Chapter 6: The End Doesn't Justify the Means
"Ok, that's good, but keep your knees bent a little. There you go, now spread your feet just a smidge farther apart. Balance is important."
"Like this?"
"Yes! You're doing so well! Alright, now, just like we practiced, ready? Ok, lunge! Good. Lunge! Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground. Lunge! Better, but make sure to extend your arm as you're moving forward."
"Oh…what was I doing?"
"You're lunging and then after you're done, extending your arm. You have to do both at the same time."
"I'm sorry…"
"Don't be! You're getting it way faster than I did at your age! Keep learning this fast, and I might have to start taking lessons from you."
"Really?…"
"That's right! So ready to try again?"
"Yes!"
"Ok, now, lunge! Again, lunge! See, you're already nearly there!"
"Problem Child."
"Lunge! Oh, hi Eraser! When'd you get here?"
A sigh. "Problem Child, do I really need to tell you what's wrong here?"
Izuku tilts his head in confusion. What's wrong here? What does he mean?
It had been two weeks since Eri had been rescued. Most of that time had been spent with the little girl in the hospital, and subsequently, most of Izuku's out-of-school time had been spent at that hospital too.
Due to being attacked, Izuku was given an initial couple of days off of school. This had proved to be important since Eri wouldn't let any of the doctors near her, much less run any tests, without Izuku by her side giving her reassurances. The hospital showed their gratitude by not saying anything when the pair fell asleep next to each other for the first couple of nights.
They still didn't know what her quirk was. The only thing they knew was that it could 'erase you if you got too close.' There was also the problem of bringing up anything having to do with the girl's quirk that sent her spiraling so fast, that it sometimes took Izuku hours to bring her back. While the quirk counselors were eager to have her demonstrate, given what little they knew about this Overhaul guy, absolutely no one was forcing her to use it until she was ready. It was amazing how fast adults can leave a room when you start to roll a knife through your fingers like it's a poker chip.
Eraser said he didn't approve when Izuku did that. But the man had spent almost as much time in the hospital room as he did, and never stopped him. The pro hero didn't say much in that time, he usually just sat in the corner, or sometimes laid in a yellow sleeping bag. What Izuku could learn from him was that he patrolled at night, and apparently he was a teacher at UA (What?!) but for some reason didn't have a class to teach right now so his days were free to keep an eye on them.
After some time, they couldn't put off the discussion of where Eri was going to go after the hospital any longer. Orphanage and foster care were off the table before they even sat down. Eraser said it would be most logical if he used his emergency foster license and took her. He could prevent any quirk accidents, and the principal of UA had offered to let the hero live on campus with her, also meaning Eri would have protection from her kidnappers.
The principal had a teacher's dorm begin construction the moment he heard about what happened. Did he know what was going to happen? Izuku doesn't like to think about it.
Eraserhead's constant presence in the room, along with Izuku's continuous praise of the man, made Eri comfortable enough to agree to live with him. The hero's ability to stop her quirk, yes they finally got her to start calling it a quirk, probably played a part too. The only caveat was that she still wanted to see Izuku a lot.
In another turn of events that Izuku didn't want to think too much about either, UA's Principal Nezu had anticipated this and given Eraser a pass to get on campus to give to Izuku. And after a couple of tries, he was able to get it out of the man's hand.
And that leads to today. Where Izuku stands in Eri's room with her, he wears a brown long-sleeved shirt that says 'variant' in orange letters while Eri wears pink and light blue pajamas. A more tired than usual Eraserhead stares at him from the doorway. Something was wrong here? At least according to Eraser, what could it be? He looks around the room for anything wrong.
The toys were a mess on the ground, the bed wasn't made, Eri holding one of his daggers, her books were not put away on the shelf, or she hadn't changed yet?
Izuku shrugs. Nope. He just can't figure it out.
Eraser pinches the bridge of his nose. "The dagger, Midoriya. The dagger. Why is Eri holding a weapon?"
"Oh!" Izuku still doesn't see what's wrong but at least he knows what the man is talking about now. "We're training!"
"Training?" Eraser deadpans.
"P-please don't be mad, M-Mr. Aizawa," Eri starts. Eraser knows that Izuku knows the man softens when she speaks. They both also know Izuku would never call him out on it. "I-I want to help people, j-just like M-Mr. Mido. So…" she trails off.
"So she asked me for help and that's what I'm doing!" Izuku finishes with a bright smile on his face.
Eraserhead shifts his gaze between them for a few seconds before fixing a softer look on Eri. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be trained. But from now on, it should be done with an actual," a quick glare at Izuku, "licensed hero present. And weapons should not be the first thing you learn."
"Oh, c'mon Eraser! I started learning at her age and look how great I turned out!"
Izuku's attempts to defend himself don't work out if the man's blank stare is any indication. "I am not going to even acknowledge that with a response," Eraser says. "And kid, I told you to call me Aizawa when I'm not on duty." He waits for a nod before continuing. "Either way, All Might and some of his friends are here. He's waiting for you outside."
"Ok ok." Izuku raises his arms in surrender. "Just one last thing before I go? You're here now so we have a hero present like you wanted."
Eras-Aizawa looks pained. "Fine. Make it quick."
"Great!" Izuku picks a teddy bear off the ground and places it on the bed, holding it upright by it's head. "Ok, Eri, now combine everything we learned today."
She nods, lowering herself into the stance Izuku showed her while narrowing her eyes and sticking her tongue out of one side of her mouth in concentration.
"And…go!" Eri lunges, stabbing the toy bear through the chest. "Good! Now twist it! Twist the dagger, Eri. There you go! That'll cause maximum-"
"That's enough." Much like a certain dagger is doing to a bear right now, Aizawa's voice cuts through their lesson. He comes over and plucks the weapon out of the little girl's grasp. "I'll be keeping this for the rest of the day. Say your goodbyes Problem Child and meet All Might outside." And with that, the two are alone again.
"I'm s-sorry I got you in t-trouble, Mr. Mido…" Eri says, looking down while her eyes begin to water.
Izuku puts an arm around her and uses his other hand to pat her head. "Nah, I'm not in trouble. And it's just Mido."
A pause. "I'll stop saying Mister…when you call Mr. Aizawa by his name…"
"Ehhhh?!" Izuku backs up a step to look at Eri. "Was…was that snark?!"
