi confirmed. “While the victims of the first room didn’t do much beyond continuing with their usual struggles or attempts of muffled screams through their gags, with those of the second one the reaction was always instant. A few had their vacant eyes gaining a glimmer in them. Some gazes turned intense. Their wild struggles soothed while snapping their heads in the direction of whoever called out a title, and some went as far as…well, making clear their ecstasy at hearing us addressing the responsible of their situation. Disturbing as they might be, those were the first semblances of responses we have gotten out of the victims in half a year. It couldn’t be a coincidence.”
“I…see,” Although that didn’t quit the feeling of nausea coursing within Nighteye.
Perhaps it truly isn’t that person, but sure as hell it appears she’s interested in occupying the vacant he left.
“So, to summarize this entire mess,” Nighteye spoke again, bringing both arms up to the desk while resting his chin on the back of his hands. “We have running wild who should be considered at least a Rank-A villain, possessor of the most powerful brainwashing quirk known in recent history, using said quirk indiscriminately to turn their victims into dispatchable despair-obsessed minions, with the intent of throwing them at the Symbol of Peace like meat to a grinder, which by the way, with the consistency in attacks until just recently and lack of opposition she is facing so far, in her eyes it appears he’s nothing but a minor annoyance she temporarily wanted away from her true and still unknown ambitions, ambitions that either she had already accomplished or was in her way of doing so…am I missing something?”
“…Actually, there is one more thing.” At that point, Nighteye had to make use of all of his will to not groan like a petulant child. “It is also kind of why I finally decided to recur to you for help.”
“Just…what is it now?”
“It is about the attacks,” Tsukauchi said. “The accuracy at which this villain sets them up to always coincide with All Might being in the vicinity to react to them is not a coincidence, nor normal in any matter. Whether we are talking of a collaborator or another victim that succumbed to her quirk, our mysterious villain appears to have the help of someone capable of predicting All Might’s position during his patrols. Out of the many quirks we have theorized, one capable of precognition is our most likely candidate.”
A brainwashing quirk in combination with a precognition one? Sure, the latter was a theory rather than a fact, but seeing that it was the least outlandish possibility someone like Tsukauchi could have come up with, that reaffirmed that dealing with this upstart villain was of the utmost priority.
Seriously, I can’t even decide if I should be terrified or just straight-up mad at the pile of problems this mysterious woman is responsible for.
“Look, I understand now that you want to cover all bases,” Nighteye began. “And it doesn’t take a genius to see this supposed guest you brought here to use my quirk on is one of her victims. However, how is it that seeing their future would help us figuring the past, which is where the needed information could be found at?”
At the sudden smirk replacing Tsukauchi’s previously concerned face, Nighteye could admit he grew curious at what the detective had between his hands.
“Well, that is because it is the future I am interested in.” At Nighteye’s confused stare, Tsukauchi elaborated. “We have tried all sorts of methods to rehabilitate those affected by the quirk. Whether it is therapy, knocking them out, or going as far as to use other brainwashing quirks to overlap the effects. None of that has worked so far, at least not yet.” A determined expression crossed Tsukauchi’s face. “I refuse to believe there isn’t a solution out there, and I am confident that it is a matter of time before mine and everyone else’s efforts pay off.”
“So, if I am getting this right,” Nighteye drawled, with a voice that didn’t reveal whether agreed or not with what the detective had in mind. “You want to gamble with a person’s future in hopes of finding a way to restore their sanity, and then proceed to interrogate them about what happened before losing their will.”
“There is also the risk of not finding anything,” Tsukauchi added for him. “Cementing the possibility of not having a way of restoring the minds of any of the victims.”
‘Yes, that among many other things that could go wrong when dealing with something as hazardous as seeing the future…’ Nighteye left unsaid. Even if they weren’t already long-time colleagues, he had already chided Tsukauchi enough for the detective to understand that this was a delicate matter.
That being said…a villain like the one they are dealing with can only grow in threat the more they give her breathing room.
Even if it was only to act as a nuisance, she already had All Might in her sight for some months. Who’s to say she won’t be making a return, this time…just perhaps as a real menace to his life? Nighteye was yet to meet a villain worth their salt that didn’t saw All Might’s demise as a priority. It will be a matter of when rather than if before she makes her move.
Letting the heaviest sigh he could conjure and pinching the bridge of his nose, a suddenly exhausted Nighteye turned back to address Tsukauchi.
“…Tell me you have at least the proper documentation to legally proceed with this?”
The way Tsukauchi got up from his seat and out of the room like a child on Christmas was all the reply Nighteye needed.
Is it weird that I am already regretting this?
No sooner than Tsukauchi left the room, the detective came back along with two new individuals.
A quick glance told Nighteye that the first of the newcomers was one of Tsukauchi’s peers. A subordinate of sorts judging by his young looks and less ostentatious uniform.
What truly deserved most of his attention, though, was the second individual.
While his flat nose and dark sclera covering his crimson eyes were notable traits, what truly stood out about him was the multiple shackles, chains, handcuffs, and all sorts of restraints that covered his body from head to toe.
Strange sight as it was, Nighteye didn’t question it. Thanks to the report file given to him, he was aware of what these people would try to do to themselves if given the chance. How even the futility of it wasn’t impeding him from continuing his struggles and releasing those seemingly feral growls only reaffirmed the benefit of keeping those gadgets.
A few feet into the room, Tsukauchi shoved a knee into the back of the detained adult’s thigh, bringing him down and with the help of the detective’s peer, properly securing his posture.
Taking his prompt, Nighteye set himself out of his chair and strode towards the handcuffed man. The churning feeling in his stomach never leaving him.
Once in front of his target, Nighteye heard Tsukauchi speak up.
“Are you ready for this?”
The last time Nighteye used his quirk at a range as extensive as he was about to do now, he condemned his idol to suffer the most despairful of deaths.
Not once in his entire life had his quirk been wrong about what it allowed him to see.
Suffice it to say that no, the truth of the matter was that he wasn’t ready, not in the slightest.
“Yes, let’s get this over with.” However, he wasn’t in any position to protest about it with what was at stake. “I am warning you though. This is only looking ahead for a way of rehabilitating the victims. Nothing more. I am not budging on that.”
Tsukauchi and his companion gave both firm nods which Nighteye had no option other than taking for granted.
Crushing down any remnant of hesitation, All Might’s former sidekick ignored the protests of the individual in front of him, touched his forehead, and then locked his deep crimson gaze with Nighteye’s own.
A tingling sensation began spreading through Nighteye’s body, and he could practically feel how the sclera on both eyes turned black while his irises took the shape of a gear and their tint morphed from golden to violet.
No sooner did he established the connection, Nighteye activated his quirk and began rummaging through the captive’s future.
It began like it always did. Images began rolling through a movie tape, showing Nighteye through a third-person perspective the incoming series of events that made his target’s future life. While the depiction was accurate, the images shown were more like colorless drawings rather than a perfect replica of events.
The first set of pictures was somewhat strange…and admittedly made him cautious. Not worthy of being considered a red flag, at least, not yet, but cautious nonetheless.
Following that though, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about what he saw for a long while.
As time went on, save for the monotony of the environment making it harder than usual to assess how much time was passing, what Nighteye saw was among his initial expectations. Along with the surroundings of his vision keeping the exact same, the surrounding people and their duties kept themselves on a routine with no signals of suffering from any altercations.
Which, considering that it was precisely some sort of change that Nighteye was looking for, it meant no progress was being made. Much to his chagrin.
I’ve looking far deeper into the future than what I’ve done in the past years combined, and things are still looking just as bleach for the victims. I…I am sorry, Tsukauchi, but this is as far as I―
However, just when he considered enough time had passed and saw no reason to keep looking further into the future, something caught his attention.
The days turned into months, and while he was far from acquiring the answers Tsukauchi was looking for, he began noticing certain details. Small tidbits telling him something was occurring from the sidelines.
Again, nothing grandiose at first glance, but it was turning clearer with each passing moment that events of grand importance were taking place in the outside world.
Even though there were no voices, noises, or any sort of sound in his vision, Nighteye could feel there was some tension growing in the environment.
It was as such, reluctant as Nighteye could have been to admit it, that curiosity got the better of him, prompting him to keep looking even further.
And around what was more or less the year mark, Nighteye regretted ever agreeing to Tsukauchi’s plead.
Because he saw what should’ve never been meant to be seen.
An incorrigible mistake from which he could never back off.
The indefinite proof of everyone’s damnation.
What else but that?
The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic, and Despair-Inducing of all futures.
Deep inside an unknown location, furtherly hidden within the confines of an even more secret hideout, a lone male figure hummed in contemplation.
The responsible for bringing such a mood on him was none other than the only source of light within the unmeasurable dark room he called his abode.
In front of him, a series of holograms rolled down thousands upon thousands of words.
For multiple reasons, properly reading all of that should’ve been a daunting task. What with how quickly the words were scrolling and…well, the lack of eyes in the first place.
By any means, unless one possessed a quirk that either transferred the shown information directly to their brain, that granted non-retinal alternatives in combination with enhanced reflexes, or allowed the passive capacity of turning words into vocal noises, it should be impossible for him to do anything about it.
How lucky of him to have multiple quirks capable of dealing with those issues, huh?
But going back to the holograms themselves, each one of those screens displayed a series of files containing, admittedly speaking, quite some educating information.
Ah, the good doctor. Genetics might be his specialty, but extracting some classified reports from the police without them batting an eye was mere child’s play for someone like him.
Indeed, what had so intrigued whom the world now waved off as a bedtime story to make their children behave, was a bunch of reports for a case the police had been investigating for some months now.
The thing was though, that these files were not an ordinary thing. Neither was the case they talked about for that matter.
Admittedly, he wasn’t interested in paying much attention beyond registering the correlating occurrences back when news began bringing hints of it into the light. And only because the attacks involved All Might.
After all, what worth there was in being concerned over watching the equivalent of tossing coins into an endless hole in hopes of a miracle happening?
Even when their recurrency became apparent, he didn’t consider them worthy of his interest.
Things took an unexpected turn when his, uh…ah yes, his successor didn’t let those incidents pass by.
He began ranting about that annoying new ‘guild’ joining the ‘server’. How unfair it was that they turned the genre from a ‘Single Player RPG’ to a ‘Competitive PvP’. The only complaint he could make sense of without much effort was about those ‘Noobs doing a shit job at farming their reputation’.
Nevertheless, confusing as most of that might have been, he was able to get the gist of what the inheritor of his will meant.
A new piece had joined the board.
It wasn’t much of a surprise, really. He had known for quite a while of other pieces and hidden players. The latter at least he recognized them as such when they were the only ones with enough brains to not discard his existence as a myth, all the while keeping enough caution to bid their time until after he was to make his move.
Commendable, but futile nonetheless.
That being said, when it came to that new factor, well, it was obvious they eventually gained enough credit to warrant some attention. If nothing else, to assess how to make use of them.
And that’s when things got interesting.
What at first sight might have appeared to be a relatively large assortment of rookies joined together with more ambition than brains, throwing themselves into the maw of the lion on each and every occasion, eventually gave to the suspicion for the possibility of, just perhaps, something far more sinister hiding in the shadows.
How repeatedly there were casualties from this new group, and yet that didn’t refrain them in the slightest from going at it over and over again.
Their growing infamy despite the news all but swearing there wasn’t anything suspicious about these attacks.
Most intriguing of all, as confirmed by his successor, the doctor, and agents for his own use ‘And only his…’, there was a noticeable number of disappearances on the villain’s part occurring through the past months.
Disappearances beyond the ones he was responsible for, mind you.
It came to the point that, they of all people, began turning wary of moving through the night.
Amusing as that twist of irony was, it only took some grey matter to put the pieces together.
Someone was hunting down villains, and someway somehow, by the time they reappeared, they all were loyal soldiers willing to give it their all for a blind cause.
He couldn’t help growing more and more eager the further it went on. Wondering where all of that was leading. It was almost like traveling back to his youth, awaiting each day the next issue of his next favorite comic.
Until suddenly, that was no longer possible.
There wasn’t a progressive decrease in the attacks, nor some big event or any hint for that matter, of the heroes taking care of the root of the issue.
One day the attacks keep at it like usual, and the next they didn’t.
Something didn’t add up there. He refused to believe things ended without a proper conclusion. Whoever was at the very top of these incursions clearly had a decent head on their shoulders. Surely they couldn’t have been gone without making any noise.
How else could they have made such brazen movements for entire months uninterrupted?
No, once again, he knew that wasn’t the entire picture of the ordeal. And, well, what better means to get rid of that cloudy interrogative than some assistance from a group that could offer a different perspective from his own?
All of that brought him to this very moment, with his mind getting the last bits of information from the latest records coming straight out of Japan’s Police Force’s classified archives.
Like he had already summarized from the case. It was informative. It was unique.
Although most important of all, it was quite revealing.
Rather than a piece, he had to concede she was a player in her own right.
Intellect, resources, and, of course, a quirk worthy of validating her presence on the table.
Ah, and what a quirk that one is.
He wasn’t foreign to brainwashing quirks. He himself was the owner of a pair of them, and one of his former agents, Dictator, possessed one as well.
That being said, there was a sad truth in the fact that these types of quirks, more often than not, came with their issues.
Whether it was the need of keeping constant contact for it to function, a minimal range one had to maintain for it to not lose its effects, or the always aggravating damage threshold that allowed for the targets to regain their free will. No matter how, there was always a weakness that limited such quirks.
Except hers.
Based on the files he had just made himself aware of, it was obvious that this mysterious woman didn’t suffer from any of the usual weaknesses that everyone else in her position did.
He was all but sure there was a mechanism of sorts around the sentiment of despair with how much it seemed to be involved around her targets and general handiwork. Given the numbers of missing people accounted though, from both villains and civilians alike, clearly there hadn’t been an impediment to control however many people she wanted.
It might not be his or his brother’s, but there was no doubt he was talking about a grade A+ quirk.
Truly, a quirk like that in his possession would be… ah, where was he getting at?
Oh right, what made her worthy of something beyond mere interest.
While the aforementioned were feats worth recognition, there was one thing above all of them that made her stand out.
And it was the fact that she was one of the few individuals on the entire planet that knew the days of the Symbol of Peace were numbered.
Sure, there were thousands upon thousands of ‘peers’ who hoped for the day the Symbol of Peace breathed his last breath. This woman, however, knew he was growing weaker with each passing day.
Understandably so, he was skeptical when the possibility came to him. However, the more he put the pieces together and began comparing specific details, it became obvious that was indeed the case.
For the sake of never committing the same mistake from all those years ago, he had been keeping a close eye on his nemesis’ activities ever since their…confrontation.
A minute. That was how much it usually took the Number One Hero to take care of a common group of mooks. Might seem impressive, but there was a time in which was a matter of a second or two, and even so, a year ago, he never surpassed the half-a-minute mark.
But alas, that wasn’t what mattered. Not now at least. What was important, though, was how much it took that man to deal with her mooks.
Between ten to twenty minutes.
There wasn’t anything special about the individuals she used, most certainly not their quirks. A minor power enhancement over here, a literal gun for a hand over there. The lowest scum of society. Cannon fodder. However else one might want to call them.
Really, nothing impressive about any of them.
Yet, so long as they played on the defensive, using whatever dirty tricks one could come up with regardless of how ‘wrong’ they might be, worked around the idea of buying time rather than deluding themselves with the idea of actually hurting All Might, much less defeating him, and fulfilled their specific roles accordingly, they were capable of lasting far more than most Rank-A villains could hope for.
He might the lack the exact numbers, but he was confident that after receiving his own parting gift from their fight, every minute of just existing was precious for that man.
Ah, the wonders one can accomplish with followers that don’t bother their master with trivialities such as self-preservation, free will, or morality. I can’t wait for the good doctor to finally show results regarding that project…
In any case, that told him two facts.
One. She was well versed in the exercise of correctly using the pawns one has at their disposal. However insignificant they might be.
Two. She actively and purposely played a war of attrition against the Symbol of Peace. And the only way she would’ve been so bent on keeping at it for as long as she did, was if she knew it was affecting him.
He was sure that the heroes and their lackeys won’t see it that way, at least not until it becomes more prominent. Oh, it might occur them as a passing thought, but going from that to putting a real effort into considering the possibility? No, even those scant few who had seen their false god bleed with their own eyes will refuse the idea of someone besides him having the means to repeat such a feat.
Granted, I do not believe she has any hope of defeating him no matter how good of a plan she has on her head. However, there was no reason to not praise her use of skepticism on her favor.
No matter how self-aware, pragmatic, or wise any of them might claim to be, they still are part of an era that loves looking the other side whenever an inconvenience appears before them.
Those who live it, all have forgotten what true fear was.
Their offspring? Not a single one of them knows what it was…and what it will be.
They will deny it. Come up with conveniently ‘logical’ excuses. No matter how close it could be to punch them in their faces, they will do anything but lock eyes with the despairful truth.
The single pillar of their society was not invincible, and had an expiration date.
That being said…
It comes all over again to the fact that she suddenly dropped all efforts.
“Why would she do that when she still held enough advantage to keep pushing for more?” He couldn’t help muttering out loud. It was a genuine mystery to him.
Why stop when your ultimate goal, like every other villain with some degree of ambition, was to defeat the Symbol of Peace?
Unless…
Unless…she had far more ambition than he was giving her credit for.
She was cunning enough to figure out All Might was getting weaker…
Unless furtherly weakening All Might was never the main objective, not even a secondary one. Just a favorable bonus.
Who’s to say she doesn’t know more than that…
Unless the idea of confronting him, or defeating him in the orthodox sense of the word, neither was on her agenda.
How can I be sure she doesn’t know about…
Unless she was aware of how futile of an endeavor that would be.
Futile? No…no, it’s impossible. The only way that logic could work was if she knew about One for All and how it functions. Meticulous as she might appear to be, there is a world of difference between analyzing data, figuring patterns, and putting it all together to conclude that the Number One Hero is growing senile and the possibility of this random upstart knowing one of the biggest secrets this world possesses. There is no way she is aware of such important information.
…But what if she was, though?
That brief instance of doubt was all the incentive required to release an irked scoff and made his instance on the matter clear.
He knew that most people in his position, no matter how open-minded or rational claimed themselves to be, would’ve shut the idea down, laughed it off, and moved on.
All for One wasn’t most people.
He didn’t see the dawn of quirks, subdued Japan into an age of darkness that lasted decades and lived with the intent of doing it a second time, only to risk it all at the expense of discarding a potential threat because of how implausible might seem.
He wasn’t like those oafs with capes.
Only a third-rate Demon Lord would leave such loose ends unresolved.
The Symbol of Evil quickly began rummaging through his brain. Making scenarios, calculating their chances, and classifying them based on the likeness of turning into a real possibility.
Eventually, among the vast number of plots and schemes that occurred to him, one scenario called for some extra attention.
He tapped the right side of his seat, such action causing another screen to appear. Wasting no time, he raised his right hand and from one of his digits, it launched ahead a black and red tendril that plugged into the projector below in charge of the frames.
Through a series of mental inputs, his most recent screen eventually came to reveal a map. Through the connection made, he commanded a close-up of Japan’s south-central region.
Photographic memory.
Neural Process Acceleration.
Boosted Analysis.
He called forward every single quirk in his arsenal that granted any sort of upgrade to his cognitive skills. Once satisfied, he began recalling the news, each tidbit of information within the police reports, even the most insignificant rumor.
Every single detail, so long as it helped him pinpoint All Might’s movements for the past six months, was of utmost importance.
As most of his mind occupied itself accounting for the data, he spared the rest of it to make use of the map. Tracing routes, bookmarking locations, drawing lines between connection points. Slowly and methodically piecing together a scenario that…reluctant as he might be to admit it, wasn’t so amusing.
Half an hour later, after marking the last relevant spot, All for One was looking at his handiwork.
At first glance, it looked like an inverse and convoluted pentagram of sorts. A lesser mind would most likely stare at the form with no small amount of confusion while wondering what nonsense were they staring at.
That assumption couldn’t be any more wrong even if they tried to.
Whenever the tracings darted from Shizuoka towards Musutafu, a constant yet subtle shift occurred that turned the routes east or west, towards either Hosu or Kofu.
When it was from Hosu toward Musutafu, All Might changed course towards Shizuoka. And so on whenever that man intended to travel towards Musutafu. Yes, there were some exceptions, with the man traveling to either Aichi or Yamanashi, but from what he had assessed, those were only fortunate coincidences for the one behind the attacks.
Even within the scant occasions on which he patrolled Musutafu, there were incidents that prevented the Number One Hero to venture too deep into the prefecture. Those were the hardest to notice, as they were far too subtle and seemingly random looking that if he wasn’t purposely searching for them, he would’ve been none the wiser.
While figuring all that was a rather recreational exercise for the brain, it was the conclusion that mattered to him.
There was a stationary target that both All Might and that woman had their eyes on within Musutafu, with the brainwashing user doing everything in her power to prevent the Symbol of Peace from reaching it for almost half a year.
Was it her location? No, I am sure she doesn’t lack the resources to move however she pleased. Additionally, that man would’ve long since warned the police and some other heroes about it.
With how persistent he was about it, there was no doubt in his mind that it was something of great importance.
Has he finally figured out what occurred to his predecessor’s legacy and was on the hunt for leads about it? Neither. In the now surely impossible chance that woman knew about it, she didn’t gain anything in preventing him from reaching whatever it is he could’ve found. Besides, I can think of a pair of people he would’ve confided in such a task.
No, it was something both invaluable and so personal that he didn’t trust even his closest confidants to reach for him.
Something he felt an irrational sense of obligation to deal with for himself, didn’t suspect anyone would know about it, and thus, didn’t feel desperate enough about it so as to sacrifice some lives for the sake of it.
There was only one piece that fit those parameters and made sense of the puzzle that were her actions at the same time.
As the implications dawned on him, the temperature in the room raised. Some veins began popping above his forehead. His fists clenched and unclenched. His jaw tensed while the teeth worked against one another.
If he wasn’t alone, the quickly accumulated pressure in the air would’ve already choked to death any lesser being present.
It reached the peaking point, threatening to make him unleash his accumulated fury with the dozens of thousands of lives in the vicinities of his hideout…
Only for his wrath to be gone in an instant.
As quickly as it came, the bubbling anger dissipated without any hint of ever existing.
There were a few cautious moments of silence within the room, until suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, it was interrupted.
With his own laugh.
All for One laughed and cackled. His jovial chortle echoed within the empty and seemingly unending walls that surrounded him, keeping at it for however long he pleased. Whether minutes or hours, it didn’t matter.
However, as it began to recede, in its place, the melody meant to break the spirits of his victims, past and future alike, that came out of his mouth shifted into a quiet smile. Growing and growing with each passing moment.
Until a cheshire smile threatened to split his face in two.
When and how was this woman capable of figuring out the existence of One for All?
How did she managed to reach the ninth with no one being the wiser about it?
Who was she?
Where did she come from?
How did her mind work?
What made her tick?
All of those questions…
Were too much of a fascinating mystery!
One thing was sure.
I am sorry, All Might. It appears…your expiration date will come sooner than anticipated.
Screw all that talk of pieces, players, heroes, other villains, or anything else!
The only thing that mattered was the true throne, and knowing which of the two Demon Lords aiming for it will end up laying its claim.
There is no doubt about who will raise victorious, but I can’t allow myself to not entertain such an amusing scenario. After all, issues that derived from the standard Good vs. Evil never failed to bring me some joyous smiles.
The Emperor of Darkness against, ah what was she called in the reports? Oh, of course, The Ultimate…
“Despair, eh? Ufufufu, what an interesting choice for a theme~.”
Chapter 14: Metamorphosis (1): Izuku Midoriya Doesn’t Smile.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Metamorphosis (1): Izuku Midoriya Doesn’t Smile.
Inko Midoriya was a woman of many mistakes.
It has been a constant thorn gnawing at her back, but it was nonetheless the truth.
From her poorly made decision to drop college, to her incapacity at noticing Hisashi’s true character, all the way down to failing her son in every conceivable way.
My Izuku…
The reminder of her own blood brought a new pang of guilt. She could have lived with herself just fine if all her faults and their consequences were only hers to bear. However, that was not the case, shameful as she was to admit it.
It wasn’t always like that. There used to be a time when Inko couldn’t even begin to imagine the turns life would have for them.
A time with movie nights, with her son always begging her with sparkling eyes to watch one of the many ones All Might made during his time in America. With memorable hangouts, like that occasion, they went to an All-Might-themed Park, with Izuku gushing about from beginning to end. One special moment she could fondly reminisce was the way Izuku would run around the house in his All-Might onesie, laughing and crying out in euphoria as he played hero, with her tagging along as she pretended to be a civilian in need, and finding joy in her son’s playfulness.
Each and every one of them were wonderful memories.
Fond memories that met an abrupt end when Izuku turned four years old, and everything spiraled into disaster.
Discovering Izuku’s lack of a quirk.
The way most people she once considered friends, not only decided to turn their backs but also poured their own hands into spreading the contempt towards her son.
Even her divorce, if only because of the harsh hit that brought to their solvency.
No, that wouldn’t be entirely true. While for her it might be mostly that, for Izuku was one of many, far too many, tragedies that fell upon him.
Tragedies that, despite it all, her son endured with his head held high.
At least as much as someone in his circumstances could. Still, if only I had understood Izuku’s true strength sooner, perhaps I…
There was only so much one person could take, though. Deep down, Inko hated herself for thinking like that. More so given that it was that exact same mentality that brought her where she was now.
But…how could she not when she saw it with her own eyes?
Even if at his core, her Izuku still kept himself as a bright kid who admired Heroes and what they represented with all his heart, she was forced to watch her son’s light getting snuffed out.
It wasn’t an immediate thing. Bit by bit. Year after year. Time passed, and the more it did, the further her son lost parts of himself. Falling and falling, until turning into a distortion that, for the good of her, Inko couldn’t recognize.
His once straight posture scrunched down, gradually so until it appeared he was trying to hide from the world itself.
The energetic skip of his steps turned into careful ones, with his gaze always darting in every direction as if scared of his own shadow.
Those emerald orbs of his, once fueled by a determined and blinding fire, turned downcast and with most of their luster lost. Carrying only enough strength to keep their owner from giving up on everything.
By the time he was fourteen years old, Izuku was a carapace of his former self, with whatever remaining embers of hope left on him buried deep within. Whether it was strangers, people he did know…or her own mother, he didn’t allow anyone inside the foundations he was forced to build around himself.
…At least, until she came into the picture.
To this day, Inko could confidently say that the Sludge Villain incident was the day that marked a before and an after. The turning point before everything changed.
She didn’t notice it immediately, even if she did so that same day. She was far too busy as she fussed over Izuku after discovering his involvement in the incident. Fretting about how he put his own life at risk for the sake of Mitsuki’s…boy.
And it was only the years of friendship Inko had with her that stopped the all-so-tempting idea of considering other less than savory names to regard him as.
Leaving that particular can of worms aside, it wasn’t until most of her suffocating concern ‘Too bad it took me this long to see it as such.’ was placated, that she began noticing that something was different with Izuku.
Sure, he still looked like a nervous wreck as he tried to reassure her nothing occurred to him during his encounter with the villain. However, it was with noticeably less stammering on his voice, meanwhile sounding more…cheerful, if only enthusiastically dismissive. Not with intended malice, but rather, it was as if she was dealing with a kid who just got his Christmas present and wanted to be uninterrupted as he went to play with it.
That was not all. He had a skip on his voice, his body language seemed uncharacteristically energetic, and neither did she miss the wistful glint in his eyes, as if looking ahead at something she couldn’t see, with a smile threatening to tug at his lips every now and then.
For the first time in an entire decade, it seemed like Izuku gained some of his inner spark rather than losing another chunk of it.
Inko only grew more curious with every day that passed. It wasn’t as if he was back to being his childhood self. However, Inko could see that whatever mysterious encounter her son had between the Sludge Villain and his way home, was big enough to leave an impression on her son.
For a change, it no longer appeared as if he dreaded every waking moment of his life. Rather, Inko could’ve sworn he was looking forward to something happening. Neither did it go past her the manner in which he constantly stole an expectant glance at his phone.
If she didn’t know any better, Inko’s best guess would’ve been that All Might went and decided to give Izuku his personal number.
Despite how everything appeared to be finally taking a step in the right direction for her son, it lasted no more than a pair of days. Eventually, the signals she received from Izuku grew mixed. The expectation of his body language was still there. Yet, there was also this feeling of anxiety oozing out of him, and whenever he looked at his phone, rather than giving a hopeful glance, he seemed to grow fearful of it. Anxious.
Almost…desperate.
Having had enough of being left out of the loop about what was happening, it was nothing more than a lucky coincidence that she finally decided to confront Izuku about it at the second-week mark.
It wasn’t easy to do so, especially given that habit of his regarding hiding things from her. Because yes, he might’ve been unfortunately proficient at having her in to unknown about what exactly went through his outside life. But the fact itself that he was doing so? Not so much.
Would things have taken a better path had I been more assertive, confronting him about what he was going through sooner? Or…was doing that in itself what doomed everything to come happen the way it did?
It was hard, but Inko did get the answer as to what had her son’s mind so wrapped up. Reluctant as he might’ve been to admit it at the time.
A friend.
An actual person with whom he was going to hang out the very next day.
Inko heavily suspected that was about the only reason he even relented to reveal that much.
Nevertheless, to say Inko squealed in joy would be an understatement. She wasted no time bombarding her son with all sorts of questions. What was his friend’s name? How did they meet? What sort of person they were? It got to the point even back then, she understood how overwhelming she acted at the moment.
In retrospect, she supposed that was also why Izuku chose to avoid each and every one of her questions. With Izuku excusing himself on the futility of her knowing them should things end up on a bust when reencountering this mysterious friend, distraught as he might’ve looked while saying so.
While part of her took Izuku’s discretion for granted with a wry smile, forced to get used to it since long ago, the other wondered why he didn’t give her so much as their name. That wasn’t much to ask, right?
For what was likely the first time in her life, much to her up to this day growing shame, she set her own concerns aside and encouraged Izuku to have confidence in himself. That everything was going to be fine, prompting him to believe so by declaring he should bring that friend of his home when, not if, they hang out again.
At the time though, while she didn’t dare prod too much about the subject, Inko couldn’t help quirking an eyebrow when she saw the red hue enveloping Izuku’s cheeks the moment she said that.
For all that encouragement, though, when she bid her son farewell the following morning, Inko did so with no small amount of trepidation.
Don’t get her wrong, Inko couldn’t have been happier at the prospect of someone finally seeing past Izuku’s lack of a quirk, all the while choosing to give him a chance after years of undeserved judgment.
That was the thing, though. Had they? Did Izuku bother to reveal that much, or in a desperate attempt to keep that new friendship, Izuku held his mouth shut, meanwhile hoping for the best when the moment of facing the truth came? Those and many other thoughts filled with doubt filled her at the time.
So much for having faith in my own son.
Inko spent the remaining morning and afternoon with a churn of concern. The hours went by while all sorts of worries gnawed at her. Her nerves reached their peaking point when the entrance door opened from the other side and Inko saw the bangs of green hair poking through it.
She almost didn’t believe the brimming joy with which Izuku entered the apartment.
Again, Izuku was stubbornly vague about the details when Inko inquired about his day. Still, seeing the ecstasy through whatever little he shared while happy tears threatened to leak through his eyes, Inko felt enough reassurance to leave the questions be with some degree of satisfaction.
Specially so, when her son told her he had plans to hang out with his friend the following day as well. Something Inko eagerly welcomed.
Although she made sure to remind Izuku about inviting his friend home this time around.
Ironically enough, Inko was surprised when the next day, with a bashful smile and an awkward rub of his neck, Izuku told her someone called Junko Enoshima was coming the following Saturday to watch the sports festival with them.
Junko Enoshima. That sounded feminine enough inside her head.
So, she asked the question that no doubt both of them knew was coming.
“Izuku, b-by any chance, is…i-is that E-Enoshima person a…girl?”
“…I-It is.”
A lot of neighbors came to complain about the sound that day.
“Dear, could you turn the oven off and bring its contents out?” From the dining hall, a busy Inko called out while arranging the table. “I believe the food should be ready about now.”
“On it!”
Inko happily watched the eager way in which her son made his way towards the kitchen, grabbing a pair of gloves before moving towards the oven. All the while a bashful and excited smile took over his features.
Of course, she perfectly understood the why. After all, today was a commemorative day for the Midoriya household. Not only because of U.A.’s sports festival was meant to be aired today, but more important than that, it was Saturday.
The day Izuku’s friend would visit them.
Speaking of which…
“By the way, dear, when is your friend coming?” Feeling that sounded a bit blunt, Inko elaborated. “Not that I am in a hurry or anything. Just wanting to make sure everything is ready before she arrives.”
She was met with silence.
“Izuku? Is something wrong?” Inko worriedly asked.
“…N-No. Well, at least wrong is not the word I would use. It’s just that perhaps there is something else I should be telling you,” Izuku said, sure enough not looking particularly stressed once he came out of the kitchen, much to Inko’s relief. However, he appeared to be nervous about something. “It’s about Enoshima. She is…well, o-objectively speaking, she’s kind of―”
Whatever her son was about to say, came to an abrupt interruption by the sound of their doorbell ringing.
“Oh, that must be her!” Far too overwhelmed with the excitement of finally meeting her son’s friend, Inko sped towards the entrance. “Izuku, put the container on the table. I will let her in!”
For a moment, she could’ve sworn Izuku cried out some sort of protest. However, Inko already had a hand on the door’s handle by then, wasting no time in bringing the entrance open.
“Welcome! You must be―”
The sight that greeted Inko made her words die at her throat.
Now, when Inko discovered her son had finally found a friend, that had been a bombshell. Even still, following that and the basilic bombshell about his friend turning out to be a girl, Izuku had taken enough time beforehand to acclimate her to the idea, making it lose most of its shock factor by the day to meet her arrived.
By all means, she should’ve been prepared for whoever came through that door.
Yet, Inko couldn’t see the person in front of her as anything other than a bombshell of atomic proportions.
While her overall attire was enough to draw some stares, it was her physical appearance that had Inko enraptured.
Even without her heeled boots, Inko could see the woman in front of her was tall. Taller than her or Izuku if nothing else. Her icy-blue eyes carried a hint of mischief she clearly wasn’t even trying to hide.
Whether it was of the innocent sort or a crude sort, now that was the true mystery.
From her strawberry-blonde twin tails to her dainty hands, all the way down to her toned legs, Inko couldn’t see a single inch of her body that wasn’t groomed to perfection.
Overall, beautiful couldn’t even begin to describe her. Combined with the aura she carried, Inko would easily believe she was a model lost around the neighborhood.
I-Is…is she Izuku’s friend…?
Despite her confusion, any doubt, any uncertainty about the girl being who Izuku talked about, her next words made sure to bury those concerns for Inko.
“Heya, the name’s Junko Enoshima!” The apparent girl Inko had been waiting to know for weeks greeted her, one energetic hand raised in a peace gesture while a charming grin tugged at her lips. “You must be Zuzu’s mom, yeah?”
It was a testament to how overwhelmed she was that Izuku’s nickname went past her.
“I…um…”
Thankfully, meanwhile her brain was trying to reboot, loud footsteps from behind saved her from an awkward standoff.
“E-Enoshima!” From her side, a nervous, yet not any less eager Izuku spoke up. A wobbly smile on his face as he looked up at the strawberry-blonde. “You really came!”
“’Course I did,” Enoshima chirped. “What, ya didn’t think I was going to make low on our promise, did you?”
“What!? No, I didn’t! There’s no way I would believe that. I-It’s just―”
“Pfft, calm down, Zuzu. You shoulda know by now I’m just teasing ya~.”
“Right…”
Although Inko recovered from her stupor halfway through their conversation, the sight in front of her had the older Midoriya stunned. She watched with no small amount of bewilderment how the two of them bantered back and forth.
Well, in truth it was a one-sided barrage of jabs Enoshima was ending Izuku’s way.
Yet, Inko couldn’t find herself to disapprove of that. There was no malice in the way Enoshima was teasing Izuku. Meanwhile, even if her son looked bashful through the whole ordeal, it was clear as day how much he was enjoying himself.
If one of them wasn’t her very son, Inko would’ve chalked it up as these two being lifelong friends.
“A-Anyway, I think we should get inside,” Izuku said before giving Inko a glance. “Otherwise, the food might get cold. Right, mom?”
“O-Oh yes!” Now it was her turn to give Izuku’s friend an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, dear. It was improper of me to keep you standing here on the outside. Please do come in.”
“Ah, it was no deal. I mean,” Enoshima reassured her. Although, as Enoshima’s ocean-blue orbs landed back on her son, Inko could’ve sworn they gained a glint like that of a cat. “There’s no way I would be bothered staying here for a while longer if I get to tease my dear Zuzu around!”
‘D-Dear Zuzu!?’ This time around Inko did pick up on the nickname. Her son did as well if the steam coming out of his red face was any indication.
Well…if nothing else, Inko could already see today was wound up to have an interesting dinner.
“Sheesh, that girl had no chance, huh?” From her side of the table, Enoshima spoke while her eyes lingered on U.A.’s transmission of the Sport’s Festival for the second year. “Actually, nope, I don’t buy that junk! Like, I get her quirk doesn’t look like much at first glance, but that’s just on her!”
“Yeah, I see what you mean, Enoshima,” Izuku said, his voice lacking the usual stutter. The wonders of getting Izuku to talk about Quirks, Inko supposed. “Air bending might not be that effective for flashy offensive, but with enough creativity, it can be turned into a dangerous quirk.”
“Exactly!” Enoshima chirped while snapping a finger. “Depending on how versatile her control over the element is, I bet she could aim a barrage of air around her opponent’s head and…”
‘They are at it again,’ Inko thought, a fond smile tugging at her lips as she saw her Izuku and, in a surprising turn of events, Enoshima going both on a rant about Quirks for the umpteenth occasion.
And no, that wasn’t an exaggeration. From the opening ceremony all the way to the finals, whenever a Quirk caught their attention, one would begin on a pitch about what they thought of it, while the other would give whatever pointers they could think of to complement their observations.
Sure, she might feel a bit left out of the conversation, but honestly? Inko couldn’t find in herself to take that in a bad light. Not when Izuku waved his arms with enthusiasm while he explained something to Enoshima, nor when almost literal stars flashed through his eyes when his friend gave her two cents and began scribbling like mad what she said into his notes.
That being said…
Considering this is Izuku’s first friend in a long while, I hope I have an opportunity to talk with her privately. However brief as it could be.
Whether it was a matter of destiny or mere luck, her chance came soon after Inko wished for it.
“Hmm, based on what we saw back on her first match, I think she also could’ve―ugh…”
“Izuku?” Inko worriedly asked. However, the sound of his rumbling stomach saved her from growing with further concern while a knowing look passed over her face. “Oh dear, you had too much Katsudon, didn’t you? I know you love it, but you have to remember how upset your tummy gets whenever you let it get over your head.”
“M-Mom!”
“Now, now, Zuzu. Your mom’s got a point,” Hearing that, Inko sent the strawberry blonde a grateful look. Still, that didn’t prevent Inko from getting startled when a crown suddenly popped up on Enoshima’s head and spoke up with a commanding voice. “Rise up! Thy queen decrees thou to deposit thy sins into the throne of sorrows!”
“Guh…a-alright then,” While holding up his stomach, Izuku made his way towards the bathroom. “If you excuse me…”
With those parting words, Inko was left alone with Enoshima.
Admittedly, it took the older Midoriya about a minute or two to realize that, along with the opportunity it brought.
Slowly, her gaze set on Enoshima. Resting comfortably on the chair, the strawberry-blonde was watching with a relaxed smile the intermission between the final matches.
Still, it would not do to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Um, Enoshima―”
“Junko.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Honestly, I’ve been trying to get Zuzu to get into a first-name basis with me for a while now. I mean, sure, we have known for about half a month, but, eh, it’s still a bummer how much of a work-in-progress thing it still is.” Enoshima ranted, seemingly oblivious to the confusion she was causing the Midoriya matriarch. “Anyways, think you could use my first name, Mommy Inko?” M-Mommy? “I’m pretty sure he will get into the idea easier if you do so already.”
