Digital Dreamworld

Chapter 4 - World of Trials

Avoiding someone is easier when they're avoiding you too, Izuku discovered. At first he thought it would be impossible to ignore Kacchan, to steer clear of him until he was able to get over himself. But then Kaminari asked him if something happened between them because Kacchan was being weird. A very specific weird, according to the fake Pikachu. The same weird behavior he displayed right before and long after their battle at ground beta. After every time they fought and screamed at each other.

Were they fighting..? Izuku didn't think so, but then again, after the simulation... No, this wasn't a fight, not like the ones they had before. This was something else entirely. Awkward and embarrassing and filled with feelings. Kacchan had never been good with feelings...

And now they're here, laying on the familiar beds within the familiar gym. All Might was there too this time around, since he was the only other 'expert' on One For All. Izuku was glad he wasn't put into Kacchan's team for this test, even if they wouldn't remember they weren't talking to each other. Because this time they'd remove their memories, but allow them to keep their general hero knowledge. Their training. They'll know what to do, how to survive, work together. They just won't know they actually know each other. Izuku could see how that would be used for villain rehabilitation.

"You'll be going in first, so the vestiges can get to their assigned locations," Aizawa explained as Izuku was strapped in while everyone else was still sitting around. "You've memorized the information, right? They know where they need to go?"

"They're ready," Izuku nodded. "Nana will stay with me so I won't wake up alone, All Might's ghost will go to the center of the maze to wait for everyone and the rest will go to their assigned groups. Yoichi and Second will stay together and watch over team Yaoyorozu. Third will-"

"Okay, as long as you remember," Aizawa sighed. "Good luck."

———

Izuku blinked, looking straight up into the face of Nana Shimura. She was his mentor, the one who prepared him for this experience, this test. At least, those were part of the fake memories that were implanted into him. Not that Izuku could know about the experiment. Not here, not now, not while he was inside this world of endless trials and misfortunes.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, kneeling down next to him.

"Fine," Izuku answered, getting up. "Are we... Are we there? Inside the..?"

"We've entered the maze," Nana confirmed. Izuku nodded, trying to keep a confident pose, but stressing out nonetheless. Entering the maze was no small step. It was the test of a lifetime, the test all children had to take to prove their worth in this cruel world. Most children didn't return... "The others will be here soon, so settle down and spare your energy. You're gonna need it."

"Yeah, I guess that would be-"

But when Izuku turned around again, Nana was gone. He was all alone. Had his test already begun..? No. No, she'd said the others would be here soon. Other kids like him, people he'll have to work with to survive inside the maze. People he'll need to reach the middle. It was funny, really, running towards the middle of a maze instead of trying to escape one. But the flowers they needed to return to the village to prove themselves only grew in the middle of the maze. In a paradise far away from everything else, untouched by the chaos of the outside world.

"Are you the fourth?"

There was a girl with him now. Her hair a similar shade of green as his own. Longer, straighter, but similar nonetheless. There was a blonde boy with her, with a tail of flesh wrapped around his torso, as if to protect himself. From Izuku or the dangers of the maze, he wasn't sure... And last but not least, a black haired guy with weird looking elbows. How did he get that shirt on with those things on his arms..?