"I-I-I-I'm sorry!" Eri practically yells, shaking her head. "I was just-I've see you-and I thought-"
Izuku silences her with a hug, which she returns after getting over her shock. "Don't be sorry. I'm so proud of you." The hug becomes tighter. The two stay like that until Izuku eventually forces himself to let go. "Alright, I gotta go now. But I'll see you soon, ok?"
The little unicorn keeps a hold of his sleeve. "Before you go…c-can you…one more time…"
Izuku smiles, knowing what she wants. He kneels in front of her and opens his palm. From it, a mini fireworks display plays out in front of them. Eri's eyes widen as the different colors explode in the air between them. She leans closer, mouth agape, just like the first time he did it. And while he hadn't been able to get her to smile yet, seeing the corner of her mouth twitch just a little, Izuku knew it was only a matter of time.
"Young Midoriya!" Izuku smiles, jumping down the stairs and running up to All Might in his small form. He was wearing the same plain white shirt and green cargo pants he had been the day they met. A favorite outfit of his apparently.
"All Might!" Izuku waves back, joining the man. The two began to walk through campus with All Might leading the way. "So what's going on? Aizawa said you came to campus today with some other people?"
The veteran hero nods. "That's right. Although, they arrived before me. My former sidekick is here and-"
"Sir Nighteye is here?! Is it true-"
All Might chuckles, placing a gentle but firm hand on the boy's head to cut him off. "Yes, Sir Nighteye. He's here with a pupil of his, a second-year student here at UA named Mirio Togata. I plan on meeting with the boy to see…" he hesitates. "To see if I should give One for All to him." All Might doesn't look at him.
"That's so cool!" Izuku exclaims.
The hero should've gotten whiplash with how fast he turns his head. "You think so?"
"Well yeah!" Izuku says, nodding and waving his arms around him. "I mean it's not every day you get to see the next symbol of peace chosen. My only question is, why bring me along?"
Izuku has seen a lot of things he couldn't believe, but seeing All Might somehow look sheepish while rubbing the back of his neck, still somehow blows his mind. "To be honest my boy, if he accepts, then chances are I'll be helping to train you both together so I wanted to give you the chance to meet. As well…" he rubs his hands together. "I wanted to be sure there would be no…ill will…between the two of you…if you know what I mean…"
Izuku is not nearly as good at reading people as his dad is. But even he gets where this is going. "Don't worry, All Might." Izuku smiles. "I said no so someone else would have the chance. Wouldn't make much sense for me to get upset over it."
The number one hero smiles, visibly sagging his shoulders. "That's a great relief to hear." The two idly chat for a few minutes longer while All Might leads them through several winding halls in the main building of the school. Eventually, they come across two doors, side by side. All Might opens the one on the right and holds it open for Izuku to enter.
To put it simply, it was an observation room. The entire room was empty and blank, except for the left wall not being a wall, but instead, one big window to watch the next room over. The other room, where presumably the left door led too, was much bigger, with the walls and floor padded. Two figures stood in the other room, talking to each other.
One was a boy, Mirio Togata if Izuku had to guess, wearing a white, gold, and blue suit with a long red cape. He had blonde hair and was built pretty well.
The other person was a much smaller, older man wearing a white and yellow suit complete with a yellow cape and domino mask. He lifts his foot to scratch it and Izuku sees several holes on the bottom of his boot. His notebook nearly conjures itself with all the questions Izuku is bursting with.
"Ah, you're here. And you brought a guest." Izuku looks away from the people in front of him to look at the only other occupant of the room. He was tall, wearing a plain white suit with a red dotted tie. He wore triangular glasses and had dark green hair with three yellow streaks in it. It was only the thought of embarrassing himself in front of All Might, and probably embarrassing the man too, that kept Izuku from running up to the hero for an autograph. No, that can wait.
All Might places a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Yes, I am here just like you wanted. And this is Izuku Midoriya. The boy I told you about over the phone."
"Midoriya." The man's sharp eyes locked onto Izuku and he knew from experience when he was being analyzed. The look was cold and calculating. The man might as well have yelled he didn't like him. Instinct told him to turn invisible and leave a clone, but he held the man's gaze. If he wanted to analyze him, then Izuku would return the favor. He wasn't one to back down. Especially from someone who was judging him without having even met him.
"Thank you for coming, All Might. I promise Togata is everything I said he is and more." Nighteye says without breaking eye contact with Izuku. "Would you mind if I spoke with Midoriya here alone for a moment?"
"A-are you sure about that? I wouldn't mind staying on this side of the glass…" something in All Might's voice made Izuku break the staring contest to look at his favorite hero, only to see him slightly trembling as he watched the other pair through the glass. "You didn't mention Torino-sensei would be here…"
"Oh, I didn't? Must have slipped my mind," Nighteye says in a way that suggests it in fact, did not slip his mind. "Well, this will give you the chance to become acquainted with Togata and Gran says he's been wanting to discuss your…lack of calls."
All Might…whimpers? No, that can't be right. Either way, after a brief coughing fit, the man leaves to the other room, leaving Izuku and Nighteye alone.
"Izuku Midoriya." The man starts, adjusting his glasses. "You are even more unimpressive to look at than I thought you'd be."
…huh? Wait, he must've misheard because…no, he heard right. Huh? Who just insults someone like that to their face?
"Be that as it may," Nighteye continues, choosing not to acknowledge what must've been a bewildered look on Izuku's face. "There must be, some intelligence in you to turn down the quirk. Not many would know they were unworthy of it. So I thank you for allowing someone truly deserving of the quirk like Togata to receive it. That is all." And with that, Nighteye strolls past him toward the door, completely unbothered by anything he just said.
"Wait."
Mirai raises an eyebrow and turns to face the boy, his hand still on the doorknob. Midoriya's head was lowered, his hair covering his eyes and fists clenched. What could possibly be the problem? He had already thanked the unremarkable boy, what more could there be?
"Who are you to decide…" the boy says quietly.
Mirai scoffs. "If you're trying to have a conversation with someone, the least you can do is speak loud enough to be heard."
Midoriya looks up, anger set in the face Mirai didn't think possible in someone so young. "I said, who are you to decide who's worthy of All Might's quirk? It's his quirk, not yours! The decision is his and only his!"
Mirai only offers to narrow his eyes. "You are a child, with a very limited view of the world. You shouldn't talk about things you know nothing about."