“Oh, well…sure? If that’s what you like, I can do that, En―I-I mean, Junko.”
“Alrighty! My grand plan is coming all together, Upupupu…” E―Junko cheered with a smile, and despite the strange laugh making her sweat drop, Inko returned the gesture with a smile of her own.
On the inside, though, for all Inko wanted this conversation to happen, she would admit she was at a loss about how to proceed.
Just further proof of how out of her field she felt with Junko around.
Even without the ordeal of Junko feeling comfortable calling Izuku by a nickname based on his first name, despite knowing him for nothing more than a pair of weeks, Inko was beginning to get a grasp of the overwhelming presence Izuku’s newest friend carried with her.
And that worried Inko to no end.
So far, there wasn’t a thing Inko could point about Junko that fell into a particularly negative area. In the past few hours, it never once looked like she was forcing herself to spend her time with them in their rundown apartment. There wasn’t anything vain in the conversations Junko held with her son. That she could keep up with Izuku’s long and detailed talks about Quirks was the definitive proof of that. Most important of all, her son was showing a grade of happiness Inko was beginning to lose hope of seeing ever again.
All in all, everything about her seemed to be marvelous. Her Izuku having someone like Junko as a friend was nothing short of a dream come true.
Maybe it was her mother’s instinct kicking in, perhaps just raw paranoia, but that in itself was what had Inko in a conundrum.
Smart, with a killer figure, and charisma in flowing abundance. As a fellow woman, Inko knew there would be legions of fellow girls her age who would do anything to carry half the boons Junko had on her person, and just as many, if not more, boys who would kill for the chance of having her so much as directing them a word.
Don’t get her wrong, regardless of her son’s status as quirkless, Inko knew Izuku was a marvelous boy, with lots of wonderful traits if one were to look past that. Despite her opinion on certain matters, the older Midoriya had always been confident Izuku would one day find his match. Someone who would not only encourage him but who also would be there for him through whatever adversity her son was to face. Complementing each other in manners that would allow them to reach the best version of themselves.
Although Junko had done an A+ job at making Inko dismiss whatever stereotypes someone with her looks might make one think of, the older Midoriya still asked herself but a single thing.
Why?
As things stood, now was her best chance to get a grasp on that.
“Junko,” The moment Inko addressed her, the twin-tailed blonde centered her attention on the Midoriya matriarch. “There’s something I want to talk with you about.”
“Oh, are we having the infamous girl talk?”
“Huh? I…suppose so?” Inko said, not sure if what she had on mind could count as such. “I just want to know how Izuku and you met. He already told me some general details, but I am interested in hearing your version of the events. If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”
“Sure, I don’t mind talking about our fated meeting~.”
F-Fated!? That sounds a bit…
Inko mentally shook her head. As tempting as the idea was, and unless some clearer signs showed up, it wouldn’t do to either of the Midoriya’s for her to get ahead of herself with Izuku’s first female friend.
Least of all, when all of her attention was required at the moment.
Intently, Inko heard Junko’s narration of events. Her coincidental encounter with Izuku during the Sludge Villain incident, along with their official meeting soon after. And so on, the strawberry blonde followed from there all the way to their departure on that day.
Still, while the overall recounting was admittedly far more detailed than what Izuku told her, Inko couldn’t help the feeling that Junko also kept some details omitted.
Well, to begin with, the recounting of events was for a meaningful moment between Izuku and Junko, so the fact that the strawberry blonde was even bothering to let out any extra tidbits was far more than she could ask. Satisfied with that logic, Inko had no problem avoiding any further prodding on her part.
At least, until she heard what Junko told her next.
“He asked you…if he could be a hero?” Inko asked in disbelief and no small amount of concern. Soon enough, though, and despite being still somewhat shaken by that development, Inko managed to give Junko a bashful but appreciative smile. “I-I see, it must’ve been hard to tell Izuku the truth without making him disheartened, huh?”
Inko knew she must’ve seen things, but for a fraction of a second, she could’ve sworn something…strange flashed through Junko’s face.
“Oh, but that wasn’t what I did.”
What?
“J-Junko, what do you mean by that?”
“Hmm, that was some bad wording on my part,” Junko said with an apologetic smile. Rapidly though, it went back onto her cheerful demeanor. “From what I gather, by truth you mean telling Zuzu that he couldn’t be one, right? That’s the thing though. My own truth is the total opposite of that.”
Stupid as she felt about it, it was not until now that Inko could connect the dots and see what made Junko so special to her son.
“You told him he could…be a hero?” She made it seem like a question, but Inko knew it was a fact. No wonder Izuku was so enamored with Junko. On one hand, she could imagine how happy that made her son, and it warmed her heart to no end. On the other, she felt nothing but concern at what she had just heard. “Junko, I…I do appreciate your efforts on Izuku’s sake, but lying to him is―”
“It wasn’t a lie,” Junko didn’t sound angry, but Inko caught how she lost some of her usual chirp. “Everything I said that day, I meant it all.”
Hearing that, Inko couldn’t help losing some of her bashful behavior. Composing herself enough to give Junko a long stare. Trying to gauge the sincerity of what the strawberry-blonde was saying.
No matter how much tried to, though, the older Midoriya wasn’t capable of finding any sign of deception in Junko’s body language. She had her head held high, her back stood straight in unashamed confidence, meanwhile, her icy-blue eyes showed nothing but meaningful honesty. By all accounts, there was no reason for Inko to keep any lingering doubts.
And yet, she wasn’t convinced.
Not when the white elephant in the room hadn’t been addressed yet.
“…What about him being quirkless?” A part of Inko hated herself for pulling that card. It brought back memories of a day better forgotten for everyone involved. “Even if he hasn’t a quirk, do you believe my Izuku has any chance to not only survive but thrive in a profession where people like All Might exist?”
“I do,” Inko almost gasped at the lack of hesitation in Junko’s response. “I mean, sure, Izuku ain’t gonna be the next Symbol of Peace. I know that is set in stone.” Junko shook her head. “But that and not having what it takes to be one at all? Now that’s where I disagree. I was there when the Sludge Villain wreaked havoc on innocent people. I was there when Heroes watched with impotence and allowed a villain to get things going his way. And finally, I was there when, against the expectations the very world chained him up to, Izuku took the step forward no one dared to and, despite what everybody else said, did make an important difference on that day.” The strawberry blonde’s face hardened with a determined look. “He is far stronger than what everyone takes him for. One way or another, Izuku is meant for great things and I, for one, want to have a role in where his road to heroism might lead.”
To say Junko’s words struck a chord in her would be doing it dishonor. Involuntarily, Inko gaped in awe at the girl in front of her, unable to have it in her to disregard anything of what she said.
Given all the praise she heard about Junko from Izuku, she expected to be pleasantly surprised the moment she was to meet her.
This, however, surpassed all of her expectations with flying colors.
“You…do you really have that much hope in my Izuku?” Inko couldn’t help saying.
‘Could I have half as much myself?’ She asked herself on the inside.
Junko, for her part, gave her a pleasant smile.
“Hey, Mommy Inko, why don’t I tell ya about this plan I have for Zuzu…”
Inko listened intently as Junko explained the goal meant to make sure her son got into Japan’s top hero school, regardless of Izuku’s grand disadvantage. As the strawberry-blonde detailed her role as Izuku’s pseudo-coach, she would be lying if Inko said she was fully supportive of the idea.
Despite that, Inko pushed past her insecurities and fears and chose to give Junko’s proposal a chance.
By the time her son came back and she gave him her seal of approval for the training regimen, Izuku beamed at her like she hadn’t seen him do in an entire decade.
And so, even if it was but for a fleeting moment, Inko Midoriya held hope for the future.
Junko Enoshima.
Inko knew that was a name she was never going to forget.
The more she came to know her, the harder it was for Inko to see her as a person, coming to the point, that sometimes, she regarded the strawberry blonde as a force of nature.
No, not exactly that. After all, that term would imply she was in harmony with the natural laws of existence.
Junko was an unstoppable wave of change. Without ever daring look back, she took step after step towards whatever goal she set her mind to. No matter how much the whole world might try to push her down, to scream at her the impossibility of her actions, she would shake each and any semblance of balance like pieces of chess meant for her to play with.
Never once putting a care at the consequences of it.
Inko would admit that, at first, she also benefitted from the new shape her environment was taking.
Day after day, the Midoriya’s household held a spark of life foreign to it for literal years. With weekends in which the house was filled with laughs and cheers.
The way in which, in the blink of an eye, her baby transformed into a young man.
But most important of all, it was the bright hope that came into their lives.
With how sudden everything came to be, it all looked too good to be true.
Which it was.
She should’ve known that, like everything in her life, that temporary happiness held a bill with interest.
Along with her son’s smile, came exhausted eyes, shallow cuts, and new bruises all across his body on a daily basis. Courtesy of that hellish training he forced upon himself.
Like antibodies detecting an unknown germ, Izuku’s school life reacted to the changes in the worst way possible. Culminating with her son coming half dead by the afternoon all those months ago.
Things only down spiraled from there.
Her son reverted to his former shell. Whatever growing bond between mother and son nurtured through entire months, was gone in an instant.
His injuries and tiredness grew twice as intensive. Coming to the point he no longer bothered to do so much as eat, study, and sleep whenever he wasn’t hanging outside.
That fatidic rainy day came to be.
That following meeting with Junko occurred.
And finally…
Summer Break came.
With bobbly legs, Inko forced herself up from the chair she had been quietly resting for the past hours.
Slowly, almost as if dreading doing so, she walked through the eerily silent halls of her household. With each step taken, each groaning creaking on the floor, the grimacing on her face grew in intensity.
It might have felt like hours, but she knew that it wasn’t much more than a minute before she reached the all too familiar plain wooden door.
And with a knot in her stomach and a hesitant hand turning the knob, Inko stepped inside Izuku’s room.
Like each previous occasion, the very first thing that caught her attention was the lack of any of All Might’s memorabilia his son owned.
In retrospect, Inko could’ve guessed that was the first of many omens. The way in which Izuku stopped gushing on All Might about the same time Junko came into his life.
If nothing else, I suppose it should have turned obvious something was deeply changing within him when he began to methodically get rid of anything that had to do with the number one hero.
Her face grew somber once her eyes darted toward the empty shelves in the corner.
Then, it turned pained when her sight went to the dresser.
Like any other time, her heart tore at seeing in it lacking any clothes whatsoever.
Faith.
From someone. Anyone. That was the only meaningful thing her son had asked for his whole life.
And yet, her answer for that simple wish was…
I’m sorry Izuku! I’m so sorry!
I…I'm sorry, Izuku, I am truly sorry things had to be this way…
She supposed this silent solitude was a fit price to pay for committing one of the worst mistakes in her life, twice.
Did she resent Junko for things ending up the way they did? That was something Inko had asked herself time and time again. One part, an ugly and selfish part of her, wanted to do so.
The rest, however, knew that everything up to this point was the inevitable result of neglecting her son. Her obstinance to do nothing but pity his existence.
What right did she have to reproach anything, when Junko gave Izuku what his very mother couldn’t…no, refused to?
It was sad.
It was painfully depressing.
It was despairfully lonely.
But…
So long as there was someone out there keeping her son’s smile alive, Inko Midoriya could wait.
Wait and hope her son was to forgive her one day.
The Number One Hero.
The Symbol of Peace.
The World’s Greatest Hero.
One way or another, those titles, among many others, were meant to enlighten the existence of a figure that would act as a beacon of hope. A bright light that would make the shadows of villainy scurry back toward whatever corners they belonged to.
For Toshinori Yagi, they were a burden that grew heavier with each passing day.
Do not get him wrong, it wasn’t as if he resented the mantle of responsibility bestowed on him. If anything, he felt honored to have been granted the opportunity to be at the vanguard, holding the flagship of heroism high for so many years.
The thing was, though, with entire decades of service in his pockets, it was inevitable for the specter of failure to loom over him time and time again down the line.
No matter how strong, how great the world thought his other self to be, Toshinori Yagi knew All Might couldn’t save everyone.
Sometimes it was something small, like being somewhere else unable to prevent a robbery from occurring on the other side of town.
Others, as he was forced to be reminded of throughout the year, made his absence culminate with the loss of innocent lives.
Just the same, there were those events that struck at a deeper, and far more personal level through the passage of time. From his mentor’s life, all the way down to the breakage of the bond between him and his former sidekick.
Nighteye…
Reminiscing about the golden-eyed adult brought him a new wave of gut-wrenching emotions.
It was devastating to remember how what he thought to be his last call with one of his closest allies ended. So, when no sooner on that same day the future-sighter hero took the initiative to contact him with one dial at his number, he dared hope there was a chance to set things right.
A vain notion, given how that ended just as badly, if only for a whole different set of reasons.
A great darkness loomed on the horizon. That was about as much he could make between the truly desperate pleas Nighteye cried on the other side of the line.
If hearing his stoic friend rant like a frightened child wasn’t already the omen that marked the beginning of something terrible, the past six months beforehand that call have been.
Musing about its overall details was beating a dead horse at this point. Still, alongside what Tsukauchi and Nighteye managed to bring up together, there was but one thing that he couldn’t dare ignore.
Whoever was in charge of playing him like a fool for half a year, will be a key piece in the plot that could bring back an era that took him an entire lifetime to get rid of.
That in itself made his mind drift towards paths he had hoped to leave long since behind but nevertheless had been forced to confront on a daily basis.
What if…he had failed at what was supposed to be his greatest purpose?
What if, after all those years, All for One, still roamed the streets?
He had been asking himself those and similar questions far more times than he would’ve liked to admit. One could say it came to the point of obsession. It couldn’t be helped, though. Now more than ever those concerns carried enough weight to not be taken for granted.
How unlikely it was that, while still breathing, that man found himself in a critical state, forcing the Symbol of Evil to follow on All Might’s path by passing down his own legacy?
The more his brain connected those dots, dread and paranoia began taking over him.
This Ultimate Despair, when compared to the Emperor of Darkness…
Her cold cruelty. Capable of forcing the purest of persons under her will to commit the most wicked atrocities without blinking an eye.
The preference for working behind the scenes, alongside the masterful way in which she crafted layers upon layers of plots and schemes that made her seem almost unreachable.
And, if what little Tsukauchi had discovered held true, there was that eccentricity that could make one dissociate and forget, if only for a moment, about the monster that lay behind the mask.
A part of him knew that making the connection was a step too far ahead, what with how little they still knew about this enigmatic figure.
The rest, however…
Could it be? Her modus operandi is way too similar to chalk up as a coincidence. Given what Mirai warned me about…all this time have we been dealing with his successor? Or is merely part of a greater ploy, playing as a puppet figure meant to set the ground for his inevitable return? If not, then to what degree is that man backing her up? Will I be ready? No, more importantly…will he―
“All Might!”
Like a trace of sunshine in the middle of a storm, the callout of his Hero Name from an all too familiar voice snapped Toshinori from his dreadful daze.
Snapping his head at the direction he heard the voice coming, the lanky blonde suppressed a groan when some literal sun rays blindsided him, making him unable to see but a dark outline in a humanoid shape getting closer.
Eventually, as the sound of footsteps hitting soft ground grew louder, so did his vision began recovering. Hanging his head low for a faster re-acquirement of his sight, Toshinori began taking the shape of the person ahead of him.
With a pair of black sneakers with white soles jogging through splashing sand, the figure had its much as dark pants wiggling back and forth while its white shirt, whose front carried the word ‘Ultimate’ in black and bold letters, stuck tightly on its muscled frame.
His vision finally cleared, and Toshinori’s sunken blue eyes darted upwards, taking a full-on sight of the face.
His freckles.
His azure-green eyes.
And, at the very top, a brush of emerald-colored hair outlined by black corners.
Each and every one of those details were easily recognizable to him.
How could they not? After being familiarized with them for some months now, there was one person who fit that description to a T.
Why, if it’s no one else but his successor!
Izuku Midoriya.
While the approaching form of the freckled boy was able to give him a respite from his most recent concerns and was all too ready to greet the green-haired teenager with a wave and an encouraging smile, a new wave of mixed feelings wormed at him.
At this point, it wasn’t for any particular reason other than a spontaneous flick of mournful guilt. One, he would admit, had been a constant thorn at his side.
Young Midoriya, looking back at it, I…wonder if…
To say All Might was a nervous wreck would still be giving far too much credit to his hammering heart threatening to explode.
Every knowing that his mind should be focused somewhere else, he couldn’t help straining his ears in search of the all too familiar cries of help that, one way or another, would disrupt him from what was one, if not his most important tasks at hand.
Not today, though. At least not for now.
In truth, it’s been two weeks since he had last dealt with an incident related to the brainwashed victims.
And yes, victims. A large majority might’ve been confirmed as villains prior to their subjugation, but that didn’t make their circumstances any less tragic.
Now, while he might’ve felt relieved that such tragedies were no longer taking place, the suddenness of it all threw a few red flags around his head. Worse than that, if what Tsukauchi and his people had discovered in the rundown house and that alley all those months ago was the sort of lead they suspected to be, then that could only mean one thing.
This self-proclaimed Ultimate Despair had, at the very least, found an important cornerstone in their plans. One large enough that it seemed they no longer deemed it worth to bother with him.
All Might would be lying if he said that it didn’t hit a sore spot on his pride being dismissed like that. However, he also knew he shouldn’t be letting those emotions get the better of him. After all, given how this surging villain appeared to revel in getting inside people’s heads, doing so would be the same as conceding defeat.
Yet, here I am, unable to spend five seconds without looking back, as if untrusting my own shadow. What does that say about me?
The Number One Hero shook his head. He should’ve known that dwelling on these thoughts would only distract him at best, and torment him at worst.
Like they did every time.
For now, it would be better for him to take the breathing room he had at his disposition and focus on the future. The one in which hope still lingered.
Speaking of which…
Signaling the end of his internal debacle with a grunt, the blonde man poked his head out of the alley in which he was hiding. His heart drummed in a mix of dread and anticipation when he caught sight of a certain green-haired boy in the distance.
He would admit that waiting for the young boy around the same spot from all those months ago was a gamble. With the figure of the boy growing close, though, he could see it paid off.
So, it appears we do meet again, Izuku Midoriya.
A pang of shame hit him. Having known of the boy’s name through one of Tsukauchi's passing comments from his earliest reports, shove away some of the magic a proper first introduction would have given.
Once again, All Might shove those selfish thoughts away. Mixing his personal nitpicks with the concerns that truly mattered would be the height of selfishness, and of that, he already had enough.
It has been a long wait but, finally, I can set things right!
Psyched up as he could be, and guessing the boy was in the vicinity by now, the Number One Hero puffed into his hero form and jumped out of the alley.
“I AM HERE!”
Given their last encounter, All Might was ready to take on a rather sheepish body language, expecting the small kid to jump in fright with a yelp, before falling on his butt while up at him with wide eyes.
The sort of sight that would encourage him to tease the boy every now and then. So long as things never get overhand, of course.
As such, All Might would admit he felt surprised after seeing that, rather than things going as expected, he was met with Midoriya suddenly a pair of feet away from where he last saw him. The boy’s soles were firmly planted on the ground, and while his whole body was set on a defensive stance, with his legs properly set apart as his fists were raised at face level, his azure-green orbs were steeled sharp.
As if he was ready to fight for his life.
And no, All Might wasn’t being hyperbolic on that. As the Number One Hero, he carried enough experience on his shoulders to recognize the familiar tension showing in the body whenever faced with a life-or-death situation.
What the…?
The brief tense pause gave enough leeway for All Might to not only rever back to his skinny form, but also to notice that wasn’t the only strange thing on the boy.
Tall.
A muscular yet lean body.
His confident posture.
That wasn’t the feeble boy who seemed to stumble onto his every step, always having an apology at the ready.
In front of him, All Might couldn’t see anything but a young man through and through.
While All Might truly wanted to have some time to digest everything he had seen so far, he wasn’t in a position to do so at the moment. It might’ve looked like their stare-down lasted for hours, but the truth was that no more than a second or two passed before the focused glare Midoriya was looking at him with morphed into a bewildered look of recognition.
“All Might!?”
That snapped him out of his stupor, alongside feeling a wave of relief at seeing the green-haired teenager was no longer looking like he was about to pounce at him.
I…suppose I simply caught him too off-guard, is all.
“Ah, young Mid―erm, young man,” All Might said, remembering at the last moment that, technically, he shouldn’t know Midoriya’s name yet. “It’s, uh, been a while, hasn’t it?”
“It’s been, yes…” Midoriya reluctantly nodded. Confusion made for a sinking feeling when All Might saw the cautious look with which the freckled teenager was now looking at him. “Can I help you with something?”
The wariness in Midoriya’s voice was like a punch directly at his torso’s weak spot. All Might already knew the endeavor he had planned for today wasn’t going to be an easy one.
It was already bad enough that the young man was reacting like that at the sight of a hero, but to see with his own eyes the gap that existed between him and the person who used to look at him with so much wonder? It devastated him.
Can I blame him, though? I crushed the boy…young Midoriya’s dream, followed by disappearing for six flipping months without so much as a word sent his way through all that time, then I reappeared into his life as if nothing wrong occurred in between. Obviously, things aren’t going to be like last time. It’s already a miracle he’s not condemning my very sight!
He couldn’t let himself get swayed immediately, though. That Midoriya hadn’t told him off right away meant that there was still some hope left!
“W-Well, first things first, how have you been faring?” All Might tried to ask. Might as well use different topics to smooth the talking grounds. “Why, I almost don’t recognize you! It appears you went through some changes, eh?”
“Changes? Yeah, I…suppose you could say that.” For a moment, All Might could’ve sworn there was a forlorn look on the Midoriya’s face. Before he had any chance to prod about that, Midoriya continued. “That day, when you told me I couldn’t be a…a Hero,” The freckled boy practically choked the word, making All Might wince with self-shame. “I was about to give up, but…I met someone. A person whom I owe everything I am now.”
Whatever self-depreciation All Might was feeling at the moment, made way for curiosity. After all, he didn’t miss the fondness in which he was referring to that figure.
That begged the question, did someone fix his own mess? While he appreciated the hand that was lent at Midoriya, he couldn’t bring himself to feel any satisfaction at having another person solve what was supposed to be his responsibility. But still, that didn’t quit he would like to know who…
Before he could finish that train of thought, it hit him.
“Ah, was it the blonde woman that approached you that same evening we met?” All Might said aloud. “Heh, I do admit I wondered about her every now and then. Still, to think she would wound up becoming your…huh? Young…boy?”
It took him a moment to notice it, but when All Might finally looked down at the green-haired boy, he couldn’t help his brows from raising in surprise at what he saw.
While holding himself in what looked like stunned silence, a myriad of emotions moved across Midoriya’s face.
None of which made All Might feel reassured.
“Y-You,” For the first time since their meeting began, All Might saw the mask of control slip from the boy’s face. With wide eyes and a haunted look, the stern and controlled persona was replaced by the scaredy boy he was far more familiar with. “On that day, that evening, you…w-were there? But…that wasn’t part of…she didn’t…”
All Might knew Midoriya was on a muttering streak, however, that barely registered him when his mind was far more preoccupied with his most recent mistake
Damnit, so much for not giving away how much I’ve prodding behind his back, huh? That being said, perhaps it is for the best to come clean about that.
“…I was,” He admitted. With the cat out of the bag now, All Might saw no use in beating around the bush. “After dealing with that Sludge miscreant, I went looking out for you. I did end up finding you, but before I could make a move, I remember her approaching you first. With how casual she was around you, I thought she was a friend of yours, so I left you two be, not wanting to intrude.” He explained, forcing himself not to flinch at the gasp and the growing distress on Midoriya’s face. “Believe me, young man, I’ve been wanting to reach out to you since our last encounter, but…well, I can only confess that not doing so has been a matter of life and death. I assure you that, should things have not been so dire, you and I would’ve been having this conversation months ago!”
Being so secretive about it left a sour taste in his mouth. He was sure Midoriya wasn’t the sort of person to do something wrong with any information regarding the Ultimate Despair, but getting him involved when All Might hadn’t even made that question simply wasn’t possible.
Leaving that aside, and with how they still were keeping themselves while growing in intensity, it was easier for All Might to discern what were those feelings crossing through the green-haired teenager after revealing his presence on that day.
Confusion.
Realization.
Disbelief.
And…Despair.
Without thinking, All Might took a step ahead, one hand out reaching for the young man in hopes of comforting him. That turned out to be the wrong move, seeing that Midoriya, whether on instinct or purposely, backed away from it.
Faster than he could muster an apology, All Might saw Midoriya close his eyes. His face scrunched while his whole body trembled. His fists clenched and unclenched periodically.
After a minute or so of staying like that, he noticed the temblors around the green-haired teenager’s body began receding. The lines on his squinched face disappeared one by one. He kept at it until his limbs stood still, and the grip on his hands relaxed.
Finally, Midoriya looked up at him. His eyes filled with acceptance.
For some strange reason, All Might couldn’t help the feeling he wasn’t meant to take that as a good sign.
“Sorry about that outburst, and I…I get it, All Might,” Midoriya said. “The past can’t be changed, and all we can do about it is learn to live with its consequences. No matter where they lead. That’s what I believe…what I’ve come to understand.”
“I see, that’s a rather mature way to look at things,” Far more mature than what All Might thought to deserve, that was for sure. “Still, it would not do for me to not make amends. As such, I want to offer you my deepest apologies…alongside asking your permission to take responsibility for the way I’ve wronged you.”
“Responsibility?” Midoriya repeated. “All Might…what do you mean by that?”
“Tell me, Young Midoriya,” All Might began. What remained of his stomach twisted into knots, knowing that what he was about to say was a hit or miss. “Do you still hope to be a hero?”
In truth, he wanted to tell Midoriya right then and there that he could be one. No, after the incident with the Sludge Villain, All Might knew Midoriya was one already.
However, telling him that after leaving Midoriya in the dark for entire months would be the height of disrespect. No different than slapping him in the face. Besides, based on what little Midoriya had revealed about that girl he met; chances were that All Might would come as tainting her own efforts.
I might aspire to the role of a mentoring figure, but I lost my right to be his savior a long time ago.
Even if part of him saw it coming, that didn’t stop All Might from wincing at the way Midoriya went rigid.
It wasn’t as terrible as his previous reaction, but neither it was that good either. All Might wasn’t sure whether that thousand-yard stare smearing Midoriya’s face was a real deal or a resembling approximation.
Obviously, he wanted so badly to move and reassure him he wouldn’t condemn whatever answer Midoriya was to come up with. However, he feared that doing so would only make things worse.
Again, could he blame the young man? For all Midoriya knew, it wouldn’t be out of the question that All Might have come here to stomp into whatever crumbs of his dream remained.
To be the source of trauma for someone I should be a means for inspiration…Seriously, how could I have messed this up so badly?
“Hope? No, I do not…however,” Just when All Might’s confidence began to falter, that single word was enough to set his heart pounding. “I know I will be a Hero. Not the sort some, if any, will expect, but one that will make sure her dreams come to be.”
He would admit that the answer was rather…unique. Heck, All Might got he wasn’t getting the full meaning behind it. At the very least, nothing much beyond the clear determination that girl ‘Who I seriously should be asking the name of at some point…’ had inspired onto him.
Nevertheless, there was no doubting the fire he carried behind those words.
That was enough for him to send a proud grin at who All Might, now surer than ever, knew was meant to be his successor.
“Heh, that was a good answer, Young Midoriya.” All Might admitted. “One that assures me I am not making a mistake here. Well then, with that out of the way, allow me to tell you about my quirk.”
And with that, he confided in Midoriya the secret behind his and his predecessor’s quirks. Of the nature behind One for All and its destined purpose.
All Might was grateful he didn’t interrupt him at any point, and instead took in all of the information with rapt attention.
Granted, he made a face when All Might went a bit into detail about the purpose part, but the Number One Hero chalked it up as his words properly dawning on the young man.
All in all, given how much of an enthusiast for quirks he appeared to be back when All Might took a glimpse at that notebook he signed, and through their brief interactions, it was nothing short of impressive seeing his successor keeping his composure throughout the whole explanation.
Honestly, if he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought Midoriya was already aware of how his quirk worked before today.
How crazy was that?
Jokes aside, when All Might finished with his explanation, he wasted no time in revealing the reason behind it in the first place. The one thing he had waited so long to finally tell the one meant to be his successor.
Inherit One for All. Become its ninth holder. Master its power and become the next Symbol of Peace.
That was the proposal made for the young man before him.
The answer Young Midoriya gave him was both expected and unexpected.
A day.
No more than a single one to think things through.
That was all Midoriya asked of him before making his decision clear to him.
If he had asked that back on the day they met, All Might admitted that the hesitation would’ve put him a bit off.
Now, though? After all the wrongdoings All Might had made to him? After how much he had made Midoriya wait?
The Number One Hero was nothing short of relieved at seeing Young Midoriya proving once again to be the bigger man.
He also felt reassured that, despite how different he was from the boy he met on that tunnel, Midoriya was still worthy of inheriting his legacy.
And that was all he needed to hold hope for the future.
If it had been me, instead of that girl…I wonder how different things would come to be.
One way or another, that doubt always came back to plague him.
Would it have been better?
Would it have been worse?
For whom?
In which way?
While he didn’t feel entirely comfortable with those sorts of thoughts, Toshinori would be lying if he said there wasn’t a part of him that actually enjoyed indulging in hypothetical scenarios. Thinking that, had he managed to reunite with his successor before any other party had done so, perhaps…
Drop it. It is already a miracle that things have gone as smoothly as they have, what I am asking of is nothing short of greed.
Toshinori mentally sighed at that. He knew that quieter logical voice of his was right. Any normal person would’ve resented him, maybe even hated him, for half of the wrongdoings he committed to Young Midoriya.
Not wanting to add another one to the list, Toshinori snapped out of his musings to properly look at the young man in question.
“Ah, Young Midoriya,” Toshinori greeted, somewhat bashful given that he didn’t know how long he left Midoriya’s call hanging while inside his own world. “Is everything alright?”
“It is,” If Midoriya himself felt like he made him wait, the young man showed no sign of it. “I just came to tell you that I am done.”
For a brief second, Toshinori felt a cold sweat. Fearing Midoriya meant that as in he was renouncing to being his successor.
That concern quickly made way for a mix of disbelief and swelling pride when he looked past Midoriya.
On the horizon, the last batch of trash that plagued Takoba Beach for so many years now was accommodated and ready to be dispensed in the truck they had readied for the task. Making way for a pristine coastline that would better the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of nearby citizens alongside the occasional tourists.
“Oh my…” Toshinori was trembling. “Oh my…” He knew that he had already used most of his time, but…ah, tarnation! The boy did deserve it! “OH MY GOODNESS!” Now in his bulked-up form, he looked down at Midoriya, his pride growing tenfold as saw the boy didn’t look worse for wear. “WELL, I WILL BE DAMNED! YOU HAVE DONE IT, BOY! AND IN RECORD TIME, NO LESS!”
And he wasn’t merely throwing flowers about that.
Considering how late they began with their training, Toshinori feared the four months they had left before the U.A.’s entrance exam wasn’t going to be enough for Midoriya to complete and be ready to inherit One for All.
When Midoriya insisted he could take it, Toshinori thought he was pulling him a leg in a desperate attempt to prove himself. Some insistence on Midoriya’s part and seeing he didn’t look like a slouch either, and the blonde-haired man relented to give it a period of grace.
It turned out he had nothing to worry about.
Two months.
What was supposed to be a ten-month-long plan, Midoriya managed to wrap it up five times faster. And without unnecessarily exhorting himself on the process. A perfect win if he must say.
One thing was sure, whatever it was that Midoriya’s friend gave him for training, it was a miracle worker!
…Actually, I didn’t end up halting some of his progress, did I?
Toshinori mentally shook his head. It would do no good to dwell that way. Besides, apart from training, they were doing a public service to society. That was never a waste of time.
“IT WAS A THOUGH ROAD. ONE FILLED WITH HARDSHIP AFTER HARDSHIP!” Toshinori declared, his voice booming. “BUT, THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT NOW, YOU ARE WORTHY OF BECOMING A VESSEL!”
“Mhm, thank you for the kind words, All Might,” Midoriya said with a bow. “They do mean a lot coming from you.”
On the outside, Toshinori grinned at the words.
On the inside, though, that smile felt strained by a degree or two.
It wasn’t as if Midoriya said that with sarcasm, or in a cold manner for that matter. There were the unmistakable signs of respect in his words.
But that was about it.
Against his better judgment, he began thinking of the other Midoriya. Of that wide-eyed boy and how Toshinori’s words, no doubt would’ve made him beam in joy, with his mouth wide open in wonder before stammering how grateful he felt for the opportunity he had been granted.
It…made for an endearing sight, if Toshinori was honest with himself.
Stop it. That day on the rooftop, you killed that very innocence you yearn so badly for now. Want his admiration back? Earn it. Whether it takes months or years, it is your responsibility, not his, to take back.
His self-scolding hurt, but Toshinori found no way to argue against it.
“NOW THEN,” Without letting his inner demons leak through his voice, Toshinori plucked a strand from his hair and presented it to his successor. “EAT THIS!”
“…Alright then.”
So trustful!
Without hesitation, Midoriya took a step forward before reaching for the golden fiber of hair.
Giving him a bewildered look, Toshinori watched as the young man held the strand in one hand before backing down a foot or two.
Midoriya proceeded to level it a face level.
And then he sent a scornful glare at the strand of hair.
…Eh?
Toshinori blinked and saw that what he thought to be a look of resentment was instead one of grim determination.
Huh, he must’ve been far more exhausted than he imagined.
Midoriya stared at it for a few seconds. Then, after letting out an audible close-eyed breath, he shoved the golden into his mouth before passing it down with an audible gulp.
“I…still feel normal.”
“HUH…OH, WAIT, YOU DID KNOW THAT WAS MEANT TO PASS DOWN ONE FOR ALL TO YOU?”
“Yeah?” Midoriya said, looking at Toshinori as if he had grown a second head. “Your quirk requires a way to be passed down, right? Figured it was your DNA or the like…that’s what the hair was for, wasn’t it?”
“UH-HUH, IT’S JUST…AH, NEVERMIND,” Toshinori shook his head. It was better to leave that be. “IN ANY CASE, FRET NOT, YOUNG MIDORIYA! I ASSURE YOU THAT IT IS OKAY TO NOT FEEL ANYTHING AT THE MOMENT. IT’S SIMPLY A MATTER OF WAITING FOR THE STRAND TO FULLY GET ABSORBED INTO YOUR SYSTEM.” He assured his successor. “BETWEEN TWO OR THREE HOURS SHOULD DO THE TRICK!”
“Is that so? Then, in two or three hours, I…will no longer be quirkless…”
“HM? IS SOMETHING WRONG?”
“No, it’s…nothing important,” Midoriya dismissed. “I was just, uh, wondering how I am going to explain her me suddenly having a quirk.”
Ah, right.
Her.
To this day, Toshinori still had no idea what was the name of his successor’s friend. Not for a lack of initiative, mind you.
In the end, he stopped insisting when Midoriya revealed that he wanted to keep that and as much of her as possible as a surprise to him until U.A.’s very entrance exam. Exam at which she too was attending.
Given how that was one of the scant occasions Midoriya had been proactive outside their mentor-student relationship, Toshinori couldn’t bring himself to give any protests to that.
I haven’t known her personally, but with the glimpses of her brain I’ve gotten through Young Midoriya, I bet she would make for a great support student!
“RIGHT, ABOUT THAT…I AM SURE SHE WILL ACCEPT SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF BEING A LATE BLOOMER,” Toshinori assured him. If that girl was half as great as Midoriya had been teasing her to be, he was confident his words would hold true. “HMM, PERHAPS WE COULD BRAINSTORM IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE THAT FOR THE FUTURE ONE OF THESE DAYS.” No, they definitely need to. Those spare months they have left should be enough to acclimate Midoriya into having a grasp of the quirk and make him look natural at it, but considering he had been quirkless until just recently, people will eventually begin to ask questions regardless. “FOR NOW, YOU SHOULD HEAD HOME AND TAKE THE REST OF THE DAY. TOMORROW, I WILL HELP YOU SOLVE ANY CONCERNS YOU MIGHT HAVE REGARDING ONE FOR ALL ALONG WITH THE INITIATION OF ITS OFFICIAL TRAINING, SO EVEN IF YOU WILL BE CAPABLE OF USING IT TODAY IN A PAIR OF HOURS, PLEASE AVOID THAT UNTIL WE RECONVENE, ALRIGHT?”
“Mhm, I promise,” Midoriya bowed. “See you, tomorrow…All Might.”
Instead of saying anything else, Toshinori gave Midoriya a smile and an encouraging thumbs up.
Perhaps it was his imagination. Maybe it was his desperation for any sort of reassurance.
But, for a moment, when he looked up at him, Toshinori could’ve sworn Midoriya’s lips twitched upwards.
With nothing else to be told between the two, his successor strode back home. Time went by, and eventually, Toshinori could not even make Midoriya’s silhouette in the distance.
In the meanwhile, Toshinori, stood there, simply watching ahead until his own figure disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing his fragile form to the world once again.
Still, that didn’t make the fire in his heart falter for a moment.
Yeah, things might’ve not been like he idealized them to be in the past, but so what? The world would be a rather sad and boring place if everything always went like one expected it to be.
Yes, the relationship between him and his successor was yet to resemble the one he had with Nana. However, if he had reached the bottom, that just meant that things could only go up!
I’ve terribly wronged, young man. My own weakness stole something precious from you…still, that doesn’t mean I have given up on you yet!
Months, years, decades, hell, perhaps the rest of his life!
In the name of the innocent boy he had no hope of ever meeting again.
For the sake of the young man in which he will rest the flames of hope.
Even if it costs him his life, Toshinori Yagi will set the path for a future in which Izuku Midoriya would smile without restraint.
Notes:
It's been a while, huh?
You might know the drill by now. Got a job. Threw writting time through a loop. Yada, Yada.
Thankfully, I've managed to adjust back (More or less.) and i've gotten a schedule space to get back on this and my other works. I will still get updates on somewhat stretched periods, only nowhere as long as this chapter took.
Maybe.
Anyhow, I hope (Heh, get it?) you guys got to enjoy this.
Chapter 15: Metamorphosis (2): They Have No Mouth, and They Must Scream.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Metamorphosis (2): They Have No Mouth, and They Must Scream.
Something’s weird with Deku.
Yeah, he has always been an oddball, for more reasons than one. Katsuki Bakugo had known that for as long as he had known him, which was a fucking lot.
It was different now, though. Ever since…that day with the shitty Slimy creep, the nerd appeared distracted. Not five minutes passed without Deku sneaking glances at his phone, failing miserably at being discrete, and giving it what Katsuki could only assume were pleading looks.
Usually, he would’ve chalked it up as some of his regular antics. Something along the lines of Deku being jumpy for some niche hero-related event or some shit like that.
However, his gaze now always held this glint of…longing? Urgency? Either way, it only grew with each passing day, making Katsuki consider otherwise.
Did something happen to Deku that Katsuki wasn’t aware of?
…
…Whatever, it wasn’t Katsuki’s problem. Sure as hell not now that it seemed his words were beginning to reach inside Deku’s thick skull.
After all, Katsuki remembered the resignation in the nerd’s eyes back on that afternoon. Add the scolding Deku got beforehand from some actual pros, no-name as they might be but pros all the same, about how stupidly reckless he was with the stunt he pulled, and you get a reality check that not even Deku could ignore.
Yeah, that must be it. Some sense must’ve stuck in his head and Deku was looking for a way to cope with it.
About fucking time!
Now, things were beginning to set as they should be.
Huh? Why are all those damn extras bunkered around the school’s gate?
As he neared the exit, seeing and hearing the conglomerate of schmucks trade whispers of excitement with each other, Katsuki inadvertently raised an eyebrow.
Things only got weirder when the annoying noises became clearer. Something about a model chick or whatever. He stopped paying attention to the specifics when he got a basic gist of things.
What a bunch of losers. How the fuck do they have the gal about getting offended when he calls them extras if the whole damn school comes to a standstill whenever something just above the norm occurred. For All Might he could understand, maybe some of the other tops too for people who aspire for just that much.
