Izuku on the Rise {Discontinued}

Chapter 8: Nobody

Not only would he become obsolete, no, he'd lose his existence. He'd lose everything he'd ever worked for.

Muchi Jaku sealed the deal by handing Dare Mo, an unknown even in the midst of less-than-legal circles, 250.000 yen. That was on the 17th of April, 2238 - a Tuesday.

Dare Mo stayed behind and watched as their new client headed home. They shuffled through the wad of bills, once again, with a broad and satisfied grin on their invisible lips.

They heard a noise near them, something that sounded a lot like hooves clacking on pavement.

A shiver went down their spine. (A feeling that shouldn't be.) Curious. They weren't exactly caught off-guard but still. To make someone like them - a ghost in their own right - unsettled was a great feat.

A skeletal stallion materialized in front of their eyes.

"And who may you be?" they asked, a little awestruck at the sudden appearance. Their voice was for once almost tangible, in a way where one would be able to point to where they were standing. They had forgotten to let it drift.

What will you do with your client's target?
the stallion asked, fixating them with a cold stare.

"What does a horse care about my work?" the vigilante replied amusedly.

I have many interests.
came as a vague answer.

"Well. My codex is show, don't tell. I won't kill, that is all I will say."

Interesting. I will watch your steps.
The stallion vanished.

Dare Mo sighed. Went home. They had a sibling to take care of. Bills to pay. Meals to cook. It sucked, being an adult. But that horse... that fucking horse just wouldn't leave their thoughts.

...

"Tell me what you could have done better."

Thursday has Izuku sinking further into the beanbag as he ponders. It's his first lesson in Underground Heroics and Aizawa-sensei surprised him by explaining they wouldn't head into combat right away. He then showed the Midoriya a video on a very beaten up laptop: It was his performance in Vlad King's class. (When the one-on-one with Shiro came, he covered his face in embarrassment as Video!Zuku proceeded to replicate the pantomime's quirk activation. Aizawa-sensei had to hide his mouth in his scarf but Izuku clearly noticed how hard the hero was trying to suppress a laugh.)

Well. What could he have done better?

"I shouldn't have fanboyed over Shiro's quirk like that. That was... unprofessional and stupid. It made me vulnerable." Izuku admits.

Eraserhead hums in agreement. "True. What else?"

"I... I grew flustered when Vlad-sensei tried to set me straight - which cost me even more time and jumbled my thoughts?"

"Also true. And?"

Izuku's forehead wrinkles as he mentally goes through the duel. What did he do wrong? What made him lose in the first place? What was it that- oh. Right in that one moment he lost, hadn't he? "I didn't put any weight on their legs, even though I already knew they could mime stuff with them too. I sat down on their back and leaned forward instead and that was what made it possible for Shiro to send an attack at me. Had I distributed my body weight evenly on all critical spots, I'd have had a better chance of winning." To see whether he's gotten it right, he turns to his teacher who grins at him. (Still very unsettling but also reassuring in this case.)

The man nods. "One hundred percent correct. I'm also sure you would have actually won had you done so. In fact, I want to show you something."

Aizawa-sensei stands up from his yellow beanbag, works out a couple of cricks in his fingers and back and finally motions Izuku to rise as well.