Midoriya's glare doesn't cease. "Did All Might tell you how exactly we met?"
The bi-spectacled man took his hand off the doorknob and fully turned around, crossing his arms. He didn't know where this was going but it didn't seem like it would be done soon. "He told me he met you after you rescued a little girl from her kidnappers."
"Right. And do you want to know what I've been doing since?"
"Hopefully getting to the point," Mirai replies dryly.
"I've been helping her recover!" Midoriya waves his arms in the air in frustration. "Because some evil man kept her and used her for her quirk for years!"
"While that is horrible, I fail to see what that has to do with-"
"Because you're doing the same thing!" Midoriya yells, taking a step forward.
That causes Mirai to stop, his arms unfolding. "What?"
Midoriya takes a breath. Then another. His glare lessening. "I'm sorry. That's too far. But the point is, she was used for her quirk because the man who had her thought he could play god with it. And it feels like you're doing the same thing with Togata and All Might."
Mirai's mind races, trying to find any correlation and these accusations but before he can respond, Midoriya continues. "The girl and her quirk were used to further that man's goals, and it just feels like to me you're doing the same thing. You're pulling the strings on both All Might and Togata so his quirk goes where you want. Regardless of what's best for anyone involved. Have you ever considered that Togata might not even want the quirk?"
Had he? All of his plans had included when Mirio would accept the quirk. He hadn't even considered the possibility of his student not accepting. He saw it as a certainty, like his visions.
Midoriya continues to stare at him, glare almost completely gone. "I'm sorry again. You're not as bad as that man, and whatever your goals are for Togata getting the quirk I'm sure are noble. But whatever you're working toward, using and manipulating people to get there, will just taint it. The end doesn't justify the means."
The former sidekick stilled for a moment. Is that what he had been doing? He certainly didn't see it that way, but from a certain point of view…he had initially recruited Togata with the sole purpose of preparing him for One for All…but it was all to save the life of his friend! And make sure society still has a symbol to continue to look up too! Surely, these goals were worth him doing whatever he had to…at least he thought so. He'd have to continue to think on this.
Nighteye walks up to Midoriya. "You have given me much to think about. I can see why All Might took an interest in you. Your future is certain to be interesting." He held out his hand. "Normally, I wouldn't ask, but after what you've said, I'd like to use my quirk to see into yours."
Midoriya's face forms one of confusion. "My future?"
Mirai nods. "Yes. But be warned. My visions are never wrong. Whatever I see will come to pass."
Midoriya smiles, shaking his head. "You can look if you want, but I don't want you to tell me whatever it is."
"No?"
"Yeah!" The smile somehow gets brighter. "The future's whatever we make it to be. Nothing's set in stone. I don't wanna know because even if it's bad, I'll twist that future!"
The hero chuckles a bit, holding his hand out further. "If that's what you believe." Midoriya nods vigorously, taking his hand and Mirai looks him in the eye.
Fire. As far as can be seen, everything is on fire. Wherever they are, there's no power so it's dark. The only light coming from the raging flames around them. Izuku Midoriya is on his hands and knees, coughing on the ground. A dark green cloak with a hood is draped over him, covering the rest of his body.
The fire moves, the heat increases and for a moment, so does the light. Midoriya's face can be seen. It's covered in equal parts soot, bruises, and blood. His hair is drenched in sweat that flows down his face and mixes with his tears. He coughs more.
Slow, methodical footsteps make their way toward the boy from the shadows. It's a man. He wears armor, has a cloak as well, and a horned helmet on his head. He stops next to the boy.
"I know. I know you won't understand." The man says. "But what I do, I do for the benefit of the entire universe."
"And…" Midoriya's voice can barely be heard over the fire. It's low and hoarse. "And all of the people you've killed…"
"Necessary sacrifices for the greater good." The man replies, matter of factly. "I know you can see the logic in my actions. What has-." The man stops. The fire illuminates a look of realization. "Ah, it's those friends of yours, isn't it?"
Midoriya immediately tries, and fails, to get on his feet several times. The man doesn't seem to notice. "No, it makes sense. They've made you soft. Well, no matter." The man looks back down at Midoriya. "I'll see to them myself."
"Over my dead body!" Midoriya shouts. The man suddenly turns, reaching his arm out to grab at seemingly nothing, but that wasn't the case. A second Midoriya appears behind the man trying to stab him, but he's stopped when his target grabs his wrist.
They struggle for a moment before the man tightens his grip on the wrist. Midoriya cries out in pain, dropping his dagger. "I told you to always watch what you say." The man says before grabbing Midoriya by the throat with his left hand and lifting him effortlessly.
Midoriya kicks violently as he's raised into the air. He grabs onto the man's arms and thrashes around as hard as he can, throwing his body in any direction he can. The only sounds now are the crackling of the fires, and Midoriya's choking.
The man looks at something in the distance before looking back. His face turns to anguish before saying in a low voice, "Izuku, there was no other way." Midoriya's struggle begins to slow. His legs and arms still and fall to his side. His face is blue, and his eyes bloodshot while he stares at his killer. A loud crack, and the world fades.
Mirai backs up a step. His vision returns instantly but he gives his head a second to digest what he saw before looking at the boy in front of him. No longer blue in the face and having the life choked out of him, now he just stares at him with concern in his thankfully not bloodshot eyes.
"Midoriya…"
"That bad huh?" He says with a little too nonchalance for his liking. "Well still. Don't tell me. I don't wanna know." Midoriya gives him one more smile before leaving for the other room, leaving Mirai alone with his thoughts.
Toshinori is probably a bit too relieved to see young Midoriya but still relieved nonetheless. "Come here my boy for introductions!" He calls over. Midoriya has an unreadable expression on his face when he first comes in but quickly transitions to his easy-going smile as he walks over to them.
The glass window of the observation room is tinted so people on this side can't see past it, adding in the fact the other room is soundproof and he has no idea what went on between Midoriya and Mirai. He hopes it wasn't anything too bad. He knows from his phone call that his old friend was…not pleased to hear he offered One for All to somebody else.
At least things had been going alright on this side of the glass. He had already shown young Togata his 'small' form, eliciting a scream from the young man. Not gonna lie, he was kind of hoping that reaction was exclusive to Midoriya but he had never been very lucky. On a more positive note, he had only been whacked by Gran three times so far.