But some celebrity, a regular non-heroic celebrity at that, which no one but their mother knows of?
Fucking nonsense.
Katsuki was all too ready to scoff at their antics, waste no time making his way out of there, and move on with his life.
Only to stop dead in his tracks when one particular comment itched his ears.
“Oi, isn’t that Midoriya over there?”
His confusion only grew further when similar whispers and murmurs surfaced around him. Each one was filled with a mix of disbelief and scorn.
While the latter was of no interest to the explosive quirk user, the mention of that name itself brought his attention back to the commotion.
Deku? What the fuck has that nerd anything to do with this?
At his sides, De…njiro? Whatever. That guy and Long Neck seemed as outta the loop as he was. Not like he expected much, if anything, from them.
Regardless, now that he smelled something fishy in the air, Katsuki needed to get to the bottom of what was going on. He made his way forward, ignoring the affronted gasps and grunts some extras made whenever he pushed them away.
It was their fault for getting in his way anyway.
In his head, Katsuki already expected different scenarios to play out once reaching the outer side of the school’s gates.
The nerd having bumped into that chick everyone had on their tongues, with said woman berating him for ruining her make-up or some shit like that. Wouldn’t be the first time his two left feet stumbled and led him straight into a mess.
Perhaps she would find his face funny and decided to mess with Deku for the heck of it. Katsuki couldn’t say he didn’t understand the charm that there was to that.
Who knows, maybe she would decide to throw a curveball and bury Deku’s face on her tits. Just like she was doing right―
Wait what!?
Against his better judgment, Katsuki’s eyes bulged out of their pockets when he saw Deku, fucking Deku of all people, having his head plunged against the chest of a strawberry-blonde chick in a poor imitation of a hug.
Seriously, what the…?
Some people might consider his reaction as the growing signs of jealousy at the sight of a girl like Pigtails hanging out with a loser like Deku. And while the idea of Deku surpassing him in any way was irking, anyone thinking that’s what had Katsuki so bothered would be so damn wrong about the whole thing; he would almost find it funny. Almost.
No, what truly crossed the front of his mind instead was…
Suspicious, way too fucking suspicious.
Katsuki would admit that he wasn’t that vested in the social cliques one could find in most schools. What did it matter to him, anyway? Be it elementary, middle, high school, and onwards, he always was and would be the top dog, and that’s all that mattered to him
However, looking at the blonde with wild pigtails ahead of him, the way she was shamelessly drowning Deku in PDA, without a care for the literal masses of people fawning at her, Katsuki at least understood she could safely pass, if only socially speaking, for some hot shit.
Second to him, obviously.
Katsuki watched, not dumbfounded at all, as the fashionable chick let go of Deku before initiating some buddy-buddy talk with him. Or at least tried to. Even as far as he was, Katsuki could see Deku was making an ass of himself with that insufferable stuttering of his.
Not like that was deterring Pigtails from keeping at it, though.
That didn’t solve the damn elephant in the room. If anything, it only made it bigger. Someone so outta Deku’s league it wasn’t even funny, and she still acted as if she was lifelong buddies with the nerd. In front of a whole audience no less.
By all means, that was about the only thing that was keeping him invested in the nonsense occurring before his eyes. Sure, he would’ve quirked an eyebrow about any other girl doing the same. Just that in itself was as unlikely to happen as Deku getting into U.A.’s Hero Course.
Still, he would’ve let it at just that. The world was big, chances were that there was one chick out there who’s into losers like him.
Miss Popular over there, though? The noisy smell he picked turned right down to sewer waste.
It just didn’t make any sense! What the hell could someone like her possibly get out of hanging with worthless, unpopular, desperate for any attention De―
…
…Ah, so that’s what’s going on.
He always thought that the one redeeming quality the nerd had for him was his brains. Yeah, his seemingly eternal stuttering sessions might be annoying as fuck, but that in itself was supposed to be proof Deku, at the very least, had that going for him.
Thinking about it only made Katsuki angrier. After all…
If he truly had the smarts for it, how in the shit Deku wasn’t seeing the mess he was getting himself into!?
Katsuki would say anyone with half a neuron, could easily see how obvious it was that the pigtailed chick was up to some shifty shit. The stupid envious looks practically all of Aldera were giving the nerd, though, told otherwise.
I’m truly surrounded by dumbasses, huh?
So much as talking to Deku should’ve been enough for her to have him wrapped around her finger, and yet she ain’t stopping at just that. With how much she was investing into her little act, there’s no way she ain’t trying to rope the moron into some dangerous shit. Could be drugs, maybe something worse.
Deku was annoying at the best of times, and outright obnoxious whenever he forgets his place and tries to look at him eye to eye…but for all his faults, letting him get caught into that sort of shit gave a sour taste in his mouth.
Katsuki wanted Deku to see aiming for the same heights as him was a pipe dream and have the nerd outta his way, not fucking dead and forgotten in a damn alleyway.
‘Sides, dealing with this should quit any delusions Deku could still have about him thinking he saved me back then.
Revealing her true colors should be easy enough. As things stand, Katsuki would bet the bitch ain’t expecting someone to actually go and confront her about it.
Will Deku be devastated by that? Maybe, but he couldn’t get himself to give a shit about it. That would be Deku’s own stupidity at fault for falling for a damn conwoman of all people in the first place.
Frowning, and with a growl beginning to escape his mouth, Katsuki made his way toward the pair with loud and meaningful steps. No sooner he was within clear sight of the two of them, he brought the nerd’s attention to him with a snarl of his name.
The look of a deer caught in headlights the nerd gave Katsuki only invigorated his frustration with the quirkless loser.
Fucking Deku, making me save your ass. Ya better see you ain’t ever gonna walk the same ground as me once and for all after I’m done with this shit!
Junko Fucking Enoshima.
Hard to forget the name with the first impression he got outta her.
That, and the fact the damn class wouldn’t just shut their damn mouths about it.
Sure, she ain’t ugly, and he admittedly respected the way she handled herself with the dumb stunt Long Fingers pulled, but the male extras in his class acted as if the fuckers had never seen a woman before her in their entire lives. The female ones weren’t any better. If anything, Katsuki would chalk them down as more annoying with their noisy squeals every flipping time her name came outta their mouths.
From his desk, Katsuki darted his gaze behind. His tight-lipped mouth morphed into a sneer at what he saw.
Bundled together like a bunch of mosquitos drawn to a lamp, most of his class were rounded in a semi-circle. Any of those that were left behind were merely for a lack of space rather than not trying to get a spot within.
Seeing to what, or rather who, in particular, they choose to do so around only made him clench his fists to the point of turning white.
Among the mish-mashes of blue, orange, and literal rocky hair, a single bush of dark green hair stood on Katsuki’s visage.
‘Deku…’ His face darkened upon sighting the nerd. One of the biggest changes Pigtails brought with her, certainly the most notorious at least, was the flip-flapping switch of personality the whole school took overnight.
As if the past years, maybe an entire decade for some of them, were nothing but a damn Mandela Effect, the whole class was all smiles and laughs towards Deku. Chicks who would usually gag whenever Deku gave them so much as a side glance, now fluttered their eyelashes at him in the most pitiful display of flirting Katsuki could imagine. Not even the obvious fakeness leaking from their strained smiles justified how terrible it was. Just as well, the other extras didn’t fare any better with their damn attempts at making Deku hook them up with his ‘friend’.
For fucks sake, Katsuki didn’t know what possibility was worse, that they wore their shitty hypocrisy like a damn medal, or that they genuinely thought they were being subtle about their intentions.
It was disgusting. Pathetic to such a grade it shouldn’t be even worth it to point out.
Katsuki would gladly do so anyway.
Still, despite all of those shows of false platitudes and sneakiness threatening to make bile rise out of his gut, Katsuki couldn’t say that was the root of his frustrations. Not entirely, that much was true.
Honestly, all of that was nothing but meaningless superficial bullshit. In a couple more days they would either find something else to bother their mundane lives with or grow frustrated they ain’t gonna be sticking it to her, give up and go forget any pretenses they had of liking Deku at any point. Turning things back to how they had always been.
The nerd itself, on the other hand, was an entirely different matter.
One would have to be blind to not notice the way Deku was looking at Pigtails that day. How she publicly claimed to be friends with him. When he saw her ‘defending’ him. On each and every occasion, his eyes sparkled as if he was witnessing the second coming of All Might.
Bullshit!
Katsuki couldn’t even begin to understand how the fuck Deku was still so enthralled to ignore what was so wrong with that psycho.
Those extras who didn’t see it, he could sort of get. But, him? Who was right there!?
He knew Deku could be fucking slow at times, but that wasn’t an excuse either. Just the first five seconds of knowing her was enough for Katsuki to see there was …something with her. Nowhere near as to scare or some bullshit like that. Of course fucking not.
Nevertheless…
It was her eyes. They seemed to always carry a pesky glint of amusement. On the surface, that was everything ther was to it. Katsuki wasn’t fooled by that, though. Much less when it was of her own volition that she showed it to him when he was about to put Pigtails in her place.
He couldn’t describe it in detail. Katsuki would chalk it up as the sort of thing only someone who saw it by themselves could relate to. Still, the feeling of wrongness as her eyes gazed intently upon you, as if boring into one’s soul, all the while that damn weird smile crept up on her lips…
Whatever the case was, Katsuki knew he wasn’t exaggerating when calling her a total loon.
A loon that Deku appeared to become smitten with.
Deku, you dumbass. Out of all the shitty stunts you could’ve gotten involved into…
He ain’t helping the idiot a second time around, though. He already made the mistake of taking pity on the bastard once, and all he got for it was that bitch making full use of it to mess with him and have Deku swooning over her regardless.
Fucking prick.
Besides, weird as fuck as it might appear, seemed like she did took a liking to the nerd. Otherwise, he couldn’t explain why the hell had she taken things as far as she had.
Well, he could think of one possibility, but it was so laughably unlikely that wasn’t even worth considering.
Either way, Katsuki didn’t doubt she will end up hooking Deku into some crazy shit regardless of her reasons, but he supposed there was a grand difference between getting involved in whatever schemes some crazy bitch who didn’t gave a fuck about you could pull and doing so by a crazy bitch who did give a fuck about you.
Might as well have that work as a lesson for Deku about the consequences of sticking it in crazy.
Y’know, perhaps this ain’t so bad.
Oh, don’t get him fucking wrong. Despite having known her for what amounted to less than an hour, Katsuki still thought Pigtails was a freak.
Although neither could he deny that, for all the little annoyances her sole existence plunged into his life, she came with a particular convenience he couldn’t simply ignore.
At first, it wasn’t that obvious, but now that some weeks had gone by, Katsuki could see that, finally, Deku was on the path to quitting that stupid and obnoxious fantasy of his.
He showed the signals were there even before knowing her. Or perhaps it was at the same time of doing so. He didn’t know when Deku met the chick, but he had the suspicion it was around the same time as that damn villain incident which, for better or worse, Katsuki couldn’t pry off his fucking back.
Whatever the case was, despite Katsuki telling himself time and time again that this was it for Deku and his delusions on each and every occasion, it was true there never was anything concrete to take that for granted.
Now that was no longer the case.
Whenever a teach was distracted, Deku would waste no time pulling his phone, and given the way he rapidly pressed buttons on it, Katsuki had a decent guess of who he was texting with. Every day, no sooner the bell that signaled the end of classes rang, a dumb excited grin would morph on Deku’s face before practically dashing outta school. Sometimes, Katsuki would leave early enough to see for himself how Deku took a deviation that definitely didn’t lead the nerd back to his apartment.
No doubt to see Pigtails and make out, or whatever the fuck those two did in their own privacy.
That wasn’t the end of it, though.
Deku had never been one to mingle with the other extras, not even now that he was on ‘friendly’ terms with the class. Still, he had always sucked at being discrete, so Katsuki knew the weirdo loved to eavesdrop on them when they talked about heroes.
Loved, as in he no longer did that.
Even when the class chattering evolved into talks of All Might, all he would do was to raise his head for a moment, before then going back to his phone.
That was kinda weird, even for the nerd’s standards. But in itself, it proved Katsuki’s point.
Deku was far too busy spending time with his girlfriend, that getting himself involved with anything related to heroics no longer went through his radar.
All this time, and all it required was for that idiot to get some pussy?
Huh, who would’ve guessed it?
He knew that Deku still threw him some glances every now and then. Part of that freaky obsession with him still lingering in the nerd, no doubt. At this point, though, Katsuki had chosen to ignore him entirely. Either Deku will get the hint, or his other most recent obsession with Pigtails will pluck it outta him.
It was a win-win no matter how anyone saw it.
Katsuki couldn’t help the liberating sentiment thinking about that made him feel. As if a weight had finally been lifted off his shoulders. Deku was never meant to be a real obstacle to his ambitions. Katsuki knew he would’ve never been capable of aiming that high.
But he couldn’t deny it was good to see the last bump on his perfect path to glory had been dealt with. Just thinking about it threatened a sharp grin to rise up from his mouth.
And there was nothing that could wipe that satisfaction off his face.
I should’ve known it was too good to be true…
Each second Katsuki glared down at the piece of garbage held in his hand, at the damning evidence of the affront made against him, he could feel his fury boiling up.
I should’ve known how naïve it was to trust he had learned his place.
His ears were picking up on an obnoxious noise, one that only flared his anger into a raging inferno. Absentmindedly, Katsuki knew it belonged to De―to that piece of filth, with his incessant squeaks, desperate to blurt any worthless excuses, lies that could save his skin after being caught red-handed.
There wasn’t any.
The fucker…he had everything planned from the very beginning, didn’t he?
His teeth bared in a feral snarl as realization hit him. That explained so fucking much.
That’s what it was, wasn’t it? Always playing the act of the stuttering cowardly shit, when in truth, he was nothing more than a scheming SNAKE!
Oh, how everything fell into place now. No wonder that shady bitch stuck around with him.
The fucker must’ve bid his time for an opportunity, one that he eventually found on Pigtails. Told her in about his plot, and Pigtails, either being in for the shits and giggles or something of the like, so long as it allowed her to have part of the ‘fun’, eagerly shook her hands with the slippery coil that made the bastard’s.
The fucking humiliation in front of all those extras the two concocted only set the deal for them. From there, their ploy continued full steam. The freckled scum would keep the front of the pitiful rat he mastered over his life, and Pigtails would back him up from the shadows.
All the while, whenever Katsuki turned his back, they would both laugh their asses off. Giggling like the hyenas they were while thinking him none the wiser about it.
Two fucking birds of a feather.
Deep down, Katsuki knew it would’ve been all for nothing. The shitty training schedule wouldn’t do shit for that Viper. Whether Pigtails truly believed in him or not, who knew which was it with how screwed in the head she apparently was, a good-for-nothing like shitty-liar-Deku wouldn’t achieve shit.
Someone like him never had, or ever will, held any hopes of becoming a Hero.
Still…
Still…
Letting this slight done against him, for all the damn years that it had gone through, scot-free?
No. That was a whole different matter.
Ya wanna play pretend with the big boys, eh, Deku? FINE! I will show how someone like ya fits into all of this; you damn snake!
It was fleeting.
Really, no more than an inconspicuous fraction of a moment.
But, for an instant, as his fists kept delivering just retribution, Katsuki wondered if he was taking things too far.
Then he felt a stung sensation on his cheek, and soon after Katsuki noticed his face was facing a few degrees away from where it originally was.
Ignoring the sounds of surprise in his surroundings, slowly, almost gently so, he turned back.
There, he saw the look of pure hatred Deku was giving him.
Alongside his still-raised fist.
And with that, Katsuki saw red.
Oh, he definitely wasn’t in the wrong here.
In fact, this was much for his sake as it was for Deku’s.
Now that he had been caught red-handed.
Now that he saw his plots and schemes held no chance of taking him far. The futility of a wacko enabling his fantasies of grandeur, rightfully coming to bite him in the ass.
Now that he was facing the consequences of his imprudence.
Surely, this time around, Deku would finally understand what was his place in the world.
Right…?
He hadn’t.
The exact opposite actually.
Sure, Katsuki did manage to peel that shitty mask of innocence off the fucker’s face. It had been long since he tired of the wide-eyed and fearful persona that ‘worshipped’ the ground Katsuki walked through that Deku crafted over his life.
So, to see the new real him, the slightly less of a two-faced snake Deku, Katsuki thought it would make for an intake of fresh air.
But…given the end result, it turned out to be a bigger pain in the nuts.
Not only did Deku grow bolder, but nothing of what was tried seemed to have any effect after that day. Neither when Katsuki put himself to the task of making him go through a new reminder of his position, or when the extras…
Tch, don’t even get him started on those buffoons.
There was some amusement in how they made the bastard silently seethe…but it never lasted on Katsuki. If anything, it always ended up putting him in a worse mood. Not only they still were hung up about Deku keeping Pigtails all for himself, the reminder they, at some point, practically bowed to him for a meager chance of meeting with that bitch always made sure to spark a bitter taste in regard to the poor excuse he had for a class.
Bunch of snakes, they barely are one step above the king of all vipers…
That wasn’t important though. Nothing in regards to those losers was.
As for Deku…
It was as if with every beat up, a new muscle formed on his body. Every time he tried to look down at the wimp, he turned an inch taller ‘How is it that he’s taller than me now!? It doesn’t make any sense!’. For every attempt to put a dent on that bastard’s arrogance, he grew more defiant.
Those eyes. Those shitty emerald orbs with which Deku once upon a time pretended to be wary of him, now had the gall of looking at him with contempt.
It was all bark and no bite. Katsuki obviously knew that. Aside from that day, all Deku always did whenever Katsuki attempted to make him see reason was to give him a tough look before taking the punches on stride like the pushover he really was.
By all means, the only thing he had achieved so far was to prove to Katsuki that no matter what, Deku would always be a Deku.
But…
Why?
Why does that still fucker can’t get the hint?
Why. He. Doesn’t. Understand!?
Pigtails.
It had to be her, somehow. Sometimes Katsuki wound up forgetting the influence she might have on Deku. At least, how deep her claws were plunged into him. Sorta understandable given that he hadn’t seen her set foot on Aldera since the first and only day she did so.
Some extras had taken that to taunt Deku. Either joking, or seriously theorizing about it, but most would talk about how she got bored of the nerd and dumped him. That, or similar shit like that.
Katsuki knew better though.
Superficial differences aside, there’s no way Deku would’ve kept pushing for all those useless, albeit nevertheless noticeable, changes on his own account. Certainly not if the bastard spent ten years thinking writing on notebooks was his golden ticket into U.A. prior to her interference.
One way or another, the fact remained that Deku’s transformation began when Pigtails barged into his life, and it would only remain a constant for as long as Pigtails remained on it.
It stood to reason, then, that getting her outta the picture would in turn facilitate dealing with the biggest headache he had the displeasure of ever dealing with in his life.
For reasons that Katsuki would refuse to dwell about, that ship ain’t sailing.
Shitty two-faced fucker, even without lifting a damn finger, ya find another way to act as a pebble on my way.
The first half of the year was coming to an end in a few days, which meant that, begrudgingly as he might be to admit it unless some sort of a miracle for which he ain’t fucking begging happened, he wasn’t getting that pest off his back from the foreseeable future.
Summer break was it then. He would have to see if some days of retrieval from Deku’s presence helped him set his mind straight and figure something out.
Somewhere in the middle of summer break, after a multitude of terse instances in which he felt prompted to reflect on it, Katsuki concluded that it simply wasn’t worth it.
Once back at school, there will be a few months left before U.A.’s entrance exam. So, all that attention he had invested to make Deku see the wrongness of his ways, was precious time better spent on improving himself.
Him getting first place was already set in stone. Katsuki did not doubt that. Had never will.
However, the first place simply wasn’t enough.
Perfection. The very top not only from his generation but in all of U.A.’s story. Going so far as breaking even All Might’s record.
That’s the one goal worthy of someone like him.
To do that, though, each and every second had to be put onto his person, and only his.
Which meant not so much as a moment wasted on the dumbass and his girlfriend.
Did it suck ass that Deku was slipping his way through like the snake he turned out to be? Kinda. At least when Katsuki first was confronted with that ultimatum.
However, his time spent contemplating the matter threw some insight that helped him better swallow that pill.
What better touch to his backstory than the existence of a villain?
The more Katsuki mulled about it, the more he liked it. Only heroes win, and villains always lose. What better way to represent that than having them both participate in the entrance exam and come out of it with him as the holder of the highest qualification that U.A. had ever seen, meanwhile Deku, with his score so pathetically low not even U.A. could’ve thought possible, gets shoved by the backdoor in the school’s last grace of pity to save them both the shame.
That’s poetic justice right there!
Seriously, why hadn’t he thought of that before? That was precisely the perfection he was looking for! The cherry atop the cake that would send him on his way to become the greatest hero this world had ever known.
He didn’t get a decent glimpse of that poor excuse of a schedule Pigtails made for his loser of a boyfriend. He was too mad about discovering how much Deku was trying to take him for a fool all this time. Still, even if she had made one or a thousand copies of it, Katsuki wasn’t worried.
It made Deku grow some inches taller, but so what? That ain’t helping him do shit, not even against the weakest quirk he would encounter in Japan’s top hero school.
By the end of it, relying on those dumb notes will become the nail in the coffin that makes Deku realize how hopeless he ever was.
You just wait, bastard. I will show ya what true struggle is, and how it will make ME the only one standing before U.A.’s gates by the end of it!
Something’s…wrong with Deku.
Maybe calling it wrong was blowing things outta proportion. But…
While it wasn’t something Katsuki could call himself a fan of, but rather the opposite, going as far as consider it a pain in the ass than anything else, he and Deku have known each other for as long as they’ve had memories.
Deku, the creep he was, had spent so much time observing him that Katsuki did not doubt Deku knew as much as the number of hairs he had on his neck.
But dwelling on that was digressing. The point was, while nowhere near the level of obsession that defined Deku, the same logic applied to Katsuki.
Again, there was no point in going into detail about that. However, two-faced bastard or not. Whether a squeaking pretender or a contemptuous loser. There was one thing that had always remained a constant about Deku.
His unrelenting determination.
It had never made sense for someone like Deku to have something like that. All good it did him was to never stop being an incessant thorn at Katsuki’s side, always sneaking his nose where it didn’t belong.
Yet, whether for bad or worse, the fact remained that it was there, and would remain to be until the end of times.
Or so, Katsuki thought.
The extras might’ve taken about a pair of days, but from the very moment Deku first set foot inside the classroom following the end of summer break, he noticed that something was amiss.
From something as easily notorious as the almost robotic way in which he walked, to the inconspicuous stuff like the sound of his dull voice on the scant few occasions he uttered a word, there was no mistake that Deku gave a different air about himself.
But for Katsuki, the most glaring of all changes, without a doubt, lay in his eyes. Gone was the resentment with which he glared at the extras when they badmouthed Pigtails, or the fiery defiance Deku sent at him whenever he tried to pull a brave face in front of him.
Now, there was nothing.
Perhaps it wasn’t anything, maybe it was…was…
…
…Tch.
Katsuki didn’t know. He couldn’t even differ if it came from seeing so many different things through that empty visage of his, or if he was witnessing something so uncanny that there simply wasn’t a right word that could accurately describe it.
When the extras first caught up on the change in behavior, they tried to use that as another tidbit to pick Deku about. Didn’t took long for them to become unnerved at seeing Deku no longer give so much as a reaction.
Well, he kinda did whenever they pulled the Pigtails card, but much to Katsuki’s own surprise, it was only to give them what he could’ve sworn was a look of pity.
Naturally, the extras weren’t taking a liking to that, motivating them to redouble efforts…for about a week. It was no longer funny, he heard them say once they stopped bothering Deku and decided to pretend he didn’t exist in the first place.
Katsuki, for his part, knew it was a shitty, albeit convenient, excuse so as to not admit they were creeped out by his new behavior.
The one thing Katsuki was sure of, was that the spark of obnoxious resolve that had always defined Deku, regardless of shape and form…he could no longer see it.
Be it one way or another, after a pair of weeks of trying and failing to ignore it, Katsuki had to wonder but a single thing.
What the fuck was going on with Deku?
Moving from a feeble crybaby to a bitter prick, Katsuki could understand…sort of. He at least supposed it made sense that Deku turned out to be a resentful shit when everyone but him had a quirk.
This new Deku, though? Something recent had to have happened for this sudden development to occur. On top of that, he would have to be a fucking idiot to not suspect Pigtails was somehow involved.
Rapidly, a thought came to mind.
Did the whole class’s wet dream come true and she dumped him? Had their honeymoon period expired during summer? Hmph, wouldn’t really surprise him.
But, was that really it? Katsuki was sure that if that was the case, Deku would’ve doubled down on the impotent resentment he went for whenever someone tried to rile him up.
Not…whatever gloomy bitch crap was going for now.
One way or another, something had to have occurred between Deku and Pigtails, but...Maybe, just maybe, his suspicions from all those months ago weren't as unfolded as he ended up believing.
How unlikely it was that she had been playing some fucking 3D chess all along? Always having Deku as her intended target for her ploy, all this time merely waiting for the right opportunity to have him—
No! I ain’t falling for that twice!
Not fucking again! He already took the bait, hook line, and sinker, those fuckers pulled once.
Katsuki wasn't going to go along with their schemes, not even to try to set the bastard straight one more time.
Whatever the fuck Deku had between hands now wasn't his fucking problem, so he ain't gonna bother and give him the attention he so fucking craved for.
Heh, ya thought yourself oh so fucking smart, eh, Deku? I know better, though. Once a snake, always a shitty snake, ain't that so?
For all Katsuki cared, he could keep the act going. Let the dumb extras fall for his mind games, and for Deku to feel some vain satisfaction out of that.
Let the shit think he was getting the last laugh out of this.
In the end, it would be all for nothing.
U.A.'s entrance exam was just around the corner, anyway. In a few days now, they would both attend to it.
And it will be right there, when Katsuki comes out of it with his head held high, with one Deku lagging behind, his face filled with realization and despair.
That, once and for all, they will see which one of them was the true hero of this story.
An endless void.
The vast ocean of nothingness, reached as far as any eye could see.
By all means, there wasn’t much to tell for a place that was neither here nor there within the raw plane of reality.
Or, at the very least, not until now.
As if replicating the universe itself, their beginning came with a flash. From within it, a radiant silvery flame burst into life. A single source of soothing light within the restless dark, like a lighthouse meant to congregate whatever else could sustain their existence in such an alien environment.
Like a foretold premonition, a blue flame was soon to follow. It was harsh as it was strong, and yet, there was a cold semblance of pragmatic control under it.
A similarly templated red ember followed. Perhaps with a fiercer leaning on the pragmatism, certainly so in the way it forced its luminous zone from flickering too wildly, but its shape and form were so identical from its predecessor, one would believe they were cut from the same cloth.
Then came a contrastingly green one. There was a hint of wildness about its flames, meanwhile, at the same time, its core kept a maintained composure.
Soon, more of them came in tandem.
An Orange ember. Its essence is forward and merry.
Purple. Quiet yet not any less welcoming.
Pink. Warm, almost in a comforting manner.
And lastly, Yellow.
Curiously enough, while there was an air of gallant greatness about that one, its form was convoluted, as if yet to complete the process each of its predecessors had already gone through.
In spite of that, each one of them, without exception, carried a sense of self. Awareness of their existence, of who they are.
Or, save for the seemingly golden flame, were.
Although the environment they found themselves in might have been confusing, perhaps even panic-inducing for some, for them it was nothing short of familiar.
How could it not, if they have gone through a similar process already? Granted, the clarity and grade of independence with which they acted grew with each new consciousness added to their ranks. Their current freedom of thought was a recent development with the addition of their Eighth member.
Speaking of which, the seventh and pink ember wasted no time addressing her yellow counterpart in an almost gushing manner. Her form bouncing back and forth in a clear expression of joy.
Something for which the latter addressed with a mix of bashful acknowledgment and fond eagerness.
It’s not like they could talk with each other, certainly not in a direct manner. Much less in the case of the eighth, whose communication was furtherly reliant on sentiments alone. It was more along the lines of having their essences so deeply enrooted with one another, that it was possible for them to convey a general notion of what they wanted to express without the use of words.
That being said, there was this...something in their environment. A feeling of change that, just perhaps, might ensure things might not stay similar this time around.
Assumptions aside, and seeing some of its peers were already mingling with each other, the blue and second members called for their attention before they could track off too far. The third reddish ember following on his steps, if only with an abrasive edge on its conveyed message.
The silver ember, first of them all, took a measure of amusement from their rigid behavior. Nevertheless, it wasted no time in backing them up. Just as well as understanding the urgency of the matter.
After all, their current situation could only mean one thing.
A ninth successor had been procured.
With 'First' conveying as such to the rest of them, they all put themselves to the task of searching in their surroundings.
Given that a ninth now should exist among them, there should have been one more presence in their company.
It took them some moments, but eventually the green and fourth of their kind motioned its peers to what could be accounted as a corner of sorts. There, they all found a silhouette that diverged from the nothingness that surrounded them.
Unlike the rest of them, its shape reminded more of that of a condensed accumulation of fog, its blackness only noticeable from the all-around darkness thanks to its luminous emerald center.
Although obviously different from the rest of them, none thought of it as concerning. It was a natural part of the process each had gone through. While certainly unaware of it, the echo for the current holder of their essences will come to resemble them the further the original host nurtured the power that connected them all.
Then again, that was without accounting for this mysterious feeling that encompassed each one of them. For all they knew, something of unprecedented circumstances could just as well occur.
First had some guesses about it, but figuring out any concrete answers was a matter for a later time.
Back at the matter at hand, they wasted no time regarding their youngest and far from developing peers.
From the critical and measuring gazes from Second and Third to the curiosity and expectancy from Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh, all the way to the eagerness and beaming pride all but leaking from the Eighth.
Given the non-descript shape of Ninth, even by their standards, there was admittedly not much to figure out at first.
It almost felt shy in its nature, most of them could even have sworn it appeared to be shrunk on itself. As if it was purposely trying its best to avoid any interaction with them.
Fifth joked about how that likely meant another introvert in their band of misfits.
Seventh did her best attempt at backhanding what could've accounted for his head.
That aside, their initial assessment didn't bring anything that particularly caught their attention. A bit strange in behavior perhaps, but nothing worth fretting about. For better or worse, Fifth's label of their group wasn't misguided, that much they could all agree on.
Just as well, each and every one of them knew all they did was a preamble. The true test of character came from peering into Ninth's mind and seeing for themselves what sort of person they were.
Might come as impersonal, heavily so in fact, but given what was at stake, of the harsh responsibility that one was bound to once part of this, it was nothing short of a basic procedure.
Channeling their wills into the relatively small mass of fog ahead of them, they peered a synchronized focus on the sphere-like core found inside Ninth. Their intent was to bring forth whichever corners of its mind held the memories they would need to measure Ninth and project them forward.
And yet, no sooner they got into it, they noticed something that would’ve raised some eyebrows if they had some.
After all, in all their story as vestiges of One for All, that was their first time seeing the process being met with resistance from the host.
It wasn’t anything grand. They were confident it was doing nothing but slow the process by a degree or two. Still, the clear negative response towards the intrusion was there.
Given that it was Ninth's echo, and one within its earliest stages at that, rather than the real deal, it meant that the behavior was more of a subconscious effort rather than Ninth actively trying to block their attempts.
So, it was curious, yes, but nothing worth worrying about. One could even chalk it up to a natural response when dealing with foreign circumstances. Perhaps even a pronounced part of that shyness appearing to characterize the new host.
Sympathizing with the concern of having embarrassing aspects of yourself exposed to a bunch of strangers, even on Second and Third's part, they swore to themselves to try their best efforts at not prodding more than what was strictly necessary.
Following that, and just like they had expected, there wasn’t any difficulty in bypassing the pseudo barrier Ninth put in between his mind’s vault of memories. Like a cloud parting in two, some of the blackness ahead of them made way for a blank chalkboard-like shape.
Soon after, though, the inexistent scenery within it changed, finally showing what they were looking for.
A large majority of the group couldn’t stop themselves from mellowing out when the first images came in the form of an adorable few-year-old kid with freckles and a brush of emerald green hair, gushing about heroes with a wide and beaming smile.
That same majority proceeded the tease Eighth when they saw various segments showing how much of a fanboy Ninth was for Eighth. Surprisingly enough, the one reaction that got out of Eighth was melancholy of all things.
Seventh tried to inquire about that. Eighth, for his part, waved her off, or at least gave a sentiment of dismissal, more or less indicating that whatever it was that made him react that way, they would eventually see it through Ninth’s memories regardless.
If the atmosphere among the group wasn’t soured by that, what they saw past Ninth’s fourth birthday made sure of.
Your son lacks a quirk, so it would be best if he were to give up on that dream.
Things only spiraled downhill for their successor after the revelation that he was born quirkless came to be.
Whether it was a rather common occurrence in their time or they simply didn’t see a reason to, none of them felt affronted by that revelation. If anything, besides the glaring evidence that that wasn’t a particular issue in the form of Eighth, Ninth lacking a quirk made things rather convenient based on what they knew about One For All.
Clearly, the rest of the world didn’t share the sentiment.
While Second and Third had no grips with pointing out that his circumstances were nowhere near as close to what transpired during the Dark Age of Quirks, much to everyone else’s chagrin, they did come to respect Ninth’s resilience nonetheless. Enduring all that scorn and contempt from such a young age with absolutely no one to offer any support, at least not one he could genuinely lean on, all the while maintaining the same optimistic views about heroics.
A bit naïve and idealistic perhaps, but they conceded it required a special sort of strength to still keep such views after going through as much as Ninth did and likely would keep doing.
Sorting through a general view of the following years didn’t paint a prettier picture. The older Ninth got, the more unforgiving his environment grew. Coming from times when the quirkless already fell into a minority group. Seventh and especially so Eighth were aware of the discrimination people could hold towards those without quirks.
Neither could compare to how normalized, sometimes even encouraged, the discrimination around Ninth’s time appeared to be. Yeah, the environment of their youths might’ve been a harsh one given that person still reigned under the shadows, but they suspected there was a difference in impact about being harassed by villains, people who clearly accounted as evil and being in the wrong, and suffering the contempt from everyday people.
After watching for what accounted for more than a decade of unfair treatment, and seeing Ninth not buckling down from his ideals despite everything, even if not coming unscathed from the ordeal, save for Second and Third, they all at least regarded Ninth as a worthy successor.
In regards to the exceptions, while they did consider the kid as someone with the heart in the right place, Ninth’s perception of heroics seemed way too sugarcoated for their liking. On top of that, while yes, they gave him credit for his solid compromise with his beliefs, they simply couldn’t ignore that lack of drive for self-improvement Ninth practically leaked.
They more or less knew where it was coming from, but that was only an excuse for ordinary people. The holder of a quirk as important as One for All simply couldn’t afford that luxury.
Neither Second nor Third felt any surprise at the disapproval their peers sent their way. It wasn’t like it mattered in the grand scheme of things. For all intents and purposes, One for All was officially part of Ninth and there was nothing any of them could do to remove that fact.
First, always the mediator among the group tried to reason with them. After all, if they were here, that must mean something must’ve happened along the line that could change their perspective about Ninth.
While not the biggest fans of it, not even seeing the need to be convinced in the first place, there were no protests on their part. They had to catch up to Ninth’s most recent memories to get a complete judgment of his person in any case.
It only took about a pair of weeks deeper into Ninth’s subconsciousness for the next noteworthy set of memories to come forth.
Katsuki Bakugo was someone they had more or less become familiar with. Hard not to, considering his status as childhood friend turned bully throughout most of Ninth’s life. Now, based on what they had seen through ten years’ worth of memories, they had enough insight to discern the ashen-blonde was similar to Ninth if only on the exact opposite side of the coin, a victim of external influences and their perception of the world in a quirk-based society.
Didn’t make him guilt-free from the mistakes he had committed, but at least assured them he wasn’t beyond hope.
Although that didn’t quit they all agreed that the less those two interacted with each other, the better. Despite holding a certain grade of maturity about the subject, even they would admit that what they saw just recently made it somewhat harder to sympathize with the boy.
One could hardly imagine a scenario in which inciting someone into committing suicide was justifiable. Or the person responsible for that matter.
Even by his standards, that day didn’t seem to be Ninth’s. The encounter with the sludge villain made them think for a moment that Ninth wouldn’t make it, only knowing that couldn’t be the case because the math simply didn’t add up.
Just when they thought Ninth’s life was taking its first step in the right direction through his meeting with Eighth, they were thrown a massive curveball against his expectations when they witnessed their encounter at the rooftop and what transpired there.
While Second and Third, unsurprisingly at that point, did see the logic from which Eighth was coming about, even they mentally raised an eyebrow at the response he gave to Ninth. Out of all of them, they thought he was the least likely to give that sort of answer.
Thinking similarly, the other vestiges, Seventh most prominent of them all, gave some questioning looks at Eighth’s direction.
With his means of communication far more limited than his peers, the only answer he was capable of mustering was to expose the full-blown guilt he felt for his and the original’s actions.
Mixed thoughts aside, and deciding that it was better to address that at a later time, they took Eighth’s response for granted and continued with their task.
Something for which they were surprisingly rewarded.
Finally, after years upon years of peering, they bore witness to the moment that, without any of them doubting it, made Eighth consider this kid worthy of the mantle.
The selflessness to save someone that inflicted some much pain on you.
The drive to act when no one else dared to.
The courage to face adversity with a face held high.
They didn’t know the kid personally, and even then, they couldn’t help the pride in his actions from that afternoon surged from each one of them.
Some still held doubts about whether he was worthy of a responsibility as large as being a possessor of One for All. The mention of which of them held that opinion was rather obvious. Despite that, none of the vestiges doubted that Izuku Midoriya had the makings of a great hero.
Most of them knew what was to follow. With Eighth witnessing Ninth’s display of heroism, he would look for an opportunity where the two could find some privacy. Then, he would disclose to Ninth his future as the heir of his legacy and the next holder of One for All.
It was rather obvious that was what’s supposed to happen next, right?
Only that wasn’t what occurred.
Ther first impression they got of the girl Ninth encountered that day, was that she was an extrovert. Eccentric couldn’t even begin to describe her. By all means, her personality was the polar opposite of Ninth.
The rest of their first encounter was…well, it was something. By the end of it, none of them knew what to make of her. For one part, they couldn’t help growing suspicious of her when, on multiple occasions, she appeared to know more than who was supposed to be a stranger to Ninth should have. It didn’t help in the matter that she appeared to not be pretty much a fan of Eighth, much to his echo’s confusion and shock.
On the other…
Yes, I believe you can become a Hero…
There was that .
Days went by, and following the pair of weeks in which she was completely absent from Ninth’s life, she went to the other extreme and instead became a constant.
From Monday to Sunday. Afternoon to Evening. Any second she had at her disposal, that girl made sure to spend it with Ninth. Unsurprisingly for any of them, Ninth clutched to the friendship she offered like a starved animal would to clutch of meat.
It was concerning, to say the least. Oh, they were glad the kid finally had someone coming into his life that didn’t discriminate against him for his condition as quirkless. Kinda obvious why once she revealed as being quirkless herself. On top of that, it was hard to doubt she wanted the best for him. If nothing else, the evidence so far suggested she was the real deal.
Her methods, though…that’s where their metaphorical brows furrowed. If there was any doubt about it before, by now it became crystal clear that the girl simply didn’t like Eighth nor the influence he held over Ninth. Much to their consternation, she held no shyness towards trying to do something about it.
Much to their outright worry, she got something done about it. It began as a slow process. A flicker of doubt here. One frown whenever he heard Eighth’s name there. While never turning into what could be considered outright hatred for the man, it was obvious that the admiration Ninth held and nurtured for more than a decade was but a husk of its former self. And the girlie had no small amount of influence on it.
The worst part of it was that they could see where both that girl and Ninth were coming from.
The last impression Eighth left imprinted on Ninth was one none of them could dare hope to paint as favorably, and the fact that he was yet to show and meet back with the boy even after literal months had passed only cemented that grim picture Ninth seemed to grow in regards to his predecessor.
