The Forgotten Angel

Chapter XVI

"Did my father send you to do this?! Is he bribing you do draw out my flame!?!" Todoroki finally screamed at Izuku while the boy merely tried to catch his breath.

"No one sent me Todoroki." Izuku could barely yell back as he dodged yet another wave of ice, while fighting his own mind.

"I can see your in pain!! Your mind is attacking you isn't Takami?!? Why would you put yourself through such pain?!?" Todoroki yelled as Izuku merely pulled down his mask allowing Todoroki to see his face, while Izuku smiled kindly at the boy. Catching Todoroki off guard at the sight of the boy still smiling despite the obvious pain he was in.

"I will do anything to become a Hero Todoroki! I told you, I won't shame my parents any more than I already have. I don't know what you went through as a child, I don't even truly know you. But I do know that you don't deserve to be the best if you won't give it your all!! That's why I'll beat you" Izuku shouted while Todoroki tried and failed to send another wave of ice.

"If you want to be a Hero Todoroki then give it everything you have!!" Izuku shouted as he once again returned his grip to his sword while spreading his wings once again.

"SHUT UP!!" Todoroki yelled as he attacked Izuku once again, though causing the entire arena to be covered in ice as the crowd and the teachers could barely see them.

In Todoroki's mind he recalled everything, his mother, his siblings, his father. And finally, the rage, the pain, the sadness. Everything came to the surface and refueled Todoroki's will to win.

"ITS YOUR QUIRK NOT HIS!!! SO, SHOW ME WHO YOU ACTUALLY ARE TODOROKI!!!"

Izuku yelled once more as he flew up to one of the tallest pillars of ice and looked down on Todoroki, who finally met the boy's gaze.

"Takami, thank you." Todoroki muttered quietly as he charged up his flame while he directed the attack back to Izuku, who then spread his wings once more and charged at Todoroki with his sword drawn.

Though as Izuku maneuvered around the ice pillars and somewhat out of sight of the crowd and teachers, he saw his father. He saw the building. He saw his father being shot off the building and falling.

Izuku had flew right by him.

Immediately halting his flight, Izuku turned around only to see the same fog of smoke, and debris. Though Izuku didn't waste a second and he quickly flew in the opposite direction in attempts to catch his father. While the Todoroki's flame chased after Izuku as it encased the arena and Midnight and Cementos stepped in to stop the fight.

Though Izuku didn't notice, he didn't care, and with his only good arm he reached out for the falling body of his father.

Though only for the flame to catch him as Izuku felt the burn on his legs while he quickly activated his healing and directed it onto himself as he was pushed onto the ground by the intensity of the flame.

Everything was black.

It was almost quiet. Except for the loud ringing in his ears

He could feel the slight burn on his skin, though he also felt his quirk healing himself quickly.

Though when he opened his eyes, he saw that he was surrounded by chunks of cement, flame, and ice. While he himself was crouched on the ground behind one of the larger pieces.

But when he looked around at the ground and the sky, he realized he wasn't back there, it wasn't his father. He was gone.

Izuku merely stood as he raised his wings once again to make sure they weren't injured as he kept his gaze to the ground as the crowd cheered and screamed in astonishment.

Izuku didn't turn around, he didn't allow anyone to see his face as he held the now broken mask in his hands.

While Todoroki was kneeled on the ground, he saw Izuku, though he was impressed to see that not only was Izuku still in bounds, but he was healing himself.

Though Izuku said nothing and kept his back to Todoroki and half of the crowd while he allowed his wings to vanish once again. As he then walked out of the bounds and back into the building despite the roaring crowd.

Even when he was inside and out of view of everyone, he still didn't raise his head, though his tears still fell freely and without hesitation.

Though Izuku couldn't care, as the pain resurfaced and came back tenfold, the pain of the past 3 years.

The pain of watching his father, for a second time be so close yet so far out of his reach.

And even though Izuku knew it was in his head, he knew that it was just his mind being cruel to him just as always, he still couldn't shake the guilt of....

He couldn't save him