Young Midoriya comes up to them and shakes the hands of the other two as they all introduce themselves, Toshinori suppresses a chuckle at the young man's grimace as he shakes Gran Torino's hand. They couldn't get much farther however before Mirai walks into the room, looking a bit more disheveled than he's used to seeing the man.
"C'mon boy." Gran growls to Midoriya. "Let's give them some privacy for this part."
"Ok!" Young Midoriya agrees easily, walking toward the door with the older man, notebook in hand. "So I couldn't help but notice the holes on the bottom of your shoes, so you shoot air out of them? Can you control the velocity? How about selecting which holes the air comes out of, or is it all or nothing? Are they anywhere else on your body? When did you-"
Toshinori knew the man liked to joke about dropping dead at any moment, but as the door closed behind them, it looked like Gran wanted nothing more than to drop right at that moment.
All Might shakes his head in amusement before turning back to Togata and Mirai. It's the young man who speaks first. "It's truly an honor to meet you All Might. Sir talks about you all the time!" Huh, Toshinori didn't know Mirai could look embarrassed, even if it's only a little.
He gives the boy a warm smile. "I'm sure he does. But tell me, young Togata, what do you know of my quirk?" And Toshinori tells him about One for All. Just like he did with Midoriya. That it's a powerful stockpiling quirk passed from generation to generation since the dawn of quirks. And now he wanted him to be the next user.
Togata points at himself, blue eyes wide and disbelieving. "M-me? You want me to inherit something so..so…me? The kid who lost all of his clothes on live television?"
Toshinori lets out a good natured laugh. "Yes, you! From what Mirai tells me, my own conversation with you, and it seems even Gran Torino has taken a liking to you! And I must tell you, that is no easy feat." He calms down a bit before continuing. "I know this is a big decision young man, so do not feel pressured to answer now or even say yes." Mirai's eyes flicker to him. "I will not be upset either way."
Young Togata looks back and forth between the two men for a minute before closing his eyes and rocking his head side to side. He stops for a long breath before looking back up, staring the hero in the eye. "I can never thank you enough for this opportunity All Might. But I'm sorry, I can't accept."
Nighteye's jaw drops but All Might gives a small nod, still smiling. "And that's perfectly alright."
"Mirio…" Nighteye sounds like the boy just refused his own quirk. "Why?…"
Togata looks his mentor in the eye as well. "I understand you wanted me to accept sir…it's probably why you chose me as an intern in the first place right?" Togata's voice cracks a little while his body sags. "But it just wouldn't be right. I still have so much to learn with my quirk and adding another on top of that would leave me stuck trying to master two quirks when I could be out there saving lives." Another deep breath. "I…I still think I can be Lemillion even with just my Permeation. And One for All should go to someone who needs it. I understand if you don't want to mentor me anymore, Sir."
Mirai has a contemplative look on his face while he looks at his student. Each second feels like an hour as it drags by. Finally, the hero straightens up and bows at a full ninety degrees in front of Togata.
"S-Sir?!"
"I apologize, Mirio. It is true I initially scouted you because I thought you would be a good vessel for One for All. However, after watching you grow this past year and having a…different perspective shown to me recently, I realize that it was wrong of me to use you in that way and I apologize again. Even without One for All, you will make a great hero and I understand if you don't want me to mentor you any longer."
Togata looks stunned. Toshinori can't blame him, he feels the same. Finally, the blonde-haired boy finds his words. "I-if you're willing to be more open with me in the future Sir, then I'd be honored to stay under your tutelage." Mirai stands back up with a small smile on his face and agrees.
"Well!" Toshinori claps his hands. "I think this went well. Young Togata, if you could retrieve Young Midoriya and Gran Torino for us?" The boy heartily agrees and runs over to the door. All Might turns to his former sidekick. "So what did you and young Midoriya speak about?"
Mirai opens his mouth but before he can reply, Togata's scream from the doorway interrupts him. Toshinori quickly buffs up and speeds over to the door, ready for whatever danger, only to see Togata on his knees, hands on his head. In front of him, Midoriya and Gran Torino lay in a pool of blood. Several wounds decorate both their bodies, and entrails lay across them and the floor. Hands, arms, legs, and other appendages are twisted in the wrong direction.
Toshinori connects the dots immediately and quickly lets his buff form go as Mirai joins him, raising a questioning eyebrow at him.
"How could this happen?!" Togata yells. "We need to alert the school, there's a villain on the loose. All Might, can we-"
Toshinori places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I think everything will be alright, Young Togata."
"Alright?! How can-" he's interrupted by Midoriya and Gran's roaring laughter. The two hold their respective stomachs, laughing and rolling on the ground. The blood and body parts do not seem to bother them any. Togata looks like he's going to be sick.
The two practical jokers finally sit up with Gran Torino giving Midoriya's arm a good natured slap. "I like this one too! With his quirk, I don't have to waste any more food for my pranks! I'll take him!" Midoriya laughs beside him, waving his hand so the gory scene in front of them disappears in a green glow.
"I-b-but-how? Wait-what? I-"
While Togata attempts to reclaim his thoughts, Toshinori laughs, pulling young Midoriya up while Mirai does the same for Gran. "You should learn to take care of the ward you already have before getting another one," Mirai says without any heat behind it.
"Bah!"
Toshinori looks around their small group. Gran is still chuckling, Mirai handing him back his cane while Midoriya attempts to explain his quirk to a Togata that was starting to question his reality. At that moment, it felt like everything was going to be ok.
Thor stares down the dark cave apprehensively. The waves of the beach they're next to crash against the rocks. He tries to calm himself down with a few long breaths, salty air filling his lungs. "You do realize," Loki comments beside him, "that caves are unable to move on their own? You must go in there yourself."
Thor nods, letting the snide remark pass. "Yes, I realize…and you are sure there is no way you can come with me?" Thor turns to his brother.
Loki gives a half-smile. "We both know this is something you have to do yourself."
Thor shakes his head. "Yes, yes I know you're right. It's just…what if they…"
"Thor," Loki calls his brother with resolve. "This won't be something you can fix overnight. It will take time. A lot of it. And you will make mistakes. You're going to have to take things slow and go at their pace." The God of Mischief smirks at his brother. "Not every problem can be solved by throwing your hammer at it."
Thor snickers. "The only ones who say such things, are the ones who have never thrown a magical hammer at their problems." Both brothers take a second to laugh together.