Speaking of, where the hell was he?
Some vestiges tried to get some answers from Eighth’s vestige, but he was incapable of communicating anything concrete beyond the distress he felt at what was transpiring before him.
All in all, to say they didn’t like what they were seeing would be one hell of an understatement.
Mixed signals. That girl was giving too many of them. While on one hand there was this whole mess about the way she was thorning the relationship between Eighth and Ninth, on the other was the fact that she was putting some actual effort into making Ninth a hero.
It wasn’t some half-assed, spurn random ideas and hope-for-the-best kind of thing. No, it was easy to see she was actually putting some real brain power on turning Ninth from…well, Ninth, into what could pass for a respectable Hero aspirant.
Suffice it to say, that the results spoke by themselves.
Neither could any deny the pillar of support she had become for him. Following that incident with the notebook, life outside the girl got so bad for Ninth that some almost wondered if there was a deity out there who had a personal bone to pick with the boy.
Honestly, they didn’t know what would’ve become of him hadn’t she been there for him the whole time.
Did they check Ninth’s enormous emotional dependency on her as something worth fretting about? They did.
Did any of them blame him for having developed it in the first place? For the slow but nevertheless progressing degression of his personality? No. None had it in them to put Ninth’s circumstances as anything else other than entirely outside his control.
Still, among the series of good, bad, or at least concerning series of things the one named Junko Enoshima had done to Ninth, all the vestiges asked themselves but a single thing.
What was that girl ultimately aiming for?
Eventually, they got their answer.
They all wished they didn’t.
Enoshima’s proposal to have Ninth fight a villain already sent a few alarms off their minds. By the time they witnessed Ninth’s discussion with his mother for the very first time in his life, to the way he cursed all but Enoshima’s name, they got the foreboding feeling that something was going to go wrong. Terrible and utterly wrong.
They weren’t mistaken.
Everything went to hell so fast on that cursed night, they almost missed the moment Ninth fired the gun and poured a hole into the very center of that guy’s head.
Even those among them who had seen the worst the world had to offer and were familiar with the concept of killing, were having a hard time processing that Ninth, who for a long part of his memories seemed incapable of doing so much as hurting a fly, had snuffed a person’s life.
They barely held any hope to process the shock at what they witnessed before Ninth’s memories kept flowing, without any perturbance for what had just transpired.
All eight vestiges watched, with no small amount of horror stuck across their inexistent faces, when what followed that incident was a one-hundred-and-eighty flip on the dynamics between Ninth and Enoshima.
Gone was the considerate and supportive girl who was there for Ninth as a shoulder to lean on. With her mask peeled off, what lay before him was a cunning and manipulative amalgamation of misery and hopelessness who held no hesitation towards making the worst out of the bond she spent entire months nurturing.
Even when it became obvious to the kid that something was incredibly wrong, the love he held towards her impeded him from cutting ties first chance possible. Nor the second. Or third, and so on and on.
Something that she held no hesitation in exploiting.
With not a single soul capable or willing to lend him a hand, Ninth didn’t stood a chance against the onslaught of her despair.
And from there, things only got worse.
Junko? Why…w-why are you smiling? T-That woman, she just…
T-There’s nothing funny about this, Junko! WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING!?
And worse.
JUNKO, NO! Don’t you see how wrong this is!?
S-Stop it…
Don't make me do this anymore...
So much worse.
Please…get away from me…
Much much worse.
I beg you…don’t abandon me, Junko…
Somehow, the blood on Ninth’s hands wasn’t the worst Enoshima had made him go through.
Ever since the first day of knowing each other, whenever that girl sent Ninth a cheshire grin, something about it stirred First, Second, and Third the wrong way. At first, none of them could figure out the reason why.
Now, though? The answer couldn’t be any more obvious.
It was the same smile they recognized from All for One.
Perhaps they were related, perhaps they were not. Regardless of which was the case, this revelation made one thing clear.
Entire decades of fighting. Every sacrifice that was made.
It had been all for nothing.
Their worst fears have come to be.
One for All, the one quirk meant to fight the Ultimate Evil, had been compromised. Now in possession of a product made from the debauchery, sadism, and depravity one of, if not the biggest villains they had the displeasure of meeting.
Inevitably, pandemonium surged among the group.
Some raged at each other. Others drowned in their own misery. A few were too shell-shocked to form a coherent thought.
Not even First could hold a candle of composure at what had been revealed to them. Too distraught to work as the bridge of unity he had always put as his duty. Even if this wasn’t a ploy tainted by his brother beyond the grave, it was clear they had merely traded a monster for another.
Perhaps even a worse one, given that at least All for One was one they were familiar with.
Fury. Sorrow. Denial. None of those emotions diverging among the vestiges mattered in the slightest.
Because, as one, their own hearts sang in despair.
The smell of change lingered in the air.
She could almost feel it caressing her smooth skin. Taste it through her luscious lips. See it from her mesmerizing―
Okay, yeah. She was smoking hot, as if that wasn't obvious already.
Moving on!
Right atop the same rooftop she first woke up, her gaze lingered in the distance. Even if nothing in particular was calling for her attention.
That didn’t mean her mind was empty of thoughts. It never was, never could be, truthfully speaking.
Ah, getting all philosophical and serious about it was so lame. So, she’s gonna be dropping that before it could begin. Back at the airy thing, she couldn’t deny her tummy was fluttering with butterflies for that which was to come.
What that was? She didn’t know. Well, she kinda did. For a large part of it, actually.
But! But, not everything. She couldn’t even say with confidence she had about half of the picture. That was a first. At least so when it came to her long-term goals.
Back home, by the time she put a step into that dumb academy, she had already about eighty percent of her plan figured out. Sure, dear Mitarai and Izuru prompted her to make some noticeable adjustments, but it was nevertheless the same road that she wanted to cross. Only the way in which she did so suffered changes.
Back then, though, everything was centered around Hope’s Peak Academy.
Here? It was the whole of Japan for which she had to take into account. And even past it at that.
Even now, while she was comfortable having her butt frozen by the cold embrace of the night, there were people out there busying themselves with their own ambitions. Having their resources working non-stop to make their schemes come true. Schemes she still lacked the means to grasp.
Competition! How quaint was that?
Still, looking down at a stone because I stumbled upon a similar one before, would be unnecessarily dumb. After all…
Gently so, her face drifted west. In the far distance up ahead, more precisely atop the hills of Musutafu, an H-shaped structure stood proud.
Appearances can be oh so deceiving, can’t they?
She couldn't help the grin not so dissimilar from the crescent moon above tugging at her lips.
Harmony's playtime was over. Kick that boring bitch out and let the cool kids come and play!
The gears and engines that constructed society begged to be oiled up by a healthy dosage of despair.
Of course, what better mistress for the task than moi?
“Upupupu…ready or not, here I come~.”
Notes:
Here she comes, indeed.
Took around a year and a half, but U.A.'s finally about to be taken by a strawberry and pigtailed storm. How despairfully exciting!
So, yeah, first things first, we begin with Katsuki's POV. I've noticed some paid a particular extra bit of attention to his character for this fic, so I admit there's some nervousness at seeing how this chapter ends up perceived.
Obviously speaking from my perspective, I think his segment turned out to be fine. With the change of perspective, we now see some things weren't as simple as they looked like. The most obvious example, being his first encounter with Junko. While from Izuku's perspective, it appeared to be Katsuki coming up with one more attempt at picking a bone with him, only with Junko as the scapegoat, the truth turned out to be far more complicated than what seemed at first glance.
Turns out nothing of what he did came with malicious intent (Certainly not from his perspective), and one might even argue that he had somewhat noble intentions at the start. Unfortunately, his bad blood with Izuku and some special touches here and there from a certain diva, and that went down the drain.
What else, what else...
Oh right, it looks like the vestiges have a front-row seat to everything Izuku (and by proxy Junko) had been up to, and will continue to for the whole ride.
Funny that, huh?
I mean, it's not like that could potentially come up with consequences down the road.
Right...?
Delusions aside, nothing else comes to mind, so I will wrap it out here. This chapter came about a month earlier than the previous one, so I hope the next one follows the same pattern. No promises here, but hey, one can dream.
Chapter 16: Hello There, U.A. High School.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Hello There, U.A. High School.
The warhorns that herald the beginning of the end have been blown.
All around us, the always fickle sands of destiny shift one more time. The flickers on the delicate strings that make space and reality have not gone unnoticed; thus, grave and irreparable consequences are meant to be paid indiscriminately.
Left and right. Above and below. Justice and Injustice. Heroes and Villains. A miasma of opposition lurks at every corner, waiting to prey on those who dare reject either of the pillars on which this society chose to fund itself on.
Right at the very eye of the storm, our cute, cunning, and daring protagonist will stand her ground against them all and—
"Junko, what are you doing?"
"Hm?" Flipping her notebook shut before storing it in her duffle bag, Junko turned her attention to her best bettest super-duper best friend in the whole world. "Isn't it obvious? I am having a monologue! Well, I was until you interrupted me."
"Er, sorry..."
"Meh, I was getting sick of it already anyhow," She waved his concerns off. Truly, what a generous friend she was! "'Sides, I kind of did some similar shit last night, so it was also getting sorta redundant."
"Ah, was that why you came back so late?"
"Yup! I mean, even someone like me needs some pep talk to get the blood pumping from time to time, ya know? After all," With a wistful look, her gaze traveled ahead of them, more specifically on the large banner whose legend said 'Welcome, U.A. Aspirants!', hanging on the tall glass-made building for everyone to see. "Today is a special occasion."
Izuku followed Junko's gaze, his lips pursed at the sight while a storm of mixed feelings throbbed inside his head.
Before he had an opportunity to prod any further on those thoughts, his instincts kicked in, prompting him to hold Junko by the shoulders before rapidly dragging her out of the pavement they were walking.
"OUTTA MY WAY, EXTRAS!" A one too-familiar voice shouted, his owner stomping through the very same spot the two of them were moments ago.
However, Bakugo only took a pair of steps before his whole body stood still.
Almost robotically, he turned to look at the two of them. With his face barely concealing the confusion he felt at the moment, his eyes shifted between a blank-looking Izuku and a smiling Junko.
"Pigtails, huh?" Bakugo grunted once the brief moment of surprise wore off. "Almost thought ya dumped Deku a while ago. What, ya coming to wish yer boyfriend good luck?"
"Excuse you?" Junko shot the ashen-blonde a dirty look of indignation. She neared Izuku before trapping him from behind in a protective hug that had his cheeks flare red. "First of all, Zuzu and I are as inseparable as cancer and cigarettes! Secondly, just so ya know, I am here as an aspirant myself. And, most important of all," She let the words hang in the air for a pair of seconds, before tilting her head while giving the red-eyed boy a puzzled look. "...Who the heck are you?"
A vein bulged out of Bakugo’s forehead.
"You fucking...know what? Screw this, you pair of freaks ain't worth my time," The ashen-blonde sneered before turning his back on them. He marched forward, only to suddenly stop in his tracks for a consecutive occasion. This time around, he gave the duo a side glance. "Today's the last day you morons will play pretend the Hero and his sidekick. You might enter with the support nerds, or whatever the fuck course you enlisted Pigtails. Deku, though? He has no hope. At. All."
Not bothering to see if either of them had anything to say to that, He snapped his head back to the front and went on his way to the entrance. Other applicants hurriedly made way for him with only so much as a stink eye sent their way.
It wasn't until he was out of earshot, that Izuku let out a tired sigh.
"He's going to be such a pain when we end up in the same class. Knowing my luck, we will be classmates."
"Oh?" Junko smiled down, giving Izuku a mirthful look. "Not if, but when? Snarky and confident Izuku first hour in the morning. That’s a spicy combination right there~."
Izuku looked up, giving her a bashful look. "I already felt like I had a decent chance at passing the exam with your training alone, but given that I now have, well, you know what..."
Neither of them missed the edge of his voice near the end. And while Junko was sure she would be wound up using the source of it, not for the first time, for some teasing down the line, the current time and place wasn't ideal.
Besides, she already had something else on mind.
"The look on his face when half the reason he spent his whole life picking a bone against you is no longer there...heh, it's gonna be priceless!" The smile on Junko’s face turned saccharine. The sort to make Izuku squeamish. "Although, for all his gloating, he at least got one part about you right, didn’t he~? If nothing else, one can't deny he backs up his bravado with the strength and the smarts for it."
Deep down, he knew what Junko was doing. Honestly, at this point, it shouldn’t even affect him. Not one bit with how obvious she was being about it.
But it did nevertheless. For more than a single reason, hearing that made his innards twist into knots. A spark of long-buried resentment threatened to rear its ugly head, while at the same time, a surge of building-up anxiety was on its way to developing a headache.
"In any case," He began, even if he knew Junko would see the deflection for a mile wide, and would be up to her whether she decided to entertain him. "What about you, Junko? I understand you might have plenty of reasons to be confident about it, but...are you sure that will work? Isn't it a bit circumstantial?"
Junko's eyes gained a glint of amusement, telling him that yes, she very much saw what he was doing.
"Eh, like I told ya this morning, I will be fine," Either feeling generous or simply for the heck of it, she chose to indulge him. "I made sure to do my homework, peering into some fine details about the entrance exam beforehand, ya know?"
"Really?" It wasn’t like he doubted her capabilities, but it was well known that U.A. could be rather secretive about the structure of its tests. "Since when?"
"Remember back when I told ya I was going to be busy during the sports festival for the third years all those months ago?"
"Uh-huh, I remember you told me...oh, you were being serious back then, weren't you?"
"Let's just say some people can be rather insightful when you know how to approach them~."
Swallowing down the conflicting sentiments he felt for a moment, Izuku threw a wary glance at his surroundings. One might need enough context to realize the sort of implications Junko was making, but it didn’t hurt to make sure she wasn't already raising brows in suspicion.
He had learned the hard way it was his role to keep the cautions in check for both of them.
Thankfully, the nerves of the incoming exam seemed to be enough to prevent any gazes from lingering in their direction. A stroke of luck, given how much attention Junko usually drew to herself.
"Alright then," He wanted to prod a bit further. Well, more like a lot further what with this being Junko he was talking about. Given they were in a far from discrete location, though, he would have to take her word for granted. "In that case, just one more thing."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Um, not that I mind, but...for how long are you going to keep hugging me?"
"Oh Zuzu, you know as well as I do that I am never letting you free," Without any warning, Junko jumped on his back. Figuring out where she was going with that, he rapidly adjusted his bag and brought his hands behind him, holding her thighs. Thus, securing a hold for his friend. "Now, onwards my faithful steed! Destiny beckons us."
Letting out a fond sigh, and doing a decent job at ignoring the stares they were now definitely gathering, Izuku made his way inside the building.
Perhaps the past him would’ve had his eyes bulged out of their sockets, filled with nothing but wonder, at having the honor of being allowed a step inside the most prestigious Hero school in Japan.
The current him didn't even bother sparing a glance at the portrayals of what most likely were the heroes, current and past, that have been part of U.A. long story.
Without pausing in his stride, his attention instead went to the flock of students moving through the lobby area. All of them could be found crossing a series of hallways, each one with a sign at its side, indicating which course application they led to.
Eventually, his sight settled on those who he deemed were likely to attend the entrance exam for heroics. Whether it was them carrying bags similar to his, how they held their steps, or those whose appearance alone made it possible to discern their quirks as potentially ‘heroic’, he didn’t miss the glint of determined hope shining in their eyes underneath the varying levels of trepidation any of them might’ve been feeling at the moment.
Izuku heard a snort escaping Junko, which meant that it didn’t escape her notice either.
He couldn’t see her face at the moment, but that didn’t deter him from imagining the amusement no doubt she was feeling at the moment.
If things go how she predicted them to, which Izuku didn't doubt for a moment they would, a considerable chunk of these people were already doomed to fail. Regardless of whether they had any hope of passing or not in the first place.
Mentally shrugging at the implications, Izuku continued on his way. He took a turn towards the entryway on the furthest right, leading both him and Junko past it and the sign whose scribbled words were:
Hero Course Application.
Junko would’ve found funny the irony of what she was getting herself into, despite who she was, if she hadn’t already spent literal months getting a kick out of it.
...Oh, who she was kidding. Against all odds, it still was fucking hilarious! Like, that was about the only reason she decided to keep going with it and not let the constant flipping and switching of ideas that fluctuated inside the echo chamber she called her brain tempt her into changing plans at the last minute.
What lay ahead simply was that worthy.
Ah, but that was getting ahead of herself. Before the carrot, came the stick.
A written exam-looking stick.
Ugh, so lame.
So, after some staff forced Junko to part with her beloved mount slash friend, some bullshit about inappropriate behavior or whatever, they both went and registered with some typical-looking secretary. Hair styled in a bun, glasses, and all that junk. Yadda yadda, some bureaucracy mumbo jumbo later and tata!
They were officially potential candidates for the U.A.’s hero course.
Pfft, no, really. Funniest shit I've done in a long while!
Anyhow, after receiving some basic instructions regarding the procedures for the test, or tests for that matter, and coming back to the waiting area after leaving their stuff into the changing rooms, more staff schmucks came, ushering them and the other aspirants towards their respective test-application areas.
Respective, as in they both were assigned different rooms.
The puppy eyes Zuzu gave her as they each went their separate ways were so cute.
And pathetic.
Kinda part of his charm, tho. It wouldn’t be her Izuku if he didn’t keep himself somewhat cuthetic to at least some degree!
Despite of…heh, everything.
Skipping the irrelevant details, the test was just about what she expected. The first half mulled over basic subjects like literature, algebra, sciences, etc. The sort of shit she could answer with her eyes blindfolded, hands tied to her back, and a pen stuck to her mouth.
Kinky, but nothing she hadn’t dealt with before.
About what the second half was about. Well, if she had to point it out, then someone hadn’t been paying attention.
What would you do if civilians refused to leave an area compromised by a villain attack?
In a hostage situation, which are the procedures you consider the most effective for a successful rescue?
And, obviously, how would you describe yourself as a hero?
Those and other similar questions followed through the subject of ‘Heroics’.
Psh, easy peasy, even she could deal with that sort of junk.
All she had to do was to answer with the exact opposite of what she would think of!
Upupupu, who said Ultimate Despairs ain’t hero material~?
No sooner than she was done with the exam, she jumped out of her seat with a loud “I’m done!”, a reaction that prompted a nearby applicant to flinch, coincidentally also making him scratch over one of his answers.
Hah! Another victory for despair!
Silently basking in the pitiful whimper that followed, Junko went and presented her exam at the front desk. Given that she was the first one to complete it, no doubt by a wide margin, the instructor’s incredulity plastered all over her face would have been so amusing if it wasn’t so boringly predictable.
Ignoring the gawking looks everyone else gave her, and after insisting for the umpteenth occasion that yes, she very much was done with that mockery of a test, she listened to the next set of instructions for U.A.’s entrance application.
She figured them out long since setting foot there, but alas, being this early into the game, even she had to somewhat follow appearances if it was for the sake of despair.
Finally dismissed, and with a skip on her steps, she walked through the halls and made her way towards the auditorium in which the practical exam was meant to be debriefed. Unsurprisingly, after walking for a pair of minutes and taking a pair of turns, she found the massive room devoid of any life.
The wonders of finishing a two-hour-long exam in ten minutes, huh?
Sparing nothing beyond the glance required to acquire complete memorization of her surroundings, Junko went and took her, ugh, designated seat.
In silence.
Alone with nothing else to do but mingle with her thoughts.
…Wow, it was worse than she expected.
With nothing else to do, she made use of her time debating whether the wrenching agony of doing nothing but wait was despairful in itself or simply abhorrently boring.
It was the latter, she decided nearly immediately. Welp, so much for that.
Oh! What about Zuzu?
Rapidly, her mind began fantasizing about the possibility of her beloved friend failing the entrance exam. So far, the only way that could come to be was by him choosing to self-sabotage, and the only scenario in which he would do that was one where a sense of resentment prompted him to sabotage her plans.
Suffice it to say, the likeness of that occurring was abysmally low.
However, that in itself was what made it a deliciously tempting thought. Just as it was unlikely to occur, the risks were contrastingly massive should her expectations were to be surpassed. To say Junko was jeopardizing herself by taking the Hero Course’s route would be one hella damn understatement.
Leaving aside the obvious endangerment of being, well, her, and having infiltrated within one of the largest strongholds of heroism, while adding who was in charge of it into the mix, she did not doubt for a moment that even if she were to beat the entrance exam, the path to ultimate despair she put herself into would depend on whether or not Zuzu passed.
And even at that, it would only guarantee her an opportunity, not the victory she yearned for as much as she dreaded.
As things stood, whether it was Zuzu, the heroes, or herself, so many variables about her plans could turn south and ruin everything at the snap of a finger.
This ain’t Hope’s Peak anymore. Just one tiny winy push in the right direction and the house of cards will come crashing down on me~.
The sound of footsteps made her ears perk up. Looking behind, she saw a multitude of teenagers making their way towards the stalls. Some of the earliest arrivals sent her a curious look, a few even turning disappointed when they looked down at their Examinee’s card and no doubt saw they weren’t sitting anywhere near her.
Not like doing so would grant them shit regardless, but hey, she ain’t saying no to more despair.
Her interest rapidly went towards a familiar brush of emerald green. Junko allowed an amused smirk to play on her lips when a familiar red-eyed Pomeranian abruptly passed past Zuzu, nearly bumping shoulders with him had he not dodged at the last second.
Upupupu, what a tsundere.
Despite having her seat near the middle of the stalls, that wasn’t a determent for Zuzu's good instincts to make him turn his face in her direction, right in time to cross his expectant eyes with Junko's.
Faster than he could think of doing anything else, Junko nudged her head further down the auditorium. The implications were clear for both of them.
A rush of pink dusted her cheeks, reveling in the crestfallen look that crossed Zuzu's expression. She was almost tempted to coo when he rapidly realized they were far from alone, and masked the emotion with a frustrated frown, abruptly facing ahead before continuing on his stride.
Junko didn’t bother hiding a quick laugh when she saw whose seat was next to his.
Now now, Zuzu, surely you can survive being surrounded by a bunch of strangers and good pal Kacchan without your beloved friend for a little while more, can't you~?
Momentarily sated with the despair Zuzu provided to her, Junko was able to wait for the practical exam’s ceremony to begin without much complaint.
Minutes later, right when the last batch of students took a seat, the lights were shut down without a warning, leaving the entirety of the massive room in blinding darkness.
Then, a single tray of light illuminated the stage. Highlighted by it, a weirdo whose hair would make Owada's look like a fashion icon came into view.
“Phew, that’s quite the audience we got for today’s show!" The living amalgamation of the 80's cried out with an excited grin. "What’s up, little listeners!? C’mon now, the name’s Present Mic, and I wanna hear a hey!”
Welp, it seems is time to get this show rolling with a boom!
Half an hour later, all of the aspirants for the Hero Course were organized and dispatched towards a series of buses, each meant to lead them to the mock cities U.A had designated, and where their practical test would be applied.
Once in front of the massive gates that separated them from the battlegrounds that would determine their future in heroics, a large majority of them couldn’t help but look around in awe. Some even wondered just how could the school afford several installments of such magnitude.
Save for a few exceptions, they all were blissfully ignorant of the fact that, to some measure, the tests had already begun.
Unbeknownst to the Hero-aspirants, within the confines of a darkened room, a series of monitors followed them from the very moment they took a step outside their transportation.
Through them, several figures monitored each one of their movements with critical eyes.
“MY, MY, I AM JUST BEGINNING MY YEAR HERE AND ALREADY I CAN SEE QUITE THE FUTURE SEEDS OF HEROISM WE HAVE TODAY!” A booming and confident voice declared. Its owner had his sight darting around the various monitors.
Eventually, they landed on the screen monitoring the Ground Beta. A glint of expectation was barely hidden within his deep blue eyes.
“With all due respect, you are getting ahead of yourself, All Might,” A gruff and tired-sounding voice countered. “They haven’t done so much as taking a step out of the transports. Judging their potential before the practical test begins is simply illogical.”
While some of their fellow peers were struggling between agreeing with All Might or a U.A. veteran like it was the latter, one distinctive and unnecessarily loud voice came in the number one Hero’s defense.
“Sheesh, don’t be like that, Aizawa!” Present Mic groaned, even if lacked any heat in his words. “There’s loads of stuff we can pick up just by first impressions, don’tcha think?”
“I do not doubt that,” One Aizawa Shouta, known by very few as Eraserhead, conceded easily. “I’m only saying that we should reserve our conclusions until we see the applicants in action. Speaking of which, shouldn’t you be getting yourself ready to act as the tests’ overseer?”
“Urk, yeah, yeah, dad. I will go do my homework in a moment,” The voice hero protested with a pout that, in Eraserhead’s sincere opinion, had no place belonging in an adult’s face. Certainly not on Yamada’s. “But c’mon, Shouta! Ya can’t deny some of these kiddos have vibes to die for! I mean, look that girl with the vines for hair. Man, that’s rad! Oh boy, do you see that bird boy and that shadow coming outta its stomach!? Metal! Ah, and there’s also that chick…doing…huh? That’s weird.”
Instantly, most of Aizawa’s tiredness receded for a focused expression. For all his gimmicks, he knew Yamada wouldn’t react like that unless something truly out of the ordinary caught his attention.
“What is it?” Aizawa rapidly asked. “Is something wrong with one of the examinees?”
“Eh? Ah, not…really?” Present Mic unconvincingly said. “It’s just, doesn’t that examinee from Ground Delta looks kinda odd? I dunno, like…a bit old?”
“Yamada!” A dark-purple-haired woman gave the voice hero an indignant look. “You can’t go around saying that stuff about a damsel!”
“I-I didn’t mean it like that! I just…”
“Hmph, you know damn well what he means, Nemuri.” A white-haired man with a pair of notorious canines grunted, his gaze flickered back to the screen and Aizawa could’ve sworn the briefest of sweat drops ran down his forehead. “Give it a look and tell me that chick doesn’t stand like a sore thumb.”
Even if it wasn’t directed towards him nor most of his peers, Aizawa and the entirety of the staff followed along with Sekijiro’s, AKA Vlad King, suggestion.
It only took Eraserhead a moment of observing Ground Delta’s monitor to confirm that, indeed, the examinee Yamada and Sekijiro were talking about gathered as much attention as Endeavor would in a convenience store.
However, what he saw rapidly prompted him to believe everyone was focusing on the wrong thing.
“Are we sure how old she looks should be the biggest of our concerns?”
Sure, when bundled together with a bunch of young teenagers, and if one squinted their eyes enough, they could notice that she appeared to be relatively older than the rest of them. Not by much as far as Aizawa could see, maybe a pair of years above the average examinee.
Honestly, he couldn’t see how was that worth any concern. If her papers had been checked and accepted for an appliance, it meant she was clean in that regard. Besides, in an era where people could breathe fire and fly, someone having a quirk that, whether actively or as a side effect, could make them look older by some years, was far below on his list of strangest quirks he had stumbled upon.
That being said, everything else about her put a bitter taste in his mouth.
First of all was her attire.
From her unnecessarily short red skirt, her red and large nails, to her loose black cardigan and monochrome tie, all the way up to the rabbit and red-white bow hair clips.
Everything about that mockery of a school uniform screamed impractical.
His eyes flared red just by looking at the platform-heeled boots she wore.
And yet, Eraserhead couldn’t say that was the worst part of all.
“Wait, now that you mention it,” Unable to hide the disbelief in his voice, Higari Maijima, better known as Power Loader, spoke up. “Isn’t that a phone in her hands?”
That certainly was.
Because yes, while everyone down there was psyching their nerves down or steeling their minds for what was to come, each one at least having a clear understanding of what was at stake, a single blonde teenage girl with her tongue playfully stuck out decided that her time was better spent typing on her phone while she bounced back and forth in barely contained giddiness.
In all their years as staff of Japan’s most prominent Hero School, not once did any of them witness an Examinee acting as flippant as that girl.
“Well…she sure knows how to draw attention to herself. I mean, can’t deny that girl’s got style!” Nemuri, hero name Midnight, tried to play it off. Although even Aizawa could see she was putting some effort into it. “Just look at how nobody can’t help but throw glances her way. Fufu, it appears the boys on Ground Delta will have a great time showing their youth!”
“This a test for Japan’s next generation of heroes, not a fashion runway,” While somewhat tolerant of her mannerisms more often than not, seeing exactly what Nemuri was describing happening soured his mood, making him sound and feel rather snappy. “Besides, if the best she can offer is to alter some of the examinees’ hormones, then she has no place here.”
“Uh, perhaps she’s one of Uwabami’s chicks?” Power Loader theorized, trying to make sense of the girl’s behavior. “Could’ve sworn she tried something similar a few years ago, with one of them using her attendance as an applicant in here for media coverage.”
While he wasn’t one to take things for granted, Aizawa couldn’t deny that made an awful amount of sense. Similar incidents of people trying to leech from U.A.’s prestige was far more common than what he would like to admit.
Just more pilling evidence that his advocation for a major reform in the practical test not only was logical but of the utmost urgency as well.
That being said, before he or any other of his fellow educators could build up their opinions any further, a new voice made an act of presence.
“Oh, it’s always great to observe such enthusiasm for our beloved Heroes-to-be! However, I believe we are getting a little bit ahead of ourselves in regards to examinee Thirteen Thousand Eleven.”
All heads turned in the direction where the strangely jovial voice came through. While not one of them was surprised to see whose it belonged to, what they heard him say prompted them to look at the owner with confusion.
Sitting at the back of the room, a small and suited white-furred figure sipped from a cup of tea held in his paws.
His eyes, one unscathed and the other with one large scar across it, were nothing more than a pair of black dots. Alongside his elongated muzzle and its small black nose, his appearance gave resemblance to that of a mouse. Still, his body carried enough hints for that of a canine and an ursin to make it impossible to discern which of the three he truly belonged to. If any of them at all.
While bipedal and capable of rational thought, his animalistic traits were not the side effects of a quirk, but rather, he was a unique case in which the opposite was the case.
By that fact alone, one might have a hard time believing that he was no other than the very head of Japan’s top hero school.
“Hrmm, principal Nezu, if I may,” Vlad King shot the mammal a questioning look. “Do you know anything about this chick that we should?”
“Oh, I’m not trying to worry any of you, Kan. I promise you that!” The mammal chirped. “All I’m trying to say is that just like Aizawa previously suggested, seeing by our own eyes what she and the other applicants are capable of before jumping to any conclusions might be the best course of action. Who knows, perhaps we might find ourselves surprised~.” He took a pair of sips from his beverage before looking at Present Mic. “Ah, would you look at the time! The practical exam should be about to begin, you wouldn’t want to be late, right, Yamada?”
“Righto!” Present Mic gave a mock salute before jumping out of his chair. “Heh, gotta love the faces of those punks with my trademark callout.”
“Mhm, see that you do…oh, by the way, Power Loader, are there any operational issues with the Pointers?”
From his corner, the sounds of keypads being pressed were heard as Excavator Hero did his magic with the control system for the Villain Bots meant for the test, “Hmm, nope. Everything’s in order as far as I can see. Even the Zero Pointers from each area are ready for deployment.”
“Most excellent!” Nezu cheered with almost childlike glee. “Then, let us prepare and see what are our future Heroes capable of.”
With Present Pic gone in preparation for the practical test, and the principal having all but put the discussion of their most ‘notable’ examinee to an end, nobody had anything else to say on the matter.
No one but a certain Underground Hero.
Aizawa Shota was many things. Stupid wasn’t one of them.
With what little he had said, Nezu had practically confirmed that there was something special about that girl. The what in specific remained a mystery, though.
Is her quirk that powerful? No, when it comes to Nezu, nothing is ever that simple. There must be more to her than meets the eye.
Briefly, Aizawa’s sight drifted back to the monitor. His eyes narrowed when he saw that girl still had her face glued to her phone. After a minute, and not finding anything worth remarking, not even so much as a hint for what sort of quirk could she possess, he put his attention to All Might.
He had been awfully quiet for someone who was known for being anything but. It didn’t help that Aizawa’s suspicions grew stronger when the man was doing a poor job of hiding how intently he was now gazing at the monitor for Ground Delta. There was a bundle of emotions dancing around his electric-blue orbs, and whether it was disbelief, confusion, or cautious interest, they all shared one thing in common.
Regardless of which turned out to be the case, none could hide the signs of recognition the Number One Hero gave to the pigtailed girl.
If that wasn't worth some prodding already, the principal made sure to rectify that.
Given that Nezu was an extraordinary case of an animal with a quirk, the way he perceived things tended to differ from that of most people. It was only thanks to said quirk, named High Specs, which granted the user unparalleled intellect, that allowed him to acquire a basic grasp of human common sense, and even then, it still lacked in some areas.
That being said, thanks to close-by years of being at his beck and call, there were rare occasions in which Eraserhead was able to get a read on the usually unreadable Head of U.A.’s High School.
Leaving aside that most, if not all of his attention had been merely on Ground Delta, not so dissimilar to All Might, there was something about Nezu’s body language that concerned the Underground Hero.
The glint of sharp appreciation shimmering through his dotted eyes was a stark contrast with the frazzled hair standing at the back of Nezu’s neck.
If he didn’t know any better, Aizawa might’ve chalked that up as the principal anticipating something as much as he dreaded it.
Regardless of how things turned out to be, one thing was for certain.
Some people would owe him some answers after this whole ordeal was dealt with.
Hmph, so much for getting a nap after the exams.
Type type type…50%.
On the other side of the screens, students across U.A.’s test grounds prepared for what was one of, if not the most important moment of their lives. Whether a last preemptive checkup of the equipment they brought up. Getting their quirks ready for action. Or psyching themselves up. On each battleground, the aspirants were doing everything in their power to make sure no mistakes were made that day.
All save for one.
For those on Ground Delta, the situation was a tad different.
Type type type…60%.
Similarly to the rest of their peers, the tension for what awaited ahead made them extra susceptible to distractions.
The difference, though, was that among them, there was something, or rather someone, who coming as distractive was as easy as breathing.
Some did a double-take at what they saw. Confusion and fascination swept over their minds from seeing the mish-mash of black, white, and red that stood out like a beacon of colorful chaos among an ocean of dull monotony.
Whether it came from incredulity, awe, or even more confusion, the conjoined interest of the examinees narrowed to a single individual.
Type type type…70%.
Junko Enoshima couldn’t say she was surprised by that development. If anything, being the center of attention for the masses had come naturally to her for so long, that the brief time she was being taken for granted as simply one more applicant back at U.A.'s entrance was a far more enjoyable experience.
If nothing else, because of the short-lived sense of novelty that it brought.
Naively thinking that 'playing' with her phone clouded her awareness of her surroundings, the predictable murmurs that appraised her presence came to be, and while none of them felt like anything other than the buzz of a mosquito, Junko couldn’t help the smirk that grew on her face each time someone pointed out the device of her hands.
Upupupu…80%.
Looks of uncertainty crossed their faces, each of them debating whether to resume back their warm-ups or take their chance to talk to the girl who, as far as any of them could observe based on her attire and the nonchalance she carried herself with, had zero chances of passing the exam and thus would unlikely meet ever again.
Eventually, one boy decided there was no harm in trying his luck.
As the sound of footsteps approaching her came into her ears, the smile on Junko’s face turned forced by a few degrees. Oh, the despair that will result from this had her all jittery, there was no denying that.
That didn’t make the guy nor what he was about to do any less of a pain to dealt with, tho.
Height. Looks. Even his short blond hair. Save for that black lighting-shaped streak of hair on his left side, even back home his appearance would’ve passed for average. The worst kind of it. The sort of which he stood out enough to not be so obsessively plain to the point of being eerie, or interesting for that matter, nor he was sufficiently, well, anything, to pass up as worth any shit.
The only thing about him that came as an actual break from the character trope he was forcing himself into, was the fact he wasn’t looking at her like she was a piece of meat that was already reserved for his plate. Even that sleazy grin on his face lacked any hint of genuine predation.
In the pair of seconds she took predicting his intentions, how they were going to end up playing, and a rough estimation for the past and next month of his life, he finally closed up to her side.
“Sheesh this place sure is massive,” Bolty-boy whistled, with what he thought to be a decent start for a casual conversation. "Kinda gives some foreboding vibes about what’s on the other side, ya know?"
Suppressing the two hundred and thirty-nine things she could immediately say to turn him into a sobering mess, Junko gave him a side glance and decided to play along.
“Hey hey, ain’t kinda early to turn into such a gloomy doomy?” Junko protested with a well-practiced pout. “C’mon, where’s your U.A. spirit!? Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra!”
Not expecting the energetic response, the teenager gave her a weirded-out look. His body language grew hesitant as her rambling put some of the onlookers' focus on his person.
Ten seconds in and he already made up for a worse half to her routine than her Zuzu did even at his lowest.
Hmph, ya better end up making up for that by showing me some decent despair once I'm dealt and done here.
Ah, speaking of which, 85%.
“Uh, right, Plus Ultra...?” There was a pause on his part. No doubt debating on whether to go all in and make his move already or call it quits and cut his losses. Predictably, he let his second head make the choice. “By the way, there’s no way we aren’t gaining some appetite with this terminator-simulator deal, so…what do ya say about going for a bite after being done with it?”
Gee, never heard that one before…90%.
“Heh, not even five minutes and you are already making a move. Kinda daring, aren’t we?” The bolt-haired boy averted his gaze while chuckling sheepishly. Junko allowed her smirk to grow further. “Can’t say I dislike it tho, so, how ‘bout this? If ya score higher than me on this exam thingy, I will take ya on that offer once the results come in.”
“Wait, really?” Zap-boy asked with wide eyes. Clearly, not even he suspected the most overused pick-up line in the story of flirting had any hope of working. “You aren’t pulling me any hairs, are you?”
If only you knew…95%.
“Nope!” Junko chirped. “I like to believe that, for all my faults, I am always a woman of my word~.”
Although confused by what she meant with the first half of that statement, the guy was already going nuts about, as far as he was concerned, having scored a sure date with her.
Jokes on him, Junko was sure today was the last time she will ever talk to the poor dumbass again.
“Neat!” The boy pumped fisted while a grin spread over his face. However, a hint of realization soon took over his face before giving her an awkward look. “Ah, I know we got the order all over the place, but…uh, what’s your name? I'm Denki Kaminari, by the way.”
Type...
“The name’s Junko Enoshima, cutie.” She said, giving the soon-to-be General Course student a wink that rapidly turned him into a blushed mess.
Type...
“R-Right, pleasure to meet ya, Enoshima.” The footnote among a million others stammered. However, that quickly made way for curiosity once he looked over her. "Say, there’s something I've wondering for a while now."
"Oh, do tell?"
"Well, I know it isn’t my problem or anything, but what's with the phone?" He nodded at the device in her hands. "You've been typing at it this whole time, must be serious business to keep at it in the middle of the exam, yeah?"
Type...100%.
"Eh, nothing that important, really. It’s just..."
MASTER ACCESS OVER GROUND DELTA’S NETWORK GRANTED. AWAITING FURTHER INPUT.
"...My V.I.P ticket into U.A.'s Hero Course~."
"Huh? What does that—"
"AND START!" An energetic voice howled in the distance, yet it was loud enough to reach whole kilometers of perimeter. With most examinees staying still in stunned shock, the voice decided to bring them out of their funk. "WHAT ARE Y'ALL SITTING LIKE DUCKS FOR? THAT ONE LISTENER FROM GROUND BETA ALREADY FIGURED HEROES NEVER WAIT FOR A TIMER, SO WHAT'S STOPPING YA!? GO! GO! GO!"
Finally shaken out of their daze, applicants from Ground Alpha, Beta, Charlie, Echo, Foxtrot, and Golf jumped on their feet, rushing their way into the battlegrounds, hoping to take down as many Bots as possible.
For a moment, the same was the case for those within Ground Delta.
“Oh crap, it’s already time!?” One Denki Kaminari cried out. Being among the first ones to recover, he let himself get guided by his sense of urgency and dashed past those still moments away from finally snapping back to reality.
A small part of him recognized that the pretty blonde he just scored a date with not only wasn’t moving from her spot, but she was still messing with her phone.
A much larger part, though, decided there was no time for dilly-dialing. With how his quirk worked, Denki knew he needed to be among the first applicants to get inside the test site. That would guarantee finding a location with a large number of Pointers congregated, thus allowing to get the most out of Electrification's area of effect.
He had a plan.
He had a realistic chance of making it into U.A.'s most exclusive course.
He had an opportunity to become a Hero.
Who knows. Just perhaps, he would’ve gone as far as becoming one of the pillars that held the foundations of Japan at its direst hour in a distant future.
Unfortunately, he never accounted for a fashionable young woman to stomp on those hopes and promises like one would a grandiose sandcastle in a fit of boredom.
The moment he took a step inside the mock city and saw one of the Pointer Bots, an unbelievable sight occurred before him.
That very same robot, without any sign of outside intervention, suddenly blew up.
What the hell!?
Faster than his brain could begin to understand what happened, another explosion was heard not so far from the first one.
Like a chain reaction, several detonations followed up.
One by one.
Two by two.
Five by Five.
By the time the entirety of Ground Delta turned into a cacophony of thunderous howls, every examinee within the gates of said battleground had finally recovered their wits.
That didn't make them any less confused by the sudden turn of events.
Panic settled over the examinees’ minds. They all had their feet rotted on the ground, unable to decide whether to go ahead and get a better grasp of the situation or run away like a bunch of headless chickens.
"W-What the hell is going on!?"
"U.A. never said anything about this being part of the test!"
Instead of getting the answer they all just so hoped, the examinees jumped and gasped in a mix of surprise and fear when the largest explosion so far bellowed in the distance, their dread only grew when they saw part of the massive detonation occurring before their eyes.
The invisible bombardment continued for about a minute, even if it felt like an eternity for the applicants within Ground Delta. Eventually, though, the only signal that allowed them to determine the cease of fire was the silent rise of dozens, if not hundreds of smoke clouds meanwhile the distinctive acrid smell of detonations finally invaded the nostrils of everyone in the perimeter.
For a moment, the once deafening streets that made the exam site were silent as a grave. No one dared to move so much as a muscle in fear of someway, somehow, triggering another barrage of explosions.
Following a few moments of nothing occurring, the gathered applicants regained enough composure and, albeit hesitatingly so, made their way deeper into the faux city to get a clearer look.
As they took it all in, no one could prevent the knots that formed in their stomachs.
The scene before them was like the aftermath of a battlefield. Or one of a natural disaster that had just finished pouring its fury into its latest victim. Broken edifications as collateral damage, debris sprawling at every corner, and whichever Pointers weren’t utterly eradicated and its pieces spread through the site, were unresponsive, mangled, or with their remains still set aflame.
Neither Denki nor his fellow examinees could begin to make sense of what had just happened. One moment they all were ready to take U.A. by storm, just about to give it their all in hopes of making it into their dream school.
Now, their aspirations pretty much resembled the pieces of scrap that littered the streets.
Given the sight in front of him, Denki genuinely wondered if there was at least a Pointer left.
“Hmm nope, I’m pretty sure they all went KABLAMOO!”
Although he recognized it, the previously eerie silence made it loud enough for all of the applicants to flinch upon hearing the sudden voice.
The surprise only lasted for a moment. They all shifted from it, looking at the emerging woman with confusion and disbelief. How could she sound so carefree about this?
Denki wanted to question her. Ask her what she knew that he and the rest of the applicants didn’t.
Denki just wanted to say something. Anything.
But he couldn’t, his mouth simply refused to cooperate.
Enoshima, meanwhile, took the frozen teenagers in stride, walking around and basking in the sights with a smile on her face. It was almost the look of an artist admiring their painting.
It might’ve felt like hours, but it was just a matter of seconds before she came to a halt, right in front of him.
"Sorry buddy, it seems we ain't having that date. What a shame, really." Despite the words being said, that smile of hers remained just as pristine. "Oh well, there's always next year. I'm sure you will at least get a chance to use your quirk next time around."
With a pat on his shoulder, and without waiting for a response, Enoshima turned on her heels with a skip on her feet, leaving dozens of catatonic applicants behind.
Just a pair of minutes ago, they came with their heads held high, and their spirits brimming with expectation.
Sure, not all of them were fully confident in their chances of gaining a spot within Japan’s most privileged course, but they still held onto the hope that, so long as they were given a chance, they could beat the odds.
Now, the Hero aspirants from Ground Delta didn't even had that.
And Junko Enoshima loved the despair that hopelessness left behind.
While not as pronounced, the observation room occupied by U.A.'s staff found itself in a similar state of affairs.
They all witnessed the moment in which Ground Delta suddenly turned into a bombardment zone. Most prominently, they had a full view of the aftermath.
With wide eyes and mouths hanging open, there was a single question that could be asked at the moment.
"What...just happened?"
No one bothered figuring out who made that question. It could’ve been any of them as far as they were concerned. No, their priority at the moment was to find an answer to their concerns.
While there was some relief that no student got injured from the incident, the one reason the room hadn't turned into a frenzy, it didn't alleviate their confusion. By all means, no one knew what to say at the moment.
That was until Aizawa decided to speak up.
"It was that girl."
All heads turned to the underground hero; their interest was piqued by what he had said.
"That girl?" All Might inquired, his voice uncharacteristically quiet for a change. "Are you talking of the one with the phone?"
"Exactly. That phone in her hands, she wasn’t merely lazing around with it," Although far more composed than his peers, his voice couldn't entirely hide the hint of realization it carried. Even as he spoke, Aizawa still was in the process of putting together a picture that made a single drop of sweat travel down his forehead. "If my guess is right, she used it as a hacking device, forced her way through the Pointers' coding, and then commanded them to self-destruct all at the same time."
"W-Wait a moment, that's impossible!" Both surprisingly and not so much, it was Power Loader who first attempted to shut that theory down, "I'm not saying they are unhackable. Far from it. However, they all have a firewall installed. Its efficiency parallel to their rank and each at least different from one another by a degree, meant to prevent that exact scenario."
"You might want to flip back that helmet of yours, Maijima. It still happened, didn't we all see just moments ago?" Despite the tense atmosphere, there were small signs of amusement in Midnight's voice.
Power Loader didn't share the sentiment, "Look, all I'm suggesting is that we are talking of hundreds of Bots for which she would have been required to compromise individually. Not even the best expert in the world would done such a fast job while going unnoticed. Honestly, by time-efficiency alone, I almost dare say she would have it easier by breaching through...oh."
"Oh?" Picking the slip for what it was, Aizawa gave the construction hero a narrowed glance. "What exactly does that 'oh' mean?"
"Now, now, we gain nothing by bickering with one another," The characteristics voice of U.A.'s principal chimed in. When Aizawa relented with a huff, Nezu chuckled before turning to the excavator hero. "Ah, Power Loader, would you mind checking the Log Files for Ground Delta’s database? I have an inkling feeling about what might’ve occurred. "
The sentiment of suspicion rose once more within Aizawa’s gut. An inkling feeling? Yeah right.
You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?
Despite his concerns, the underground hero withheld any commentary as he watched Power Loader do as instructed.
A pair of key binds pressed later; the faceless hero let a grunt that could've been easily confused with a groan.
"I guess it truly was that, huh?" Power Loader sighed. "The latest entry data on Ground Delta’s network mentions that administrative permissions have been granted to a user going by the name of...xXRyokoOtonashiIsNotRealXx? Er, weird username aside, the marked hour coincides right with the fireworks show."
Before the underground hero had time to digest that information, including the strangeness of the username, his thoughts were put to a halt by a desk being slammed and someone abruptly rising from his seat.
"You mean that kid has the whole of U.A. compromised!?" Vlad King exclaimed; eyes wide in panic. "Why the hell are we so calm about this!?"
While refusing to react as outwardly as his fellow Homeroom Teacher, Aizawa couldn’t deny he had similar concerns in mind.
"Ah, it's nothing that grave," Power Loader calmy assured. It seemed that finally having what he found for a coherent answer to the incident put him back in his element. "Each battleground is equipped with its personal Operational System. As a basic security measure, those same Networks are entirely separated from U.A.'s core system. On top of that, I can assure you that the school's defenses for its Network are a whole different beast. The only place I can think capable of giving U.A. a run for its money is Tartarus."
That, Aizawa could accept. After all, it was Nezu himself who designed U.A.'s security protocols and the school's main defenses.
"Hmm, I don’t get it," Nemuri eyed Power Loader with a doubtful look. "You are making it sound as if what she pulled wasn't that impressive. Kinda hard to discredit her when she just kicked All Might’s record outta the window.” She looked to the man himself with a sheepish grin. “Er, nothing personal, big guy.”
“REST ASSURED, MISS MIDNIGHT, I TAKE NO OFFENSE!” All Might chuckled, and if he secretly held any resentment for the comment or its implications, he made an expert job at not showing it. “UNORTODOX AS IT MIGHT SEEM, THAT YOUNG LADY DIDN’T PULLED ANY FIGURATIVE PUNCHES, JUST LIKE IT WAS EXPECTED OF ANY OTHER ASPIRANT. THERE’S NOTHING TO CONDEMN IN THAT.”
"That said, I wasn’t dismissing her work," Maijima huffed. His sight darted back to the monitors, a glimmer of amazement shining through his eyes. "Even my third years would've taken their sweet time attempting a similar stunt. And even then, I doubt they could manage to go undetected like she did during the whole process. If I can be honest, I'm bummed out that she applied for Heroics instead of the Support Course. That much talent is a once-in-a-generation sort of deal."
"Oh, I certainly agree!" Nezu chirped. "That demonstration surpassed even my expectations."
"Is that so?" Aizawa caught a scent, and this time around he didn't hesitate to chase after it. "How strange, that almost sounded as if you already knew she was capable of such a feat."
"I suspected she would do something along the lines, yes," The principal shamelessly admitted, earning wide stares and some gasps. "But, like I already pointed out, I never expected her to, well, take our school's motto that seriously." He took a sip from his cup before putting the tray down with a satisfied sigh. "Ah well, we can't belittle her for that, can we?"
'Finally throwing the cryptic crap out of the window, huh?' The underground hero grimaced, his suspicions that the mammal was up to one of his schemes rising by the second.
Still, logic won over, and Eraserhead decided that it was better to rip the metaphorical band-aid off already.
Besides, there was something that had been gnawing at him for some time now.
"This girl...what is her Quirk?"
"I am glad you are asking!" Nezu said immediately, bringing a drawer behind his desk open. The sound of documents being rummaged could be heard soon after. "I'm sure these will explain things further."
Before Aizawa or anyone else could ask what he was talking about, the super-doted mammal jumped from his chair with a stack of folders held by his pawns.
One by one, every staff member was handed a folder. By the time it was Aizawa’s turn to receive one, he almost snatched it from the Principal's paws and brought it open.
It took him but a moment to realize what he was looking at.
A student profile.
More specifically, of one called Junko Enoshima.
Well, this ought to be interesting.
Whatever expectations he might’ve had, they were dwarfed as soon as he glimpsed the name for Enoshima’s quirk.
Rapidly, he looked up from the file, right in time for his sight to lock with Nezu’s. Beating him to it, the mammal did a barely noticeable shake of his head, the chirpiness was gone for a moment, and in exchange, his eyes blared with firm sharpness.
Despite the subtlety, the message was clear.
Not here, not now.
Aizawa didn’t even bother to question how he could make the correlation. It was Nezu, of course he knew what only the highest-ranked members of the police and some select few underground heroes should do.
His gaze darted back to the profile; some doubt wanted to gnaw at him. However, years of experience both as a teacher and a professional hero allowed him to steel himself. Until he could talk with Nezu about that, he would judge the file’s contents without any bias.
Name aside, Enoshima’s quirk explained most, if not everything he had seen so far.
Even the, irrelevant in his opinion, matter of her older appearance.
Exponential production of growth hormones to make up for the early and sudden overdevelopment of her brain matter. Sheesh, the girl must’ve it rough the first years of her life.
It was no wonder Nezu had her file alongside some copies at the ready. That detail notwithstanding, Enoshima’s quirk made it so she was as close to a kindred spirit as he likely would ever get with anyone.
Of course, even without considering the most concerning facets. No quirk was without its downsides, and reading through the side-effects of a quirk as useful as Enoshima’s, Aizawa had to suppress a groan.
That segment about multiple personas…Ugh, if the demonstration on Ground Delta wasn’t confirmation enough. It’s official. She’s going to be a problem child.
Aside from the section regarding her quirk, there wasn’t anything worth highlighting about her profile. And even if it was, Eraserhead was confident the principal would fill him in. So, the rest of the lecture was more of a formality to him.
It took a pair of minutes before he was done peering through the contents. He closed the folder, with the rest of the staff following soon after.
“Junko Enoshima, eh?” All Might mused, a smile slowly getting attached to his face. “It’s good to finally have a name attached to the face. Can’t deny the hype lived up to the secrecy so far, though.”
Aizawa couldn’t help the feeling there was a deeper meaning in the words of the Number One Hero. Unfortunately, it was hard to read too deep into it when the rest of the staff hummed approvingly at his words.
Well, Maijima was still complaining about Enoshima not aiming for a spot in the Support Class, but that in itself was a show of estimation for the girl.
"I know it was I who handed these files, and no doubt we all are excited for our potential student," Aizawa rolled his eyes. As if her spot wasn't already secured. "However, time for discussion on the subject will have to come later. The practical test is still ongoing, and it would be disrespectful for all other aspirants to not grant them the attention they deserve."
"HAH, I CAN CERTAINLY AGREE ON THAT!" All Might’s returned to its usual boom, his electric-blue eyes gaining a spark when they landed back on the monitors. "I ALREADY SEE SOME OTHER APPLES RIP FOR THE PICKING. WHY, ONE SIMPLY HAD TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON GROUND BETA FOR AN EXAMPLE!"
Motivated by the Number One Hero’s prompting, several gazes went on to follow his example. While nowhere as previously mind-blowing, their appreciative reactions were enough to reveal All Might wasn’t exaggerating his claim.
Although Aizawa meant to also look at what caught their interest, his sight inadvertently turned back to what no doubt was going to be a source of headaches for the incoming future. She was leaning against the bus that would bring her and the others back to the main school grounds once the test officially came to an end.
This time around, the underground hero couldn’t have it in him to judge her for fiddling with that phone of hers to wait out the free time she had to spare. Certainly not after what occurred the last time he did so.
Better make sure Maijima doesn’t sleep on the job again, though. Just in case.
Despite the newfound leniency, his mouth shifted in a fine line while seeing the looks of the other applicants in her vicinity.
Logically speaking, there was no reason to chastise her actions. She made sure to shut his mouth when rather than being the spoiled brat he thought her to be, Enoshima used all the tools and loopholes at her disposal to get the best possible outcome.
What she lacked in discipline, Aizawa could see she made up with brimming potential.
Precisely because of that, he truly hoped that his eventual talk with Nezu would defund the embers of doubt he had about her rather than nurturing them.
Weave.
Crouch down and follow up with a roundhouse kick straight to the head.
Move on to the next target.
Jump.
Drove it into the ground with an axe-kick.
Disengage, and move to the next one.
Dive below the massive metallic fists.
Counter with a straight right that went past the chassis.
Retrieve the arm and move on.
By now, Izuku could confidently say that the destruction of pointers had turned into an automatic process. Evade their seemingly slow attacks, pulverize them with a single move, and then rapidly be on the lookout for the newest robot to neutralize. Rinse and repeat.
It was dull and repetitive, to not call it boring, and given that he hadn’t the slightest interest in seeing how were the other applicants doing, he didn’t know whether it was good or bad that his mind was allowed enough reprieve to linger.
Some minutes ago, there was a massive series of explosions. Far too many and consecutive to belong to Bakugo, skilled as he might be.
That could only mean Junko’s plan worked.
Well, sort of. No doubt she had scored well enough for a spot in the Hero Course if things worked as intended, which with Junko was always a guarantee, but he couldn’t dismiss the possibility that U.A. would somehow consider what she did cheating. Sure, nowhere in the rules established for the practical exam said it was against the rules for her to do what she did. That being said, they could conclude that going as far as meddling with part of the school’s Network was a step too far. What then? Junko would get a kick out of failing, Izuku knew that. What about him, though? Would she ask him to stay here in U.A.? Without her? He couldn’t do that. Oh, he would give it a try if Junko asked for it, but without her around, it would be a matter of days before they cross him as a weirdo. At best. It was already hard enough to default into nonchalance around All Might in the brief pair of hours he had to spend with him for the past months. Without Junko around, there’s no way he wouldn’t react inappropriately if forced to mingle with a bunch of imbeciles that would contempt his existence, or worse, deal with hypocrites that would put up their disgusting smiles now that he had some dumb—
“Target located. Commence extermination!”
With nothing but raw instinct taking over his body, Izuku backpedaled, and a swell of pride hit him for the lack of power cursing through his body while pulling the stunt. It didn’t last. He mentally cursed at the sight of missiles striking the very same spot he stood moments ago.
That stupid rambling of his was at it one more time. How was it that he was still alive after all this time despite it, was a mystery that even Junko couldn’t decipher yet.
Or she simply refused to tell him. Could be either when it came to her.
Setting those thoughts aside, Izuku only had to scan his perimeter for a moment to see the responsible for the attack. A bulky figure with even bulkier shoulders. Each held multiple compartments from which smoke was rising. A pair of massive number three was painted red on their green forearms.
A three-pointer.
Before making his move, Izuku noticed from his peripherical vision a male figure trying, and failing miserably at sneaking in. Even with their flamboyant clothes, he didn’t pay much attention to him beyond the colorful belt the other teenager was aiming at the bot.
Sneaking for a kill steal. How heroic of him.
The annoyance he felt at the moment was motivator enough to activate All Might’s quirk without hesitating.
In the blink of an eye, Izuku felt a massive surge of power running through his body. Pinkish ley-line veins marked his limbs and face, with one large cross-like bulge shaped in between his eyes
Most prominently of all, though, were the bolts of deep red lighting jumping around him.
He was still a few percentages away from activating the quirk to its current limit…and yet, just like every time he made use of it, Izuku couldn’t prevent the revulsion he felt at the moment. Aversion rapidly morphed into loathing, each bit of energy nitpicking at his psyche. One constant reminder that this ‘gift’, no matter how much power it granted him, will never feel worth what he lost.
I wonder if, in a way, this feeling brings me one step closer to her…
Unlike before, Izuku only let his mind wander for a moment. Steeling his nerves, he jumped to the wall from the nearest edifice at the same time the bot’s fists buried in his previous spot. Right when Izuku was about to crash into it, he flipped his body, making it so it was the soles of his sneakers that touched the grey plating instead. Without letting the kinetic energy go to waste, he surged forward, zip-zapping towards the three-pointer. The sound of concrete cracking left him behind.
Angling himself to a side, he darted his right leg back and up to his back, held his shin, and by the time the bot finally realized he had moved and turned to him, Izuku greeted its face with a guillotine kick that launched its whole head into the ground. Its pieces jumped everywhere before it could properly bury itself.
Three more points to the bag in less than four seconds.
“Monsieur, that was rather the sparkling move,” Izuku looked up from his handiwork, catching sight of the flamboyant blonde jumping out of the debris he was hiding. “Quel dommage, I was ready to offer my assistance. I’m sure we could’ve made a shining team, wouldn't you agree?”
The only sign Izuku gave he heard that, was to click his tongue hard enough to make the teenager flinch.
Keeping that man's quirk active, he chose to let the pompous guy be and keep on with his hunt.
If he had his time well-tracked, there still were about four minutes left before the end of the test. By now his score had beaten the sixty mark. He guessed that what he had scored using about a tenth of All Might’s power should’ve been enough to get his spot guaranteed, but he had no means to confirm that. So, there was no harm in keeping his pace. Well, certainly not to him.
The higher I score, the less points available for the rest. I don’t care much about that per se, but that’s the sort of thought process that would satisfy you the most, right, Junko?
His mind set, and after rounding a corner, finding it filled with nothing but broken robotic limbs, Izuku decided that searching from the low ground would only waste him precious seconds. He jumped to the nearest street lamp, landing atop it. Leaping from the pole, Izuku reached a three-story building. Repeating the process an extra pair of times, he found himself on the largest building within the vicinity.
It didn’t took him long to find a pack of Villain Bots in the distance, apparently unscathed given how much time had already passed. From the looks of it, they were mostly two-pointers with the occasional three-pointer scattered within. Despite the small number of the latter, it appeared to be a sufficient force to scatter away most applicants from trying their luck.
Not him, though.
Pouring some extra bits of One for All in his body, Izuku bolted forward, jumping when he neared the border and reaching the roof ahead without complication. Parkouring through the mock city and toward his target was an easy task in itself.
However, it didn’t mean that doing so came without its struggle.
His brain throbbed inside his head, feeling as if someone was pounding at the door that led inside his mind. They didn't stop at just that. Muffled whispers accompanied the intrusive sensation. Too blurred to make any sense of them, but loud and harsh enough to make them impossible to ignore.
Izuku knew it wasn't a side effect of utilizing One For All past his current limit. That always made its consequences known through physical means, not mental ones. Certainly not like this.
Those headaches weren't there when One for All first manifested, nor when some days later Junko helped him master the capacity of drawing small percentages of the quirk's seemingly endless power.
It was only a month later, when the neon-green sparks signaling the activation of the quirk changed to their current crimson tone overnight, that One For All began its strange behavior.
He tried asking All Might about it, but all he told Izuku was that even the initial sparks were already uncharted territory. So, at best, he guessed it was a particularity of being the new holder.
Not like he expected more from the man whose first and most insightful advice about One for All was 'Clench your butt cheeks and yell Smash!'.
He also asked Junko. And although his friend tried to feign as much ignorance as All Might on the matter, she had a bad time hiding the knowing smile indicating that, yes, she at least had a knack for what was going on.
By itself, that didn’t answer much, to not say anything. In a way, though, that assured him that at least it didn’t involve life-threatening consequences. Not in the long run at least.
He was certain that sort of anti-climatic ending would be too boring for Junko to not do anything about it.
Izuku came out of his reverie, right on time to land on the street with a resounding thud, his arrival welcomed with the sound of machines swirling in his direction.
By the time the first Two-Pointer had Izuku in its line of sight, a One For All powered punch greeted it straight in the face. Its front was pulverized, while the force of the attack sent the rest of the body colliding with the nearest pair of bots.
That first blood marked the official start of the confrontation.
Whether it was concrete destroying punches. Flesh-piercing metallic tails lashing at him. Or explosives. No matter what was thrown at him, at no point Izuku felt the slightest bit of panic. Another dance with the death was all that came to Izuku’s mind as he evaded and retaliated.
For some time now, the hovering shadow of the reaper, waiting patiently to claim his soul had turned into a familiarity to him. A faithful companion that followed him with every step. The closest thing Izuku had to a second friend.
Izuku briefly wondered why something about that thinking process felt so...strange.
The doubt didn’t come close to reaching his heart, though. It hadn’t since Junko’s training.
The real one.
By the time the sound of regular footsteps came into the scene, revealing a multitude of applicants drawn by the noise, all that was left for them was the sight of demolished Bots surrounding an unscathed green-haired teenager.
Frustrated and with the clock ticking closer, they didn't hesitate to voice out their disappointment.
"Aw, man, are ya serious? Couldn’t have hurt ya to leave a few of them for the rest of us."
"This guy again? I swear I've seen him racking up his score like a madman since the very start of the test."
"For real, must be great to have lucked it out with such an awesome quirk."
Izuku could feel something inside ready to snap in two.
Of course those simpletons would see some flashy shit, and choose between applauding like seals or throwing an envy-fueled temper tantrum like a bunch of four-year-olds.
Lucky? An awesome quirk? Don't make him laugh.
He will never feel any gratitude for the hypocrite who had placed this mark of shame upon him.
A tremor in the ground snapped Izuku out of his negative funk. Back to his senses, he ignored the cries of confusion and surprise around him, sharpening his gaze in search of the source of the commotion.
He ended up hearing it before he saw it.
Loud and massive steps reverberated within the faux city. Each one carried enough force behind it to make their surroundings tremble. Falling debris could be heard in the distance, the responsible clearly unimpeded with whatever stood in their way.
Finally coming into view, Izuku saw the largest piece of engineering he had witnessed so far.
Their design resembled that of a One-Pointer, only bulkier, with multiple more optics, and, of course, with enough size difference to tower over every edifice. It sent debris flying everywhere his imposing figure crashed on.
Huh, so that’s what a Zero Pointer looks like.
"W-What the hell is that!?"
"Isn't that the piece of scrap that valued no points? Screw it, I ain't risking my skin for nothing!"
"Yeah, we don't gain anything by fighting it, let's just get away from it!"
With fear firmly set into their hearts, anyone who caught sight of the mechanical monstrosity ran with their tails tugged between their legs. Terrified cries echoed as their panic-induced minds prompted them to push each other away in a desperate attempt to be the first to save their own lives.
Standing still in the middle of the chaos, Izuku absorbed the sight with a grimace.
One more time, she proves to be right. For all their big talks about goodness and heroism, all it takes is the right amount of despair for people to show their true colors.
A strange concoction grew inside him. Satisfaction and nausea mixed in a viscous muddle of confusion that made his head throb similarly to whenever he made use of One For All.
Izuku scoffed, turning around to get away from the Zero-Pointer. All things being said, complaining about these people was beating a horse that he long knew to be dead. In the end, wasn't that same despair that would allow him to become Junko's hero?
That's right. There's no point in getting all bothered about this. After all, I would never—
"Uuh..."
Stopping dead in his tracks, Izuku felt a shiver running down his spine. His whole body began shaking while his fists clenched with enough force to turn his knuckles white.
Don't even think about it. Don't you dare to—
"Somebody...please..."
With only so much as a gasp escaping his mouth, Izuku lost control of his own body and turned to look back at the massive robot's direction.
He immediately came to regret it.
Just a few feet ahead of the bulky machine, an obstruction of fallen concrete could be seen.
That wasn’t what had Izuku on a standstill, though.
Right beneath the debris, a brown-haired teenager with permanent blush marks on her cheeks was trapped. With less than half of her upper body, she was trying to wiggle out of it.
By now all examinees had enough time to flee the scene, leaving only the two of them in the vicinity.
No, do not even consider the thought.
They might have overseers to observe the examinees, but surely, they wouldn't have any reasons to suspect him should he pretend to not have seen her yet. He was far enough from her to make it believable.
All he had to do was to stop standing still any longer.
You already made your choice months ago. You already decided that it was her above anyone else.
Frustrated noises escape his closed mouth. He was biting his lower lip with enough force to draw blood.
If you go with this, Junko will know. No matter how you try to hide it or pretend otherwise. She will. Worse still, there will be consequences.
No matter how much he tried, demanded his body to move, all he got for it was for his whole body to vibrate with enough force, that it almost seemed he was convulsing. His sight never left the brunette for a moment.
Whether now or a year from now on, that girl is doomed. Just what the hell is the point of worrying about this?
The Zero-Pointer was looming closer. Just a pair of steps more and that girl would be turned into paste. On insight, one could've easily deduced that U.A. wouldn't compromise a student's life on such stakes. At least not in the very entrance that was yet to determine Hero aspirants from regular ones.
He wasn’t able-minded enough to realize that.
To make things more complicated, there's no way whoever was monitoring this didn't know his awareness of the trapped girl by now.
I don't even give a shit about her! So why...WHY!?
Inevitably, his hesitation came with a price.
Finally noticing his presence, a shine of hope glinted in the girl's eyes. With her only free arm weakly stretched in his direction, she used her last bits of strength to have her lips move in a single sentence.
Whether it was the loud turmoil of his mind or the deafening noises coming from the approaching titan, Izuku was unable to hear what she said.
And yet, that didn’t impede him from understanding her.
Help me.
That broke him out of this stupor.
Cursing the girl in front of him, and with a despair-induced scream, Izuku Midoriya made his choice.
"Upupupu, you shoulda seen his face, Zuzu!" Walking right beside her, Izuku listened intently as Junko continued with her narration of events. "He was all like 'Wha...w-what just happened?' and it was so fucking funny. With him and all those other losers gobsmacking around, it was like watching a whole lot of Goldfishes outta the water. Hilarious!"
"I'm glad you had fun, Junko." The freckled boy smiled at his friend. Alleviated that things seemed to have turned out well for her.
Besides, he genuinely enjoyed the part about that Denki guy getting what he deserved.
Serves him right for trying to make a move on Junko.
Following the end of U.A.'s practical exam and after being debriefed on the coming procedures for those who were to pass by some staff, and the upcoming rejection letter for those who didn’t, the both of them reconvened right outside the school’s gates.
At the moment, they were walking down the streets. Despite the hecticness of their lives for the past ten months, today's remaining schedule was pretty much empty, so their current destination was their way back home.
A fond smile tugged at Izuku’s lips.
Walking side by side and towards their shared living space. If one were to squint their eyes, they almost looked like a pair of—
"Anyhow, enough about me," Junko gave Izuku an inquisitive smirk. "Hey, hey, any juicy despair you might want to share with me?"
"Uh," Izuku considered her question for a moment. Then he perked up. "Well, almost every time I dealt with a horde of Pointers, other examinees complained about not leaving anything for them...does that count?"
"Hmm, depends. Did they look miserable while they did so?"
"I'm pretty sure that at least one guy was also sobbing about having no points at all."
"Then it absolutely does!" Junko cheered, wrapping him in a tight hug without a warning. His cheeks flushed red. "Oh, it makes me so glad to hear that, Zuzu. I bet that at least one or two schmucks with real potential lost their hopes of attending the Hero Course. All thanks to your actions today. Aren't you so proud of that?"
Izuku ignored the strange and unrecognizable feeling he sensed for a moment, favoring instead to swell at the praise he was receiving.
He didn't care how his performance affected the other applicants; truth be told. That being said, if that managed to satisfy his friend somehow, then he would’ve made a repeat of it without complaint.
All in all, despite some bumps here and there, today turned out well and good in the end.
"Sheesh, I almost forgot," Junko began, skipping a few steps ahead before standing right in front of him. "You have to hear this!"
"Hm? Something else happened, Junko?" Stopping in his tracks, he tilted his head in curiosity.
"Yeah! It was, like, so hard to believe but, y'see," Izuku felt a cold grip at seeing the knowing look she sent his way. "My little pretty ears caught some litters gossiping about this cool and handsome guy that beat the shit outta one of those massive junk toys, using nothing but his fists. Ain't that so crazy? I mean, I know it's a far stretch to ask, but...you wouldn’t happen to know who they might be talking about, do you, Zuzu?"
For just a fraction of a second, Izuku considered denying the implied accusation.
He quickly dismissed the notion and chided himself for even considering it. There's no way such a blatant lie would go past her.
But if I tell the whole truth…
"Um, yeah, it was me," Junko blinked. Other than that, she gave no clue on what were her thoughts on his admission. That only worried him more. "I just thought that, since U.A.'s staff were monitoring the exam, something like fighting it without any explicit reasoning behind it, would give them enough leverage to lay down any early suspicions they might have about me."
Junko studied his face with a blank look. The iris of her eyes slowly darted up and down, a sign that her analyzing talent was working with intent rather than the passiveness it usually consumed everything around her.
It took everything out of him to not give any outward reaction. Nor to let even the tiniest bead of sweat drop through his forehead. He knew even that much would’ve been enough for her to pick up on something.
He couldn’t keep the facade forever, though. Her piercing blue stare eventually became too much for him. Anxiety building in, he was about to open his mouth to try and make his case more convincing.
Only for his friend to raise her voice first.
"Yeah, that makes total sense. Just give them one bit of that nonsense and they eat that shit hook, line, and sinker." Junko said, her face morphed back to her usual chirpy self, and Izuku was nothing short of glad to hear there was no hint of sarcasm in her voice. "First impressions are important, and with that smelly rat around, a compromise or two is sort of inevitable. I mean, even I had to make a few today."
Izuku nodded, meanwhile suppressing the urge to sigh in relief.
That was close. For a moment, I thought she would’ve figured that I—
"By the way, how many?"
It came so suddenly, that he was unable to repress the gasp that escaped his mouth nor the abrupt flinch on his body.
The question was rather simple. Yet, right then and there, he knew that he had no hope of pulling himself out of this one.
That damn stubbornness of his refused to keep his mouth shut, though.
“How many…what?”
Izuku immediately figured that was a mistake.
She tilted her head to the side, a smug smirk growing on her lips that practically screamed a single question.
Really, are you going to play dumb with me like that?
And that was it. She stomped whatever insignificant ember of rebellion threatened to surge within him.
“…One.”
Junko stared at him for what amounted to a pair of seconds. Her lips thinned into a fine line. Then, slowly, hung her head low. Sufficiently for her bangs of strawberry-blonde hair to hide the upper half of her face.
She took a step forward.
Izuku took two steps back.
That was another mistake.
Like a predator watching its prey escape, Junko lunged forward. Faster than he could, or would dare react, she was in front of him with both hands holding his face. It was far from a rough grip. There was a fondness in it, with her thumbs going as far as tenderly caressing his cheeks.
Perhaps, from an outsider’s perspective, the gesture might’ve come as friendly. Just maybe, even romantic.
It couldn’t be further from the truth.
No, that was wrong. In reality, it actually was among those lines.
And that, by itself, was what made it so terrifying.
His fears were confirmed when she finally looked up.
At the same time, her flushed cheeks, the dilated pupils that stared down at him, and the wide grin on her face. It was the most mesmerizing sight he could’ve gazed upon.
“Hey, Zuzu, have you ever heard about the law of equivalent exchange?”
His heart pounded. So many feelings wanted to burst from his chest at that moment.
He wanted to scream in joy.
He wanted to cry in anguish.
He wanted to pry her claws off his face, to run and never come back.
He wanted to embrace her and make her swear she would never abandon him.
So many things, and yet, he couldn’t let a single word out.
That was fine, as she didn’t wait for a verbal response. Whatever it was that she saw on his face was answer enough.
Suddenly, she let go of him with a swirl and resumed her strode until, suddenly once again, came to a halt. Holding her hands behind her, Junko turned back to him. Her figure blocked the sunset on the horizon, obscuring her to the point only that piercing blue visage of hers stood out.
“C’mon, Zuzu. Let’s go and celebrate the dawn of our heroic academia~."
And just like that, the two derailed from their way home.
Izuku didn’t ask where or why. There was no reason to.
Wherever it was that he was about to go and do there, the answer was the same. It always was.
Despair.
That was fine too. He would gladly follow her anyway.
Whether it was there, or to the very end of the world.
Notes:
Nope, you didn't imagine the past 14k words.
I finally forced my procrastinating butt into finishing this new chapter. Of course, what better way to celebrate than by having Junko also finally putting one foot inside U.A.
And oh boy, she really couldn't last one moment without being the center of attention, huh? Sheesh, not even a single day as an official student and she's already planting her trademark seeds of discord. While for Izuku...well, poor kid. Sure as hell he's having it rough.
Ah, but if anyone thought that was terrible enough, don't worry. It will only get worse down the line.
Anyhow, there isn't much else to add. Just like always, I will do my best to deliver updates as soon as I'm able, although I wouldn't deposit my hopes on that if I were you guys.
Or do so and despair. Sure as hell a certain someone would recommend that.
Chapter 17: Junko Enoshima, The Sixteenth Student, Watch Out For Her.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Junko Enoshima, The Sixteenth Student, Watch Out For Her.
"Sooo," Present Mic drawled, looking around the room with expectant eyes. "Where do we start?"
At the moment, most of U.A.'s staff sat together around a large oval table within one of the school’s many gathering rooms. Their current intent was to discuss the results from the entrance exam that transpired only a few days ago.
Several heads gazed at each other with pondering looks on their faces. Given their reputation as Japan’s top school, they were used to finding all sorts of shenanigans during their tests.
And yet, this year somehow managed to throw them a few curveballs.
"If I may," It was All Might of all people who broke the deafening silence. He stood up from his seat, easily gaining the interest of everyone in the room. "I would like to begin this meeting by addressing a critical detail regarding my future as U.A.'s newest educator."
Some members couldn't help raising a brow in curiosity at that. They all had long been informed of the shocking news about All Might of all people attending U.A. as the first-year teacher for the class of Heroics.
No one had any outright objections. Even the most begrudging of teachers, like Aizawa, couldn't deny that despite the hero's inexperience as an educator, students would have much to learn from one of, if not the greatest hero in the world by his work field experience alone.
Back to the point, to hear that the man had even something far more important to share had everyone gripping their seats.
Taking the silent prompt to continue for what it was, the number one hero decided to waste no time ripping off the band-aid.
When a sudden blast of smoke surrounded All Might, several people jumped from their seats, while others cried up in alarm. Before anyone could take any further action, though, the fog rapidly cleared on its own.
Where once stood a seven foot, two inches tall bulk of muscles, now laid what no one could point as anything else other than a whole different person. His height was just around the same, however, that’s where the similarities ended. Their hunched posture gave the impression of being smaller. Their sunken eyes, thin frame, and frigged hair made the man before them have the look of being on the verge of dying, almost giving the semblance for that of a skeleton. All in all, a stark contrast with the heroic figure that stood there just moments ago.
The reactions that followed were right about what Toshinori expected them to be.
Those who were still in their seats joined their already-standing peers with flabbergasted expressions. Wide eyes, gasps of surprise, and bodies tensed up in a mix of alarm and wariness filled the room.
First and foremost, though, they all were professional Heroes, so while the sight before them caused a ramble on their nerves, it didn’t took much for them to regain their composure.
At least to a cautious degree.
"A-All Might," Hastily clearing her throat, Midnight continued. "Is that you...?"
"That I am." The man said with a curt nod.
Although the confirmation came from a voice that certainly resembled that of the Number One Hero, there was an uncanny disparity that failed to entirely convince everyone in the room.
Be it the discrepancy in appearance or the lack of boisterous energy he usually carried himself with, whatever the case was, they weren’t fully convinced this wasn’t some sort of ploy.
And so, all heads turned to the single individual who managed to remain entirely calm throughout the whole ordeal.
Principal Nezu let out a content sigh as he put his cup of tea back on the table. Shifting his sight from it and towards the expectant gazes that peered at him, he allowed for an amused laugh to escape his mouth.
"There’s nothing to worry about," The mammal reassured. "I can confirm that this man is, indeed, All Might."
The confirmation earned a few sighs of relief. However, even if that lifted some of the tension from the room, it only made the elephant in the room twice as noticeable.
Whether still reeling from the revelation of All Might’s…true appearance? Or because of the thousand and more questions running through their minds, there was a moment of uncomfortable silence in which no staff member knew how to proceed.
They knew the stillness couldn't last, so eventually, one dared put a halt to it.
"So, All Might, if ya don't mind me asking...WHAT HELL IS GOING ON!?" Present Mic cried out, his arms wildly gesturing at his skeletal form.
“I suppose that is the question of moment, isn’t it?” All Might chuckled with a rueful smile. “Do not worry, I will explain everything you guys need to know.”
And explaining he did.
He began by showing his injury, a sight that earned winces and horrified looks from the staff. When he went into detail about the crippling effects it had on his respiratory system and the non-existence of his stomach, a few faces turned green.
The hardest pill to swallow came when the number one hero talked about his limitations.
For the past six years, the amount of time he was capable of using his quirk has been reducing with each day that passed. To this day, All Might was only capable of keeping his ‘Muscle Form’ for about two hours on per day. And only if he didn’t overexert his body. If he were to, those numbers would be far lower, on top of suffering permanent reductions to his daily reserves.
Granted, even now, there were few, if any, things in the world that could make All Might drop a sweat.
The knowledge wasn’t reassuring for anyone.
How could, when they all have just been told that the era of Japan’s greatest hero was nearing its end?
“This…this is big,” Power Loader gulped.
“It is,” Vlad King grimly nodded. “If word got out about this…”
“It will not,” Nezu said with an uncharacteristic sternness in his voice. “As fellow heroes, I trust that each and every person in this room realizes that revealing this information to the public would bring catastrophic repercussions to society as a whole. Isn’t that correct?”
As one, all of U.A.’s staff nodded in understanding.