"You'll be fine. It's all going to work, you'll see." Thor smiles at his brother for his words and the two quickly hug before the Thunder God faces the tunnel again. He steels himself and walks in. Rainbow lights, much like the Bifrost, begin to flash around him as he nears the end of the tunnel and with one final bright light, he's gone.
Chapter 7: Good Luck Suffering
Wind rushes past Izuku's face as he barely dodges one of Togata's powerful punches. He goes to grab the other boy's wrist, to hold him while he would deliver a palm strike to his elbow. Unfortunately, Togata's quirk is the bane of his existence.
Izuku's hand goes right through the blonde's wrist before Togata launches his elbow out at his face. The verdant is able to lean back just in time to dodge again while at the same time, attempting to kick his opponent in the gut. Again, his attack is permeated.
Dang, that kind of move would've worked a couple of months ago.
Using his planted leg, Izuku kicks himself back, out of Togata's range while the other boy does the same, giving them both a moment to breathe.
They are both in the same padded training room they met all those months ago. Togata wears his hero costume while Izuku wears athletic shorts and a long-sleeved lime green shirt that says 'For all time, always.' They had offered him an official UA gym uniform but he didn't want to wear it until he was an actual student.
Without taking his eyes off Togata, Izuku catches a throwing knife that had been about to hit him in his ribs, thrown from the side of the room. That's probably not where it had been aimed but she's getting better.
He vanishes the knife and charges straight ahead. Togata smirks, running forward to meet his charge straight on. They are about to meet in the middle when Togata stops and pivots to look behind him. "You're not gonna get me with that this time!"
The blue-eyed boy throws a punch directly behind him, at seemingly nothing, before a second Izuku appears behind him, right in the fists path. Togata yells in victory, only for his fist to go through the decoy's face.
"Guessed wrong!" The first Izuku yells, smiling at his own victory. But much like Togata's own, it's short-lived as his fist goes through his opponent.
"Made you look!" Before the future member of the big three can even think, a third Izuku appears in the air above him. The first two having both been decoys. He drives his fist into Togata's face, feeling satisfied when his hit lands.
Satisfaction turns to nausea as a surprise punch from Togata lands squarely in Izuku's gut. The boy loses some spit as he's thrown back and rolls across the floor of the mats. Togata himself hits the mat hard from Izuku's punch.
The illusionist rubs his tender stomach as he gets up slowly, Togata does the same with his face. "Dang," Izuku says. "I shouldn't have gotten cocky. Jumping in the air cost me all my maneuverability."
"Well that's why we're practicing, right?" Togata says, sporting a smile despite his clearly hurting cheek. "You did get me. I really thought that decoy behind me was the real you. The punch I landed was from instinct and experience. You'll get those soon."
Another throwing knife thrown from the side is close to hitting Togata but goes through his arm instead of stabbing him.
"Again?" Togata asks, a knowing smirk on his face while he lowers himself into a fighting stance.
"You're on!" A door slamming interrupts round whatever it is. Izuku had lost count, he was having so much fun.
Izuku turns around, while simultaneously dodging another throwing knife, to see a very ticked-off Eraserhead glaring at him. He marches right up to Izuku, stopping in front of him. "Problem Child…what do you think you're doing?"
"Uh…sparring?"
"You very well know that's not what I mean, Midoriya," Aizawa says, gesturing behind him.
"Well, you're always talking about training awareness, so that's what Togata and I are doing!" Izuku says excitedly. "We spar, while at the same time dodging Eri's throwing knives!"
Said girl waves from her spot on the side of the ring. She's wearing a white shirt and red overalls. A neat pile of throwing knives lay next to her on a small table. Izuku continues, "and Eri gets practice too! It's a win-win for everybody."
"And," Aizawa closes his eyes for a moment and tries to take a calming breath. It doesn't seem to work. "And do you remember what I said about me being there when Eri is using weapons?"
"Actually…" Aizawa's eye twitches. Izuku would give anything to be in the man's class this year. "You said we just need a licensed pro hero, not you specifically. And we have that!"
Izuku gestures to the side of the room opposite where Eri stands. Snipe casually leans against the glass of the observation room. The cowboy hero tips his hat up a bit. "Howdy, Aizawa."
It had been decided early on since Izuku would be taking the UA entrance exam, that he would have contact with as few of the teachers as possible. It was to keep the teachers unbiased when judging him for the exam.
Because of this, Izuku had only had contact with Aizawa and Snipe. Both of them, along with All Might, would not judge him for the exam. The former helped him and Eri with hand-to-hand and knife skills. And the latter handled projectiles like throwing knives. Though, Aizawa was still usually there even when he wasn't directly teaching them.
Apparently, Present Mic had tried on several occasions to meet him, always being thwarted by Eraserhead. It still made Izuku giddy just thinking about a pro hero wanting to meet him of all people. He was nothing special.
Aizawa turns his glare from Izuku to the other pro hero, who shrinks a little. "Explain to me in what way you thought this was a good idea."
Snipe gives a little shrug. "Girl needs the practice. Midoriya and Togata have dodged everything she's thrown anyway. Why you hazing me like I'm some Tenderfoot? My grandpapi had me at the range the day my quirk manifested. Right at the tender age of four."
"And what about injuries?" Aizawa counters. "What happens if they get hit in a bad spot and they aren't ready?"
Snipe walks up to his co-worker, taking out his phone and tapping on it before showing it to the other man. "Ain't that why we all got Recovery Girl on speed dial?"
"You're all going to need her when I get done with-"
"'Zawa." Eraser stops his threat, and everyone looks down to see Eri, who had manifested herself next to Izuku. She rubs her hands nervously together while glancing from the floor up to the teacher and back down again constantly.
"'Zawa…please don't be mad at Mido…it was my idea…so if you're gonna be mad at anyone, be mad at me."
Aizawa takes a few seconds to inhale, before doing the same with the exhale. "No, Eri. I'm not mad. I just want you all to be safe. No more weapons today. Besides, Midoriya, you should get home and get some rest for your exam tomorrow."
And with that, as well as some muttering about needing more coffee, he leaves. As soon as the door closes behind him, Eri's nervous energy evaporates, and she looks up at Izuku with a mischievous smile he couldn't be more proud of.
"How was that, Mido?"