“As for myself, I must apologize,” All Might bowed, much to the staff’s astonishment. “I’m certain that this is not what any of you expected when news got out that I was to join into U.A.’s ranks. However, believe me when I say that, despite my limitations, I will give it my all to ensure our students walk these halls as shining beacons of hope!”
“Ah, don’tcha worry, big guy,” Present Mic assured. “Time limit or not, I’m sure this ol’ bear has a few tricks to teach these punks!”
While not the words they would use, the entirety of the staff made their sounds of agreement clear.
Well, Aizawa just grunted, but that was as close to it as he could get.
“I’m glad we all reached an understanding!” His chirpiness returning as if never leaving in the first place, Nezu shone a grin that revealed the sharpness of his teeth. “Now then, with that part of the agenda dealt with, what should we address next?”
“If we are going by order of impact,” Ectoplasm, a mask-wearing man in a trench coat, chimed in. “What about the incident in Ground Delta?”
Some people made faces at the mention of it.
“Righto, I was wonderin’ ‘bout that,” Snipe, a second masked figure with the stark difference of his whole style being that of a cowboy, raised a hand. “Do we have plans for all those kiddos who didn’t get a chance to start the exam?”
“What is there to do about that?” Eraserhead quirked an eyebrow. “The test was meant for the applicants to show what they were capable of. By all intents and purposes, examinee Enoshima did as she was expected to.”
“Heh, look at you, Shouta,” Present Mic spoke with a teasing grin. “At first you couldn’t stand the chick, now we have you standing up for her. Is it because she pulled that off without some flashy quirk?”
The Erasure Hero rolled his eyes.
“I am merely stating what should be obvious for everyone in the room,” Eraserhead drawled, his voice that of a man perpetually tired. “It is unfortunate that so many applicants lost their chance at the practical? Yes, but it is simply irrational to discredit her merits.”
“I agree with Aizawa,” All Might said, much to all teacher’s surprise. Eraserhead’s most of all, even if he didn’t make it known on the outside. “Young Enoshima gave her plus ultra, and disappointing as missing what those rascals were capable of might be, meddling with the procedure would not be that different from doing so back when I pulled my own record, where no doubt I also prevented several aspirants from a potential seat. It would be…hypocritical on my part to believe otherwise.”
‘Huh, maybe him becoming a teacher wasn’t a sudden whim of his like I expected…’ Aizawa thought, looking at All Might with a measuring gaze.
It might be too early to make a judge of character, but at least he was willing to give the Number One Hero a chance and see how things play out.
“Well, if those two are in agreement, I can’t see why we shouldn’t leave it at that,” Midnight shrugged. When one objected, she allowed for a saccharine grin to grow on her lips. “Alas, those poor youngsters, perhaps I―”
“Anyway, I’m guessing the next order of business would be the assignment of classrooms,” Power Loader interrupted pretty much on purpose, much to the R-Rated Hero’s chagrin. “Like every year, Eraserhead and Vlad King will begin with the hero course, and we will move from there on. With the incident on Ground Delta already marked as solved, I take it that the preliminary list for approved examinees will remain the same, yes?”
Eraserhead and Vlad King shared a look.
“What is it?” Ectoplasm asked. The same way the rest of the staff did, he noticed the silent exchange between the duo of homeroom teachers. “Is there something wrong with the list?”
“Actually, yes, there is,” Eraserhead grunted, and it was hard to miss the way he spoke with a spark energy that the underground hero usually missed. “There are a lot of kids that don’t belong there.”
It there was one thing well-known about the Erasure Hero, it was the rigorous qualifications he searched on aspirants to deem worthy. By now, it was a ritual ceremony of sorts to hear him make the same complaint year after year, and for the rest of the staff to spend a pair of hours convincing him to reconsider his posture.
So, to hear him refute the newest batch of first-years wasn’t much of a surprise.
It was, however, when Vlad King nodded in agreement.
“Usually, I would argue that Aizawa is taking things over the top once again,” Vlad King grunted. Eraserhead held back a retort about the irony of the rivalry-obsessed professor saying that. “However, after reviewing the examinee’s footage on multiple occasions, we both reached the same conclusion. To put it plainly, this year sucked. Badly.” Despite the crude language, no one said anything, both being used to it from their blood hero and because it was clear he still had more to say. “Even with the rescue points, there were lots of underperformers, and the only reason most of them made it into the list, was because the rest were far worse and we had to fill the usual quota of eighteen members per class, leaving two spots to each class available for the recommended students. This isn’t to say we are facing a fully lost cause, but by my estimations, at least eight of them simply don’t have what it takes to make it in, and would drop halfway through the year even if we admitted them.”
“Personally, I would raise that number for at least up to twelve, but I’m not going to discuss that,” Aizawa conceded before his far more passionate co-worker turned even something like this into a competition of sorts. “The point stands, though. We both agree that there are far too many unworthy aspirants into consideration to simply ignore.”
There was a tense silence following the grim news.
It has been a long while since a batch was so badly received. From both Eraserhead and Vlad King at that.
“So, what do you suggest, Eraserhead?” Ectoplasm asked, his sight now on the numerous files each professor held copies of, eyeing the document holding the list of potential admittances with renewed interest. “That we reduce the number of students we admit this year for the hero course?”
“I do,” Eraserhead ignored the familiar groans. Yes, that wasn’t his first time suggesting it. “It isn’t logical? Twenty students for each class have always been a massive number when we are supposed to train the next best generation of heroes. Pour into the combination of teenagers and its hormones, alongside their quirks into the mix, and we always get a recipe for chaos that could be better controlled if there were fewer variables. Especially now so, if those variables are the sort for which would require extra attention only so they could keep up with the rest.”
“You sure you aren’t pulling out numbers to finally get away with this initiative of yours, Shouta?” Eraserhead shot Midnight a stern glare for an answer. “Sheesh, I get, I get it. How many do you propose?”
“Ten students per class. Recommended students included.”
“Hey! You are using this as an excuse to get more sleep time, aren’t you?!”
“Hmph, fine. Then―”
“How about sixteen?” All eyes turned to the school’s principal. “Fourteen from the regular exams, and two recommended students. It is a decent enough reduction for a first-time trial, and it would prevent the HPSC from stepping too hard on our toes, or pawns, for the sudden and unannounced change.”
Aizawa grumbled. Not because of Nezu’s proposal, even if he still would’ve preferred a lower number, but rather at the reminder of the Safety Commission.
It was easy to forget the influence they could hold on U.A. when someone like Nezu was there to prevent the brunt of it.
“Yeah, I suppose that’s acceptable,” Aizawa hummed. Again, it wasn’t the number he would’ve desired, but at least, finally, some concessions were made. “Alright then, how much time Vlad and I have to send you the official assignments?”
“Oh, about that,” Nezu began, with a tone that chilled Aizawa’s spine. “Since this is a concept in the testing, I believe I am the most qualified to decide which students each of you will have!”
The Erasure Hero groaned.
I’m going to get all the problem children, aren’t I?
Hours later, the adjourned meeting came to an end. With their presence required somewhere else, be it for administrative affairs or otherwise, one by one members of the school left the meeting room.
At least, until only Aizawa and Nezu remained.
“Oh my, is something the matter?” The mammal tilted his head, his frontal pawns held together above his desk. “I thought you would be back to your sleeping bag by now.”
“It is a tempting idea,” The underground hero admitted. “Unfortunately, there are some important matters we need to discuss.”
“Do we?”
“Mhm.”
“I see. Then, how can I help you, Aizawa?”
“There were a few things I’ve wanted to talk about ever since the entrance exam,” Aizawa sighed, passing a hand through his forehead and hair before continuing. “All Might’s reveal, however, brought some matters at hand that I would like some clarification of.”
A pause.
“I can’t guarantee that I will answer all your questions.”
“But you will for some of them?”
“Depends on what you ask.”
Not what he wanted, but just about what he expected.
“I will take it, I suppose,” Aizawa nodded in acceptance. Perhaps resignation, depending on whom you asked. “Firstly, who is the villain that gave All Might that injury?”
“He never mentioned any villain, did he?”
“Please don’t take me for a fool, sir.”
“Of course, you aren’t,” Nezu said with a smile full of mirth, and much to Aizawa’s chagrin, he couldn’t tell whether he was being mocked or not. “However, I’m afraid I can’t answer your question.”
“I see,” The underground hero’s lips thinned into a fine line, but didn’t press for an answer. He had been warned beforehand and knew that insisting on it would lead nowhere. “Is he or she dead, right? Or at least imprisoned?”
“All Might defeated them, yes.”
“That’s not what I asked,” This time, Aizawa’s eyes narrowed. Why would the principal omit even something like―a thought came to mind. “You don’t know of their fate, do you?”
Nezu sighed.
“No, I do not,” The mammal admitted with some bitterness. As if the mere concept of not knowing about something gnawed deeply at him. “I’m certain they aren’t rotting in Tartarus, deep in a cell under sea level, and I was honest when I told you they were defeated by All Might. I can also assure it was one of the few occasions he made intended use of lethal force. The villain’s body, however, was never found.”
‘Of course it wasn’t…’ The underground hero thought grimly.
“If I may,” The principal’s voice brought his attention to him. “Do you mind answering a question of my own?”
Aizawa considered the question for a moment. Then, he nodded.
“You can, sir.”
“Thank you. In that case, is there a particular reason you are asking about this villain?” Nezu asked. “Don’t get me wrong, its existence is a valid concern. Still, even if it is something that All Might brought in recently, I can’t help but notice there is a certain urgency in the way you are prodding about it.”
Eraserhead pursed his lips, considering how to answer that question, or even taking notes from the principal and outright denying him any useful response.
“Is it because of Ultimate Despair?”
For a moment, Aizawa’s eyes widened.
Just as fast as they regained their usual size, he let a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Do I want to know how you got hold of that information?” Aizawa asked, fully aware that someone like Nezu would know much more than a simple moniker. Hell, perhaps even more than what he was allowed to from those atop the investigation.
“No, you do not.” The principal said with a cheeky grin, almost resembling a child who refused to tell their parents how they got hold of the cookie jar they had hidden.
Moments like these made the underground hero wonder if the mammal was the principal of U.A. simply because he found it far more entertaining than world domination.
Well, if he’s going to rip all pretense off, I might as well stop beating around the bush.
“Back to your question, sir? You are right, it is because of that person,” Immediately, the chirpiness dropped off the mammal’s face. “I was one of the few underground heroes the police contacted for their investigation in the case. As I’m sure you know, the investigation ended as a cold case when all trails of this ‘Ultimate Despair’ disappeared some months ago.” The underground hero paused, a series of emotions flashing through his eyes before continuing. “After the things I got to see, I…well, even after I was dismissed, I decided I had to do some independent work of my own.”
“Oh right, I remember there were certain days that you looked scruffier than usual,” Nezu mused aloud. “I take it that didn’t bore well.”
“It didn’t,” Aizawa admitted with some irritation, more out of the lack of results than something non-consequential as pride. “It was as if they and everything related to them was swallowed by the earth. Looking for fresh tracks was leading nowhere, so I decided to take another angle and see if further into the past could bring a clue that the villain might’ve forgotten about.”
“Forgot? Heh, I have a feeling they might not be able to even if they tried.”
Aizawa’s sight hardened, and his hands under the table bailed into fists.
“I couldn’t say I fared much better that way,” The gruff-looking hero continued as if the emotions threatening to snap inside him weren’t there. “It is no secret that Japan before All Might was a lawless state in all but name, where villains roamed as they pleased. Plenty of awful individuals were raised at the time, and I figured that there was no harm in having a look at it. Newspapers. The internet. Anything that spoke of any outstanding individuals. Specially so, if a brainwashing quirk was involved. The best I got were tales of a mastermind controlling Japan from the shadows. Rumors at best. And these bogeyman stories were the sort of which would’ve prompted me to dismiss. I certainly did for a time. At least, until just so recently, I noticed something.”
“I’m assuming it was All Might’s injury?”
“That…and the way you reacted to Enoshima’s presence thorough the whole practical exam.” Aizawa leveled a glare at the quirked mammal, one filled with concern and sternness in equal measure. “It wasn’t that of a principal assessing the potential of a future student, but rather one of someone measuring the danger of their future foe. One worth of caution. Sir…no, Nezu. I need to know, is there a correlation?”
A moment of tense silence passed between professor and principal.
“It is hard to say,” Nezu hummed after a while. “As you can tell, Enoshima is far too young to be some retired villain coming back from those dark times and, as we all saw, her quirk is not brainwashing people.”
“Still, there has to be something, right?” It had to be. The principal wouldn’t make his alert to their future first-year that obvious otherwise.
“There are three things, actually.”
“Three?” The Erasure Hero perked up. “Those are?”
“Before we get into any details. You do understand I’m only confiding you this because you already have one foot into the swamp and out of anyone within the school’s staff, you are the least likely to let your lips loose, don’t you?”
“I do, sir,” Aizawa agreed with ease. “I was long enough on the case to understand this unidentified villain is someone you can’t defeat by pilling numbers into it.”
“Good to see we are in accordance then,” Nezu nodded. “Well then, most notorious of all, there is the name of her quirk.”
“The name,” Aizawa repeated, some of his, for lack of a better term, enthusiasm dimming. “I admit that reading it for the first time gave me pause as well, but doesn’t it seem like we are grasping at straws just because it has that in her quirk’s name? Objectively speaking, it isn’t that different from an adjective like ‘Super’. Loads of people have their quirks registered with it because as kids they thought it would make their powers sound cooler.”
“You would be correct. It is ridiculous to raise suspicion on a person for some meager coincidence,” Nezu smiled, but his eyes carried a dangerous edge that made Aizawa tense up. “It is not, however, when we talk of two or more coincidences. Speaking of which, do you remember which examinee stood out the most on Ground Beta?”
Aizawa considered the question for a second.
“Izuku Midoriya?” He guessed. As far as the underground hero could remember, his opinion of the boy was particularly favorable. Contrasting Enoshima, the kid seemed to be fully focused even before the exam began. From there, his impression grew more favorable when he saw the aspirant in action. Going for a well-executed search and locate strategy by taking advantage of altitude points, avoiding most, if not all distractions his way in favor of locating the largest amounts of bots and defeating them. On top of that, he was the examinee with the highest amount of Rescue Points after he saved another aspirant by defeating the Zero Pointer. All of that without sustaining any major injuries. Even by Aizawa’s standards, the kid was nothing short of impressive. Or it was, until the principal brought him into the discussion. “What about him?”
Nezu gave him a long stare.
“We really need to have a talk about your tendency to give only passing glances at our students’ profiles, Aizawa.” The principal sighed. “That is neither here or there, though, what matters now is the name of the boy’s quirk, which is…”
Aizawa heard Nezu say Midoriya’s quirk.
His eyes widened upon hearing it.
“Him as well?” He asked, barely containing the surprise in his voice. “Still…it doesn’t change what I said before, does it? Even with that in mind, there’s no real connection between those two.”
The principal gave him another lasting look.
It rapidly dawned on him its meaning.
“There is one, isn’t it?”
“Oh, most definitely,” Nezu reaffirmed, and there was a more notable hint of dread on the mammal. Almost as if something about the boy himself concerned him apart from his connection with Enoshima. “Back at the entrance they seemed to hang out like two old friends, and you should have seen the way Midoriya gave Enoshima a piggyback ride thorough our halls. It was rather amusing watching it all from our security cameras, I admit.”
Aizawa had no time to find any diversion on it.
Those were multiple coincidences in a row now, and if he understood Nezu right, there still was another factor that drew suspicion on Enoshima.
Part of him wanted to keep his mouth shut.
Unfortunately, Shouta Aizawa had a nasty tendency of prodding for answers whenever something eluded him.
“I’m going to take a guess and say that your last point is meant to be the most impactful one.”
“You would be correct,” Nezu nodded. “But first of all, let me start with a piece of trivia: Did you know that all those public incidents with the brainwashed victims were orchestrated with the intended purpose of having All Might tracking them all on a wild goose chase?”
That definitely made him regret opening his damn mouth.
Aizawa stepped out of the meeting room, and closed the door as his sight inadvertently settled on one of the windows.
It was already late into the evening. Slowly the sun was setting, and in its place, darkness began overtaking the skies.
He hated how fitting that was.
In a few weeks, classes will renew at U.A., with a new batch of students starting their first year.
And they, along with the second and third years, and the rest of U.A.’s staff will spend the next three years in company of a potential nuclear bomb.
On one hand, there was a fifty percent chance that it was simply raw paranoia making them suspect a brilliant, if only overly eccentric girl. They would face a few bumps here and there out of that suspicion, but nothing more than that.
On the other, there was another fifty percent chance that U.A. would host one of the vilest villains in Japan’s recent history. Allow her to share a classroom with fifteen kids who will be none the wiser about it. Fourteen if one took for granted that Midoriya was in coalition with her. And on top of all that, had shown the cunning to play one of the strongest heroes of the earth like a fiddle for literal months.
Worst of all, they couldn’t do anything to prevent it.
They had no compelling evidence to accuse her of anything. Every suspicion against her was made up of theories, coincidences, ambiguous speculations, and what Aizawa suspected to be Nezu’s thrill to have a battle of wits with an intellectual of his level.
Truth be told, it was hard to take for granted that Enoshima was Ultimate Despair, or an accomplice of them for that matter, when that was all they had on her.
There was the possibility of being blunt about the issue and to simply reject her entrance. That in itself would bring another large problem, though. They would lose what was likely their only chance to watch her closely.
Should Enoshima be truly in coalition with those dark forces, she would be back in the shadows, and it would be a repeat of the tragedies that took place all those months ago. Perhaps ten times worse seeing that whatever potential plans within U.A. she could have, would’ve been ruined in such a scenario.
The thought in itself is haunting. Not even during Japan’s darkest times, has a villain ever dared set foot inside the school, and now there is a chance one of the most dangerous ones will casually come in like they owned the place.
As much as he hated to admit it, one way or another, the less catastrophic option seemed to be allowing her in and preparing for the potential consequences of it.
Even if it didn’t paint a nice prospect that the only ones within the academy in any capacity to deal with this mess, for the moment, would be only Nezu and him.
All Might was out of the question. As involved as he might be around Ultimate Despair, he was a man of action, not of plotting and schemes. While he didn’t believe that All Might would be as brutal as to attack Enoshima based on mere suspicions, he doubted the guy would be able to treat her as a regular student knowing the information disclosed minutes ago.
It was the same case for most members of the staff. Perhaps Ectoplasm might be able to pull off the straight face for a short while, but it was unlikely that he could keep at it, not in the same way an underground hero was used to coexist with villains in the long term when it was required.
Until they find a way to confirm that Enoshima was either innocent or guilty, bold moves were risks that they couldn’t afford.
For the umpteenth occasion today, Aizawa let out a long and tired sigh.
Just when he was getting used to dealing with problematic brats, here it comes the mother of them all.
I wonder if it is too much to ask for Enoshima to be the only one of our headaches…
“Oi, brat! U.A.’s letter is here!”
Sitting on his room’s desk, Bakugo Katsuki grew a feral grin as he heard the callout he had been waiting for the entire week.
About fucking time!
Wasting no time, Katsuki jumped from his seat, dashed out of his room, and rapidly made his way down the stairs.
There, near the entrance door, his sight locked on the white envelope held by a woman’s hand.
His heart pumping with excitement, he all but ran to the entrance and forcibly snatched the envelope.
“Ya really couldn’t wait any longer for it, eh?” Katsuki’s mother, Mitsuki Bakugo said with a grin of her own. “So, what are ya waiting for, brat? Open it up already so we can―”
“Screw that, old hag!” Katsuki scoffed. “This is my moment of glory! I will tell ya later after I bask in it!”
With that said, he made a mad dash back to his room, ignoring his mother’s remarks like “Shitty brat” or “Loudmouth”.
Once back inside his abode, he slammed the door shut, took a seat on his desk and, finally, ripped off the envelope.
A clank sound was heard.
Looking down, he noticed that from the wrapping came a disk-like object of sorts. For a moment, he felt confusion and irritation, not knowing what the hell was he supposed to do with that thing.
He scowled when just a moment later, noticed the red button in a corner of it.
Tch, stupid brain, you better figure this shit out faster if there is a next time!
Intended on wasting no more time, he went and pressed the button, perking up when a hologram projection flared into life.
It showed a weird mammal of sorts wearing a suit. They were standing in the middle of what appeared to be an office of sorts.
‘U.A.’s principal?’ Katsuki pondered for a second, then a smirk grew on his lips. ‘Heh, of course, they would only bring in the most important guy in the room to congratulate me.’
“Am I a mouse? A dog? A bear perhaps? The truth of the matter, my identity is…Nezu, U.A.’s principal!” The ashen-blonde boy rolled his eyes at the antics of the mouse…dog-bear thingy. “Greetings, Katsuki Bakugo. Through this projection, I am about to reveal the results of your performance for our admission exams!”
The smirk on his face grew back.
Fuck yeah! Lay it on me, principal. Tell me how impressed you and the whole of the U.A. is with my score!
“Right then, starting with the theoretical exam, I am glad to announce you have passed with flying colors. It wasn’t the top score, but you weren’t far either.” Katsuki felt a small sting in his chest, but he pushed it down with ease. He had been mentally prepared for months for the idea that some all brains no brawn nerd would take that spot instead. It was the test where he blasted robots like no tomorrow mattered anyway. “Moving onto the practical exam, I think I speak for several of our staff members when I said that your performance was exceptional!”
Even though the motion was unnecessary, Katsuki couldn’t prevent himself from leaning towards the projection, anticipation building up in his body.
“You showed a keen mind for strategy, luring the villain-bots and cornering them in massive numbers, making effective use of your quirk and neutralizing them in one fell swoop. Although you didn’t earn any rescue points,” He tilted his head in confusion. Rescue points? Did they ever make mention of them? Bah, if he didn’t get any then they weren’t important. “Your efforts earned the grand amount of ninety villain points, one of the highest scores we had.”
Katsuki beamed with pride, a cocky grin growing on his lips.
Then he went still. His eyes darted back and forth, widening as his mind began racing with a dawning sense of realization.
What was that shit about one of the highest? That almost sounded as if I wasn’t―
“Without further ado, please take a look at our official rankings!”
He did as told.
His entire world crumbled at the sight of it.
[Examination Results.]
[Junko Enoshima: 999+ Villain Points, 0 Rescue Points.]
[Izuku Midoriya: 108 Villain Points, 75 Rescue Points.]
[Katsuki Bakugo: 90 Villain Points, 0 Rescue Points.]
[Ibara Shiozaki: 50 Villain Points, 32 Rescue Points.]
[Ejiro Kirishima: 39 Villain Points, 40 Rescue Points.]
The list went on for a while longer, and even after that, the recording transitioned back to U.A.’s principal who congratulated him on earning one of the top grades.
Katsuki Bakugo wasn’t paying attention to it.
His vision was blurred. The noises reaching his ears felt like static. He simply stood there, motionless.
Then after what felt like hours, he let out a choking gasp, coming back to his senses.
And the reality of what he had just witnessed along with them.
His legend shattered into tiny fragments, scattered and unable to ever recover.
It wasn’t even by a small margin.
Neither first nor second place was his.
“Third…place…?” Repeated out loud, with a meekness he didn’t think himself capable of.
Horrifying as that truth was, it wasn’t even the worst part of it.
The worst, Katsuki just realized, was that he was robbed of his rightful throne by no one other than the two biggest pains in the ass he ever had the displeasure of meeting.
It was already bad enough to realize that woman had been aiming for the hero course all along, but to see her capable of this? To achieve what even Katsuki doubted All Might was capable of?
Nothing but a terrible nightmare coming true.
His stomach churned, and the feeling grew the longer he stared at her score. He wasn’t even close to matching hers. Not even halfway through.
The difference was so overwhelming that it made him feel like a bug watching an unreachable titan looking down on him. Spared from being squashed for no other reason than their pity and amusement.
For one damnable second, his mind flashed back to that cheshire grin of hers, sending a shiver down his spine.
And Deku…
While there was no feasible scenario in which he could’ve imagined the bastard acing the exam, it would’ve made a modicum bit of sense that those supposed rescue points had miraculously saved his ass. If only by a hair’s strand.
But no, he couldn’t even blame it on those damnable pity points. After all, someway, somehow, the snake had managed to pass and surpass him in villain points as well.
Deku…s-surpassed me…?
How?
Why?
‘This can’t be happening.’ The thought swirled in his mind like a nauseous vortex. His eyes, drained of life, stared into nothing. It became harder to breathe. He almost swore that the walls were tinning as well. ‘This can’t be happening...’ His mind repeated. Time and time again it echoed within the corners of his brain like a mantra of sorts.
And it kept going and on.
This can’t be happening.
This can’t be happening.
This can’t be happening.
This can’t be happening.
This can’t be happening.
Thiscantbehappening.
Thiscantbehappening.
Thiscantbehappening.
Thiscantbehappeninthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappeningthiscantbehappening
THIS. CAN’T. BE. HAPPENING!
Finally, he was unable to hold it any longer.
And Katsuki Bakugo let out an ear-piercing scream filled with both rage and despair.
“Um, excuse me?” A brunette girl with her hair cut in a bob style spoke.
“Hm?” Turning toward the voice’s direction, Present Mic perked up as he saw it was a student who called him out. “Oh, hey there, listener! What can this old punk help ya with?”
“Oh, well, it is about a boy from the practical exam…”
“So sorry, listener, I might be a teach, but I ain’t giving love advice!”
“E-Eh? No, nothing like that!” The girl waved her arms frantically. “It’s just, there is this boy. Messy green hair and freckles. Was a bit tall, his face was kinda plain, and there was this gloomy aura about him. Do you know who I’m talking about?”
“Hm, oh him, yeah! I think the guy rings some bells.”
“Really? Well, I was wondering if―”
“FIRE!”
Without a hint of hesitation, Izuku threw the hologram device to the other side of the room.
It blew into pieces as Junko slammed it with a metal baseball bat.
She looked down at the bits and pieces that fell near her with a smirk, then she looked up at Izuku. Her smirk grew into a cheeky grin.
“Heh, can ya believe that chick? You saved her ass, and the whore still has the balls to go with a teacher to call you names!” Junko twirled, and suddenly there was a crown atop her head. “Preposterous! Doth thou wish for her immediate execution, mine knight in shining armor? If so, we shall begin the preparations at once!”
“I don’t know, wouldn’t that bring unnecessary attention?” Izuku shrugged. “Besides, why should I care what some random girl I don’t give a damn about thinks. I’ve dealt with her type all thorough Aldera, so what’s one more?”
Admittedly, part of him thought bummer that even U.A., the supposed bastion of heroism, was no different than the shitty school he was finally getting away from.
And he knew that girl would be there. He saw the scores on Junko’s projector.
Katsuki was going to be there as well, though, so Izuku couldn’t say he had any expectations to begin with.
Just another disappointment into the pile, I guess. As if I don’t have enough reasons to stick with Junko already…
“Yeah, I suppose so.” Junko chuckled, going back to her regular persona. “Still, I have to insist. Are you sure it is fine to leave it at that, even after the bitch had the gall of giving you hope for even a moment?”
Izuku stilled as a cold sense of trepidation ran across his spine.
“…She didn’t―”
“Oh, but she did,” Junko dropped the bat to the ground. He flinched at the clanking sound it made. She suddenly took a step forward, prompting him to take a step back. “For one insignificant moment, she made you believe that you could be a Hero for someone other than me,” Another step of hers forward, another one of his backward. “She grew into your head that there is a chance for you to go back to what it once was.” Two steps forward, two steps back. “She made you forget all those lives you have already taken.”
“N-No, I haven’t forgotten―Agh!”
A flash of pain hit Izuku as one of Junko’s legs swooped his. Rather than falling on the ground, he rapidly recognized the soft mattress in which he landed as Junko’s bed.
He tried to get up, but before he could get a chance to, Izuku felt a weight landing on him.
His face heated up in a crimson red when he recognized the familiar face of his friend inches away from him, with her smooth knees pinning his arms down and her soft hands securing a hold on his face.
“Hey, Zuzu, it might’ve been some days ago already, but what you did back then, it made me jealous, ya know?” Junko said with a whispery voice that replaced the cold dread with a warm sense of fascination. “Should I be worried that some cheap two-faced hope-skank is going to take you away from me?”
Immediately, his flustered face was replaced with one of concern.
“Of course not, Junko!” Izuku said, and although on the outside he seemed to be shooting a vibrant and determined glare at her, his voice failed to hide the pleading desperation behind his eyes. “There is no way I would even consider leaving your side. Much less for some ungrateful harpy I don’t even know the name of!”
“Hm, is that so…” The pigtailed girl hummed. “Well, we will have to see about that, won’t we~?”
Izuku frowned in confusion.
That was strangely insistent of her. He truly meant all of what he said, so he was sure that by now Junko would’ve dismissed any further talk about that girl out of boredom.
He decided to dismiss it after a moment of consideration, a small smile slowly tugging at his lips.
Even after Junko…opened herself to him, she still made her displeasure known about the people who picked on him.
No matter what, she remained his beloved and only friend.
“Anyways,” She began, untangling herself from him and getting up. She put her hands on her hips as she looked down at him. “Excited for our incoming days?”
“Well, I will attend the same school as the prick I’ve known since I have memory. Again.” Izuku righted his torso up, sitting comfortably on the bed. He put a hand up, raising his fingers as he began listing. “There’s a fifty-fifty percent chance he will be in our same classroom. One filled of other jerks at that. If what you told me about that rat is true, with the exception of All Might, it is likely that some professors will be secretly after our throats. So, except for you being there as well…nope, I’m not looking forward to it.”
“Aw, c’mon now, Zuzu! Where’s your sense of adventure!?”
Without warning, Junko grabbed his raised hand and pulled him to his feet. Taking hold of her momentum, she raised her hold further before using it to spin the both of them in a mockery of a dance.
By the time they came to a halt, they stood back-to-back, now both of their arms intertwined with one another.
“Once upon a time, I promised that you would take U.A. by storm. Well, things have changed, haven’t they? Now it is you and I against the world, pal.” Izuku could practically hear the smirk that formed on her face. “They will be on the hunt for us at every corner. Heroes. Villains. The eternal cycle of hatred will not be able to resist lunging at the new contender. Yet, by the time they truly understand the danger we represent to them, it will be oh so fucking late. Doesn’t it get your blood boiling in dreadful euphoria~? We will be the dream team, and nothing and no one will stop our path to despair. In giving in our precious gift to humanity.”
A path of despair.
Izuku wasn’t blind to the implications.
A lot of people will suffer from it.
Many more people will die.
Most will beg for the sweet release of death.
L̶͎̙͓͕̗͙̻̣̹̤̗̲̗̩̺͚̇͋̀͊͜i̵̞͓̤͍͕̱̹̦̻̺̟͖͗͗́̋͋̏̇̉́̋̎̈́k̵̛̰̯̗̭͎͕̲̊̂̌̿ȩ̷̜̳̥̗̝̙̭͇͍̹̳̘̪͛̈́ͅ ̶̡̧̩͉̙̱̩͊͂̎͐̓͠͝ḩ̶̞͍̻̥͔͈̰̘̹̞͌͛̓̒͂̒̇͂̑́͗̆͂͜͝͝͠͝e̵̡̧̧̛̜̝͍̟̖͇̳̊͊́̃̋͒̍́̾́̇̽̈ ̵̯̻̗͚̯͔͙̝̳͕̝̗͙͙͌d̴̞̂͋͋͊̈́̈́͋͛̈́͒̐́̾̌̚i̷̪̺̙̪̰̼͓̠̍̓d̸̛̗͌͛̉͗̉̀̾̇̍̎̈́̚͘̕̕ ̶̢͖̪̟̬̹̾͋̐̈͜n̵̛̤̹̞̥̘͉͉̟̲̞̄̅̋̂͂̍͗̿̈̈́̅̈͝͝o̵̧̡̨͎̰̤͍̰̪͎̞̭̤̰̼̬̎͗̎̈́͛̉͌ͅt̷͎̣͉̜̮͇̙̪͈̞̫̂͐̓̍̈́̾̔̓̋̍̇̔̚̕͝ ̷͚̗̥̣̥̱̓̔̈́̅͂̀̑t̵̪͉̺̝͖̬̟̓̑͌͛͛̓͒̆͗͘͠o̶͔̿̏̅̈́̄o̴̧͍̰͙̠͈͎͍͉͓̹͇̜̟̗̗͐̎ ̶̧͎̱͓̰̓̈́̏͐̓̌̀̄̎̎l̶̲͇̗̊̿͂͋̈́͋͌̽͌́̀̈́͘͜͝͠͠ǒ̸̯͕̦̦̘͎̙͖̘̠̘̫̦͇̫̐́̏͋̋̿̀̇̔̄̽̈́͜͠n̴̡̧̢̨̫̱̹̲͓͙̤͈̪̆̆̄̄̐̆͒̅̽̃̔̅͗̏ģ̸̲̤̓̆̔̅́̆͝͠ ̷͇͈̺̭͙̜̏̽̈́̃̿̕à̴̢̘͍̹̌̈̎̽͂͒̇͜g̵̬̱̟̳̟̼̖̳͖̥̼͇̩̰̲̘͙̅͑̆̏o̴̡͍͚̘̖͖̤͇͎̗̰̦̮̽̈̿̄̾́̅̀̂̂̕.̴̢͇͙̪̜̩́͑͒͛͑͌̒̈͆̀̓̿̈͘͘ͅ
The burning headache he was becoming familiar with reared its ugly head. It felt like a fiery hold of sorts, pulling from several directions at the same time. He didn’t know how, but it always carried this strange sensation. One that felt like it was trying to lead him…somewhere.
After yet, despite the echoes rattling in his skull. The forceful tugging that threatened to thorn him apart, and the understanding of the overall consequences this road was going to lead…
“When you put it like that, Junko, it does sound exciting.”
How could he say no to his beloved friend?
Notes:
Huzzah, we are finally back!
So, not even the first day of classes and the best worst girl has already a target on her back, from no less than the dubbed 'smartest living being in the world'. She simply can't stay out of trouble for a moment, huh?
U.A delivered the exam's results and a certain explosive boy found them, uh, just a little bit unsatisfying. No doubt at all that his reunion with the first and second placers will be an harmonious and wholesome one.
Right, of course it will.
Meanwhile Izuku and Junko...well, they are doing Izuku and Junko things.
On brighter news, though! As I upload this chapter, I can confirm I've made some good progress on the next one. The wonders of having a few days off from the job. I want to say it will be done just a week from now on, but knowing me, I wouldn't count on that big of a miracle.
Regardless, I will do my best to deliver. Until next time!
Chapter 18: First Day: The Beginning of The Beginning of The End.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
First Day: The Beginning of The Beginning of The End.
“Backpack?”
“Check.”
“My mouseketool?”
“If you are referring to the massive duffel bag on my shoulder, then check.”
“Good, good. What about the thermodynamical contaminator with worldwide scale radius?”
“Well, that escalated quickly. And no, we never had one of those to begin with.”
“Tch, we will have to find someone to get that done for us. Anyhow, red shoes?”
“Is the sky blue?”
“Just for so long, you adorable smartass. Take that stick from where the sun doesn’t reach and save your snark for the schmucks we will call classmates for the foreseeable future.”
“Right, right.”
“Thirdly, and most important of all, ya done with your tie?”
“Uh…”
“Wow, some things never change, huh?”
Izuku winced in embarrassment, before recovering and watching with interest as Junko began fixing his tie.
It wasn’t for a lack of trying that it always remained a mess, only to magically straighten itself whenever Junko prodded with it. It was like dealing with some sort of wild animal whenever he put his hands on it.
“There,” Junko said, watching approvingly at her handiwork. Izuku himself couldn’t help appreciating how she looked wearing U.A.’s uniform. Much to his chagrin, he had to admit it fitted her rather well. “Now that’s a handsome young man ready to pump some hopeful ass cheeks.”
While he didn’t become a stammering mess as he would have a long while ago, his cheeks still gained a red hue.
After about a year of knowing her, he still wasn’t entirely used to her sexual innuendos.
“Is there anything else?” He looked around the entrance of their apartment, making sure they weren’t missing anything of relevance. “You said you wanted to arrive early. Which is strange, so I’m assuming the reason will get us in trouble, somehow.”
“And you love me all the more for it, don’tcha?” Junko grinned. “But whatevs, our audience has been looking forward to this for two years and two months, so let’s kick this shit!”
The freckled boy rolled his eyes with fondness, following his friend along as she literally threw a kick at the door before bouncing outside.
At the very least, he could always count on her to keep things animated.
About an hour later, the duo stood in one of the many, so very many corridors that U.A. held. At their front, a massive door was all that denied them access from officially starting their first day of classes. The legend 1-A was painted on it.
“Huh, ya think they are compensating for something?”
“The door is meant to work with gigantification quirks. That, or large mutants. Not everything has to have a sexual connotation to it, Junko.”
“Sexual? I was referring to the principal’s height. What are you talking about?”
“I…ugh, let’s just get in. The sooner we rip off the band-aid, the better.”
Snickering at his irked expression, the strawberry-blonde finally decided to cut him some slack. Taking the lead, she pushed the door open with a skip on her feet.
“Heyo everybody! This party’s soul is finally here!”
There was, in fact, no party going on.
What there was, though, was a bunch of students scattered within the classroom. Not enough to fill the room, but just enough to notice they were far from the first one to arrive.
Although Junko’s callout gathered everyone’s attention, it was a single figure who decided to act on it.
“Ah, new peers!” A tall boy with glasses and blue hair rose up from his seat. He strode towards the duo with stiff steps. “I am pleased to see your early arrival. Please, allow me to…” The boy paused. His enthusiasm morphed into a stern frown. Strangely enough, he also raised a hand and began chopping the air with it. “Miss, I must implore you to rectify the blunder on your uniform, button up that blouse, and adjust your loose tie at once! As a member of U.A., you must uphold the standards of a proper school environment and avoid such shameless behavior!”
For one fleeting moment, a flash of familiarity glinted through Junko’s eyes. In that very instant, a fond smile threatened to form on her lips.
Then she squealed, holding her arms over her chest with poorly feigned fear.
“Eh, were ya looking? Kyaaah, what a pervert!”
“P-Pervert!?” The blue-haired boy, on the other hand, cried out with genuine distraught. “I am not such thing!”
“Uwaaah, this is terrible,” Out of nowhere, mushrooms appeared above the girl’s head. Her now sullen eyes were drained of life and her shoulders slumped down, just as well as a dull aura surrounded her. “Now that I’ve been defiled, I won’t ever be able to marry, how sad, how depressing…”
“N-Now hold on a second, this isn’t―”
“Psych! I ain’t give a shit ‘bout that!” The pigtailed girl all but barked, crossing her arms at her sides while her hands shifted into horn signs. The mushrooms were gone, and her soft hair frizzled. Her face changed as well, with wide glaring eyes and her tongue lolling out of her mouth. “This bod is a fuckin’ temple and ceremony on its own! Ya get it, bastard!?”
At the sudden and rapidly shifting of personalities occurring before him, the blue-haired boy was unable to do anything other than have his mouth gaping in utter bewilderment.
Frustrated by the behavior of the strange woman before him, he decided his chances of defusing the situation would fare better if he took the assistance of the other individual who entered the room as well.
He turned his sight away from the girl and towards the green-haired boy. Unperturbed by the narrowed glare he was receiving from him.
Instead, his eyes widened in recognition.
“Wait a moment, it’s you!”
Not expecting the sudden attention, Izuku’s face shifted into one of slight surprise and confusion. He didn’t know what to say, nor if he wanted to say something in the first place, so he kept his mouth shut.
“You were at the same exam site as I,” Apparently, the other teenager took that as a prompt to continue. “However, it was you who figured out the true nature of the exam. It is a shame to admit it, but my egoism blinded me from the truth, so you clearly are the better man!”
Then, as if Izuku dared his mind to think of a scenario far more bizarre than the one he was witnessing, the glass-wearing teenager gave him a small bow.
The sight before him was nothing short of alien for him.
Rather than feeling flattered by the supposed signal of respect, Izuku could only feel trepidation and wariness.
Respect?
From someone who wasn’t Junko?
The closest approximate was All Might, but Izuku knew better.