Izuku laughs, rubbing her head affectionately. "Well done! I didn't even have to tell you that time to do anything! I think you're ready to try your manipulation on new targets!"
Both kids turn toward Togata, eyes narrowing dangerously. The boy backs up slowly, hands raised and slightly sweating. "N-now hold on a sec. We can talk about this…a little help Snipe-sense?"
The man's phone has suddenly become the most interesting thing to him. "Oooooh, would you look at that? Two for one sell on spurs."
Togata looks back down to find a wide-eyed Eri staring up at him, tears beginning to well up in her innocent red eyes. "Does…does that mean you don't want to help me?…it's ok if you don't!…I'm used to not getting help…"
"N-no! Well…I…you see…"
Does Izuku sometimes think he's gone too far? Absolutely. Does that mean he regrets it? Absolutely not.
The morning of the entrance exams finds Izuku in his room, hands balled tightly into fists while he leans on his desk for support. He tries to get a hold of his breathing but he's just too nervous!
"Izuku, slow breaths c'mon." His mom wished him luck before leaving for work this morning, but it did little to calm his nerves. And with his emotions all over the place, he couldn't stop clones from appearing. Which is what led to Two standing by him, looking worried.
"It's just a test! And you're a demigod! Honestly, no one should be more Confident than you going into this thing. You've been trained by gods!" Two tries.
"Technically, they're not gods," Three says from the other side of him. "Even so, he is correct in other ways. You have prepared to the best of your abilities, it's Illogical to worry."
"You're both right, I know!" Izuku says, putting his face into his hands. "It's just…ugh maybe getting something to eat might help."
Izuku walks out into the hallway and does his best not to groan when he sees Five waiting for him. "Maybe it would go better if the real Izuku took the test."
Izuku slaps his chest as he walks past him. "Solid, see? I'm real."
Five joins him in step. "You may be solid, but we both know you're an Imposter."
A shake of his head is all Izuku manages because he is not going down that rabbit hole. He walks into the kitchen and grabs some bread from the cabinet.
"I hate myself!"
Oh, man. He must be having a worse morning than he thought if those ones are coming out.
The greenette peers into the living room to see Nine laying face down on the couch, one arm hanging off the side. "Why would UA want me? I'm worthless!"
Alright, he knows he's losing control if Nine's Depression is getting out.
"We're gonna let everyone down…" oh, good. Izuku looks to see Eight nervously pacing around. "I mean, Dad is the God of Mischief? How are we ever supposed to live up to that?!"
It's getting worse, he's starting to get a headache. "Two! Three! A little help with Nine! And Eight is having his Anxiety attack!"
"Don't worry! I'll wash away their problems!" Izuku can't hold back the groan when he sees Four walking in with an overly sized bucket of water.
"No Pranks!"
Two and Three rush into the room and lead Eight to the living room with Nine and Four. He's finally able to put some bread in the toaster, despite his hands trembling. He can feel his mind splitting as more clones appear, but he can't reign them in.
Six stares at the toaster dreamily. Hoping to end his non-existent Hunger. Twelve stands in a corner, notebook in hand while he Analyzes all the possibilities of the practical exam. Seven stands next to him, unbothered. Too busy Fanboying over being able to finally meet the other pro heroes UA has on staff.
Izuku's head is swimming. He can't focus. The boy leans himself over the sink just in case, breath coming in short gasps. Too much. There was too much happening. His senses were becoming overloaded.
He had lost control. Every thought and word that went through his decoys bounced around his head. He tries to right the ship, but every time he pushes back, his head explodes in pain. Izuku clutches it with both hands.
"Oh yeah, that'll help." Izuku turns just enough to see Ten glaring at him. "You're so pathetic! Maybe if you actually showed people like Bakugo how weak they are…" a dagger appears in Ten's hand. "Maybe then you wouldn't be sitting here, crying like a baby!" He yells, Anger radiating off him.
"Leave him alone!" Eleven stands between them. "That's not gonna help and you know it!"
Ten holds the dagger up threateningly. "Maybe if he allowed himself to get mad…"
"So he can do what? Stab everyone?" Eleven asks incredulously.
"Better than that Self Sacrificial crap he gets from you!"
Izuku is starting to feel colder. He thinks he hears his toast is done but he's not sure. There's screaming, talking, and everything in between going on around him. The boy closes his eyes and tries for a deep breath, but he just ends up coughing.
He can't focus. He needs to, but he can't. He has nothing to focus on. His hands constantly touch different parts of his body to make sure he's still there. Arms, legs. Torso. Face, oh, he was crying. Head.
He tugs on his hair, feeling quick sharp tugs of pain. His senses dull just a little. Izuku tugs more, focusing on the pain. He knows it's bad but it's giving him something to focus on. Something he has control over.
Izuku continues for a few minutes, his headache fading and his breaths becoming deeper. Finally, he raises his hand, feeling a pulse of magic running up it, and closes his fist and with it, all the decoys vanish.
The mere fifteen-year-old collapses onto the ground, enjoying the large amounts of air and clear mind. That can't keep happening. He needs to do better. To be better.
A quick wash up in the bathroom later and Izuku is out the door, toast in his mouth and all.
It just feels different today. Despite being at UA many times before now, today just feels so different. Izuku stares up at the H-shaped building, while usually comforted by the sight, today, it was intimidating.
Messing with the straps of his backpack, because yes, he's wearing his backpack today to not risk getting in trouble for conjuring it later, Izuku walks through the open gate.
"Outta my way, Deku!" What a way to start the day! Izuku slows, waiting for Kacchan to be right on him, before stepping into his path and bumping into him.
"Oh, Kacchan! I am so sorry! I didn't know you were there!" The taller boy gapes like a fish for a second before the anger returns. Izuku thinks it's best described like one of those old pre-quirk cartoons where the character's face would heat up in rage like a deranged tea kettle.
Izuku tilts his head to the side a little, gesturing to the UA teachers watching the students enter from the entrance. "Something wrong, Kacchan?"
Red eyes shoot back and forth between Izuku and the teachers before he finally relents. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Kacchan walks on, making sure to give him a nice shoulder check as he does so. "Good luck!" He calls out sweetly.
After a few seconds of letting the other boy walk ahead, Izuku lets his smile drop. That was the first time they had talked in almost a year. They hadn't really since he told him to…well anyway, he wasn't exactly complaining but it was still weird.