That man didn’t respected him, and the only reason he sought Izuku was convenience and a cheap sense of self-satisfaction that would quell the guilt of his hypocrisy.
Was this the same then?
Then…why doesn’t feel like it?
“Right…” Izuku acknowledged, more for the sake of moving things on than anything else.
“Mhm! Ah, but where are my manners? My name is Iida Tenya, glad to make acquaintances with you!” The boy now known as Iida straightened up, bringing a hand forward to Izuku. “May I know yours?”
“It’s…Izuku Midoriya,” He relented, without grasping the offered hand.
“Excellent!” If he took offense to the gesture or lack thereof, Iida made no show of it. With a bit less enthusiasm, he put his arm down and shifted his attention back to Junko. “I believe it is due for me to know your name as well, miss…?”
“Oh? Asking for it just out of obligation? I feel like I should take offense to that.” The boy before her tried to stammer a response. She chuckled before raising her hands in a placating gesture. “Kidding, kidding. I was just messing with ya. The name’s Junko Enoshima, make sure to remember it. Sure as hell I will make the whole world never forget about it~.”
Whatever choice of words Iida might’ve had for the strange girl died at his throat upon hearing her name.
Given that the rest of the class wasn’t making much noise to begin with, they all went still the moment they heard her name as well.
Soon after, murmurs and whispers made an act of presence. Every so often their sights darted towards the strawberry-blonde.
One particular boy with bicolored hair, formerly disinterested in the antics occurring between the two classmates, suddenly perked up with interest as he watched the girl with new eyes.
“Junko Enoshima?” Iida echoed with wide eyes. “Wait, does that mean you are the first―”
“DEKU! PIGTAILS!”
Loud footsteps and what resembled a feral growl prompted all the occupants in the room to look for their origins.
From the room’s entrance, a familiar boy with ashen-blonde hair was stomping his way toward Izuku and Junko, glaring at them both with murder in his eyes.
“The same class as us? Wow, didn’t see that one coming…” Izuku muttered under his breath.
“Hey!” Junko, on the other hand, didn’t share his lack of enthusiasm. “It’s the boy I don’t remember ever meeting in my life!”
Somehow, Bakugo’s eyes grew even more murderous.
“Ain’t got time for your shitty games, bitch!” The ashen-blonde stopped in his tracks, mere inches away from them both, with Izuku wasting no time taking a defensive stance at Junko’s side. Bakugo’s body language all but suggested he was moments away from lunging at either of them regardless. “Tell me how the fuck did you do it!?”
“Do what?” Junko tilted her head. With a gasp, she bumped a fist in an open palm, seemingly realizing something. “Oh! Do you mean how I got this smoking body? Well, if you must know, the secret is in―”
“Don’t mess with me!” Bakugo snarled. “That damn test was supposed to mark the start of my legend! I dunno what kinda quirk you have, but there’s no way it is superior to mine, so how the fuck did a wacko like you managed to steal my first place!?”
“Steal? Funny that,” The strawberry-blonde crossed her arms, and with a toothy grin looked down at her nails as if they were far more interesting than the fuming boy before her. “Last I remember your name wasn’t ever there to begin with, was it? Neither for the second place for that matter.”
The slight at his pride would’ve been sufficient to make him pounce at her and correct that smug grin of hers.
Were it not for the reminder of his other obsession.
“Deku…” As if possessed by a wraith of pure fury, the explosive boy snapped his head towards Izuku with a withering glare. “A good-for-nothing quirkless trash like you doesn’t belong in U.A., it is impossible they have accepted you, so what kind of sneaky trick ya pulled to cheat your way here, ya damn bastard!?”
“I think that’s enough antagonizing toward a fellow classmate.” Stepping in, Iida shot the boy with red eyes a disapproving frown. “U.A. is the most prestigious school in Japan, thinking they have made a lapse in the judgment of their future alumni is preposterous. In fact, I can attest that you are objectively wrong, as Midoriya earned his recognition through the swift use of his―”
“Shut it, glasses!” The temperamental boy barked. “This is between me and that rat!”
“No, it’s not,” Deciding to finally speak, Izuku had his emerald orbs looking down at the person he ever regretted having once called a friend. “If your deluded mind blinded you from the possibility of having me attend this school, that is your problem to cope with. I don’t owe you any answers, Bakugo.”
Tension grew in the air as both teenagers glared at one another, their teeth tightening and their fists clenched. What began like a simple confrontation of words, was showing signals of escalating.
Somewhere in the middle of it, a brunette girl arrived, and although she had the intention of greeting the tall and freckled boy at first, the staring contest he was having with the other boy made her hesitate.
Looks of uncertainty passed among the witnesses. While most had no desire to interfere with what appeared to be a personal squabble of sorts, those who felt inclined to take action, simply had no idea how to. There was also a fear of the possibility of interference making things take a turn for the worst.
One way or another, no one was in any position to shake the standstill.
That was until Junko opened her mouth.
“Ya heard him,” Leaning one arm on Izuku’s side, she threw the ashen-blonde a vicious smirk. “Zuzu has no intentions of corresponding to your feelings, so why don’tcha go back to rebuilding that legend of yours?”
“Deku must’ve stuck out to you if ya truly believe some petty words will get either of you out of this one, pigtails,” Bakugo sneered, small explosions crackling from each hand. “You pair of losers think I will let ya go just like that?”
“Yeah? Otherwise, I think you will end up pissing off the magical giant caterpillar that is behind ya.”
“Shitty excuses ain’t saving your ass!”
“While the description is far from accurate, I assure you she is telling the truth. Both about my presence and the repercussions of continuing this childish dispute.”
The new voice prompted all mouths to shut. Looking for where it came from, sixteen pairs of eyes discovered that behind the loud boy, there was, in fact, a giant caterpillar.
Only with the face of a man whose looks implied he didn’t know the meaning of sleep.
‘Who the heck is that!?’ Fourteen heads thought in unison.
The caterpillar in question wriggled, showing a great deal of dexterity as it managed to stand up without the need for any limbs. From within it, a hand came out and brought down the zipper of what in reality was a yellow sleeping bag, revealing a man in his early thirties, even if his terribly shaved beard, the bags under his eyes, and wrinkled attire gave him an older image.
“Ah, the miracle of life,” Junko gushed. “It isn’t such a beautiful thing to witness up close?”
“It took you half a minute to finally calm down,” The gruff-looking man said, his eyes lingered on the strawberry-blonde for a moment, and then they peered around the rest of the class with a bored look on his face. “Even for first years, that is an embarrassing way of debuting the start of the school’s semester.”
“Apologies!” Iida bowed; one hand raised in a rapidly chopping gesture. “We will make sure to amend such behavior in the future!”
“Mhm, see that you do. In any case, my name is Shouta Aizawa, and I will be your homeroom teacher,” The man now known as Aizawa grunted. He began rummaging through his sleeping bag before bringing a tracksuit out of it. “In the locker rooms, you will find exact replicas of these clothes, go change into them immediately and then head to the P.E. Grounds.”
Several students looked confused at the suddenness of their apparent homeroom teacher.
“Oh thank god,” Junko took it in stride, sighing in relief instead. “I thought you were going to bring sixteen sets from under there. No offense teach, but that would’ve been…just no.”
For a second time, Aizawa stared at her.
Then he sighed, turned, and made his way outside.
“I want you all on the outside grounds asap. Otherwise, there will be consequences.”
Either urged to obey their professor or simply because there was no point in standing there, the whole class hurried in search of the locker rooms.
They were punctual, Aizawa had to give them that.
The first day of class was always the perfect time to cull those who had what it took to be heroes from those who didn’t. Their spirits remained high from having been accepted into Japan’s top school, and like the teenagers they were, being on the other side made them believe nothing and nobody could touch them.
His job was to make sure those early wings didn’t end up burning in their eagerness to reach the sun.
He was used to having to wait between ten and fifteen minutes before the whole class arrived. So, the fact that fourteen out of sixteen had arrived in less than five minutes was a grateful surprise.
Not like he would tell them that, obviously.
Although speaking of the remaining two…
A loud thud made him, and as a consequence, the rest of the class as well, turn just in time to see Midoriya and Enoshima arrive, the latter being responsible for the noise by dropping a duffel bag that clearly contained more than some clothes.
Aizawa suppressed the urge to have his eyes widen.
If it truly is for what I think it to be, then her quirk is far more powerful than I initially thought it to be.
Some students gave the container a quizzical look, but thought better of it and decided not to prod on the matter, far more interested awaiting for him to explain what were they doing here.
As good as a cue to begin as he would get, he supposed.
“Alright, seeing that everyone is here, I see there is no point delaying the following announcement,” He allowed his words to sink in for a moment before continuing. “From this moment, we will have a quirk apprehension test.”
As was expected, their reactions were loud and, in his honest opinion, overly exaggerated.
“Um, but what about the entrance ceremony?” A brunette, Ochaco Uraraka if Aizawa remembered well, asked. “Or the counselor meeting?”
“We heroes don’t have time to waste on trivialities like those,” The professor shrugged. “You might’ve heard of U.A. and its unorthodox working methodologies. Well, that goes for us professors as well.” He pulled a device out of his pockets before presenting its screen to the class, a variety of physical trials listing down from it. “In regards to this test, I’m sure you are familiar with it back in middle school, only you were barred from using your quirks back at the time. The government usually takes metrics of its students without considering their quirks. Honestly, that is simply irrational, and a negligence on the education minister.”
Aizawa allowed a moment for his words to sink in. Once confident they had gotten a grasp of them, he brought a softball out of his pocket.
Without warning he threw it towards Enoshima.
She easily caught it with her right hand.
“Enoshima, you earned first place on the practical exam,” For a moment, he could’ve sworn someone made a noise resembling that of a strangled animal, but Aizawa decided to ignore it. “How far you could do a pitch back in middle school?”
“About eighty meters.” There was that strange sound again. “An old friend taught me some tricks. Heh, you wouldn’t believe how good he was at this stuff with how lanky he looked.”
“Is that so,” The underground hero doubted that piece of trivia would end up being relevant, but he still made a mental note of it. “In any case. Can you see that circle over there? I want you to go inside it and use your quirk for the throw this time around. Anything that doesn’t break that rule goes in, so don’t hold back.”
“Anything you say, teach?”
“Anything,” Aizawa confirmed. “So long as you make your throw within the circle, it’s free game.”
Enoshima stared at the ball for a moment. She smirked and seemingly realizing what she had to do, she took a step forward.
Then she turned and went opposite from where the circle mark was.
Students and professor alike watched in confusion as she passed through her classmates with a skip on her steps.
Uraraka was particularly shocked when she stopped right in from of her.
If the way the strawberry-blonde approached the brunette just mere inches away from her wasn’t the cherry atop the cake, what Enoshima said next certainly was.
“Hey there, hot stuff.”
…What?
“E-Eh!?” Uraraka stammered, with the rest of the class having their jaws hung open in utter bewilderment. “Are you talking to me?”
“Fufu, that depends. Am I talking to the girl with the prettiest cheeks in town?” That earned Enoshima a yelp from the other girl. Unaware, or simply uncaring of their audience, she brought her hands closer and enclosed them around Uraraka’s. “Atta girl, could ya do me a favor? I’m about to do some important business, so…what do you say about one good-luck kiss?”
Steam exploded from Uraraka’s head.
That wasn’t to say the rest of them were faring better.
Except for Bakugo and Midoriya, both of them carrying irritated looks on their faces, everyone was so overwhelmed by her attitude, that they simply had no words to say.
Well, two individuals certainly had no problem making their opinions known.
“What a deviant!” A girl with vines for hair shook her head in disapproval before bringing her hands together in a praying gesture. “I shall pray so the lord may save her depraved soul from damnation.”
“Girl-on-girl action on the first day of class!” A boy short of height and with purple grape-like balls for hair gushed. “Why nobody told me U.A. was going to be this awesome!?”
One of Aizawa’s eyes twitched.
“Enoshima, that’s enough,” He grunted, not bothering to hide his annoyance at her antics. “If you don’t get into the circle within the next five seconds, I will suggest you forget the notion of coming back to classes from tomorrow on.”
“Sorry, babe, duty calls.” With a wink that left the by-now red-faced brunette a stuttering mess, Enoshima rushed her way into the circle and, much to Aizawa’s relief, wasted no time readying a throwing stance. “Alrighty, one Baseball Super Star Special coming right up! I’m counting on you, ya damn failure of a musician!”
Taking the strange shout as her cue, she launched the projectile into the air.
Rapidly, the ball gained altitude, and with each second that passed the ball reached higher.
And higher.
…And even higher.
By the minute mark, the ball was nothing but a dot vanishing into the stratosphere.
Meanwhile most watched it all happen with varying degrees of awe, a certain brunette gasped.
“Is that my quirk!?” Uraraka cried out with surprise in her voice. Her eyes widened as she let one hand touch her head. “Wait, that irritation I’ve been feeling, was that because of her?”
“Irritation?” A redheaded girl whom Aizawa recognized as Kendo Itsuka asked, tilting her head with a quizzical expression. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Oh, well, one of the side effects of my quirk, which is called Zero Gravity by the way, is that once my quirk is active, it takes a strain on my head. It depends on the weight of the object. Holding several tons makes me nauseous to the point of, uh, letting some of my stomach’s contents out. Something light and small only provokes minor annoyances in my head, to the point I can only notice if I focus on the feeling,” No sooner she was done with her explanation, Uraraka had her sight turned towards Enoshima, a look of understanding morphing on her face. “Which now that I think about it, that means the moment she brought our hands together…”
With her right hand above her forehead, Enoshima keep her sight locked on the almost invisible by now softball. Seemingly satisfied with her performance after some extra moments of peering at the distance, she let out a whistle before turning to the brunette with an apologetic smile.
“Heh, sorry about that, girl, but my quirk wouldn’t have helped much on its own,” She shrugged. “I take it there’s no hard feelings, yeah?”
“Ah, not really?” Uraraka said, sounding far more confused than offended, she also brought the digits of both her hands together. How she canceled her quirk if the exam footage was accurate. “But wait, how did you know what my quirk does?”
“As a matter of fact, you said ‘on its own’ when you mentioned your quirk,” Momo Yaoyorozu, one tall raven-haired girl with a spiky ponytail and a strand of hair hanging at her side pointed out. “Does that imply you used your quirk as well? I don’t recall seeing anything besides what our classmate recalled of her quirk.”
Enoshima simply closed her eyes and stuck her tongue out.
On the sidelines, Aizawa allowed a silent snort to escape his nose.
Given they were on the same site, I guess Midoriya told her about Uraraka and decided to make good use of that knowledge. She was also unafraid to use my own words to work a loophole in her favor. That’s as impressive as it was concerning.
“It is important to know what you kids are capable of,” Aizawa began, pulling a phone-like device, with its screen showing the infinite mark that represented Enoshima’s score. The result earned some wide stares and remarks of surprise. “Through these tests, we will be able to make the appropriate measurements for your foundations as heroes.”
“Tch, that cunning bitch, using her trickery to save her ass…” Bakugo muttered, only loud enough for Aizawa who was near the boy to hear.
The Erasure Hero frowned at the comment but was willing to let it slide. Crassness aside, it was simply a minor complaint that could mark the foundation for a rivalry, and as a consequence, the mutual search for self-improvement.
It was a whole different story from what the rest of the class followed.
“Aw sheesh!” A teenager with bright red hair pumped a fist, grinning from ear to ear. “I can’t wait to show my manliness. It’s gonna be awesome!”
“I know right?” One girl with pink skin and hair, with yellow horns atop her head, jumped with similar excitement. “We can use our quirks however we want. Man, U.A. is the best. This is going to be so fun!”
That was as good time as it would get to knock these early wings down a peg.
“Fun, you say?” Aizawa scowled. “Is that what this is for you kids? Three years of goofing around with your friends, and where heroism is but some exotic hobby? Fine then, here’s a new rule: whoever gets last will be deemed with no potential and therefore instantly expelled.”
“EXPELLED!?” Several voices cried out in unison.
“They don’t half-ass things here at U.A., eh?” Enoshima smirked, and if she felt endangered by his threat in any way or form, she did a perfect job at hiding it.
“Wait a moment!” Uraraka took a step forward with panic in her eyes, clearly not as unfazed as her classmate. “This is our first day. No, even if it wasn’t, that’s just unfair!”
“Unfair, you say? Natural disasters, massive accidents,” Aizawa took a fraction of a second to consider whether to take a risk. He went on without looking directly in his intended target’s direction nor changing the nonchalance of his voice. “The constant menace of villains seeking to plunge our society into despair. Japan is filled to the brim with all sorts of calamities where we least expect them. That is the unfairness you will have to face daily if you want to become true heroes.”
From the corner of his vision, the underground hero made sure to get a measure of Enoshima’s reaction to his words.
She didn’t so much as blink, and he didn’t know whether to feel relieved or dread the lack of a reaction.
Resisting a sigh, he went on.
“If you guys were counting on spending time with friends at your local Big Bang Burger after school, well, that’s too bad,” He shrugged with indifference. “Here at U.A. you will be facing hardship after hardship.” Aizawa allowed a taunting grin to grow on his lips. “Want to prove you belong here at the hero course? Then come on and show me!”
The grin on his face turned a tad more genuine when he saw the determined looks on their faces.
With the pre-empting speech said and done, it was time to mark the official start of the assessment exam.
Their first section was the fifty-meter dash. A simple test in which a pair of students would cross their way through the course, their limitations only those they set on themselves, so long as they didn’t leave the obstacle’s boundaries.
While the measurement didn’t include which of the two participants reached the goal first as part of their score, save in the event of a tie-breaker for the test’s overall results, Aizawa knew that recreating the illusion of competition would push that ‘Plus Ultra’ out of them.
The first participants were Tenya Iida and Tsuyu Asui, a girl whose mutation quirk granted her a frog-like resemblance along with its advantages.
While the frog-looking teenager completed the course in 5.58 seconds, Iida surpassed her with a mark of 3.04 seconds.
Aizawa didn’t had much to say on the latter’s case. The younger son of the Iida family was in his element. It will be the rest of the test where he will have to prove he wasn’t a one-trick pony.
Asui’s was an all-around versatile quirk. While unlikely that she was going to stand out on any of the segments, there was no doubt that she would do well on most, if not all of them. Still, she was a first-year, so he was confident there were going to be areas of opportunity for him to point out.
From there, the rest of the class took their turns without any major incidents.
For some, there wasn’t much to comment on yet, or at least fell on a more ambiguous area, like Uraraka and the use of her quirk to make her clothes and shoes weightless. On that distinction, and from what he observed on her exam’s footage, he suspected that despite the name, her quirk didn’t involve the reduction of gravitational pull so much as it did the removal of the mass.
He will make sure to talk about that with her in case he backed down on the expulsion threat. That, or she didn’t end as the expelled one for that matter.
Others had their rooms for growth blatantly obvious at first glance, with the case of the blonde kid with his laser quirk, Yuga Aoyama. There was a clear need to train his tolerance for the stomach aches his quirk caused for the boy. Perhaps a more constant use of it would build it? Maybe experimenting with a specific diet?
Things went on like that for a while, the list dimming name by name, until…
“Bakugo! Enoshima! It’s your turn!”
The ashen-blonde perked up at the mention of his name, then had a feral grin grow on his face at the mention of the latter. Like a boy on Christmas day, he eagerly made his way to the course.
The girl of wild pigtails on the other hand…
“We summon thy, o loyal sworn shield!” With a crown on her head that Aizawa was sure wasn’t there a moment ago, Enoshima made Midoriya give her a piggyback ride before pointing one index finger forward. Surprisingly enough, the boy seemed just as unbothered as the girl with the attention they both were gathering. On a side note, her commanding voice carried what he could’ve sworn to be a British accent to it. He wasn’t going to waste brain cells on figuring that out. “Aid us in this time of peril, vanquish our enemies, claim victory, and we promise to reward thy name with riches beyond understanding!”
Seemingly making sense of the nonsense she had just spelled, Midoriya quickly joined Bakugo on the sprint course, with Enoshima firmly held on his back.
Besides Mineta glaring at the green-haired boy with blatant envy, everyone looked at the duo as if they had grown a second head each.
“Is that fine, professor?” A voice Aizawa recognized belonging to Momo Yaoyorozu spoke. “Having a student rely on another and having them both compete against one?”
Before the underground hero could answer that, someone else did it for him.
“Let them!” Bakugo sneered. “Leaving these two losers in the dust at the same time couldn’t have come handier for me!”
“There you have it,” The professor said, tuning out a certain red-haired boy’s joyous praises about manliness, and with the matter resolved as far as he was concerned. He turned to the now three participants. “Are you all ready?”
“Bring it on, teach!” Bakugo shouted. The boy then looked over to the green and blonde duo and gave them a mocking smirk. “Heh, I still dunno what sorta cheat ya used for that first place, but you really must be a desperate weakling if ya think that quirkless Deku will get ya a chance to defeat me, pigtails.”
“Hmm, well, you are not wrong by suggesting I’m not my gorilla of a sis, but quirkless Deku? Oh! You didn’t get the memo?” Enoshima tapped one of Midoriya’s shoulders twice. She allowed a cheshire grin to grow on her lips as crimson sparks wildly lashed out of the latter’s body meanwhile Bakugo’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates. “Flash news, dumbass. He ain’t quirkless anymore!”
“W-What the fuck!? Since when does he have a―”
“And begin!”
Seeing the teenager’s quirk appeared to have stunned the ashen-blonde, enough to miss the bot’s call.
Midoriya wasn’t taking the same luxury.
The moment he heard the announcement, he took off towards the other end of the line with a speed that notably surpassed Iida’s, trails of dust falling behind the boy.
One moment later, he was on the finish line.
“One point ninety-eight seconds!” Declared the bot tracking the timers.
“Thanks for the ride, Zuzu!” Enoshima chirped, jumping out of the boy before wrapping him in a hug. “Ah, I was lying about the riches, tho, so how about I let ya mount me next time around to make up for it?”
“J-Junko!”
“Pfft! Been a while since I made you react like that, ya know?”
While the two teenagers made some light conversation, some classmates watching their exchange couldn’t help making comments of their own.
“So that’s the quirk of the second placer?” A boy with the face of a raven muttered, doing his best to pretend he wasn’t near enough to hear that woman’s innuendo as he eyed the green-haired boy with expectant eyes. “What a mad banquet of darkness…”
“Quel particulier, his quirk is almost as dazzling as mine,” Aoyama declared, sparks practically shining on his eyes. “Alas, quite the contrast with his far-from-shining personality.”
“It kinda makes you wonder what is Enoshima’s quirk,” The redheaded girl pondered while rubbing her chin. “I mean, she placed first, right?”
“It has to be a powerful one,” The frog-looking teenager, Asui, chimed in. “Considering she earned a score large enough to leave all the other participants in her testing area without a single point, ribbit.”
“Really!?” Yaoyorozu gasped. Noticing her outburst, she sheepishly cleared her throat. “Apologies for that, but I was part of the recommended program, so I wasn’t aware of such an event. Is it true?”
“Yeah, it was big news back then!” Ashido confirmed with an excited nod. “The day of the exam, loads of people complained about not having a chance to try the practical part. Something about all the villain bots blowing to bits before taking a step into the testing grounds. At first, I thought they were making that up to save face, but damn if I didn’t believe it after seeing how well she did on the scoreboard. Sheesh, packing a punch and with a killer figure! Some girls simply have it all, huh?”
“Perhaps it might only work under specific circumstances,” Asui pondered aloud. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t need to rely on that other boy and his quirk, ribbit.”
“That quirk, I wonder if he’s related to―”
Before the boy with a burn mark on his face could finish his sentence, a loud and withering voice cut it off.
“DEKU! YOU LYING PIECE OF SHIT!”
Rapidly gaining their attention, the whole class watched with bewilderment as Bakugo lunged towards Enoshima and Midoriya, one hand launching explosions that propelled him forward while the other aimed directly at the duo.
Aizawa immediately understood his intentions and wasted no time activating his quirk, launching his capture tape to restrain him as an extra measure.
I did stop the explosions.
Much to the underground hero’s slight surprise, it wasn’t enough to calm the boy down.
“IT’S ALWAYS THE SAME SHIT WITH YOU TWO!” The ashen-blonde snarled, trashing around the bounds like a wild animal. Clearly unaware of his position, and judging by the way he was gesturing his hands, he still was trying to activate his quirk without being none the wiser as to why he couldn’t. “YA THINK THIS IS FUNNY!? ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR WAYS TO MOCK ME BEHIND MY BACK, YOU PAIR OF SCHEMING SNAKES!?”
While some were looking at the rabid teenager with wariness, Aizawa grimaced at the sight of the boy. More specifically, at what his flaring and veteran red eyes saw in the boy’s.
That wasn’t a simple matter of annoyance or anger.
It was raw and bottomless hate.
Far from the kind that would prompt someone to outright think of murder, thankfully, but it made something clear.
Bakugo wanted to hurt those two, badly.
Not giving them a scare.
Not roughing them up.
Not even a black eye and be done with it.
No, all of his body language let Aizawa know that if he allowed the boy to do as he pleased, someone was going to end with a direct visit to Recovery Girl, and even at that, they would have to pray there was no permanent damage by the end of it.
If it was a combat exercise or say, the finals of U.A.’s sports festival, the behavior wouldn’t have been so abnormal. They were teenagers, and Aizawa had seen before how heroes in training could get passionate and let their emotions cloud any judgment in the middle of an adrenaline-intensive activity like the combat simulations tended to be. That was why he was always in charge of the brats with the most volatile quirks.
The problem was, that there was no combat exercise or festival to blame about.
No, the kid exploded, figuratively and literary speaking, over a damn mock race in an assessment test.
Heeding to the principal’s suggestion, Aizawa had done a thorough recount of his students' profiles. He knew Midoriya and Bakugo went to the same school, and the latter received extensive praise from the institution itself for his exemplary behavior.
He was beginning to recall those paragraphs with a newfound sense of suspicion.
Regardless, at best, he thought them to possibly be friends deciding on going to the same school. At worst, he expected a rivalry with some roughness around the edges.
Not this whole mess.
Goddamnit Nezu, you just had to shove the full bag on me, didn’t you?
Curious as he might be of the story between the three, as Enoshima clearly carried some involvement as well, he was dealing with a can of worms for which he lacked any information to reach an agreeable solution.
Meaning he could only put a patch on the dam.
“Bakugo!” He shouted the name, the irritation in his eyes helping to make his voice seem commanding enough for the boy to recognize someone he shouldn’t ignore was talking to him. “If you don’t calm down in this very instant, you can consider yourself officially expelled!”
That, alongside the gasps confirming he wasn’t hearing wrong, put a blunt halt to the boy’s leashing.
“Expelled…?” The volatile teenager blinked, just coming back to his senses. Rapidly, he snapped his head down to his hands, tried to generate an explosion, and had his eyes widen when nothing happened. “Wait, what happened to my quirk!?”
“I disabled it,” Aizawa huffed, allowing himself to finally blink. Ignoring the boy’s surprise at the revelation, he pulled a bottle of eye drops and poured some on his eyes. “Tch, I’ve got dry eye, so I don’t like to unnecessarily use my quirk.”
“Ah, that quirk!” Enoshima perked up. “You are Eraserhead, right? I recall your quirk lets you temporarily neutralize quirks with your sight.”
“It does,” Aizawa nodded, and although it wasn’t what one would call classified, he had to suppress some caution from his voice at having her of all people know background information about him. “So, you recognize me, then?”
“Yep, I might not seem like the type, but I am sorta big fan of underground heroes!”
“Wait, underground heroes?” A voice coming from a floating girl’s uniform questioned. “Huh, you don’t seem like the type.”
“Hey, they remind me of Batman, alright?” Enoshima pouted, her arms crossed. “He’s the best detective in the world! At least one thousand times better than nasty Crispy Hands and her necrophiliac tendencies.”
Several students sweatdropped, no one knowing what to make of her strange comment.
Who even were Batman and Crispy Hands?
“That aside,” Aizawa set his sight away from the strawberry blonde and toward a certain ashen-blonde. “Bakugo, I will not tolerate students attacking each other outside exercises requiring so. You and everyone here are heroes in the making, not children for me to babysit. Is that clear?” He didn’t receive an immediate response. Aizawa’s eyes narrowed. “Am I being clear?”
“…Yeah, got it.” The boy relented, his jaw tense while his eyes darted to the side.
Aizawa nodded, resisting the urge to let out a long sigh. Avoiding being too obvious about it, he sent the other two involved a scrutinizing look.
Enoshima was looking at Bakugo with furrowed brows, a gesture he suspected was rare on the happy-go-lucky girl.
Midoriya, even though Aizawa was certain to be the other boy’s main target, wasn’t even looking in the ashen-blonde’s direction.
The green-haired boy’s vision, instead, landed directly on him.
His expression, Aizawa had to admit, was hard to read.
Thankfully, none of the following trials suffered the same levels of drama.
Following the fifty-meter dash course, came the grip strength test.
Naturally, those with strength-enhancement quirks did well on it. Using his quirk allowed Midoriya to obtain a mark of six hundred and twenty kilograms. Kendo, while not the owner of a strength enhancer quirk by definition, her one hundred and thirty-five mark proved that the enlargement of her hands carried some of it as a passive effect.
However, the highlighters of the trial were both Enoshima and Yaoyorozu.
The recommended student made use of the most versatile quirk Aizawa had ever witnessed, Creation, to do exactly as its name suggested. She produced a vice clamp to pour pressure on the gripping device until it gave out its maximum score.
Enoshima did the same.
Unlike the raven-haired girl, she couldn’t materialize objects through her fat cells. What she could do, however, was to take a vice clamp of a similar design from that duffle bag she brought with her and follow the other girl’s steps.
Next came the sideways sustained jumps.
Due to how limited the exercise was, only a scarce number of students managed to stand out for that trial. Iida being one of the select few, had the engines on his calves shot quick and short bursts of speed that made his note reach higher than it would’ve done otherwise.
Simple, but Aizawa wasn’t expecting their every solution to be flashy or overly complex. Thinking outside the wheel was what mattered for the test.
Speaking of which, Enoshima had once again managed to outperform the rest of the group.
Even if her solution was…
“Hey Mineta, can I borrow your balls?”
…Well, that.
“My balls?” The boy blinked. Then, a lecherous grin spread across his face. “Of course! Actually, if you are so insistent on seeing them, then I guess I could also show you―”
“Heh, you are hilarious, dude!” Enoshima gave the boy a close-eyed smile. “So hilarious in fact, that if you end that sentence, I’m gonna kick in laughter so hard that I might accidentally end up popping those off.”
“Eek! I-I was just kidding!” The short teenager stuttered, rapidly plucking multiple purple spheres out of his hair before presenting them to the taller girl. “H-Here! Please leave my precious ones alone!”
“Thanks!“
Enoshima went and snatched the bundle of spheres out of the boy’s hands. Much to Mineta’s surprise and those who had seen his quirk in action, when she went and put those on each side of the mark lines, she had managed to do so with ease and without having any of them stuck on her hands.
It was only then that some noticed the transparent gloves she was wearing.
Not done yet, the strawberry blonde went to her duffle bag and rummaged some moments on it before pulling what Aizawa could barely make to have the label ‘Omniphobic Repellant’ written on it.
The implications of her having that in her possession before the first day of classes, before having any idea of whom were going to be her classmates, didn’t go past him.
Ignoring the confused glances most members of the class sent her way with ease, Enoshima began applying its contents all over herself. Once satisfied with her endeavor, she went back to the trial ground, tossing the can behind her and somehow managing for it to land on the bag without looking back.
It wasn’t until she threw herself onto one of the bundles at her sides, that everyone realized what was her plan.
“What the heck!?” Mineta cried out in disbelief as he saw the pigtailed girl not only wasn’t getting stuck on the purple spheres but was instead bouncing off them from one way to another with enough speed to make her look blurry. “That’s what I was going to do! Wait, how is she even doing that!?”
Enoshima’s performance followed the same pattern through the rest of the assessment test. Without the apparent use of her quirk, as far as anyone could see, the strawberry blonde managed to score all trials with top qualifications.
Whether through the use of tools or the ingenious direct or indirect assistance of someone else’s quirk, the strawberry blonde always had a solution at hand. Naturally, some members of the class had their doubts about the legitimacy of her actions. Every now and then, they would throw cautious glances at their homeroom teacher, wondering if he truly was fine with Enoshima doing the trials with such unorthodox methods.
If the man disapproved of her approach to the test and only allowed the girl to keep going to reprimand her until the end, he made no show of it.
Eventually, the test led them back to the softball throw, having it for everyone save Enoshima, who already partook in it, as their final trial.
Given he had some basic information on the class’s quirks, Aizawa wasn’t surprised to see that was the trial where most of them had a chance to show off.
Some were rather straightforward in their methods. Like Uraraka, obtaining the same score as Enoshima’s for obvious reasons. There was Katsuki as well, whose quirk’s blast granted him one of the largest scores with a sum of seven hundred forty-two meters.
While not bad on its own, so long as they were giving it their all, Aizawa felt far more inclined to pay extra attention to those who had to be far more scrutinous in the use of their quirks.
Such was the case of the girl with vines for hair, Ibara Shiozaki he recalled, having her strands grown in length at her will. With them, she made a demonstration of her quirk’s mastery by having it hold the softball past the circle, further into the field until the vines reached their limits. As an extra measure, she morphed the last strands of her hair into a faux plant-like catapult that launched the ball for some extra meters accumulated into her score.
By the end of it, her result was that of two hundred and six meters for thrown distance.
The second recommended student, Shoto Todoroki, threw the ball with his left hand. By itself, it looked like he wasn’t going to reach too far. However, right when the sphere was about to touch the ground, the boy released a blast of ice from his right side, spreading it several dozen meters forward. Gaining enough momentum by the force which with it was being pushed, once the ice came to a sudden halt the softball was launched into the sky at a great speed, giving the boy with heterochromia a score of four hundred and sixty-eight meters once it fell to the ground.
That he was capable of creating a blunt space fit for the small object in between, preventing the softball from getting stuck on the blast of ice, was a testament to how much control he had over that side of his quirk.
On that note, save for melting any structures he created through the use of his ice, Aizawa found it strange that the boy at no point whatsoever made use of his other half for any of the trials. However, given his positive scores, he decided to chalk it up as Todoroki having found his fire far less useful than his ice for the assessment test.
He was going to keep an eye on him regardless, though. If Endeavor’s son thought himself allowed to spend the whole year doing things halfway through just because of his lineage, Aizawa wasn’t going to hesitate in putting a swift end to such arrogance.
A few other students followed through the procedures before the class had one last member left to make their demonstration. Coincidentally, it just so happened to be one of the students he was most interested in.
Izuku Midoriya.
Upon hearing his name, the boy made his way into the circle. Like the rest of the test beforehand, his eyes gave no hint of any hesitation whatsoever. Neither did his steps. If anything, his movements only highlighted the contrasting difference between Enoshima and him.
Whereas the girl seemed in constant need of making a spectacle out of everything, her presence ever known to everybody in the vicinity, the freckled boy seemed all too comfortable acting as her silent shadow. Because yes, even though he only assisted her on the fifty-meter dash trial, Aizawa hadn’t missed how the boy made sure to be near her whenever possible.
Briefly, his mind noted the twisted sense of irony in how the one with the flashy quirk was Midoriya, whereas Enoshima’s was as far from flashy as it could get.
Introspection aside, it wasn’t long before the boy reached the circle. With the instructions already told more than a dozen times by then, the underground hero only gave him a grunt in acknowledgment.
Understanding the untold signal, Midoriya turned his sight ahead and wasted no time activating his quirk. Even if it was far from his first time using it, the crimson sparks that suddenly emerged and flew around his body earned mesmerized looks from some of his classmates.
It also earned a low growl on Katsuki’s part, but so long as the boy kept it at just that, Aizawa was letting things slide.
Only a few seconds passed, and the intangible cape of electricity grew both in its density and the intensity with which it lashed out, something he was willing to theorize was correlated with the amount of power Midoriya borrowed from his quirk.
Seemingly satisfied with the amount accumulated, Midoriya took a sudden step forward, then reared the arm holding the softball back, just about to launch the ball.
And it was right there when Eraserhead activated his quirk on the boy.
As a testament to his reflexes and self-awareness, rather than having the ball stumble out of his hands, Midoriya was able to stop his arm mid-throw. Then he brought both hands down, looking at them with wide eyes.
Aizawa expected many things to happen next.
For Midoriya to rage at being stripped of his precious quirk.
Look confused, perhaps even terrified, at seeing his quirk wasn’t there to back up his confidence.
While Aizawa did have a few reasons behind his cancellation of the boy’s quirk, he couldn’t deny his real intention was to see a slip of Midoriya’s mask. To observe Midoriya being caught by surprise and get a glimpse at what truly lay behind his stoicism.
All his expectations prepared him for the worst.
As such, he was wholly unprepared for the boy to look utterly relieved.
“Professor Aizawa,” The green-haired boy turned to face him, his face once again schooled back into neutrality. Even then, Aizawa swore there was a small, insignificant hint of giddiness in his voice. “Is there a reason you used your quirk?”
The underground hero blinked a pair of times, pretending to be taking his time deactivating his quirk as a way of hiding his momentary lapse. Once feeling sufficiently back in control, he addressed the boy.
“Midoriya, what percentage of your quirk’s power did you use back on the entrance exam?”
“Ten percent.” The boy answered with ease. He also did a fine job ignoring the chorus caused by the fact that, as the class understood it, up until now Midoriya had been holding back to one-tenth of his full strength. “That was as far as I can use it. The…my quirk, grants massive amounts of power, but my body can’t handle the full brunt of it yet. Anything more than my current limit causes severe damage to my body, so it was a moot point using any more than that.”
Aizawa hummed. A sound meant as an acknowledgment, rather than outright agreeance with the other person. Usually, he wouldn’t give that much consideration to the matter, already deeming the boy a liability based on having such unstable control over his quirk. Then again, he had seen Midoriya’s student profile. Meaning he had seen the segment that specified that his quirk had just manifested a few months ago.
On top of that, it didn’t seem like the boy took that as an excuse to not go plus ultra and develop his quirk as well as he could in such a short time. Going so far as earning second place within Japan’s top hero school without suffering any drawbacks from using such a powerful quirk.
Those weren’t the traits of someone who half-assed things, and until proven otherwise, Aizawa could respect that about the young hero in training.
That being said…
“On this trial, I want you to throw the ball using the full capacity of your quirk. To use it, and keep yourself in able conditions despite the backlash,” Midoriya’s eyebrows raised by a few degrees, but he didn’t vocalize a protest. He had been complying so far, so Aizawa decided to throw the boy a bone. “I recognize you did well on the practical test, but given what I’ve been hearing and seeing about your quirk, it is important to get a glimpse of what you are capable of at one hundred percent so I can know what we are working with. So we at U.A. can shape you into a proper hero.”
For a second time today, Midoriya gave him a strange look. It was almost as if the boy was looking at an animal he had never seen in his life.
Before Aizawa could make sense of it, though, a loud voice brought their attention.
“Hey, Zuzu, dunno what’s holding you, but I betcha it ain’t a biggie!” Enoshima chirped from her spot. “So, how about ya break a leg and go kick some ass?”
Yaoyorozu, who was close to Enoshima, couldn’t help sending the girl a confused look.
“That, um…doesn’t make any sense, does it?”
“Maybe not, but it does sound manly!” Another boy nearby said.
Despite the understandable puzzlement among the class, it appeared that Midoriya somehow managed to draw some wisdom out of her friend’s blabbering. With a grateful nod sent her way, the boy set his gaze ahead once again. Aizawa raised an eyebrow when he prepared to throw the softball not so differently from when he intended to some moments ago. This time around, though, there was no signal of the boy activating his quirk. For one fleeting moment, the underground hero wondered if Midoriya had decided to throw the towel and make the throw without his quirk.
How wrong he was.
Just when the projectile was about to leave his grasp, a sudden and massive wave of energy covered the boy’s hand.
Then he made his throw.
Not only was it powerful enough to create gusts of wind, but gasps of surprise were heard as the very ground shook with the force at which the softball was being blasted away. It cut through the air, making it no different than watching a cannonball being fired.