The villain attack and Eri's rescue had obviously been covered up. Izuku didn't show up to school for the rest of the week after and Aldera had said it was a "personal" matter. Izuku wasn't sure what to expect when he had gotten back, but the look on Kacchan's face when he walked into the classroom wasn't it.
Glaring and hate he had been used too, but surprise? That wasn't an emotion he can remember ever seeing on Kacchan's face. There was something else there too. His brain had provided it to him but he tossed it away immediately.
He was pretty good at reading people, he had to be to do a lot of things he did with his powers. But he still gets things wrong all the time. There was no way there was any relief on Kacchan's face when he got back.
Even so, his former friend had left him alone after that for the rest of the year. He didn't go out of his way to talk to him, and Izuku did the same.
Shaking his head, Izuku continues walking, letting his brain wander at all the possible different quirks around him.
There was so much variety here! He sees two different girls with horns on their heads, one of them was pink! Another boy who looked like a dinosaur, Izuku is pretty sure he could ask him questions the rest of the day. Wait, floating clothes? Is that person invisible?! Is that on all the time? Oh! And a boy with messy grayish-blue hair whose-
Izuku's thoughts come to a screeching halt when his foot hits uneven pavement, tripping him.
'Heimdall is never gonna let me live this down.'
Izuku got himself ready to roll when hit the ground…only to never hit it.
"Woooooooah!" Izuku yelps, his arms, and legs flailing. 'I'm flying?! How?! What?!'
"Are you ok?"
Izuku turns his head to see a girl standing beside him. She is a brunette with her hair in a bob cut. Two bangs frame her face with blush marks on her cheeks.
'Cute.'
'Wait, what?'
"I'm sorry I didn't ask you first but I stopped you with my quirk," she says with a nice smile on her face while straightening him. "But I figured you wouldn't mind me catching you." She presses her fingers together and Izuku feels the weight he didn't realize was gone return.
A part of his brain was attempting to analyze that, but it wasn't working for some reason.
"Isn't this all, like, way nerve-wracking?" She continues.
"Um…y-yeah…" 'What am I doing?!'
"Well, I guess I'll see you inside. Bye!" She waves and walks away, her smile never leaving her face.
'Does…does that count as talking to a girl?…I'm gonna count it!'
—-
The written portion of the exam was thankfully, not as hard as he thought it'd be. Resisting the urge to 'mooooo' as the crowd was herded like cows into the auditorium, Izuku finds his seat next to Kacchan, only receiving a glare as a greeting.
The lights dim and smoke fills the stage as Present Mic rises behind the podium. "What up UA candidates?! I'm your master of ceremonies, Present Mic! Can I get a YEAH?!"
His dad taught him the power of showmanship and style. He respects it, and he's sure not gonna leave The Present Mic hanging. He stands up and pumps his fist. "YEAH!" No one joins him. Izuku doesn't care. This helps calm him down.
Present Mic shoots him finger guns (oh my god!), "that listener gets it! But keeping it mellow is fine too!" The hero goes on to explain the practical exam while they're handed cards with their test sites on them, and Izuku holds his excited mumbles pretty well if he says so himself.
He's only a little sad he's not with Kacchan. What he would give to have a decoy just follow him around the entire time annoying him.
After the pro is done explaining the three faux villains and how they can bring anything they want, a tall blue-haired boy interrupts, standing up and raising his hand. "Excuse me! I have a question!"
"The stage is yours!"
"On the printout we were provided, it lists four faux villains, not three! If this is a mistake on the part of UA, then I apologize but that is shameful of Japan's most notable school! And you!" The boy turns around, pointing right at him. "You have been muttering this entire time! It is very distracting and if you can't be bothered to take this seriously, then you should leave!"
A few people snicker. 'Who does he think he is-'
"Alright, alright." Present Mic calls the attention back to him. "Great question Examinee 7111. The fourth villain is worth zero points. Think of it as more of an obstacle. You can fight it if you want, but there'd be no point. You dig?"
"Yes, thank you!" The boy sits down. Oh. They are not done. Izuku puts his hand under the table, takes a second, and twists it. Let's see how he likes a scorpion on his lap.
It only takes a second. "AHHHHH!" The boy screams, jumping up, brushing his lap furiously. Too late, Izuku dismissed the illusion the second he jumped up.
It takes everything to keep the smile off his face. "Hey!" Izuku calls out. When he has the boy's attention he puts a finger to his lips. "Shh. You're being very distracting!"
More people snicker and laugh, including a snort from right next to him. Izuku whips his head around but Kacchan has a neutral expression on his face. Huh, must've imagined it.
The tall boy clears his throat and mutters an apology and sits down, but not before checking around his seat carefully.
"Well, that's all I got for you all!" Present Mic takes over again. "So I'll leave you all with this, as General Napoleon Bonaparte once laid down, a true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes. Go beyond, Plus Ultra!" A few people call back, including Izuku. "Good luck suffering."
The gates to the fake city loom over them while Izuku bounces in place trying to distract himself, but it's not working. He's so excited! Robots! He'll get to use his daggers and knives to his heart's content without fear of hurting someone!
That's when he spots the nice girl who saved him from falling. He should probably thank her. Izuku takes a step and then he feels it.
"Don't touch me," Izuku says without turning around.
"E-excuse me?" He turns and sees the tall boy again, hand raised. The blue-haired boy composes himself, lowering his hand. "Why are you here? Were you sent by the staff to try and distract us before the test?"
"What kind of-"
"START!" Present Mic's voice booms over them. Izuku doesn't need to be told twice, sprinting through the gates. "He's got the right idea! There are no countdowns in real battles, little listeners! Run, run, run!"
Nice! He's got a sizable lead on the competition! Izuku runs in before three robots get in his path. A couple of two-pointers and a one-pointer. "Hope this works!" Izuku conjures three throwing knives and whisks them at the villains.
Each knife hits dead center and slices through with ease, each robot falling. "Yes!" He'll look around for his knives later, for now, he turns down an alley, only for a three-pointer to block his path.
"Target acquired! Prepare for judgment!" Izuku jumps onto the wall of the alley, using it to propel himself over the robot, dodging it's attack.
The trickster brings a conjured dagger down on the robot, slicing through it like butter. The three-pointer collapses and explodes in front of him. Izuku laughs, gripping the dagger tighter. "Oh yeah! I can get used to this!"