With his right hand covering his face from the dust, it was the ping of the distance measurer on his left hand rather than his eyes that alerted Aizawa when the projectile finally landed. Prying his sight down to the device, he observed how much distance Midoriya’s quirk at one hundred percent covered.
907.6 meters.
“Professor Aizawa,” The underground hero shifted his sight upward, right in time to see Midoriya leveling a daring glare as he showed him his right hand, where a lone index finger showed signs of damage. “Is this good enough?”
As understanding of what had transpired dawned on him and noises of awe reverberated in his surroundings, Aizawa was unable to keep in check the grin that formed on his lips.
He felt respect for the boy and his discipline.
Excitement at seeing one of his students surpassing his expectations.
And, as he saw the pride with which Enoshima was looking at Midoriya, all of those emotions stilled at once.
He would like to think he had done a decent job so far at keeping a neutral stance on both of them, only outing them based on what he had seen so far rather than what might or might not lurk beneath it all. However, as his mind flashed with the memory of Nezu and the way he grimaced at the mention of the green-haired boy, a shadow of caution loomed over his nerves.
Midoriya’s quirk, as far as the description on his profile went, granted the user a seemingly endless reserve of energy from which they could draw to increase their physical capabilities.
Getting a first-row glimpse of what it was capable of, at the deep bond he had with Enoshima, allowed him to understand what had the principal so concerned about the boy.
It wasn’t one metaphorical nuclear hazard they had to worry themselves about.
It was one metaphorical nuclear hazard and a potential second All Might they were at risk of contesting with.
Is this some goddamn nightmare that refuses to end?
The whole day had been nothing but hurdle after hurdle, and it took all of Bakugo’s will to not reach for that damn snake’s face and blast it away, hoping that putting the bastard in his place would bring a modicum of sense into the world.
A fucking quirk!? All this time, the shithead had one!?
It didn’t make any sense. He was destined to be the number one hero, the one with the greatest quirk in the world, and that scheming quirkless rat nothing but a pebble on his road. For fourteen years those were the major truths that held balance in his reality.
Then pigtails came, turning the whole world upside down and everything Katsuki knew about Deku changed with it.
Gaining a spine all of a sudden.
Somehow managing to get into U.A. as well.
Not only that, but with a score higher than his.
Higher!? I don’t give a shit about what I’ve seen today, I refuse to believe his quirk is better than mine!
Yeah, there was that. The worst punchline anyone could’ve come up with for this shitty joke.
Deku turning out to not be quirkless.
Was that somehow her fault too?
No. For as much as a pain in the ass that bitch might be, there’s no way she was responsible for him having a quirk all of a sudden.
…Right?
“Alright, this about covers up the assessment test,” The teach’s voice snapped his attention back to fool’s land. “I am about to present your results. Simply put, the final count is an aggregate of each of your scores accumulated through the trials. Disclosing the full details would be a pain, so I will show the class’s placements at once.”
Bringing another device out, the scruffy-looking adult pressed one of its buttons, causing it to display a massive hologram.
And this time around, Katsuki was sure he was inside a living nightmare.
[1] [Enoshima Junko.]
[2] [Yaoyorozu Momo.]
[3] [Midoriya Izuku.]
[4] [Todoroki Shoto.]
[5] [Bakugo Katsuki.]
[6] [Shiozaki Ibara.]
[7] [Iida Tenya.]
[8] [Tokoyami Fumikage.]
[9] [Kirishima Eijiro.]
[10] [Kendo Itsuka.]
[11] [Ashido Mina.]
[12] [Uraraka Ochaco.]
[13] [Asui Tsuyu.]
[14] [Aoyama Yuga.]
[15] [Hagakure Toru.]
[16] [Mineta Minoru.]
He tuned out the distraught cries of the purple sleazeball. His mind was occupied with far more distressing matters.
It happened all over again.
No, the situation was worse.
Not only those two bastards were looking down on him again, but the gap grew wider as well.
Fifth place. Fucking fifth place.
What was going on?
Why nothing was making sense anymore?
Instinctively, his eyes drifted to the cross of his existence from which every bit of his misery for the past year originated.
Katsuki gaped, having turned right in time to see Pigtails was already looking down at him in the distance. Surprise turned into seething rage as she had the gall to have her tongue lolled out while sticking a hand on her forehead in an L shape.
That damn bitch!
His body trembled. Impotence began building up in his body, knowing that trying to make a move on either her or fucking Deku would end up with the teach saving their scummy asses.
“Hmm, while I do not wish any ill will on anyone, I can’t help feeling bothered about the placement,“ The extra Katsuki remembered as glasses chimed in. Several of the other extras shifted their attention to him. ”Although merit on its own, doesn’t it defeat the purpose of the exercise for Enoshima to earn first place without using her quirk?”
That made some of Katsuki’s rage pause.
While he would never say it out loud, he could concede that Glasses had a point. He almost felt grateful for the guy having pointed out that fucking massive elephant in the room.
It was true. All she relied on were gadgets and the other’s quirks to cheat her way in. At no point whatsoever had that woman put one bit of effort into earning her place fair and square.
Now that Katsuki thought about it, when had she ever used her quirk? Or why Deku, always babbling about quirks and heroes, never boasted about it back when the snake was willing to let his tongue loose to the losers on Aldera who wanted to bang her?
Besides, it was obvious that it was she who took the initiative to hang with Deku rather than the other way around. It was a thought he had decided to discard some time ago, but seeing how plausible was sounding at the moment…
Could it be that she was―
“Oh, who said that I’ve never used my quirk? If anything, I’ve been using it this whole time!”
Huh?
Similarly confused by the bullshit she was spewing, the extras looked at her as if she had said the sky was red.
“Really?” Frog girl brought a finger up to her chin. “So far, I’ve only seen you relying on other people’s quirks or that bag full of tools you have, ribbit.”
“Mhm, yeah,” Pigtails nodded, unfazed by the other girl’s bluntness. “However, here’s the thing…have any of you wondered why I had this duffel bag with me in the first place?”
Given the looks on their faces, it was obvious the extras were lost in the meaning behind her words. However, Katsuki’s eyes widened as rapidly he figured out what Pigtails was implying.
“Isn’t it obvious? You had it with the intended purpose of helping you in…” Ponytail trailed off. Soon after, her eyes widened as she reached the same conclusion he had come to. “Wait, Enoshima! A-Are you suggesting to have known about this test before our professor even told us about it?”
“I am not suggesting anything,” Pigtails shrugged, then an impish grin crossed her mouth. “I am confirming it.”
“For real!?” Rockman gasped, the others sharing similar looks of disbelief. “But how? Did, uh, Professor Aizawa tell you beforehand?”
“I did not," For the first time in this squabble, the teach decided to speak up. “No one besides some of U.A.’s staff and myself knew I had this planned.”
“It ain’t future sight nor premonition either, girlie,” The strawberry-blonde annoyance smirked upon seeing the now wide-eyed Alien Horns lower the hand she had just raised. “But…heh, I guess the way Ultimate Analysis works might lead some to believe that.”
The class had their attention drawn up at the title. Begrudgingly, Katsuki had his ears perked up as well.
“Ultimate Analysis?” Big Hands tilted her head. “So, like, your quirk makes you smart?“
“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Pigtails said, but Katsuki and the rest of the class did a double take when, in the blink of an eye, her wild hairstyle changed into a single smooth ponytail, a hand adjusted the glasses suddenly framing her sight, while the other held a notebook everyone was sure wasn’t there a moment ago. “Calling my quirk an intelligence boost is a rather archaic form to describe it, though. I can consume, process, and digest information at the speed computers might be jealous of, allowing me a swift understanding of its application. Say, learning a language by sole exposure, or becoming an expert programmer by simply observing someone just as experienced working their magic. Just as well, as you might be able to surmise from the presented evidence, simulate data until being able to predict the likeliness of having an assessment test on the first day of classes, then discern out that this exercise, at no point whatsoever, discredited the abuse of its ambiguous limitations on what was and wasn’t permitted to do. Isn’t that correct, Professor Aizawa?”
The man in question gave the weird chick a long stare.
Then he sighed.
“If Enoshima hadn’t approached the test as she did, I would’ve deemed her unworthy of U.A. for poor refinement of her quirk, even if she somehow managed to end above last place.” The teach shrugged with nonchalance, as if the bastard hadn’t just dropped a bombshell. “Given the nature of her quirk, it was precisely this unexpected approach that shows her spot in the Hero Course, at the very least, was earned.”
“That’s right, bitches!” Katsuki did not jump as the rest of the class became startled at the sudden rise in Pigtail’s voice. He did, however, blinked in confusion at the sudden disappearance of her glasses and the notebook, being replaced with a manic look on her face while her single ponytail went back into a wild pair of manes attached to each side of her head. “Never expected. Always unstoppable. I am the storm that is approaching! HELL FUCKING YEAH!”
‘…Now I’m sure of it. Deku’s bitch is a wacko.’ Katsuki thought, staring at Pigtails with incredulity.
“Um, I’ve been wondering this for a while now,” Ponytail gave Pigtails a confused look, the faces of the other extras sharing the sentiment. For once, it seemed he wasn’t the only one looking at the chick like the weirdo she was. “I can’t help but notice how you occasionally make sudden jumps in your behavior. Sometimes you are calm and collected. Others, well, there’s that recent demonstration. Is…there a reason for that?”
“Kind of,” Pigtails said, in what Katsuki guessed could count as her regular annoying self. “Y’see, my quirk ain’t something I can turn on and off, and given that my very existence is the thing I overanalyze the most, I kinda get overwhelmed by my thoughts if I let them stay static for too long. I’m kind of giving ya the short version, but to sum it up, you could say my mind made all these explosive personas to keep my brain stimulated.”
“Wow, so you’re some sort of eccentric super genius beauty, and the only real drawback is that you sometimes get bored, which your brain already fixes for ya?” Alien Horns chimed in with awe in her eyes. “Man, talk about having the full package! You’re, like, the luckiest gal in the world, ya know?”
Katsuki wasn’t sure if anyone noticed, and honestly, he didn’t care.
What he cared about was that, for a damn fraction of a second, he could’ve sworn that Pigtails threw the other girl a death glare.
He was unable to discern if he was imagining things, as by the next time he blinked, she had that pestering full-blown grin on her face.
“Yeah, I guess ya could say I have the Ultimate Luck, huh?”
Before anyone could comment on Pigtail’s remark, the teach raised his voice.
“Alright class, time to wrap things up,” The instructor said, gathering everyone’s attention. “If you are all done with the interrogation session, then―”
“W-Wait!” Grape Hair raised a shaky hand, tears swelling up from the corner of his eyes. “I-I placed last, does that mean I am being expelled?”
“…Ah, right.” The teach blinked, seemingly just being reminded of something. “The expulsion threat? I will back down from it.”
“What!?” It was Ponytail who shrieked at the announcement this time around. “It was real then? Wasn’t that just a ruse to have us give it our all?”
A certain pigtailed pest snorted, “Ya really think that after the temper tantrum Pomeranian over there pulled, Professor Aizawa was going to keep some mere stunt around until now?”
A vein bulged on his forehead.
“Who are ya calling Pomeranian, bitch!?” He snarled, barely restraining the urge to blow all that makeup off her face. “And I don’t throw tantrums!”
“See?”
“Quiet down you two,” The teach chided. Katsuki scoffed, but didn’t say anything else. Pigtails merely shrugged with an easy smile on her face. Seeing that both of them complied prompted him to continue. “Now that we are officially done for the day, you guys can go back to the locker rooms. Once done, go to your classroom and pick the curriculum sheets lying on your respective desks. Then we can call it a day. Oh, and Midoriya, one more thing.”
Deku, who had been doing a perfect job at pretending to not exist until now, perked up when he was called out.
“What is it?”
“Here, take this,” The underground hero pulled out a sheet and held it in Deku’s direction, making him approach the shabby-looking man. “Go with recovery girl and get that finger patched up.”
Taking the offered piece of paper, Katsuki rolled his eyes when rather than immediately doing as told, the lovesick idiot shifted his sight towards Pigtails. Almost like a dog asking for permission.
Either thanks to that quirk of hers or because she simply knew well the dumbass by now, the woman in question seemed to know what he was trying to convey.
“Ah, don’tcha worry,” Pigtails waved Deku off. “We will catch up in the classroom, ’kay?”
With a silent nod, the green-haired eyesore complied and was finally gone.
Soon after, the whole class followed in his steps.
All except Katsuki.
Instead, he took a moment to look at the retreating form of a certain pigtailed vermin. Now that he was away from those annoying extras and her unbearable presence, he was able to smooth his mind to process what he had seen about her today.
Ultimate Analysis…what a fucking joke.
This whole time, he had been outfoxed by some glorified bookworm. A loser who’s only good at cheating her way through and copying what others did. Not even quirks at that, but just what anyone could learn with enough free time?
She is practically quirkless! Are ya kidding me, how could I’ve been falling behind some pseudo-quirkless whore!?
His fist clenched until turning white. His teeth tightened, trembling with barely held righteous fury. He could almost feel the frustrated scream in rage that threatened to escape his mouth.
Then it all came to a sudden halt. A sense of epiphany suddenly illuminated his mind.
He was at U.A., the best hero school in Japan. If the school truly was worth their salt, there should be a matter of time before they pit the class against each other in actual combat to measure their worth.
No, he was sure of it. There would be a time to beat the shit out of those two, and the teach assured him he won’t save their asses then.
Slowly, the scowl on his face morphed into a smug smirk.
For all the petty tricks and smooth talking she had used to get her butt out of the oven so far, there was no way they would be worth a shit when the time to trade blows came.
Laugh while you still can, bitch. That luck of yours will eventually dry up, and the moment it does, I will make sure to charge all those humiliations you have put me through with interest.
His confidence restored, Katsuki strode forward.
The time of reckoning was near, he could feel it.
Soon, he would restore his status as the number one.
“Sheesh, today was exhausting!”
“You can say that twice. I swear, with a professor that intense, it almost makes me wish I had ended up with the other class instead.”
“That’s U.A. for you, ribbit.”
While not bothering to look up as she changed clothes, Junko listened to the ongoing chattering around her with faint interest.
Which measured into a fucking ton of interest in regular human terms.
She couldn’t help it, though. Girl talk was a relatively novel experience for her. None of the other bitches measured up to her back in her model days, leading to barely interacting with others outside the hollow collaborations meant to build up her image.
And back at Hope’s Peak?
Yeah, as if. None of her female classmates could’ve known shit about that sort of stuff even if it smacked them in the head. Even Miss Psycho Idol, the supposed golden standard, rarely bothered mingling with other girls, seeing the school only as a means to boost her career, and an opportunity to get fresh material for her Mr. Average lovey-dovey altar.
And no, she wasn’t making that up.
What, did anyone thought she gave her that nickname simply to mock her death? It was no wonder Crispy Hands won the Luckster’s heart when Muku of all people placed second as the least weirdo aiming for his dick.
“I do admit Professor Aizawa threw a curveball with his threat of expulsion,” Her rival in size said. “That aside, everything went about what I expected from a school as prestigious as this.”
“Really?” Rosy Cheeks gulped. “Wow, that’s the second placer for you, I guess.”
“Oh, speaking of which,” Pink Menace smirked. “What about you, first place?”
Despite already knowing how the whole conversation was going to play out, she decided to feign ignorance.
“Hm?” Junko shifted her sight towards Pinkie, her head tilted. “What about me?”
“You can’t be serious,” The pink-haired girl gave her a disbelieving look. “What’s there to not talk about? You earn the top score in the admittance exam, then you come here on the first day like you owned the place and put everyone else through the wringer on the assessment test. Kinda hard to forget that sort of first impression.”
“Ah, that. Yeah, I’m pretty awesome, aren’t I?”
“No room for humility, huh?” A bunch of floating clothes giggled. “Not like I’m complaining. It’s great to see so many of us girls outperform the boys!”
So says the girl that only outperformed the cheap joke relief of the group.
“Speaking of them,” Pinkie threw Junko a teasing grin. “Hey, don’t think I missed how close you were with that freckled boy. I smell a juice story there~.”
“You mean Zuzu and I?”
“Zuzu!?” Pinkie squealed. “My romance-senses are tingling! That’s a lovey-dovey nickname right there!”
“Seriously?” Big Hands raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Are we having this sort of talk already? We haven’t even properly introduced each other to begin with.”
“Ugh. Fineee, the name’s Mina Ashido. Sup?”
“Now was that too hard?” The walking stereotype of a girl next door chuckled. “I’m Itsuka Kendo, by the way.”
“My name is Tsuyu Asui, ribbit,” Frogger croaked. Because of course she did. “But please, call me Tsu.”
“Oh, are we already moving onto a first-name basis? How exciting!” Her rival in size said, her voice carrying a tingle of naïve excitement that reminded Junko far too well of a certain princess from back home. “My name is Momo Yaoyorozu. I do hope we get to be great acquaintances down the line.”
“Ibara Shiozaki.” The second coming of Christ said, wrapping her hands together in a praying gesture. “May the lord’s light be with you all.”
“I’m Toru Hagakure!” The same floating laundry from moments ago chirped. “Let’s all get along!”
“Ochaco Uraraka.” The not-main heroine of this tale smiled, waving a hand in a greeting gesture. “Nice to meet you!”
“Not like you need the reminder, but the name’s Junko Enoshima,” The ghost of a smirk crossed her lips as her eyes basked in the sight of the seven girls around her. “I’m sure we will make some great memories this year.”
“Uh-huh. Glad to meet y’all. Now onto most important matters,” Mina hurriedly exclaimed before twirling back in Junko’s direction with an eager grin. “Give those sweet details and tell us what sort of relationship you have with the guy!”
Like moths drawn to a light, the talk of gossip drew the other girl’s attention towards her. While some tried to feign disinterest on the subject, each one of them stopped themselves mid-change in hopes of not missing any detail.
Neither went unnoticed by Junko the way a certain brunette seemed particularly interested in the topic.
“When it comes to Zuzu,” The diva of despair smiled, a genuine twitch quirking up her lips. “You could say he is the only person in this world that had seen my barest self.”
Her smile became wider when she saw, through the corner of her sight, the mixed emotions leaking through Uraraka’s face.
Just because it is going to be a while before the main course, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy small desserts along the way.
Unaware of the shift in their moods, certainly not aware of the true reason behind her growing chirpiness, it didn’t took long for the rest of the girls to process her words and react to them.
“Um,” Momo raised a hesitant hand, her bashful-looking eyes doing their best to avoid looking directly at Junko. “That is a way of saying he knows you well as a person, r-right?”
“Hmmm…who knows~?”
That broke the dam.
“P-Preposterous!” Ibara stammered, her voice raised a tone higher than the rest of their classmates’ outcries as her face flushed red, the vines on her head rising like the hissing hair of a gorgon. “Practicing such indecent behavior when you haven’t even married? I implore you to repent from this sinful path!”
“How strange, I don’t remember saying anything of the sort,” Junko inquired with an impish grin. “Could it be, were you having thoughts about it inside your mind? My, my, what a dirty girl we have here.”
The vine-haired girl turned into a stuttering mess.
While some of the girls seemed awkward at the exchange, Mina had no problem joining in with a more light-hearted version of her own teasing…leading Junko to turn her sights on Pinkie, for whom she used that muscle-headed redhead she hanged with for material.
The girl took it in stride and waved her teasing off good-naturedly, leading to a consequential reaction in which one by one the girls warmed up into the conversation with their own topics added into the mix. Likes, dislikes, their favorite hero. That sort of stuff.
It was boring as hell, but their colorful personalities made up for it. In a way, it was nostalgic as well, and it warmed her heart to see the group bonding much faster than her previous class did. After all, she truly meant what she told them.
Junko truly hoped they could make some great memories in the time they would spend here in U.A.
And then, when it all comes to an end…
Without restraint.
Methodically.
Indiscriminately.
She was going to reap all that hope and turn it into the most beautiful spectacle of despair this world had ever seen.
With the first day of classes coming to an end, U.A.’s students retired to their homes. Some did it in their lonesome, while the most sociable ones were able to form groups with which they parted.
Nearing the school’s entrance gate, a particular duo walked side by side.
“So, those are going to be our dear classmates.” Junko shifted her attention to Izuku, an inquisitive gleam shining in her eyes. “Quite the interesting bunch, huh? So much personality flowing from their bodies!”
Izuku ruefully nodded, “I guess colorful is a way to describe them?”
That much he could admit about those people. In that regard, it almost seemed like his previous classmates were a bunch of blank silhouettes with no essence whatsoever when compared to the current bunch.
“That they are,” Junko hummed. She tilted her head, side-glancing him with an inquiring look. “By the way, what do you make of them?”
Izuku blinked, momentarily confused as to what was the true meaning behind her question.
“They don’t seem that threatening,” He tried, unsure if that was what she truly looking for an answer. “I wouldn’t call their quirks useless, but none carried the sort of utility that would compromise us. Maybe that girl, uh, Yaoyorozu, is an exception? She felt a bit naïve, though, maybe sheltered, so I’m not sure how dangerous she truly is.”
“That’s interesting and all, but not really what I am talking about, tho,” Junko pouted. “I would looooove to have some real feedback from my beloved confidant, ya know? Some introspection on your feelings for them. A bit of a heart-to-heart, if ya catch my drift.”
Izuku chewed the insides of his cheek. He knew the importance of U.A. as an institution. Understood the repercussions it could have on Japan, even worldwide, if Junko succeeded.
…Succeeded in what, though? Yes, he knew what was her ultimate goal, but what exactly was Junko trying to achieve through U.A.?
And why did a bunch of random teenagers seemed to be as relevant as the school itself?
It wasn’t for a lack of trying that Izuku wasn’t in the know of the specifics. Every time he tried to prod about it, Junko always found a way to deflect an answer.
While the secrecy did stung, it wasn’t something that robbed him of sleep. Izuku knew he still was the one person she trusted the most. The only one, really. That, and the fact he was well aware of her fascination with unpredictability, assured him it wasn’t a fault of his that kept him from the inner details of her plans.
Nevertheless, that wasn’t of much help when it came to dealing with the storm brewing on his mind in regards to the class he, even if only on a superficial level, was part of.
His first day at U.A. was different than what he expected. There was no denying that.
Sure, there was the unsurprising presence of Bakugo, with Izuku having developed a newfound sense of scorn towards the teenager and his behavior against Junko. Just as well there was that annoying midget Izuku was sure would end up smashing his face to the ground one of these days if he continued ogling Junko like a creep.
But aside from those two?
Izuku wasn’t sure what to think of.
He wasn’t shunned for so much as existing.
They didn’t act like obnoxious bastards who picked at him at every opportunity.
There was also the fact that, for once in his life, a teacher took his side over Bakugo’s.
Even now, Izuku wondered if he had imagined any of that.
It was all so…confusing.
He detested the feeling.
With a frown, Izuku decided to be blunt about it with Junko. Part of him feared her reaction to his concerns, but in the need, his faith in his friend pushed aside his doubts.
If there was one thing on which his heart wouldn’t ever waver, was in the trust he held for her above all things.
His choice set, he opened his mouth, ready to voice out an answer.
“Hey guys!”
Both Junko and Izuku stopped in their tracks as they looked back to the source of that voice, rapidly noticing the approaching figures of Uraraka and Iida coming their way. The former waved at them with an eager smile.
While Izuku decided to make himself, Junko returned the salute once they neared the two of them.
“Rosy Cheeks, Glasses, sup?”
“Glasses?” Iida quirked an eyebrow. “Oh, I understand, it’s one of those nicknames meant to informally greet fellow peers using one’s qualities without falling into derogatory terms. A way to ‘Break the ice’, if I’m not mistaken?”
“Uwah, I’m getting some real class president vibes from you,” Uraraka sweatdropped. Much to Izuku’s consternation, her attention was then drawn in his direction. “Hey, curly hair, it’s you!”
“Yeah, I am…” Izuku muttered, lips pressing into a thin line. Otherwise, he knew his discomfort toward the girl in front of him would turn too obvious.
It didn’t help that, judging by the glint in Junko’s eyes, he knew she had no plans of interrupting the conversation from happening.
“Hehe, I’ve been wanting to talk with you ever since the incident with the zero pointer,” The brunette admitted, almost looking sheepish. “You looked so awesome beating that giant robot! One moment you were like, swoosh! And then bang and bang!”
Izuku didn’t said anything, but the corners of his lips curled down marginally. Enough to not be noticeable unless you were looking for the specific change in his body language.
“Oh, I guess we haven’t introduced ourselves properly, have we?” Uraraka said, clearly misinterpreting his silence for the askance of a name he already knew. “My name’s Uraraka Ochaco! And you are…Midoriya Deku?”
Izuku stared, truly stared at her.
“…No, my name is Midoriya Izuku,” He said, his voice clipped. For a second, he considered the repercussions of what he was about to say next, and then he mentally shrugged, deciding he didn’t care one bit about them. “Bakugo simply uses that name because it is an alternative way of reading my name. That, and because Deku stands for ‘Useless’.”
“Wait, really!?” Uraraka gasped, her face suddenly contorted with guilt. “S-Sorry! I heard him call you that all the time, and he seemed familiarized with you guys. Like, I thought he might be a friend of yours with a sort-of rivalry thing going on.”
In a way, he was impressed.
Either she was a shameless bastard that was trying to take him for a fool, or the girl simply was a reverend moron.
He was pretty sure it was the former, but seeing he wasn’t immediately discarding the latter made her actions a feat of their own.
“So it’s a nickname meant to be harmful,” Iida surmised; his brows furrowed. “My impression of Bakugo was already a dubious one after seeing his antagonizing attitude throughout the day. Hearing about him being involved in such petty behavior, well, it admittedly makes me wonder if he truly is a U.A. student.” The deep-blue haired boy suddenly straightened himself up, raising his hand in what was becoming a trademark chopping gesture. “However, fret not, Midoriya! From now on, we will refrain from spreading such an offensive moniker, I swear it to you in my family’s name!”
Izuku nodded.
Internally, he wished to get away from the bespectacled teenager as well, if only for reasons opposite from Uraraka’s.
“Anyhow,” Junko chimed in, much to Izuku’s relief. “It was great we got to clear that misunderstanding, but Zuzu and I gotta go, so how about we wrap things up and catch up tomorrow? I don’t need my quirk to know U.A. will have some nasty surprises prepared for us.”
I didn’t took much to convince the speeder to part ways with them. Uraraka seemed momentarily reluctant. It almost seemed like she wanted to say something. In the end, she backpaddled from whatever had made her hesitate, and with one final goodbye, she joined Iida on their way to the station.
Junko and Izuku departed in the opposite direction, their travel a silent one. Izuku rapidly recognized the unusual lack of chattering on Junko’s part as a sign to keep quiet until the moment was right.
As expected, when they reached a street empty of any prying ears, Junko spoke, not looking at him.
“It is impressive, isn’t it?”
“Junko?”
“Don’t you agree, Zuzu?” Junko continued, unbothered by how cryptic she was being. “All those smiles and friendly gestures, makes me feel fascinated by how differently we are perceived once we are no longer deemed as second-class citizens. Ah, excuse me, that’s not how they call it around here. What was the term? Oh, right!” She snapped her fingers in mock realization. “‘Quirkless’ is what they call it.”
Izuku came to a sudden halt.
His eyes trailed down to the palms of his now-raised hands. A cold and nauseous sense of comprehension tugged at his heart.
He thought he would be ready to confront the lies.
He had believed to have gotten rid of the blindfold Junko ripped off from his eyes.
Only he didn’t. From the very start, he had been deluding himself with the idea that he was above any uncertainty. The truth was it only took a faltering moment in which the rest of the world didn’t looked down on him to make his resolve waver. To make him doubt.
The mere thought almost drove him to the edge of throwing up.
None of that ‘respect’ and ‘recognition’ was directed at him. It was all poured onto that cursed quirk leeching inside him and what it had shown them to be capable of.
Had he still been quirkless, Iida would have allowed his confrontation with Katsuki to ran its course. Perhaps even going as far as to accuse him of being the instigator.
Aizawa would’ve let Bakugo lash out at him hadn’t One for All bested that cretin’s quirk.
And Uraraka…
He almost found it humorous how even having a quirk and using it to save her life didn’t help much in making her hide the distaste she had for his person.
For a moment, Izuku felt a fleeting sense of comfort in reaching a clear conclusion.
Then it all was drained down from his system as he realized that if he had eventually figured out these emotions and what were they causing on him…
Since when, and how much of it did Junko had already figured out for him.
Slowly, carefully so, Izuku shifted his sight. A pang of nervousness and guilt crossed his body when he saw she was yet to look at him.
He understood the futility of prolonging things more than necessary. Steeling himself, he took a deep breath before addressing his friend.
“Junko.” While he did his best not to stutter, “I…I’m sorry…”
He didn’t elaborate. Izuku knew she understood. Knew she always understood, and that believing otherwise was an insult to her intelligence.
Bracing himself, he readied his mind and body for the battering he no doubt was about to receive.
“It’s alright, I forgive you.”
Huh?
“Really?” Izuku asked with caution. For as much as he trusted her, he knew those words could be the prelude to something catastrophic. “You do?”
“That is what friends are for, isn’t it?” Junko quizzed; her frozen orbs never leaving the horizon. “Be it one rude comment slipping through, a nasty prank that got out of hand, or a grand reveal that would change the dynamics of their relationship forever. They forgive each other, no matter what,” She finally turned, and Izuku shivered with delight, seeing the fond smile with which she was looking at him. “You will do the same, won’t you? No matter what, you will always forgive me.”
“Of course!” He promised, fervently and without hesitation. “I will always be at your side, Junko!”
“I will hold you onto that,” His pigtailed friend smirked. Then, to cut through the tense atmosphere, she let out a childish groan. “Ugh, dealing with all those losers starved me! Let’s go back to our love nest so ya can whip me up a nice meal!”
“Gladly,” Izuku managed to say, despite the embarrassment he felt regarding their apartment’s moniker. “Can’t forget about you depending on takoyaki balls to survive otherwise.”
“Hey! Ya know damn well I don’t like it when you call me out on things that are so obviously true!”
Despite the snapping tone, Izuku couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his mouth, resuming his trek back home alongside Junko with what was undoubtedly a high note.
Their quipping. The intimacy of two individuals working towards a grand goal. That was their normalcy. His little shelter from a world that thrived in rejecting his existence no matter what shape or form he took.
It was dark and confusing at times. Scary even. And yet, he would fight tooth and nail to defend it until his last breath.
From anything.
And anyone.
“Fix your eyes upon me, unbeliever!” At the center of a poorly illuminated room, a lone male figure trashed from his seat. The bounds on his limbs impeded him from doing much less than lashing out like a wild animal. Both verbally and physically. “These restraints, the futility of my struggles, and the hopelessness coming from it all, they are a sign. No, it is a blessing! One precious reminder that, no matter where those who believed in her message are, her tender hand will always be there to push them back into the always comforting void that is despair!”
“Tch, whoever developed these NPCs, they really should pour some budget on the creative department,” Another male voice complained, this one raspy, almost dry-sounding, with his shape and form hidden in the obscurity. “It’s always the same thematic with you weirdos.”
“Age. Gender. Personal beliefs. None of that matters!” The restrained madman continued with his spiel, ignoring the other’s presence as if it wasn’t there to begin with. “For in her cold and nurturing embrace, we are one! Love her, hate her. It doesn’t matter either way, for her benevolent existence will accept and consume us all. Bit by bit, more and more until only but ashes remain!”
“Hmm, I have to admit, if you look past all that despair bullshit, you guys deliver some cool lines sometimes. Maybe I should take some notes for my debut?”
“Despair onto your existence! Despair upon your future! Despair for everything that you hold dear!”
“I changed my mind; you guys are way too much a pain in the ass to make the effort worth it. Not like any of you had anything useful to say, anyways.”
“She who is despair! Despair who is her! In the end, nothing and no one will stop her from―”
The rant came to a sudden halt as a hand shot forward and lunged onto the restrained man’s face. In an instant, his ramblings were replaced with guttural screeches of agony.
His skin blanched in a dirty grey, the life rapidly getting drained from his body as dry cracks spurred across his entire form at the same time.
The process was as quick as it was painful, and with his last ember of life, his eyes, peeking from the corners of the calloused hand, stared straight at his attacker with a contorted mix of horror…and gratitude.
Then, his entire body crumbled into dust.
“Not feeling so much despair now, are you?”
Seeing no reason to keep at it without anyone in the vicinity, the figure decided to finally step out of the shadows.
The dim light revealed a lanky-looking young adult in his early twenties. His unkept greyish-blue hair reached the base of her neck. His wrinkled black long-sleeved shirt and pants, alongside the wrinkles under his red orbs and above his chapped lips, gave the young man an unhinged appearance.
His image wasn’t helped one bit by the severed hands tightly held around his face, shoulders, arms, and ribs.
Once mere inches from the clump of gray soot lying on the now unoccupied chair, Shigaraki Tomura stared down at the remains of his handiwork with an unusual sense of discomfort.
No, it couldn’t be considered unusual when the feeling had prevailed since he first met those cult freaks.
Tomura hated them, simple as that. Sure, the number of things he didn’t hate could be counted on a single hand, but in a way, they were a particular sore to deal with. Like an annoying itch on your back that, no matter how hard you tried to scratch, you couldn’t reach the spot.
None of them reciprocated the contempt he shared toward them. Their violence, their depravity, and their cruelty, it was all channeled into making the most out of their self-destructive indulgencies.
That was all fine and dandy, but…he could see it in their eyes. These people, even the loudest and harshest of them, none took joy from the suffering they inflicted upon others. Not in a conventional way. Instead, it was how much their actions crushed them from the inside out which they relished.
Then there was also their reaction to being dusted, something he had long since concluded to be what bothered him the most about them.
Why did they always had to look so grateful every time he killed them?
He knew, of course. Thanks to his master and all these months of getting familiarized with them, he was well aware all these people were but a farce. Just a bunch of flesh-made dolls committing whatever crime or atrocity they were commanded to, meanwhile keeping the bodies’ original owners trapped within their own mindscape. In retrospect, it was no wonder they felt appreciation for whoever put an end to their inescapable suffering.
That didn’t make him hate this whole mess any less.
“Tch, brainwashing is such a shitty plot device,” Tomura grumbled, stuffing all but the pinkies of his hands in each pocket of his pants as he walked away from the unrecognizable remains. Not at all resembling a petulant child throwing a tantrum. “Don’t they know how much of their agency gets ruined because of it? Even if it’s their quirk, whoever’s behind this should feel ashamed of themselves for relying so much on that garbage.”
He climbed a set of stairs and pushed past a shabby-looking door, leading him up to a hallway filled with various sets of rooms at the sides, a single intersection at the end of it. With his mind still rumbling with curses and complaints toward the despair-obsessed loser, alongside being familiarized with the building for a long while, he was prompted to ignore everything in between his destination.
As if all those empty dorms were ever going to be of any use, anyway.
Nearing the end of the hall, he turned to his right, leading him to a second passageway. It was shorter, with only his personal quarters at his left and this place’s closest equivalent to a lobby ahead of him.
Pushing the front door open and taking a step in, he was met by what for all intents and purposes was a perfect replica of a bar. One jukebox in a corner. A set of stool chairs lined up next to a countertop, with a collection of drinks sitting in the background. Even the brown bricked walls and the dim illumination presented an atmosphere that seemed to indulge with the intended theme of the room.
Only an old TV nearing the countertop’s edge seemed to fall out of place with it all.
The place wasn’t empty of occupants. Behind the room’s counter, a mass of dark-purplish shadows taking up what almost resembled a humane shape in a bartender’s suit was busing itself cleaning a glass vase. Their idle work came to a halt when they noticed Tomura’s presence.
“Tomura,” The shadow-made presence acknowledged with a subtle, but nonetheless reverent nod. “How did the interrogation of the prisoner go?”
“As if you don’t know already, Kurogiri,” Tomura rolled his eyes, irritated by the question both knew the answer to. “It was the same shit as always. Despair this, despair that. How much of a hot bitch his goddess was. Had to dust him before he drove me mad with just his ranting alone. They have the subtlety of a rock and I’m honestly impressed those drones have not become a public thing already.”
Tomura wasn’t, if he was honest. Between master drilling into his head the importance of keeping the element of surprise they had in their favor, and the heroes and their lackeys withholding any information in correlation with the despair-obsessed mobs, they’ve had plenty of leverage to keep themselves under the sidelines.
Hmph, how typical of this ‘heroic’ society. All that bullshit they preach of justice and honesty, but the moment something isn’t convenient for them, they wouldn’t hesitate to bury whatever corpses they deem necessary for their convenience.
“Hm, he was the last of them,” Kurogiri mused, the pair of golden lines on his otherwise faceless head thinning, like eyes narrowing with a contemplating frown. “Procuring more might be nigh impossible considering it has been months since this ‘Ultimate Despair’ and her lackeys had made a move.”
“Good riddance I’d say,” Tomura shrugged uncaringly, finally reaching the stool and taking a seat. “Honestly, if even the doc has been unable to work his magic and get anything out of them, I don’t get what does master expects of me. Besides, who’s to say that woman hasn’t dropped dead already and these losers have been worshipping a corpse this whole time?”
“It is possible,” Kurogiri conceded in a way that made clear he wasn’t that optimistic of being the case. He put the already pristine glass cup on the table, poured a drink from the stall, and offered it to the grey-haired young man. “She and her quirk still are an unknown factor for which we should account. One wrong move, and she could become a nuisance to your goals.”
Tomura didn’t said anything to that. Far more occupied looking at his reflection on the drink with a frown.
Things weren’t supposed to be that way. It was all supposed to be a single-player campaign in which he would earn all the achievements in record time.
But no, another player had to come up and turn it into a damn RTS. Loathed as he might be to admit it, not even Tomura was confident about the possibility that she truly was out of his way.
Master was the living proof that one could never be sure someone was dead without witnessing the corpse.
He didn’t like it. Her face. Her name. He despised how next to nothing he knew about her and her plans. How much relevancy was she had on his life without moving a goddamn finger.
Save for the extra caution in recruiting party members, things haven’t moved out of the schedule for his plans. That didn’t dismiss the fact that Kurogiri had a point.
They were dealing with a wild card.
One that had become impossible to ignore.
“Hey, Kurogiri,” Tomura began, his voice almost a growl. Keeping his thumbs away, he had his fingers drumming on the table, intended to show his growing impatience. “How much longer do we have to wait before infiltrating into that shitty school?”
“I would say about a week,” That shadow-like entity concluded. “Any less would prevent our inside agent from getting familiarized with the layout of the build, thus making the extraction of the information we require unlikely to succeed.”
Tomura grumbled but didn’t outright reject the answer he was given.
It was a pain to have to wait at all, but…yeah, he supposed he could work with that.
Even if she wasn’t dead, it would only mean that this ‘Ultimate Despair’ has kept herself hidden for literal months now. There was no reason for that to change anytime soon.
Yes, he could see it now. First, he would get rid of the Symbol of Peace. Like a moth drawn to a light, the consequential chaos that followed his demise would draw her to make a move, one for which Tomura was going to keep a close eye. As for how he was going to deal with her once he found her…
He remembered the gift his master was meant to deliver him in a few days now, just as he recalled a particular detail about it.
Oh, right, I can use that against her as well, can’t I?
As the realization that his anti All Might weapon could work as a countermeasure to the competition dawned on him, his lips curled into a cruel smile.
Heh, let’s see you try to brainwash something that doesn’t even have a mind of its own.
Notes:
Our dynamic duo's official first day of classes is finally here. Unsurprisingly it was full of shenanigans, Junko pulling some 3D chess here and there, all the while wasting no time spurting the roots of her influence for that juicy despair.
Izuku is chilling along the ride. No clashing thoughts whatsoever brewing inside his head after witnessing teenagers his age not being assholes to him five minutes into knowing him and an educator that didn’t dwindle his existence in favor of his former childhood friend/bully.
So yeah, utter and completely fine. Really. And hey, if stray thoughts pop up, his beloved friend is there to make sure nothing negative comes out of that.
Right?
Oh, and Shigaraki is here as well, and he doesn’t seem to be a fan of the competition. Sureeely that will end well for anyone trapped in the middle of it all.
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