"I'd say this year's group looks promising. Would you all agree?" Nezu says, sipping a cup of tea with the other teachers in the observation room.
There are agreements throughout the room until, "I can't say I'm a fan."
Nezu chuckles at Power Loader. "Oh, Maijima. Don't be a child."
"I'm not being a child!" Higari Maijima whines, thereby nullifying his point. "I'm just saying, at least the explosion kid leaves some scraps behind for me to recycle. But that one kid at Battle Center E leaves nothing behind!"
"Oh, hush. We have more than enough funds for a few robots."
"That's not the point…" Maijima grumbles.
"We do have a good crop this year," Ectoplasm says. "But something isn't quite adding up. That boy there, with the green hair. Izuku Midoriya. His file says his quirk is illusion creation. But I've seen him create multiple knives and use them as if they were real."
"It could be that his quirk description is not accurate. It is, unfortunately, very common." Cementoss theorizes.
"A theory to solve another day!" Nezu happily calls out. "But for now, the real test begins!" The principal nods at Snipe who lifts a glass protector and pushes a big red button.
Izuku pants, his hands on his knees. If this test has shown him anything, it's that he has a real lack of mobility. Sure, turning into a dog helped a bit, but not that much. Maybe the next animal he should work on is a cheetah? Since he still can't get any birds to work.
But he still felt pretty good. If his math was right, he had 42 points right now. The robots had become a lot more scarce after the first couple of minutes, add in his lack of mobility and it wasn't a good recipe. Thankfully, he had been able to astral project himself to the top of buildings to gain vantage points and spot robots in the distance.
He had also created decoys to distract robots and help other kids a few times, at least when they were too far out of range for a throwing knife. So that made him feel better about everything.
Izuku straightens up and is about to go look for more robots when the ground begins to shake below him. 'What the…'
A series of explosions ring around the testing center, before a massive robot appears, bigger than any of the surrounding buildings. The behemoth crashes it's fist into the ground, causing another mini earthquake while obliterating anything near it.
The smoke is thick and screams fill the air as terrified kids run for their lives from the zero-pointer. All Izuku can do is stare as the monster of a robot moves toward them all, crushing anything in it's path.
'That's…so…COOL! I want one! Could the dwarves of Nidavellir build something like that? Won't hurt to ask…'
As much as Izuku would love to gawk at the robot all day, the test is probably almost over so he should find more robots to-
"Ow…"
He stops dead in his tracks. The nice girl…
Izuku is running before he realizes it.
With a wave of his hand, several decoys appear around him, running beside him, but it doesn't matter, he's more focused than ever. "Distract it!" They nod and run trying to get the attention of the robot while Izuku runs up to the girl, who had her foot trapped under some rubble.
He stabs a dagger under the slab of concrete and pushes down on the handle to lift it up more. Getting his hands under it, Izuku raises it a bit more. "I got it, go!" The girl nods and pulls her leg free.
With an action that would mortify him later, Izuku picks up the girl, bridal carry, and starts to run. His decoys weren't good enough because the zero-pointer still chases them. Crap, he couldn't outrun it. He needed something bigger to get it's attention.
He doesn't know if his dad will be proud or angry at what he's about to do.
Izuku deploys more decoys just to stop the robot for a couple of seconds while he puts the girl down against the side of a building. "I'll distract it long enough for you to get away! Go!"
"Wait-!" She starts but Izuku's already climbing up a nearby fire escape. All the dust and debris on the ground would hinder him. He gets to the roof just as the biggest faux villain is rolling past his decoys.
Izuku steps up to the edge. They said to go plus ultra, right?
He recalls all decoys and holds his hands in front of him, bending his knees. Izuku pushes more magic into his hands than he's ever done. Green lines envelop his body before all congregating onto his hands.
His body screams in protest. His arms shake worse than ever before. He starting to go numb everywhere but the two appendages he's focusing on.
He's never felt more alive.
His hands erupt what looks like green flames around them, and light envelops him, finally getting the attention of the zero-pointer. Izuku screams, releasing the magic and ignoring the blood dripping from his nose.
Because next to the building he's on, an exact replica of the zero-pointer appears next to him. Izuku laughs, looking up at by far his biggest creation. "I DID IT! Hahaha!" Every examinee has stopped at the test site, staring wide-eyed as the two giants square off.
Nezu cackles maniacally, nearly falling off his chair while teachers leap to their feet in surprise.
All Might smiles. 'Show them what you're made of, young Midoriya.'
The real faux villain seems to growl at it's challenger, rearing it's fist back and trying to pummel it's new opponent through the face, only for it to go straight through.
Izuku grunts, nearly falling to one knee as he pumps magic he didn't even know he had back into his creation, rebuilding it. This wasn't gonna work. He can't hold it much longer.
Using whatever he has left, Izuku holds up his hands and pushes. His illusion responds, moving away. And like he had hoped, the real one follows. Izuku holds. And holds. He keeps holding. He's on his knees at this point.
Sweat pours down his face. The blood is in free fall from his nose. It's like his arms will tear themselves from his sockets at any moment. But still, he keeps going.
Once both robots were a fair distance away, his decoy blinking in and out of existence, Izuku let's go.
The green flames around his hands extinguish themselves and with them, the rest of his energy. Oh, he just realized he's falling. That's right, he was at the edge of the roof. Not exactly a swan dive but he wonders if Kacchan would be happy with this? Wow, his brain goes to weird places when he's about to die.
The ground quickly approaches and Izuku can't even brace himself so he closes his eyes waiting for-
SMACK!
Instead of the ground, he feels a stinging on his cheek. Izuku cracks his eyes open to see himself floating above the ground, the nice girl had saved him, again. Wow, she'd make a great hero.
She barely gets her fingers together, whispering a quiet "release." Izuku falls the last small distance to the ground, as does she and the piece of robot she had been floating on. He doesn't really feel the impact, his body is still numb.
The greenette pushes himself up to thank her but turns away when he sees her throwing up. Hey, even half-dead, manners are important.
"Are you ok?" He asks once she's done.
"M-me?" She responds with a disbelieving giggle.
"TIME'S UP!" Present Mic's voice travels through the city, followed by a horn.
"Thanks for saving me." Izuku smiles, her blush marks going redder randomly. "But if you'll excuse me…" he slumps over, letting darkness overtake him.